We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

The atmosphere in the private room of Wanghai Tower is subtle.

Officials from the Fuzhou government office were toasting each other downstairs, while Li Che, Li Lin and Chen Wenrui were sitting facing each other upstairs.

Delicacies were presented one after another. Chen Wenrui pretended to be calm and served the dishes attentively.

Li Che first talked to him about the supply situation of Feng State merchant ships in Fuzhou Port, and then asked about the operation of the dock after the expansion, as if he was really only concerned about trade cooperation.

Chen Wenrui's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he responded carefully. He did not forget to take credit for his achievements in his words, attributing the prosperity and stability of Fuzhou Port to his good management.

Li Che smiled slightly, without exposing the truth, and changed the subject casually:

"Taishu Chen, I went out of town today to see the customs of the people of Fuzhou. However, I noticed that many of the fishermen along the coast looked pale and their livelihoods were quite difficult."

Chen Wenrui's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and the hand that was picking up the food trembled almost imperceptibly.

He immediately put on a sad expression, put down his chopsticks and sighed: "Alas——"

"Your Highness, please understand this matter...this matter is exactly what pains me the most!"

"Oh?" Li Che said gently, "But if you have any difficulties, you might as well tell me. I will also think of a solution for the governor."

Chen Wenrui reacted very quickly and had already prepared his words:

"Your Highness, you may not know that although Fuzhou relies on the sea for its livelihood, the fish catch near the coast is limited. In addition, the abnormal climate in recent years has led to frequent storms, which has doubled the risks for fishermen going out to sea, while their catch is becoming increasingly scarce."

"At some point, a group of Japanese pirates appeared near the coast from time to time, looting fishing boats, making the fishermen's suffering even worse!"

"Every time I think about this, I feel heartbroken and anxious. I wanted to send troops to encircle and suppress the bandits, but the generals in Fuzhou are weak and sick, and they are no match for the Japanese pirates."

"Oh? I see." Li Che didn't refute him, but instead sighed, "It seems that being a high-ranking official like Chen Taishou is really not easy. He has to deal with natural disasters, guard against man-made disasters, and appease the people. It's really tiring."

Chen Wenrui quickly bowed:

"I do not deserve Your Highness's praise. This is my duty. However, my ability is limited. I feel ashamed towards the people and the court!"

He acted so sincerely that he almost shed a few tears.

Li Che nodded, and then changed the subject again, his tone becoming serious:

"The Japanese pirates robbed fishermen and not only harmed the people, but also threatened the safety of our Fengtian merchant shipping routes."

"This time, the king went south to visit his brothers and to inspect the southeastern coastal defenses. If the Japanese threat is not eliminated and the trade routes are not stable, it will be a great disaster for the country and the people!"

He looked Chen Wenrui in the eye and said word by word, "Sir Chen, the Fuzhou soldiers have to defend the city while also dealing with the Japanese pirates. I'm afraid they're not strong enough. What do you think?"

"I will immediately order the dispatch of a Fengguo navy to Fuzhou Harbor. This will help the Fuzhou government troops shoulder the responsibility of suppressing the Japanese invaders, and will also escort merchant ships to ensure smooth sailing."

As soon as these words came out, it was like thunder exploding in Chen Wenrui's ears. He felt a chill rush up instantly, and cold sweat came down his back.

How could we possibly mobilize the Fengtian Navy to station in Fuzhou?!

The strength of Fengguo Navy is known to the world!

If they come, can the Japanese pirate strongholds entrenched on the offshore islands still hide?

Could his shady deeds be hidden from Li Che's eyes?

This is tantamount to putting a sharp steel knife directly on Chen Wenrui's neck!

Chen Wenrui almost cried out, his voice changing tone: "Absolutely not, Your Highness! Absolutely not!"

Seeing Li Che's puzzled expression, Chen Wenrui realized that he had lost his composure. He quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and forced a smile on his face that was uglier than crying.

Then he quickly made up an excuse: "Your Highness... Your Highness's compassion, I am deeply grateful! But..."

"But this matter of mobilizing troops is no small matter. Fuzhou is the capital of the imperial court, and local military affairs have their own regulations."

"Although the Fengguo navy is powerful, rashly entering the country and stationing there would likely provoke criticism from both the government and the public, and violate the laws of the court."

"Furthermore, the Japanese pirates are erratic and unpredictable. The Fengguo navy has come from afar and may not be able to track them down. Instead, it will waste money and food, which will be of no benefit to suppressing the bandits."

"Your Excellency... Your Excellency believes that it would be best to have the Fuzhou troops strengthen patrols and take things step by step."

Li Che watched Chen Wenrui's performance quietly, and the last trace of doubt in his heart disappeared.

He still had a gentle smile on his face, and nodded slightly as if he was convinced: "Master Chen's words make sense. It was my fault for not considering it carefully."

"Forget it, let's put this matter aside for now. Come on, let's drink! The seafood in Fuzhou is really delicious!"

At the following banquet, Chen Wenrui had no appetite and felt like chewing wax.

He forced a smile and drank with Li Che and Li Lin, but his heart was in turmoil.

The more Li Che acted as if nothing had happened, the more frightened he felt.

After finally waiting for the banquet to end, Li Che and Li Lin said goodbye.

Chen Wenrui stood at the gate of Wanghai Tower, watching their carriage disappear into the night, and the smile on his face disappeared instantly.

He immediately turned around and shouted to his confidant, "Quick! Send a message immediately, all ships must take down their sails and return to the island. Not a single sampan is allowed to go out to sea without my order."

"Also, inform those people in the city to keep their tails between their legs and behave themselves as long as the king is in Fuzhou!"

. . . . . .

After returning to the inn, Li Che immediately summoned Qiu Bai, Princess Yan and others to his room.

Li Che recounted in detail Chen Wenrui's reaction at the banquet, especially his panic when he refused the Fengguo Navy entry into the port.

"Sure enough, this Chen Wenrui is the backer behind those pirates!" Qu Jinshan frowned slightly. "When he heard that His Highness was going to mobilize troops, he was scared out of his wits. What could he be hiding?"

Princess Yan frowned slightly and calmly analyzed, "Your Highness's move is clever, but it has also alerted the enemy."

"Chen Wenrui must be like a frightened bird right now, strictly ordering those fake Japanese pirates to stay dormant. If we want to catch him in the act and get solid evidence of his collusion with the pirates, it will probably be extremely difficult in the short term."

"Besides, if we stay here for too long, it will easily attract the attention of the imperial court."

"That's right," Li Che nodded. "Chen Wenrui must be on high alert now, and those pirates will definitely retreat. If we can't find them, we won't have any evidence."

Li Lin asked anxiously, "What should we do? Should we just let it go? After we leave, they will definitely come out and harm the people again!"

Li Che's mouth curled up slowly: "Of course we can't let it go. If they don't dare to come out, we will help them!"

"Help them?" Li Lin and Princess Yan were both stunned.

"Yes!" Li Che stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the silent night of Fuzhou City: "Since the Japanese pirates are unwilling to come out... then we will become Japanese pirates ourselves!"

As the saying goes, when the wind blows and the clouds fly, how can we find brave warriors to guard the four directions?

Bandits... cough cough cough, the Japanese pirates must be suppressed at any time, no way not to suppress them!