"For the country..." A trace of disdain flashed in Sophia's cold eyes, "We have traveled thousands of miles, isn't it also for our country? In that case, why don't you let me go?"
Xia Shang glanced around: "If one reason can cleanse you of all your crimes, it would be too easy."
"You...what do you want?"
"We'll think about this later, but now you have to get me off this ship."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"This ship is the last gift left to Dahua in your plan, so before that, you must think about your escape. Obviously, there must be a link in your plan to deal with today's situation.
The most likely way out of the accident is that you left a secret passage on this big ship for you to leave. Your Highness, my guess is correct, right?"
After hearing what Xia Shang said, Sophia's expression changed obviously, but she refused to admit it: "What do you mean? I don't understand."
"Your Highness Princess, you'd better face your situation. If you fall into the hands of people from our court, you will definitely die without any body parts, including your companions. You should be glad now that I am the one who caught you."
"Then who are you?"
"An ordinary Chinese citizen."
"No! You are definitely not an ordinary person, you know a lot!"
Xia Shang rubbed his nose and felt a little proud: "I don't deny this. I do know more than others. But one thing you must understand is that I am a selfish person who has some national sentiments. Out of my concern for the nation,
In the interests of the country, it is indeed necessary to intervene in this matter that has nothing to do with me at the moment. I know that it is difficult to recover the gold and silver jewelry stolen by you, but you and your companions are still very valuable."
"valuable?"
"Although this ship is a shell, it is not easy to make a shell of such a scale. At the same time, I have listened to your steam power theory. Although it is not perfect, at this point in time, it is already possible to come up with such a grand idea.
It is much better than ordinary people. I believe that given time, you should be able to turn a ship into a reality."
Sophia's eyes paused: "What did you say? You said that given time, this ship... this ship can become a reality?"
"No doubt, I really think so. It may take decades, or it may take hundreds of years, but it will definitely become a reality. But someone must go on unswervingly. In Dahua, it is difficult to find
Such a person. Now you should understand why I would save you, right?"
"It's unbelievable..." Sophia was a little depressed, "In our country, when I proposed such an idea, everyone said I was crazy. I have traveled to many places, and no one believed that steam could be used to propel a ship carrying
The castle's ships... But in the east, I met the first person who believed in this idea."
"Boom!"
There was a loud noise, and the entire hull shook violently again.
"Quick, let me go. I'll take you out of here." Sophia made a decision.
There were obvious changes in Sophia's eyes and tone, and she was obviously beginning to believe Xia Shang.
Xia Shang did not hesitate and immediately let go of Sophia's hands and feet.
Sophia stood up, moved her joints, looked at Xia Shang, and was about to throw away Li Zijin's coat. She stopped, shrank back, and put the clothes on her shoulders: "Follow me."
…
At this moment, people are still being evacuated from the ship.
Because the ship is too big and the hull is too high, it is difficult to get off the ship.
Li Xin looked at the chaotic evacuating crowd on the deck and frowned: "How long will it take for everyone to evacuate from danger?"
A guard next to him replied: "It still takes a stick of incense."
Li Xin was a little dissatisfied and looked at the Prime Minister on the side: "Today is all your fault."
Fu Yu smiled: "If this were not the case, how could we let all these rivers and lakes go out? Your Highness knows His Highness's temperament, and would never use His Highness's tactics. But today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, how can we just let it go? Your Highness
Rather than searching inch by inch around the capital, it would be better to lure them all out."
Li Xin took a few steps forward and stood beside the boat, watching the water waves roll over the Yellow River port. There were countless small boats hidden in the mist in front of them. They were so densely packed that they were as dense as a swarm of ants, which made one's scalp numb.
"I didn't expect that the imperial court would suppress it every year, and the Jianghu forces would grow to such a scale. This Jianghu is a cancer that threatens the world. The disease has penetrated into the bone marrow and is difficult to eradicate."
Fu Yu stepped forward and sneered: "It cannot be eradicated but it can be suppressed. After today, there will be no fear of Jianghu forces in the capital for three years."
"Can you get rid of them all?"
"Your Highness, don't worry. Since I have a plan, I will naturally have the means to deal with it."
As he spoke, he turned back and nodded to the guard beside him.
The guard stood at the bow of the ship, took down the bow flag and waved it vigorously.
The flag moved in the wind and could be seen clearly from all the sentry posts at the Dukou Village.
Soon, the gates of the Thirty-sixth Water Village, the largest water village in the capital, opened, and the merchant ships that were waiting for dispatch at the water village sailed out one after another. They took off their outer clothes and turned into warships full of soldiers.
These warships were all connected end to end, like a piece of iron plate, from the exit of the water village to the other side of the Yellow River. In a short time, four serial ship arrays were formed, firmly blocking the big ship from behind.
Even Li Xin was surprised when he saw it: "Where did these ships and soldiers come from?"
"Soldiers were transferred back from the garrison in the north of the Great Wall to resist the barbarians, a total of six thousand. The warships were converted from the merchant ships of the capital. Since the soldiers in the north of the Great Wall were not good at water warfare, they intercepted the river with this chain boat formation and stationed it there. There is also such a boat formation stationed in the upper reaches of the river.
, both sides of the Yellow River are composed of Imperial Forest Army and patrolling city guards, forming an encirclement situation. Their tasks are mainly used to block and shrink the encirclement. The real cover-up task is naturally completed by the most elite elites of the Imperial Court."
"Prime Minister, you are so scheming!" Li Xin stared at Fu Yu with a gloomy expression, "It seems that you have a lot of things planned behind my back."
"Hahaha... This official is just helping His Highness clear obstacles without asking for anything in return. Although His Highness is unhappy, this is the best result."
"Since the Prime Minister has arranged everything, His Highness will just wait for the good news."
After saying that, Li Xin turned around and prepared to leave, but after walking a few steps, he turned back and said, "Are you sure the Metropolitan Procuratorate will obey my orders?"
"Today is the time for them to express their sincerity. If their intentions were not pure, the Twelve Divisions would not need to exist."
"The Metropolitan Procuratorate is difficult to deal with, you'd better be careful."
After Li Xin finished speaking, his figure quickly disappeared on the deck.
Not long after Li Xing left, another group of guards came to Fu Yu. They grabbed nearly thirty Westerners, including Peter Bai, who had been chatting and laughing in the cabin.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, what should we do with these Westerners?"