Silver Was Just a Pile of Stones

Lu Mingzhe smiled. "I thought General Gong would know. After all, Pan Yun is acquainted with Chen Wen, a thousand-household commander in the navy government office. I heard even the helmsmen on her ships were borrowed from Chen Wen."

Gong Xia's expression darkened slightly. "Isn't Prefect Lu also as close as brothers with Alliance Leader Lin? Pan Yun and Alliance Leader Lin's nephew came from the same Mount Longhu. They are on excellent terms. Didn't Prefect Lu ask Alliance Leader Lin about it?"

Lu Mingzhe did not answer his question, merely murmuring, "For silver transported all the way back from Japan, it would need to be at least a hundred thousand taels to move the Imperial Court, wouldn't it?"

Gong Xia no longer sparred with him either. Lowering his eyes, he said, "Japan is not our territory, after all. There are few men, few supplies, and only three months for smelting. Reaching fifty thousand taels would already be enough to set people's hearts racing."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Cao Jixiang and Pan Yun came down from the ship together. The old eunuch's face was wreathed in smiles, his brows carrying a delight they had never seen before.

The two exchanged a glance and immediately discarded their earlier conclusions.

Pan Yun had likely brought back no small amount of silver. Otherwise, that old eunuch Cao Jixiang would not be so unable to conceal his joy.

The two immediately went down to meet Cao Jixiang and Pan Yun.

Cao Jixiang had been speaking warmly with Pan Yun. At the sight of Lu Mingzhe and Gong Xia approaching, his smile faded slightly, though the delight between his brows remained undiminished.

The four exchanged courtesies over their hardships. Cao Jixiang immediately pulled Wang Cong, who had been following behind him, forward