Fang Er was speechless.
Were these two scoundrels now intertwined, with each having a part of the other?
Taking out his walkie-talkie, he instructed Yan Shuangying to turn the ship around and head north along the coastline.
The fleet set sail, and within just an hour, they spotted the strait between Benzhou Island and Jiuzhou Island.
This indicated that Zhang Tian's drawing of the coastline was accurate.
Shortly after passing the strait, night fell.
Sailing at night was too risky. Without radar or nautical charts, they could only drop anchor and rest.
The next morning, the fleet set off again. It wasn't until late afternoon, as dusk approached, and after calculating the distance, that they estimated they were nearing Shimie.
Looking through the telescope from the large ship, the coastline was a solid expanse of trees as far as the eye could see.
However, between the trees and the sea, there was a wide stretch of sandy beach.
Fang Er felt a stir of interest.
"Liu Meng, Zhang Tian, take some men and investigate!"
Guan Chang stepped forward. "Marquis, may we go too?"
The Yan Yun cavalry, bored to tears on the ship, could no longer stand it. How could men who rode horses be confined to a ship?
Fang Er nodded.
A group of them disembarked from the large ship and headed towards the shore in landing craft.
Chai Shao and Yuchi Jingde also dispatched landing parties from their two large ships to assist Liu Meng and his men.
After landing, the hundred-odd men, as before, divided into three teams.
They fanned out in different directions to scout.
That night, they slept directly in the woods.
The next day, it wasn't until noon that Fang Er received a report from Huang Sheng.
He stated that about five li from the shore, there was a town, and they had found an old man who could speak Tang dialect.
With an interpreter, everything would be much easier.
He instructed those remaining on the landing craft to bring the small boats back.
It was time to land!
First came the three hundred soldiers, followed by the craftsmen sent by Li Shimin to search for ore and refine silver.
Finally, Fang Er, his two brothers, Chai Shao, and Yuchi Jingde followed.
The remaining soldiers stayed on the ships, ready for any eventuality.
When Fang Er stepped onto the sand, Huang Sheng was already waiting there with a white-bearded old man.
Huang Sheng pointed to the old man and said to Fang Er, "Marquis, this is the fellow. He says he was a merchant and often traveled to Goguryeo. He had contact with merchants from the Central Plains and thus learned some Tang dialect."
Hearing Huang Sheng's address to Fang Er, the old man quickly knelt down. "This humble one, Meichuan Kutou, greets the Marquis of the Superior Country!"
Cheng Chumao, standing behind Fang Er, heard the man's words and walked over, yanking open the old man's clothes.
Tsk, tsk, tsk! So small!
He muttered, shaking his head.
Meichuan Kutou was very confused.
Why was this person lifting his clothes?
Was he planning to harm an old man by unceremoniously stripping him?
Fang Er's forehead was covered in black lines. He wondered if Cheng Yaojin would spank his son if he knew about this.
He glared at Cheng Chumao, then looked at the old man and said,
"Tell this Marquis, what is this place?"
The old man trembled slightly, truly frightened by Cheng Chumao.
"R-r-replying to the Marquis,"
"This area, five li in circumference, is called Yoshino Town, the territory of the Yoshino family. Does the Marquis wish to know anything else?"
Fang Er nodded, then continued to ask.
"Is there a place called Shimie nearby?"
Meichuan Kutou frowned, thought for a long while, and then shook his head at Fang Er.
"This humble one has never heard of this place."
Fang Er had anticipated this possibility, as one could not be certain that the Shimie of later generations was called by that name now.
He waved at Huang Sheng. "Give him ten taels of silver and send him on his way."
Meichuan Kutou could hardly believe Fang Er's words.
He couldn't earn that much in a year.
Huang Sheng did not quite understand Fang Er's actions, but he proceeded as instructed.
After Meichuan Kutou left, Chai Shao laughed.
"You little scamp, you've got something up your sleeve!"
Fang Er just chuckled, offering no explanation.
The beach here was clean, and the tide had just receded.
He arranged for soldiers and craftsmen to set up a temporary camp, and then Fang Er took Chai Yue and Xiao Qing to the beach to collect seashells.
Chai Yue, who had never done such a thing before, was as happy as a child.
She collected a large pile of colorful shells, all of which were handed over to Xing'er, who followed behind them.
At this moment, the advantage of having maids became apparent.
If Xing'er hadn't been there, this task would have fallen to Fang Er himself.
Meichuan Kutou, after leaving this place, immediately hurried towards the town that Huang Sheng had captured him from.
Entering the town, he wound his way through alleys and slipped into a small wooden building.
Not long after, he emerged again, accompanied by a man dressed as a samurai.
The two, one after the other, left the town and walked eastward for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, arriving at a manor.
The samurai walked to the gate and knocked.
With a creak, the courtyard gate opened.
A samurai in similar attire peeked out, then stepped aside. "Inu-san, please enter."
Inu-san merely nodded slightly, then led Meichuan Kutou into the manor.
In a corner of the manor, there was a training ground where several samurai were sparring, their wooden staffs, about three feet long, clacking loudly.
However, if Guan Chang and the others saw their movements, they would surely scoff.
Inu-san went directly to the side and said to a man standing outside the training ground, "My Lord, Meichuan-san has something to report to you!"
This man was the head of the Yoshino family, Yoshino Inouye.
Yoshino Inouye glanced at Meichuan Kutou.
"My Lord of the Yoshino family, a fleet has arrived from the west. The ships are very large! Larger than any ship in Wōguō today!"
As soon as Meichuan Kutou spoke, Yoshino Inouye's expression changed immediately.
"How many people have they brought, and how many samurai?"
The arrival of an unknown force on his territory was a major matter.
Subsequently, Meichuan Kutou clearly explained everything he had seen to the head of the Yoshino family.
He even respectfully presented the silver tael that Fang Er had rewarded him with.
Upon seeing the silver, a hint of greed appeared in Yoshino Inouye's eyes.
However, instead of taking back the silver, he said to Inu-san, who was standing nearby, "Give him a piece of silver of the same size! Then arrange for him to stay here for now."
After Inu-san had led Meichuan Kutou away.
Yoshino clapped his hands a few times.
The samurai who were sparring immediately gathered around.
After Yoshino gave a few instructions, these samurai left the manor and headed in different directions.
The next morning.
Outside the Yoshino manor, a gathering of nearly two thousand people had formed.
However, these two thousand people were clearly not of the same faction.
They were divided into six groups, each clustered together.
Yoshino Inouye stood to the side, with six middle-aged men standing behind him.
The seven of them were conversing with broad smiles.
After a long while, Yoshino said to the others, "Then, please accompany me. Shall we go and welcome our guests who have traveled from afar?"
The six middle-aged men nodded.
Yoshino waved his hand.
"Depart!"