A few side dishes, a pot of warm wine, talking business, chatting about the jianghu.
Yu Nan had brought the entire Yu Family Gang to Green Water City. "When I first arrived, my eyes were pitch black—I didn't know a soul. I spent good money taking over this shop, only to get swindled. The house deed was real, but the land deed was counterfeit.
The landowner told me to tear down the shop and scram within three days, or else he'd send men over with torches and burn it straight to the ground."
Li Banfeng took a sip of wine. "Did you fight him, or negotiate?"
Yu Nan said, "At first, I wanted to talk it through. Getting cheated just proved I was useless, so I figured I'd fork out extra cash and buy out his plot.
"Yet that bastard made extortionate demands, asking for triple the price—enough for me to buy an entirely separate storefront. No amount of discussion worked. Driven into a corner with nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to fight him."
Li Banfeng glanced around the shop. "I heard your business has been thriving. You must have won the fight."
Yu Nan shook her head. "I wouldn't say I won. We traded blows back and forth across plenty of brawls, but right to the end, he refused to yield the plot to me.
"With him raising hell like that, I couldn't open for business. Living off our dwindling savings wasn't sustainable, and I was seriously thinking about packing up and moving. But out of nowhere, that man wound up dead at Luo Zhengnan's hands."
Li Banfeng didn't understand. "What dealings did he have with Luo Zhengnan?"
Yu Nan flashed a teasing smile. "All thanks to your good fortune, of course!"
Li Banfeng paused, taken aback. "Thanks to my good fortune? How? You never told me you were doing business in Green Water City."
Yu Nan topped up Li Banfeng's cup. "Isn't that just pure coincidence? Turns out the landowner and the landlord of this shop were in cahoots all along.
"They used to be disciples of the Jiangxiang Gang. After you broke up their gang, they absconded with the gang's properties, split the land deeds from the house deeds, and used a few storefronts to run scams back and forth, specifically swindling outsiders out of their money.
"Luo Zhengnan caught wind of it. As he led his men in mopping up the remnants of the Jiangxiang Gang, he happened to descend upon this bunch.
"In the end, both men were dealt with, and the land deed fell into Hall Master Luo's hands.
"I figured asking Luo Zhengnan for the deed wouldn't be easy either—he'd probably demand a price no lower than the last guy's. After being in Green Water City for so long without making a single cent, we could barely afford food and drink. I didn't dare complain in front of others, but in private, I wept more times than I could count.
"Yet I never dreamed that Luo Zhengnan would actually deliver the deed right to my door, saying it was Seventh Master's orders.
"At first, I thought you were looking out for me in particular. Only later did I learn that every outsider swindled by the Jiangxiang Gang had their land deeds returned. Now you tell me—wasn't that thanks to your good fortune?"
Li Banfeng shook his head slightly, then asked, "Once you had the deed, did you open smoothly?"
"We opened, sure, but it was hardly smooth sailing," Yu Nan let out a string of long sighs. "A dozen gangs, big and small, came knocking for protection fees.
"When I asked who was running them, they were all prominent bigwigs—not a single one I could afford to offend. But if I paid off every last one, I wouldn't even earn back my principal. Just talking about that mess back then makes me want to cry all over again."
Li Banfeng said, "With all those tears you cried, you never thought of coming to find me? Even if you didn't want to look for me, you could have gone to Chubby Qin. He certainly would have helped you."
Yu Nan fell silent for a moment. Looking at Li Banfeng with a mysterious glint in her eyes, she said, "Did you know that nowadays, I'm considered somebody in the fabric trade of Green Water City? Guess what they call me?"
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Can't guess."
"They still call me the Manly Dame!"
Li Banfeng picked up the winepot and filled Yu Nan's cup to the brim. "Brother Yu, why don't the two of us swear brotherhood?"
Yu Nan beamed and raised her cup. "Brother Li, cheers!"
After draining the pot of wine, it was time for Li Banfeng to go.
He wrote out a check and handed it to Yu Nan, instructing her to deliver all ready-made clothes and fabrics to Xiaoyaowu.
Yu Nan stared at the check, stunned for a good while. "Seventh Master, you're not joking, are you? You really want to empty out my entire shop?"
Li Banfeng said, "Didn't we already make that clear? Everything in your shop, I want it all."
Realizing he wasn't joking, Yu Nan grew a bit nervous. "Seventh Master, with the end of the year approaching, closing such a massive deal is certainly a great thing. But once the shop is cleaned out, I won't have any business to run. Could you wait until I bring in more stock so I can keep things turning over?"
Li Banfeng picked up his fedora and fixed a stern look on Yu Nan. "Within three days, the goods must be delivered—or else I'll burn your shop to the ground!"
Yu Nan started with fright.
Li Banfeng stared at her for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Being so overbearing—am I totally ignoring the rules of the jianghu?"
Yu Nan let out a long breath and smiled as well, her expression carrying a hint of mock reproach, tinged with reluctance to see him go.
The snow was falling heavily. Li Banfeng put on his fedora, pulled the brim down low, and stepped out of the fabric shop.
Braving the snow, Yu Nan saw him to the doorway, silently watching his retreating back.
Would she ever see him again?
What if she simply didn't deliver the goods and waited for him to come burn down the shop?
Yu Nan pondered it for a moment, then went and woke the bookkeeper and warehouse manager, telling them to hurry and prepare the goods.
Back then, when Li Qi burned down the Geng family dispensary, everyone thought it was impossible—yet burn it he did.
Some things were best not put to the test with Li Qi.
Having bought the fabrics, Li Banfeng went to Miaosheng Gramophone Shop to buy gramophones. Ling Miaosheng clutched a hand-cranked gramophone, refusing to let go. "This machine has been with me for over twenty years!"
Li Banfeng said, "A twenty-year-old piece of dead stock that nobody ever bought—and now I'm taking it off your hands at the original price! Aren't you getting a bargain?"
Ling Miaosheng blocked the doorway and shouted, "You can't buy them all! This is my life!"
Li Banfeng grew annoyed. "You run this shop, you set the prices. I'm paying cash to buy your goods, and you won't sell? Are you doing business or not?"
Tears welled in Ling Miaosheng's eyes. "Even doing business, it can't be done like this..."
After buying several dozen gramophones, Li Banfeng headed to Black Rock Slope, purchasing a pile of motion picture projectors and film reels. Feeling he had bought more or less enough, Li Banfeng first returned to Lüshuiwan. At his residence in Yuanzhu Ward, he dug up the local spirit seal and sucked dry its human vigor.
Afterward, hauling a cartload of fine goods, he set off for the City of Fools.
Three li outside the city, Li Banfeng found an open spot, unloaded the cargo from the companion dwelling, deactivated the Dwelling Cultivator talent that made him easily overlooked, and strode directly toward the city gate.
The City of Fools counted as Li Banfeng's home—and when coming home, one ought to do so openly and proudly!
The moment the city walls came into view, Li Banfeng sensed that the City of Fools was different from before; every brick and tile radiated a fresh atmosphere.
Arriving at the city gate, he couldn't tell if it was an illusion, but the gate seemed to have been refurbished, no longer carrying that old dilapidated and decayed stench.
Watching the crowd bustling in and out through the gate, Li Banfeng noticed a distinct change in them—they carried an air of joy and contentment from living in peace and working in happiness.
An elderly man in his sixties walked up to Li Banfeng with overflowing warmth. "From out of town, are you? Pay a one-dollar silver coin entrance fee first!"
*Smack!*
Li Banfeng slapped the old man flying with a single strike.
Not everyone showed a distinct change, but that didn't matter. Li Banfeng could genuinely feel that the City of Fools was no longer the same as before!
"Mister, care to buy some flowers?" A young maiden with flushed cheeks and a bashful smile approached Li Banfeng.
Buying a bouquet of flowers was only right. There was a vase in the shuyu chamber; it used to hold fake flowers, but now they ought to be replaced with real ones!
"How much for the flowers?" Li Banfeng took a liking to a bunch of peonies.
"Three dollars."
Not expensive!
For peonies so vibrant, three dollars wasn't expensive at all!
"Give me a bunch!"
"Right away, sir. That'll be three hundred and ninety-six dollars in total." The girl handed Li Banfeng a bunch of baby's breath.
Li Banfeng froze for a second. "Didn't you say three dollars?"
"Three dollars per blossom. Fair to old and young alike—"
*Smack!*
Li Banfeng slapped the girl flying as well.
A sturdy young fellow strolled over holding an ox gall bladder. "Master, one look and I can tell you're a connoisseur. This is a bear gall I just hunted from a six-headed bear in the newlands. You might have seen two-headed bears, or perhaps even three-headed bears, but when have you ever seen a six-headed—"
*Smack!*
The young fellow was sent flying too, hurtling a dozen meters before crashing down beside an old woman.
Taking advantage of the moment, the old woman plopped onto the ground, grabbed the young man, and wailed, "My child! How could you leave your mother behind—"
The young fellow didn't know this old woman, but seeing that the mood called for it, he simply lay flat on the ground, shut his eyes, and went still.
The old woman pointed at Li Banfeng. "Everyone, come look! Don't let this heartless villain get away! He stole my child's bear gall, and he beat my child—"
*Thud!*
Li Banfeng stepped forward and delivered a kick, sending both the old woman and the young fellow flying together into an alleyway.
The City of Fools was doing just fine!
Arriving at Sun Tiecheng's house, Sun Tiecheng was overjoyed and hurriedly told his men to set out wine.
Li Banfeng said, "Big Brother, I brought back some goods. I unloaded them outside the city walls. Have some hands haul them into town."
Sun Tiecheng tucked his hands into his sleeves and gave an honest, simple chuckle. "This is your own home, yet you're still acting so formal. Ah Gui, take the ghost servants and carry the stuff back."
Gui Jianchou didn't want to go. "You bother me with trivial crap like this? Just get a few more folks from town to haul it!"
Sun Tiecheng frowned. "Bullshit! If I let them haul it, what would I have left? Last time the peddler sent over a cartload of supplies, I had them move it—and in the end, I didn't even see the cart!"
Gui Jianchou grumbled bitterly, but went anyway.
Li Banfeng asked, "Brother, where's that Small Smelter of yours? Let me have a look."
Sun Tiecheng pointed toward the backyard. "Right in the yard. A'yi is studying it over there."
Li Banfeng squatted down beside A'yi to inspect the Small Smelter with her.
In appearance, the Small Smelter was identical to the bronze lotus. The only difference was that it was constantly in motion.
Its lotus petals kept opening and closing, and gusts of wind blew from its lotus core from time to time.
A'yi asked Li Banfeng, "Can you see how it works?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I think it looks a lot like the Great Smelter."
A'yi asked again, "Have you seen the Great Smelter?"
"I have."
"Did you see it from the inside, or from the outside?"
Li Banfeng looked at A'yi. "What do you think? If I went inside the Great Smelter, would I ever have come back out?"
A'yi sighed softly, pouting her small mouth. "Then that's no fun. I want to know its internal structure. I want to dismantle it, but my big brother won't let me."
Li Banfeng thought for a moment and asked, "If you take it apart, can you put it back together?"
"Putting it back together the same way would be so boring. I could reassemble it into plenty of fresh variations!" A'yi reached out to touch the Small Smelter's petals, but Sun Tiecheng stopped her.
"What the bloody hell are you doing? Didn't I tell you touching it attracts heavenly light?"
A'yi retorted stubbornly, "I can take it."
"Even if you can take it, you can't go messing around! Looking at it right here is enough. Whatever you do, don't break this thing for me—it's bound to have major uses in the future."
A'yi huffed, then turned to look at Li Banfeng. "Xiaowan once told me she'd been inside the Great Smelter before. Bring her here so the two of us can study it together!"
Li Banfeng found an empty room, used Broadening the Bridal Chamber to bring his lady out, and explained the situation.
His lady felt some trepidation. After meeting Li Banfeng, some of her memories had been restored, giving her some resilience against things related to the Inner Province.
In the past, let alone laying eyes on the Great Smelter, merely mentioning the Inner Province could have driven her mad.
Now, having her look at a Small Smelter that bore an extreme resemblance to the Great Smelter, his lady was genuinely unsure if she would lose control.
The moment she saw the Small Smelter, her body indeed shuddered.
Worried that something might happen to her, Li Banfeng was just about to send her back when he saw her quickly regain her composure.
"This thing actually looks rather quaint." She wanted to touch the lotus petals to see if they felt the same as the bronze lotus at home, but remembering the matter of the heavenly light, she didn't touch it rashly.
A'yi didn't bother asking where Zhao Xiaowan had come from; she only cared about the answers she sought. "Xiaowan, what's it like inside the smelter?"
Zhao Xiaowan stared at the Small Smelter for quite a while. She had assumed that seeing something identical to the Great Smelter would jog many memories, yet she remembered nothing at all.
A'yi asked cautiously, "Xiaowan, you don't need to recall anything else. Just tell me directly which hole in the lotus core you were in at the time. I want to see if the holes in this Small Smelter's core match up with the Great Smelter's."
"Perhaps too many years have passed, and I truly can't remember," his lady said, rubbing her forehead. "Or perhaps because I died two more times, I even forgot the things I shouldn't have forgotten."
Certain that she couldn't remember, Zhao Xiaowan recommended someone else to Li Banfeng: "Husband, ever since Ling'er came out of the Great Smelter, she remained in the Inner Province as a first-class weapon. She hasn't experienced death again, so she's bound to remember more than I do."
Back when they fought the Bandit-Subduing Battalion together, both A'yi and Sun Tiecheng had met Jiang Ling'er, so there was no need to hide this. Li Banfeng handed the key to Zhao Xiaowan, used Broadening the Bridal Chamber to travel to Yucui Lou, and brought Jiang Ling'er out.
Jiang Ling'er took a single glance at the Small Smelter, leaped into the air, and threw herself onto Zhao Xiaowan, refusing to come down.
"Ling'er, don't be afraid!" Zhao Xiaowan held Jiang Ling'er close. "This isn't the Great Smelter. Look closely—the Great Smelter wasn't this small. Do you still remember which hole in the lotus core you were in back then? Ling'er? Ling'er—"
Jiang Ling'er's breathing grew rapid, and then ceased altogether.
She had fainted dead away.
Zhao Xiaowan said, "Quickly take Ling'er back to Yucui Lou to rest! Whatever you do, don't mention the smelter again."
Li Banfeng took Jiang Ling'er back.
Upon returning to Yucui Lou, Jiang Ling'er woke up, huddled in bed, and refused to speak to anyone.
Yucui Lou was displeased: "Son-in-law, you took my daughter out for just a brief moment and brought her back like this! Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
Li Banfeng had no idea how to explain: "I took her to see the Great Smelter—not the real Great Smelter, but—"
Jiang Ling'er let out a shriek and shrank entirely under the quilt.
Yucui Lou grumbled, "What did you take her to see that thing for? Do you have any idea how much suffering she endured in that Great Smelter? Even if a husband and wife are teasing each other, you can't take teasing that far!"
Helpless, Li Banfeng stayed with Jiang Ling'er for a while. Once she calmed down, not daring to mention the Great Smelter again, he returned directly to the City of Fools.
During this time, Li Banfeng kept pondering one question: his lady had also come out of the Great Smelter, so why didn't she react nearly as strongly?
Was it because she saw the Red Lotus at home every day and had grown accustomed to it?
Back in the City of Fools, Zhao Xiaowan was discussing matters with A'yi. "Can this thing be shown to your mother?"
A'yi shook her head. "Better not let her see it. The Red Lotus is something the Heavenly Maiden crafted, and my mother has an obsession with anything related to the Heavenly Maiden."
Li Banfeng said, "What if we show it directly to the Heavenly Maiden?"
A'yi was taken aback. "Wouldn't that be the same as showing it to my mother?"
Zhao Xiaowan understood what Li Banfeng meant. Li Banfeng didn't mean the Heavenly Maiden beside A'yu; he wanted to bring this Small Smelter to let the bronze lotus have a look.
"Husband, it's best not to be reckless in this matter."
The Red Lotus at home was fake, whereas the Red Lotus before them was real. If the real and fake Red Lotuses met, no one could predict the outcome.
The petals of the Small Smelter slowly spread open, and the wind from its core abruptly intensified.
A'yi looked toward Zhao Xiaowan. "Gui Jianchou is here."
The Great Smelter possessed a potent sensitivity to ghosts, and the Small Smelter retained this trait as well. Gui Jianchou currently carried many departed souls upon him.
His lady had no desire to see Gui Jianchou, so Li Banfeng used Broadening the Bridal Chamber to switch her back.
Gui Jianchou entered the backyard and grinned at Li Banfeng. "Old Seven, those things you brought back are amazing! Old Sun is thrilled out of his wits—he doesn't even know how to divvy them up. Go take a look!"
Li Banfeng was just about to head to the front yard when he heard A'yi ask, "Brother, do you think this lotus core is round?"
Gui Jianchou assumed A'yi was talking to him. "You can't call me Brother, you have to call me Uncle! Of course it's round! How could it not be? It's rounder than the glutinous rice balls on the street!"
Li Banfeng wasn't an artisan cultivator, so he wasn't particularly sensitive to dimensions. But since A'yi asked, Li Banfeng activated his Keen Scrutiny and looked closely for a while.
"Sister, do you think it's an ellipse?"
A'yi gestured with her finger, prompting an alarmed yell from Gui Jianchou: "Don't you dare touch it! Heavenly light is no joke!"
"Brother, I don't think it's even an ellipse." A'yi estimated the measurements, sensing that the shape of the lotus core was very peculiar.
What Li Banfeng worried about most was precisely this: "Do you feel the shape of the lotus core resembles the Great Totem?"
Gui Jianchou shook his head. "Old Seven, that's a bit of a stretch. The Great Totem is indeed round, but you can't just claim anything round resembles it! This lotus core has seven holes, while the Great Totem is just a circle with nothing inside."
A'yi nodded. "True. The peddler told me that the shape of the Great Totem cannot be replicated. Guess my eyes were playing tricks on me."
***
State of Shang, the city of Chaoge.
Qiao Yi walked a circuit around the city with Nian Shangyou. The plague had largely subsided; those who could endure it had survived, and the royal family members who had fled outside the city walls were gradually trickling back.
These people had originally fled to Haozhou. The New Cabinet Yu Zhuo established in Haozhou had barely begun to pick up momentum, and suitable candidates for a new sovereign were already lined up. Yet who could have guessed that after a single trip to Yindu, Yu Zhuo would be completely wiped out?
Qiao Yi issued an edict: if members of the royal family returned to Chaoge within a month, all prior transgressions would be forgiven.
They had made such a resolute decision when leaving Chaoge, yet the moment the edict was proclaimed, the crowd barely hesitated before heading straight back. In a matter of days, the so-called New Cabinet had completely unraveled, and the voices opposing Qiao Yi had essentially vanished.
With the situation steadily returning to normal, Nian Shangyou had intended to enjoy a few peaceful days. But upon returning to the manor, Qiao Yi instructed Nian Shangyou to make a trip to Puluo Province.
"Go inform Li Qi to take Critic away at once! If he disobeys, he shall reap the bitter fruit of his own actions!"
Nian Shangyou truly couldn't fathom what Qiao Yi was trying to do.
The epidemic had already passed—why bother forcing Li Qi to take Critic away only now?
Besides, why would Li Qi listen to you in the first place?
And 'reap the bitter fruit'? How many bitter fruits had Great Shang swallowed over this period? Were there even any left for Li Qi to eat?
Nian Shangyou didn't want to go, but he needed a proper excuse.
Admitting that he feared Li Qi was definitely out of the question. Claiming that Li Qi wouldn't listen to reason would only prompt Qiao Yi to say they wouldn't know until they tried.
Since he couldn't find an excuse regarding Li Qi, he might as well find one regarding Critic.
"My lord, why must we have Li Qi take Critic back? Why not simply leave Critic in Chaoge for good!" Nian Shangyou slashed his hand downward, making a decapitation gesture.
"Kill him?" Qiao Yi looked Nian Shangyou up and down. "Are you certain of success?"
Nian Shangyou bowed low. "I am!"
This was no empty boast. When it came to killing Critic, Nian Shangyou was genuinely confident. Critic was unskilled in close combat; bringing along a few first-class weapons would surely take his life.
Earlier, they couldn't kill him for fear that he might drag everything down with him in mutual destruction, bringing catastrophe upon Chaoge.
Now that the catastrophe had passed and Chaoge was already reduced to this state, there was nothing left to worry about. What was the point of waiting to kill him?
Never did he expect Qiao Yi to reply: "Killing an Imperial Envoy dampens His Majesty's majesty and tarnishes the imperial court's reputation. Such a course of action is improper."
What on earth was he thinking? Speaking of the new monarch's majesty even now?
They had already turned against Puluo Province—did that new monarch even count anymore?
Even if the new monarch still counted, killing an imperial envoy wouldn't tarnish any reputations! How many people had this imperial envoy killed? Which official of Great Shang wouldn't want him dead?
Executing Critic would clearly bring satisfaction to everyone's hearts!
"My lord, this subordinate feels that this matter—"
"Enough!" Qiao Yi drafted a letter and handed it to Nian Shangyou. "When you see Li Qi, persuade him with gentle words! If he remains obstinately blind, return and report to me."
Helpless, Nian Shangyou set out for Puluo Province that very day.
That evening, the courier He Shengdong requested an audience.
In appearance, He Shengdong looked barely in his fifties, yet he was He Caiyuan's father and He Jiaqing's great-grandfather; his actual age exceeded a hundred years.
Bowing low with his head down, he entered the study, held the letter cylinder above his head with both hands, and presented it to Qiao Yi. Then, stepping backward several paces, he stood obediently opposite the desk.
From beginning to end, He Shengdong kept his eyes glued to the tips of his own shoes, never once daring to look Qiao Yi in the eye.
Qiao Yi was in no hurry to open the letter. Looking at He Shengdong, he said, "Your He family's great-grandson has stirred up quite a massive affair!"
Hearing this, He Shengdong dropped to both knees, knocking his head against the floor repeatedly. "He Jiaqing is guilty of heinous crimes beyond pardon! I beg my lord to issue an order permitting this old man to clean up our own house."
Qiao Yi let out a sigh. "This man's crimes are monstrous; he should have been executed long ago. Yet out of regard for your unwavering loyalty, I will show mercy and spare him once more.
"He committed grave errors out of covetous greed for territory, so I shall grant him a territory to make him a regional hegemon. I treat him with such generosity; if he knows how to repent, he may still prove useful in the days ahead."
"Thank you, my lord, for your boundless grace!" He Shengdong kowtowed repeatedly, his head striking the floor with audible thuds.
Qiao Yi waved a hand. "No need to thank me. Devoting your loyalty and wisdom to the imperial court will repay this sentiment. Go and take your rest."
He Shengdong shuffled backward on his knees, retreating out of the study.
Once he was gone, Qiao Yi dismissed everyone else and opened the letter cylinder.
Inside, the secret letter contained only a single line:
*The Great Totem has been repaired to seventy-five percent; this is the limit.*
Qiao Yi tapped his finger lightly on the desk and nodded slightly.
"Seventy-five percent. That is enough!"
Chapter 807