Chapter 2421 - 2137: Schism?

Gan Ning was stunned, having been away for two years, what happened in the Central Plains, suddenly so lavish that it blinded one’s eyes, ten warships worth fifty billion each, Ziyi actually ordered ten at once, but Gan Ning quickly realized, how could they be real Seventh Generation Ships!

"Completely different, the Seventh Generation Ships I saw before were after successive downsizings, but Jir Cai’s Seventh Generation Ship alone is dozens of yards in length, pure steel structure!" Gan Ning said exaggeratedly, gesturing as he spoke, causing Chen Xi to spit out his tea.

"How much is the construction cost?" Chen Xi asked, wiping off the tea leaves at the corner of his mouth while looking at Gan Ning.

"Material costs are fifty billion." Gan Ning said expressionlessly, causing a stir throughout the room.

"Has construction started?" Chen Xi inquired.

"The longitudinal dragon bone is already formed." Gan Ning had a look of amazement on his face, "It’s the pinnacle of human imagination, the dragon bone is probably over one hundred and twenty paces."

Chen Xi looked at Gan Ning in disbelief; although pace is an ancient measurement unit, roughly estimating it as per the norm, one hundred and twenty paces would be around one hundred and eighty meters — and this is just the dragon bone equivalent to a construction’s load-bearing beam, one hundred and eighty meters long?

Although Chen Xi doesn’t understand shipbuilding, he knows that the length of the dragon bone and the length of the deck have significant differences. A one hundred and eighty meter dragon bone, the deck above this — is this going to surpass two hundred meters? Lul Jun, are you planning to build a battleship?

Holding a teacup, Liu Ye inadvertently dropped the lid on the table, equally shocked, staring at Gan Ning, telling you this is a ship?

We haven’t even entered the 3rd century AD yet, producing a battleship at this time — you’re defying the heavens!

"However, speaking of it, even just constructing a dragon bone of one hundred and twenty paces and other concurrent components requires a considerable amount of steel." Holding a teacup, Li Youu, gazing at the place where Lul Jun fainted, spoke silently, hitting the nail on the head.

Suddenly everyone’s expression turned grim, instantly understanding the crux of the matter. When officially there was no request to construct such a huge ship, what capital did the Lul Family Shipyard utilize to start the construction?

Chen Xi’s expression turned grim, glancing at Liu Ye who was silent with a teacup beside him, pulling a smile at Gan Ning, "Xingba, hard on you, take Jir Cai down, I think we have some internal matters to discuss thoroughly."

Gan Ning, although not fully understanding what happened, also knew that at this point what should be understood actually is understood, and he is not suitable to stay here any longer. Next, it truly depends on the reaction of these people.

Gan Ning immediately carried Lul Jun out in an exceedingly flamboyant walking posture, remembered to bring the gate as he left.

After Gan Ning left, the room was silent, the atmosphere becoming quite heavy, yet no one spoke for quite a while.

"Liu Ziyang, do you still want to fight a battle with me?" Chen Xi suddenly asked slowly, his face devoid of any smile, only coldness.

Liu Ye placed the teacup down, "Although my explanation, you’re unlikely to believe, but this time it wasn’t me."

Jia Xu and Li Youu likewise looked solemnly at Liu Ye, reaching this point, if there’s a struggle among the upper level — well, this isn’t a struggle anymore, at this position, at this point in time, making such a move, this isn’t describable as turmoil struggle — this is splitting!

"Ziyang, not to such extent, if he intended to act, he wouldn’t need to be so crude." Guo Jia spoke slowly, "Moreover, at such a time, everyone is striving for stability, no one can bear the result of doing this."

"Someone laying traps for us?" Fa Zheng sneered, "I don’t think anyone qualifies to lay traps for us now."

Chen Xi looked deeply at Liu Ye, "Wen Ru, take people and bring back all relevant information, rosters, and technical documents, the Lul Family Shipyard will be temporarily closed."

"I’ll lead soldiers there." Li Youu stated calmly, "It’s indeed time to let the people below understand, we’re not in chaos yet, any of their excessive actions are courting death."

"Boning, you go as well, you’ll have the authority to adjudicate on this matter." Chen Xi looked at Mann Chong, then at Liu Ye, finally speaking calmly.

"Alright, I’ll personally handle this matter." Mann Chong nodded, even though Gan Ning hadn’t said any additional words, they actually already knew roughly how many people this matter would involve, how big the problem would be.

"Boning, investigate, without concern for me." Liu Ye said with eyes gleaning cold light, "Investigate thoroughly; I’ve never suffered such losses in my life!"

Jia Xu stared at Liu Ye, having not spoken all along, because if Liu Ye really did this, then this action is drawing him into troubled waters — however, at this point, Jia Xu doesn’t think Liu Ye would do such things!

Although Liu Ye jumps a lot, his mind is still sharp. His wisdom and intellect are not to be underestimated, and what he is doing now might put Liu Ye at risk. Chen Zichuan’s nature tends to be soft, but Li Wenru is still alive, and if provoked, in order to ensure stability, Li Youu might very well decide to eliminate Liu Ye without hesitation.

"Investigate it, this matter wasn’t done by Ziyang." Jia Xu suddenly spoke up, but before Liu Ye could respond, Jia Xu coldly added, "Wenru’s butcher knife will not be lowered!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ye’s hair stood on end, and his gaze naturally slid toward Li Youu. Indeed, if he had really done this, it would be courting death. While Li Youu is alive, many issues that Chen Xi can’t resolve have a good solution.

"Hehehe." Li Youu lightly chuckled as he looked at Liu Ye. Liu Ye understood that he must thoroughly clear himself of suspicion in this wave, otherwise being on Li Youu’s blacklist would be a serious problem.

"I picked up the lid, but it was just a casual act. While auditing, I noticed the flow of large sums of money and a lot of materials heading to the Lul Family Shipyard. I only casually checked what was going on." Liu Ye remained silent for a while, looking at everyone as he spoke.

"Who handed you this content?" Jia Xu was silent for a while before speaking, and if that’s the case, Liu Ye’s claim of irrelevance might be true. Probably even Jia Mu, passing through Qingzhou, when auditing officials, might have casually opened this lid, and regarding its contents, no one thought too deeply.

Liu Ye was stunned, and then his face darkened, instantly understanding Jia Xu’s meaning.

"Well, it seems I’ve also been used as someone else’s tool." Liu Ye coldly looked at Jia Xu and replied, "This content was just something I casually browsed in official documents, but there aren’t many who can access this!"

"Those who have followed us the longest?" Chen Xi suddenly asked, "They’re hoping to enhance their status and power by curbing ours?"

"That’s the only possibility." Guo Jia slowly spoke, "After all, they’ve been following in our shadow; now that we’re about to unify, anyone with clear sight knows the outcome. They probably can’t hold back any longer, as this is their last chance. If they miss it, they likely won’t surpass us in the future."

"Then why choose me?" Chen Xi frowned after a moment of silence.

"Because you wield the greatest power, and when facing all three of them, you can win. Whether you choose to let go or suppress, you can free up many positions." Li Youu said calmly, "No matter how many times you see such things, they remain just as uninteresting."

"Forget it, let’s not kill anyone this time; move all involved personnel to insignificant positions." Chen Xi sighed, "Li Wenru, it’s time for you to act, let them know that without turmoil, all their ideas are just dreams!"

"Boning, you go too. For you, deal with those who need killing or arresting," Chen Xi turned towards Mann Chong, unlike Li Youu, Mann Chong at least won’t wield the butcher knife excessively."

"Ziyang, take a break for now." Chen Xi said to Liu Ye slowly, Liu Ye’s grip on his teacup turned his knuckles slightly white.

"Why don’t you let me handle this matter?" Liu Ye asked after a pause.

"I wouldn’t dare let you handle this. Even if this matter is truly accidental, previous incidents have made me cautious. If it’s just middle and lower levels jumping around, we can quickly suppress it; but if someone among us steps out..." Chen Xi gazed out one side of the window.

"That’s not a power grab, nor is it factional strife, it’s division!" Chen Xi said ominously.

"Division?" Liu Ye looked at Chen Xi in front of him, feeling inexplicably estranged; Chen Xi was seldom so adamant.

"Yes, division." Chen Xi nodded, "I can tolerate power grabbing, after all, it’s human nature, and many covet this position. I can also tolerate factional strife, as there will always be differing opinions and ideological clashes. Although it turns into factional strife, losing right and wrong, compared to these, only division is intolerable."

"Has it come to this?" Liu Ye looked at Chen Xi, Li Youu, Jia Xu, noticing a cold expression on each, even if Guo Jia and Jia Xu explained that Liu Ye wasn’t responsible, emotions were still involved.

Liu Ye swept his gaze over everyone present, realizing that including Mann Chong, all were staring at him expressionlessly, indicating a unified stance.

"Is this everyone’s decision?" Liu Ye asked the people present.

No one spoke, and Liu Ye’s face turned extremely grim.

"That’s it then!" Liu Ye coldly swung his sleeve and left abruptly through the open main door, where a gust of wind and snow surged in, as everyone silently watched Liu Ye’s silhouette disappear into the storm.

"Notify the others to come for an emergency meeting." Chen Xi took a deep breath, suppressing his inner agitation, "Five hundred billion in funds, and construction has already begun. We must think about what to do next!"