PNB Chapter 252: See if we can rent a boat to go out to sea?
Chapter 252: See if we can rent a boat to go out to sea?
After coming out of Linyi Pavilion, Ye Wuwei went to a teahouse next to a rice and grain store to have tea.
Ye Dacheng told Ye Wuwei:
Large quantities of food, fruits, vegetables, tools, etc. are regularly transported to the southernmost tip of South City. Combined with the missing people, he wondered if there was some private mine at the southern end of South City?
Those missing people were abducted and taken to illegal mines.
It’s no wonder Ye Dacheng thinks this way.
Otherwise, he really couldn't figure out why so many people were kidnapped?
But Ye Wuwei is different.
Ye Wuwei can not only receive information from Nancheng, but also from Fengdu and other places.
Ye Wuwei learned that the Yuwen family had privately opened a shipyard to build ships in recent years.
The shipbuilding industry in the Qi Dynasty was not well developed, so there was no maritime trade. The Yuwen family would not rashly build ships, but would only profit from them.
And the benefits are huge and tempting!
Based on Ye Wuwei's understanding of Qi Dynasty's shipbuilding technology, even if the Yuwen clan could currently build large ships, it would be impossible for the ships to engage in maritime trade business on the high seas. Therefore, Ye Wuwei guessed that the Yuwen clan had discovered a large island near the coast.
Combined with the news of missing people, Ye Wuwei guessed that the Yuwen family wanted to build this large island as a retreat for the Yuwen clan.
The large quantities of food, fruits, vegetables, tools, etc. that are regularly transported to the southernmost tip of Nancheng are actually transported to this large island.
Of course, all of this is just Ye Wuwei’s speculation at the moment, and the facts still need further confirmation.
After ordering a pot of tea, Ye Wuwei gave the waiter some change:
"Brother, I want to purchase a large amount of grain in Nancheng. Which rice and grain store in Nancheng has the best reputation and the best business?"
This is not a confidential matter. The guy got some change, so naturally he said whatever he wanted to say.
"This rice and grain store does good business. They have many big customers, and they even sell grain to the southernmost part of South City."
Ye Wuwei pretended to be confused and asked, "How do you know his family's grain has been sold to the southernmost part of South City?"
"It takes time to load the grain onto the trucks, so the people transporting the grain should stop by our place more often. They'll know the difference after a few times."
This is also the reason why Ye Wuwei chose to ask the waiter in the teahouse next to the rice shop.
If Ye Wuwei went directly to ask the clerk in the rice shop, firstly, the other party might not tell him, and secondly, it might alert the enemy.
But it’s different if you ask the waiter in the teahouse.
The waiter in the teahouse had no idea what Ye Wuwei was trying to find out, nor was he so sensitive about the grain business.
After leaving this teahouse, Ye Wuwei went to more than a dozen teahouses next to rice and grain stores to inquire, and was able to confirm that grain was indeed transported to the southernmost end of South City on a regular basis.
After Ye Wuwei returned to his residence, Lei Dahong also came back.
"Have you found any news?"
"In the eyes of the people, the Governor of Nancheng is a man who does nothing to benefit the people, but he has also never been known to do anything bad."
Ye Wuwei understood: a typical case of doing nothing but working for nothing!
"What about the missing persons issue?"
"I've inquired around a lot, and it's true that quite a few people have died in South City in recent years, more than in previous years.
In recent years, the official death toll has differed by several thousand from the number of bodies recovered.”
It appears that several thousand people are indeed missing.
"Get ready. We're going to the southern end of South City tomorrow."
Lei Dahong agreed.
After being alone, Ye Wuwei thought carefully:
He instructed Yao Guangzhi to turn back south after ten days, while he and Lei Dahong rode at full speed, changing horses constantly, and arrived at Nancheng in just three days.
He still had at least seven days to investigate at the southernmost tip of South City without alerting anyone.
It only takes half a day to get from here to the southernmost tip of South City without stopping.
……
The next morning, Ye Wuwei and Lei Dahong set out for the southernmost tip of South City.
The southernmost tip of Nancheng is the sea.
Lei Dahong looked at the endless sea in front of him and asked, "Commander, are you saying there are really islands in the sea?"
"Well, there are thousands of islands in the sea, but some are small, have low sea levels, and dangerous sea routes, making them unsuitable for living."
"How do you know there are so many islands in the sea? Have you ever been to the sea?"
When Ye Wuwei meets someone who is picky, he really doesn't know how to respond.
He couldn't answer what I knew in modern times.
In fact, it is unknown whether the place where the Qi Dynasty was located is the same planet as the modern place, but since there are land and oceans on both sides, there must be islands as well.
Only the number and location of islands will be different.
But facing Lei Dahong who would not give up until he got the answer, Ye Wuwei had no choice but to lie:
"My great-grandmaster once sailed out to sea, and he told me so."
"Who is your master?"
"My master is a member of the founding Ye family and has long been living in seclusion in the mountains."
Seeing Lei Dahong was about to ask again, Ye Wuwei hurriedly said:
"Can you see if you can rent a boat to go out to sea?
It is said that the young master of a noble family wants to gain experience at sea, and wants to find the most experienced boatman and rent the best ship.
Money is not a problem.”
Lei Dahong agreed.
Looking at Lei Dahong's back, Ye Wuwei felt a little sweaty:
If it were Yao Guangzhi, he would definitely listen to whatever Ye Wuwei said and would never ask any questions.