After the gale, the weather was unusually fine, perfect for putting out to sea.
Since Si Yifan was taking Yang Qing and the others to Outlying Island, he selected a medium-sized seagoing vessel and accompanied them there himself.
Just as Si Yifan had said, the moment Yang Qing and the others landed on Outlying Island, they spotted several designs resembling the one in the portrait.
Most of the island's inhabitants belonged to the Qian Clan, so all its buildings, passageways, and other facilities had been funded and built by the clan.
Their timing was unfortunate, however. Si Yifan had intended to introduce Yang Qing and the others to Qian Tong, the head of the Qian Household, only to learn that he had taken the clan's young and able-bodied men out to sea two days earlier.
There was no telling when they would return from this voyage.
The man who received Si Yifan, Yang Qing, and the others was Qian Zhi, the master of the Qian Household's second branch.
The Qian Household differed from the Si Household. Si Yifan could devote himself to shipbuilding, spending the entire year working in the shipyard without being battered by sea winds and waves.
The Qian Household, however, made its living from fishing. Once its boys passed the age of ten, they had to board ships and go to sea with their fathers and uncles, eking out a livelihood on the water.
Thus, when Qian Zhi and Si Yifan stood together, Yang Qing and the others could see a striking difference.
One was rather gentle and refined, while the other looked somewhat rugged.
Fortunately, although Si Yifan was not particularly close to Qian Zhi, they could still exchange a few words out of mutual courtesy.
"Brothers, you really have come at an unfortunate time. My