Chapter 92: The Duke of Yan Crosses the Sea

Time always passes swiftly, and the calendar had already reached the spring of the second year of the Yanhuang Empire.

Today was the appointed day. Before the sun had even risen above the sea, a hundred thousand people were already waiting at the docks.

The distant sound of horns echoed, and though the ships were not yet visible, tall plumes of dense smoke could already be seen.

Once known as Lord Yan Chun, he had now become the Duke of Yan of the Empire.

“They’re coming!” Yan He grew excited. After learning in detail about the Empire's policies toward overseas territories, everyone in the Duke of Yan’s household had begun to covet such prospects.

Were it not for Yan He's caution, he might already have been assassinated and replaced.

“Brother Yan, after this parting, I do not know when we shall meet again!” Jing Ke spoke with heartfelt emotion. Soon, he too would represent the Northern Kingdom in a diplomatic mission to the Six States.

Yan He shook his head and sighed. “You must take care, my worthy brother! The alliance between Yan and Zhao under the Empire can only influence Han, Wei, and Qi, but Qin and Chu must be handled with utmost care!”

They say wine and meat pass through the bowels, but today Yan He truly acknowledged Jing Ke as a kindred soul.

Jing Ke nodded. “Be at ease, brother. The king has given his instructions.”

Jing Ke’s mission was merely to pave the way, carrying no special responsibilities.

Soon, the ships drew closer, their outlines growing clearer. The fleet, nearly a hundred vessels long, stretched across the horizon.

The Northern Kingdom’s navy had arrived; a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians were about to cross the sea to open new lands. The event was so momentous that King Yan, Yu Yandan, had come to the docks in person.

“Such colossal ships, can the Moists craft them?” Yandan asked gravely.

The leading escort ship measured a hundred and twenty meters in length and twenty meters in width, equipped with four large gun turrets and eight smaller cannons.

“To build such a giant ship demands great resources, but the Moists are capable,” replied the Six-Fingered Black Hero, steeling himself.

After months of observation, the Moists had finally discovered the principle behind the steam engine’s kinetic power. Yet, to truly master its application would require more time.

“Very well!” Yandan let out a sigh of relief.

The white giant ship resembled both a sea beast and a small mountain, unmoved by the boundless, surging waves.

“No wonder it can carry a hundred thousand people in a single voyage,” the King of Yan murmured. Even the smallest of the dozens of steamships before him were close to a hundred meters long, with many exceeding that length.

To accommodate the Six States’ immigrants, Lin Shu had pushed the construction of ships to the limit. This fleet represented only seventy percent of the Empire’s total transport capacity.

Gradually, the fleet slowed, lest they run aground.

“Quick, build the floating bridge!” Qiu Ji shook his head lightly. The vast Yan Kingdom didn’t even have a proper dock, only two small wooden bridges.

The fleet included not only large ships but also dozens of medium and small vessels. Among them, twenty were specially designed by Lin Shu as floating bridge ships—small vessels with shallow drafts and movable deck planks that could be laid directly onto the shore.

As the bridge was being built, Qiu Ji mounted his sea-spider mech and jumped straight into the water.

The sea-spider mech was seven meters long and four meters wide, equipped with one cannon, one machine gun, and two segmented blades. Though large, it weighed only a dozen tons.

Besides its four limbs, which could glide slowly through the water, the blue spider also had a propeller mounted on its rear.

The Empire’s navy, including all the sailors in the fleet, numbered thirty thousand, but there were only six sea spiders.

To Qiu Ji’s disappointment, the navy’s warships consisted of just six vessels: two escort ships, each a hundred and twenty meters long, and four gunships, seventy meters in length.

Two blue sea spiders floated on the surface, looming like true monsters of the deep.

“The Empire’s mecha beasts! When will our duchy ever possess such wonders?” Yan He spoke with admiration.

Jing Ke shook his head. “Alas, my black tiger and automobile must remain in the Empire, or I would gladly gift them to you, brother!”

To prevent theft, the Empire closely guarded its steam engines.

“You are thoughtful, my brother! Perhaps mechanical arts are the path forward,” Yan He said, turning to glance at the Six-Fingered Black Hero standing at the forefront.

He thought a change of clothes might conceal his identity, but with the King treating him so, who else could he be but the Six-Fingered Black Hero?

“Brother King, go and receive the Empire’s navy!” The King of Yan admitted he lacked the courage to approach the two monsters himself.

“Understood!” Raising his hand, Yandan hurried forward.

Jing Ke followed suit.

The two towering sea spiders, each three meters high, halted when confronted by the crowd.

Qiu Ji’s command of the central language was unrefined, and he had little desire for idle chatter.

“Ah! Ambassador Jing Ke!” An ambassador’s rank was not inferior to his own; moreover, they were drinking companions to the king. Qiu Ji immediately leapt down.

Jing Ke returned the greeting. “Major Qiu Ji, you need not concern yourself with me.”

Yan He nodded silently, confirming his younger brother’s considerable influence.

“General, I must trouble you from here on,” he said.

Qiu Ji replied, “Duke Yan, say no more. Let them prepare so the mission may be accomplished swiftly.”

With not even a small town at the dock, Qiu Ji had no desire to linger.

“Very well! Let us board the ship, then!”

Though reluctant, Yan He’s anticipation outweighed his feelings of loss.

After bidding farewell to the King of Yan and others, the Duke led his family to be the first to step onto the great floating bridge.

The two bridges connected to the sea, each several meters wide, allowing five rows of people to cross at once.

To Yan He’s surprise, among the emigrants were many high-ranking officials and scions of noble families. Perhaps they sought to divide his power, but most came of their own accord.

A hundred thousand soldiers and civilians crossing the sea might seem difficult to mobilize, but the consent of the serfs was never required. Yan He alone commanded tens of thousands of serfs under his name.

Seeing the vast ships, even the anxious farmers were reassured.

With the nobles aboard, the King of Yan began his departure.

On the way back, he made sure Yandan rode in the same carriage.

“Yandan, the Moists are not to be trusted. In the future, keep your distance from them.”

Yandan dared not object and nodded immediately.

“Rest assured, Father. Once I master the core mechanical arts of the Moists, I will sever ties with them.”

The Moists had nearly killed him twice; Yandan bore not a shred of affection for them.

In the battle of Liaoxi, had the Moists not fled incompetently, how could the Yan army have been defeated? If Yan had not lost, Zhao could have pressed into Liaodong, and if not annihilated the Northern Kingdom, at least dealt it a severe blow.

“Ah, the mechanical arts of the Moists! I see now they are not worth much. Even if we acquire them, they are no match for the Empire’s mecha vehicles and giant ships.”

The King of Yan felt reassured. Fortunately, Yandan was not foolish; twice betrayed by the Moists, he vowed never again to trust their lies.

“Wise words, Father! With such giant ships in the Northern Kingdom, no barrier can stand in their way!”

Yandan could not help but admire his father’s foresight.

The King smiled faintly, then let the smile fade.

After signing the suzerain alliance with the Empire, he had already ordered the halt on building the Liaohai Pass. It was not wisdom but fear of provoking the Northern King once more.

“Does Father truly intend to let brutal Qin conspire with the Northern Kingdom to endanger the world?” His father had changed, just as Lord Yan Chun had. No—now he was already the Duke of Yan.

The King was stunned. How could he be content? But what could he do? The devastated Yan Kingdom would take at least twenty years to recover.

“Events shift unpredictably! Yet, for the next decade or so, Yan must abide by the alliance, never breaking it.”

Under his father’s stern gaze, Yandan quickly bowed his head. “Rest assured, Father. I dare not act rashly.”

The Northern Army was like a butcher’s blade, poised to cut down Yan at any moment, and Yandan dared not provoke the Northern King again.

“Though we cannot defy the Northern King, if the Six States unite, perhaps they could halt Qin.”

The King no longer hoped to reclaim Liaodi, but wished only to block the Qin army before his death.

Thinking of the situation in Zhao, Han, and Wei, and the relationships among the Six States, Yandan could only smile bitterly.

“If the Six States could truly cooperate, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Chu would not be ceding land one after another.”

“Yes. The future lies in your hands.” The King nodded lightly. In a few decades, when he was gone, Yan would no longer weigh on his heart.