The Peddler's Path

"Seventh Son, high-level cultivators can change their appearance. The woman you captured last time had that kind of cultivation."

It's a pity she died, not giving her a chance to use her skills. Next time, catch one alive and let me discuss it properly with her. I will certainly not disappoint you.

"Seventh Son, Seventh Son, what are you doing?"

Li Banfeng is reading a newspaper.

He spread newspapers all over the floor again, searching for news about Tu Shumei.

Ten years ago, Tu Shumei was indeed quite famous. Her story was featured in the Green Water City newspapers, and she even acquired two paper mills from the Ma family.

Three years ago, Tu Shumei's fortunes suddenly declined. She sold off her factories one after another, but the newspapers did not record in detail who she sold them to or at what price.

After all, this was a newspaper from Green Water City, and Tu Shumei was a wealthy merchant from Black Stone Slope.

Let's turn our attention to Tu Yinghong's news.

A year ago, Tu Yinghong made her mark at Ling Family Film Industry, and after starring in several films, she quickly became a popular movie star.

In the fourth installment of "Blood Blade Detective", Tu Yinghong replaced Xiao Xiufēi as the female lead and became the Best Actress in Pro State.

Because "Blood Blade Detective" didn't surpass "Blood Spear Detective" in terms of audience attendance, Tu Yinghong's path to winning Best Actress wasn't particularly remarkable.

The whole story has been pieced together: Tu Shumei's business failed in Black Stone Slope, she sold her assets, and went to Green Water City to become a movie star.

But why did she want to become a film queen?

According to normal thinking, as a senior engineer, even if she left Black Stone Slope, she should have found another place to continue opening a factory.

Is it because she has a talent for making movies?

Age aside, Tu Yinghong is a beauty, but Ling Miaoying is not short of beauties around her.

According to Ma Wu, Tu Yinghong is not a very good actress, and is even inferior to Xiao Xiufēi, who came from a singing background.

How did she become a film queen?

From her business decline to her rise to prominence in Green Water City, what exactly did she experience during this period?

Li Banfeng asked Bai Qiusheng to investigate the matter, but Bai Qiusheng didn't quite understand.

In Black Stone Slope, there are countless businessmen who run factories. Success and failure are commonplace in their businesses, so why bother about this?

But since it was Seventh Master's order, Bai Qiusheng naturally dared not neglect it and actually found out the result.

"Seventh Master, Tu Shumei has an accountant named Lü Yuesan, who has been with Tu Shumei for many years and should know some inside information."

After Tu Shumei sold her family property, she fired him. Lü Yuesan had worked in many different places over the years, but because of his dishonest practices, he never stayed in any job for long.

He was fired by his employer again a couple of days ago and came to us to make a living. I gave him a few perfunctory words and told him to go home and wait for news.

"Is your hand or foot not clean?"

"He took advantage of his employer by using accounting tricks."

Li Banfeng said, "He's been an accountant for so many years, and he doesn't even have any savings?"

Bai Qiusheng shook his head and said, "This kid is a gambler. He makes some money at the beginning of the month, but he'll gamble it all away in less than half a month."

He had no food left for half a month, so he stole from his employer. Once he got used to stealing, he went out to gamble. Who would dare to hire someone like that?

Ordinary accountants wouldn't dare talk about their former employer, but this kid doesn't have that kind of integrity. I'll give him a few silver dollars in a bit, and I guarantee he'll tell you whatever you ask him.

Li Banfeng nodded, and Bai Qiusheng had someone call Lü Yuesan over.

Lü Yuesan thought that Yelaixiang was willing to hire him, and happily went to the newspaper office.

According to the newspaper workers, Night Boss has arrived. Lü Yuesan is quite adept at handling things. When he saw Li Banfeng, he addressed him as "boss" repeatedly, as if Li Banfeng had already hired him.

Li Banfeng didn't beat around the bush and asked him directly about Tu Shumei. Upon hearing this, Lü Yuesan realized that this wasn't an offer to hire him, but rather a request to ask him about something. He gave a dry laugh and said, "You shouldn't ask about this; it's against the rules."

Bai Qiusheng stuffed five silver dollars into his hand and said with a smile, "Brother Lü, I know nothing about what you and Night Boss talked about, and no one else will know either. So please feel free to speak freely."

After saying that, Bai Qiusheng left the house.

Lü Yuesan immediately explained the whole story.

"At the height of her business, Tu Shumei owned two paper mills, five printing plants, and was also involved in porcelain, iron smelting, coal and ore business. In Black Stone Slope, apart from the Four Great Families, the biggest business owner was Boss Tu."

"How did she fall on hard times?"

"She didn't fall on hard times; her business continued to thrive. But then she bought something that cost her a lot of money, and she squandered all her family's wealth."

"What did you buy that could have squandered such a large fortune?"

Lü Yuesan looked at Li Banfeng and smiled without saying a word.

This means they want money again.

Li Banfeng gave Lü Yuesan silver dollars.

Lü Yuesan took the money and lowered his voice, saying, "Tu Shumei bought a weapon, but I don't know what kind of weapon it is."

Tu Shumei is a craftswoman. What kind of weapon can't she make? What kind of weapon is worth her going bankrupt to buy?

No doubt about it, it's those Iron Ruler!

"Where did she buy the weapons?"

"Feng Chongli, a merchant who uses clandestine routes, is not a familiar face to ordinary people, but I've met him once!"

Do you know how to contact him?

"That won't be easy to find; he doesn't have a fixed address."

"Such a big businessman, doesn't he have a fixed place to live?"

Lü Yuesan shrugged and remained silent.

Li Banfeng gave him twenty silver dollars.

Lü Yuesan still raised his eyebrows, indicating that it wasn't enough.

Li Banfeng emptied all the silver dollars from his pocket and, along with the Huan Country Notes, stuffed them into Lü Yuesan's hands.

Lü Yuesan thanked him repeatedly, and then said, "He is a merchant from a Daoist sect, and like Peddler, he likes to travel around."

"Like Peddler? What kind of sect is that?"

"I heard Tu Shumei mention that it should be called 'business cultivation.' This Daoist sect cultivates by doing business; the more business one does, the higher one's cultivation level."

Commercial repair?

Is this the Peddler's way of doing things?

Li Banfeng looked at Lü Yuesan and said, "What else do you know? Name your price, and then tell me everything."

Lü Yuesan asked Li Banfeng for another fifty silver dollars.

Li Banfeng nodded in agreement. "I'll withdraw the money from the account later."

"Boss Ye, I really don't know where Feng Chongli is, but Feng Chongli has a younger brother named Feng Xincheng, who runs a general store in Yaowanggou."

Li Banfeng asked, "Are you talking about Feng's General Store?"

"Night Boss, do you know this place?"

Li Banfeng nodded.

"Then I have nothing more to say."

Li Banfeng asked, "How did you know about these things?"

"There's a reason for this," Lü Yuesan, clearly wanting more money.

"It's alright, just name your price."

Lü Yuesan asked for another fifty silver dollars and said to Li Banfeng, "When Tu Shumei first met Feng Chongli, she took a liking to that weapon and paid the deposit directly. I'm the accountant, so I naturally know about the payments."

Later, Tu Shumei tried to sell her factory everywhere, but couldn't find one. Feng Chongli had other business opportunities, so the deposit was returned, and she left Black Stone Slope.

Tu Shumei grew anxious and inquired everywhere about Feng Chongli's whereabouts. Having been in the underworld for many years, Boss Tu's information network was indeed impressive; he actually managed to find out about Feng Xincheng's affairs.

"At that time, I went to Medicine King Gully with Tu Shumei. Through Feng Xincheng, we found Feng Chongli. During that time, I helped Boss Tu transfer money from various banks. After the matter was completed, Boss Tu disappeared without a trace, and I lost my livelihood."

Tu Shumei spent all her savings to buy the Iron Ruler from Feng Chongli, then changed her appearance and became a movie queen, transforming into Tu Yinghong.

The process has been explained clearly, but there's a problem with the matter.

This was Tu Shumei's biggest secret. Now that the accountant knew about it, why didn't Tu Shumei kill him to cover it up?

Is what the accountant is saying true or false?

Li Banfeng smiled and said, "Alright, is there anything else you want to say?"

Lü Yuesan shook his head and said, "That's all, Night Boss. I've told you everything I know about what you asked!"

Li Banfeng stood up and said, "Don't tell anyone what you told me today, including the fact that you met me."

"Don't worry, I will absolutely keep my mouth shut!"

"I believe you," Li Banfeng smiled, took out a Contract Paper and said, "But you have to sign a contract."

Lü Yuesan was a White Lamb; he didn't know Contract Paper. He'd made so many contracts that he didn't take them seriously. He picked up a pen, wrote his name, and even pressed his fingerprint on it.

Li Banfeng told him to go to the account to withdraw money, but Bai Qiusheng reminded him, "Seventh Master, should we kill this man?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "I paid him for information. As long as the information he provides is true, there is no reason to kill him. Besides, there are many things I will need to verify with him in the future."

"I'm afraid he'll go around saying things that aren't true afterward."

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "He can't say it. If he really dared to say it, he could do me another favor."

Lü Yuesan returned to his residence, took more than two hundred silver dollars from Ye Lai Xiang, counted them carefully twice, and pondered how to live from now on.

This is a considerable sum of money; enough for him to open a business in Black Stone Slope.

But Lü Yuesan knew that doing business was not easy, and he didn't want to put in the effort.

I'll buy food first, then clothes. I pawned all my old clothes, and the ones I'm wearing are infested with lice; it's time for a change.

Keep the rest of the money for now. When we find a suitable agency later, we can get back all the money we lost and live a worry-free life.

He was preoccupied with the police station's affairs when he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

Upon opening the door, one sees Ai Chixiang from the Qingshou Association.

Ai Chixiang is a disciple of Elder Tang Peigong of the Qingshou Association and is a very important person in Black Stone Slope. However, he was hit on the head with a golden dung by Little Genzi last time and then beaten up on the stage, so his status has obviously dropped a lot.

Even after so much time has passed, Ai Chixiang's smell hasn't completely dissipated. Lü Yuesan wanted to cover his nose, but he didn't dare.

"Master Ai, you wanted to see me..." Lü Yuesan held his breath and greeted him with difficulty.

Ai Chixiang said, "I heard you just went to the Ye Lai Xiang newspaper office?"

Lü Yuesan his spine.

How did he know about this?

Given Ai Chixiang's status, it's impossible for him to be targeting a nobody like Lü Yuesan.

It seems he had his eye on that Night Boss for a long time.

Without hesitation, Lü Yuesan replied:

"I'm out of work now, so I tried to find a job at a newspaper, but they told me they don't need any accountants, so I couldn't find one."

Ai Chixiang nodded. "Who did you meet on 'Night Fragrance'?"

"When you meet their manager, his name is Bai Qiusheng. You recognize him too; he's from Black Stone Slope."

"You only saw him?"

"There were a few other workers below, but I didn't remember them."

Ai Chixiang frowned and said, "Tell the truth!"

"I'm telling the truth, how could I dare lie to you!"

Ai Chixiang took out twenty silver dollars and stuffed them into Lü Yuesan's hand. "Do you think I don't know you? Who else did you meet? Did you also meet their boss?"

Lü Yuesan accepted the silver dollars, chuckled dryly, and said, "Nothing can be hidden from Master Ai. I actually did meet their boss once."

"That guy surnamed Ye?"

"Yes, everyone calls him Night Boss Ye."

"What do you want?"

Lü Yuesan and said, "Well, that's not possible..."

Ai Chixiang received another twenty silver dollars.

Lü Yuesan felt it wasn't enough. "Master Ai, this number is... is... is..."

As he spoke, Lü Yuesan coughed.

Ai Chixiang was startled and took two steps back.

Lü Yuesan coughed for a long time, and then a rattling sound came from his throat, as if he had coughed up a mouthful of phlegm.

When he spat it out, it turned out to be a mouthful of rusty water.

Ai Chixiang was terrified and turned to leave.

Lü Yuesan clutched his chest, coughing and wheezing incessantly.

He was in so much pain that he couldn't help but pound his chest with his hand.

Bang!

A muffled thud.

His hands were broken, and his chest was broken too.

Lü Yuesan was stunned for a moment, then collapsed to the ground, scattering into a pile of rusty debris.

Ai Chixiang jogged all the way to Tang Peigong's residence.

"Master, the matter has been investigated and confirmed. The information sent by the spy was correct. That person surnamed Ye did indeed come to Black Stone Slope. Lü Yuesan saw him at the newspaper office."

Worried that the information might be incorrect, Tang Peigong asked again, "Did Lü Yuesan bring it?"

"I want to bring him here. The kid seems to be poisoned; he's vomiting yellow liquid."

Tang Peigong nodded and said, "This man surnamed Ye is Li Qi. He's killing him to silence him."

"Retrieve the magic weapon. I'll send a message to Elder Lu. Are all the necessary personnel ready?"

"It's been prepared for a long time."

Tang Peigong, "Remember Elder Lu's instructions. Follow our plan and have your men hold Li Qi back. We absolutely cannot let him leave Black Stone Slope!"

P. S.: Has Tang Peigong gone mad? What is he trying to do?