Elder Cai spoke with a force that shook the ground.
Mo Li found it absurd; he could not understand how Elder Cai could speak so nonchalantly about harming others, and still seem so guilt-free.
Meng Qi did not buy into Elder Cai’s reasoning, and said with a sneer, “It seems age has clouded your judgment, sir. Just before, you explicitly stated that we are not men of the martial world. How come now you want us to resolve disputes using martial methods? Draw the line, will you accept anything? What if I were to report this to the officials, would you stand here and wait to be arrested?”
Elder Cai was taken aback.
Apparently, he had never encountered such a person, even as an old hand of the martial world, he couldn’t find the right words to save face.
Who would willingly go to the government these days? It’s a place where those with justice but no money shall not enter, requiring a bribe just to file a complaint.
Elder Cai thought, could these two be officials in disguise?
But they didn’t look the part!
“Ahem.”
The leader of the Changxin Gang couldn’t hold back any longer, clearing his throat. Outwardly, he seemed to be helping Elder Cai, but in reality, he subtly reminded, “The authorities in Yuzhou do not ignore everything, but they do ignore the disputes caused by us in the martial world. As long as the casualties are not local scholars or wealthy families, there is no sound. If the elder were to report this to the officials, it would be in vain.”
Mo Li frowned harder, then thought of his bad luck, often being dragged into matters that had nothing to do with him. Why did these people target him for fights and killings? He was skilled in martial arts and feared nothing, but what about the common people? Were they supposed to die?
Even reporting to the authorities afterwards was useless?
“Why not interfere with the matters of martial clans?”
“This… it’s better to mind less business than more,” said the leader of Changxin Gang, somewhat at a loss, not understanding why Mo Li was questioning him.
Sensing the sharp aura emanating from Mo Li, the gang leader instinctively stepped back, chuckling nervously, “Our Yuzhou is peaceful, but in places crisscrossed by waterways, the various Jianghu gangs bandits fight over docks and waterways, causing chaos incessantly. Even if a group of soldiers came to suppress them by force, killing or capturing them, the docks and waterways can’t be moved. Once these people are gone, there will just be another group to take their place and fight again. Why would the authorities bother? Use prison food as charity to shelter the people of the martial world, providing them a place to stay?”
Mo Li: “……”
Meng Qi said casually, “There are officials overseeing the riverways and docks as well, just idly occupying their positions. Such is the atmosphere in the Qi dynasty’s official circles; those in the martial world just take advantage of this loophole, thinking the whole world should operate this way.”
The leader of Changxin Gang looked embarrassed, cursing inwardly these two for stirring up trouble, why talk about reporting to the authorities? Just confront the Dragon Head Association and force Elder Cai to expose those unsightly deals!
The leader of Changxin Gang could endure, but Du Biaotou could no longer hold back, risking offending the Dragon Head Association, he said angrily, “Elder Cai, you are highly respected and have a significant reputation in the martial world, all brothers from the four gangs and twelve assemblies respect you. If there’s really a problem, just say it, wouldn’t everyone understand? Who exactly is it that makes the Dragon Head Association, makes you, sir, feel troubled, and can only silently run errands for them?”
Brilliantly said! The leader of Changxin Gang internally exclaimed in approval.
He subconsciously looked towards Meng Qi, thinking, see, this is how to question properly.
However, catching Meng Qi’s seemingly smiling gaze, he felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on his head, and his bravado instantly shrank, hurriedly slipping aside as if he didn’t exist.
Although Elder Cai was somewhat displeased with Du Biaotou’s questioning, he expected it, unlike Meng Qi’s unpredictable challenges.
“……It’s not about running errands, it’s about not provoking those we cannot afford to provoke,” Elder Cai, clenching his iron mace, said gravely: “Just as you entered, this gentleman here had already guessed the situation quite clearly. They want to use the most prestigious gang in Yuzhou as a meeting point for the transaction, the money is from King Wu of Chu, and the receiver is the mysterious and deadly Piaoping Pavilion, who among them can we afford to offend?”
“Is it really King Wu?” Du Biaotou was first shocked, then fell into contemplation.
His shock was not because one of the three kings of the Chu dynasty was involved in this affair, but because the truth was almost exactly as Meng Qi had speculated.
Although it was obvious to anyone, to specifically link the payer to one of the three kings of Chu based on a transaction involving six hundred taels of gold showed terrifying ability.
Du Biaotou decided to keep his mouth shut, not uttering another word, fearing being dragged into a bigger calamity.
“It’s not the first time King Wu has reached into the roads of Yuzhou,” Elder Cai snorted coldly, calling out the name of the leader of Changxin Gang directly, prompting him to speak.
Under the scrutinizing gaze of Meng Qi and Mo Li, the leader of the Changxin Gang spoke haltingly, “Indeed, over the past few years, many martial artists have been lured by the promise of glory and riches to the south, to serve under King Wu. Sometimes, we even encounter escort agencies and gangs from the south who also have intricate connections with King Wu. Some work to make money for him, others scout for manpower; it’s all quite bustling.”
But only those who have fallen on hard times would go.
Not to mention a dominant local force like the Dragon Head Association, even the leader of the Changxin Gang would not abandon his hard-earned enterprise to take up a nominal official title and a meager salary.
“Becoming a lackey of the officials ruins one’s reputation,” the gang leader grimaced, then shivered and looked inexplicably at Mo Li.
What had he said wrong now, to upset this volatile star?
Meanwhile, Meng Qi recalled encountering Daoist Sang at Mount Shimo, who led a ragtag band of martial artists rumored to be digging for dragon veins. They had ended up brawling senselessly in the Stone Valley maze.
This group was also gathered by King Wu.
“Consulting daoists, hiring assassins… King Wu’s methods for plotting dominance are indeed unique,” Meng Qi said with irony.
Only Mo Li heard this comment. Dr. Mo also quickly recalled the affair at Mount Shimo Fortress and looked questioningly at Elder Cai, asking, “Whom did King Wu hire the Piaoping Pavilion to kill?”
“This old man doesn’t know,” Elder Cai confessed truthfully.
If it were just a matter of paying with silver notes, there was no need for the two parties to meet on the Dragon Head Association’s turf. The Piaoping Pavilion needed to erase traces of transporting six hundred taels of gold, check the quality of the gold, and the employer would write the name of the target on a sealed wax pill to pass it discreetly. How could anyone in the Dragon Head Association know?
“Not even a guess?” Meng Qi pressed.
“Honestly, I suspect they want to kill someone related to the Holy Lotus Sect… possibly Tianshou King of the southwest.”
Mo Li was taken aback, pondering whether Elder Cai was deliberately muddling the waters with his words or if he truly believed it.
However, the situation sounded quite absurd. King Wu, a descendant of the Chu dynasty, with the royal family of the Qi dynasty being traitorous usurpers, and Tianshou King even less legitimate, a self-proclaimed king relying on favorable circumstances. Compared to the three kings of the Chu dynasty or the royal family of the Qi dynasty, Tianshou King was hardly considered significant, and many likely did not take him seriously.
King Wu’s willingness to spend six hundred taels of gold on Tianshou King’s life indicated what?
At least in King Wu’s eyes, Tianshou King was a significant nuisance and a threat, worthy of spending six hundred taels of gold on an assassin.
In fact, King Wu’s territory didn’t border Tianshou King’s at all; they were separated by the entire province of Jingzhou and most of Yizhou. Even if Tianshou King had the Holy Lotus Sect’s forces, they couldn’t impact King Wu’s domain in the short term.
“Brother Meng, perhaps our earlier speculations were correct,” Mo Li murmured telepathically.
The Holy Lotus Sect wasn’t just an ordinary cult deceiving the people; everyone had underestimated Tianshou King.
Whatever King Wu or his advisors knew, at least they were aware of Tianshou King’s secrets. Tianshou King wasn’t just another contender in the fray; he might have been plotting for a long time, possibly with other forces besides the Holy Lotus Sect hidden in the shadows.
King Wu had already recruited many martial artists, his paid retainers, yet he chose not to use them, preferring to spend a hefty sum.
Mo Li, pondering this, asked, “Is King Wu naturally frugal, or does he squander gold?”
Elder Cai understood his meaning and answered slowly, “Throwing six hundred taels of gold into the water to hear it splash would make quite a sound for a while. Even though King Wu occupies the rich lands of Qiantang, with many wives and a luxurious palace, compared to throwing away six hundred taels of gold, he’d rather reward his loyal guards or favorite concubines.”
The world’s great turmoil was like a complex chess game.
Mo Li initially thought it was the aftermath of a conflict, but he hadn’t realized there were many hidden threats involved.
“Is there evidence for this speculation?”
“How can there be evidence for a speculation?”
Elder Cai paused, then added, “The Piaoping Pavilion heard that the four gangs and twelve assemblies wanted to eradicate a branch of the Holy Lotus Sect, and they were unusually agreeable. The price they asked was low, yet they deployed many expendable agents. It all seems like a losing business, and the Piaoping Pavilion has no need to curry favor with me. The only one related to the Holy Lotus Sect who could become a serious concern for King Wu is Tianshou King.”
Even the leader of the Changxin Gang couldn’t help but interject, “What if you’re wrong?”
“Ha, what does that have to do with me?” Elder Cai said as he looked at Mo Li.
He felt that compared to Meng Qi, this younger man with a more handsome appearance was easier to talk to.
Under the intense scrutiny of Meng Qi and Mo Li, the Changxin Gang leader haltingly said, “Whether it’s the Piaoping Pavilion or King Wu and Tianshou King, those are matters from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. The urgent task at hand is to figure out how to send these two calamities away. The four gangs and twelve assemblies almost blew people up with explosives, and the Eight Rhymes Hall set up an ambush only to be beaten until their faces were swollen and even their martial arts were crippled. A grudge has been formed, but it still needs to be resolved.”
“The Dragon Head Association is willing to offer two bottles of healing elixir, twenty kilograms of salt, four hundred kilograms of rice, one hundred taels of silver, and two thousand strings of cash as a compensatory gift. We were at fault in today’s affair. If you two still feel wronged, I can go back and discuss further with the other leaders.”
“…And if I refuse to accept, only wanting your lives instead?” Meng Qi’s light comment made the Changxin Gang leader gasp.
Only the clicking of Elder Cai nervously squeezing his iron beads could be heard in the deserted temple.
Mo Li found the noise annoying.
Meng Qi kept his gaze fixed on Elder Cai, the atmosphere growing more oppressive.
Nearby, the grass blades uniformly snapped a segment, dust subtly stirred, and pebbles rolled back and forth.
If one wasn’t paying attention, these anomalies might be overlooked. Du Biaotou was far enough away not to be affected, while the accountant hiding in the nearby bushes was no longer able to vomit anything, his forehead dripping with cold sweat, eventually passing out silently.
The Changxin Gang leader slowly retreated, his peripheral vision catching the broken temple gate, about to flee at all costs, when suddenly Elder Cai stopped squeezing the iron beads, a trickle of blood emerging from the corner of his mouth and between his fingers.
“…Your internal energy is pure, among the purest I’ve ever encountered,” Elder Cai seemed to age five years in an instant, his previously stiff beard now drooping, wrinkles forming on his forehead, and his cheeks sagging.
The vitality of a person was halved in an instant, rendering him almost unrecognizable.
The Changxin Gang leader’s mouth fell open in shock, looking between Meng Qi and Elder Cai.
Meng Qi had the upper hand but gave no face to Elder Cai.
“Yuzhou is neither too big nor too small, but staying here for thirty years shows you lack experience.”
“You…”
Elder Cai’s face showed anger, but he quickly suppressed it.
By the norms of the martial world, Elder Cai had shown considerable sincerity just by coming here, not to mention his status and seniority. In the common world, the young must give way and show respect to the elderly. Elder Cai neither flaunted his age nor dodged questioning, which in the martial world, would be considered quite a good temperament.
Everyone raises a lavish sedan chair, and one should not strike a smiling face—these are the ways of the martial world.
Who would really make things difficult for a powerful local leader?
Meng Qi did.
Meng Qi didn’t care.
The Grandmaster Meng estimated that Elder Cai might even be ten or so years younger than himself.
“Forget the distant ones, take Zhao Cangfeng for example, he wouldn’t need more than thirty moves to kill you,” Mo Li said seriously, feeling the need to explain since Meng Qi’s statement might otherwise seem like a boast.
“Indeed.”
Meng Qi agreed, adding in his mind, “Even when delirious, I’ve fought on par with Elder Qingwu.”
Though Zhao Cangfeng spouted nonsense and was ambitiously greedy, consuming numerous spiritual medicines to increase his internal energy, he was indeed a genuine martial arts prodigy.
Elder Cai almost choked at this comment.
Elder Qingwu was considered the number one expert in the world, how could one compare?
“Both of you jest, if I had such strength, why would I be holed up in a place like Yuzhou?”
The status of the head of the Dragon Head Association sounded impressive, but ultimately, he was just a second-rate figure in the martial world, unacknowledged beyond Yuzhou.
Mo Li slowly shook his head, not intending to reprimand anyone, but he had to speak his mind.
“Since you do not care about involving the innocent and act without any consideration, staying confined to Yuzhou is indeed a good thing. What if you were as powerful as Elder Qingwu and went to Taijing with your disciples and followers? What then?”
“Zhao Cangfeng has already gone to the Yellow Springs,” Meng Qi chimed in perfectly in sync.
“If you refuse to settle this amicably, then even if you seek to take my life, I have nothing more to say,” sighed Elder Cai, as he tossed aside the iron pellet in his hand.
He gazed directly at Meng Qi and his companion, and declared loudly, “I only hope that you will show some mercy and not kill indiscriminately. If all the leaders of the gangs along the Yuzhou route are lost, chaos will ensue in an instant, and who knows how many brothers in the martial world will die.”
Mo Li observed that Elder Cai did not seem deceitful or merely righteous on the surface while actually being cowardly, however—
“You can kill innocent people who are tragically involved in the martial world’s conflicts, yet turn around and lament over those fighting viciously for their own interests?” Mo Li asked curiously.
“Exactly.”
Meng Qi chimed in.
You might not need to take the harsh medicine prescribed by a doctor, but you certainly must agree with his words.
Meng Qi sneered, “Everyone talks about the righteousness of the martial world, but is this your righteousness?”
“…As the leader of the Dragon Head Association, I naturally have to protect our people, and with the oaths sworn between the four gangs and twelve assemblies, we are all brethren of the martial world,” Elder Cai’s expression turned sour, as killing should not be excessively pursued, so why keep hounding on this?
Looking for trouble?
And one speaks, while the other just nods in agreement?
Author’s note:
Fat Rat Nods.JPG
Yes, yes, yes, everything the doctor says is right.
