Early morning. On the deck of the main ship in the fleet.
Leonard Yuan stood by the ship’s railing, gazing at the distant water. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Young Master, what are you looking at?" Edward walked over with a cheerful grin, standing shoulder to shoulder with Leonard.
Leonard Yuan pointed toward the distant waters. "I’m looking at the water over there."
Just as Leonard finished speaking, the river ahead, which had a visible boundary, suddenly widened. The endless expanse of water stretched out as far as the eye could see—no boundaries at all. In the farthest distance, the deep blue water met the sky, blending into one. It was truly a magnificent sight!
"Is this the sea!?" It was Leonard’s first time seeing the ocean, and he was instantly awed by its vastness. His body trembled slightly, feeling that just witnessing the sea made his heart feel broader.
Edward chuckled, "That’s right, this is the sea! Is it your first time seeing the ocean, Young Master?"
Leonard nodded, "Yes. I’ve only read about the sea in books before. I never imagined the real thing would be so vast and magnificent!"
Edward nodded and said, "The ocean is boundless. It makes you realize how small you are. The sea’s power is limitless—look, the weather is calm and sunny now, and the surface is peaceful. But when a storm hits, the sea turns furious. The waves can be as high as dozens of ships stacked together! If we’re not careful, the waves could overturn the ship and we’d be swallowed by the sea. Let’s hope we’re lucky this trip and avoid any violent storms."
After speaking, Edward pointed to the other side of the ship. "Young Master, look—this is Ningport Harbor."
Leonard Yuan turned and saw that the fleet had already entered the harbor bay. This dock was much larger than the one in Chang’an, with fishing boats moored everywhere. But there were very few merchant ships—only their fleet was present.
The fleet would complete the exit procedures at the Ningport office and take on their final supplies before setting out to sea.
"Young Master, I’ll go take care of business. Stay on the ship and don’t go ashore," Edward instructed.
"Alright, Mr. Edward, go ahead. I’ll look around the ship and won’t leave," Leonard replied.
Edward busied himself with the paperwork, while Leonard wandered around the ship. He walked to the side closest to the dock and saw workers in the distance loading food and water onto the ship. Edward was negotiating with a man in official robes, writing out documents.
Edward seemed to know the official well, so the procedures went quickly. Soon, Edward returned to the ship.
"Who’s that official?" Leonard asked.
"That’s Mr. Qian, the port authority," Edward replied.
"Mr. Qian?" Leonard muttered, recalling the Qian family that had been placed under house arrest in the Palace of Qin.
Leonard took a closer look at Eric Qian. Unexpectedly, Eric Qian was quite sharp and quickly noticed Leonard, glancing back at him.
Eric Qian’s gaze was piercing, making Leonard feel inexplicably uneasy. Goosebumps rose on his skin, and a strange sense of discomfort crept over him.
Leonard quickly left the ship’s edge and returned to his own cabin.
On the dock, Eric Qian turned to his trusted aide and asked, "Was that man on the ship Chancellor Evans’s younger brother, Leonard Yuan?"
"Yes, sir. That’s him," the aide replied.
A chilling smile appeared on Eric Qian’s face. "Father’s information was spot on. Hmph, Leonard’s presence on the ship means Chancellor Evans knows nothing about our secret plans. This time, they won’t be coming back!"