Hou Jie’s single statement made Liu Renyuan so angry that smoke came from all seven orifices. Cement was one thing, but why also bring stones? What kind of idea was this? Did he think the Lingnan fleet was what? A quarry ship?

Hou Jie spread his palms helplessly and said, “I really can’t stand those natives using ivory and sandalwood hoes to dig the ground and quarry stones. After one Anhuang City is built, the price of damaged tools exceeds the value of the city itself. So I’d rather you transport stones to me than watch a group of ragged spendthrifts work.”

Liu Renyuan burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this and slapped Hou Jie’s shoulder, very happy for him. This kid had finally emerged from the shadow of his father’s death. Someone who could joke at a time like this would definitely be able to live on strongly.

He beckoned to his guards, and immediately a large chest was carried over. He removed a key from around his neck and slapped it into Hou Jie’s hand, saying, “You’re about to get married. The old madam specifically asked those uncles and brothers in Chang’an early on to seek gifts for you. They’re all here. Don’t look at them in front of me—I might get wicked ideas. Good heavens, your Hou family—when all is said and done, the donkey may die but its frame remains standing.”

Hou Jie caressed the copper key in his hand and said to Liu Renyuan with a smile, “These are all the heroes and stalwarts that Father befriended back in the day. That’s why we younger generations have endless blessings to enjoy. I only hope now that my descendants can also receive blessings and generous gifts from their elders. Old Liu, let’s encourage each other together.”

Liu Renyuan gave a chuckle and said nothing, directly seeing Hou Jie off the ship. His military situation was urgent now. He absolutely had to complete all preparations before Gaoshan Yangzi crossed the straits. Several military bases also needed to be inspected one by one.

After the Lingnan Navy’s fleet sailed parallel with Hou Jie’s fleet for one day, one headed south and one headed west. Hou Jie needed to hurry to Anhuang City to begin establishing order there according to the model Yun Ye had provided. The obedient and rebellious people on the entire island of Java needed to be distinguished. Most importantly, a distinction of status needed to be created among these natives.

If only Tang people ruled from on high, such a society would sooner or later collapse. A society that could not satisfy the wishes of the majority of people was destined not to last long. So between Tang people and natives, two to three buffer classes must appear. These people didn’t need to be many—thirty percent of the total population would suffice. The rights didn’t need to be great—being able to enslave the remaining natives was enough. From now on, Tang people would sheathe their bloodstained horizontal swords and begin using smiles to express their goodwill toward these natives.

The executors of future killings would be those natives who had followed the Tang people in battle earliest. They need not suffer any exploitation—they would all be vested interests. Hou Jie very much wanted to see a dark-faced native speaking fluent Chang’an official speech and debating with elite disciples of the academy.

History was forgetful. What’s more, these natives hadn’t yet developed their own writing. Their language also had only a few syllables. Under the invasion of the Great Tang’s superior civilization, within less than one generation, the primitive concepts they believed in would be assimilated until not even dregs remained. A society possessing elementary-stage civilization and barbaric jungle culture would become mortal enemies—this wouldn’t shift because of individual will. The academy’s sociology department had such simple descriptions. That gentleman who studied wolf packs was truly a great talent. He could see through the essence of society at a glance and already possessed the bearing of a grandmaster.

Anhuang City was the most brilliant architectural complex on this island. Although it couldn’t compare to a slightly more prosperous prefecture seat in the Central Plains, on this land it was already a divinely brilliant existence.

The main body of Tang people was still maritime merchants. They exchanged their goods with each other in this great city. In the brand-new harbor, countless vessels were densely moored. Hou Jie knew there must be spies sent by the Emperor here. He hadn’t deliberately tried to conceal anything. If Anhuang City wanted to trade with the mainland, there was simply no way to escape the Emperor’s eyes, which were sharper than a hawk’s. There was no need to bring up the distinguished nobles—he only needed to let the Emperor know that this was a foothold that he, a criminal like himself, had fought for with his own fists and feet.

The Great Tang’s power couldn’t reach here. Controlling Annan was already the limit of the empire’s strength. The Emperor also understood this principle. Having a city on the ocean with Tang people as the main body made him feel very honored. In his view, when the time was ripe, he would only need to dispatch a few officials to complete control over this city.

What he didn’t understand was that the distinguished nobles had already reached an agreement—that the officials of Anhuang City could only come from among the distinguished nobles’ sons. Others would absolutely have no opportunity whatsoever.

Anhuang, pacifying souls—it pacified not only the frightened souls of those maritime merchants but also had to comfort the souls of those distinguished nobles who had failed in struggles in Chang’an, in the Great Tang. At the very least, they wouldn’t fall to the miserable state of a husband dying and his wife and daughters becoming slaves.

Hou Jie looked at Hou Hu lying on the bed and constantly scratched his head. The academy had taught him almost all life skills, except it hadn’t taught him how to comfort and care for a young younger brother. A twelve-year-old boy simply couldn’t adapt to such a change from falling from heaven to hell. Looking at his weak younger brother lying on the bed, his face flushed, constantly calling for Mother—he simply couldn’t accept this.

The men of the Hou family were all iron men—this statement was easy to say but hard to achieve. Hou Jie believed that he and Hou Ying could absolutely live up to it, but for a young boy who had been pampered since childhood, it was indeed extremely difficult.

He and Hou Ying had both been steeped in that great dye vat of the academy. They had long been trained by that demonic academy to be incredibly tough. Whether in an environment of wealth or in harsh living conditions, they could adapt. Especially someone like himself who had piled up sweat mountains at the academy—suffering hardship wasn’t much of a matter. But Xiaohu had been spoiled since childhood by a concubine and had grown up never eating even a bit of bitterness. Now coming to this hellish place, being able to hold on until now was already due to Father’s spirit in heaven providing protection.

Jade ornaments jingled. A woman in full ceremonial dress appeared. From her hair to the silk ribbons on her skirt hem, nothing was out of place. She had been waiting in the room for her newly wedded husband. It was already the third watch of the night, and her husband still hadn’t arrived. She felt somewhat sad, knowing that whether in status or appearance, she couldn’t match the former eldest son of Duke Chen. Even if the Hou family had declined, still no one dared look down on them. Moreover, this martial man had already carved out a great expanse of territory overseas.

She was very clever and knew much. She had even heard from the Hou family’s loose-lipped concubine that the woman her husband had loved before was the proudest peony in Chang’an city. Although she wore full ceremonial dress in the mirror, no amount of white powder could cover her slightly dark skin tone—this was the adverse consequence brought by the entire family’s exile to Lingnan.

She had thought her husband was drowning his sorrows in wine or remembering his past lover. Biting her teeth tightly, she left the bridal chamber to find her husband, but discovered he was clumsily caring for his younger brother. This immediately made her happy. What a good excuse—so he wasn’t reminiscing about anyone, but rather caring for his younger brother.

“Madam, you’ve come. Perfect timing. Xiaohu ate a bit too much fermented grape wine tonight and is sweating all over. Help me look at him—I really don’t know how to care for people.” Seeing Feng Niang come, Hou Jie felt as if granted amnesty.

“Husband, Xiaohu’s body is fine. Lingnan is hot to begin with, and here it’s even hotter. Ice was added to the fermented grape wine. Xiaohu greedily drank several cups. His spleen and stomach are weak, so sweating a bit is normal. As long as we’re careful not to let him catch the wind, by tomorrow morning he’ll be fine.” Feng Niang bent down, took the towel from Hou Jie’s hand, and gently helped Xiaohu wipe his sweat with extremely practiced technique.

The couple’s wedding night was spent caring for his younger brother. Seeing Xiaohu finally fall into deep sleep, only then did Hou Jie breathe a sigh of relief. He poured two cups of fermented grape wine and handed one to Feng Niang, saying, “We’ve failed this beautiful night. I’m sorry. We’ll make it up later. If this were in Chang’an, our wedding would be a hundred times livelier than here, and a hundred times more glorious. Unfortunately, those are all yesterday’s withered flowers that cannot be mentioned again.”

Hou Jie clinked his wine cup against Feng Niang’s cup and drank it all in one gulp. Feng Niang stared blankly at Hou Jie, not knowing what this meant. Hou Jie laughed, grabbed Feng Niang’s hand, and poured the full cup of wine into Feng Niang’s mouth. Seeing her cough continuously, he laughed even more vigorously. After laughing for a while and seeing Feng Niang’s face turn completely red with embarrassment, he stopped laughing and said:

“This is the cup-clinking ceremony. It’s very popular in the academy. You haven’t stayed in Chang’an so you’re not clear about it. In the future when I have time, I’ll teach you bit by bit. I have no chance to return to Chang’an, but you do. The Hou family still has some properties in Chang’an, all in the hands of uncles and brothers. You’ll still need to go receive them. When dealing with their womenfolk, these things are unavoidable. Experience them first now.”

Feng Niang’s eyes widened. Why would a family that had committed the great crime of plotting rebellion and had their property confiscated still have property? Wouldn’t those uncles and brothers take the opportunity to swallow it all?

Seeing Feng Niang’s surprise, Hou Jie immediately understood her thoughts. He sat on the windowsill looking at the bright moon over the sea and said, “The Hou family’s experience is different from your family’s. Those uncles and brothers are all Father’s close friends. Your family’s wealth will be swallowed by others, but the Hou family’s won’t. Doing that wouldn’t be worth losing face for them. So the Hou family’s properties will definitely be fine. The dividends and profits that should be there won’t be short by a single coin. As long as you go, they’ll immediately settle accounts with you for everything, one by one. It might even be more than what was originally supposed to be there.”

The moon outside the window was bright and gleaming. Hou Jie suddenly felt the mood arise. He embraced Feng Niang’s slender waist and held her as they sat together on the windowsill. Feng Niang instinctively wanted to cry out loudly, but suddenly remembering Xiaohu who had just fallen asleep, she immediately covered her own mouth. Feeling Hou Jie’s scalding body, her entire body had already become soft and limp.

Holding his beloved while appreciating the bright moon—this had been Hou Jie’s dream for a long time. That fairy-like woman no longer belonged to him, so why not open his embrace and hold his own woman while looking at the moon? That wasn’t bad either.

Perhaps only Chang’e in the moon knew what he was truly thinking.