San Shier let out a small sound of surprise, then smiled.
"They said you were the hardest worker among the hard workers. I did not quite understand before. Now I do. You truly are not afraid of carrying a heavy burden."
He chuckled.
"This is what people call giving one's all to the very end."
Bin Sheng snapped to attention, standing straight as a spear.
His voice was sincere.
"If I carry a heavier burden, my Yan Zi can live a better life."
Yan Zi instantly burst into tears.
The ten men behind Bin Sheng spoke at the same time.
"We are not afraid of heavy burdens."
"Good!" San Shier nodded.
"We may not wish to harm others, but we must still guard against enemy nations. A defensive intelligence department is necessary."
He paused a moment and then smiled.
"Since it is for defense, we shall call it the Divine Shield Bureau."
"Bin Sheng, I hereby appoint you as the first director of the Divine Shield Bureau."
"The other ten of you will serve as the bureau's first officers."
"This is what it means to assign positions according to talent."
Bin Sheng and his men were overjoyed.
San Shier then added thoughtfully,
"But if you take on this responsibility, will your work at Chang'an Factory suffer?"
Bin Sheng grinned.
"Please do not worry, Third Steward."
"I have no intention of leaving Chang'an Factory. I love the work there."
"I can handle both jobs at the same time."
He leaned forward slightly.
"After all, intelligence agents naturally need two identities."
His subordinates laughed.
"Chang'an Factory is already a military industry facility. Being soldiers there is perfectly normal."
"In the old Jin state we did the same thing. We served as soldiers in the Wuzhen Superha while also carrying out espionage work."
San Shier finally nodded.
"Very well."
"The establishment of the Divine Shield Bureau will be entirely in your hands."
And so, just like that...
The most powerful intelligence agency of Gao Family Village, the Divine Shield Bureau, quietly began its existence.
In a rather random place.
At a rather random time.
And founded by a rather unusual group of people.
---
On the train heading back to the village, San Shier could not help sighing.
"I am getting old."
"Bai Yuan is old too."
"Cheng Xu is almost fifty."
"Even that fellow Flat Rabbit is nearly forty."
"The first generation of Gao Family Village is approaching retirement."
He gazed out the window.
"The future belongs to people like Bin Sheng, Liu Maopao, and Gao Sanwa."
He chuckled softly.
"This is what people mean when they say the waves behind push forward the waves ahead."
Just as he was thinking this, a young man about eighteen years old ran down the train corridor.
He suddenly tripped.
It looked like he was about to fall hard.
But halfway through the fall, the young man planted both hands on the floor.
He flipped forward in a quick somersault, spun once in midair, and landed firmly on his feet.
San Shier raised his eyebrows.
"Oh! Quick reflexes."
The young man turned his head.
The moment he saw San Shier, he immediately recognized him and nearly jumped in shock.
He quickly bowed.
"Greetings, Third Steward. I did not expect you to be on this train. Please forgive my rudeness."
San Shier smiled.
"Your skills are impressive. What do you do?"
The young man's face showed an awkward smile.
"A reform through labor prisoner."
"What?"
San Shier blinked.
"A labor reform prisoner?"
The young man looked so embarrassed he nearly wanted to crawl into the floor.
"I took the wrong path before. I mistook thieves for my fathers and joined a bandit group."
"Fortunately I had not committed any real crimes yet when Gao Family Village captured me and sent me for labor reform."
"My crime was minor, so my sentence was short."
"I was released two days ago."
"I am taking this train to Gao Family Village to join the village militia."
San Shier laughed.
"I see."
"A prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold."
"Gao Family Village welcomes you."
"However, whether you can join the militia is not my decision. The militia instructors will decide."
"Everyone has their own responsibilities."
The young man grinned and flexed his arm proudly.
"I am confident. The militia will definitely want me."
San Shier laughed.
"It is good for young people to have confidence."
"What a fine young man."
The youth bowed again and continued running down the corridor.
Just as he was about to disappear at the end of the train car, San Shier suddenly asked,
"By the way, what is your name?"
The young man turned back and smiled brightly.
"My name is Li Dingguo."
"Third Steward, one day I will become a great general who will make you look at me with new respect."
San Shier laughed warmly.
"Good!"
"Ah... being young really is wonderful."
---
At the same time.
Dandong.
Two young men stood before Cheng Xu and saluted.
They spoke almost at the same time.
Shi Lang.
Zheng Sen.
"Instructor He, now that Korea has returned as a tributary state of the Ming, there will no longer be powerful enemy fleets on the sea."
"We request permission to sail to Yi Zhou Island and assist Yao Xingjuan."
Recently the Gao Family Village navy had been operating near Pi Island.
The reason was simple.
At that time Korea had not yet returned to Ming allegiance, and Korea still possessed a navy that was at least somewhat usable.
Gao Family Village's navy had to stay there to keep the Korean fleet in check.
Otherwise Pi Island and Dandong might lose their maritime supply routes.
That would have been disastrous.
But now things were different.
Crown Prince Sohyeon and Grand Prince Bongrim had returned to Korea.
Korea had once again acknowledged the Ming as its overlord.
The sea had become safe.
The supply routes to Pi Island and Dandong were no longer threatened.
The two young admirals could not sit still anymore.
Cheng Xu laughed.
"You youngsters really cannot stay idle."
"Korea has only returned for a few days and you already want to run off again."
Shi Lang grinned.
"Of course."
Zheng Sen added,
"I have long been interested in Yi Zhou Island."
Cheng Xu nodded.
"Very well."
"Yao Xingjuan is facing the entire Dutch East India Company alone with just one ship. That is not easy."
"You two can go reinforce him."
The two youths were delighted.
Then Cheng Xu suddenly beckoned to Zheng Sen.
"Oh, right. Tianzun has a special instruction for you."
Zheng Sen looked puzzled.
"Huh?"
Cheng Xu smiled.
"Tianzun has already calculated that the two of you will successfully pacify Yi Zhou."
"So he wishes to grant you a new name."
He paused.
"It will be Zheng Chenggong."
Zheng Sen was overjoyed.
"A name bestowed by Tianzun is the greatest honor."
"I will gladly accept it."
Shi Lang immediately looked jealous.
"What about me?"
"Hey! What about me?"
Cheng Xu laughed.
"You do not need to change your name."
"Tianzun said your name already has great spiritual character. You should keep it."
Shi Lang was delighted.
"Ah! Tianzun praised my name."
Cheng Xu waved his hand.
"Enough. I know young people like you cannot sit still."
"I will not delay you any longer."
"You may depart immediately."
"Return to Zhoushan Island first to resupply."
"Then head to Jinjiang Port in Quanzhou and rendezvous with Yao Xingjuan."
He took out two documents and handed them to the boys.
"Tianzun prepared these long ago."
"Privateering licenses."
"They allow you to freely attack the ships of Western pirates in the waters around Yi Zhou."
The two youths were ecstatic.
They had heard that Yao Xingjuan had received one of these licenses before.
They had been extremely envious.
Now they had their own.
Cheng Xu added seriously,
"Remember."
"The license allows you to attack Western pirates."
"It does not allow you to attack everyone you see."
"If you misunderstand that..."
"You will become real pirates."
The two young men answered together.
"Understood!"