“It’s nothing important. I just wanted to ask, Mr Jin, are you preparing to fight the plateau people?”
Wei Datong asked, cupping his hands.
“Lord Wei, my apologies. This humble one is merely Her Highness’s bodyguard, responsible only for protecting Her Highness. I know nothing about other matters.”
Jin Feng smiled and shook his head.
It was not some military secret that could not be revealed, nor was it a lack of trust in Wei Datong. It was simply that the two had only just met and started talking, so there was no need to disclose everything.
“Then I have disturbed Mr Jin.”
A shrewd person like Wei Datong immediately understood that Jin Feng did not wish to say more. He smiled, cupped his hands, and left.
In truth, even without Jin Feng saying it, Wei Datong could tell that the Ninth Princess had come to fight the plateau people.
He thought that once the heavy crossbows and stone throwers were installed, Jin Feng and the others would sail away, but they did not.
The first batch of ten large ships and ten small boats was modified and immediately dispersed to various positions on the river.
Wei Datong had spent years working on the water. Though he did not understand warfare, he could see that the fleet was in a defensive and alert posture.
After the first batch of vessels was in position, the Ninth Princess summoned Wei Datong again and requested another ten large ships and ten small boats.
In reality, the first batch of large ships could easily accommodate Jin Feng’s one thousand men. Wei Datong could not understand why the Ninth Princess needed more vessels.
But he did not dare ask and could only obediently comply.
For the entire next day, the escorts worked on modifying the ships.
All sixty-six vessels, large and small, of the canal grain transport fleet were equipped with heavy crossbows.
Though they still could not function as proper warships, they now possessed basic combat capability.
Yet even after the modifications were complete, Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess did not depart. Instead, they took a group of people and cruised the Jinma River every day.
One day they would requisition a group of trackers to pull the ships upstream along the river, the next they would drift downstream.
In addition, every day refugees who had fled there were accepted by the Ninth Princess and arranged aboard the ships.
“Still the benevolence of a woman. How can we allow common people on the ships at a time like this?”
Wei Datong suddenly felt disappointed with the combination of the Ninth Princess and Jin Feng.
In his view, the two were no different from other spoiled nobles.
The plateau people were already at the door, yet they still had the mood to sail around leisurely.
As for accepting refugees, Wei Datong had privately complained about it countless times.
But the Ninth Princess held high status. No matter how disappointed Wei Datong was, he could only keep it to himself.
On the fourth day, Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess went out on the ships again, this time ordering two large ships and three small boats to guard them on all sides.
At first, Wei Datong paid no attention, only grumbling inwardly about their extravagance, taking five ships as escorts for an outing at a time like this.
But when they returned in the evening, only the ship carrying the Ninth Princess and Jin Feng came back. The other five vessels were missing.
These ships were the accumulated assets of the transfer office over many years. Losing five at once, Wei Datong immediately panicked.
“Your Highness, may I ask if you encountered an attack by the plateau people?”
“Do not ask what you should not!”
The Ninth Princess said coldly.
“Forgive me, Your Highness!”
Wei Datong knelt on the ground. “Those ships are all registered. If they have been damaged, this subordinate needs to report it upwards. Please inform me, Your Highness!”
The Ninth Princess ignored him and walked straight past.
Through their interactions over the past few days, Jin Feng had found Wei Datong to be acceptable.
Though not particularly astute or capable, he was far from incompetent.
When the plateau people burned the transfer office’s granary and residences, his subordinates had not scattered in large numbers but had taken to the ships on the river, preserving their strength.
Moreover, in recent days, refugees had continually come to the transfer office seeking protection, clearly trusting it.
In the corrupt officialdom of Da Kang, achieving these things already made him a good official.
Jin Feng’s opinion of Wei Datong gradually began to change.
As he passed Wei Datong, he said softly, “Lord Wei, there is no need to worry. The ships and boatmen are all fine.”
Hearing this, Wei Datong, still kneeling, felt a wave of relief, then his eyelid twitched.
He suddenly realised that Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess might not have been out pleasure cruising these past few days, but planning something.
As for what they were planning, Wei Datong did not know.
For a moment, his mind raced.
Hearing Jin Feng’s footsteps about to fade away, he quickly scrambled up from the ground and chased after him.
“Mr Jin, may I have a word in private?”
“Does Lord Wei have some matter?” Jin Feng stopped and asked.
“I know that you and Her Highness must be planning something recently. I also know I should not ask, but one who eats the sovereign’s salary must be loyal to the sovereign. As a court-appointed official, it is my duty to resist foreign enemies for the court.”
Wei Datong said sincerely, “I have no other skills, but I am extremely familiar with the surrounding waters. If you or Her Highness need to know anything, just send someone to ask me.”
Having had the granary burned by the plateau people, no matter how many excuses he had, he as the transfer commissioner could hardly escape blame.
Though he would not be dismissed or investigated, a verbal reprimand and the forfeiture of several months’ salary were inevitable.
It might also affect his future promotions.
To say he did not hate the plateau people would be impossible.
Furthermore, Wei Datong realised this was an excellent opportunity to cling to the Ninth Princess’s coattails.
Ever since the Ninth Princess arrived in Xichuan, he had heard some rumours and knew she had some influence at court.
At just over forty, Wei Datong had been diligently managing the transfer office precisely to advance one more step.
But given the current state of Da Kang, without someone speaking for him at court, moving up was very difficult.
The Ninth Princess was his only chance.
Yet he did not dare disturb her too much, so he could only approach through Jin Feng.
Over the past few days, he had observed that the Ninth Princess trusted Jin Feng greatly. The two were almost inseparable.
“Lord Wei, are you familiar with the Du… with the Jin Dike area?” Jin Feng asked.
Though Da Kang had no Li Bing and his son, for the safety of Xichuan prefectural city, people had been sent to manage the Jin Dike area, just not as thoroughly as Li Bing and his son had.
In the past few days, Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess had visited several times, but neither understood water management, so their gains had not been great.
“Familiar? Of course I am!”
Wei Datong quickly replied, “To be honest, besides transporting canal grain, another of my duties as transfer commissioner is to constantly monitor flooding in the Jin Dike area to prevent it from inundating Xichuan prefectural city.”
“In that case…” Jin Feng thought for a moment and said, “Tomorrow Her Highness wishes to visit the Jin Dike again. Would Lord Wei trouble himself to bring some men and accompany Her Highness?”
“Thank you, Mr Jin!”
Wei Datong cupped his hands and bowed to Jin Feng.
“It is only right.” Jin Feng smiled, waved his hand, and left.
In the following days, Wei Datong and several assistants joined the Ninth Princess’s ship.
While Jin Feng’s group lingered on the river near the Jin Dike, dozens of li away at Mao’er Mountain and Xichuan prefectural city, the situation grew tenser by the day.
At Mao’er Mountain, Meng Tianhai had rushed into battle. To maintain marching speed, he had brought little grain and was now nearly out of supplies.
In Xichuan prefectural city, Danzhu was also gathering troops, ready to attack the city at any moment.
