Back at the encampment, the Thirteenth Prince couldn't wait to pull out the map, sweep away all the items on the long table, and hurriedly unfold the map.
Thirteenth Master waved to his men and asked expectantly, "Here... this is a map of the Songjiang Prefecture sea area. Based on your observations last night, can you accurately locate the islands?"
The group of men exchanged glances, huddled together, and began gesturing and discussing the map.
Thirteenth Prince and Seventeenth Prince stepped aside. Seventeenth Prince asked doubtfully, "Thirteenth Brother? Do you think this will work?"
Thirteenth Master said confidently with a smile, "Although it rained last night and visibility was poor, there shouldn't be any problem."
By this time, the soldiers had finished their discussion, and the Thirteenth Prince and the Seventeenth Prince walked over together. One of the soldiers pointed to several small islands in the sea and said, "Reporting to the two princes, the approximate location is on these islands! However, we still need to investigate further to find out which island it is on..."
Thirteenth Master stroked his chin, lost in thought. Pointing to several islands, he cautiously said, "These islands are indeed suspicious. When I left the island today, I specifically observed the wind direction and the sunrise. My guess about their location is roughly the same as their analysis..."
Seventeenth Master examined the map carefully again and couldn't help but sigh, "They're truly cunning and clever. These islands are located in reef areas, and normally, when the tide is high, ships can pass through without any problem. But once the tide comes in, ships from outside the area will definitely run aground and be destroyed..."
The Thirteenth Prince nodded and hurriedly said, "We can only determine the approximate location now. We still need to send people to secretly investigate which island they are hiding on. We've been lingering in Songjiang Prefecture for too long. We need to quickly determine their location, deal with the White Lotus Sect, and return to report to the Emperor..."
Seventeenth Master pointed to the island on the map and said uneasily, "Thirteenth Brother, the sea may seem calm, but it's actually fraught with danger. pinpointing its exact location won't be easy..."
Thirteenth Master shook his head, thinking that he and Thirteenth Prince had been trapped here for over a month, and they still didn't know what the situation was like in the capital. Seeing that the grain in the granary was almost gone, they couldn't wait any longer. He insisted, "We can't wait for the next island-landing route. The longer we delay, the easier it will be to expose our weaknesses. We must overcome the difficulties and find it as soon as possible..."
The Seventeenth Prince, quick-witted as ever, summoned nearby fishermen. The fishermen, unaware of the Thirteenth and Seventeenth Princes' identities, assumed they were merchants and, after giving them some silver, bowed and scraped before the Thirteenth Prince.
"Uncle, we want to buy a few islands to store our goods, but we're really unsure about the waters around here. Could you tell us which islands are suitable for storing goods?" Thirteen Master invited the fisherman to the map and pointed to the three islands that had been previously marked.
The fisherman glanced at them, then smiled knowingly, "Oh, you've come to the right person! I've been fishing here for decades... Of these islands, only two are suitable for storing goods." Thirteen Master asked in surprise, "Why?"
The fisherman pointed to an island and said, "These are all small islands, but their elevation is too low. If a storm comes at sea, they're likely to get soaked and are unusable." He then pointed to two other islands and said earnestly, "This island, though small, is very sturdy, surrounded by reefs, making it difficult for outsiders and thieves to approach. As for the last island, I've never been close to it. It's said to be infested with wild animals, and fishermen in this area never dare to go there..."
Thirteenth Master and Seventeenth Master exchanged a glance, smiled, and saw the fisherman off. The fisherman looked at the silver in his hand, not expecting that it would be over in just a few words. He fled as if he were afraid that Thirteenth Master would change his mind.
After the fishermen left, Seventeenth Master looked at the two small islands marked on the map and said with certainty, "This should be it... Since the White Lotus Church stored food on the islands, their hideout must be nearby..."
Thirteenth Master stepped forward, suddenly realizing something, and said, "Do you think this island, which is rumored to be teeming with wild beasts, might be their lair? To cover their tracks, they deliberately spread rumors to keep people from easily approaching?"
The Seventeenth Prince felt that the Thirteenth Prince's words were very insightful, and the two of them were overjoyed, finally finding some clues.
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