This port, home to the lord's manor and a hub connecting the inland to Mellen County (Island), has become bustling since Song Shuying developed Mellen Island, with a constant stream of merchant ships and people.
Su Yu arrived at the port in the afternoon.
The port's scene differed from that of Falling Moon Valley, filled with hustle and bustle.
Ships were moored at the docks, cranes rising and falling, loading and unloading various goods.
Sailors, porters, merchants, travelers… all sorts of people moved about, the sounds of hawking, bargaining, ship horns, and the crashing waves mingling together.
The air was filled with the salty smell of the sea, the fragrance of wood, and the mixed aromas of various foods.
Su Yu didn't linger at the port; he led "Treading Snow" to a medium-sized inn called "Blue Scale Inn" in the port area.
The inn looked clean and tidy, and business seemed quite good.
As soon as he reached the inn's entrance, a young man dressed as a hotel waiter approached him warmly, asking, "Sir, do you have a reservation? Or do you need accommodation?"
Su Yu nodded slightly and gave a coded message: "I'm looking for an old friend... from Blackshire."
The waiter's smile remained unchanged, but a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes. He bowed slightly and gestured for him to enter: "So you're a distinguished guest. Please come in; your friend has been waiting for you for quite some time."
It seemed that prior arrangements had been made.
Su Yu handed "Treading Snow" to the waiter for care, straightened his clothes, and entered the inn.
Passing through the slightly noisy lobby on the first floor, the waiter led Su Yu to a relatively quiet room on the second floor and gently knocked on the door: "Director Liu, Assistant Li, our distinguished guest has arrived."
"Please come in," a familiar voice came from inside the room, steady but slightly weary.
Su Yu pushed open the door and entered.
The room was simply furnished but clean.
Two people were sitting at a table by the window.
One of them, dressed in a well-fitting dark casual suit, possessed a composed demeanor; he was Liu Ping, the section chief Su Yu had dealt with at the Blackshire City Hall's Special Affairs Section.
Opposite him sat his older assistant, the younger Li Zhi.
Upon seeing Su Yu enter, Liu Ping and Li Zhi stood up simultaneously.
"Sir Su, long time no see!" Liu Ping greeted Su Yu with a sincere smile, shaking his hand. "You must have had a long journey."
"Section Chief Liu, no, Director Liu, how have you been?" Su Yu replied politely.
"Oh, Sir Su, please don't call me Director anymore." Liu Ping waved his hand, a hint of emotion on his face. "Not yet, just the acting director of the Special Affairs Bureau of Myron County (Island)."
He stepped aside. "This is my assistant, Li Zhi, you know him too."
Li Zhi also stepped forward and shook hands with Su Yu. He seemed to have been promoted as well, smiling as he said, "Sir Su, it's nice to see you again. I didn't expect to meet you here in this way."
"Indeed, I didn't expect it." Su Yu looked at Liu Ping, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, then understanding dawned on him. "So, you came to Myron Island with Lord Song?"
"That's right." Liu Ping invited Su Yu to sit down, while Li Zhi got up and poured Su Yu a cup of hot tea.
"Lord, in developing Myron Island, you need a group of trustworthy people to handle the various... affairs on the island. So, Li, a few old subordinates, and I came along."
Su Yu held a warm teacup, looking at Liu Ping thoughtfully. "Giving up a stable position in Black County to come to a newly developed island where everything has to start from scratch, Director Liu, that must have taken a lot of determination, right?"
Black County, though just an ordinary county, is well-developed, and while the Special Affairs Section doesn't have much power, it's relatively stable.
Myron Island, on the other hand, is remote, in dire need of development, and is bound to face difficulties and dangers.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ping's face showed a complex expression: "I did hesitate. After all, I've been in Blackshire for so many years, I know the place well. But..."
He paused, his eyes brightening: "The Lord has both courage and foresight. Although Myron Island is a wasteland, it also means endless possibilities. It's better to come out and explore with the Lord than to waste my life in Blackshire. Besides, the situation here really needs people like us."
He gave a wry smile: "However, although it's called the 'Special Affairs Bureau,' it's really just an empty shell right now. The island is newly established, the population is sparse, and everything needs to be developed. Where would we find so many people? Including myself and Xiao Li, plus a few people recruited and trained locally, there are only a handful in the bureau. I'm called the acting director, but I'm really just a commander without troops, haha."
Although he was being self-deprecating, Su Yu could sense that Liu Ping's tone didn't contain much complaint, but rather a passion for pioneering a new cause.
Su Yu actually understood.
In Blackshire, Liu Ping's family background meant he would always be a section chief, with little chance of advancement.
And with Song Shuying's departure, his position might not be secure.
Of course, some might argue that with extraordinary talent, one can naturally break through the class ceiling.
Such arguments are both foolish and malicious.
If you have that ability, why be a lackey? Do you deserve it?
Most are ordinary people with some talent, naturally needing opportunities.
Liu Ping had no way out in Blackshire, but on Myron Island, he became the Director of the Special Affairs Bureau. As for acting, he would soon be officially appointed—that's a class leap.
"I admire Director Liu's courage in making the decision to leave his familiar environment and come here," Su Yu said sincerely. "
Sir Su, you flatter me. We are all serving the Lord; it's the same wherever we are," Liu Ping said modestly, then his tone changed, becoming serious: "Sir Su, the Lord has instructed us to obey you. You are doing this for 'that gentleman,' right?"
If Su Yu hadn't obtained the title of Baron, Liu Ping wouldn't have been so quick to comply, even if he did. But a Baron is essentially a "director-level" official in each county and can compete for mayor or county head.
Therefore, Liu Ping agreed readily.
Furthermore, he was very polite, referring to himself as "that person" to avoid arousing suspicion.
Su Yu knew they were referring to Zheng Jinchuan.
He nodded: "That's right. I'd like to know, how's the surveillance of 'that gentleman' going?"
Hearing Su Yu's question, Liu Ping picked up his teacup, took a sip to clear his throat, and began to explain in detail.
"Sir Su, you previously warned us that 'that gentleman' is extremely cunning and may have special abilities. Directly monitoring him is very risky and could easily alert him."
Liu Ping's tone was calm and his logic clear: "Therefore, after research and reporting to the lord, we finally decided on the current surveillance plan—not to directly monitor him."
"Not to directly monitor him?" Su Yu was slightly surprised, but then felt it made sense.
"Yes, we don't directly monitor 'that gentleman' himself," Liu Ping affirmed. "We employ a 'peripheral radiation' surveillance strategy. We've developed a network of informants locally."
"Informants?"
"Yes," Liu Ping nodded. "These informants aren't professional spies, but rather local residents we've selected. They include fishermen, small vendors, dockworkers, innkeepers, blacksmith apprentices… scattered across various industries in the island's major towns and ports. They live and work like ordinary people, and no one knows their true identities."