Chapter 332

Upon learning of the situation, Wang Xiujin could no longer concern himself with his brothers' marriage arrangements. After informing the head of the household, he gathered his things, boarded a carriage, and hurried out of the city. Li Linshan intended to accompany him but first had to report to the military camp. Though Wang Xiujin left first, Li Linshan caught up within the hour, riding at full gallop with a small escort of household guards—men of exceptional skill specifically assigned to ensure Wang Xiujin’s safety.

The carriage driver took the reins and hitched the horses. As Li Linshan climbed into the carriage, Wang Xiujin, noticing that Li had not even changed his clothes, quickly produced a set he had brought along. "I have asked Manager Wang to handle the situation with my father. By now, the Emperor should also have received word. The issue of the remnants of the Kou Kingdom must be resolved as soon as possible; they cannot be allowed to run rampant, or there is no telling how many workshops and businesses might be affected."

Li Linshan squeezed Wang Xiujin’s hand as if to reassure him. In truth, Li believed that the attack was specifically targeted at Wang Xiujin’s shipyard and other enterprises. Wang Xiujin was remarkably prominent, and the shipyard was a prime target because the remnants of the Kou Kingdom viewed it as the source of their nation’s downfall; without the warships built there, their kingdom might not have fallen, or at least not so quickly. The motive for targeting his other businesses was even simpler: Wang Xiujin was too successful at making money, and he had donated much of it to the national treasury. Had it not been for those massive donations, the Great Liang might not have had the financial strength to conquer the Kou Kingdom.

In the capital, the Emperor received news of Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan’s departure, along with the report explaining the cause. Before the Emperor could vent his fury, an attendant rushed in to announce that Lord Wang had arrived for an audience. The Emperor hurriedly beckoned him in, and before Lord Wang could kneel, he ordered the attendant to bring a seat. "The remnants of the Kou Kingdom are far too arrogant!"

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the Kou people alone could not have had the capability to do this. There must be someone colluding with them. Otherwise, how could they have so conveniently entered the shipyard during a shift change, and how did they know exactly where to strike to ignite the facility? Had they not been discovered in time, the entire shipyard might have burned down. Losing one warship is a burden my son can bear, but if the shipyard itself were compromised, he would lack the means to maintain it." Lord Wang spoke with his own concerns, as well as the implications relayed by Manager Wang on behalf of Wang Xiujin.

The Emperor was already burning with rage. Although there were no active wars and the pace of warship production had slowed, this did not mean he was indifferent. He harbored ambitions to rule over lands beyond the seas—a desire fueled by the return of royal descendants from overseas and Wang Xiujin’s promotion of foreign goods. This was why he had not halted production at the shipyard. He had never imagined it would be sabotaged this way. The Emperor recalled how, not long ago, certain civil officials had suggested stopping shipbuilding, claiming it was a waste of funds, which only served to deepen his suspicions.

At the Li residence, Manager Mi and the second master returned in a foul mood, followed by three others whose expressions were equally grim. The eldest master had been summoned by the patriarch and instructed to send men to guard Wang Xiujin’s properties in the capital, ensuring no further accidents occurred. Just as the father and son concluded their discussion, the group that had gone to propose the marriage returned. Before the eldest master could ask how things went, the dismal expressions of the group made it clear. As he started to speak, his brother grumbled that the marriage prospects with the schoolteacher’s family had fallen through.

The old general asked no questions, simply stating that they would look elsewhere. The eldest master wanted to probe further but was silenced by a glare from Manager Mi, so he decided to wait until they were back in their quarters. The second master’s anger remained unspent; he felt immense resentment toward the teacher but could not voice it to his father, so he shifted the topic to ask what had happened with Wang Xiujin.

The eldest master explained that the shipyard had been mostly burned down, and that his eldest son had gone with Wang Xiujin to assess the damages. Upon hearing the full story, the second master roared, "Those bastards!"

The schoolteacher had many students. Feeling that he had lost face at the Li residence, he had complained to his students, expecting their support. Instead, these students, who were not particularly fond of the stubborn old man, found that the teachers from Wang Xiujin’s New Building Academy had already heard of the incident. The academy teachers, mimicking a previous tactic, began targeting the old teacher. Wang Xiujin was unaware of this; had he known, he likely would have stopped them, as he saw no necessity in it.

After traveling for several days, the group arrived at the shipyard, which was heavily cordoned off by soldiers. Wang Xiujin was only allowed in due to his status as the owner. Inside, the manager was leading workers in the cleanup. Upon seeing Wang Xiujin, he hurried over to report the losses. Wang Xiujin scanned the tags above the heads of the manager and the workers; finding no signs of "traitor" or "malice," he frowned. Could he have guessed wrong? "Are all the workers here?"

"How could they be? These are all volunteers here to help clean up; everyone wants to resume work as soon as possible," the manager said with a bitter smile. "But as it stands, I fear we will have to rebuild; much of this is beyond repair. Those refugees are truly hateful. Even burning down the shipyard isn't enough to satisfy their spite."

"Burned to death? Not a single survivor?" Since not everyone was present, Wang Xiujin wondered if he could gather everyone and see if anyone was missing, perhaps finding a clue among those who didn't show up.

"Not a single survivor." The manager had pondered this deeply over the past few days. He had moved from wishing the refugees were all dead to wondering if a survivor might have provided answers. The head of the garrison had conducted several interrogations, and the manager had noticed certain anomalies; those he allowed to help with the cleanup were the only ones he truly trusted.

Hearing the explanation, Wang Xiujin nodded. The manager’s judgment was sound—at least none of the people participating in the cleanup bore tags indicating ill intent. "For those helping with the cleanup, pay them triple the daily wage, and continue paying their regular wages until the shipyard is restored."

The manager was stunned. He knew his master was generous and wealthy, but he had not expected this level of largesse. It would take at least half a year to resume operations. To pay nearly a hundred people for so long would be a staggering loss. As the manager started to object, Wang Xiujin held up a hand. "I value my money too, and it didn't fall from the sky. But I cannot let these workers go months without income just because I am stingy. Such loyal, skilled workers are hard to find."

The manager hesitated before asking, "Are you not afraid that they will take the money and not return?"

"If they don't return, so be it. My conscience will be clear." Wang Xiujin shook his head. He didn't mention that he planned to introduce a series of benefits, prioritizing the shipyard—such as building housing and medical clinics—starting here as compensation for the workers.

With the master’s word final, the manager could only comply. He relayed the news to the crowd, who were deeply moved. Some even insisted that they would treat the time before work resumed as a rest period and didn't need pay, knowing the master had suffered enough. Wang Xiujin smiled, shook his head, and stood on a high spot. "I am deeply grateful for your dedication to the shipyard. I may not have grand abilities, but I have enough to support you all."

Wang Xiujin had wanted to add that this was also the Emperor's will, but he decided against it. It was better to leave the Emperor out of it to avoid giving anyone an excuse to attack him. There were few who would offer help in times of trouble, but no shortage of those who would kick a man when he was down.

Among the workers, there were kind-hearted souls who quietly asked the manager if those who hadn't come could also participate. The manager, knowing their good intentions, brushed them off with excuses, though he worried that word would spread and others would come looking for the same treatment.

Wang Xiujin just waved it off. He was looking for an excuse to gather everyone together anyway; if they came, it would save him the trouble. The manager, not knowing what Wang Xiujin was thinking, could only fret, looking toward the eldest grandson of the Li family for help. Could he not rein the master in? No matter how much money he had, he needed to be prudent.

Li Linshan had no intention of interfering with how Wang Xiujin handled this. He did not understand business matters, and even if he did, he would not rashly criticize Wang Xiujin’s decisions. He was certain that Wang Xiujin had his reasons.

Having traveled all the way there, Wang Xiujin did not leave after making his announcement; instead, he joined the cleanup efforts. Li Linshan naturally followed by his side. Seeing them, the workers set to their tasks with renewed vigor.

They worked until evening, at which point Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan went to the inn booked by the guards. Once inside, Wang Xiujin ordered the innkeeper to prepare steamed buns and meat to be sent to the shipyard for the guards on duty. The innkeeper complied immediately. Exhausted and having lost his appetite, Wang Xiujin returned to his room, stretched out his legs, and looked at Li Linshan. "What would you like for dinner?"

"It’s already prepared. I’ve asked the kitchen to boil some extra hot water for you," Li Linshan said, sitting down beside him. "You’ve worked hard."