Huo Xiu had been exceptionally troubled of late.
Not only did he suspect he was coming down with amnesia, but several of his Qingyi Tower branches had also been burgled. Some lost funds, while others lost rosters, account ledgers, and other documents.
Fortunately, he never showed his true face to anyone. Even among his trusted confidants, barely anyone knew he was the master of Qingyi Tower. Otherwise, with so many members exposed all at once, his identity could never have been kept secret.
"Chu Liuxiang..."
The very mention of that name infuriated him now. If Chu Liuxiang wanted to take an apprentice, so be it, but he had actually used his Qingyi Tower as a trial, having the Thieves' Gate compete to see who could steal the most wealth from Qingyi Tower!
Just how had he offended him?!
Fuming with rage, Huo Xiu called out from behind an iron door, "Where are the renowned physicians I told you to find? My temper is flaring up. Have them write me a prescription to purge internal heat while they're at it."
The subordinate outside paused slightly before trembling, "Master, on their way here... those physicians were stolen..."
"Huh?"
An expression of sheer disbelief crossed Huo Xiu's face. "Are you saying living, breathing men were stolen right under your nose?"
The subordinate replied, "Yes... I suspect it was Sikong Zhaixing. Aside from him, no one could steal so many people so silently."
Huo Xiu sighed in gloom. "Coming and going without a trace—Sikong Zhaixing, the God of Thieves. With his thieving skills, he shouldn't need to apprentice under Chu Liuxiang. He must want an entry ticket just to take the opportunity to compete with him.
"To think he could even track this place down. Fortunately, I haven't shown my face in public; otherwise, my identity might have been exposed this time."
The subordinate added, "Aside from Qingyi Tower, much of your overt property has also been stolen, Master. Furthermore, Jin Jiuling has been leading men to seize the assets under your name."
As he spoke, he slipped a list of recent losses through the gap beneath the door.
Looking at the inventory of losses, Huo Xiu's vision went black. Tightfisted as he was, the heartache nearly made him faint.
Catching his breath after a moment, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. "Jin Jiuling! Find a way to strip him of his post as chief constable. The man has always been uncompromisingly upright; once he fixes his mind on something, he pursues it to the bitter end. He cannot be allowed to keep investigating, or sooner or later he will uncover my true identity."
While Huo Xiu was nursing a headache over Jin Jiuling, Jin Jiuling was equally full of frustration.
After issuing the arrest warrant for Huo Xiu, he had immediately led his men to secretly embezzle Huo Xiu's properties. However, at every site he visited, he found that Huo Xiu's assets were either already emptied out or had long since been transferred under someone else's name.
After bustling about for over a dozen days, he had only managed to seize a few shops and estates, all of which were officially registered in government ledgers and utterly impossible to liquidate for cash.
His efforts over the past half-month had amounted to nothing!
After drawing another blank at one of Huo Xiu's properties, Jin Jiuling sighed. "Huo Xiu, the wealthiest man under heaven, truly does have some tricks up his sleeve."
Just as he prepared to head to Huo Xiu's next property, a military officer suddenly arrived with a squad of government soldiers. Producing an official document, the officer said:
"Jin Jiuling, the property you seized does not match Huo Xiu's account ledgers. The high officials at court suspect you of lining your own pockets and have decided to temporarily suspend you from your post. I am taking over all the affairs under your charge."
Jin Jiuling's face changed drastically. "Sir, I am innocent! I can swear to Heaven that I haven't touched a single copper of Huo Xiu's money!"
Heaven was his witness—even though he had intended to embezzle Huo Xiu's wealth, he hadn't succeeded, had he?!
The military officer replied helplessly, "I trust your character, but I am merely acting on orders. There is no use saying all this to me. You had better pull some strings higher up so you can be restored to your post as soon as possible."
His face livid, Jin Jiuling gnashed his teeth and said, "Whoever is framing me better hope I never find out!"
With that, he stormed home in a rage.
When he returned home, however, he found a beautiful woman who had long been waiting for him in bed. She leaned lazily against the headboard, and on her cocked, delicate feet was a pair of vivid red shoes.
Jin Jiuling paused in surprise. "Er Niang, why have you come?"
Her willow brows knitted slightly, and her gaze turned wistful. "Do you not want me to come?"
Jin Jiuling gave a hearty laugh, stepped forward, and took her hand. "I yearn for your arrival every day. It's just that I've been run ragged by Huo Xiu's affairs lately and was just suspended from my post, so my mood is a bit foul. Don't take offense."
This woman was Er Niang of the Red Shoes, who was in charge of managing the wealth stolen by the organization. Because she had to deal with the authorities, she had gotten to know Jin Jiuling, and the two had been lovers for years.
Hearing Jin Jiuling's explanation, Er Niang smiled faintly and said, "I came this time to qualify for Chu Liuxiang's apprenticeship, and stopped by to see you along the way.
"Right now, every member of the Thieves' Gate across the realm is stirred up over that spot. Even the tomb robbers have joined in—they dug a tunnel and cleared out one of Qingyi Tower's branch buildings! If I don't start putting in some effort, I'll really be left in the dust."
Jin Jiuling had also heard of Chu Liuxiang's search for an apprentice, but having been lured by Huo Xiu's wealth, he hadn't paid much attention. Hearing Er Niang's words, he opened a hidden compartment, took out a bamboo tube, and said, "Inside is information on the Thirteenth Tower of Qingyi Tower. Take it."
Er Niang planted a light kiss on his cheek and said, "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me. Once I gain Chu Liuxiang's legacy, I will thank you properly!"
With that, a thought suddenly struck her, and she added, "You should look into someone named Qin Zheng. The wealth in his hands is definitely no less than Huo Xiu's!"
Jin Jiuling was taken aback. "Qin Zheng? Isn't he an imperial secret agent?"
Er Niang said, "I wouldn't know about that. I only know he is an invisible magnate. Da Niang targeted him back then, only to fail and end up poisoned; she still hasn't cured it to this day.
"Moreover, based on Da Niang's deduction, he is very likely the master of Qingyi Tower!"
Jin Jiuling's eyes lit up. "Who would have thought! That Qin Zheng seems so upright and righteous, yet secretly he lines his pockets using his status as an officer of the law just like me!
"Er Niang, you truly are my lucky star! I'll go test him. If he really is the master of Qingyi Tower, I can have my post restored in just a few days!"
Leaving Er Niang behind without another word, he hurried straight toward the Pavilion of Pearls and Jewels.
By this time, Qin Zheng and the others had already excavated the treasure and weapons Huo Xiu had hidden deep inside the mountain.
Looking at the pile of tattered weapons and armor, Yan Tieshan wore a gloomy frown. "This equipment is completely ruined..."
Dugu Yihe snapped a rust-covered longsword with ease and sighed. "Left unmaintained for fifty years, it naturally can't be used anymore."
Qin Zheng said, "No matter. Just melt them down and reforge them. It saves much more trouble than starting with pig iron. I have over a dozen large blacksmith shops; I can give you a twenty percent discount. But forget about the armor—forging that sort of thing counts as rebellion."
Dugu Yihe suddenly remembered something and looked at Qin Zheng in astonishment. "Duanfeng Forge is your business?"
Qin Zheng nodded. "Mm. My Duanfeng Forge mainly crafts farming tools on normal days; forging weapons is just a side gig. I'll charge you two taels of silver per weapon. Factoring in risk and shipping costs, just give me eight hundred thousand taels."
Yan Tieshan erupted in fury. "Have you gone mad for money?! There are only just over two thousand weapons in total, and you're charging me eight hundred thousand taels? Are your swords made of gold, or are the scabbards made of gold?!"
Qin Zheng replied with an expression of pure disdain, "You think it's expensive? I think it's too cheap! Go look anywhere else and see who would be willing to forge weapons for you! I'm risking my neck to help you out; you can't expect me to bear all the risk myself, can you?
"Just say whether you want it or not!"
Yan Tieshan glanced at the watermelon knife Qin Zheng had drawn at some point. Feeling as though his belly was about to be stabbed at any second, his bluster deflated at once. He muttered under his breath, "I was just bargaining, I didn't say I didn't want it. Who in the world does business like you..."
With that, he personally went to count the gold and silver. After handing it over to Qin Zheng's subordinates, he walked down the mountain alongside Dugu Yihe in indignation.
Yan Tieshan said resentfully, "Why didn't you help me bargain down the price just now? Did you become the Emei sect leader and a pillar of the martial world for nothing?"
Dugu Yihe glanced at him sideways and said, "You had better put away such petty notions. His watermelon knife had me locked in just now. I have a hunch that if it really came to blows, I would be dead within ten moves without a doubt."
Yan Tieshan was stunned. "Is Qin Zheng that terrifying?"
Dugu Yihe nodded solemnly. "Qin Zheng is likely the imperial court's foremost expert today. I'm afraid he is not in the least inferior to Yu Dayou, who took on Shaolin single-handedly back in the day!"
Once they were far away, Jin Jiuling, who was hiding in the bushes, wore an awkward expression. Was Qin Zheng's martial arts really that high?
While his heart was filled with shock, someone suddenly tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Jin Jiuling shuddered and whipped his head around.
He saw that Qin Zheng had appeared behind him at some unknown point. Looking thoroughly upright, Qin Zheng asked, "You're here to take a dump, aren't you?"
Squatting on the ground, Jin Jiuling nodded stiffly. "Yes!"
With a complicated look, Qin Zheng said, "Next time, remember to take your pants down first."
Jin Jiuling: "..."
If I weren't damn well afraid I couldn't beat you, I'd beat the crap right out of you!
Chapter 69