A Zhu and Gu Cangyue sat in the flower hall of the Suzhou Prefecture rear courtyard, watching the Suzhou Prefecture adviser with his two wisps of rat whiskers in some unease.
The adviser stroked his beard, a bitter smile appearing on his face. "Honestly, this is truly making sport of people. If this scholar had not possessed a little learning, this letter really would have stumped me. But it was only a note—was there any need to use Greater Seal Script? And thirty percent of it is mixed with oracle bone script. This, this is deliberately making people look bad, isn't it?" The adviser sighed, shaking his head, while A Zhu and Gu Cangyue wore awkward smiles. A Zhu could not recognize a single character, while Gu Cangyue recognized two or three at most. After seeing the note Li Feng had left behind, they could only seek out this adviser, who claimed to have learning enough to fill four and a half cartloads.
After shaking his head for a while, the adviser touched the fifty taels of silver laid before him. A smile curled at his lips as he nodded. "Ah, then I shall begin reading the letter?"
A Zhu nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, sir."
The adviser smiled. "You are too polite, too polite... Hmm, A Zhu, you bastard." He abruptly fell silent and looked awkwardly at A Zhu.
Gu Cangyue cleared his throat and turned his head toward the outside of the flower hall without making a sound. A Zhu clenched his fists with a touch of anger, then forced a simple, honest smile. "Please continue, sir. Heh heh, read every single word without leaving anything out. Ha, my brother is joking with me. It is fine."
The adviser blinked his pair of mung-bean eyes and clicked his tongue. "A joke? This is rather... Hmm, A Zhu, you bastard. This old man is off to enjoy himself. You are surely settled in as the Golden Dragon Gang's chief now, aren't you? With Old Tou'er helping you, if you still cannot become chief, then swing a blade and castrate yourself, then go to the capital and become a eunuch. This young master has no interest in playing with Golden Dragon Gang affairs anymore. It truly wastes this young master's brilliance and heroic magnificence. Leave it to a big-headed, brainless fellow like you."
The adviser swallowed, picked up his teacup, took a sip, then continued reciting with his head swaying. "This old man has now latched onto a fine branch. In another two years, perhaps this old man will return as a first-rank general of the current court. Then I can lend you some men and conquer every gang within a thousand li. Wouldn't the brothers then have wealth pouring in like a river and beauties gathering like clouds?... You stay crouched obediently in Suzhou Prefecture. This young master is off to rise in rank and make his fortune."
"Let me tell you something. Through personal experience, this young master has learned a profound lesson: if you do not want others to swallow you whole, you must have strength of your own, and you must recruit more ruffians. If you have ten thousand ruffians under you who dare risk their lives, then even the so-called greatest martial arts master under heaven would not dare fight you to the death. This old man's master fancied himself an expert, yet he was killed outright by a group of people he had beaten black and blue one-on-one. This is very important. Remember it, remember it."
"To win over ruffians, besides having a large fist, you need money. In the place where this old man used to stash his private money, I left banknotes and jewels worth over a million taels of silver. You and Old Tou'er can handle these together. Have Old Tou'er recruit several martial arts experts from the jianghu to fill out the ranks. Old Tou'er is a good man, except he spends every night in revelry, so perhaps some part of him is no longer quite useful. This young master left him ten bottles of Rejuvenation Pills, also thrown into that place. Take them out and give them to him when the time comes... That is all. This young master is off to enjoy himself."
Gu Cangyue nearly choked to death on a mouthful of tea. He stammered, "This Gu fellow is, well, strong and vigorous. For now, there is no need for that sort of... ah..." In his heart, he cursed, Brat, how dare you spread rumors about me?... Hmm, but you actually told your elder brother to use a million taels of silver together with old brother here. It seems you truly regard old brother as a brother. Fine, then I shall accept you as a friend. Ha ha.
A Zhu muttered to himself, "You bastard. You vanished without explanation six years ago, and now you are chasing fame and fortune again. What exactly is going through your head? Is it really so easy to rise in rank and make money in the imperial court?... Damn it, you already have a fortune worth over a million. You could buy yourself an official post, so why seek promotion? Why seek wealth?"
A carriage had already passed through Suzhou Prefecture's city gates. Li Feng sat beside the driver, his long legs dangling outside the carriage and kicking about. He held a small wine jar and sang loudly, "I wished to let my heart shine upon the bright moon, yet the bright moon reflected in a cesspit... Ah, what fine poetry, what fine poetry... This called for a great cup." With that, he drained the two-jin wine jar in one gulp and hurled it away with all his strength. It smashed heavily by the roadside.
Inside the carriage, Little Li said in a soft, delicate voice to Zhao Xi, "Master, you recruited this boy so rashly? His martial arts may count as those of a first-rate expert, but he reeks of banditry. If the old master saw a man like him, he would have him dragged away for a military beating... Especially since our people may have investigated his origins, but the six years he spent missing remain murky. Once you bring him back to Yanjing, if he harbors any ill intent, then..."
Zhao Xi chuckled, covering his mouth with his fan as he spoke in a soft voice. "Little Li, you worry too much. Did you not say he uses Mount Hua Sect martial arts? The materials gathered by the Soaring Dragon Secret Service also said that the first time he appeared was at the foot of Mount Hua, where a Mount Hua disciple even gave him a shove. You saw that analysis too. Over the past century, more than seventeen Mount Hua experts have suddenly vanished without a trace. The only possibility is that one of those experts took Li Feng to Mount Hua and trained him for six years."
Zhao Xi shook his fan with considerable self-assurance, nodding as he said, "I do not believe he could be a problem. Could it be that he knew I was going to Suzhou and went there months in advance to wait for me? That would be absurd. My personal trip south to inspect the accounts was merely a whim, to see the rouge and powder of the southern lands. Who could possess such heaven-reaching ability?"
Little Li froze for a moment, then hurriedly nodded. "Master, you are wise. Then it seems the boy's identity should not be too much of a problem. But this servant must still say it: with that temper of his, once he returns to Yanjing, who knows how many people he will offend? Not to mention the old master; the second master and the others all have tempers as hard as iron. This boy is so slick-tongued that he may invite a fatal disaster at any time."
Zhao Xi's eyes flashed sideways. With a face full of baleful intent, he barked, "My man—who dares kill him? Hmph, is Second Brother so extraordinary? Do not forget that Third Brother and Fourth Brother are both my men. No matter how strong Second Brother is, can he be stronger than me? Little Li, you are overthinking it. The more flashy Li Feng's temperament is, the better. This is precisely the sort of person your master seeks. When I take him out to meet those romantic scholars, he is far better than taking you along. Can you drink? Can you make up a few crooked poems? You can do neither. All you know is how to wear a cold face and ruin the entire atmosphere."
He flicked his fan again, then slowly leaned back in his seat, saying with a cold smile, "And this is not your master scolding you. I simply want you to work harder. What is wrong with your palm strength? Your master originally thought your martial arts ranked among the best in the jianghu, but once you entered battle, you proved so inadequate. Had I known earlier, I would have brought over a hundred guards south... Sigh, if not for that ban, your master would not have brought only you along."
Little Li immediately lowered his head. "This servant has disappointed Master... Once we return to Yanjing, this servant will certainly seek Chief Eunuch Lü's guidance and train diligently."
Zhao Xi nodded in satisfaction. "You count as one of my confidants. If that day comes for me, you will be a supervisor. Your martial arts are too poor; if word gets out, I will lose face. Do not let those people look down on you, understand? Learn to judge the situation... I think young brother Li Feng's martial arts are quite good, and he has a quick mind. In the future, he will be an enormous help as your deputy."
Li Feng, seated in front, found it amusing. You want me to be this sissy's deputy? Just wait... Hmm, there is also an old master? And second, third, fourth masters? Even better. The murkier this water gets, the easier it will be for this young master to prosper. I will pick out the strongest among you and go seek refuge with him. Damn it, do you think I enjoy dealing with a sissy like you? If you anger this young master, I will kick your balls to pieces.
Li Feng began humming again. "How vast and gray Mount Tai Bai, stars densely strewn above. Three hundred li from heaven, remote and cut off from the world. Within dwelt an old man with green hair, wrapped in clouds and lying amid pine snow. He neither smiled nor spoke, dwelling in silent darkness within a rocky cave. I came upon a True Person, knelt long, and asked the secret formula. With gleaming jade teeth revealed, he taught me the art of refining medicine..." He shouted, "Wonderful, wonderful! I was originally a man from an immortal household, yet for my sins I fell into mortal dust... Sigh, why did I not regret it back then? Why did I tease that fairy maiden?" He casually pulled out another jar of wine from the goods crate beside him and took another great gulp.
The driver smiled and flattered him. "Young sir truly has fine learning. These songs of yours sound so good."
Li Feng began boasting wildly. "Of course. This young master can produce a composition the moment he opens his mouth. Ha ha ha ha! What is Li Bai? If this young master put in even a little effort, my poetry would be far finer than his. Heh, the pity is that this young master can never stay serious. Alas, alas!"
Inside the carriage, Zhao Xi gently snapped his fan shut, smiling as he patted Little Li's shoulder. "Did you hear that? Did you hear that? I like this young brother. Hmm, he is a true talent, skilled in both letters and martial arts. Little Li, do not be unconvinced. Aside from recognizing characters, how many verses can you recite?" Little Li tilted his head, pursed his lips, shook his head, and sighed. It seemed Zhao Xi and Li Feng were like a turtle staring into mung beans—they had locked eyes.
"Do you not see the Yellow River's waters descend from heaven, rushing to the sea and never returning? Do you not see before bright mirrors in lofty halls, people mourn white hair—morning threads of black silk, by evening turned to snow? When life is at its height, one must enjoy it fully; do not let a golden cup stand empty beneath the moon. Though a thousand gold is scattered, it shall return..." Li Feng continued shouting and singing, making passersby and carriages on the road look at him with strange expressions, as though they had seen a madman.
At last Zhao Xi could no longer restrain himself. He crawled out of the carriage to the front, sat shoulder to shoulder with Li Feng, seized a small jar of wine, and shouted along with him, "Five-flowered horse, thousand-gold fur coat—call the boy to bring them out and trade them for fine wine, to drown with you the sorrows of ten thousand ages!" When they finished, their wine jars clinked together, and they both poured the wine down their throats.
Zhao Xi laughed heartily. "Anyone who can drink is a good person."
Li Feng straightforwardly slapped Zhao Xi's shoulder. "Ha ha ha, if you can drink, aren't you praising yourself as a good person?" When Zhao Xi saw Li Feng dare to slap his shoulder, his face instinctively darkened and his shoulder drew back slightly. But upon hearing Li Feng's words, his face broke into a smile, and he threw back his head in laughter. "That is right. I am not merely a good person—I am also a noble person. Ha ha ha... The Yellow Emperor cast a cauldron on Mount Jing and refined cinnabar. When the cinnabar became gold, he rode a dragon and ascended to the Supreme Clarity abode. Cloud-sorrow and sea-longing made men sigh; palace maidens had faces like flowers. With a wave of his hand, he drifted above purple mists, riding the wind to mount a phoenix carriage. Mounting the phoenix carriage, serving Xuanyuan, roaming the blue heavens—the joy was beyond words."
Li Feng praised loudly, "Wonderful! Brother Zhao, you truly have heroic spirit. Riding a dragon to ascend to the Supreme Clarity abode... Palace maidens with faces like flowers. Like flowers, like flowers—ha ha, truly marvelous." Li Feng secretly laughed. You cannot wait to reveal your identity, can you? Sigh, I know your background is formidable, but need you be in such a hurry?
Inside the carriage, Little Li hung his head in despair and sighed. "This is over. Master's dignity is all gone. Luckily, no one here knows Master. Otherwise, an imperial censor would surely submit a vicious memorial. Leaving his fief without permission is already a grave crime, and now he is shouting without regard for the Household's dignity. Sigh, Master will at least be confined, while I, Little Li, will end up with my backside blossoming... Master, could you not carry on so wildly?"
Amid the two men's wild shouting and Little Li's private complaints, the carriage slowly headed toward Hangzhou.
They entered Hangzhou City at noon. Li Feng poked his head out and shook his head with a sigh. "Sigh, there is heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below. Suzhou and Hangzhou are equally famed. I wonder whether Hangzhou's beauties are as graceful and moving as those in Suzhou. Brother Zhao... Ah, I should call you Shopkeeper now. Tell me, Shopkeeper, what are Hangzhou's beauties like?"
Zhao Xi nearly choked on his breath. What? I, a dignified... have become a shopkeeper? Ah, well, if he calls me master, we are not close enough for that, and he has no other way to address me. He can only call me Shopkeeper... If word gets out, I will be laughed at to death. Shopkeeper, shopkeeper—why does it make me sound like I run a brothel? Zhao Xi shook his head, patted the driver's shoulder, and ordered, "Go to the 'Yuhua' silk shop."
The driver seemed extremely familiar with every alley and street of Hangzhou. Hearing Zhao Xi's command, he said nothing and guided the two horses swiftly to a three-bay silk shop. Turning back with a smile, he introduced it. "Are you guests here to buy silk? Then you have found the right place. Speaking of silks, Songjiang Prefecture goods are now the finest. This shop specializes in Songjiang Prefecture silks, and the patterns are exceptionally exquisite."
Li Feng clicked his tongue repeatedly. "What are you saying? What are you saying? My Shopkeeper is the owner here. Why would he need to buy silk? Fine, Little Li, pay according to your mood. I will attend Shopkeeper as he goes in... Ah, do not save money for Shopkeeper. Give him a generous tip."
Zhao Xi beamed with delight. "That is right, Little Li. Do not save money for your master. Give him a generous tip." With that, supported by Li Feng, he jumped down from the carriage and swayed into the silk shop. Li Feng grinned at the gloomy-faced Little Li and followed with a snicker.
Little Li darkened his face, grabbed Zhao Xi's traveling bundle, casually tossed down a flying banknote, then jumped down from the carriage amid the driver's profuse thanks and hurried after Li Feng. Staring at the flying banknote marked one thousand taels of silver, the driver could not help clicking his tongue. "As expected of a great boss. A tip of one thousand taels of silver. My heavens, how vast must their family fortune be to withstand spending like this?"
Hearing the driver mutter, Little Li deeply regretted it. Ah, ten or eight taels would already have been more than enough. That brat angered me until my head was muddled. Why did I pull out a banknote for him? I, I... Ah, a thousand taels of silver. It will take me years to earn that back.
Inside the silk shop, Zhao Xi swayed to the counter. His plump, jade-white fingers, as well kept as white jade and fat as garlic bulbs, lightly tapped the counter once. "Where is your shopkeeper? Call him out. Tell him someone from Yanjing has come to inspect the accounts."
The dozen or so clerks behind the counter froze. Their cold gazes assessed Zhao Xi, then suddenly caught sight of the jade pendant at his waist, and their expressions changed at once. One clerk hurriedly called out, "Ah, Shopkeeper, you have come? Please come inside. Serve the finest fragrant tea... Why are you not quickly inviting the shopkeeper out? The year-end is here, and the great boss has come down to inspect the accounts."
Li Feng secretly found it amusing and cursed inwardly. Are these really silk shop clerks? Why do they look more capable of fighting than the Golden Dragon Gang brothers? Hmm, judging by A Zhu's former skills, each one of these clerks could beat ten people like him. Li Feng's True Essence had long since reached the martial world's so-called Innate Realm, and his sensitivity to qi was terrifyingly sharp. Naturally, he could see through these clerks at a glance. To be honest, every one of them possessed skills above the second-rate. Using them as clerks was rather wasteful; among Suzhou Prefecture's several escort agencies, there were not many whose skills surpassed theirs.
Zhao Xi nodded, flicked his fan, looked at the customers selecting silk in the shop, and smiled. "Business here is not bad. You must all work hard. The profit shares are very generous, yes?" Amid the loud agreement of the clerks, Zhao Xi led Little Li into the inner quarters. Li Feng, meanwhile, drifted lightly past an extravagantly dressed wealthy merchant. Before the clerks' very eyes, his fingers deftly lifted the merchant's money pouch, and only then did he follow Zhao Xi inside.
The clerks' faces all turned green. They looked at each other, unable to utter a word, and could only play dumb and pretend they had seen nothing. One clerk shook his head and sighed. "How can someone like that be at Master's side? Could he possibly lack such a little money?" Under the other clerks' grim stares, he immediately realized his mistake. His face changed drastically, and he quickly shut his mouth.
The silk shop's rear courtyard was spacious, with three full layers of courtyards. Led by a clerk, the three of them unhurriedly walked straight into the final courtyard. The farther Li Feng walked, the more shocked he became. In the first courtyard, those middle-aged men chopping firewood had at least thirty years of saber training; in the second courtyard, several old men were playing chess, and the bulging veins and blackened fingers on their hands showed that they practiced an exceedingly vicious claw art. Not to mention the thirty-seven pairs of keen eyes Li Feng sensed with his sharp spiritual awareness—every one of them exerted pressure on him no weaker than that of Nine Shadows Dragon Long Qianli's favored subordinates.
Li Feng could not make sense of it. No matter how great Zhao Xi's background was, they were merely running a silk shop here. Was there really a need to station so many experts? There also seemed to be a 'Yuhua' silk shop in Suzhou Prefecture. If Zhao Xi had gone there to collect accounts as well, did that mean so many experts were stationed there too? Compared to this, Gu Cangyue's Cangfeng Fortress forces in Suzhou Prefecture seemed somewhat inferior to this tiny silk shop.
Upon entering the third courtyard, Li Feng was startled by two middle-aged maidservants. They had ordinary appearances and carried the brass water kettles commonly used by everyday households, yet these two maidservants had already approached the pinnacle of internal cultivation, the realm of three flowers gathering atop the head. In other words, they had entered the Late Qi Induction stage and were merely one step away from the Innate Realm. Li Feng comforted himself inwardly. It is fine, it is fine. Damn it, if these two old women do not encounter a chance, they may not enter the Innate Realm even in a hundred years. This young master is a distinguished disciple of the Yiyuan Sect. Can they compare to me?
Yet precisely because of these two women, Li Feng felt a sense of threat for the first time. There were countless experts and capable people under heaven. Apart from possessing slightly more spiritual power and knowing many spells, his cultivation was only at the Innate Transformation Realm. He truly needed to be careful. The wild, unrestrained air about him immediately diminished by half, and he no longer walked in such a lurching, swaying manner. Little Li nodded and sneered. "There, now you look a little like a human being."
When they entered the main hall of the third courtyard, a plump old man had already come out to greet them. He stared at Zhao Xi's face for a long while, then hurriedly knelt. "This subordinate of the Soaring—"
Zhao Xi waved his hand. "Enough, no need for formalities. Rise. This is Little Li, the supervisor of my inner residence. This is young brother Li Feng, a martial arts expert I have just recruited."
The old man glanced swiftly at Li Feng, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. With a broad smile, he said, "Yes, yes, yes, this way please... Eh, why did Master send you down this time? The weather is freezing. Could you not take better care of your health? And you only brought one person with you. This truly..."
Zhao Xi impatiently waved his hand and sat in the Grand Tutor's Chair at the center. With a swish, he opened his folding fan and smiled. "What does it matter? The four seas are peaceful now. Bringing too many guards makes travel inconvenient... Brother Li, sit wherever you like. Old Zhao, have them serve tea. Oh, we have not eaten breakfast either, so have someone prepare something... This was not something that should have required me to come personally. But I wanted to see the sights and customs of the south, and ordinarily I would not have had the opportunity. Taking advantage of this excuse, I pleaded with Father for half a month before he finally allowed me out." Hearing Zhao Xi's words, the clerk who had led them in immediately ran outside.
Li Feng sprawled bonelessly across a chair, winking and making faces at the two middle-aged women as though teasing them. Seeing Li Feng's manner, Little Li dearly wished to rush up and beat him. But Little Li knew perfectly well that he was no match for Li Feng, so he could only tilt his head away and refuse to look in that direction.
Accepting the fragrant tea Old Zhao personally offered, Zhao Xi lightly skimmed away the foam with the teacup lid and spoke without raising his head. "Has business here been good lately? Shopkeeper Su in Suzhou Prefecture had become muddleheaded in his old age, and many matters did not go smoothly under his hand. I have already invited him home to retire. Old Zhao, there is no problem on your side, is there?"
Old Zhao, the plump old man, quickly bent at the waist. "Please rest assured. This old servant heard a little about Old Su's affairs as well. In some matters, he truly was not attentive, but this old servant could not very well remind him... Still, on this side, everything is orderly. Eh..." Old Zhao secretly glanced at Li Feng. Unable to judge the exact relationship between him and Zhao Xi, he could only speak vaguely. "All profits have been considerable. We have especially made contact with many peers for cooperation recently. This old servant will show the young master the account books shortly."
Zhao Xi nodded casually and took a sip of tea. "Fine, let it be so. I cannot be bothered with account books. Send them directly to my father when the time comes. If Old Su's side had not been so outrageous, spending so much silver yet failing to accomplish the task, I would not have sent him home to retire... As for you, Old Zhao, Father has praised you for always being shrewd and capable. Otherwise, he would not have put you in charge of this region. You must perform well."
After a pause, Zhao Xi smiled and raised his head. Setting his teacup casually on the tea table, he said with a grin, "I came down this time purely for amusement. I strolled around Suzhou Prefecture and found no one suitable. Find several famous girls for me in Hangzhou. If there are any good ones, I will take them back north... Also, get me several unusual goods to bring back as gifts. Hmm? I must return to Yanjing for the New Year, so do not make me wait too long. In just two or three days, find me a few red-card girls and let me see whether they will do."
Old Zhao looked at Zhao Xi with difficulty and carefully asked, "You see, if you bring those women of the pleasure quarters back, the old master hates such people most. If word spreads, I fear this old servant will receive a serious reprimand as well."
Zhao Xi's body trembled slightly. He blinked and spoke with a bitter smile. "Fine, I know you fear my father most. It is no great matter. Do not involve yourself. Just provide me some information, and I will take Little Li and Brother Li there ourselves. This is not any major serious affair. If you fear being blamed from above, simply report my whereabouts directly to my father, and there will be no problem. Father knows you cannot control me. Even he has no solution for me, so naturally he will not blame you."
Old Zhao wore a bitter smile. "Young master, you see, this old servant..."
Zhao Xi waved his fan generously and smiled. "Enough, enough. Heh heh, it will be enough if you show me later how much silver you spent this year and what matters you handled. Old Su spent money but failed to do the work, which is why I removed him. As for everything else, I cannot be bothered to manage it. So long as there are no great mistakes. In the end, all matters still depend on you people. If we did not trust you, Old Zhao, would we have sent you to Hangzhou to oversee the southeastern lands?"
After a pause, Zhao Xi shook his head. "But I will say one thing. Old Su was your comrade, so I know you could not bear to report him. But once or twice is enough. If it happens too often, be careful—when Father sends someone down, your backside will blossom."
A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Old Zhao's forehead. He hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes. This old servant was muddleheaded. Please rest assured, young master. It will never happen again."
Li Feng listened in complete confusion. After all, he had too little experience with many affairs of the mortal world. Zhao Xi and Old Zhao had chattered on for so long, yet he still did not understand what they truly meant. From all those words, Li Feng could only conclude that Old Zhao was the head of the silk shops across the southeastern region, while Old Su seemed to have embezzled a considerable amount of silver, and Old Zhao had known but failed to report it. Zhao Xi was now combining favor and authority to win him over.
After considering it for a while, Li Feng began calculating in his heart. Damn it, how many prefectural cities and county towns are there in the entire southeast? How many shops would that make? How much silk can they sell every day? How much silver enters the accounts? Ah, this is far more prosperous than the hard-earned money of the Golden Dragon Gang... Doing business truly is better. Take that legendary Shen Wanshan, for example—his old self even built half of Nanjing City's walls. Ah, how much silver would that take?
Li Feng's eyes rolled about wildly, and both his eyes had already turned golden.
Hearing Old Zhao say, "As for the rare treasures the young master wants, this old servant will find a way to see whether we can obtain a few. We have not usually concerned ourselves with news in this area, so we truly do not know much about such rare treasures."
The moment Li Feng heard the words "rare treasures," he immediately snapped back to attention. He shouted carelessly, "Are they not just jewels? What is so difficult about obtaining them? If you want to get them politely, use silver to trade with those Persian foreigners. But if they open their mouths like lions, you will likely need to pay fifty or sixty percent more. If you want to get them by force, then simply..." Li Feng viciously made a throat-slitting gesture and said in a ferocious voice, "They are not our own people anyway, so no need to feel sorry if they die. Cut their throats, strip them of their jewels, and sink them in West Lake. Who would ever know?"
Old Zhao rolled his eyes, unable to utter a word. Little Li swallowed hard, smacked his lips, and seemed to want to say something, but ultimately kept quiet. Only Zhao Xi sharply struck his thigh with his fan and laughed. "Excellent! Do exactly as Brother Li says. Those Persian foreigners have made enough money already. Where would I find so much silver to buy their jewels? And making you, Old Zhao, advance money from the shops would not be appropriate either... There should still be several experts here, yes? Old Zhao, send people to investigate, then take care of the largest several foreign jewel merchants."
A vicious flash of Killing Intent crossed Zhao Xi's face. "They are not subjects of our Central Plains anyway. If they die, they die." This fierce aura seemed to have existed in his bones from birth, wholly innate and unrelated to any later circumstances. When speaking of murder and robbery, he was as relaxed and at ease as if discussing food and drink.
Li Feng secretly praised him. Excellent. A master like this is rather interesting. If I encountered some soft, overly good-natured man, would I not be constantly framed by others? Where would this young master find the energy to keep helping you avert disasters? I would rather frame others than be harmed by them.
Since Zhao Xi had said so, Old Zhao could say nothing more and could only agree submissively.
With a soft sound, several clerks hurried in carrying huge food boxes. They set up a table in the hall and laid out dish after dish of delicacies. It was clear that the clerks had put in considerable effort outside. In such a short time, they had arranged more than twenty grand dishes, along with ten varieties of fine wine.
Zhao Xi smiled. "Good, good, good. I truly am somewhat hungry. After we eat, Old Zhao, casually tell me about the situation on your side so I will have something to report when I return. As for the detailed matters, send someone to take them to Yanjing yourself. Come, come, let us eat, eat."
Though he spoke politely, the only person seated at the dining table who dared sit there was Li Feng. Little Li endured his hunger while standing behind Zhao Xi, constantly pouring wine and serving food for him. Old Zhao and the two middle-aged maidservants stood respectfully at the side with their hands lowered, not daring even to glance at the table. Only Li Feng swept through the food like a whirlwind scattering clouds. With his sleeves rolled up, he squatted in the Grand Tutor's Chair and rapidly cleared every plate of dishes that suited his taste.
Zhao Xi found it amusing and could not help clapping and laughing. "Marvelous! Seeing Brother Li eat with such appetite, I should have two more bowls of rice myself. Hmm, Little Li, sit down as well. Do not be so constrained. This is not the residence; there is no need to stand on so many formalities."
Little Li was starving too, so after offering an apology, he barely perched half his backside on the chair. Turned diagonally toward Zhao Xi, he devoured three large bowls of rice with the squirrel fish before him. Naturally, Old Zhao personally took over the task of pouring wine for Zhao Xi. Li Feng's thieving eyes studied Little Li and Old Zhao for a long while, and he sighed inwardly. Damn it, could Zhao Xi truly be a prince? He does not look like one... Yet his Household rules are so strict?
Li Feng suddenly cried out in his heart, Ah! If Zhao Xi is related to some prince, then Little Li must truly be a eunuch! No wonder he speaks so strangely. Hmm, so that is it. Tsk tsk, it seems this young master really has latched onto a good master. Rising like a dragon and soaring like a phoenix is just around the corner... I just wonder whether those rumors that the imperial palace holds Daoist scripture collections are true... Sigh, and A Zhu must be cursing me to death by now, right? Heh heh, since I knew Gu Cangyue would read that note with you, what good would it do you if I did not drag him into it?
There was little else to say. Li Feng stayed in this mysterious silk shop for three days. During the day, he ate and drank to restore his spirits; at night, he followed Zhao Xi and Little Li through the flower streets and willow lanes. Over three nights, Zhao Xi offended more than a dozen local men of influence while competing for famous courtesans. But Li Feng was a powerful dragon crossing the river. With every gesture, he tossed those influential men into West Lake, much to Zhao Xi's delighted excitement.
For those three days, bloody cases erupted one after another throughout Hangzhou City. Every local power who had clashed with Zhao Xi returned home only to die with every bone in their bodies shattered. Without exception, each bore a deep black claw mark upon the chest. Li Feng thought of the old men playing chess in the second courtyard and immediately understood.
On the night of the fourth day, Zhao Xi, with dark circles around his eyes and a slightly unsteady gait, was swaying toward the door when Old Zhao entered with several clerks, wearing a broad smile. "Young master, I have brought what you wanted... Heh heh, sorry for the wait. But this old servant did not dare make too much trouble in Hangzhou, so I sent several capable subordinates to Yangzhou. The journey there and back took three days and three nights. Fortunately, they did not disgrace their mission and brought back quite a few fine treasures."
With that, Old Zhao waved his hand. The clerks behind him stepped forward and placed the small boxes in their arms upon the table. They carefully opened them, and the radiance of jewels and treasures immediately dimmed even the candlelight.
Zhao Xi walked over with a touch of greed and stared fixedly at the rare treasures in the boxes, laughing and praising them. "Wonderful, treasures of the highest grade... Brother Li, look at this fire-diamond lion. Its whole body is carved from the finest emerald, while its eyes are two fire diamonds. Those two diamonds, red as blood, are worth over a million on their own. Truly rare treasures... Ah, look at this mutton-fat jade ruyi. Goodness, it must be about one chi and two cun long, yes? The one in Father's study is about its size, but the jade quality is far inferior."
Zhao Xi carefully lifted out a necklace, gazing at it in a daze as he murmured, "Excellent. A strand of exactly forty-nine thumb-sized luminous pearls. Little Li, how much would one pearl like this cost in Nanjing City?"
Little Li examined it and hurriedly smiled humbly. "Ah, Master, this treasure is extraordinary. The last time this servant went to Nanjing City to purchase jewels for Mother... ah, for Master's mother, even a single such luminous pearl cost this servant eighty thousand taels of silver. It is now set in Master's mother's jade belt."
Zhao Xi smiled. "Mother loves pearls. If I give this strand to her, I will surely earn praise. Little Li, put this necklace away carefully. Keep it close on your person..."
Finding it interesting, Li Feng walked up to inspect them too. After looking through the lot, he found that many of the jewels were merely decent high-grade goods. The gemstones were far inferior in quality to those he had dug out of that stalactite cave, so he quickly lost interest. But as his gaze shifted, it was caught by a thumb-sized black bead sitting alone to one side. Li Feng picked up the black bead, swallowed, and called out softly, "Ah, a Five Aggregates Pearl? That cannot be, can it? Can this pearl appear in the mortal world?"
Zhao Xi froze, staring fixedly at the black bead as he asked, "Brother Li, what did you say this is?"
Li Feng carefully handed the bead to Zhao Xi and shook his head. "Shopkeeper, keep this pearl safe... Shopkeeper Zhao, this time you should send more people to escort us back. If word of this gets out, I guarantee we will not even make it across the Yangtze before we are torn to pieces."
Old Zhao's expression changed. "According to the men below, this pearl was hidden by a large Persian man who cut open his own calf and concealed it in the flesh. It must be extremely precious, but as for it being some Five Aggregates Pearl, we are not jewel experts and cannot identify it."
Li Feng gave a light laugh and began showing off. "As for this Five Aggregates Pearl, I only saw an introduction to it while reading. Worn on the body, it makes one invulnerable to water and fire, keeps snakes and insects from approaching, and causes all poisons to vanish at its sight. Even if one drinks too much wine, simply hold it in the mouth, and in an instant the wine fumes will turn to sweat and leave the body. You will become sober at once. This is a fine treasure, worthy of being called priceless."
Zhao Xi stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. His hawk-like eyes brimmed with admiration. "Marvelous! I saw a brief mention of the Five Aggregates Pearl in the 'Record of Ancient Rare Treasures.' I never expected Brother Li's knowledge to be so vast. This time, I have truly found a wonderful person... Old Zhao, bring a bucket of water."
Zhao Xi's order was faithfully carried out. A large bucket of well water was brought in. The clerks were eager to see the spectacle and moved even faster. Zhao Xi smiled as though showing off, flicked his finger, and sent the Five Aggregates Pearl into the bucket. With a great splash, the water in the bucket suddenly burst open. An invisible force drove the well water outward, sending it more than a foot into the air before it fell to the ground. The water that landed on the floor then flowed swiftly in all directions, leaving a patch of ground over a zhang wide in the center entirely dry.
Zhao Xi laughed wildly. He picked up the Five Aggregates Pearl again and praised it repeatedly. "A fine treasure, a fine treasure indeed... Old Zhao, you have rendered great service this time. I will take good care of you in the future."
Old Zhao's face filled with joy. He quickly bowed and thanked him again and again.
Zhao Xi no longer had any interest in admiring the other jewels. He smiled. "Give the brothers you sent out generous rewards. As for the remaining jewels, prepare a fine carriage for me and hide them in secret compartments. I will return tomorrow... Hmm, do as Brother Li said and send more people to escort us back. Heh, a single Five Aggregates Pearl could stir countless bandits to robbery, could it not? This is no trifling matter."
After a pause, Zhao Xi grinned lewdly. "We leave tomorrow. Tonight, we shall go to West Lake and not return until drunk. Brother Li, cultivating that Pure Boy Technique is no good. You lose one of a man's greatest pleasures."
Li Feng gave a strange laugh. "This young master knows many martial arts. When I cannot hold it in any longer, I can abandon the Pure Boy Technique."
The two looked at each other and laughed loudly, then leisurely walked shoulder to shoulder out of the silk shop with their attendants. Little Li followed five chi behind, continuously shaking his head. "What a fellow who knows no manners. He actually dares walk shoulder to shoulder with Master. He truly knows nothing of propriety... Sigh, when we return, I must have Supervisor Xia properly train you. Otherwise, people will laugh that even the rules in our residence are in chaos."
The sky was filled with clouds. There were no stars and no moon. Flakes of snow drifted down, drawing countless cheers. By West Lake, the lights shone brightly and music and songs filled the air.
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