Dujiangyan, this grand project that embodied countless hopes of Dai Chengfeng, was primarily composed of three main components: the water-dividing embankment, the spillway, and the water intake. It also included numerous auxiliary structures such as the Hundred-Zhang Embankment and the 人' shaped Embankment.
Once completed, the river would automatically divert its flow, automatically remove silt, and allow for human-controlled water intake, completely resolving the long-standing issue of flooding along the Holy King River.
"And here," Dai Chengfeng muttered to himself, "if I'm not mistaken, should be the location of the upstream water intake from the blueprints I left behind years ago."
"But now... it's a mess, utterly devastated!"
"Hah!"
Dai Chengfeng surveyed his surroundings, taking a deep breath as his eyes narrowed slightly.
From the abrupt foundations and pillars jutting out of the river, to the scattered wood and mounds of sand along the shore—these traces were unmistakable…
It wasn't hard for Dai Chengfeng to deduce that construction had once been in full swing here…
But for some unknown reason, the site had been abandoned, leaving behind only remnants of past work.
For a moment, a gentle smile curved Dai Chengfeng's lips as he murmured softly, "Three years away, and now… things have become truly intriguing."
"I'm genuinely looking forward to…"
"Dai Xuan, what kind of surprises can you still throw my way?"
Bang!
As soon as Dai Chengfeng finished speaking, the wooden railing he'd been gripping shattered under his grasp, splinters flying everywhere.
Dugu Yan had been silently observing him from the side.
She could tell that although Dai Chengfeng appeared calm and composed on the surface, this was precisely when he was at his angriest—not just emotionally stirred, but truly harboring murderous intent!
Who could have provoked Chengfeng to such anger?
Dugu Yan pondered silently.
But soon, her gaze fell upon the remaining architectural traces around them, and she recalled how Dai Chengfeng had proudly spoken to her before about…
The great vision of Dujiangyan, a project that would benefit generations to come.
And now, Dujiangyan should have been under construction.
Suddenly, Dugu Yan's heart tightened. Could there be a problem with the Dujiangyan project?
And this place was…
Dugu Yan pursed her lips. She could see how much pride and importance Dai Chengfeng placed on this project called Dujiangyan.
Thinking this,
She gently reached out and clasped Dai Chengfeng's large hand with both of hers.
Dai Chengfeng turned his head slightly to look at her.
At that moment, Dugu Yan wore a tender smile, her big eyes filled with trust and concern. "Chengfeng, there's no need to be angry. Once you return to Wu'an City, everything will work out."
"I believe in you!"
Hearing Dugu Yan's words of comfort, Dai Chengfeng paused briefly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, once I return to Wu'an City, everything will be fine."
Yet despite his words, a hint of worry still lingered in his eyes.
After all, the Dujiangyan project was so vast that it wasn't something he alone had decided on; his father, Emperor Dai An, had also been involved in the decision-making process.
And given the importance of the project, his father would undoubtedly send someone to oversee it.
But now, it was clear that something had gone wrong with the Dujiangyan project, yet his father seemed completely unaware.
'It seems the influence of the Spirit Hall and Dai Tian extends even further than I imagined.'
Just then, the cabin door was flung open violently.
A middle-aged, portly man stumbled out, hurriedly buttoning up his clothes, followed by a disheveled woman with flushed cheeks.
Soon after, more people poured out of the cabin.
Some looked utterly panicked, clearly having no idea what was happening; others remained calm, as if they were used to such scenes.
Still, a trace of disdain lingered deep in their eyes, accompanied by muttered complaints:
"The Star Luo Empire has really sunk to new lows!"
"If it weren't for the lack of other opportunities, who would willingly come to this godforsaken place? Tsk!"
Amidst the chaos, Zhu Fan, Dugu Bo, Ye Renxin, and Ye Lingling made their way onto the deck.
"An earthquake on the ship?!"
"This captain sure knows how to have fun…"
Zhu Fan smirked teasingly, leaning over to whisper to Ye Renxin beside him.
Ye Renxin shot him a glance. "Jealous?"
"If you're interested, why don't you try finding that oversized catwoman of yours later?"
"What?"
At this point, Dugu Bo overheard their conversation and looked surprised. "Old Ye, are you saying… it's true?"
"I've roamed these lands for decades and never seen anything quite like…"
"It's true! Elder Dugu Bo, I'll arrange it for you when we get back?"
"Ahem~"
Dugu Bo immediately straightened up, clearing his throat sternly. "Nonsense!"
"I'm simply trying to learn your Star Luo Empire's official language and broaden my horizons. Don't compare me to you!"
"Got it, got it!"
Zhu Fan flashed an ambiguous grin. "Learning foreign languages is good…"
By now, the portly captain had finally managed to finish dressing.
He cleared his throat and shouted loudly to the crowd, "Everyone, stay calm! This is just a routine inspection by the Star Luo Empire officials."
"Our ship has already paid the standard fee, so just cooperate."
As he spoke, the battleship from the Star Luo Empire had slowly pulled alongside the passenger vessel.
Several soldiers clad in silver armor leapt down from the warship.
Seeing this, the captain immediately plastered a wide smile on his face and rushed forward, bowing deeply. "Greetings, honorable soldier! Here's a small token of appreciation—please accept it."
With that, he pulled a heavy coin purse from his chest and presented it respectfully to one of the soldiers.
The soldier accepted the pouch with practiced ease, weighing it in his hand before breaking into a satisfied grin. "Smart move!"
"Your ship is registered to pay dues to our lord's fleet, correct?"
"Yes, yes…"
The captain nodded profusely, pulling out a white booklet from his chest and handing it over.
Meanwhile, Zhu Fan finally sensed that something was amiss.
He slowly moved closer to Dai Chengfeng, lowering his voice. "Chengfeng, isn't that battleship one of our Jinshan (Gold Mountain) Pass naval ships?"
Looking at the familiar White Tiger flag fluttering above, Dai Chengfeng furrowed his brow and replied gravely, "Correct. That's a Jinshan Pass battleship."
Zhu Fan nodded, his expression puzzled. "But when did the Star Luo Empire start collecting 'dues' from merchant ships passing through? Was this some new policy enacted during the three years we were away?"
"Wouldn't this be shortsighted? Without merchants traveling freely, how much tax revenue will the empire lose? And how will ordinary people sell their goods or make a living?"
"This is simply…"
Before Zhu Fan could finish, Dai Chengfeng shook his head, his expression grim.
"It's unclear whether this is my father's decree or someone abusing their authority far from the capital where the emperor's reach is limited!"
With that, Dai Chengfeng stepped forward.
His mind was clouded with doubts. He desperately wanted to find out—had his father become incompetent?
Or had the influence of Dai Tian and the Spirit Hall spread beyond Wu'an City?
Had even Jinshan Pass, home to hundreds of thousands of imperial troops, fallen under their control without anyone noticing?
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