Cloud Sun Manor (Part 2)

Yan Chihuo said, "Second Manor Lord, you're too modest. From now on, any project you handle follows this pattern—the good ones indeed save thirty percent compared to others, and the average ones save fifty percent. But after you gained Second Master Ping's full trust, your project expenses inevitably crept up. So ten years ago, when you built Plum Blossom Hall, you skimmed an extra ten percent. Once construction was fully entrusted to you, you still didn't dare increase it much at first, but as time passed, your courage grew, and in the end, you became no different from anyone else. Am I right?"

Yan Chihuo pulled another ledger from his bosom and said, "This is the result of my cross-referencing the past fifty years of Tiger Roar Manor's account books. Would Second Manor Lord like to take a look?"

Tong Huaibing's face turned deathly pale. He wiped his sweat again, but then heard Yan Chihuo add, "As far as I know, the Hundred Flower Garden should have cost a little over one hundred twenty thousand taels, no more than one hundred twenty-five thousand. The Justice Gathering Hall should have cost just over twenty-four thousand taels. May I ask where the remaining silver went?"

With a thud, Tong Huaibing fell to his knees. In a wretched voice, he said, "Young Master Yan, I know I was wrong. I beg you to show mercy." Then he kowtowed, the thumping sounds ringing out. In moments, his forehead was streaked with blood.

Yan Chihuo's brow furrowed slightly. Qu Wuxing understood his intent, stepped forward, and with hands swift as the wind, instantly sealed six of Tong Huaibing's acupoints. Though Tong Huaibing's martial arts were inferior to Qu Wuxing's, the gap wasn't that vast. But after witnessing Yan Chihuo's ruthless methods over the past two days, his courage had long since shattered, which was why Qu Wuxing subdued him in one move.

Yan Chihuo said, "Second Manor Lord, you're an old hand of the manor. When Second Master Ping left, he instructed that if any of his old followers made mistakes, he would personally handle the trial."

Yun Zaitian let out a long breath and said, "Nephew Chihuo, I'm truly ashamed. I never imagined even Old Tong would do such a thing. It seems Cloud Sun Manor needs a new manor lord. I might as well return to Tiger Roar Manor and serve as a common soldier under Second Brother."

Yan Chihuo said, "Manor Lord Yun, you're too modest. I just glanced at the ledgers. Last year, Cloud Sun Manor's revenue in the Southern Three Provinces reached seven hundred forty-three thousand taels, reversing the three-year decline. That's no small feat. When Master learns of this, he'll be very pleased. You know, in recent years, our expenses for currying favor with officials have been quite heavy."

Yun Zaitian said, "That's only ten thousand taels more than the year before."

Yan Chihuo said, "Then I must seek your guidance, Manor Lord Yun. Last year, the Southern Three Provinces suffered a once-in-fifty-years drought. Many places had no harvest at all. How did your revenue still increase?"

A smug look appeared on Yun Zaitian's face. He said, "In previous years, the Southern Three Provinces had excellent harvests. I had long stockpiled a large amount of grain, so naturally I made a tidy profit."

Yan Chihuo said, "Manor Lord Yun, you're far-sighted and deep-thinking. Chihuo admires you greatly. But I still don't understand one thing. With such a drought, grain prices soared more than tenfold. We hoarded so much less grain, so how did revenue only increase by ten thousand taels?"

Yun Zaitian said, "Nephew Chihuo, you may not know this. In the early stages of the drought, we did make a huge profit. But then the government imposed controls, and Second Brother has always insisted on maintaining a good reputation among the poor. So I sold at half price, half-giveaway, and even provided disaster relief. Naturally, the revenue wouldn't be that high."

Yan Chihuo said, "What Manor Lord Yun says is reasonable. But as far as I know, when the drought struck, local officials reported it, and by the time they received approval from above, at least four months had passed. The profit should have been more than that, shouldn't it?"

Yun Zaitian's expression finally changed. He said, "It seems my nephew believes I've been embezzling in secret too? The local officials go back and forth—reporting takes time, but the government isn't stupid. They would have ordered disaster relief long ago. If we waited four months, the locals would have been trading their children for food."

Yan Chihuo remained impassive. He said, "As far as I know, that situation did indeed occur—people trading children for food. Moreover, the prefect of the Southern Three Provinces has a very close relationship with Manor Lord Yun. He's always turned a blind eye to Cloud Sun Manor's dealings. Although the higher-ups ordered disaster relief and price stabilization, they made an exception for Cloud Sun Manor. It took nearly seven months before you opened the granaries for relief. And as for selling grain at so-called fair prices, you sold grain that had been moldy for years, mixed with plenty of sand. Though the subsequent revenue was lower, it wasn't that much less."

Yun Zaitian gave a heavy snort but said nothing.

Yan Chihuo continued, "Second Master Ping always warns everyone that when you make this kind of silver, you need to know when to stop. Otherwise, it stirs up hatred among the poor and ruins your reputation. Manor Lord Yun, not only have you made less money, but you've also thrown away your good name. And then there's the gambling business—revenue was six hundred twenty thousand taels the year before last, five hundred seventy thousand last year, and only four hundred ten thousand this year. How is it getting worse every year? If not for the grain revenue making up the difference, who knows how much less we'd have earned this year?"

Yun Zaitian roared, "Enough! Yan Chihuo, back in the day, when I was risking life and limb following Second Brother Ping, you weren't even a glint in your father's eye! When did you get the right to lecture me?"

With that, he stood up, tore off his shirt, and bared his torso, which was covered in scars. He shouted, "These are the wounds I shed blood for back then! What, for a few taels of silver, you want to take me down? Let me tell you, Second Brother Ping has known about all this for years. He just didn't want to bother with it. You keep saying it's for the sake of Tiger Roar Manor, but isn't it really just to make room for you young upstarts?"

Qu Wuxing and Zhou Fang's expressions shifted. Without a word, they both stepped forward. Yan Chihuo raised a hand and said, "Hold. Manor Lord Yun is Master's trusted man. We mustn't be too discourteous." Then he said to Yun Zaitian, "Manor Lord Yun, I'll trouble you to return with me to Tiger Roar Manor. This matter will be decided by Master. Chihuo dares not overstep his authority."

He raised the Black Tiger Order and said, "Manor Lord Yun wouldn't defy the Black Tiger Order itself, would he?"

Yun Zaitian glanced at the Black Tiger Order, then slumped back into his seat without a word.

At that moment, Yan Chihuo suddenly looked outside. Qu Wuxing and Zhou Fang noticed and asked, "Boss, what's wrong?"

Yan Chihuo said nothing. Moments later, several screams rang out from outside. Zhou Fang shot a look at Yun Zaitian. Yun Zaitian immediately understood and opened his mouth to speak, but two large men ran in and reported, "Reporting to the Manor Lord, someone has broken into the manor."

Yan Chihuo said, "Who dares be so bold?" Yun Zaitian was also puzzled. He had set up thirteen checkpoints around Cloud Sun Manor, making it as solid as iron. Even the top martial artists of the age couldn't break in so easily.

With a crash, the doors of the Justice Gathering Hall were smashed open. A large man flew in, blood gushing from his throat—clearly beyond saving. Yan Chihuo and the others looked up to see a young man of about twenty-one or twenty-two, holding a longsword, standing outside. Seven or eight large men surrounded him.