Chapter 375 - 279: The East Sea Settled, Returning to Huangpu

Chapter 375: Chapter 279: The East Sea Settled, Returning to Huangpu

Bobin Port.

Ichida Keizai was inspecting the giant ship.

Though the giant ship was perfectly safe while moored in port, years of rigorous training ensured he stuck to this habit.

If he didn’t complete his rounds each day, something just felt off.

As he finished inspecting the eastern deck and prepared to turn toward the west, he heard a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Following the sound, he saw several feathered arrows streak across the sky, finally plunging into the sea a good hundred meters from the ship.

A moment later, the sea’s surface churned, and the carcass of a large fish slowly floated to the top.

Ichida Keizai watched, his eyes full of envy and admiration.

Such archery was truly a sight to behold. That the archer was a petite woman made it all the more astonishing.

Ichida Keizai stole a glance at the figure on the western deck. From his angle, he could just make out her beautiful side profile.

But he quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look any longer.

This was not merely out of respect for a master archer; it was born from his awe of Wu Liangchen.

After all, this woman had boarded the ship with Wu Liangchen. Whatever their relationship, she was not someone he was qualified to covet.

Just then, Chen Baimei noticed Ichida Keizai’s arrival. She stopped shooting and ordered the small boat, which had been waiting below, to retrieve the large fish.

Though they had eaten so much fish lately they were sick of it, a catch of this size was still a rarity. It would be a pity to waste it.

Ichida Keizai walked up, bowing respectfully. "My lady!"

Chen Baimei waved a hand. "Haven’t today’s supply ships arrived yet?"

"It’s not time yet, but they should be here soon," Ichida Keizai replied quickly.

Since Wu Liangchen’s departure, the three of them had established a clear division of labor.

Ichida Keizai and Chen Baimei remained on the giant ship to serve as a deterrent.

Meanwhile, Yan Feng led a group of men on land to manage the port’s affairs.

This arrangement ensured the port’s security to the greatest possible extent.

As they spoke, several ships appeared in the distance, speeding toward the giant vessel.

"It’s Lord Yan’s supply ships!" Ichida Keizai concluded after a careful look.

As someone who had pledged allegiance to Wu Liangchen relatively late, Ichida Keizai was respectful to everyone, always using honorifics.

Though he was certain there was no mistake, Ichida Keizai still had his sailors prepare their defenses as the ships approached.

This cautious and meticulous nature was also a result of his grandfather’s teachings.

After all, victory and defeat are often decided by the smallest, most inconspicuous details.

However, today was different.

As the supply ships neared the giant vessel, a figure Ichida Keizai had been dreaming of appeared on the bow of one of them.

It was a gaunt, thin old man, dressed in the coarse cloth pants and shirt of a villager, his clothes flapping noisily in the biting sea wind.

"Keizai!" the old man shouted.

Ichida Keizai finally snapped out of his astonishment, then cried out in joyous surprise, "Grand... Grandfather, why are you here?"

That’s right—the gaunt, thin old man was none other than Ichida Keizai’s grandfather.

Not only that, but behind the old man, many other familiar figures appeared.

"Uncle, little sister..." Ichida Keizai was so surprised his jaw dropped.

He didn’t react until the old man had boarded the ship. Then, he scrambled forward a few steps and fell to his knees on the deck with a THUD.

"Grandfather!" The word had barely left his lips before he choked up.

If his grandfather hadn’t taught him that a man must never cry in front of outsiders, he probably would have burst into tears on the spot.

And looking at his most cherished grandson, Ichida Jessi felt a sting in his own nose.

This young man shouldered the hopes for the revival of their entire clan. For this reason, Ichida Jessi had always doted on him. He had kept him by his side since childhood, teaching him with painstaking care. The two had never been separated.

It wasn’t until Ichida Keizai enlisted in the army that they were parted. The grandfather and grandson had not seen each other in two years, and one can only imagine how much they missed each other.

This was also why, after hearing news of Ichida Keizai, he had insisted on coming despite his old and frail body.

Ichida Jessi was well aware that after a lifetime of toil for the clan, his time was running out. He could be called to see the Buddha at any moment.

And before he died, his greatest wish was to see his grandson one last time.

Yan Feng, who was following behind, witnessed this scene, and his opinion of Ichida Keizai couldn’t help but change slightly.

Previously, he had looked down on Ichida Keizai, thinking him a coward who clung to life and had betrayed his own country.

’Looks like I might have misjudged him,’ he thought.

After kowtowing three times, Ichida Keizai got up and asked, "Grandfather, why did you all come here?"

Ichida Jessi chuckled. "The noble lords from our hometown sent us."

’The noble lords from our hometown...’

Ichida Keizai understood immediately.

Evidently, the tyrannical aristocratic clans from his homeland had also heard of Wu Liangchen’s accomplishments. They knew he was now working for the great man and had therefore come up with this scheme to curry favor with him.

Ichida Jessi understood this as well, of course. But he said nothing, instead gazing at his grandson with a gratified expression.

He could tell from his grandson’s expression that the boy had already figured it all out.

It proved he was no longer the naive, ignorant boy he once was.

This put Ichida Jessi’s mind at ease.

And while the members of the Ichida Clan rejoiced at this hard-won reunion, Yan Feng was busy directing sailors to move supplies onto the ship.