Chapter 628: Fang Canran's Way of Hospitality

**Chapter 623: Fang Canran's Hospitality**

Inside, there was a commode, so distinguished guests wouldn't have to squat until their legs went numb.

The private room was always filled with the strong scent of incense, and beneath it, incense ash and bamboo charcoal were laid out to eliminate any peculiar odors.

He Lingchuan waved his hand. "No need, I'll go myself... I'll go myself." With that, he swayed to his feet.

He seemed to be staggering, his steps uneven and his balance precarious, but he eventually made it over.

Fang Canran waited outside the private room for a while, when suddenly he heard a thud, as if something heavy had fallen behind the heavy door.

He rushed over and saw He Lingchuan sprawled face down on the path leading out.

He squatted down and shook He Lingchuan's shoulder. "Brother He?"

The young man didn't respond.

Fang Canran called out twice more, but He Lingchuan remained still.

Fang Canran's smile vanished. He took out a rope, muttered a few incantations, and then looped it around He Lingchuan's hand. The rope automatically tightened, wrapping twice.

Fang Canran tugged at it twice to ensure it was securely bound.

Just then, the wooden window burst open with a bang, blown wide by a strong gust of wind, instantly filling the hall with drafts.

It had started raining outside at some point; cold rainwater, carried by the wind, lashed wildly at people's faces.

Fearing He Lingchuan might be roused by the wind and rain, Fang Canran rushed two steps to close the window.

Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard gate and called out, "Manager Fang!"

Fang Canran responded, "Speak!"

The wind was strong. The person had already moved from the courtyard to just outside the door, leaning against it as they shouted, "General Yang is entertaining guests at Wānxiāng Courtyard, and seven or eight of them are drunk and about to leave. But the hundred taels of silver he produced to pay the bill are... are fake. If you cut them open, there's a block of tin inside. What should we do?"

Fang Canran immediately replied, "Accept it and see them off as usual. Tomorrow evening, take the fake silver to General Yang's mansion."

"Yes, sir!"

Fang Canran listened as the servant's footsteps faded away, then walked over to the captive, lifted him back to the small hall, and sat him in a chair. He then took out a half-palm-wide, upward-facing golden toad ornament and dropped a spark into its large mouth.

Soon after, a wisp of clear smoke began to emerge from the golden toad's mouth. It was remarkably tri-colored—red, blue, and black—and each color rose distinctly without mixing.

Fang Canran held his breath and placed the golden toad ornament beneath He Lingchuan's nose.

The tri-colored smoke, as if guided, drifted into the captive's nostrils.

He Lingchuan seemed uncomfortable and stirred slightly, causing Fang Canran's expression to tense.

Fortunately, the captive quickly became still again, and his breathing simultaneously grew lighter.

Had anyone else been present, they would have been utterly astounded by this scene. Manager Fang, the most trusted Grand Manager of the Golden Horn family and a boss who had expanded and strengthened his business, was personally engaging in a sneak attack!

An ordinary person would rack their brains trying to figure out why he would do this, only concluding it was the pinnacle of business warfare.

Fang Canran estimated the time. After forty breaths, he moved the golden toad away, extinguished the tri-colored smoke, and then performed a wind-summoning incantation, calling a breeze to blow all residual smoke in the air towards the back hall. Only then did he dare to breathe freely.

He leaned close to He Lingchuan and whispered, "Young Master He?"

He Lingchuan didn't respond.

He asked again, and only then did He Lingchuan mumble a drowsy "Hm?"

Fang Canran's voice was exceedingly gentle. "Young Master He, where are you?"

He Lingchuan: "I... I don't know."

"Don't be afraid. You're very safe, very comfortable. No one will do anything to you... Do you know who I am?"

"No."

Fang Canran asked again, "What is your full name?"

"He Xiao."

"Where are you from?"

"Fu Nation."

The substance Fang Canran used was the Tri-color Tranquilizing Smoke, which could put the subject in a relaxed state, neither fully asleep nor fully awake. If guided properly, it could elicit answers to questions, and afterwards, the subject would have no recollection of what transpired.

This smoke was ideal for interrogating suspects, allowing for complete stealth.

Even Fan Sheng had been defeated by this individual, so Fang Canran didn't expect to gain any advantage through brute force. However, young people often lack firm resolve and are easily swayed by pleasures and distractions, so he could start there.

Asking a few routine questions was to alleviate the captive's subconscious apprehensions. Fang Canran then got to the point: "Why did you come to Lingxu City?"

"Bai Ziqi wanted me to come; I had no choice."

His story was well-known throughout Lingxu City, so Fang Canran naturally understood what that meant.

"And what else? Is there anything else you need to do?"

He Lingchuan's tone was very bewildered. "What else?"

"In Lingxu City, do you have any other important matters to attend to?"

"I don't know." He Lingchuan was even more puzzled than him. "Do I?"

How would Fang Canran know if he did? He could only change the question. "What is your relationship with Li Qingge, the Lord of Songyang Manor?"

"Friends."

"How did you meet?"

"I met her when I asked Songyang Manor to forge a blade for me."

Fang Canran frowned slightly. "You met a few days ago; what did you discuss?"

He Lingchuan stirred. "The Marquis wants to recruit me as... as a guest elder."

"That's all?" No other schemes?

He Lingchuan didn't respond.

Fang Canran then asked, "Do you recognize a signet ring with five spiral patterns on it?"

"Yes, I do."

Here was the crux of the matter: "How do you recognize it?"

"I've seen it."

Fang Canran's heart tightened. "Where have you seen it?"

"In the hands of Fang Canran, the Grand Manager of Dunyuan."

"..." Fang Canran was somewhat exasperated. "Have you seen it before that?"

"Yes. To the west."

This answer greatly surprised Fang Canran.

This was the problem with using the Tri-color Smoke for interrogation: the subject would lose their logical ability, acting like a puppet on strings, making it difficult for them to give complete answers.

"Where is 'to the west'?"

"West of Beijia, further west."

"What's the place name?"

Fang Canran pressed him several more times before the other party finally said, "Linhe City."

When those three words left He Lingchuan's mouth, Fang Canran's face instantly darkened. His chest rose and fell as if he was suppressing anger, and he said, "What do you intend to do to the current owner of this signet ring?"

"Fang Canran?"

"Yes."

He Lingchuan tilted his head. "It's hard to say. It depends on what he intends to do to me."

"Last question." Fang Canran's expression was about to break. "Are you talking nonsense?"

"Yes."

Then, He Lingchuan opened his eyes.

His gaze was clear; there wasn't a hint of confusion.

Simultaneously, Fang Canran's dagger was at He Lingchuan's throat.

"Manager Fang, is this your idea of hospitality?" He Lingchuan wiggled his bound hands. Fang Canran glanced at them, saw that the rope was still tightly secured, and felt a slight sense of relief.

He Lingchuan could have feigned unconsciousness and pretended to answer the questions, but he wasn't willing to suffer this silent humiliation.

Being at a disadvantage in their first encounter would only make Fang Canran look down on him, thinking he could manipulate him at will.

Although his story was widely circulated in Lingxu City, people only knew that Cen Boqing had sent assassins after him, but not the specific methods used.

Presumably, Fang Canran hadn't inquired, otherwise, if he had heard that even a Curse Master couldn't kill He Lingchuan, he would certainly be more cautious about methods like drugging him and using Tri-color Smoke.

Fang Canran sighed a long, drawn-out sigh. "How good it would have been if you had simply remained unconscious, honestly confessed, and then woken up oblivious to everything?"

If the Tri-color Tranquilizing Smoke had taken effect, and He Lingchuan had woken up remembering nothing he'd said or experienced, merely thinking he was a bit hazy from drink, wouldn't that have been a happy outcome for everyone?

This special envoy from Chiyan had made quite a name for himself in Lingxu City, and others were hesitant to cross him. That's why Fang Canran wanted to use this method to quietly probe him. After asking his questions, he could snap his fingers, and they could both pleasantly eat and drink together as if nothing had happened.

He Lingchuan shook his head. "Your smoke was too pungent; I woke up the moment I smelled it."

Fang Canran was somewhat dejected. He hadn't used the Tri-color Smoke many times, and its effects varied from person to person, making the dosage difficult to control.

Since He Lingchuan had already seen through his deception and their implicit understanding was broken, then—

"Now things are getting ugly."

"Aren't you going to untie me?" He Lingchuan looked at him, lifting his chin. "So many people at Pianxiang Villa saw us leave together; they're all witnesses. If you untie the rope now, I might just let bygones be bygones."

He seemed completely unconcerned. Fang Canran straightened up. "It's good that you're awake; we don't need to beat around the bush anymore. Where exactly did you learn about this spiral-patterned ring?"

He Lingchuan was dumbfounded. "You're tying people up over such a trivial matter? Manager Fang, you've gone too far!"

He struggled twice, but the rope only tightened further, making him hiss in pain, his face contorting slightly.

Seeing that he was indeed unable to break free, Fang Canran retracted his dagger. "This is an Earth Immortal Rope; it can restrain true power."

Otherwise, with He Lingchuan's strength, wouldn't breaking free from ordinary ropes be a matter of moments? "I was just casually looking at that ring. If you don't believe me, then so be it."

Fang Canran looked at him as if he was just being stubborn. "I've given you several chances, but you refuse to speak, so don't blame me."

After several encounters, he was tired of probing and didn't want to leave such a hidden threat.

He Lingchuan flinched. "What do you want to do? How dare you?"

With so many witnesses, would Fang Canran dare to kill him?

The Grand Manager of the Golden Horn family had always presented himself as elegant and refined. Could this extreme demeanor now be his true face?

Fang Canran poured a cup of wine and pushed it toward him. "Drink this, explain the whole story clearly, and I might spare your life."

He Lingchuan then saw him take out a soft leather pouch, unroll it, and reveal various metal tools: small scissors, small knives, small tweezers, clamps, hammers, and some oddly shaped ones whose purpose was unknown.

But each item was polished to a gleam.

"Or, punishment by wine. I have twelve types of severe torture and thirty-six types of minor torture here. You can taste each one before you die."

Was it appropriate for a dignified big merchant to keep so many torture instruments?

He Lingchuan scoffed. "My many opponents didn't dare to do this; does Manager Fang intend to do their work for them?"

"Those opponents have their reservations and cling to their wealth and future, which is why you have room to maneuver." Fang Canran raised the spiral-patterned signet ring and dangled it before him. "You keep staring at it, so you should know that the owner of this ring has never been afraid of death!"

His last few words resonated with power.

Since he had already offended He Lingchuan and exposed his anxiety, he wasn't afraid to offend him further to the death.

The plan had failed, but surely there should be some gain?

He Lingchuan also stopped struggling and carefully examined the ring.

End of Chapter