Acrid smoke hung in the air as passing pedestrians gathered around. Lü Qiuwei and the others immediately brought out tray after tray of candies and pastries for onlookers to take as they pleased, beaming as they called out loudly, "Today, our young master signed a contract with Eldest Master Lu to purchase the Yangshan Archipelago! In the future, there will be food, drink, and entertainment aplenty, so please come and give us your support!"
The pastries all came from Qucheng's most famous pastry shop—delicate and exquisite, looking splendid arranged on the platters. Adults and children alike crowded in to grab a few, turning the street bustling and lively.
Once his initial surprise passed, Lu Qing'an felt both amused and annoyed.
By pulling a stunt like this and dragging the transaction into broad daylight, was this He fellow afraid the Lu family would renege on the deal later, so he had brought the elders of ten streets to bear witness?
Did he honestly think he was being clever?
If he were truly a smart man, he wouldn't have saved his energy for a moment like this. He would have done his research before buying the islands to save tens of thousands of taels in wasted money; or at the very least, examined the contract more closely to leave fewer loopholes.
What was the point of playing such petty tricks?
With the commoners craning their necks to look at him, Lu Qing'an had no choice but to smile and wave, maintaining his poise.
This confirmed what He Lingchuan's men were shouting: the Lu family had indeed sold the Yangshan Archipelago to Young Master He, and Eldest Master Lu Qing'an himself had come to the government office to sign the contract.
He Lingchuan carried a platter out himself to distribute the treats. The children grabbed candy without hesitation, but the adults lowered their heads and avoided his gaze.
Longtime residents of Bailie all knew the Yangshan Archipelago was no good place. For the Lu family to sell it to an unwitting outsider was wicked.
Yet Eldest Master Lu stood right there, and his men were mingling in the crowd with ears pricked, glaring sharply to catch anyone who let something slip. Thus, the townspeople did not dare offer He Lingchuan any hints; they simply took their candies and pastries and hurried away.
A few thick-skinned ones even offered him a word or two: "Congratulations, congratulations!"
Eventually, Lu Qing'an grew impatient and said to He Lingchuan with a smile, "Young Master He, the restaurant is just around the corner ahead."
"Oh, right!" Only then did He Lingchuan set down the platter and clap his hands together. "Let's go! I won't stop drinking until Eldest Master Lu and I are thoroughly drunk!"
The restaurant where Lu Qing'an entertained valued clients was naturally of no low caliber.
There were delicacies from mountain and sea, as well as flavors stewed from both together. For instance, Linglong Pavilion's signature dish closely resembled Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, likewise double-boiled for over eight hours, yet its flavor was far more refreshing. Dipped in red vinegar with shredded ginger, it earned He Lingchuan's ceaseless praise.
Lu Qing'an was about to fleece eighty thousand taels of silver from him, so he naturally didn't care about the petty expense of treating him to a meal. He also wanted to sound out He Lingchuan and probe his true background.
While feasting heartily and running up Lu Qing'an's bill, He Lingchuan portrayed himself as a nobleman from the Fu Kingdom, claiming his family also conducted business with Beijia and was the sole supplier of several highly sought-after goods.
He had indeed traveled through the Fu Kingdom and journeyed thousands of li alongside the Second Master of the Shimen Merchant Guild, so he had heard plenty about the Fu Kingdom's customs and commercial workings. Now he used all of it to spin grand tales for Lu Qing'an.
There were far too many small countries and factions on the fringes of the great ocean. Bailie knew very little about an inland nation like the Fu Kingdom that did not border the sea. After Blade Harbor was "leased" by the Qing Kingdom, Bailie had lost its most crucial seaport, reducing its interactions with distant lands even further.
Lu Qing'an tried asking a few questions.
When it came to eating, drinking, and merrymaking, He Lingchuan answered fluently.
When it came to business operations, he stammered and faltered, perfectly matching the Lu family's impression of him.
Fortunately, fine wine enlivened the mood, and the lively drinking between host and guest smoothed over any awkwardness.
Lu Qing'an gradually came to view He Lingchuan as a spoiled scion driven from his household—loaded with money, but utterly lacking in business acumen.
The crucial part was that he still had plenty of money.
Later, he asked He Lingchuan, "Young Master He is now an island lord. How do you plan to make use of the Yangshan Archipelago?"
He Lingchuan ate a piece of creamy fish lips, picked up his wine cup, and drained it in one gulp. "This is delicious—rich, fragrant, tender, and chewy! What is this?"
"This dish is made exclusively with the lips of sturgeon, simmered in fresh cow's milk. Only a few strips of lip can be taken from each fish; it is a rare delicacy."
"Rare" simply meant expensive.
"You coastal people certainly know how to eat. I've truly come to the right place."
Lu Qing'an shook his head. "Sturgeon live in the depths of freshwater lakes two hundred li north of here; they are not sea fish. It is quite far from us as well."
Otherwise, if they could just harvest them from the sea, how could the ingredient be called rare?
This dish alone cost two taels of silver.
Seeing his distinguished guest's focus linger solely on the dishes, Lu Qing'an could only turn and instruct the restaurant staff to bring another platter of fish lips, prepared differently this time.
Only then did He Lingchuan drawl, "Ah, the Yangshan Archipelago... I see its soil is fertile, perfect for setting up both estates and farmland. And once the coastal islands are properly renovated, the sea routes will naturally bring me an endless stream of visitors!"
So he bought the islands just to farm? Wouldn't he lose his shirt?
Lu Qing'an chuckled inwardly and said, "If Young Master He needs anything, just say the word. We will gladly extend the hospitality of the host!"
Yet He Lingchuan took this polite remark seriously and slapped the table. "Excellent! Eldest Master Lu is truly generous! Extensive construction is needed on the islands, and I require top-quality materials and skilled craftsmen!"
Up to now, he was still a stranger in an unfamiliar land. To procure suitable materials and labor, he indeed needed a local's help.
Lu Qing'an clapped his hands. "A trifling matter. I can assemble all of those for you. Bailie is renowned for skilled artisans. Whatever halls and palaces Young Master He desires, they can build them for you."
The largest timber merchant in the area belonged to the Lu family.
He Lingchuan promptly raised his cup to toast him. "Then it's settled? Then I'll trouble Eldest Master Lu to find me three hundred craftsmen first!"
"...A piece of cake."
The two exchanged a toast, then went back to watching the beautiful courtesans twirl in dance.
***
The next morning, Lu Qing'an awoke still feeling somewhat groggy.
He was a cultivator, yet his mouth was parched; it took drinking several cups of honey water before he felt better.
That kid surnamed He could really drink!
Toward the end, he had gotten a bit hazy himself and seemed to have patted his chest making promises to He, though he couldn't recall what he had guaranteed.
Never mind. Drunken banter didn't count for anything anyway.
Composing himself, he summoned someone and ordered, "Over the next ten days, set up covert defenses around the government office and the Lu residence. If anyone comes looking for trouble, arrest them immediately! When members of my household go out, they must also be escorted by guards."
The He fellow would sooner or later discover the truth about the Yangshan Archipelago. When that happened, he would either come demanding to return the islands and cancel the contract, or make trouble for the Lu residence.
What wouldn't a lawless scion of a prominent family do?
How else could he have been kicked out of his family and cast out tens of thousands of li away?
With Lu Qing'an giving these orders, his subordinates naturally complied.
Yet after several days on high alert, Qucheng remained calm and uneventful.
He Lingchuan did not storm over in fury to denounce them as swindlers, nor did he send anyone to besiege the Lu family's front gates.
Chapter 896