The World Online

The Qiongzhou Island in the game was a utopia and it was also another strategic location that Ouyang Shuo planned for.

After the game map was expanded 10 times, the size of the Qiongzhou Island reached 350 thousand square kilometres, bigger than even Lianzhou Basin. North of it, the Qiongzhou Strait intersected with Lingnan, west of it was Guangxi and Vietnam, east of it was the Yizhou Island, southeast of it were the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

During the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court set up the Qiongzhou House on the island and split it into 3 states and 10 counties.

Out of the 3 states, Danzhou was to the west of the island. In terms of geography, it was closest to the Lianzhou Basin. Hence, in theory it would be a good place to come ashore.

Ouyang Shuo instead turned his eye to Yazhou at the southmost area of the island. Compared to Danzhou, it was more suitable to be used as a military port.

Yazhou would be the best base for Ouyang Shuo to use to enter the ocean.

Choosing Yazhou was a huge risk to Ouyang Shuo.

This was because on Qiongzhou Island there lived the Li race, Miao race, Hui Race as well as many other aboriginal races, amongst which the Li race had the longest history. These aboriginals mostly gathered in the middle and the south. Yazhou, which was located at the southmost area of Qiongzhou Island, was naturally the place where the various races gathered.

Choosing Yazhou would mean that he had to immediately face the threat of the aboriginal people.

In the last life, based on what Ouyang Shuo got from the forums, the lucky players who survived on the island built their territories to the north and east of the island, as that was where the Han Race gathered.

Gaia 2nd year 1st month 16th day, Lianzhou Lord’s Manor.

Ouyang Shuo gathered the 4 directors and Baiqi for a meeting.

”2 days later, I’ll lead the Guards regiment and the Beihai Naval fleet out to sea, I predict that I will only return around New Year’s Eve. As for the matters of the territory, I’ll leave to all of you to discuss and settle together.”

When Ouyang Shuo said those words, they were all shocked.

The military affairs director Du Ruhui, who had just been appointed, was puzzled. The grassland situation was getting more and more serious and intense, and war might break out at any moment. In this kind of situation, the lord still wanted to leave, how could it not make him feel crazy?

Baiqi was unaffected. When he was in the Qin Country, he was used to controlling everything, and as long as the lord gave him enough power, he would be able to do a good job commanding the battle.

As for Fan Zhongyan and Tian Wenjing, they were in charge of the administrative matters of the prefecture, so to them it wasn’t much of a problem. What they were worried about was with the Lord away from the territory, how the soldiers and the commoners would feel.

Out of the 5 heads, Yingyu had the least experience. As long as it had nothing to do with financial matters, she wouldn’t make a sound. The recent storm in the territory had the spear pointing straight at her.

There were rumours that said that she was relying on the Marquis’s love and trust and being his sister to climb to such a high position. In terms of ability, it was said that she was worse off than the other 3 directors, and not suitable to take up important tasks.

These rumors made Yingyu feel immense pressure and she often had sleepless nights. Although she didn’t do anything against her conscience, she was unable to keep everyone from talking. Sometimes during the dead of night, Yingyu would start to doubt herself.

During this period of time, Yingyu was like a thin sheet of ice, unable to retaliate against such rumors; she could only try her best to succeed and use her results to prove them wrong.

When Ouyang Shuo got the news, obviously he was furious and ordered the Procuratorate Division to investigate. Whoever was creating those rumors would be punished.

Yingyu’s hard work and knowledge was what Ouyang Shuo took notice of, what nepotism?

Ouyang Shuo was enraged. Apart from being heartbroken for Yingyu, he started to worry about this evil air in the territory. As the territory continued to grow and expand, more and more different types of people would appear and make it really messy and chaotic.

As various interests intersected with one another, it would make things complicated.

The villager spirit and carefree feel during the village building days were long gone.

This was something that Ouyang Shuo didn’t want to see, but it happened in front of him. Ironically, he had no way to stop it. The Lianzhou Marquis title had raised his position and separated him from the commoners.

”What’s the purpose of your trip?” Fan Zhongyan asked.

”My purpose is the island out at sea- Qiongzhou Island. I want to build another territory there to increase our strategic advantage.” Ouyang Shuo briefly explained.

Ever since Bing’er entered the game, Ouyang Shuo helped choose the Lord gamemode as he had already had plans for Qiongzhou Island.

The reason why the plan hadn’t come into fruition had 3 reasons.

Firstly, the territory wasn’t stable, and it wasn’t right to rashly open another territory; secondly, the Mengchong warship didn’t have the ability for long distance travel; thirdly was that there wasn’t a suitable village creation token. Tokens below silver rank were just not good enough.

The 2nd system auction had totally solved Ouyang Shuo’s problem.

Hence, after the Dragon Head smoothly entered the water, Ouyang Shuo was raring to go.

On this trip, not only did Ouyang Shuo bring large amounts of troops, he brought a high number of basic level officials, various artisans, talents, and resources to ensure that the moment they got here they could get a stable footing.

Apart from that, he took some of the salt workers from Beimu Saltpans and was ready to open more saltpans at Yazhou.

About Ouyang Shuo’s plan, the marquis wanted to open up and conquer new lands so they really had no reason to oppose. As for his safety, with the guards regiment there was pretty much no big problem.

Ouyang Shuo gave Baiqi the power to move the entire army and command it when he wasn’t around. Be it starting a war or ending it, he would make the decision.

He appointed Fan Zhongyan the head of the civil servants, and he would be in charge of all administrative matters.

After appointing the two in charge of the military and administration, Ouyang Shuo immediately dismissed everyone. As for specific arrangements, he would find them individually, and there was no need to discuss those during the meeting.

After the meeting, Ouyang Shuo asked someone to go to Donglai Sword Sect to inform Song Jia to ask her to come along.

Yazhou was basically the Sanya in reality. During the new year, it was a good time to travel. Ouyang Shuo wanted to take this chance to bring Song Jia and Bing’er along and have fun at the seaside.

Before that, Ouyang Shuo had told Xiuwen to build a villa by the seaside at Beihai City so he could bring Bing’er to play.

Unfortunately as things were busy, it wasn’t able to be completed.

After the villa was completed, it had always been empty. Ouyang Shuo heard that Gu Xiuwen had sent people there to clean it up to ensure that it was in a decent state.

After New Years, with the weather of Lianzhou Basin, it wasn’t suitable to play by the seaside.

With a better place to go to now, Ouyang Shuo naturally wanted to make up for his mistakes.

One was work and one was play. Although Ouyang Shuo was a lord, he didn’t want to just focus on work; taking breaks was something that was absolutely needed.

Furthermore, although the territory was important, loved ones were too.

Ouyang Shuo couldn’t remember how long was it since he played with Bing’er. The time he spent with her was less than previously in real life. Thinking back to his promise, Ouyang Shuo felt ashamed.

In the afternoon, Old Sun suddenly visited.

”Ouyang, I heard you want to bring your sister to Yazhou for a holiday?” Old Sun didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.

Ouyang Shuo nodded and smiled. ”Why? You want to go too?”

”I’m so old, why will I go to Yazhou? Furthermore, this is the busiest time for the shipyard, I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to.” Old Sun shook his head.

”Then your meaning is?” Ouyang Shuo didn’t understand.

As Sun Xiaoyue’s grandfather, he understood his granddaughter. That brat shared the same house with him for a year and naturally fell for him. This added with the charm he showed in the game, she was in love with him.

Unfortunately, he was already taken.

Ouyang Shuo that little kid had suddenly liked Song Jia and made it such a way that he was definitely marrying her.

Seeing his granddaughter so down, Old Sun was anxious too.

Old Sun sometimes hated that her granddaughter was too honest and didn’t fight for what she wanted. Furthermore, she had known Ouyang Shuo first, and before Song Jia was officially married, she still had a chance.

Since that his granddaughter didn’t fight, as her grandfather, he naturally needed to create a chance for her. Hearing that Ouyang Shuo was bringing Song Jia and Bing’er to Yazhou, that was why he rushed over to ask.

”It’s like this, little Yue has been busy with the city planning for Shanhai City. I was thinking that it would be a good time for her to go with you to Yazhou and relax. Let me tell you, I only have this one precious granddaughter, so I can’t let her be too tired of the territorial matters.”

Old Sun’s words had a hidden meaning.

A little awkwardness flashed across Ouyang Shuo’s face. ”Ok, as long as she wants to I don’t mind.” No matter how slow he was, he understood the meaning.

Old Sun nodded, as he said what needed to be said. Ouyang Shuo also wasn’t dumb. He sighed to himself. Granddaughter, grandpa can only help you up to here.

”Ok, then I’ll be off!” Old Sun stood up and left.

”Take care!” Ouyang Shuo got up to send him off.

Old Sun waved him off. ”No need, as long as you understand my wishes it’s okay.”

”Ai!”

Ouyang Shuo sighed as he froze on the spot.