Chapter 271 - 269: Collusion
He Zhangqiu snapped out of his shock and lingering fear. He couldn’t be bothered to hide it from her anymore and handed her the letter, his words seething through gritted teeth. "See for yourself. We’ve been played by that bastard Li Sanli!"
Li Yuniang scanned it quickly, her pretty face paling. She hesitated, "This... Could this letter be a fake? Perhaps it’s a trick to sow discord?"
"Fake? This is Li Sanli’s personal seal. I’ve seen it before. The design is so unique that unless the Chen Family had seen the real thing, it would be impossible for them to forge one this convincing."
He Zhangqiu’s face was terrifyingly grim. "Let’s take a step back. The fact that they could create a seal so similar at least proves that the relationship between Li Sanli and the Chen Family is far from as simple as we thought. This letter is most likely real."
"Then... what should we do?"
Li Yuniang’s expression turned to one of worry and dependence as she gently tugged on He Zhangqiu’s sleeve. "Young Master, Yuniang is worried about you..."
He Zhangqiu took a deep breath, calming himself down to analyze the situation. "If the Tuo Long Bang really joins forces with the Chen Family and attacks us during the trade, coordinating from the inside and out, it would be a complete disaster for us."
His tone shifted, a ruthless and calculating glint appearing in his eyes. "But now... since I’ve discovered their plot ahead of time, the situation is completely different.
’This is the perfect opportunity to turn their own plan against them. Hmph. The Tuo Long Bang is asking for death, so they can’t blame me for being ruthless. After I wipe out their leadership, I might even be able to seize their businesses on the waterways.’
Li Yuniang’s eyes widened in surprise. "Young Master, are you confident? With them joining forces, they’ll surely have many Grandmasters..."
He Zhangqiu snorted smugly and gave her pert bottom a squeeze that was neither too light nor too hard, his tone boastful. "Do they think my He Family could only call upon one Void Transformation Grandmaster and two Divine Hall Grandmasters? Hmph. That’s just what we show on the surface.
"This time, we’ve brought out two Void Transformation Grandmasters and two Divine Hall Grandmasters. The Tuo Long Bang only has three Divine Hall Grandmasters. Even with the Chen Family’s help, they’ll have one or two more Grandmasters at most. What kind of waves can they possibly make?"
"Two Void Transformation Grandmasters?"
This time, Li Yuniang was truly stunned. "Young Master, where did you find another one?"
He Zhangqiu chuckled. "That’s my He Family’s final trump card. I can’t tell you right now. One day, when that old man finally kicks the bucket, I’ll welcome you through my door in grand style and make you the matriarch of the He Family. You’ll find out then, naturally."
With that, he turned to the perpetually anxious Cai Lian. "You did very well this time. You’ve rendered a great service. Go back immediately and continue to lie low. Report back the instant you notice the slightest disturbance."
Hearing this, Cai Lian showed no sign of joy. Instead, she dropped to her knees with a THUD, her voice choked with sobs and fear. "Young Master, this servant... I dare not go back. I stole the letter. What if... what if the Young Mistress has already discovered someone tampered with the hidden box? If I go back now, I’ll be walking right into a trap. I beg you, Young Master, show mercy and give this servant a way to live."
"Foolish!"
He Zhangqiu’s face darkened, and he berated her sharply. "If you don’t go back and she discovers the letter is missing, you’ll be the first person she suspects! That would be a true dead end. If you go back now and return the letter to its original place without anyone knowing, you’ll be safe as long as she doesn’t notice. Even if she does sense something is off, she might not discover it was you..."
He paused, took a small porcelain vial from his robes, and tipped out a crimson elixir, tossing it in front of Cai Lian. "If the worst comes to pass, take this. It will spare you from physical suffering. I will take good care of your family."
Cai Lian reached out with a trembling hand and picked up the elixir. Her hand was shaking violently, and her face was deathly pale.
He Zhangqiu’s tone softened. "Your younger brother is studying martial arts with my He Family. He’s very diligent and has now achieved the realm of Marrow Refining Cultivation Great Success. You’ve performed a great service this time. When you get back, I’ll have someone reward him with five thousand taels of silver, which will be enough for him to cultivate peacefully to Qi Realm Perfection. Just do your job, and I won’t mistreat you or your brother."
Upon hearing this, Cai Lian’s body stiffened. A look of struggle and fear flashed in her eyes before finally hardening into a sliver of resolve.
She bit her lip, carefully put the elixir away, and said in a low voice, "Yes, this servant understands... This servant will go back now."
Not daring to delay any longer, she used the cover of night to leave the small courtyard and return to the Zhou Mansion.
The entire way back, she was terrified, like a bird startled by the twang of a bowstring. Every rustle of leaves in the wind made her jump.
When she returned to her quarters in the Zhou Mansion, she grabbed a servant girl she knew and asked, "Has the... has the Young Mistress returned?"
The servant girl was embroidering and teased, "Sister Cai Lian, you’re looking for the Young Mistress? She went out with the Young Master. They’re probably having a good time right now. I doubt she’ll be eager to come back tonight."
Cai Lian’s heart settled slightly, and she secretly prayed that Zhou Shuwei wouldn’t return tonight.
Under the cover of darkness, after making sure no one was around, she tiptoed back into Zhou Shuwei’s boudoir.
Holding her breath, she gently pushed the door open, slipped inside, and pulled it shut behind her.
The room was pitch-black, with only a sliver of faint moonlight filtering through the window.
Relying on memory, she crept toward the hidden compartment and reached out to touch the mechanism.
Suddenly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed two pairs of cold eyes in the shadows of the inner room, watching her silently.
Cai Lian was scared out of her wits. Just as she was about to let out a scream, her vision went black, she lost consciousness, and collapsed limply to the floor.
...
「Zhuoyan Collection.」
Today was the grand market held at the end of the ten-day period. Before the sky had even brightened, the sounds of people were already rising.
Farmers, fishermen, and artisans from all the surrounding villages flocked in from every direction.
On the open riverbank, stalls were packed together like teeth on a comb. The cries of vendors, the haggling of customers, and the greetings of acquaintances all mixed together.
On a normal market day, only three to five hundred people would frequent this riverside market.
But today was clearly far busier than usual. Even the street corners along the riverbank were crowded with temporary stalls.
The crowd was nearly half again as large as usual, with people rubbing shoulders as they walked. It was incredibly lively.
The reason was simple: the eldest son of Master Chen from Lingxi was getting married soon.
The Chen Family was in the process of procuring all sorts of supplies for the wedding banquet.
This news had spread far and wide long ago.
For the common folk in the vicinity, this was nothing short of a huge business opportunity.
As the sun climbed higher and the market reached its peak of clamor, two enormous Treasure Ships slowly sailed in from down the Lishui River.
They approached the simple earthen and wooden dock of Zhuoyan Collection without a sound and moored steadily.
Strangely, after the ships had docked, no one disembarked, and not a sound could be heard from on board.
The two massive ships lay silently by the dock.
This unusual silence caused the passing market-goers to cast curious glances, whispering to each other and guessing what cargo the ships carried and who their mysterious owner might be.
The red sun sank in the west, and the clamor of the market faded away.
Vendors began to pack up their goods, and the crowd of market-goers dispersed in twos and threes.
Zhuoyan Collection gradually returned to its usual tranquility, with only scattered lanterns and the occasional bark of a dog remaining.
Only then did some movement finally come from the two Treasure Ships.
A dozen or so tough-looking men walked off the ships.
They didn’t go far, only buying large quantities of cooked meat and aged wine from the few food stalls and taverns near the dock that hadn’t closed yet. They wrapped the food in lotus leaves and oil paper, carried the wine jars, and returned to the ships in silence.
The night grew deeper.
DA DA DA!!
A crisp clatter of hooves rang out.
More than ten riders galloped over.
They rode straight to the center of the market, stopping before an inn with a dim oil lantern hanging by its door.
The leader, a burly, powerfully built man, swung himself off his horse. He didn’t bother with the door knocker, instead smashing his fist against the wooden door. "BANG! BANG! BANG! Open up! Open the door!"
The wooden door creaked open a crack, and a waiter poked half his head out.
In the dim light, he saw a group of sword- and saber-wielding Jianghu Travelers outside. His face went pale with fright, and he instinctively tried to pull his head back and bolt the door.
The burly man was quick. He blocked the door with his hand and roared, "What are you hiding for! You see us gentlemen arrive and you still dare to close the door?"
The waiter’s face was a mask of misery as he bowed repeatedly. "My good sirs, my apologies, my sincerest apologies! It’s the rule here in Zhuoyan Collection. Once night falls, we don’t accept new guests... If you gentlemen would be so kind, perhaps if you just go a little further..."
"Further, my ass!"
The burly man cut him off angrily before he could finish. "Further ahead is the damn Lishui River! You want me to go live in the river? Cut the crap and open the door. Any more nonsense and this saber in my hand won’t recognize any rules."
The waiter was so frightened by the man’s ferocious appearance and the gleaming saber at his waist that he shuddered. Not daring to say another word, he tremblingly removed the bolt and opened the door. "Please calm down, my good sir, calm down... Will you gentlemen be dining or staying the night?"
"Staying!"
The burly man answered impatiently, tossing over a ten-tael silver ingot. "Get the best clean rooms ready, and bring us something to eat."
The waiter caught the silver, but his face showed no joy. "Yes, yes, of course. Please wait a moment, good sir."
Not long after the dozen or so men had settled in, the waiter tremblingly brought over several large platters of sliced cooked beef and a few jars of locally brewed aged wine.
The men began to eat and drink in silence.
Just then, a dark figure shot up from one of the Treasure Ships moored at the dock, rising into the air without a sound.
The figure wore a black bamboo hat and a pair of worn-out straw sandals.
Two sheathless short blades were crossed at his waist, and on his back, he carried a weapon tightly wrapped in gray cloth.
After landing, Li Sanli walked straight toward the inn.
As he stepped into the inn, the dozen or so men eating and drinking inside instantly froze. In unison, their gazes snapped to the doorway, and their hands unconsciously went to their weapons.
Li Sanli’s gaze fell on He Zhangqiu. "Young Master He, what is the meaning of this? Since you’ve arrived, why not come aboard the ship? The Gang Leader has already prepared a banquet. Why lower yourself to stay in this humble inn?"
He Zhangqiu set down his wine cup and deliberately wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief. A smirk played on his lips. "I appreciate Gang Leader Sanli’s kind intentions. However..."
A mocking glint flashed in his eyes. "I wouldn’t dare board your esteemed gang’s Treasure Ship so easily. Who knows if a welcoming banquet is waiting for me on that ship, or my last meal? What if you all get a sudden impulse, lop off this head of mine, and send it to the Chen Family as a wedding gift? Wouldn’t that be a terrible loss for me?"
As his voice fell, the air inside the inn seemed to freeze instantly.
The previously calm atmosphere immediately became tense, with swords drawn and crossbows taut, ready to explode at any moment!