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Merchant ships along the coast have always moved according to the direction of the wind, heading south in autumn and winter and north in spring and summer.

At the beginning of every summer, countless merchant ships carrying goods from Southeast Asia and Jiaozhi headed north to Quanzhou or even further to Jiangdong, and then brought back raw silk, satin, porcelain, copper coins, etc., which were either sold or exported to make huge profits.

However, at this moment, it was still some time before early summer, and the first batch of raw silk had not yet been put on the market, let alone the return of ocean-going ships. Without the endless stream of merchant ships, a fleet sailing alone on the sea was quite eye-catching.

Leading the way were three-masted Fuzhou ships, followed by dozens of other vessels, large and small. They looked imposing, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this fleet was a patchwork of several merchant companies. Aside from the Red Flag Gang's banners, they were essentially independent formations, each concerned with its own safety. If they were in Red Flag Gang territory, it would be fine, but outside of Panyu, they were still a worthy target.

However, despite this thought, not a single pirate actually came up to plunder. I wonder if the nearby pirates had been swallowed up by the Qingfeng Gang, or if there wasn't much worth robbing at this time of year. After sailing for several days, only one Qingfeng Gang ship came by to take a look. Upon seeing the Red Flag Gang's banner, they generously gave way, allowing for unimpeded passage.

Despite some lingering concerns, Lu Jian had to admit that the Qingfeng Gang was in much better shape than he'd imagined, having not lost any territory to internal strife. As long as they could safely cross this stretch of water, the rest of the voyage would be much safer. After all, the closer they got to Jiangdong, the more discerning the pirates became. These were all territories long-established by aristocratic families, not dominated by single-handed tyrants.

Cheng Xi must be a little disappointed with this itinerary, right? After all, she had made a lot of preparations, just waiting for the fish to bite.

Indeed, their fleet appeared disorganized, with ships of varying sizes, but in reality, it carried a full two thousand elite soldiers. They were capable of fighting not only the pirates but also the government troops. This arrangement was partly to conceal their strength and cover their tracks, but also because Cheng Xi wanted to see if there were any bold or powerful pirates along the way. Now that not a single one had surfaced, it would likely require even more manpower and time to investigate.

But for Lu Jian, less trouble is better. He is not very interested in the situation at sea and just hopes to reach Yuhang as soon as possible.

Taking a deep breath of the sea breeze, Lu Jian said to the people around him, "Is Gang Leader Cheng up yet?"

"We have already had breakfast. Do we need to report it?" the confidant asked immediately.

Lu Jian shook his head: "No need."

After saying this, he stood there, continuing to gaze out at the distant sea and sky. After so much travel across the sea, even the most magnificent scenery was inevitably boring, and instead highlighted the anxiety in his heart.

After enjoying the sea breeze on the deck for a while, that familiar voice sounded behind me: "Why did you come down today? Are you restless?"

No matter how clean the deck was, it was still a little messy. Lu Jian usually watched the view from the observation deck above, but today he suddenly ran down there. Naturally, Cheng Xi had to make a joke about it.

Unexpectedly, Lu Jian nodded and said, "I'm anxious and can't help but feel restless."

He actually admitted it openly. You have to know that Lu Jian has been pretending to be a decent person these days. At least the anxiety and hatred on his face have been suppressed, and he looks like a handsome and elegant young man. Cheng Xi raised his eyebrows and smiled: "There is no point in being anxious. It's better to relax and find some entertainment."

In the first few days after setting sail, they had indeed discussed a great deal, from the complex web of relationships among Jiangdong's major families, to their respective political stances, to their positions and maneuvers regarding the succession, and to the potential weaknesses of the Lu family. After all, Lu Jian was also a Lu family member, having lived in Yuhang for over a decade and then constantly obsessed with bringing down his father. Therefore, he was well-informed and open about everything he knew. Therefore, while they had roughly determined their strategy, they also let Cheng Xi know the inner workings of Jiangdong.

However, no matter how carefully one gathers intelligence, it must eventually run out, and now that there's no "business" to do, it's inevitable that something awkward will arise. Besides sailing, the sailors also have daily training, scrubbing the decks, occasionally wrestling and playing, and casting nets for fishing—no one has a spare moment. She'll also watch a few games, chat with Lin Mo and the other girls who've come with her, and keep exercising, handle official business, and plan for the future. She's long been accustomed to long-distance sailing, so a voyage of ten days or half a month is no problem at all.

But for Lu Jian, such a voyage must have been quite difficult. Not only was there no entertainment, but he also had to worry about the things weighing on his mind. He couldn't even make plans immediately. After all, the distance was too great. He had to wait until he got ashore and received the latest intelligence from the spies he had deployed in advance before he could make any arrangements.

Therefore, it is not difficult to guess the intention of Lu Jian's sudden posture.

As expected, Lu Jian turned around and said seriously, "How about a game of hands? I wonder if the gang leader would be willing to honor me?"

"I'm a terrible chess player. If Mingde doesn't mind, then let's play a game." Cheng Xi said with a smile.

After a few words, they decided on a way to spend their time. They returned to the watchtower and set up their positions in the study. Go was supposed to be a good way to pass the time, but this game ended even faster than expected. Cheng Xi's moves were too swift, and he lost quickly.

When the game was over, Lu Jian said, "If you don't like Go that much, why not try something else?"

Her chess skills were so poor, she must not have played often. Furthermore, she was surprisingly indifferent to winning or losing, so she probably didn't care about it. Lu Jian didn't want to end the game so early, so he changed his idea.

Cheng Xi supported his chin with one hand and waved the other casually: "Don't bother, I'm not keen on these things."

Not to mention the old-fashioned game of Go, she is not even interested in playing poker, and she is only good at playing a round with others occasionally.

The hand holding the chess piece paused, and Lu Jian suddenly said, "Then I wonder what the gang leader likes to do?"

The two of them had very little time to interact with each other, and Cheng Xi was a person similar to him, devoted to work, so this question really came from the heart.

This topic was a bit private, but Cheng Xi did not hide it: "Let's go shopping, or go to the temple fair. I like places with a strong sense of fireworks."

This is not a lie. Besides shopping, she also likes to hang out at places like museums and tourist attractions. Seeing the fireworks of the world and looking at the cultural heritage that has been preserved, she feels that all her life and death have been worth it. Of course, now that she has a whole big gang, starting from scratch has its own fun.

This answer was a bit too girly. Lu Jian was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Then I took you for a stroll before, and it turned out to be a coincidence."

He had indeed taken Cheng Xi to visit shops in Panyu before, but at that time he didn't know she was a woman, and had no intention of trying to please her.

Cheng Xi smiled slightly and asked, "What does Mingde like to do?"

Lu Jian was stunned again, even the hand holding the chess piece froze in mid-air. After a long moment, he shook his head and said, "I know a lot of things, but unfortunately, I only learned them for show. I don't have any preference."

He was skilled in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and could compose poetry and prose—everything a son of an aristocratic family should know. He could also ride horses, shoot arrows, seek pleasure, and enjoy every kind of entertainment that could be used in the business world. Yet, he didn't truly enjoy any of these things.

Cheng Xi was not surprised by this answer. As a workaholic, nothing could bring him greater happiness than work, not to mention that he was a ruthless person who would never let go of any grudge.

Seeing her understanding, Lu Jian exhaled lightly and whispered, "If you hadn't asked, I wouldn't have thought about it. I've spent over a decade just trying to bring down the Lu family, so how could I have the heart to think about anything else?"

This statement was deliberately left unanswered, but Cheng Xi did not ask any questions. He just nodded and said, "Then you must get what you want this time."

Lu Jian didn't brush it off and asked directly, "Aren't you curious why I'm so crazy and do such immoral things?"

"Everyone has their own reasons. I'm just an outsider, so why delve into them?" He'd already said some of it before. While it wasn't in depth, it was still pretty clear. There were so many messes in the rich and powerful, and she hadn't felt like opening up to them yet.

These words, which showed no interest at all, made Lu Jian's heart sink for some reason. However, the next moment, he changed the subject: "Jiangdong is not like Panyu. If you attend a banquet or poetry gathering, you will probably want some elegant entertainment. If you want men's clothing, you'd better learn some in advance."

This time, Cheng Xi had more than one identity. He could be assured of playing the role of a servant, but not necessarily of anything else. Since they were all sitting together, they should find some topics to talk about and continue.

At this moment, Lu Jian was no longer thinking only about the revenge that made him anxious, but also had other thoughts that were difficult to suppress.

He prided himself on being good at reading people's minds, but when it came to Cheng Xi, there was always something unfathomable and awkward about her that he couldn't fathom, and he would often make a huge mistake by a hair's breadth.

If he wants to take another step back in the future, he needs to understand the woman in front of him better.