Chapter 632: They Want What?!
Chapter 632: They Want What?!
When Lin Xuan Qi got back to the mansion, Old Heng, young master Chew and their friends were in the main hall waiting for him.
"They’ve been waiting for a while." Xue Cong, who was making sure that these visitors were taken care of, said to him when she saw him back in the mansion.
He nodded his head at her and said, "Thanks. Go and have a rest first."
After she was helped to her room by Xiu, he turned around and entered the main hall.
He wasn’t exactly sure why they were here but he was certain that it had something to do with the Qing Feng Sect and what Zhao Geng Nian was planning to do with the clans and families.
"Finally, you are back, Master Lin." Old Heng stood up and cupped his hands at him.
Lin Xuan Qi gave him a nod and said, "I was busy supervising at the construction site.
"So sorry that I had to make all of you wait.
"Hopefully it wasn’t too long.
"Please take a seat and have some tea."
He walked towards his favorite seat that was looking out towards the gates of the mansion and sat down.
Servant girls quickly poured him a cup of tea and plates of desserts to go with the tea were served for him.
The other visitors were also glad to see him back.
But their smiles at him were short-lived.
They glanced around at each other as if they were waiting for someone to speak up.
Lin Xuan Qi observed what was happening while he had a sip of the warm tea.
When he was done, he put down the tea cup and asked, "How may I help you today?"
Old Heng gave out a sigh, shook his head and said, "We are here to see if you have any ideas to help with what’s coming."
"And that is?" Lin Xuan Qi leaned forward with a frown and asked.
"I’ve caught wind that the Governor, under the instruction of Master Zhao Geng Nian, is going to impose a tax of a hundred Spirit Stones and ten thousand taels of gold, to help fight against the cultivators from the north."
Old Heng said and lowered his head with a long sigh.
The others also did the same, with some of them stomping their legs on the ground in exasperation.
It pained them as losing money was like cutting a piece of meat from them.
"A hundred Spirit Stones and ten thousand taels of gold..." Lin Xuan Qi frowned as he mumbled the so-called tax to himself.
This was way out of his expectations.
He had expected it to be much less, maybe at around five thousand taels of gold.
But apparently, he was way off the mark.
The Qing Feng Sect was looking to leech them dry this time.
When Old Heng and young master Chew saw his expression, they gasped and held their breaths, praying that he would have something up his sleeves.
Lin Xuan Qi was their last resort now.
None of them had much of an idea on what to do next.
If they were dealing with the corrupted officials of the imperial court, they could bribe their way out of it.
But this time it was the Qing Feng Sect behind it.
Their usual connections and ways of doing things wouldn’t work with the Qing Feng Sect.
All of their hopes were rested on the shoulders of Lin Xuan Qi.
With his nimble mind and a very different view on doing things, they thought that he might have an idea to help.
What the Qing Feng Sect was asking for was too much even for them.
"Master Lin, you are our only hope now."
"Yeah. My business needs all the liquidity it can have to run it properly."
"With the rising price of the materials and logistics, it will be a death sentence for our business if we have to cough out so much money in such a short time."
All of them said and nodded their heads in unison.
Things weren’t going too well with the war in the north going on, and now, if they had to lose so much money all of a sudden, their businesses most probably wouldn’t survive.
They gave out a short sigh and glanced at him with anticipation.
"When will the Governor give out the edict?" Lin Xuan Qi glanced at Old Heng and asked.
"Maybe four or five days later... The Governor will have to wait for the imperial court’s approval." Old Heng replied.
Lin Xuan Qi picked up his tea cup, had a sip of the tea and pondered on what he could do.
He could seek help from Lu Ting and Huo Fei Li to see if they had any influence in the imperial court to stop the edict.
Which he doubted would work.
The Qing Feng Sect’s influence was much more powerful than anyone else’s, with even the emperor on their side.
But it might be enough if they could help stall for time.
Once he got the confirmation about the Crimson Wolf Lord’s actual objective to be Gui Feng city from Lee He Song, Lao Er and Ling Er, he could make use of it to stop the edict from being passed.
The imperial court’s attention would have to be on Gui Feng instead by then.
"I can only try my best to stop it, but I would need your help..." Lin Xuan Qi put down his tea cup again and glanced at Old Heng, young master Chew and their friends.
When they heard him, they sat up straight with their faces lit up and eyes gleaming with excitement.
"We will be more than ready to help."
"Yes, as long as we wouldn’t need to pay up, we will do anything that you ask of us."
"My family would be indebted to you if you can help us."
One by one, they expressed their willingness to do so.
They didn’t know exactly how or when it was, but Lin Xuan Qi had now become the person they looked up to for advice.
And thankfully, they were right to do so this time.
Lin Xuan Qi nodded his head at their enthusiastic reply and said, "First, I need you to..."