Chapter 484 - 292: A Familiar Scent
Chapter 484: Chapter 292: A Familiar Scent
The moment he entered, he saw a piece of calligraphy hanging behind the desk.
"Song of the Water Melody: Mid-Autumn: When will the bright moon appear, with a cup of wine... Though a thousand miles apart, we share the same moon’s light—Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou."
A Cloud Immortal Realm drifted above the study, and within it, a figure stood proudly.
Perhaps sensing an intruder, he raised his head and looked down at the newcomer from under his half-lowered eyelids.
"Uncle Gui" stared blankly at the calligraphy, stared blankly at the figure within the Immortal Realm, his mouth hanging slightly open.
"Chen Yi, Chen Qingzhou... Liu Wu..."
...
「West Market, Hundred Herbs Hall.」
After leaving Jishi Medicine Hall, Chen Yi came straight here.
To avoid being recognized, he had deliberately changed into his "Chen Yu" disguise and summoned Wang Ji.
"Have your men get ready. As soon as we get the signal from Dabao, they are to head to the Lin Family Grain Store immediately."
’Since that clever Lin Zhenghong took it upon himself to approach Cui Qingwu ahead of time, it’s only fitting he handles this part too.’
Wang Ji bowed his head in agreement.
But after some thought, he asked in a low voice, "Sir, this is all very sudden. I’m afraid Dabao’s side might not be adequately prepared."
"It’s fine."
"All I need is a spark. As for how brightly the fire burns..."
Chen Yi stood by the window of the quiet room, his hands behind his back. He gazed out at the gloomy rain through a crack in the woven rattan blinds and said softly, "That’s not up to me."
"The greedier they are, the more this fire will burn until there’s nothing left of them but ashes."
Originally, he had indeed planned to wait a few more days, to let the people from the Ji State Trading Company grow complacent and count their silver while enjoying a few sweet dreams.
But after what happened with Yuan Liu’er, he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
Or rather, the people of Shu State City couldn’t afford to wait.
If he waited any longer, today it was Yuan Liu’er, but tomorrow there would be a Zhao Liu’er, and a Sun Liu’er.
He could accept letting the poor go hungry for a few meals in order to root out the cancer that was the Ji State Trading Company.
But he could not just stand by and watch them die.
He was unwilling, and unable.
’Conscience is the kind of thing that, once you lower its standards even an inch, that inch is lost forever. Trying to raise them again later isn’t just as hard as climbing to heaven; it’s laughable, especially to those who suffered undeserved calamities. Even on the road to the underworld, they would be able to laugh loud enough to shake the heavens.’
Chen Yi had no desire to be filled with regret one day.
「After waiting for about two hours.」
Chen Yi saw a flash of fire in the western sky, followed by another in the southern sky, and turned to leave the quiet room.
Wang Ji, not daring to hesitate, hurried downstairs and whispered something to a Guard from the Celestial Sect.
The young-looking Guard nodded and ran out of Hundred Herbs Hall, his face alight with excitement.
Chen Yi glanced over, gave a nod to Wang Ji, and left as well.
He had only taken a few steps, however, when he sensed a familiar aura beside him, followed by a cheerful voice:
"Boss Chen, we meet again."
Chen Yi turned to see Xie Tingyun greeting him while simultaneously shouting to the Celestial Sect disciple who was running off into the distance:
"Junior Brother Jin Peng, what are you running so fast for?"
The Celestial Sect disciple named Jin Peng waved without looking back. "Eldest Sister, I’ll tell you when I get back!"
Xie Tingyun didn’t think much of it. She walked up to Chen Yi’s side and, with the casual familiarity of an old friend, went to slap his shoulder.
"Boss Chen, thank you for taking in our Celestial Sect disciples."
Chen Yi dodged without a trace of effort and said coolly, "I should be the one thanking you."
Xie Tingyun’s hand froze in midair. She looked at him, then at her own hand, and praised with a smile, "Boss Chen, your Martial Arts are quite impressive."
"I only know some crude Fist and Foot techniques. Nothing worth mentioning."
"You..."
Before she could finish, Chen Yi gave a slight bow. "I have other business to attend to. Please excuse me."
Xie Tingyun let out a cry of protest, but before she could say anything, he was already far away.
She froze for a moment, looked down at her clothes, and scratched her head in confusion.
’Am I really that scary?’
Chen Yi paid her no mind. After confirming no one was following him, he returned once again to the East Market.
To be precise, he entered a small tavern across from the Lin Mansion.
「It was just past noon.」
The tavern wasn’t very crowded.
Chen Yi took a seat by the window and ordered a pot of yellow wine, half a catty of beef, and a bowl of clear noodle soup.
As he ate, he listened for any activity from inside and outside the Lin Mansion.
「About fifteen minutes later.」
The sound of urgent hoofbeats arrived, followed by frantic knocking on a door.
"You, why are you back? Weren’t you with the caravan heading to the black market beyond the Ancient Tea-Horse Road?"
"Quick, take me to see the Master! Something terrible has happened!"
The voices carried over intermittently, filled with ceaseless sounds of shock and fear.
"Is it true?"
"Did those horse bandits from Poshisu Country really attack?"
"It’s absolutely true!"
"I saw it with my own eyes! Those horse bandits were killing passing merchants just beyond the Ancient Tea-Horse Road! It wasn’t far from the border pass!"
"They... they were riding tall horses with their hooves wrapped in cloth, and every one of them looked like a vicious demon..."
"Uncle Hao, Third Master... they’re all dead..."
"No, impossible!"
"How could King Nalandu dare to do such a thing?!"
"Master, it’s true, it’s true, WAHHH..."
The clamor stopped abruptly, as if someone else had arrived, silencing everyone, including Lin Zhenghong.
"What happened?"
"Lord Wind Patrol Envoy, you’re... you’re finally here! That... King Nalandu has actually led a great army to attack the border."
"What?!"
"Did... did you go find that person from the Cui Family?"
"Your orders... of course I wouldn’t dare... wouldn’t dare *not* to. I already made a contract with Miss Cui last night..."
"Sir, now isn’t the time to talk about this! Shouldn’t... shouldn’t we be making plans?"
"Idiot!"
"King Landu’s attack is the perfect opportunity for us to make a fortune, and you... you’re thinking of running away?"
"Quick, before Miss Cui hears the news, go to her immediately and get that contract back!"
"But... but... Miss Cui’s people already took possession of the grain this morning..."
"You!?"
"I don’t care what method you use, I want to see that grain back in your Lin Family’s storehouses before nightfall!"
"Ah, I..."
Hearing this, Chen Yi glanced toward the Lin Mansion. ’How fortunate. So the "clever" one wasn’t Lin Zhenghong, but the person standing behind him. I had wondered how a temporary replacement for Lin Huai’an could be so vigilant, transferring the grain to Cui Qingwu the moment he heard Lv Jiunan was still alive. It seems the Ji State Trading Company has other people in Shu State. They say "those who are good at swimming are the ones who drown." This saves me a lot of trouble.’
Chen Yi chuckled to himself, finished the wine in his pot in one gulp, and rose to leave the tavern.
’The rest depends on how big Cui Qingwu’s appetite is...’
...
After a few twists and turns,
Chen Yi removed his disguise and, holding an Oil Paper Umbrella, leisurely returned to the Xiao Family estate.
Everything was as usual along the way.
Armored Warriors, Household Servants, and Maids greeted him warmly and called out to him without pause.
Chen Yi smiled and nodded to each of them in return, his mood much improved from when he had witnessed Yuan Liu’er’s plight.
’According to my calculations, now that the Ji State Trading Company has the news, they’ll immediately go looking for Cui Qingwu. In a day or two at most, I can have Liu Lang’s side make their move. Combined with the information from Asutai, Lv Jiunan, and the others... if the Ji State Trading Company doesn’t lose at least a million taels of silver, it’ll be an insult to all my hard work and planning.’
However, Chen Yi’s good mood only lasted until the moment he stepped into Spring Lotus Garden—
It was as if heaven and earth had transformed.
The gloomy, rainy weather outside was chilly, but its chill was nothing compared to the bone-piercing cold inside Spring Lotus Garden.
Wisps of crimson mist filled the garden, and black, feather-shaped snowflakes drifted in midair.
The ground was no longer damp bluestone slabs, but a field of thorns.
Vines as thick as the mouth of a bowl twisted and crawled across the entire courtyard, their barbs oozing a dark green fluid.
Towering, giant trees stood in dense ranks, and deep within them, two wooden buildings and a small pavilion could be vaguely seen.
The smile on Chen Yi’s face gradually faded. He surveyed the scene before him, then glanced back over his shoulder.
It was the same dense thicket of thorns.
It was as if his step hadn’t taken him through the gate of Spring Lotus Garden, but thousands of miles away into a bizarre forest.
"Perfection Realm... an Illusion Skill?"
The words had barely left his lips when he heard a sinister laugh from beside him:
"Illusion Skill?"
"This is the secret art of Poshisu Country—Black Magic!"
A thin old man dressed in the uniform of a Marquis’s Mansion Household Servant stood on a nearby giant tree, looking down with crimson eyes.
"Your Excellency, ’Dragon Spear,’ or should I say, Mr. Qingzhou, you’ve certainly kept this old man waiting!"