The Price of Young Master He's Favor

Eliminating the cicada scourge once and for all would do the Mount Rong Sect an immense favor. Otherwise, when spring arrived and the strange cicadas staged a comeback, Mount Rong Sect would likely lose both its people and its land, and who knew what kind of headache that would bring. Indebted by such immense kindness with no idea how to repay it, they were only too glad that He Lingchuan was willing to state his conditions. "How much money is the Yuan Kingdom looking to borrow from your sect this time?" Elder Dao was taken aback. "Well, for the exact figure, I'll have to ask the sect leader." After all, that was outside his jurisdiction. He Lingchuan said solemnly, "I wish to facilitate this loan. As for the collateral Yuan Kingdom offers, I will take responsibility for inspecting and securing it on your sect's behalf." Elder Dao was visibly moved. "Young Master He has his homeland at heart." He remembered that He Lingchuan was a native of the Yuan Kingdom. "It is my motherland, after all. Whatever small contribution I can make, I will." From within He Lingchuan's robes, the soul-snatching mirror burst into laughter. "What a performance! What acting! I nearly believed you!" *Smack!* He Lingchuan clapped a hand over his chest. "I cannot make the call on this; I must ask Sect Leader for instructions." Though he said this, Elder Dao showed no sign of difficulty on his face, and He Lingchuan estimated that the matter had a good chance of succeeding. With that, Elder Dao departed in haste. ... Four hours later, Elder Dao returned accompanied by another elder. "This is my junior brother, Elder Qian." True to his name, this man oversaw the Mount Rong Sect's money and accounts. Elder Dao smiled again. "Yuan Kingdom requested a loan of seven million taels of silver in one go and sent three envoys one after another, all of whom were turned down by our sect. Because they have been borrowing money everywhere and their creditors are legion, the sect was concerned about their ability to repay. But our sect leader says that since Young Master He has spoken, Mount Rong naturally has no reason to refuse!" Seven million taels? He Lingchuan gave a rueful smile. "Sect Leader Xue is truly giving me face." Sect Leader Xue was essentially telling him that this favor was valued far above seven million taels. If Yuan Kingdom defaulted on the debt or fell short on collateral, Mount Rong Sect's total losses, past and present, would amount to twenty-seven million taels! "You gentlemen have done our sect a tremendous service. Disbursing a little extra silver is a trivial matter, not to mention that our dealings with Yuan Kingdom are backed by collateral." Elder Dao took out a token and official papers, handing them to He Lingchuan. "At the same time, Sect Leader Xue wishes to appoint Young Master He as our Special Envoy to Yuan. On the one hand, Young Master He must oversee matters for us, vetting Yuan Kingdom's collateral and authorizing the release of funds. On the other hand—" He paused. "Having this status will also make it convenient for Young Master He to conduct your business in the Yuan Kingdom." He Lingchuan had asked Mount Rong Sect to lend him men precisely because he needed to return to his country to handle matters. Sect Master Xue and Elder Dao both remembered this, and so they paved the way for him. Moved, He Lingchuan solemnly accepted the token. "Sect Master Xue's forethought is truly thorough. I will not fail his trust!" After exchanging a few pleasantries, Elder Dao gave a light cough. "Ahem, regarding the method to eliminate the cicadas..." He Lingchuan patted Dong Rui's shoulder. "He doesn't need to go; sending the Cicada Mother will be enough. After all, it's the Cicada Mother that serves as bait, not him." Elder Dao's eyes lit up. "Is that feasible?" Dong Rui answered without hesitation, "Why wouldn't it be? The traits of the Cicada Mother I engineered are stabilizing, and its lifespan is lengthening. As long as you continue breeding from the existing stock, you will have an endless supply of bait." Elder Dao was overjoyed. "Mr. Wei's boundless benevolence is something both our sect and Ju Kingdom will take to heart!" Dong Rui held his hands behind his back, putting on the airs of an aloof master from beyond the secular world. "When speaking to Ju Kingdom, just say this was a method you devised yourselves. Do not bring me into it." "Well..." Claiming credit for another's work like this was something Mount Rong Sect could not openly bring itself to do. He Lingchuan chuckled. "He is indifferent to fame and fortune. Elder Dao, there is no need to worry yourself over it." Elder Dao said with heartfelt emotion, "Mount Rong thanks you, Mr. Wei." Dong Rui remained impervious to flatteries. "No need for thanks. Just make sure you quickly settle the matters you promised us." He Lingchuan secretly gave him a thumbs-up. *A fine performance playing the stern one!* Next, Elder Qian took over to coordinate with He Lingchuan. Now that he had been honored with the appointment of the sect's special envoy, Elder Qian needed to lay out Yuan Kingdom's debts and terms in detail for him. As for the funds to be loaned to Yuan Kingdom, there was no need to haul silver across thousands of li; He Lingchuan only had to carry several draft notes. With these drafts, the Yuan court could withdraw this immense sum from the Fenglong Money House in the capital. Both Yuan Kingdom and Mount Rong had branches of the Fenglong Money House, making this arrangement both convenient and secure. Naturally, withdrawing the funds required not only Sect Master Xue's handwritten authorization, but He Lingchuan himself had to be present with the token. He Lingchuan cleared his throat lightly. "I must also thicken my skin and ask Sect Master Xue for another power." Elder Qian said, "Please, do speak." After some deliberation, the two sides agreed to add another clause to the agreement with Yuan Kingdom: As Yuan Kingdom's major creditor, Mount Rong Sect had the right to dispatch an envoy on-site to oversee and guide the usage of every single penny loaned out— This was only natural. Otherwise, if we lend you money and you squander it recklessly, what then? Did Mount Rong Sect not know full well how the previously loaned funds had vanished? If you lack the ability to spend money properly, then I shall teach you how to spend it. Once this clause was drafted, He Lingchuan felt half the weight lift from his shoulders. "My sincere thanks to Sect Master Xue and both elders!" He knew very well that this was a generous gift and token of gratitude from Mount Rong Sect. Sincerity—pure, unadulterated sincerity. Having concluded the discussion on the relevant details, He Lingchuan took the opportunity to inquire about the current situation in Yuan Kingdom. Although over the past month and more he had picked up many rumors from the common streets and Mount Rong disciples, those were second-hand reports after all, likely riddled with discrepancies compared to the truth. Certain matters were most reliable when heard directly from the mouths of Mount Rong's higher-ups like Elder Dao and Elder Qian. With his return to the country imminent, he had to do his homework in advance. First, the domestic situation in Yuan Kingdom remained bleak. Ever since General Wu Di fell in battle, the collapse on the northwestern front had become increasingly pronounced. Grand Marshal Dong Haoming, leading his Wuzhou army, fought with ever-growing momentum and ease; Ke Jihai, left to support the front alone, was forced to withdraw his troops two hundred li. The Yuan royal court had no choice but to transfer Zhao Pan from the northern front to the northwest to handle the emergency. Zhao Pan excelled at defense and coordinated well with Ke Jihai, barely stabilizing the situation on the northwestern front. However, taking advantage of the Yuan royal court throwing all its strength into supporting the northwest while leaving other regions drained and vulnerable, uprisings erupted once again in Yuan Kingdom's south and southeast. Though the two rebel forces fought independently, they tacitly coordinated well—looting granaries, seizing government offices, and distributing official silver, causing their ranks to swell rapidly. In particular, the southern rebel army was rumored to have already reached fifty thousand strong. The birthplace of this rebel force was only two towns away from the site of the earlier uprising led by the "Holy Master" Hong Xiangqian. How coincidental was that? During the previous uprising by Hong Xiangqian, the rebels had pushed all the way north in the end, even capturing Woling Pass and coming within a hair's breadth of sailing east to attack the secondary capital, Shihuan City. Now, with another southern uprising pushing northward once more, the Yuan royal court was worried out of its wits. The only piece of good news was that a ceasefire had taken effect on the northern front in Xiazhou, which would remain relatively safe for some time to come. At least in this direction, Yuan Kingdom could breathe a sigh of relief. Because the traitor despised to the marrow of their bones by the people of Yuan Kingdom—the former Governor of Xunzhou, Nian Zanli—had already been convicted and thrown into prison in Lingxu City!