Plum Blossom Monster!

"What? Six hundred taels?!"

In the inner courtyard of Li Manor, Li Ru flew into a rage when he heard his son's words. He slammed his palm onto the table, jolting a blue-and-white porcelain teacup onto the floor, where it shattered into pieces.

The Li family had been merchants for two generations. They had no particularly large expenses and could be considered quite wealthy. But ever since Li Shaoyun had begun practicing martial arts, he had spent lavishly on all kinds of resources and favors.

Madam Li came over to comfort Li Ru. "What's done is done. Once you've vented your anger, let it go. We still need to think of a solution."

Unlike Li Ru, the shrewd merchant, Madam Li had originally been a maid in a prominent county family. She had learned to read and write alongside her masters and could be considered well-educated and sensible. After marrying into Li Manor, she had managed the entire household in perfect order. She was a renowned virtuous wife in Wuqiao Town and highly praised by the local old gentry.

Perhaps for that reason, whenever money was not involved, Li Ru usually listened to Madam Li's advice.

After consoling Li Ru, Madam Li asked Li Shaoyun, "Did you offend this new steward?"

Li Shaoyun carefully went over everything that had happened, then shook his head. "I spent four months at the Blood Ridge Black Market, and today was the first time I met the new steward. I've always worked diligently and never offended him. Perhaps... this new steward has some bad blood with Zhang Biao. He saw that I had bribed Zhang Biao but not him, so he deliberately snubbed me."

Madam Li and Li Ru exchanged glances, acknowledging that this speculation made sense.

Though a steward was the lowest-ranking administrator in Tiger Wolf Gate, he held real power. To the Li family... he was an existence they absolutely could not afford to offend.

Li Ru grumbled and fidgeted for a while before finally making up his mind to go all out. "I'll have Chen Yuan take some antiques to the county town and sell them. I'll raise those six hundred taels for you."

As for Xie An, his days continued to grow more peaceful.

As Zhang Lin continued vigorously purging the bandits in the area around the Blood Ridge Black Market, the market's security steadily improved. Naturally, business grew better and better as well.

Xie An's relationship with his subordinates also became increasingly harmonious. There were a few troublemakers whom repeated reprimands failed to reform, so Xie An had Liang Zhi break their legs.

From then on, no one dared offend Xie An, the new steward.

He practiced his martial arts, drank tea, chatted with his colleagues, and occasionally went out on patrol to demonstrate his might. The rest of the time, Xie An devoted himself to martial arts training.

For the aged Xie An, he greatly enjoyed this peaceful, steady life.

One morning, three days later.

Xie An was practicing the Fuyang Saber Technique in the courtyard.

Suddenly, a knock came from outside the gate. Xie An covered his face and said, "Come in."

As the gate was pushed open, Liang Zhi walked in carrying a cloth bag.

Xie An took the cloth bag and opened it.

Inside was silver that gleamed with a silvery light.

A full six hundred taels.

Liang Zhi said, "Young Master Li handled things quite efficiently."

After saying that, Liang Zhi took a ten-tael silver ingot from inside his clothes and held it out to Xie An. "Young Master Li also gave me ten taels of silver, but I feel ashamed to accept it. I shouldn't take it."

Xie An glanced at Liang Zhi, feeling somewhat more approving of him. "Take it."

Liang Zhi very much wanted to accept it, but afraid that Xie An was testing him, he began making excuses. "I follow the steward for my livelihood. Naturally, I understand that favors must be repaid. I wouldn't dare take it for myself."

Xie An smiled, then suddenly changed his tone. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "I said you can take it, so you can take it."

Sensing the certainty in Xie An's gaze, Liang Zhi finally accepted the silver and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Steward."

Xie An waved his hand, signaling for Liang Zhi to leave.

Over the past few months, Liang Zhi had performed his duties conscientiously under Xie An without a trace of disloyalty. He was capable and understood the ways of the world, making him very easy to employ and saving Xie An a great deal of effort.

Xie An had taken six hundred taels, so Liang Zhi's ten taels were only right and proper.

In fact, Xie An felt that, given Liang Zhi's performance, giving him a little more would have been perfectly reasonable. But Xie An did not open that floodgate.

For one thing, opening it too easily would encourage corruption among his subordinates.

For another, if he truly wanted to win Liang Zhi's loyalty, this was not the right time. He should bring some gifts and silver later to visit Liang Zhi's gravely ill mother. Only then would Liang Zhi truly be grateful to him.

Xie An contentedly put away the silver. "Now I have the money to commission a heavy saber. Only by wielding a heavy saber can I unleash the true power of the Fuyang Saber Technique."

The Blood Ridge Black Market had a blacksmith's shop that had been established there year-round, and it was open during the day as well.

That made things much more convenient.

After a simple breakfast, Xie An had just stepped outside when he ran into Zhang Lin returning from patrol.

Seeing the sorrow on Zhang Lin's face, Xie An could not help asking, "Brother Zhang, what has you looking so troubled?"

Zhang Lin leaned his bloodstained saber against the doorframe and sighed. "Isn't it because of the Plum Blossom Monster? Yesterday, the Plum Blossom Monster reached its hands into our Blood Ridge Black Market..."

From Zhang Lin's account, Xie An finally learned what had happened: A stallholder carrying eight hundred taels from his sales had been ambushed and killed on his way home after closing his stall early that morning. A red wooden plum blossom had been left at the scene.

At last, Zhang Lin let out a despondent sigh. "I've strengthened the patrols nearby day and night and finally purged the bandits in the area, allowing the black market's business to recover. Now, because of one Plum Blossom Monster, everyone is panicking, and all my efforts have gone to waste. That Plum Blossom Monster deserves to die."

Even Incense Master Wei had been wounded by the Plum Blossom Monster. Zhang Lin knew he was no match for it, so he could only vent his frustration here.

Xie An's heart tightened when he heard that. "Brother Zhang, could you let me take a look at that plum blossom?"

Zhang Lin took a wooden plum blossom coated in red paint from his pocket and handed it to Xie An. "This is the thing. Everyone is terrified whenever they see it now. I'm afraid the black market's business will decline again from here on."

Xie An examined the plum blossom for a while but found nothing unusual. He slipped it into his pocket and consoled Zhang Lin while he was at it. "Brother Zhang, you've worked hard patrolling all night. Go get some rest. I'll think of a way to deal with this Plum Blossom Monster."

After spending several months together, Xie An had essentially established himself as the black market's leader, with Zhang Lin as its second-in-command. Now that trouble had arisen in the black market, Xie An naturally had to take the lead in dealing with it.

After bidding farewell to Zhang Lin, Xie An headed straight for the blacksmith's shop in the black market, feeling an intangible sense of urgency.

Forging a heavy saber was already an urgent matter.