Chapter 54: Hitting a Wall

"Wei-daren, long time no see."

Wei Liangqing had just stepped out of the inn when a tangtou of the Eastern Depot came walking toward him, wearing a smile as he sidled up.

Wei Liangqing had forgotten to notify this one earlier, so he hurried over and said in a low voice, "Sorry for the trouble this time, Brother Zhao. Another day I'll play host and treat the brothers to a good meal." As he spoke, he slipped a banknote over without any change in expression.

This Tangtou Zhao did have some influence in the Eastern Depot—he was a distant relative of Director Liu Shimin. Glancing down at the amount on the banknote, he immediately grinned from ear to ear and said, "Easy, easy. Next time you need anything, just come find me."

Wei Liangqing naturally made a string of fine promises before seeing Tangtou Zhao off.

The more Wei Liangqing smiled, the more he felt he had never been so smooth before. After a moment's thought, he headed to the next house.

Meanwhile, Yang Huaizhong was not far from the door, and a gatekeeper was whispering in his ear.

Yang Huaizhong's gaze turned slightly cold as he watched Wei Liangqing's retreating figure and muttered thoughtfully to himself, "It seems Wei Liangqing really has fallen from power. What exactly is he here for this time?"

Yang Huaizhong couldn't possibly pay out those three hundred thousand taels alone, and the people in the main hall soon learned the whole story.

Most of them were terrified—if the warehouses outside the city were raided, heads would roll.

"Brother Yang, spend money to ward off disaster. We support you on this. Three hundred thousand taels—we can earn it back after this trip is done!"

"Right, now that we're in the capital, we need to keep as low a profile as possible. Once the goods are all gathered, we hit the road immediately!"

"Exactly. Have more people keep watch—we absolutely cannot let anyone discover us again!"

Everyone spoke all at once. Yang Huaizhong had great prestige in their circle, and they all trusted his abilities.

Yang Huaizhong sat at the very center. For people like them who ran from south to north, even the minor demons had to be paid off, let alone the King of Hell—so three hundred thousand taels wasn't really that much.

But he needed to figure out exactly how that silver had leaked out.

"Brother Yang, should we find a way to teach him a lesson?" Suddenly one of them spoke. His expression was fierce, his build tall and large, with a knife scar across his face. It was normal for them to pay out silver, but they didn't just hand over money to anyone who showed up.

Yang Huaizhong frowned and said gravely, "No need for now. Everyone, just wait quietly while I gather what's needed. We'll be on the road as soon as possible, far away from this troubled place that is the capital."

Most of the people nodded. Their hearts were pounding with fear—if they didn't still have things to purchase in the capital, they would have left already.

Yang Huaizhong persuaded the crowd, then called over one of the men guarding the door and whispered in his ear, "Go. Follow him. See where he goes."

"Yes." This gatekeeper was a shrewd man as well. He immediately hurried out the door and quietly tailed Wei Liangqing.

Wei Liangqing arrived at a pawnshop and looked up at the large sign, his heart swelling with ambition.

This pawnshop was no ordinary one—it dealt in black-market business like laundering goods from tomb raiding. Back when he was in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he had often come here to squeeze his share, and he knew their background better than anyone.

"Is Manager Qiu in? Tell him I have a business proposition for him." Wei Liangqing walked to the counter and said flatly. This was the expression he always wore when he came before.

The clerk craned his neck to look, then quickly said, "Wei-daren, please wait a moment. I'll go announce you."

The clerk went into the back room and said in a low voice to a fat, middle-aged man who was clicking away at an abacus, "Boss, that Wei fellow is here again."

Qiu Yuehou looked up, his small eyes blinking, and said, "That Wei Liangqing?"

The clerk nodded. "Yes."

"Not seeing him!" Qiu Yuehou's face showed impatience, then he sneered, "He squeezed so much out of me before, and now he still dares to come? Chase him off."

The clerk hesitated for a moment, then said, "Boss, but this Wei fellow said he has a business matter to discuss with you."

Qiu Yuehou narrowed his small eyes and looked up at the clerk. "Business?"

The clerk nodded repeatedly.

Qiu Yuehou knew well how much influence Wei Liangqing had wielded before. His heart stirred, and he stood up. "Fine, let's go see him."

As soon as Wei Liangqing saw the fat middle-aged man come out, he stepped forward at once and said with a loud laugh, "Manager Qiu, long time no see!"

Qiu Yuehou also wore a smile on his face. "Wei-daren hasn't been by in many days. Where have you been making your fortune lately?"

In truth, Wei Liangqing felt nauseated the moment he saw this fat man—not only was he ugly, but his words were all empty pleasantries with not a shred of sincerity.

But he needed the man's silver right now, so he forced himself to endure and said, "You flatter me, Manager Qiu. I've recently been planning to open a money shop, so I've come to ask Brother Qiu for a contribution."

"A money shop?"

Qiu Yuehou felt disappointed inside—he had thought there might be some stolen goods to launder, which would have earned him a tidy profit. But his face betrayed nothing as he said cheerfully, "If Wei-daren is opening a money shop, of course I can't refuse to help. I... hmm, this year's accounts haven't been collected yet. How about I personally contribute five thousand taels to Wei-daren?"

In the old days of squeezing, that would have counted as a generous amount. But compared to the three hundred thousand taels before, this "five thousand taels" was rather pitiful to behold.

Wei Liangqing's expression didn't change, but his tone turned somewhat cold as he said with a smile, "Manager Qiu, I know exactly what business you run even if others don't. Isn't five thousand taels a bit too little?"

Qiu Yuehou shook his head repeatedly, putting on an innocent look. "Wei-daren doesn't know—that Lord Yang over at the Embroidered Uniform Guard demands tribute from me every single month. I truly cannot spare even one more tael of silver. I beg your generous understanding."

Lord Yang?

Wei Liangqing's expression shifted slightly. He guessed who this was—the Vice Guard Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Yang Zhe, the man who currently held real power in the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

The good mood Wei Liangqing had from squeezing three hundred thousand taels out of Yang Huaizhong vanished in an instant. He now had neither power nor influence and had no way to contend with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Moreover, his patron had instructed him not to stir up any trouble.

Wei Liangqing looked at Qiu Yuehou, hatred burning in his heart. In the old days, he might well have had the man thrown into the Embroidered Uniform Guard for a harsh lesson. But now he clenched his teeth and said, "In that case, I welcome Manager Qiu to join as well. When the time comes, I'll send someone to invite you."

Qiu Yuehou was thick-skinned and black-hearted. He nodded like a chick pecking at rice and said, "Sure, sure."

With the pretense of civility nearly torn apart, Wei Liangqing couldn't stay any longer. Carrying his foul mood, he quickly left the place.

"Next time he comes, just tell him I'm not in. What a piece of trash!"

After seeing Wei Liangqing off, Qiu Yuehou turned and said coldly to the clerk.

The clerk naturally agreed and secretly noted the matter in his mind.

Wei Liangqing wasn't discouraged, though. He composed himself and headed straight for the next house. But things turned out differently from what Wei Liangqing had expected—the third house was in the tea business, the most profitable trade of all, and yet he was given the cold shoulder outright.

"All of you just wait!"

Wei Liangqing gnashed his teeth in hatred, but he still went straight to the fourth house. In the end, he only got one thousand taels, and that was only because of a "debt" owed from before.

"Master."

The steward had been following the whole time. Seeing Wei Liangqing's face as dark as the bottom of a pot, he spoke cautiously.

Wei Liangqing now finally understood what Eunuch Feng and Zhang Yanyao had said before—without power or influence, trying to pry silver out of their mouths was harder than climbing to heaven!

But thinking of his patron's instructions, he suppressed the rage in his heart and said with a cold, dark gaze, "Those big households—I'll visit them myself. When we get back, have someone take my name cards and make a full circuit of the capital. Anyone with family assets over ten thousand, don't let a single one slip by. Record everyone who refuses to give and everyone who gives too little. One day, when I, Wei Liangqing, climb to a high position, I will personally pay each and every one of them a return visit!"

The steward knew his master couldn't stomach such humiliation and was holding a grudge. Hearing this, he could only comply.

——

Thanks to '37o33' classmate for the reward. The fan list is still open—everyone is welcome to join in enthusiastically~