The Boss

Just as Chen Wu hesitated, Qiao Weisheng's servants had already hauled the assassin back to the carriage.

Qiao Weisheng barely spared the assassin a glance. He gave a slight wave, and his servants dragged the man away. Then he took the sword sheath they had retrieved from one of the servants, gripped it in both hands, and handed it to the middle-aged man beside him, who wore a tattered robe.

Seeing the fresh damage on the Seven Treasure Sword Sheath, the middle-aged man's pained expression grew even more pronounced. He wiped the sheath with his sleeve before finally sliding the sword back into it.

Qiao Weisheng smiled. "I'll cover the damage to the Seven Treasure Sword Sheath."

"Even if you hadn't said so, you'd still have to pay. Your bank's got mountains of gold and seas of silver. This amount is just a drop in the bucket for you, Boss Qiao."

The middle-aged man spoke casually, but there wasn't the slightest ease in his tone. Then he changed tack. "Master Qiao Weisheng, this matter isn't over yet. Don't celebrate too soon."

Qiao Weisheng's pupils contracted. "There are more assassins?"

"Wrong. There's another expert!" With that, the middle-aged man lifted his eyes toward Chen Wu.

Chen Wu had been watching the situation from the bank's entrance. Now, when the middle-aged man looked his way, their gazes met, and Chen Wu knew something was wrong.

A sudden glint flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes as he locked onto Chen Wu's gaze. The jolt set Chen Wu's dantian roiling once more.

He's found me!

Chen Wu had no idea how the other man had spotted him, but the thought of fleeing was snuffed out as soon as it arose. The assassin had just demonstrated what happened when you tried to run from an expert like this.

Wait, that doesn't make sense. I haven't even tried to assassinate anyone, and I'm not an accomplice of that unlucky bastard from earlier. I'm just a random passerby. What have I got to be scared of? Even if I'm arrested, at most I'll be charged with carrying an unlicensed firearm—assuming the Great Shun Dynasty even has such a crime.

Chen Wu's thoughts suddenly cleared. He kept his face expressionless and met the man's gaze, eager to see what trick he would pull.

After about a breath, the middle-aged man broke the stalemate himself. He stepped forward, clasped his sword, and cupped his hands. "I am Guo Xuchu of the Investigation of Things School and the Sea-Pacifying Palace. May I ask your esteemed name?"

What Investigation of Things School? What Sea-Pacifying Palace? What was all that supposed to mean?

Chen Wu was utterly bewildered, but he could still tell that this Guo Xuchu was a renowned expert.

He forced a smile and blurted out, "So you're the great hero Guo. I've long admired you. Meeting you today is an honor I'll treasure for three lifetimes."

As he spoke, he returned the salute.

Guo Xuchu laughed heartily. "It's obvious you haven't admired me for long. Otherwise, you'd know I can't stand being called a great hero."

The smile froze on Chen Wu's face, leaving him awkwardly speechless.

"Though the name Star-Pulling Sword Guo Xuchu resounds across the Western nations, the Celestial Empire is vast. It's only natural that some people haven't heard of him." A voice came to Chen Wu's rescue. It was Qiao Weisheng.

"Since we've met today, fate must have brought us together. Why not do me the favor of accepting my hospitality? We can talk inside. If we keep blocking the bank's entrance, I can't do business."

Chen Wu wanted to refuse, but Guo Xuchu kept staring at him, making his heart tighten.

He didn't know why Guo Xuchu hadn't attacked him and was instead treating him with such courtesy, but he knew he was holding himself together by a thread. He absolutely couldn't let his guard down.

He nodded and followed Qiao Weisheng and the others into a private room in the back hall of Zhong'an Bank. Tea was served, and they took their seats.

The morning sunlight poured through the glass windows, making the already simple, elegant room feel even more serene. Chen Wu had no heart for admiring it. He picked up his teacup, then set it down again, deciding to make the first move.

"Master Qiao, Mr. Guo—"

As if Chen Wu's voice had stirred him, Guo Xuchu, who had sat down and closed his eyes to rest with his sword in his arms, suddenly opened them. A brilliant light flashed in his eyes, brightening the room by several shades.

A white radiance filled the empty room—the unmistakable sign of inner cultivation reaching an exceedingly profound level.

Unfortunately, Chen Wu knew nothing about that. He was merely startled, and the words he'd meant to say caught in his throat.

Guo Xuchu seemed not to notice that he'd interrupted Chen Wu. Instead, he raised a hand and rubbed the sword sheath. "May I ask which faction of the Yongjiu School you belong to, esteemed sir? The Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower? The Red Lantern Society? Or the Old Man of the Mountain Faction?"

Chen Wu was startled. Remembering that his contact had mentioned something about the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, he knew his cover was blown. He hardened his resolve. "I won't hide it from you. I'm with the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower. Does Boss Qiao's bank refuse to do business with the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We can do business anytime," Qiao Weisheng said with a smile. "Business is business. Even if the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower wanted my head, as long as I'm alive today, I'll still be depositing and withdrawing money at my bank tomorrow. I made my way from peddler to where I am today by keeping that promise."

Chen Wu was deeply impressed and was about to chime in when Guo Xuchu let out a snort.

Guo Xuchu continued rubbing the sword sheath. "Boss Qiao's own abilities are certainly impressive, but your father-in-law, who once served as Minister of Revenue, also deserves a great deal of credit for your fortune."

Chen Wu's eyes darted back and forth between Guo and Qiao several times before he was sure he'd heard that right. Did people really dare say things like that to each other's faces?

Qiao Weisheng smiled helplessly. "Old Guo, Guo the Star-Pulling! You're a grand master of the Mystic Realm, and the students you taught have become navy admirals. If you could say a little less, perhaps you wouldn't have spent all these years with nothing but a position as an Attendant of the Sea-Pacifying Palace."

Guo Xuchu gave a soft snort, lowered his head, and went back to rubbing the sword sheath.

"Cough..." Chen Wu felt he shouldn't keep watching the show. "Master Qiao, Mr. Guo, why exactly did you invite me in?"

"I had no particular intention. I sensed the presence of an expert from the Yongjiu School watching from the sidelines, and my curiosity got the better of me, so I came over to greet him. As for what Boss Qiao has in mind, that's beyond the likes of a mere Attendant like me." Guo Xuchu's words were barbed.

Qiao Weisheng shook his head and turned to Chen Wu. "I invited you to sit with us for two reasons. First, today's events happened so suddenly. You're an expert of the Yongjiu School, after all, which reveres the idea that the world is best off when no one leads. Your specialty is assassinating important figures, so it's hard to rule out your involvement. I wanted to bring you in and clear up the misunderstanding."

"Master Qiao, you can't go around making wild accusations. Every debt has its debtor, and today's events have nothing to do with me. You can't blame every assassination under the sun on the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, can you?" Chen Wu grew anxious and threw up his arms. "If you don't believe me, I can confront the assassin right now."

Then he realized he sounded a little too weak, hardly the image of an expert of the Yongjiu School. He immediately put on a stern face and added, "If Master Qiao plans to use the Mystic Realm expert here to beat a confession out of me, I'm no clay figure, either. I'd be glad to test his skill."

"Don't be angry, young friend. Of course I believe you," Qiao Weisheng said, placating him with a smile. "I saw everything clearly just now. When the incident happened, you were just as surprised as anyone. There's no way you were working with the assassin."

Chen Wu had been waiting for those words. "In that case, I have other matters to attend to. I won't keep you from your business, Master Qiao. I'll take my leave."

He stood up at once, pretending he was about to leave to test their reaction. If they didn't stop him, he'd take the chance to slip away. If they did, he'd improvise.

Qiao Weisheng stood up too. He didn't stop Chen Wu, but suddenly let out a long sigh. "Alas, it's not easy!"

Chen Wu hadn't expected that reaction at all. He stopped in his tracks without a word, waiting to see how Qiao Weisheng would play this.

"Everyone knows that you, Qiao Weisheng, have always been bold as brass. When you were young, you traveled all the way to Rakshasa to sell tea, and you even dared to meddle in a coup by the Rakshasa Imperial Guards. You faced a wall of muskets guarding the Winter Palace without ever breaking a sweat. So why are you complaining over a mere assassin today?"

Guo Xuchu rolled his eyes. "As Emperor Taizong put it, that's quite enough."

Qiao Weisheng smiled. "That was then, and this is now. Back then, I had nothing to lose and was willing to risk my life for a chance to get ahead. But now..."

"Now you're a man of immense wealth, so you don't sit near the edge of the hall!" Guo Xuchu cut in, mocking him.

"Taizong once said that those who wander the martial world can't always do as they please. If all I had to do was risk my life, I may be old, but I still have some fight left in me. The real trouble with matters of the world is that everything's tangled together. Even if I had a sharp blade, I couldn't cut through this mess." Qiao Weisheng fixed his eyes on Chen Wu and spoke slowly.

"Young friend, my bank reaches west to the Western Pole Rakshasa and south to Java. It may seem I can do anything, but this is one problem I can't solve without your help. Would you be willing to do business with me?"

"Me?" Chen Wu nearly lost his composure. "You're joking, Master Qiao. You're one of the richest men under heaven, and Mr. Guo's martial arts have reached the Mystic Realm. If neither of you can handle it, what could I possibly do?"

"Because you're with the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, you're the one who can help."

"Who does Master Qiao want dead?" Chen Wu understood at once. So he wanted the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower to take the fall.

"You're not going to ask why?"

"As long as we're paid, the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower doesn't ask questions." Chen Wu was determined to keep up the act, and answered as coolly as he could.

"Good! You're refreshingly direct!" Qiao Weisheng pulled a stack of papers from his robe. "These are thirty bearer silver notes. Each can be redeemed for a thousand silver dollars at any branch of Zhong'an Bank, for a total of thirty thousand silver dollars."

T-thirty thousand silver dollars!!!

Chen Wu's heart trembled. He'd been in this world for three days and had a rough idea of the cost of things. Thirty thousand silver dollars was an astronomical sum.

The finely crafted revolver in his pocket, for example, had only recently been invented and wasn't yet mass-produced. It was handmade, and cost less than thirty silver dollars. Only the finest gunsmiths could charge that much.

The original task Chen Wu had received had paid just five thousand silver dollars, already twice the going rate. And once he finished it, he'd have to split the money with his contact.

No matter which world you were in, these bankers were loaded!

Still, to keep up appearances, Chen Wu accepted the notes without a hint of emotion and asked calmly, "Who do you want killed?"

Qiao Weisheng pointed at himself and spoke each word slowly. "Me. Qiao. Weisheng!"