As mentioned earlier, this is a world of immortals and chivalrous heroes. Although the imperial court has the Bureau of Anomaly Suppression, the military, and practitioners like those in the City God Temple, wealthy merchants and noble families still hold an extra layer of reverence. Their primary duty is to suppress malevolent anomalies and otherworldly beings, prevent foreign invasions, and maintain social stability. Thus, while the elite of the Great Jing Dynasty may sometimes throw their weight around, they dare not go too far. At the very least, wanton disregard for human life is far rarer here than in typical ancient worlds.
You see, the Great Jing Dynasty is home to numerous sects, most of them prestigious. Warriors, sword cultivators, and others who despise evil are abundant. If you commit misdeeds and are spotted, a single sword could claim your head. Do you think the Great Jing court would offend a martial sect for an ordinary person, especially when the sect is in the right? Therefore, even wealthy families, at most, rely on connections or wealth to pressure others, or employ shady tactics like hiring local ruffians, but they generally have a line they won’t cross.
Take the Zhao family, for instance. No matter how much Lu Zheng irks them, they wouldn’t consider using underhanded methods outright. After all, having just arrived in Tonglin County, they don’t want to give the local authorities or prominent households the impression of being bullies.
After being rebuffed by Lu Zheng, Zhao Wenrong, seething with anger, instructed Zhou Mingsheng to prepare gifts and stormed off to Chunfeng Tower with a servant to blow off steam.
…
The next day at noon, Zhao Wenrong and Zhou Mingsheng visited Registrar Li to explain their intentions.
Li nodded. “I share a bond of scholarship with your father. This small favour is no trouble, just a shop. I’ll help mediate, and you should offer a higher price. In business, more friends mean more opportunities. I doubt they’ll refuse.”
Zhao Wenrong mentioned that the other party was just a small merchant with a single shop, so Li didn’t think much of it. He assumed Zhao Wenrong’s lofty attitude, backed by the Yizhou Zhao family’s prestige, had caused the talks to stall. With his mediation, a local merchant would surely give some face. After all, he was a county official, and as the saying goes, a local official holds more sway than a distant one.
Zhao Wenrong bowed. “Thank you, Uncle Li!”
“No trouble at all!” Li sipped his tea, smiling. “Who’s the other party? Tell me.”
Zhou Mingsheng quickly said, “His name is Lu Zheng, and the shop is called Sweet Pastry Shop.”
“Pfft!” Li spat out his tea.
“Who?”
“Lu Zheng, a young man.”
Noticing Li’s odd expression, Zhou Mingsheng spoke cautiously.
Li hurriedly set down his teacup, looking serious. “What exactly happened between you and him? Tell me everything!”
Zhou Mingsheng swallowed hard. He’d already sensed something unusual about Lu Zheng at his home but hadn’t thought too deeply. Seeing Li’s reaction now… Zhao Wenrong was equally baffled. “Uncle Li, what’s with this Lu Zheng?”
“Speak!” Li urged.
“Yes, yes!” Zhou Mingsheng recounted their two encounters with Lu Zheng, adding, “We were always courteous, but that Lu Zheng… Master Lu kept giving us the cold shoulder.”
“Your servant is clueless, and you’re no better?” Li said irritably.
“Does his family…” Zhou Mingsheng ventured.
“Have a relative in high office?” Zhao Wenrong interjected, then added, “My second uncle is an official in Yuhe County!”
Li nearly flung his teacup. “You flaunted the Zhao family name. If he had an official in his family, wouldn’t he have said so?”
From ancient times to now, the relationship between officials and merchants has been murky, intertwined, a question of who holds the upper hand. Anyone with a powerful backer would either be a fool or plotting something if they didn’t mention it.
“Then what…” Zhou Mingsheng began.
Li cut to the chase. “Master Lu is an outer disciple of Baiyun Temple.”
“Baiyun Temple?” Zhao Wenrong and Zhou Mingsheng exchanged glances.
The Zhao family’s influence didn’t extend beyond Yizhou, and they had little contact with the martial world. They genuinely hadn’t heard of Baiyun Temple.
Still… “A martial sect?” Zhou Mingsheng asked. “But surely that wouldn’t make you…”
There were sects around Yizhou Prefecture, and while merchants respected them, they weren’t afraid. After all, the court’s Bureau of Anomaly Suppression held authority, punishing lawbreakers.
“Master Lu is friends with the Peach Blossom Fairy, the land deity of the southern city,” Li said calmly.
That meant connections to official channels. A land deity, though not part of the civil bureaucracy, was not to be underestimated.
Zhao Wenrong blinked, still defiant. “We don’t deal with land deities.”
Merchants and noble families worshipped the God of Wealth, not land deities, unlike farmers toiling in the fields.
Li continued, “He also has connections in Yizhou’s Bureau of Anomaly Suppression.”
He hadn’t forgotten why the order to build the Peach Blossom Shrine came down.
Zhao Wenrong: “…”
Zhou Mingsheng: “…”
This extended beyond Tonglin County, reaching Yizhou Prefecture? The Bureau of Anomaly Suppression might not handle mundane affairs, but its influence over the yamen was significant. That alone made underhanded tactics against Lu Zheng impossible.
But… the Bureau only dealt with anomalies, not administrative matters. Why was Li, a registrar, too scared to even mediate?
Seeing Zhao Wenrong’s lingering frustration, as if he wanted to argue, Li delivered the final blow. “Oh, and Master Lu knows the new Yizhou Prefecture Governor, Lord Du. Just a few days ago, Lord Du visited him in person.”
Zhao Wenrong: ???
Zhou Mingsheng: !!!
Now they were truly deflated. The Yizhou Prefecture Governor? The highest local official!
“Then he…” Zhao Wenrong’s heart skipped a beat, his mouth twitching. “Why didn’t he say anything?”
Li shook his head. “How would I know?”
Glancing at Zhao Wenrong, considering he was the son of an old friend, Li added, “Master Lu’s status isn’t a secret in the yamen. Constable Liu has helped him deal with some petty thieves. When Lord Du came incognito a few days ago, it was Constable Liu who relayed the message. Both the county magistrate and the county deputy know. Since you’re doing business in the county, you must have connections in the yamen. A little inquiry would’ve revealed his background. He probably thought there was no need to say it, assuming you’d find out.”
Damn, is that how it works? I don’t flaunt my status, but others do it for me? This could’ve caused a huge misunderstanding! We nearly walked into a disaster!
Zhao Wenrong inwardly raged, while Zhou Mingsheng wiped sweat from his brow.
“So…” Li concluded, addressing them sternly. “Since Master Lu said he’s not selling, forget about Sweet Pastry Shop. Look at other shops in Cong’an Market. If you find a suitable one, offer a fair price with sincerity, and I can help broker a deal.”
With things laid out so clearly, Zhao Wenrong knew Li wouldn’t help them confront Lu Zheng. He could only thank him and take his leave.
“Uh, Young Master…” Zhou Mingsheng hesitated, then said, “Shall I list that shop for sale again?”
What else could they do? Admit defeat.
“List it,” Zhao Wenrong sighed helplessly, then added, “Also… send Zhao Si back home. Family discipline.”
“Yes!” Zhou Mingsheng’s eyes flashed as he bowed in agreement.
…
Meanwhile, after dropping Liu Qingyan off at Renxin Hall in the morning, Lu Zheng had been waiting for Zhao Wenrong’s next move. In the afternoon, he even strolled around Sweet Pastry Shop, ready for action. The moment the other side made a move, the classic slap-in-the-face scenario would unfold. Lu Zheng was practically rubbing his hands in excitement.
But after waiting all day, not only did no schemes materialize, a broker from the agency showed up, hanging a “for sale” sign on the shop next to Sweet Pastry Shop.
Lu Zheng: ⚆_⚆?
What’s going on? They chickened out before even making a move?
