At seven in the morning, a septuagenarian old man, completely stark naked, was sprinting for all he was worth in front of Xiaoyaowu.
Li Banfeng ran neck and neck alongside him, the projector recording right beside them.
"Isn't this Chief Xie, Xie Juncong of the Ghost Hand Sect?" Li Banfeng introduced him thoroughly, his voice booming.
Xie Juncong gave two dry laughs. "Seventh Master, who would have thought we'd meet here?"
"Chief Xie Juncong, why are you walking so fast? Is there something urgent?"
"Nothing urgent, just stretching my bones and joints a bit."
"Chief Xie Juncong, why are you wearing so little? Is the weather hot?"
"You don't say—it really is quite hot today!"
"Chief Xie Juncong, are you heading home? Shall I hire a carriage to give you a lift?"
"No need to be so polite, I can just walk back!"
Li Banfeng truly wished he could send him on his way—send him straight to the afterlife.
This was the second time. The old thief had stolen his way right to Li Banfeng's doorstep.
Yet the glove had repeatedly begged Li Banfeng, *Master, we can't kill him just yet. There are still a few threads I want to pull out of him. Besides, his cultivation isn't low; fighting him to the death right now, you might not come out on top.*
Li Banfeng had smiled. *With you around, you're afraid we can't beat him?*
The glove had replied with some shame, *Master, I'm only a magical treasure, and this cloth body of mine is simply too wretched to rely on. When it comes to the craft of thievery, he's no match for me, but when it comes to risking our lives, I really can't match him. The old codger definitely won't dare come near Xiaoyaowu again. For today, just do me a favor and let it slide for now.*
Li Banfeng had granted the glove's request and spared Xie Juncong for the moment. Then he captured still photos from the recorded film and had them sent straight to the newspaper offices.
***
When evening fell, Li Banfeng prepared a few gifts and headed to Furong Zhai together with Ma the Fifth.
Furong Zhai was an estate built on Linglong Mountain east of Lüshui City. From halfway up to the very summit, more than half the slope fell within Furong Zhai's territory. Western houses, pavilions, and terraced towers—over a hundred buildings of every sort—testified clearly to Li Haoyun's immense wealth.
Li Banfeng couldn't quite pin down Li Haoyun's identity: was he a merchant or a gang leader?
Ma the Fifth couldn't give an answer either.
In Puluo Province, the line between the two had never been distinct. Every gang ran businesses, and every businessman had ties to gangs.
Li Haoyun was waiting at the foot of the mountain to welcome them. While they were still a distance away, Ma Junyang noticed two women standing beside Li Haoyun and turned to Li Banfeng. "Old Seventh, those two women are Li Haoyun's wives. When we eat later, don't ask about them."
Li Banfeng frowned. "Why would I pry into another man's wives?"
Ma the Fifth said, "There's a story behind it. Li Haoyun's wives don't come from good backgrounds. Someone once made a joke about it to him, and when Li Haoyun turned hostile, it was truly terrifying."
As they spoke, the two parties drew near. After a round of pleasantries, Li Haoyun led the group up the mountain path toward the Lychee Garden.
The Lychee Garden was an expansive enclosure, but the path leading there was genuinely rugged. In the context of Furong Zhai as a whole, it was a rather secluded and isolated spot.
Inside stood a large residence, with the rest of the grounds planted entirely with lychee trees. Unfortunately, this was not the season for eating lychees.
Host and guests took their seats in the main hall. While they were chatting, a subordinate came to discuss some business, and Li Haoyun excused himself for a moment.
Ma the Fifth seized the opportunity to whisper to Li Banfeng, "Inviting us to the Lychee Garden proves Li Haoyun treats us as guests of the highest honor. Whatever you do, don't ask about how the Lychee Garden came to be. There's a story behind that too."
Li Banfeng naturally wouldn't bother inquiring about the origin of a garden, but going by Ma the Fifth's description, this Li Haoyun had far too many rules, which gave Li Banfeng a slight distaste.
If Li Haoyun really was such a finicky, temperamental man, Li Banfeng would get up and leave. But when Li Haoyun returned and resumed their conversation, Li Banfeng found him rather easygoing, without so many quirks at all.
Perhaps he was simply hiding it deep for now, liable to explode without warning.
Before long, the food and wine were served in lavish abundance.
Li Haoyun called several women over to warm their wine and serve their dishes, attending to them with meticulous care.
Ma the Fifth had seen plenty of such scenes, but cultivation could not be neglected. After two cups of wine, his hands were already at work.
Li Banfeng had no interest in the women around him, nor was he inclined to chat much with Li Haoyun.
Seeing Li Banfeng's lack of warmth, Li Haoyun smiled. "Seventh Master, do you think my business is dirty and look down on me for it?"
Li Banfeng smiled faintly. "That depends on what business you run."
Li Haoyun looked at the girls beside him. "The girls at Furong Zhai are free to come and go as they please. Those who want to earn money here, I take in; those who wish to seek a different path, I don't stop, and I even provide travel expenses. To my mind, my business is quite clean."
Li Banfeng nodded slightly. If a business was run like that, there was indeed nothing to fault.
Li Haoyun continued, "To tell you the truth, my parents were in this line of work. They passed away early and left the family trade to me. Back then, that business disgusted me to no end, so I switched trades."
Ma the Fifth was taken aback. Li Haoyun bringing up his own past voluntarily meant he truly didn't treat Li the Seventh as an outsider.
Li Banfeng asked, "What trade did you switch to?"
Li Haoyun chuckled. "Commerce. I sold off everything my parents owned and opened new shops. First I sold antiques, calligraphy, and paintings—lost money. Then cloth and dyes—lost money. Then rice, flour, grain, and oil—still lost money. With the last bit of silver I had left, I ran up this mountain to plant lychees. To this day, I still keep this Lychee Garden. It's this very place."
*So that was why he didn't want others asking about it?*
"Selling lychees isn't shameful, is it?"
"It isn't shameful, but I lost money selling lychees too. I lost so much that all I had left was lychees—not even money to buy a meal. My name is Li Haoyun, but back then everyone who knew me called me Lychee Yun. Being called that once or twice was fine, but mocking me endlessly like that made me genuinely furious."
*So that was the reason he disliked people prying into the Lychee Garden.*
Li Banfeng smiled. "After losing money on lychees, did you switch to another line?"
Li Haoyun shook his head. "I wanted to, but couldn't. All my money was gone. By my side were two maidservants who had looked after me since childhood. I gave them the last of my savings and told them to go back to their hometowns, but they wouldn't listen. They sold their own bodies to raise capital for me. I didn't dare waste that money; I couldn't afford to lose again, nor could I bear to. I had no choice but to pick up the old trade and return to this business. Once I got back on my feet, the very first thing I did was marry those two maidservants into my family as wives. Some say they come from disreputable backgrounds. What people say behind my back is none of my concern, but if anyone says it to my face, I'll turn on them. Looking down on me is fine, but nobody looks down on my wives. That's my only flaw."
As he spoke, Li Haoyun smiled and raised his wine cup.
Li Banfeng raised his cup in return and drained it in a single gulp.
This was the first cup of wine Li Banfeng had drunk tonight.
The atmosphere instantly softened. Li Banfeng asked, "Boss Li, since you're skilled at this business, why did you switch trades in the first place?"
Li Haoyun sighed. "Seventh Master, you don't know the half of it. The business my parents ran wasn't like mine. Theirs was truly filthy. The girls in their hands were all bought from human traffickers. Once bought, a girl belonged to them for life. While useful, she was used to make money; when no longer useful, she was resold to someone else. Obedient girls were talked around; disobedient girls were beaten into submission. Twelve whips hung in the house, every single one stained with blood. There was one girl who was exceptionally stubborn. Even after being beaten half to death, she still wouldn't yield. But my mother had a way. She had medicine for wounds—top-grade wound medicine. First she applied the medicine to the girl, then waited on her hand and foot, bringing soup and water every day, even helping her when she went to the latrine. After some days, the girl fully recovered. And guess what? That girl treated my mother like a savior! Whatever my mother said, she obeyed. To everyone she met, she proclaimed my mother had saved her life. But how could she forget who had beaten her into that state in the first place? Seventh Master, this trick works well—it works exceptionally well. How many people have been duped this way, willingly and gratefully fooled? Tell me, doesn't that infuriate you?"
Ma the Fifth was startled, realizing there was a double meaning in Li Haoyun's words.
Li Banfeng raised his wine cup and drained it once more.
***
The following evening, Liao Zihui arrived at Xiaoyaowu. Leaving his driver and bodyguards downstairs, he went alone up to the private room for the feast.
When both sides were seated, Liao Zihui spread his hands. "I came in haste and didn't prepare any gifts. Please don't take offense, gentlemen."
Ma the Fifth smiled. "No need to be so polite."
Li the Seventh nodded. "I actually take quite a bit of offense."
Liao Zihui paused. "Are you blaming me for lacking courtesy?"
Li the Seventh countered, "Do you think you haven't lacked courtesy?"
Liao Zihui laughed. "Put that way, I actually did bring a gift for the two of you."
"Then take it out and let's see."
Liao Zihui pulled out an official document. "Starting today, the transit fees for the businesses under the two of you will be reduced back to their original rates."
Ma the Fifth was delighted upon hearing this; the biggest obstacle to their business had been resolved.
Just as he was about to raise his cup for a toast, Li Banfeng stopped him.
"Chief Commissioner Liao, what kind of gift is this supposed to be?"
Liao Zihui was stunned for a long while.
He had wanted to alter his strategy toward Li the Seventh and had taken the initiative to make a concession, but he never expected this reaction.
"The transit fees are reduced back to original rates—are you still not satisfied?" The smile on Liao Zihui's face vanished.
Li Banfeng smiled. "Original rates—that's merely the price we were paying before. What advantage have we gained?"
Liao Zihui frowned. "What you were charged previously wasn't the original rate."
Li Banfeng remained perfectly calm. "That only proves what you did previously was wrong."
"Must we tally up every single past incident one by one?"
"Let's tally them and see. My arithmetic is quite good; I shouldn't miscount."
Liao Zihui's cheek twitched a few times. "I don't wish to bring up past matters again. I came with sincerity. I genuinely want to settle this peacefully."
Li Banfeng remained serene. "If you feel settling this peacefully puts you at a disadvantage, we don't have to settle it at all."
Ma the Fifth didn't dare say a word. The suffocating tension left him breathless.
Liao Zihui took a deep breath. "What do you want?"
Li Banfeng said, "Cut the freight rates in half."
Liao Zihui laughed. "Do you think that's even possible?"
Li Banfeng smiled as well. "I think it's very possible."
Liao Zihui fell silent for a long time, then shook his head. "You're making things difficult for me. I cannot do that."
Li Banfeng said with heartfelt gravity, "In the face of difficulties, one must not retreat. One must bring one's subjective initiative into play. Without trying, how do you know you can't do it?"
Liao Zihui gritted his teeth, rose, and took his leave.
Outside the window came the sound of a steam automobile starting up. Liao Zihui was gone.
Ma the Fifth knew he couldn't dissuade Li Banfeng, but he still couldn't hold back: "Old Seventh, that might really be asking too much of him. Slashing freight rates by half isn't something he has the authority to decide."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "If we asked him to suppress freight rates by half across all of Puluo Province, he truly couldn't do it. But to cut them in half for just our household, he should have that power."
Ma the Fifth sighed. "How are we supposed to get along with them in the future?"
Li Banfeng chuckled. "He'll have to get used to it. This is only the beginning."
Chapter 403