Chapter 750: Chapter 39 Managing a large country is like cooking a small fish Chapter 750: Chapter 39 Managing a large country is like cooking a small fish “…What?!”

Cha Xiaodao could hardly believe his own ears.

“Absolutely true. This has caused a sensation in the South Seas, and the news has spread everywhere. It happened over a month ago.”

“Um.”

Cha Xiaodao responded absentmindedly. He had just cut off his conversation with Li Yan. No mention of a rebellion, not a word about the Five Dragon Sect Church from Li Yan. Besides, the timing didn’t match up. The “Tianbao Dragon Head” was obviously fake.

However, Cha Xiaodao was in a rather awkward position now. While the false Tianbao was thousands of miles away, the members of the Red Flag were overjoyed upon hearing the news. Trying to throw cold water on their excitement would be ineffective at this time and might even lead to questions about his motives. Thus, Cha Xiaodao kept his stance to himself, planning to bide his time and see.

As for the false Tianbao far away, that headache was for Li Yan to deal with. Cha Xiaodao wasn’t going to worry about it.

Upon that thought, Cha Xiaodao heaved a sigh inwardly. If it were the old days when he was a lone ranger, would he have considered all of this? To survive in the Yan Fu world and before teaming up with Li Yan, Cha Xiaodao wasn’t lacking in cunning. But when it came to the intricacies of worldly wisdom, the past him never took it into account. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have misjudged people.

Salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea–Cha Xiaodao could tell them apart at a glance. As for sweet and sour, spicy lychee, and fish flavors, he could get the taste and ingredients right on the spot, not missing by a hair. But when it came to distinguishing between genuine affection and false intentions, his understanding was far behind.

Suddenly, a bolt of realization struck him.

The salty, hot wind carried a hint of coconut fragrance to Cha Xiaodao’s nose. On the ground, a crimson flower as big as a cartwheel unfurled its blossoms, its petals covered in fine textures resembling tongue fur. Without a word, several moths, each the size of a fist, flew out from the flower’s core, sweeping past Cha Xiaodao.

To govern a big country is like cooking small fish.

Yi Yi was more than just a God of Cookery; he was also a famed chancellor.

…

On the Divine Tower Ship at sea, Zheng Xiu leaned against the ship’s rail, examining a crumpled newspaper with a complex look on her face.

This was a Western newspaper obtained three days ago when the Divine Tower Ship passed by the island of Sumatra. Suo Heier got it through the stationed Dutch-Indies Army. It described a violent incident that happened ten days prior, where Guangdong peasants set fire to a Catholic church, resulting in the death of one Dutch priest and injury to another. It also devoted a lot of space to introducing the Five Dragon Sect Church, claiming that these peasants were bewitched by them.

Despite being tutored by Suo Heier, Zheng Xiu still couldn’t understand the text and had to rely on translations to get the information. Nevertheless, she kept this newspaper with her at all times.

“Great Alliance Leader, you’ve been standing for more than half an hour. The wind is strong at sea, be careful not to catch cold,”
the Gaoli ghost servant Zheng Yunsheng couldn’t help but speak up to remind her.

Zheng Xiu hesitated for a moment before she said, “Yunsheng, Guangdong and Guangxi are so far away. Do you think someone could be impersonating the Tianbao Dragon Head and deceiving people?”

Zheng Yunsheng hesitated for a while before responding, “I don’t think so. The Red Flag’s internal and external ranks are intricately connected with a complicated web of secret codes and signals, no less than seven or eight different sets. How could an outsider easily pretend? And who would have the ability to cause such a big stir in just a month? I’m sure the person mentioned in the newspaper is Tianbao himself, without a doubt.”

Zheng Xiu knew this was meant to cheer her up, so she made a face at Zheng Yunsheng, but then she shook her head, “I always feel something is not right. Before Tianbao went missing, he reorganized the Five Flags, evidently meaning to reform and innovate. Why then has this Five Dragon Sect Church sprung up? The newspapers say that the rules and doctrines of the Five Dragon Sect Church claim the Sect Leader has received the true transmission of the Heavenly Mother, enlightening the five dragons to rescue and ferry the suffering. This doesn’t sound like Tianbao’s style at all. I’m thinking of sending some people to probe the foundations of the Five Dragon Sect Church. Just tell Zhi Nong to send a message to An Nan, saying… what is that?”

Zheng Xiu pointed to the sea, where amidst faint booming sounds, a round, bulging piece of iron was bobbing up and down in the water, and upon closer inspection, there was also a silhouette clinging to it.

“Rescue, and haul that iron thing up to take a look. Be careful.”

The Gaoli ghosts set nets and planks as ordered. Rescuing the person was straightforward, but retrieving the iron shell from underwater took quite some effort.

There was a small incident in the middle of it all: when Zheng Yunsheng climbed on top of the iron shell, it started to vibrate wildly like a living thing, but it soon completely powered down, seemingly losing its drive and wanting to sink. Thankfully, it was caught in time by the iron hooks below.

What they had found was a small, damaged submarine. Its surface was covered with black seaweed, and an ugly “Y” shaped crack nearly split the submarine in half. Inside it was empty except for some sparse debris and a few unidentifiable animal corpses. One could imagine the extreme disaster they endured.

The Red Flag sailors gathered around the iron shell, marveling at it. Despite having traveled far and wide and seen much, they were still amazed by what they found.

The ship’s doctor, Old Ganzi, grasped Ruchika’s chin and scrutinized her for a while, “She’s still breathing, seems to be a girl.”

Zheng Xiu glanced at the unconscious Ruchika without turning her head, “It’s a boy.”

Zheng Xiu walked over to the submarine and recognized the Helun Shipyard logo that was vaguely visible, narrowing her slender phoenix eyes.

No one knew what remedy Old Ganzi used, but he simply lit a humanoid-shaped, reddish tobacco. He waved it before Ruchika’s nose, which caused Ruchika to vomit out mouthfuls of clear water, and after a while, he came to.

Suo Heier examined the submarine through his magnifying glass, his breathing growing more and more rapid, until he finally exclaimed, “Saint Watson! It’s Saint Watson’s legendary submarine Jenny! Good heavens, I can’t believe I’m seeing a scholar awarded by the Queen. I’m his fan!”

Ruchika weakly opened his eyes, looked around, and tried to struggle to a sitting position, but Old Ganzi pushed him down, “Don’t move.”

He pointed at Ruchika’s thigh, where it was pierced by a sharp piece of glass. The flesh of the wound was mixed up with the wet fabric of his jumpsuit, hard to notice without looking closely.

“We need to disinfect first, then apply medicine. You’re lucky, having run around in the sea this long without the wound getting infected.”

“Thank you for rescuing me, my name is Ruchika.”

Zheng Xiu squatted down next to Ruchika with a smile, supporting her face with her arm as she sized him up, “You’re happy too soon, pretty boy. We’re pirates, specifically targeting to rob and kidnap you red-haired guests sailing over the seas. How much is a scholar who has received the Queen’s award worth?”

A ripple passed over the sea, and Suo Heier watched the black-haired Zheng Xiu waving in the wind, raising both hands with a bitter smile, “Madam, I don’t have a penny, and the East India Company won’t pay a ransom for a small Indian apprentice either.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

Suo Heier hurried over, “Where is Mr. Watson? What happened to you all?”

As Ruchika recalled the engulfing blackness, his face turned deathly pale, “We…”