“Sir!”
Seeing Han Mo starting to act improperly again, Shao Bowen was speechless.
This guy always had a bit of a wicked sense of humor at times like these, and this sudden, unexpected wicked humor always made Shao Bowen want to fly into a rage.
“Alright, this was just a joke. It’s getting late, Mr. you should go and get busy with your own affairs!”
“Yes, the recruitment of personnel is almost complete. In three days, I will lead them all the way to Penghu!”
“I will be preparing to return to Mingzhou tomorrow, so I will not see you off. Please take care on your journey!”
After much deliberation, Han Mo finally decided to let Shao Bowen and his men establish a temporary base on Penghu Island.
“You too, Sir!”
After they parted ways, Han Mo went directly back to the post station to prepare for his return to Mingzhou.
“Sir, Master Han has arrived!”
As Han Mo was sorting through his letters in the study, Jiang Yan suddenly knocked on the door from outside and said softly.
“Master Han? Which Master Han?”
“Uh… Master Han Zhao!”
Being asked by Han Mo, Jiang Yan felt a bit awkward. After all, there seemed to be quite a few masters surnamed Han these past few days.
Since Han Mo had written to Han Jiayan, Han Jiayan had not been polite at all and had stuffed over a dozen Han family disciples into his care.
The leader of these was Han Zhao, Han Jiayan’s second son.
“Please invite him in!”
Han Mo said with a smile as he spoke.
“Yes!”
After Jiang Yan responded, he went outside and invited Han Zhao in.
“Second Uncle, is there any particular reason for your visit at this time?”
Seeing Han Zhao walk in, Han Mo immediately stepped forward with a smile and greeted him.
Although the age difference between the two was not that great, Han Zhao’s seniority was there, so Han Mo could only reluctantly call him Second Uncle.
“There’s nothing much, actually. I just heard that you’re planning to return to Mingzhou tomorrow. Is that true?”
Han Zhao did not stand on ceremony and asked directly.
“Yes, that’s right. With Second Uncle overseeing things here, I plan to return to Mingzhou in the next few days. Do you have any other matters that you are unsure about?”
With the backing of millions of strings of copper coins, Han Mo’s recommendations now carried immense weight.
He had only submitted one document, and in just three to five days, Han Zhao’s position as the Commissioner of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Bureau had been directly approved.
Along with him, over a dozen Han family disciples had also been appointed to various positions, taking advantage of this opportune moment.
Although this could be considered nepotism, at this critical juncture, the powerful figures in the court were all focused on the struggle between Cai Jing and Cai You and Wang Fu.
Who had the time to bother with these trivial matters?
Moreover, with Nie Shan, the Vice Minister of Personnel, present, such minor issues would not even reach the emperor’s desk.
“There’s nothing else, really. It’s just about the regulations that have been set in place. I’m worried that those prominent families might stir up trouble, especially in Quanzhou…”
As Han Zhao spoke, his face was filled with worry.
He himself was from a prominent family, so he knew how much trouble the scions of these powerful households could cause when they gathered together.
“I’ve already prepared for this. Second Uncle, you don’t need to worry about it. Even if they want to cause trouble at sea, they’d have to see if they have the capacity. I’ve already spoken with Lord Long. If anyone dares to obstruct you, Second Uncle, just ask him for help. As for them trying to play any tricks at sea, let them try!”
Han Mo was well aware that few people who made a living from the sea were easy to deal with.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so eager to build his own strength.
Although he currently only had the 3,000 soldiers he had just recruited.
However, with the weapons he had personally improved and designed, Han Mo was very confident in their combat power.
Even without gunpowder weapons, he believed these items would still give them a surprise.
What’s more, although gunpowder weapons were somewhat challenging for the craftsmen of this era, they were not so mysterious to Han Mo.
He also held the concurrent positions of Commissioner for Maritime Trade in the Liangzhe and Fujian coastal regions. As soon as he returned to Mingzhou City, he could immediately summon craftsmen to trial-produce gunpowder weapons in Mingzhou City.
As long as he could stall for a few months, and the Mingzhou Navy and Quanzhou Navy were successfully integrated, anyone who dared to play any tricks with him would have to see how many heads they had on their necks.
After all, in this era of turmoil, no one’s life was more precious than another’s!
Once they reached the sea, with the two navies in control, the force under Shao Bowen’s command would be the true grim reaper.
No matter how noble the lineage of a noble son, once their heads were chopped off and thrown into the sea, they would still be fish food!
“With you saying that, I feel more at ease. However, with their accumulation over the years, you still need to be careful of their open and secret attacks in the political arena.”
Unlike his elder brother, Han Zhao was quite satisfied with his nephew.
Although Han Mo spoke with full confidence, he still advised him.
“I understand this, Second Uncle. Please rest assured!”
“Alright then, it’s getting late. You should start packing your things. You can rest assured about the matters in Quanzhou, as I am here. Be careful on your journey!”
“Thank you, Second Uncle!”
After Han Zhao left, Han Mo continued to pack his belongings, and it wasn’t until midnight that he finished packing all his letters.
“Sir, shall we travel by water or by land this time?”
Seeing that Han Mo finally had some free time, Jiang Yan came over and asked in a low voice.
“Let’s go by water. It’s safer on the road! Madam and the others should be arriving soon. I reckon it’s possible they’ll arrive before we do, before we even reach Mingzhou City!”
Thinking of seeing Zhe Yourong soon, Han Mo felt a little bit of excitement.
After all, they were husband and wife from their youth, and after not seeing each other for so long, it would be a lie to say he didn’t miss her.
“Going on a boat again?”
Hearing Han Mo say this, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
“Look at you, what kind of expression is that? It’s just a boat trip. You’re such a big person, and you still get seasick!”
Seeing Han Mo’s look of disdain, Jiang Yan really wanted to curse.
Was it strange for a man from the northwestern plains, who grew up on the loess, to be unaccustomed to traveling by boat?