On the wide expanse of the river, its channel as broad as the sea, the two large ships were linked bow to stern by iron chains. The rear vessel carried only a helmsman and a few experienced sailors, while the rest of the entourage occupied the lead ship.
The ships departed the Riverside ferry dock and sailed for an hour before coming to a stop.
On the lead ship, the Black Armored Guards had already slaughtered the sheep, and Hong Rui and Lü Qiao were busy roasting the meat.
The mutton was tender and flavorful, the enticing aroma spreading through the air. However, the Dread King's Manor had brought along over a dozen Black Armored Guards in addition to Vice Minister Hu and others—more than forty or fifty people altogether on board.
Two sheep were hardly enough. The Dread King's Manor claimed one and a half sheep for themselves, leaving the remaining half for Vice Minister Hu and the others. Each person got only a single bite of meat at most.
