Chapter 300: Paving a Road to the Heavens (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 300: Paving a Celestial Road (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The night rain pattered steadily, the cool breeze whispered through the air.

A chill of icy coldness enveloped the pristine courtyard, tinged with the faintest hint of brutal severity.

Xiao Jinghong gazed at the paper in his hands, his eyes as cold as ice.

“Liu Hong, Zhu Hao, they truly are oblivious to the gravity of their actions!”

According to the records on the parchment, Liu Hong had, in recent times, committed three significant acts.

First, he had dispatched agents to assassinate Lin Hua’an of the Jizhou Merchant Guild, severing his connection with Liu Tao and Zhu Hao’s alliance.

That Lin Hua’an had, in turn, been maintaining clandestine communications with the deputy commander of the Shuzhou Administrative Office, Zhu Hao, supplying weapons and ores to the Lán Dé Kingdom through illicit trade.

Moreover, the respected master Ling Chuan of the Guoyun Academy had also been involved in this scheme.

Second, Liu Hong had colluded with the scholar-official Ma Shuhuan, forming a secret faction to manipulate and sway the noble families of Shuzhou.

Third, Liu Hong had engaged in indiscreet dealings with King Lán Dé, using the influence of Lü Jiunan to rescue the left prince of the Man tribe, Asutai.

All signs pointed to one undeniable truth—Liu Hong had long ago forged an alliance with King Lán Dé and the Man tribe, secretly aiding them in numerous covert endeavors.

Xiao Jinghong reflected on the past several years, and indeed, certain unsavory patterns had begun to emerge.

“It makes sense now. The Administrative Commissioner’s repeated claims of drastically reduced salt and iron tax revenues—my niece’s investigators had meticulously verified the ledgers without error, all the while, the Border Affairs Office had been providing cover.”

“Three years ago, when new troops were recruited, it was likely Liu Hong’s covert directives that led to their uneven quality.”

“Thus, all the inconsistencies my niece had previously struggled to explain now find resolution.”

The venerable Xiao sighed, his expression grave as he spoke: “I summoned you back here, hoping we might discuss a comprehensive plan.”

“Though we have now uncovered the evidence of Liu Hong’s collusion with traitors and enemies, securing his downfall still requires further threads to be pulled.”

“Furthermore, he is backed by the Liu family of Jingzhou, the consort Liu Guifei, and I even suspect some force within the Capital Prefecture is supporting him from the shadows.”

Xiao Jinghong pondered deeply, asking, “Grandfather, do you suspect the Ninth Rank Official, or perhaps those of imperial kin and high rank?”

The old master shook his head: “Both are possible.”

He then exhaled a sigh: “At this point, I owe it to you to speak plainly.”

“These years, whenever conflict arose, I always emerged victorious—marching into the Lán Dé territories, driving back the Man tribe’s Wuhag clan…”

“It may seem a tale of glory, yet in truth, I have, to varying degrees, incurred the enmity of many.”

“For instance, five years ago, when the Wuhag launched their assault, the commander at the time—one of the Ninth Rank’s Ritual Officers, Li Chengxuan, now the Regional Commissioner—had proposed surrendering to the Man tribe for a final, decisive battle.”

Xiao Jinghong furrowed his brow slightly: “Li Chengxuan?”

The old master nodded faintly: “That very occasion, when my parents had just razed the Man tribe’s supplies, he had suggested surrendering. He and I had since formed a grudge.”

“This man is one who thrives on success, viewing lives as mere grass, employing any means necessary to advance further.”

“Even after he returned to the Capital Prefecture and was elevated to ‘Regional Commissioner’ by the Emperor, I assumed his dissatisfaction would only grow.”

Xiao Jinghong understood: “No wonder our previous petitions for grain and weapon stipends from the three garrisons were repeatedly obstructed by him.”

She regarded the old master with a thoughtful gaze: “The person behind Liu Hong’s support—is it him?”

“There is possibility, though it may also be someone else.”

The old master explained: “Li Chengxuan, while unscrupulous in his methods, as one who controls the treasury of the court, his actions are all driven by the pursuit of profit.”

“Thus, I find myself doubting him more as a figurehead for the Jizhou Merchant Guild than as Liu Hong’s patron.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong mused, “My niece has been keeping watch over him.”

“Even if not him, Liu Hong and Zhu Hao’s illegal arms and ore sales through the Jizhou Merchant Guild are factual, and we must take precautions.”

The old master’s expression shifted slightly: “You seek to find those people?”

Xiao Jinghong nodded, her voice steady: “Since returning to Shuzhou, my niece has had no dealings with them. But the Capital Prefecture lies far away, and for the sake of Xiao’s family and the distant army, my niece has no choice but to take this measure.”

“…You’ve been a great burden to me.”

“When a traveler returns to the world, there is naturally some distance between courtly affairs and the outside. Originally, I had not wished for you to divert your attention to martial matters; now, I see I was mistaken.”

The old master was wary of those who roamed the martial world.

Though many of the truly wise and capable existed within, the majority were merely insects and dogs playing at chivalry and righteousness, ignoring the laws and order of the realm.

Especially those entangled in grudges and vengeance, dragging others into their schemes meant an endless stream of troubles.

He did not wish for General Xiao to become ensnared in such matters.

“My lady understands your concerns. My niece will proceed with the utmost care.”

The old master nodded, then continued: “Beyond the Capital Prefecture, the most pressing matter now is resolving Liu Hong and his associates.”

“With him at large, the peace of Shuzhou and our Xiao family cannot endure. It is time to bring this to an end.”

Xiao Jinghong nodded, pondering for a moment, then proposed: “What if my niece takes action herself?”

“What? Why?”

“According to the ‘Dragon Spear’’s reports, all these incidents have traces leading back to him. Provided we uncover irrefutable evidence, there is no way Liu Hong can evade punishment.”

The old master showed some interest, hesitating: “But your return today will inevitably alert him, perhaps…”

Xiao Jinghong smiled: “The Ushi Market is about to be completed soon. Once we confirm the elder sister’s safety, my niece’s departure will be all the more reasonable.”

“Indeed…”

After further discussion, Xiao Jinghong rose to leave.

“My lady will first return to the Spring Lotus Garden.”

The old master escorted her to the courtyard, walking alongside her as he spoke: “Your proposal earlier, have you given it careful thought?”

“What…?”

Xiao Jinghong suddenly recalled, from their last return to the capital city, the old master’s suggestion about meeting with Chen Yi, his expression growing slightly unnatural as he quickened his pace.

“You should rest early.”

The old master seemed oblivious, smiling: “Your husband, these days, has achieved complete mastery in literature and scholarship, and his talents and reputation have made him a fortunate match for our Xiao family.”

“Even if he is not as formidable as ‘Dragon and Tiger’ Liu Five… Chen Yu, you should find him worthy, should you not?”

“Grandfather, you… do not show respect to the elder.”

A faint blush crept over Xiao Jinghong’s face, her toes tapping lightly, and she vanished from the courtyard in an instant.

The old master remained behind, muttering to himself:

“Grandfather, after all, is an old man. Though his bones are still moving, he wishes to impart some wisdom to his granddaughter…”

Xiao Jinghong moved even faster, her eyes flashing once as she slipped into the Spring Lotus Garden, then deliberately plugging her ears, lest those “unbearable” words reach her ears.

What elder? She was thinking of making her meet with Chen Yi… in the chambers?

Xiao Jinghong instinctively glanced toward the wooden pavilion where Chen Yi resided.

In the dim light, gray tiles and red wood, the ancient and elegant upper floor, softly illuminated by a few lanterns.

In the corner of the second floor near the house of Xiàngxīn Yuan, a steady, continuous breathing sound drifted faintly upward.

It was clear that Chen Yi was sleeping soundly.

Xiao Jinghong glanced for a moment, and in his mind floated the poems and verses Chen Yi had written for her, along with the portraits.

He couldn’t help but recall the old master’s words just now: “Chen Yi also counts as a most suitable gentleman for you.”

“Zhuāngfēng… Chóngsǒng…”

Without realizing it, Xiao Jinghong’s face grew even redder, and he quickly turned away to another wooden building.

The door creaked open and shut.

Even amid the clamor of raindrops, the sound seemed far away.

Only when the gardens of Chūnrán were quiet again did the breathing of Chen Yi, steady and calm, resume.

He slowly opened one eye, looked around, and let out a sigh of relief.

The mistress had returned much sooner than he had anticipated.

Fortunately, there had been no commotion, or else the aura of his cultivation of the Four Symbols Technique might have been exposed.

“Wonder what she and the old master discussed?”

“Liu Hong? The King of the Peacock Flag? The Barbarian tribes?”

“Those scoundrels had nothing to do with me. Why was she standing outside for so long?”

“Could it be that she discovered my flaws?”

“Shouldn’t be.”

“Definitely not.”

Chen Yi muttered to himself, still unable to figure it out, so he turned over and fell into a deep sleep.

After laboring for several days, he truly needed a rest.

Besides, with Xiao Jinghong’s return, he couldn’t do anything anyway.

All he could do was hope that Cui Qingwu, Liu Lang, and Zhang Daobao wouldn’t come up with anything too outrageous.

…

Chen Yi slept sweetly.

But within the prefecture city of Shu, many people would surely lie awake that night.

Almost all the martial artists who had gathered in the city to await Bai Da Xian were scattered across the city.

In taverns, tea houses, inns, and Qin Lou, small groups of martial artists discussed the events of the evening. Moreover, the gifted storyteller with keen insight and sharp wit reenacted the tale of Liu Wu rescuing the Xiao family’s daughters.

In the hall of Chūnrán Lou.

Originally, the young nobles and talented scholars were leisurely reciting verses or drinking and listening to music.

But after the witching hour.

The young ladies suddenly became unwelcome.

An old man, nearly sixty, was invited to the stage, sat cross-legged on the floor, and tapped a wooden tablet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Liu Wu of the ‘Dragon-Tiger’ unit has recently been one of the most outstanding heroes in the martial world of Shu!”

The old man held up his thumb, listing the great deeds Liu Wu had accomplished, his tone varying in emphasis, stirring the atmosphere in the hall.

When he sensed the guests’ impatience, he took a sip of tea to clear his throat:

“Ladies and gentlemen, today, the ‘wolf’ Du Cang of the Peacock Flag King’s forces ambushed outside the Xiao family’s mansion, seizing the young mistress when she arrived by carriage.”

“The Xiao family was thrown into chaos, the old lord of the Xiao clan was enraged, and all the offices in the prefecture city… At that time, ‘Dragon-Tiger’… He was still called ‘Dragon Spear’ then, facing the meeting alone with a single spear…”

“That battle shook the heavens and moved the earth… To learn of what happened next, please listen to the next installment.”

“Bang!”

The guests, seeing this, cursed and scattered a few silver coins, but they all listened to the rest of the tale.

Though many details were embellished by the old man, the guests were all pleased to hear it.

“Du Cang wasn’t easy to deal with. The young mistress’s safe return was sheer luck.”

“Indeed. Without the ‘Dragon-Tiger,’ they might not have rescued her.”

“But ‘Dragon-Tiger’ just now, he truly saved the day—perhaps the old lord will even marry the young mistress to him.”

“Could that really happen…?”

In the quiet chamber upstairs.

Lou Yuxue listened to the chatter below, her face showing a hint of disdain, muttering to herself:

“That sickle girl, what good is she?”

“Her hands can’t lift, her shoulders can’t bear, delicate and weak with no wit… Would Liu Wu even care for her?”

Though she said so, Lou Yuxue couldn’t help but admit that Xiao Wan’er was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Even more beautiful than herself and Cui Qingwu combined.

Yet she didn’t feel that Xiao Wan’er was significantly better than her; rather, she felt they were on equal footing.

After all, the victor would be herself.

Lou Yuxue compared them, a smile spreading across her face, and placed the sealed letter into a pigeon’s leg, letting it fly into the sky.

She lowered her gaze, watching the rain outside, her smile gradually fading.

“Liu Wu killed Du Cang, which is good, but he’ll always be under the patriarch’s scrutiny, and may face hardships in the future.”

This wasn’t just her imagination running wild; she had heard of people like Liu Wu before.

Some were prodigies, others had their merits, and some came from noble families—all had their place.

But most of them met a bad end.

So Lou Yuxue secretly hoped Liu Wu wouldn’t join the White Tiger Guard, lest he be assigned dangerous tasks by the patriarch.

Yet she had no other choice.

She could only try to smooth things over.

After all…

Lou Yuxue sighed, and in her mind, the face of Liu Wu, half-smiling, half-not, flashed before her eyes.

She couldn’t help but punch the wall.

“You bastard! Get lost!”

At that moment, the chamber door opened.

Cui Qingwu saw her state and couldn’t help but smiled: “Who managed to make the Lady of the Tiger Beast angry?”

“A bastard? Liu Wu?”

Lou Yushuo paused, a hint of displeasure flickering across his face as he turned his head to look at her: "What brings you here?"

"You could find the time to follow that Chen gentleman, couldn’t you?"

Cui Qingwu’s smile faded almost entirely. He tossed a bundle of contracts onto the table:

"As we discussed earlier, I’ve secured the agreements from Lin’s grain business and several other major grain traders."

"Guess how much silver we’ve made this time?"

Lou Yushuo’s expression shifted slightly, taking the contracts in his hands and scanning them.

After flipping through a few pages, he blinked in surprise: "Fourteen liang of silver per stone? They actually agreed to that?"

Cui Qingwu hummed: "What? Our Cui family’s prices are hardly something they can take advantage of."

"Want to buy, they buy; want to sell, they sell. Where else in the world offers such a deal?"

"I remember you bought it for ten liang, then sold it for fourteen. That’s four liang profit per stone of grain—millions of stones…"

"Four million liang of silver!?"

Lou Yushuo wasn’t surprised. The sum was too vast, the profit too effortless.

In less than a day, Lin Zhenghong and his associates had somehow lost four million liang of silver.

Even with the backing of the Ji Zhou Trading House, it was a substantial sum.

Had there been a misstep…

There was no "had there been." Lou Yushuo was certain Liu Wu had already made his next move.

Cui Qingwu pulled out a tea cup and poured himself a drink:

"What, you’re surprised? I’ve known Liu Wu’s plan since the day before. I already figured out what would happen to those grain traders."

"Had I not worried they’d flee if the price rose too high, I might not have sold to them at all—twenty liang might have been too much."

After a pause, he let out a cold smile: "I reckon they’re probably cursing me for being so foolish right now."

"But when they’re crying like that, at least we’ll have some entertainment."

She didn’t know what Liu Wu would do next, but she was certain he’d set this trap deliberately and wouldn’t let Lin Zhenghong and the others off so easily.

Perhaps this time, the Ji Zhou Trading House would finally face a major setback.

Lou Yushuo steadied his thoughts, gripping the contracts: "That’s a huge sum of silver. How much are you giving Liu Wu?"

"Giving him?"

Cui Qingwu scoffed: "Of course not. We’ll split it between us, not a single coin to him."

"Not a coin?"

"You forget how he treated you before."

"But… but that idiot might not let it go…"

"Then let him come to me. Once it’s in my hands, I’ll decide what to do with it."

Lou Yushuo finished his tea, examining him closely: "You seem troubled. What’s bothering you?"

Cui Qingwu shot him a sideways glance and turned away: "Nothing."

"...About that Chen gentleman?"

"No…"

In truth, Cui Qingwu was indeed troubled.

After returning to the Lingyu Pavilion with Chen Yunfan, she’d intended to use the opportunity to speak with him about the military commissioner, Zhu Hao, and get him to make preparations.

But before she could reach the court, she was blocked at the door by Chunying.

She’d said, "My master specifically asked to meditate in seclusion and wouldn’t receive visitors for the time being."

Was Cui Qingwu even a guest?

After all, she’d heard Chen Yunfan speaking with someone—he wasn’t meditating at all.

Chunying’s excuse was clearly a lie.

Lou Yushuo noticed her mood and softened his tone, offering some consolation.

But Cui Qingwu snapped: "Are you trying to give me Liu Wu’s share? You really think of me as a daughter-in-law who hasn’t even entered the house yet!"

"You… what are you talking about?!"

…

Inside Lingyu Pavilion.

Chen Yunfan sat at the desk, staring at the corpse lying on the floor before him.

The man standing nearby was unmistakably the same middle-aged fellow he’d met with Chunying earlier.

Now, with his hat removed, his hair wild and tied back with a grass rope, a thick beard covering his jaw, and his chest exposed in a sleeveless jacket, he looked disheveled.

"Lord, I won’t disobey the Young Master and the Second Master’s orders. Please don’t trouble me."

Chen Yunfan fell silent for a moment, frowning: "Uncle Zhong, what exactly do the Patriarch and Second Uncle want to do?"

"After the Emperor appointed me as my advisor in the administration of Shuzhou, I couldn’t help but find it strange. It must have been the Second Uncle’s idea."

"And bringing this corpse of Lü Jiunan with him—it’s hard not to suspect their intentions."

"Are they trying to pave a path straight to heaven for me?"

(Chapter End)