"But..." Third Master Gan muttered in displeasure. Just as he opened his mouth, Manager Zhao tugged at his sleeve.
Did he want to smooth things over or not?
He let out a heavy breath, turned his head, and said, "A'jin, you go."
The guard behind him immediately turned around and headed downstairs toward Beisong Pharmacy.
During this time, He Lingchuan did not say much to Third Master Gan. He asked the tavernkeeper for the best wine and poured drinks for himself.
He put on the haughty airs of his past days in Blackwater City. Third Master Gan tried to speak several times only to be cut off, leaving him no choice but to swallow his anger and sit down.
This took quite a while. It was about two incense sticks' worth of time before the guard finally returned.
"Is it done?"
"All taken care of." The guard whispered a few words into Third Master Gan's ear. The hunting dog had died, and the hunter had extorted a hefty sum of money from them.
By now, Third Master Gan's patience was thoroughly exhausted. He said in a low, grim voice, "Young Master He, can we talk now?"
He Lingchuan asked an unrelated question: "What was going on with the malicious specters clinging to that tusked boar?"
"What specters?" Third Master Gan grumbled indignantly. "There are limits to smearing someone."
Seeing his expression, He Lingchuan could tell he genuinely had no clue. "Why did you raise a tusked boar as a hunting pet? Everyone else uses hounds, while some train golden leopards."
A hunting pet was a companion that assisted in hunts.
Come to think of it, the common folk filling the street also seemed unable to see the ghostly faces on the boar.
Why was it that only He Lingchuan could see them at a glance?
"Once while hunting in the mountains, I picked up a piglet. I thought it looked nice, so I just raised it on a whim." Third Master Gan had no idea why he was asking this. "What fun is there in keeping the same hunting pet as everyone else?" Standing out was his pursuit, and a white boar was rare enough.
"Did anything unusual happen a few months ago?"
"What do you mean?" Annoyed by these bizarre, baffling questions, Third Master Gan said crossly, "Let's take care of actual business first."
He Lingchuan said with a pleasant smile, "So, Third Master Gan is already the decision-maker of the Gan family?"
Third Master Gan answered vaguely, "You could say that." This kid's manner of speaking was thoroughly grating.
He Lingchuan glanced at Manager Zhao, who offered a polite, placating smile.
"Fine, let's talk business then." He Lingchuan sat up straight and cleared his throat. "I've decided to find another caravan to travel to Lingxu City. I won't be troubling the Gan Merchant Guild. That is all."
The listeners were dumbfounded. Unable to hold back any longer, Third Master Gan slammed a fist onto the table with a bang. "Are you toying with me?!"
Manager Zhao had dragged him here by force and repeatedly cautioned him to speak pleasantly. He had swallowed his pride and let himself be run ragged, only to be met with this outcome?
"That's right, your attitude was terrible," He Lingchuan said with a beaming smile. "I'm dissatisfied."
Who could blame him when he was the client calling the shots? The only reason he hadn't made Third Master Gan kneel and call him daddy was that he found the boy unfilial.
"Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Third Master Gan's face flushed crimson. "Seize him! Search him for the Transit Pass!"
Manager Zhao cried out in dismay, "Third Master, you must not!" Yet he didn't even lift a hand to stop anyone.
The guards behind him hesitated, prompting Third Master Gan to roar in fury, "Get him! You little bastard killed my elder brother to steal the Transit Pass, and you dare swagger in here to swindle people?! I have every right and reason to capture you and drag you before the magistrate!"
The tavern had grown rowdy, and a crowd of onlookers had already gathered below. Third Master Gan wasn't stupid; he deliberately raised his voice so the onlookers downstairs could feast on the spectacle.
Sure enough, the street below erupted with a loud buzz, but not because Third Master Gan was arresting someone—it was because he had personally blurted out the news of his eldest brother's death!
Master Gan was dead!
The backbone of the Gan Merchant Guild had snapped.
The news was like a drop of water splashed into boiling oil; with an explosive roar, it spread like wildfire.
Third Master Gan on the second floor remained oblivious. He Lingchuan warned, "They're no match for me." With that, three throwing knives flew out in a triangular formation, thudding one after another into the pillar directly behind Third Master Gan.
One by his neck, one above his head, and one beside his temple.
Horrified, Third Master Gan shrank back cautiously, stood up, and backed away two paces before barking, "This is the Gan family's turf! Without my nod, you won't make it out of Wuze County, and not a single inn or post station will dare take you in!"
He Lingchuan smiled faintly. "We shall see."
Having delivered his threat, Third Master Gan spun on his heel and clattered down the stairs.
Manager Zhao bowed to He Lingchuan, offered an apology, and followed after Third Master Gan.
He Lingchuan waved over a waiter to order another pot of wine, acting as if nothing had happened.
Looking at this Third Master Gan was like looking at his original self from the past.
Back when his original self ran wild in Blackwater City, his backing had been far firmer than Third Master Gan's. In contrast, it was the mild and genial Manager Zhao whom He Lingchuan had watched digging a pit for Third Master Gan to jump right into.
When Manager Zhao had introduced He Lingchuan, he had merely said that the Spider Queen gave the Transit Pass to this young man, without saying a word about how he had killed the bandits, or that the caravan's safe exit from the swamp had depended entirely on the terms he struck with the Spider Queen. On both counts, He Lingchuan had not only avenged Master Gan, but was also the savior of the entire caravan.
Third Master Gan had taken it for granted that He Lingchuan had simply swooped in, intercepted the prize, and robbed them in their hour of misfortune.
Yet who could be blamed for that? Had it been Master Gan, he never would have been so easily misled.
Manager Zhao truly understood Third Master Gan's temperament inside out.
The spider on Zhao also leapt back onto He Lingchuan's table, signaling that its mission was accomplished.
He Lingchuan tapped the table. "How about running another errand for me? I suspect that Third Master Gan is going to stir up trouble." When it came to how spoiled rich heirs thought, He Lingchuan had the most authority. If they couldn't win in the open, they would almost certainly resort to dirty tricks in the shadows.
After all, being a traveler alone in a strange land, if he threw a punch, he had to be ready to ward off a kick.
The spider rubbed its large eyes, and He Lingchuan sensed its dissatisfaction:
*How can you make me work without paying me?*
Pay? Of course he would pay.
He Lingchuan promptly had the waiter bring over a fresh live fish.
Though the fish was still flopping after being taken out of water, that didn't stop the spider from dining on it. He Lingchuan watched as the little creature perched on the fish and injected its venom; after a brief moment, the fish stopped moving.
Only then did the eyeball spider's feast begin.
Well-fed and sated, it scurried off in satisfaction.
...
Before long, another person came upstairs.
At a glance, He Lingchuan recognized him as the "Second Master" he had spied through the eyeball spider.
Diners on the second floor were few. The Second Master scanned the room, instantly locked onto He Lingchuan, and strode directly toward him.
"Excuse me, are you Young Master He?"
He Lingchuan said calmly, "And you are?"
"My humble surname is Shi, from the Shimen Merchant Guild," the Second Master said with a smile. "I have a matter to consult Young Master He about. May I take a seat before we talk?"
He Lingchuan gestured invitingly. "Please."
As fate would have it, the Second Master took the very seat Third Master Gan had occupied earlier. As he sat down, his gaze swept across He Lingchuan's waist. His movement paused ever so slightly, but he quickly seated himself.
"We had a deep friendship with Guildmaster Gan. Hearing of his tragic demise, I came to pay my condolences in person." The Second Master shook his head somberly. "The Gan family was in its prime. Alas, the ways of the world are unpredictable."
Hearing this, He Lingchuan understood why he had only arrived now. So he had gone to pay his respects at the Gan residence first; in terms of etiquette, it was beyond reproach.
He asked deliberately, "Has Old Mistress Mao awakened?"
"She has awakened and taken her medicine. I heard she fainted twice from weeping earlier. Second Master Gan is attending to her side right now, his own eyes swollen from crying. Overcome with grief as Old Mistress Mao is, we only met with her briefly."
He answered fluently with rich detail; evidently, he had genuinely been there.
"Second Master is quite thoughtful." He Lingchuan gave him an opening and sighed deliberately. "I've been sitting here idly for over an hour and haven't even had the chance to set foot in the Gan residence."
Why He Lingchuan was sitting here and why the Second Master had come were things both sides knew full well.
The Second Master dropped any pretense of surprise. Although the youth before him was only seventeen or eighteen, he showed none of the impatience typical of his age. Otherwise, he could have bluntly blurted, "Are you here for the Transit Pass as well?"
Thus, he got straight to the point: "I heard that Young Master He is looking for a reliable caravan to travel to the capital of the demon kingdom?"
"Indeed. I entered the county less than two hours ago; Mister Shi is remarkably well-informed."
"Then I shall shamelessly recommend ourselves," the Second Master said with a grin. "The route from Wuze to Beijia's capital, Lingxu City, is one our Shimen Merchant Guild has operated for nineteen years. Aside from the very first year when internal turmoil struck the demon kingdom, the past eighteen years have gone smoothly without a single fatality. Among all merchant guilds in Wuze County, this is an unmatched record."
He Lingchuan gave a faint smirk. "I'm not merely looking for an escort. I need the convenience and privileges of a caravan when clearing checkpoints and conducting business. If matters arise on my end, the caravan must cooperate with me—that must be made crystal clear. Furthermore, I will only hand over the compensation once we complete the journey to Lingxu City."
"What is your purpose in going to Lingxu City?"
"Sightseeing."
The Second Master chuckled; the youth's brush-off lacked any shred of sincerity. "How much danger is involved?"
"Nothing dangerous. I'm just going to investigate a few things."
"You aren't looking to cause trouble for someone?"
"I have no interest in that." He Lingchuan smiled. "I'm someone who dislikes trouble as well."
The Second Master pondered in silence.
He truly knew little about this youth, but the Demon Nest Swamp Transit Pass was in his hands, and such an opportunity could not be missed.
Even if they escorted him and let him move about under the name of the Shimen Merchant Guild, how dangerous could it really be?
Besides, the caravan regularly carried long-distance passengers back and forth; when did they ever pry into every detail?
Without taking risks, how could one reap rewards?
"No matter. It's a deal then," the Second Master said with a hearty laugh. "I'll be joining this trip myself."
"Oh?" He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Aren't you afraid I'll renege on the payment?"
Both men knew full well that the "compensation" he spoke of was not silver or copper.
The Second Master waved a hand dismissively. "Distinguished guests of Songyang Mansion are prominent figures of standing and reputation. Why would you renege on a small guild like ours?"
In truth, they would. Big figures weren't above welshing on small debts.
He Lingchuan looked down at his waist. "How could you tell?"
"The style and craftsmanship of the scabbard at Young Master He's waist are quite distinctive—it is crafted exclusively for first-class honored guests by Songyang Mansion." The Second Master's eyes lingered on the scabbard. "Young Master He's treasured blade must be no ordinary weapon. May I ask which master crafted it?"
"Li Fubo." After Li Fubo helped He Lingchuan implant the Fusheng blade, he had casually given him a scabbard without ever mentioning it was a status symbol reserved for distinguished guests. Who would have thought that a thousand li away, this sheath would save him so much breath?
The Second Master was visibly shaken. "It was personally forged by the Chief Master Craftsman of the Middle Furnace of Songyang Mansion?!"
Seeing him so astounded, He Lingchuan felt obliged to appear modest instead: "Master Li happened to be free for those few months."
The Second Master wasn't about to take that seriously. If anyone could commission him, how could Li Fubo ever have free time? What was more, Young Master He had specified "a few months"—Master Li Fubo had spent months forging this single blade just for him!
Chapter 350