Chapter 31: An Opportunity to Make Money

In truth, it was their machinations that led to Bian Weikang's current predicament. The unsavory friends who steered him astray were all part of their scheme. Their initial intention was to gradually drag the Wukang Mountain sect leader into trouble through Bian Weikang, ultimately taking control of the sect.

Unexpectedly, Bian Jixiong proved remarkably decisive, directly expelling his son from the sect and severing their father-son ties. This rendered all their efforts fruitless.

Nevertheless, they held firm to the belief that a father-son bond isn't so easily broken, especially since Bian Jixiong's wife was still alive, and he was her biological son. Thus, they adapted their plans, pushing for an alternative approach.

Seeing her resolve, Fengchi sighed softly. "I fear your current identity, Saintess, makes things difficult. How could Bian Jixiong ever allow his son to marry a courtesan? You'll likely face great hardship if you proceed."

"Who said I'm getting married?" Xiang Lan'er put down her comb, rose, and faced her. "Go ahead."

Fengchi offered a wry, apologetic smile. "Saintess, please forgive my offense."

With permission granted, she wielded her whip, striking her victim repeatedly with considerable force. She continued until the other woman's hair was disheveled and whip marks marred her face, stopping only when she looked utterly battered.

Xiang Lan'er turned to her reflection in the mirror, nodding slightly. "Soon, you go down and scold him thoroughly. When you call for him to be driven away, I'll rush out and block his path. I'll threaten to take my own life with a dagger, declaring that I cannot live without him and will never yield to another."

Fengchi put down the whip. "Of course, I won't agree readily. I'll continue to dissuade you, comparing Bian Weikang to Lu Taizhen, and tell you how foolish you are."

Xiang Lan'er replied, "Precious treasures are easily found, but a loving man is rare. If I die, you won't get 450,000, not even a speck of gold dust... That should be enough."

Fengchi nodded. "Alright, seeing you threaten to take your own life, I'll have no choice but to accept the 450,000 and let you both go. Shall we go down now?"

Xiang Lan'er, however, settled back in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection. "Let him feel a little more despair," she murmured. "He shouldn't get what he wants so easily."

Fengchi chuckled. "Exactly. He needs to realize how difficult it was to obtain, only then will he truly cherish it."

Downstairs, Wu Jinliang gradually lost interest in the raucous scene at the entrance. His eager gaze shifted, settling on the women leaning against the railings on the upper floors.

Just as he was about to slip away and enter Liyun Tower, a familiar cheerful voice rang out. "I told you, the big guy would come straight here first," it said. "See? He didn't stray at all, found him right away."

The voice was indeed familiar. Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang quickly scanned their surroundings, spotting two men wearing soft hats and dressed like shop assistants. They stood on a flight of steps, cheerfully waving and calling out, "Boss! Jinliang! Over here!"

Their eyes lit up, for the two men were none other than the brothers who had left Dongjiu about a month prior.

They looked, and indeed were, considerably older than Shi Chun and his companions, both in their forties.

The one with the long face was Old Dong, his shifty eyes hinting at cunning.

The one with the wider face was called Big Stone; there was another, younger Stone from Dongjiu, and Big Stone, true to his name, appeared much more steady.

Delighted to unexpectedly encounter old acquaintances, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang excitedly moved away from the crowd.

Upon meeting outside the throng, Old Dong and Big Stone surprisingly performed a perfectly synchronized formal bow to Shi Chun, calling out in unison, "Greetings, Boss!"

They had clearly acquired a certain air of sophistication.

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang clicked their tongues, scrutinizing them from head to toe. They noticed the two were impeccably dressed, had clearly gained weight, and looked much fairer, indicating they were living a good life.

However, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang soon froze. On Old Dong's collar was the character "Bo" embroidered in silver. They recognized the attire; wasn't it the uniform of Bowang Tower?

Wu Jinliang pointed at the character on their collars, asking in surprise, "You guys?"

Big Stone smiled. "After we left, we were fortunate enough to meet the proprietress, who recommended us to Bowang Tower. Honestly, it's all thanks to you, Boss..." He suddenly trailed off as Old Dong subtly tugged at the back of his shirt.

The cat was out of the bag. Wu Jinliang's eyebrows shot up, and the great saber he was leaning on slowly rose. He sneered, "I wondered how the proprietress knew about me shouting 'Mom' everywhere! So it was you two scoundrels who betrayed me!"

With a whoosh, he swung the saber down.

The two, not ones to meekly accept a beating, immediately sprang away and fled, with Wu Jinliang chasing them relentlessly with his raised saber. This scene attracted considerable attention: who dared to fight here?

Places with large gatherings usually have rules.

"Jinliang, you can't fight here, you'll be caught! Boss, quickly stop him!" Old Dong shrieked as he ran.

Luckily, Wu Jinliang's saber was indeed heavy, which made chasing people a bit difficult.

Shi Chun, needing to speak with them, immediately called out to stop the chase. "Jinliang, we have important matters to discuss."

At Shi Chun's words, Wu Jinliang finally halted, planting his great saber on the ground. Pointing at the two, he cursed, "You ungrateful wretches! Buy Shi Chun and me a new set of clothes first!"

Big Stone immediately agreed, "We'll pay."

Old Dong nodded repeatedly. "Absolutely, and we'll treat you to a good meal too."

Shi Chun raised his hand, beckoning the two over. "Did the delivery people from Bowang Tower tell you we were here?" he asked.

"Yes," Old Dong replied. "Che Si, the leader, mentioned it casually when he saw us. As soon as we heard, we immediately asked for leave to come find you. Boss, I'm so glad to see you're finally out." As he spoke, a glimmer of moisture appeared in the corner of his eye.

Big Stone's smile, too, held a hint of wistfulness. He nodded vigorously, genuinely looking pleased.

Despite their excitement, they hadn't hesitated to betray their brother when it served them.

Shi Chun, well aware of their character, asked, "Where are the others?"

Both men shook their heads. Big Stone explained, "They've all gone to seek their own fortunes, we don't know where. You said it yourself, Boss: we're used to fighting and killing. If we stayed together after getting out, with so many of us, we'd get bold and inevitably cause trouble. Didn't you tell everyone to find a good job and live a peaceful life? So, everyone went their separate ways."

Recalling the faces and voices of that gang, Wu Jinliang, his face etched with indignation, also fell silent.

Shi Chun sighed wistfully but quickly composed himself. He then asked the two men, "There's a chance to make a fortune. Do you want a share?"

At the mention of making a fortune, everyone, including Wu Jinliang, pricked up their ears. By old habit, they instinctively gathered closer in a huddle to hear what the boss had to say.

"I need 40,000 gold, immediately," he stated. "Can you get it for me as soon as possible?"

"We don't have that much money," Big Stone replied. "What do you need so much for?"

Shi Chun replied, "Don't ask questions. Just tell me if you can get it. I promise to double it and return it within three days—possibly even today."

The three had no doubt about his ability to acquire things, and they trusted his promise.

Old Dong said to Big Stone, "Then we'll have to borrow from the Tower."

Big Stone frowned. "The Tower pays us 300 gold a month. That's only a little over 7,000 gold a year. Can we really advance five or six years' worth of salary?"

"I have a method we can try," Old Dong declared, pulling Big Stone along. As they walked away, he called back to Shi Chun, "Boss, wait for us here. We'll be right back."

"Excellent!" Shi Chun gave him a thumbs-up.

Wu Jinliang muttered beside him, "Why do I feel like Old Dong is being unusually agreeable?"

"It is a bit odd," Shi Chun conceded. "Never mind that, as long as we can get the money first. We're still short 10,000. Let's pool our resources; you give me 4,000."

"Fifty thousand?" Wu Jinliang instantly caught on. He turned his head towards the crowded area, pointed there, and his eyes widened. "You're not planning to help him raise that fifty thousand, are you? If so, you'll gain absolutely nothing. Didn't you hear them? He's been expelled from the sect and can't repay any money! I'm not giving anything." He clutched his pouch tightly.

Shi Chun couldn't be bothered with him and went to sit down on a nearby stone platform to rest.

Wu Jinliang quickly realized a problem: if he contributed 4,000, they'd still need 6,000. This meant Shi Chun would have to empty his pockets, and that guy wasn't one to take losses lightly. He immediately moved closer to strike up a conversation. "Didn't you hear them say Lu Taizhen isn't to be trifled with?" he began. "Trying to steal his woman will cause trouble."

Shi Chun crossed one leg over the other and asked, puzzled, "Why would I steal his woman? Knowing he's not to be provoked, yet still trying to steal her—am I insane? He wants the woman, I want money. He'd pay 500,000 to buy someone from Liyun Tower; I'll get her out and sell her to him for only 200,000. Does it matter whose hands he buys her from?"