Chapter 68

Zhou Chong chose to appear at the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce during such a critical moment, which was indeed very clever. Faced with a life-and-death situation, Uncle Tu and his companions not only did not resist but were even very pleased. After all, they were all old hands who had followed Zhou Hai for many years. Although they had thought about going solo before, Zhou Chong's appearance at this critical moment undoubtedly gave them a backbone.

After gaining the recognition of Uncle Tu and the others, Zhou Chong discussed with Uncle Tu and Third Aunt how to deal with the current predicament. In fact, Zhou Chong had already learned about the situation of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce from Zheng Ling, Xie Lingyun's uncle, and had already thought of a way to deal with it on the way. Now, he just needed to get the support of Uncle Tu and the others.

Zhou Chong's way of thinking was very different from that of people in the Ming Dynasty, and his perspective on issues was also completely different. Moreover, in his previous life, he had participated in such territorial and interest disputes many times, so he was not unfamiliar with solving such problems. However, the method he thought of was quite bold, which surprised Uncle Tu and the others. But after careful consideration, they found it very effective. With the support of the Xie family, the matter was thus decided.

That night, Zhou Chong and Xie Lingyun did not stay at the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce. This was not because they did not trust them, but because Zhou Chong's identity could not yet be revealed, especially Xie Lingyun's, which was even more sensitive. Moreover, they needed to go back to prepare, so only Uncle Tu and the other three knew about his arrival. Fugui and Wangcai were also ordered to keep quiet and were temporarily arranged to stay in a small courtyard behind the chamber, where they could not contact anyone.

On the way back to Nangang in the carriage, Xie Lingyun and Zhou Chong sat facing each other. It was already completely dark, and the carriage was pitch black, with only a faint starlight seeping through the gap in the front door.

Due to the need for confidentiality, only Xie Lingyun and Zhou Chong were in the carriage, while Uncle Hei, whom Xie Lingyun trusted the most, was outside. Being alone with a man in the small, dark carriage, they could hear each other's breath but could not see each other. This created a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere in the carriage.

Perhaps to break this ambiguity, Xie Lingyun suddenly spoke in the darkness, laughing, "Mr. Zhou, sometimes I feel very curious."

"Oh, curious about what?" Zhou Chong was also feeling awkward about the ambiguous atmosphere in the carriage. Now that Xie Lingyun had spoken up, he was more than happy to respond.

Xie Lingyun stretched her body in the darkness and laughed lightly before speaking again, "If I remember correctly, you have always followed the tutors hired by your family to study, and you have shown extraordinary talent. You passed the examination for the degree of xiucai at the age of fourteen, demonstrating great talent and a deep understanding of the sages' teachings. What I find strange is, with your background, how could you think of such a bloody and ruthless method to solve the current crisis of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce?"

"Miss Lingyun's question is indeed difficult to answer. Moreover, who says that those who read the sages' teachings must have a saintly heart? Historically, figures like Li Linfu and Qin Hui were all well-versed in the sages' teachings, but their actions have been condemned by later generations. In comparison, I merely used some means to protect myself. Although the process may involve some bloodshed, as the saying goes, 'Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.' I feel no guilt in killing those Japanese and Koreans!" Zhou Chong thought for a moment and then answered calmly and composedly.

If it were the original Zhou Chong, he would never have thought of the method he proposed. However, with his two lifetimes of experience and the influence of the media in his previous life, Zhou Chong's heart was far colder than Xie Lingyun could imagine.

"Mr. Zhou is indeed a man of insight, and I feel inferior!" From Zhou Chong's tone, Xie Lingyun could tell that he was truly calm. Thinking about the plan they had agreed upon to deal with the three major chambers, if it succeeded, it would likely result in a bloodbath. But in Zhou Chong's mouth, it was merely described as "a bit of bloodshed." This ruthless and cold-blooded mindset was something Xie Lingyun admitted she could not achieve.

Zhou Chong also sensed a hint of wariness in Xie Lingyun's words. However, he smiled with satisfaction. Xie Lingyun was a very shrewd person, and he was not her match in this regard. Now, due to the situation, he had to rely on her power, but he was concerned about being at a disadvantage. Therefore, while resolving the crisis of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce, he also wanted to use this opportunity to show Xie Lingyun that he was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, making her more cautious. Otherwise, Zhou Chong always felt insecure around Xie Lingyun.

After returning to the Xie family's chamber, Zheng Ling and his son Zheng Longhai were already waiting. Upon learning that everything had gone smoothly, the Xie family's chamber immediately sprang into action, quickly gathering nearly three hundred men, all of whom were strong and capable. Additionally, several dozen fast boats were secretly docked at the port.

At the third watch of the next night, these three hundred men, dressed in short jackets and armed with long knives, boarded the boats, led by Zheng Ling and his son. Zhou Chong and Xie Lingyun boarded a slightly larger sea vessel. Although they did not directly participate in the action, they would observe from the sidelines.

Under the cover of night, the dozen or so boats set out in several groups and quickly reached the northern port. By then, Sun Tong and his men were already waiting at the port. They signaled with lanterns and quickly joined up. Third Aunt, Uncle Tu, and Sun Tong boarded Zhou Chong's ship to discuss the action plan.

"Is everything in place? Has anyone noticed your movements?" Zhou Chong was somewhat nervous. Although he had often participated in such violent actions in his previous life, he had mostly been following orders. This was the first time he was truly in charge.

"Rest assured, young master. Two hundred brave brothers from the chamber have quietly reached the Jeolla Chamber's base. We are just waiting for your command to avenge our fallen brothers!" Sun Tong, with a mouth full of alcohol and red eyes, said. Those who knew Sun Tong knew that he never drank, except when he was about to kill someone.

At this moment, Zheng Ling and Zheng Longhai also boarded the ship. Everyone was familiar with each other in Shuangyu Port, so Third Aunt and the others greeted each other and immediately sat down to allocate the tasks for the night.

Zhou Chong's plan to resolve the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce's crisis was simple and brutal: use the power of the Xie family to eliminate one of the three major chambers, even wiping out all of their members, to serve as a warning.

This plan seemed simple but had deep intentions. First, although the three major chambers—Mie, Kōsen, and Jeolla—were ostensibly united, they had significant internal conflicts and were not truly cooperative. They were all bullies who took advantage of the weak. Now, they were trying to take a bite out of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce while it was at its weakest. However, when they realized that the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce was not weak and had the power to eliminate one of them, they would likely retreat in fear.

Based on this consideration, Zhou Chong decided to eliminate one of the chambers, ultimately choosing the Jeolla Chamber. First, they had killed members of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce the other night, and the chamber's members were eager for revenge. Second, among the three major chambers, only the Jeolla Chamber was run by Koreans, who had the weakest influence in Shuangyu Port, so there was no need to worry about anyone coming to their aid.

Of course, apart from these reasons, Zhou Chong had his own plans. Since Zhou Hai's death, the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce's reputation had plummeted. Other chambers in Shuangyu Port looked down on them, and even some old clients no longer wanted to do business with them. Moreover, for Zhou Chong to fully control the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce, his status as the young master was not enough; he needed to do something to gain everyone's trust.

Smuggling was a business with no rules, and everything depended on who had the biggest胆子 (courage) and the loudest reputation. To quickly build his reputation, Zhou Chong needed to do something extraordinary. What could be more shocking than directly eliminating a medium-sized chamber?

The Jeolla Chamber's base was unique. Most of its members stayed in a coastal water fort, half on land and half floating on the sea. The chamber's ships were also docked in the fort. This setup had two advantages: it combined the port and the base, allowing for concentrated manpower, and in case of an attack, people could quickly board the ships and escape.

Zhou Chong's boats quickly reached the Jeolla Chamber's water fort. It was already late at night, and the fort was quiet, with only a few guards patrolling the wooden watchtowers.

At this moment, Zheng Ling and Sun Tong had finished allocating the tasks for the night. There was nothing complicated: Sun Tong would lead the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce's men to attack from the land, while Zheng Ling's fleet would attack from the sea. Their ships were equipped with many flammable materials to burn the enemy's ships and prevent anyone from escaping.

After the discussion, Sun Tong quietly rowed a small boat to shore to meet up with the chamber's men. Uncle Tu and Third Aunt, being an old man and a woman, would not participate in the fighting and stayed on Zhou Chong's ship to observe.

Soon, three signals flashed from the shore, indicating that Sun Tong was ready. Zhou Chong immediately ordered his men to signal back with a lantern, instructing Sun Tong to act. At the same time, Zheng Ling and his son led the dozen or so fast boats to quietly approach the water fort.