The imperial inspector Lin had most of his concerns relieved. He had also witnessed several times that whenever Lu Xunguang and Li Ying crossed paths, they both seemed eager to avoid each other, which didn't seem feigned.
Lu Xunguang even found an excuse not long after and led the fleet on a voyage. With that, Inspector Lin had no more doubts. He packed his luggage and was about to set off back to the capital.
The foreign envoys would enter the capital after the New Year. As a trusted official of the emperor, he naturally had to attend to them attentively.
"Sir, now that things here are settled, considering that Qingliu has also made some contributions this time, please be kind enough to take me back to the capital with you!"
Upon hearing the news, Qingliu didn't think twice and quickly pleaded before Inspector Lin.
Inspector Lin frowned.
He knew exactly what was on Qingliu's mind.
Since he helped her shed her low - class status from the music workshop more than a decade ago, this girl had been longing to stay by his side and serve him.
However, with her humble background, it was nothing but a pipe dream for her to bear his children.
Inspector Lin stood up and personally helped her up from the ground. He said in a deep voice, "Qingliu, you've been with me for many years, and you were trained by me. You're the one I trust the most."
"Li Ying is always cunning and untrustworthy. For now, she may have indeed defected to my side because of the change in her relationship with Lu Xunguang. But there's no guarantee that she won't act in a duplicitous way and do something to deceive those above and conceal things from those below."
"I need you to stay by Li Ying's side and be my eyes and ears."
Qingliu had grown up in the northern regions. The fishing village was along the coast, with a humid climate. After staying there for more than a month, she felt that the moisture had seeped into her body, and fine red rashes had appeared all over her body. During rainy days, the itching was unbearable, and it was really torturous.
She still wanted to plead further, but Inspector Lin's face darkened, and he raised his eyebrows and looked at her.
"Qingliu, do you want to disappoint me?"
Qingliu looked panicked. She quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Sir, Qingliu wouldn't dare. I'll do whatever you order."
Only then did Inspector Lin's expression soften a bit. He nodded and said gently, "You've made great contributions this time. Don't worry. After things here are settled and we return to the capital, I'll promote you to be the chief maid. All the maids and servants in the mansion will be at your disposal."
Hearing this, the somewhat dejected look on Qingliu's face instantly vanished. Flattered and in awe, she knelt and thanked him again and again. A faint red mark was even knocked out on her fair forehead.
Li Ying was too lazy to talk to her. She simply listed in great detail a long inventory of the silver needed for the conch pearl farm and told Qingliu to hand it over to Inspector Lin. Then she went about arranging for the villagers to rebuild the Mazu Temple on her own.
In the past, fishermen from all around relied on the sea for their livelihood. For most of the year, they drifted on the waves.
Therefore, whether it was the village market or the canning factory, most of the employees were the women who stayed in the village.
Now that the fishing village had developed offshore aquaculture, and most fishing boats had fixed routes, the catch was stable. Instead, the fishermen had become idle.
Although some young people went to work in the Lu family's industries or became apprentices under Master Li, the carpenter, to hone their skills, being idle for a long time was not a good thing after all.
She sent a letter to Su Buchi by carrier pigeon, suggesting that they might as well recruit local fishermen as laborers to cooperate with the Ministry of Works to rebuild the Mazu Temple.
Firstly, the villagers in the fishing village knew the terrain better, so there would be fewer mistakes. Secondly, it could solve the problem of the shortage of imperial laborers. Thirdly, it could give these fishermen an extra source of income, enabling them to live and work in peace and contentment and preventing them from causing trouble due to idleness.
This idea naturally pleased the emperor greatly. He even exclaimed that Minister Su was indeed a loyal official who shared his worries and showed even more favor to him.
Li Ying was annoyed by Qingliu's constant surveillance. So whenever she was free, she would go to the side of the Mazu Temple and prepare three meals a day for the laborers, which was a bit like when she first came to the fishing village and sold seafood stir - fries at the dock.
It was a pity that the person who used to silently support her every day was now far away, out of reach.
At night, she wrapped herself in a cloak and quietly climbed up the lighthouse. She lit the navigation light with her own hands.
The warm yellow light illuminated the hazy sea fog and brought a faint warmth.
Li Ying tightened her clothes, silently extinguished the light, and then lit it again. The light flickered on and off at a specific frequency in the night.
After a long time, on the vast sea, a tiny light like a bean, faint and dim, but equally stubbornly flickered.
Li Ying held her breath and carefully counted each time the tiny light point went on and off.
Finally, a faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
It was the ship's light of Lu Xunguang.
She once chatted with him on the lighthouse and casually mentioned that in her hometown, the flickering of lights represented a very secret way of communication.
At that time, she demonstrated a few simple Morse codes to him as a game, never expecting that he would remember them all.
The message she sent just now was "I MISS U".
And his response was "I LOVE U".
Li Ying smiled with tears in her eyes - even her hopeless murmur could unexpectedly get a response from Lu Xunguang.
How lucky she was to have his all - encompassing love.
Li Ying pointed the light in the direction of Lu Xunguang's ship.
His ship's light stubbornly repeated the same message, just like every night when he held her tightly in his arms and whispered in her ear.
When she woke up again, it was already broad daylight, and there was a faint chill on her body.
Li Ying got up wearily. As soon as she got off the tower, she saw not far away, an old boat battered by the waves was moored. A thin figure with disheveled hair had collapsed on the beach, and it was unclear whether she was alive or dead.
She quickened her steps and helped the person up. What came into view was a pale and bloodless face. The person looked quite delicate and seemed to be a young man.
The person's chest was still faintly rising. When Li Ying pressed her palm, she felt something soft.
Was it another girl dressed as a man?
She didn't have time to think. The person vomited several mouthfuls of seawater violently and struggled to roll out of her arms. There was undisguised wariness in her eyes.
"How dare you! Who are you!"
Li Ying looked at her like a frightened little animal, blustering and chattering, but she just waved her hand indifferently.
"Strictly speaking, I'm your savior. Judging from your clothes and speech, you seem to be from a decent background. Is this how you repay your savior?"
The girl was stunned. Her face looked a bit embarrassed, but she still stubbornly said, "I... I..."
Li Ying didn't want to make things difficult for her. She casually took off her cloak and threw it over, saying indifferently, "Since you're okay, then put on the clothes and do as you please."
The girl seemed to be surprised that she was so cold - hearted. She stood there in a daze, stunned.
"I... I've just come back from the gates of hell. I'm such a poor soul who has barely escaped with my life, and you treat me so indifferently?"