Chapter 137: Coercion and Inducement

Although Li Liansheng had previously volunteered at the Qianqing Palace to lead elite troops to surround and suppress Lu Yuan, that was merely a gesture he made to curry favor with Xici; he did not truly possess such confidence.

Given the terrifying cultivation strength of Lu Yuan, he—a eunuch who had barely stepped into the Sixth Realm—was no different from an ordinary person; if the other party heard even a whisper of wind, he could be crushed to death at any moment, so how could he dare to disturb the other party with such fanfare?

Li Liansheng thought for a moment and said:

"He only recently took in these three Dharma Disciples, so there shouldn't be much loyalty to speak of. What are the backgrounds of these three, and could they be used by us?"

His trusted subordinate eunuch immediately said:

"Time was short, but we have roughly investigated the three Dharma Disciples. Peng Yidao and Lin Sheng are both drifters without roots or ties, not locals of Jinjin, and they have neither wives nor family members here;

However, as for that Chen Zhantang, his father Chen Bolong is one of the top medicinal merchants in Jinjin and has many business dealings with foreign firms in the Concession, so perhaps we can make a move from his side."

"Oh?"

Li Liansheng's gaze shifted:

"Not bad, this is indeed a good entry point. No matter how big a business is, they are still subjects under the imperial court's rule. Go and make contact; I want to meet this person!"

"Yes."

The trusted eunuch immediately took the order and left.

At this moment.

The Baicaotang opened by the Chen family.

"Master Chen, Master Chen!"

An elderly man who looked like a shopkeeper, travel-worn and clutching a brocade box, walked into the back hall with a face full of joy and said to the middle-aged man in silk robes who was drinking tea and checking accounts:

"The Hundred-Year Ginseng King you wanted has finally been acquired!"

The middle-aged man in silk robes, who was full of an air of wealth, stood up abruptly, greatly surprised:

"Quick, let me see!"

The shopkeeper stepped forward in two or three strides and opened the brocade box in his arms, immediately revealing a ginseng inside that was as thick as a child's forearm and vaguely shaped like a human.

After Chen Bolong took it and examined it carefully for a long while, a satisfied smile finally appeared on his face:

"The roots are seven inches long, and it is shaped like a human. Good, very good! This is indeed a wild ginseng king that has reached a hundred years of maturity! Where was this acquired from?"

"In Liaodong, from the home of an old medicinal merchant."

The shopkeeper said with a chuckle:

"This merchant had been doing business with us for seven or eight years. Two years ago, he accidentally acquired this item from a medicinal farmer and carefully kept it, intending to use it as a family heirloom. As it turned out, a war in Liaodong burned his herb garden to the ground, leaving his family ruined and dead. In order to make a comeback, he had no choice but to bring this item out and secretly sold it to us for one hundred thousand Silver Yuan; he wouldn't budge even for a penny less."

"One hundred thousand Silver Yuan, the price is certainly not cheap."

Chen Bolong's joy did not diminish, and he nodded, saying:

"But wild mountain ginseng of this age is extremely rare nowadays, so one hundred thousand Silver Yuan is not much. Only by giving this as a gift to that Hall Master Lu can our sincerity be demonstrated!"

In fact, after his son Chen Zhantang was selected into the Guangwu Hall and became a Dharma Disciple, he had immediately and lavishly offered a full one hundred thousand Silver Yuan as a gift for the apprenticeship.

Although he was only a disciple and not a personal student, given Lu Yuan's status and reputation, those in all of Jinjin intending to curry favor were as numerous as carp crossing a river; to have such an opportunity, one hundred thousand Silver Yuan was nothing.

However, that gift was returned on the spot by Lu Yuan. Always thinking of paving the way for his son and hoping that Lu Yuan would truly accept Chen Zhantang as a student, Chen Bolong had no choice but to seek another path and began trying to collect rare, aged wild medicinal herbs to use as gifts.

After all, in the current market, the medicinal herbs used by martial artists for training are basically artificially cultivated, and their medicinal potency is far inferior to wild herbs that have grown for many years in deep mountains and old forests.

As the martial Dao has developed to this day, the footprints of mountain travelers and herb gatherers cover almost every famous mountain, great river, and deep forest. In the thirty-six provinces of Shenzhou, there are almost no places left that are rarely visited by humans; let alone hundred-year-old medicinal herbs, even herbs of several decades are exceptionally rare.

And now, the hundred-year wild ginseng king in his hand was comparable to a rare treasure; even if given as a gift to a Grandmaster, it carried significant weight.

The shopkeeper also smiled and said: "With this Ginseng King as a gift, I presume that Hall Master Lu will no longer refuse. However, after the incident where someone tried to harm him some time ago, he has closed his doors to guests. If you want to give a gift, you must ask in advance."

Recalling the turmoil of the past few days, Chen Bolong could not help but say:

"I wonder who was responsible for that matter... Please send a clerk to ask Zhantang if Hall Master Lu has time for a meeting. I intend to pay a visit and personally hand this Ginseng King to him."

"Yes, I will send someone to ask right away."

The shopkeeper acknowledged the order and immediately left the back hall to arrange for someone to inquire.

Not long after he left, the second shopkeeper of the herb hall suddenly hurried in and said:

"Master, some wealthy guests from the Capital have arrived outside. They look very important and say they have a big business deal involving thousands of catties of medicinal herbs every year. I really cannot make the decision, so you should come and take a look!"

"From the Capital?"

Thousands of catties of medicinal herbs every year was indeed a big business. Chen Bolong's gaze shifted, and without another word, he stood up and walked out, passing through the corridor to the front hall of the herb shop.

The second floor of the front hall had a private room. After he went upstairs and entered, he saw a man with a fair face and no beard, dressed in silk robes, sitting upright, with two followers of similar temperament standing behind him. He immediately smiled, stepped forward, and cupped his hands:

"I failed to welcome such distinguished guests; I am ashamed, truly ashamed. I am Chen Bolong, here to pay my respects."

"Boss Chen Bolong."

The seated man did not stand up, but merely cupped his hands with a hint of arrogance:

"Let's skip the pleasantries. I hear that Baicaotang has quite a bit of influence in Jinjin. My master requires a large supply of medicinal herbs every year, currently set at six thousand catties annually. Can your Baicaotang handle this?"

Chen Bolong looked at the man speaking with a slightly solemn expression:

"May I ask, distinguished guest, is your master from the palace?"

Having been in business for many years, his eyes were sharp. Although the man before him looked similar to a normal man, his speech, temperament, expression, and demeanor were different from ordinary people; his background was clearly extraordinary.

And six thousand catties of medicinal herbs every year... such a huge demand and consumption, apart from middlemen, could only come from the imperial palace.

The man in silk robes did not hide his identity and let out a slightly shrill laugh: "Boss Chen has sharp eyes indeed! That's right, we are indeed from the palace!"

Being involved with the palace was sometimes not a good thing. Chen Bolong did not feel happy about it; instead, he frowned slightly and said cautiously:

"I dare to ask, who is your master in the palace? The supply of medicinal herbs for the palace has been monopolized by two centuries-old medicinal firms in the Capital for hundreds of years. Why go to such lengths to look elsewhere?"

The eunuch in silk robes said leisurely:

"Naturally, there is someone who is dissatisfied with those two firms and wants to make a change. As for my master, allow me to keep you in suspense for now; Boss Chen can go and discuss it with him personally."

Although it involved the palace, it would be a pity to give up such a large business deal without even discussing it. Chen Bolong hesitated for a moment, then asked:

"May I ask where your master is now? Is it possible to meet him?"

The eunuch in silk robes smiled: "It is not convenient for outsiders to enter the place where my master stays. How about this: there is a Jiuhua Tower not far from here. My master will personally go there this evening to discuss the details with Boss Chen. How does that sound?"

Jiuhua Tower could be considered a restaurant Chen Bolong frequented for morning tea, so he was very familiar with it. He immediately said:

"In that case, I shall host a banquet at Jiuhua Tower at the hour of Mao to entertain the honored guest. I truly hope you will grace us with your presence!"

"Very well, I will return to inform my master. Boss Chen, please wait patiently."

The eunuch in brocade did not say much more; he immediately led his men to rise, bid farewell, and left Baicaotang.

Looking at the backs of the three men as they departed from the second-floor window, the second manager of the medicine hall knitted his brows and said with a look of hesitation:

"Master Chen, these three men wouldn't be some kind of con artists from the jianghu, would they?"

"Unlikely."

Chen Bolong narrowed his eyes and said:

"These three have no small amount of Martial Arts, and every gesture shows they are eunuchs from the palace. Why would they inexplicably run to Jinjin to swindle people? I think it's possible that some high-ranking eunuch in the palace really wants a share of the medicine bureau's offerings, which is why they started a new venture and found their way to Jinjin. Whether that is the case or not, we will know once we go this afternoon. Old Li, send a shop assistant immediately to book the best private room at Jiuhua Tower, and when the time comes, we shall see exactly who is behind these people."

"Understood, I will go right now."

The second manager did not say another word and instructed two assistants to book a private room at Jiuhua Tower. Afterward, the person sent by the head manager returned, saying that Lu Yuan had been in a state of closed-door cultivation, and even disciples like Chen Zhantang could not easily see him, so the matter of giving gifts could only be postponed while they sought another opportunity.

Chen Bolong had no choice but to hold back for the time being, carefully putting away that Hundred-Year Ginseng King.

When it neared evening.

Chen Bolong took the second manager and several guards under his command and headed straight for Jiuhua Tower.

As the saying goes, one must guard against others. In these increasingly chaotic times, incidents of home invasions and robbery for money or lives were common, so he naturally had to be on his guard.

Arriving at the golden, resplendent, and bustling Jiuhua Tower, after specifically instructing the waiter who greeted guests, Chen Bolong went to the largest private room on the top floor to wait.

Not long after arriving, he heard a flurry of footsteps outside. Then, led by the waiter, a fair-skinned, noble-looking man over fifty years old walked in, surrounded by several attendants like stars around the moon.

Seeing the eunuch in brocade from earlier following behind, Chen Bolong and the second manager, knowing this was the principal, immediately smiled and went up to greet him, saying politely:

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence, honored guest. I am Chen Bolong. May I ask how I should address you?"

"This humble one's surname is Li."

Li Liansheng wore a faint smile on his face and looked around the room:

"Coming to find Boss Chen this time, besides purchasing medicine, there is another more important matter. However, there are too many miscellaneous people here; how about asking them to leave first?"

Chen Bolong's gaze sharpened, and his smile instantly faded:

"What is the meaning of this, sir?"

Li Liansheng said indifferently:

"Boss Chen, there is no need to worry. If this humble one wanted to harm you, the few guards you brought would not be enough to even look at. The conversation that follows concerns secrets within the palace and is not suitable for outsiders to hear."

The several men behind Li Liansheng all had fierce expressions and temperaments; one look and it was clear they were no ordinary ruthless characters. Although Chen Bolong was full of doubts, he still said:

"Manager Li, Tie Hu, you all go out first."

The second manager and the accompanying guards exchanged a look, but still said: "Very well, Master. We will wait just outside; if there is anything, just call for us."

Li Liansheng also waved his hand, and aside from his trusted eunuch, the other experts from the Niangan Office also retreated outside the private room.

The table was filled with delicacies, but Chen Bolong had no heart to use his chopsticks, only asking in confusion:

"May I ask which eunuch from the palace you are, what position you hold, and what exactly is the matter for which you have sought out Chen?"

The trusted eunuch who was pouring tea and water for Li Liansheng during the meal immediately said proudly:

"It is good for Boss Chen to know: the one before you is the favorite in front of the Old Buddha, the Imperial Household Department Superintendent, Eunuch Li Liansheng!"

Li Liansheng!?

The name Li Liansheng was like thunder to the ears in the thirty-six provinces, even more famous than some Grandmasters, to the point where there was no one who did not know it. Chen Bolong was shocked:

"You are the Great Superintendent Li from the palace?"

Li Liansheng casually took out a gold-inlaid jade waist token, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Chen Bolong, smiling:

"This humble one left in a hurry and did not bring things like a yellow robe or horse jacket; I only have this Inner Household Department Waist Token. I presume no one would dare to impersonate this."

Chen Bolong glanced at it and saw that the waist token was clearly an object from the palace, with the character 'Li' inscribed on it.

However, as an old hand in the jianghu, even so, he did not fully believe the other party's words, only saying respectfully:

"I have long heard of your name. To think it is Great Superintendent Li. It is Chen who has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. However, forgive my dullness, but why would a person of Superintendent Li's stature personally come out just to purchase medicinal herbs? Or is it..."

"This humble one coming out personally is, of course, not for the sake of some trivial medicinal herb procurement."

A cold, sinister smile appeared on Li Liansheng's face:

"It is to investigate the greatest rebel and traitor in the world today!"

Chen Bolong was startled:

"What does Superintendent Li mean?"

Li Liansheng said indifferently:

"According to what this humble one knows, your son Chen Zhantang is currently studying under the master of Guangwu Hall, Lu Yuan, right? To tell you the truth, the imperial court has discovered that Lu Yuan harbors thoughts of disrespect and rebellion, and has even secretly murdered high-ranking officials of the court. Such a rebellious traitor—is he not the greatest rebel and traitor?"

Disrespect and rebellion, murdering high-ranking court officials?

Even though Chen Bolong was accustomed to great storms and waves, he was only a businessman. His face twitched, and he felt fear in his heart:

"Superintendent Li, do you have evidence for this? Hall Master Lu is like a god descended to earth, having defeated two great Grandmasters from Sha'e and Rizhao. He is now famous throughout the thirty-six provinces. To say such a person is a rebel and traitor..."

Li Liansheng said coldly:

"Just because he is famous throughout the thirty-six provinces, does that mean he cannot be a traitor? Back then, the name of Chen Kequan of the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom even spread overseas; was he not also a great rebel? Let me tell you clearly: the Great Governor of the Niangan Office, Mankeduo, a Grandmaster of the palace, died at the hands of Lu Yuan a few days ago. The Old Buddha was greatly enraged upon learning this, which is why we were dispatched to investigate personally.

Now, this Lu Yuan is even worse than Chen Kequan. The Old Buddha has personally made the final judgment: this person is the greatest rebel in the world in history. And now, your son has voluntarily become a disciple under this person. Think about it—when the time comes for the reckoning..."

The last sentence was filled with a thick threat. Chen Bolong's face turned ashen, and his beard trembled slightly, showing his inner unrest.

Having seen his share of storms, he forced himself to remain calm and said:

"Superintendent Li, there is no need to intimidate Chen. If you have any intentions, please speak plainly."

Li Liansheng smiled:

"Boss Chen is quite calm. This humble one will speak plainly. The imperial court is determined to completely exterminate such rebels, but Jinjin is a sensitive place, and this person's cultivation and strength are extraordinary. The imperial court cannot act rashly before it has made full preparations."

"And your son, Chen Zhantang, is now a Dharma-transmitting disciple under Lu Yuan's command and is highly valued, so I hope he can cooperate and assist us as an inside agent; in this way, when the time comes for a reckoning in the future, you will be meritorious officials and will not be treated as rebels."

"Otherwise, according to Great Jin Law, participating in a rebellion is punishable by the execution of three generations of kin; I fear the heads of all one hundred or so people in your Chen family will roll to the ground, and the entire household will be wiped out."

(End of chapter)