Chapter 405: The Mad Craftsman

Three days later, Liao Zihui's secretary Ling Sujun arrived at Xiaoyao Wu, holding a document.

The Border Control Office responded to Li Qi's request: effective immediately, Li Qi's shipping fees were halved.

Ma Wu was ecstatic, lost all interest in flirting with Ling Sujun, and went straight to find Li Qi.

Li Banfeng remained calm: "I expect the major families will come knocking soon."

The major families will surely come—Li Qi's rates are already half-price, while they can't even get full price; they'll have to find a way to get Li Qi to handle their goods.

Ma Wu had already prepared for this: "For those close to us, we can help them move goods and take a markup—we expect Sister Xiu to arrive today; we'll decide the markup later."

Li Banfeng shook his head: "He Yuxiu won't take a markup—just charge her for labor costs."

Ma Wu froze: "Why?"

"He Yuxiu earned her keep. This success wouldn't have happened without her."

He Yuxiu's contribution was indeed substantial: not only did she serve as the main force in the battle against San Ying Men, but more importantly, she drew a massive amount of attention from the Border Control Officer.

"What about the others?"

"Reward according to merit—the greater the contribution, the smaller the markup."

Ma Wu rubbed his forehead; this was taxing, but upon reflection, each family's merit had clear traces.

Yet Ma Wu was worried: "If we do this, the Border Control Officer will suffer heavy losses—won't they cause trouble later?"

All the major families are now moving goods through Li Qi.

"Trouble won't be avoided—as long as they hold the reins of the boundaries, this isn't over."

As he spoke, Li Banfeng glanced toward the cleaner sweeping by the door.

The cleaner bowed his head, holding a broom, diligently cleaning the corridor's corners.

"What's this?" Li Banfeng asked.

The cleaner gripped the broom tightly, sweat on his face, and looked up: "Master Qi, you mean…?"

Li Banfeng tapped the small wooden doll at the cleaner's waist: "Quite exquisite."

"You mean this?" The cleaner unfastened the doll. "There's a stall downstairs selling odds and ends—I thought this was nice and cheap, so I bought it to give to my child for play."

"You mean downstairs?"

"Right by the roadside, a small stall—it should still be there."

Li Banfeng went downstairs and indeed saw an odds-and-ends stall, mostly toys; he picked out a wooden train.

"How much is this?"

"Five coins. No haggling."

The items weren't expensive; Li Banfeng bought the wooden train, a jar of glass beads, and two tin frogs.

Back at Xiaoyao Wu, Li Banfeng entered Suishenju and headed straight to the third chamber.

"Old Master, I brought you something." Li Banfeng pulled out the wooden train and pushed it along the floor.

Suishenju gave no response.

"Here are glass beads—you said last time you used them to pass the time; they're quite fun."

Suishenju still gave no response.

Li Banfeng pulled out the tin frogs, wound their springs, and set them clattering across the floor: "Do you like this?"

"If you've got something to say, say it!" Suishenju finally spoke.

"I want to ask: what's the principle behind the boundary lines between regions?"

After a long silence, Suishenju replied: "I studied it, but never fully understood. I remember some things, but most have been forgotten."

"Impossible," Li Banfeng said, pulling out the boundary control switch. "Didn't you make this?"

"I didn't make it—I modified it. Some things can be repaired, some can be improved, but creating something entirely new isn't easy."

That was true: building something from scratch was far harder than repairing or modifying.

Suishenju continued: "Besides, this mechanism must be used cautiously. What worked once may not work again. Outsiders love these tricks."

Li Banfeng understood—just like different devices having different passwords.

Yet Li Banfeng was determined to break the boundary's limits—even if he had to learn from scratch: "Can you teach me some craftsmanship?"

"Why learn craftsmanship? Aren't your two shops enough?"

"I want to build a railway—uncontrolled by boundaries. Do you have a way?"

"Heh~" Suishenju laughed. "Old Steam Engine spent years trying to build such a railway—and failed. Do you think you can?"

"Old Steam Engine?" Li Banfeng chuckled. "You call him that? What does he call you?"

"He calls me Little Steam Engine."

"Hohohoho!" Gloves burst into laughter. "Old Master, you're ancient and still called Little Steam Engine—don't you feel ashamed?"

A jar flew through the air; Gloves dodged: "Old Master, that trick won't work anymore, hohoho…"

A vase tumbled off the table and struck Gloves squarely.

Suishenju sighed: "Ah Qi, you can't build a railway. Craftsmanship isn't learned overnight.

I can't do it either—I've forgotten too much.

See if your wife has the ability—she learns everything quickly.

She needs a helper; there's a clever person at home, though they may not want to help her."

Which clever person?

Li Banfeng thought for a moment—then thought of the Ninth Chamber.

"Old Master, you mean Honglian? She still carries my old friend in her heart."

Suishenju smiled: "Ah Qi, you've spent too little time with Honglian—you truly don't understand her nature.

I've never met your old friend, but I know Honglian's heart can't hold him.

Her heart holds only the one in the heavens—no one else can fit there."

The one in the heavens?

Li Banfeng had heard his wife speak of him.

"The one who let me see the heavenly light?"

"Correct. In Puluo Province, whenever Honglian is touched, she sends word to the heavens, and heavenly light descends.

But here, she can't send word upward—she's frantic. Watching her desperation gives me great pleasure."

Li Banfeng fell silent for a long while, then shared a knowing smile with Suishenju.

After laughing, Li Banfeng remembered Old Steam Engine: "Where is Old Steam Engine now?"

Suishenju said: "Don't think about him yet. The place he went—you can't reach it."

"Who trapped him?"

Suishenju sighed: "I forgot—not because I won't tell you, but because I truly can't remember.

Back then, fighting alongside Old Steam Engine, I lost most of my combat power—and most of my memories.

If I meet them again, I can't guarantee we'll survive."

"Then what do we do? You've forgotten boundary craftsmanship, we can't find Old Steam Engine, and we're left relying on my wife to figure it out alone—how long will that take?"

Suishenju said nothing—he had no answer.

Li Banfeng looked up: "I have an idea—I've already started, but I don't know if it'll work.

If you see a newly formed boundary line, could it help you recover some memories?"

Suishenju remained silent for a long while, then said: "Try it."

Li Banfeng returned to the main chamber and made love to his wife twice.

His wife bit her lip, sweating: "As long as we don't eat Huan Soil, I can still bear it."

Gloves crawled out from under the vase and found the wooden train, glass beads, and tin frogs gone.

…

Li Banfeng left Suishenju.

In the main chamber, Hong Ying had not heard Suishenju's words, but had heard Li Banfeng and Gloves.

While Li Banfeng was away, Hong Ying whispered to the phonograph: "Wicked woman, I heard that madman and that vile hand talking about Old Steam Engine and Little Steam Engine—aren't they referring to that mad craftsman and his train?"

The phonograph sneered: "How dare you call him a mad craftsman? Don't you have any manners? He's your Dao sect elder."

Hong Ying gasped: "I should've realized—we fell into that madman's train! Zhao Lanmeng, why aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid of what? This elder has been kind to us."

"Don't you remember how they looked on the battlefield? Aside from the odds-and-ends vendor, that old craftsman and his train were the cruelest."

Chit-chit~

The phonograph sang a slow rhythm: "Hey, vile woman, you've been deaf and blind for years—the past is gone. Don't dig up old records."

Hong Ying snorted: "If we don't dig up the past, does that mean our grudge is over?"

"Hey, vile woman, you're delusional—even if you sink into the Eighteen Layers of Hell, our grudge remains."

…

He Jiaqing sat in a small tavern, eating lamb skewers, drinking beer, and reading a newspaper.

The tavern had few patrons; He Jiaqing came only for the food.

But the news in the paper soured his appetite—it was a Puluo Province paper, dated three days ago, with the headline: "Seventy-Year-Old Ghost Hand Sect Master Runs Naked Through Street—What Secrets Lie Behind?"

He Jiaqing forced himself to remain calm and finished reading the entire article.

He now had a completely new understanding of Xie Juncong.

After eating, He Jiaqing walked toward the sports stadium; on the way, Shen Rongqing sent word.

"Jiaqing, the Border Defense Official cut Li Qi's freight costs by half—he doesn't need us to ship goods anymore."

He Jiaqing smiled: "We can get him to ship for us. Business is business—how else do you make money?"

Shen Rongqing sighed: "I went to talk to Ma Wu, but he's reluctant to see me. He says this isn't about personal ties—it's about merit. He'll reduce our freight costs by at most twenty percent."

"Twenty percent isn't nothing. Let Li Qi make some profit margin—keep the business going first."

Shen Rongqing still wasn't satisfied: "Jiaqing, He Yuxiu's business got half her freight costs cut by Li Qi, and all she paid was a little labor fee—Li Qi didn't take any profit margin from her."

"Why is that?" He Jiaqing paused, then suddenly asked, "What's the relationship between Li Qi and my aunt?"

"Rumors say they're quite close. You know your aunt's nature—when she takes a liking to a man, she just…"

"Dare!" He Jiaqing snapped, "If Li Qi so much as sleeps with my aunt, I'll—"

What could he even do to him?

He Jiaqing was at a critical stage—he couldn't return to Puluo Province now.

Shen Rongqing asked: "Jiaqing, are you still doing business with Li Qi?"

"Of course. Isn't it about merit? If it's our due, why shouldn't we take it?"

"This business won't last long. The Border Defense Official agreed to fifty percent today—tomorrow it might jump fivefold. Rush to ship while you can—every bit counts."

…

Ma Wu recruited nearly a thousand pioneers from the entire Lüshui Bay region and gathered them at Lanyang Village.

Li Banfeng held a pioneering assembly and laid the rewards directly before the pioneers:

"You know the rules for pioneering—you understand mine too. All these bright silver dollars are right here. Claim your reward based on land size. Carts and horses are ready. Pack up and go."

PS: What method exactly can reveal the newly formed boundary line?

(End of Chapter)