Chapter 695: Dividing the Spoils

"Wa——"

Everyone, whether vocal or silent, gasped in astonishment.

Pan Yun and Chen Wen walked into the treasure vault together, hands on hips, staring at the mountain of treasure inside the cave.

Seeing Miao Zhen and the soldiers standing obediently outside the cave, unable to resist tiptoeing to peek inside.

So much money—

Pan Yun, heart aching yet rejoicing: "These are all the people's money of Great Ming."

Chen Wen nodded seriously: "Justly taken."

The two didn't let anyone else in, instead circling the treasure once.

Boxes filled the floor; opened, they revealed silks, brocades, everything imaginable, still well-preserved.

The colors were vivid; the patterns, clearly fashionable from the past two years.

Perhaps because there was too much to fit, gold, silver, and porcelain were scattered on the ground, while pearls, books, paintings, and silks were stored in boxes.

To prevent chaos and theft from too many hands, they opened every single box.

Then they discovered several more boxes of spices inside the treasure, all quite precious.

Chen Wen snapped open one box, saw a jumbled mass of gems, thought he'd mistaken his eyes, closed it, then reopened it.

Chen Wen, gazing at the distinctly foreign treasure, felt a growing unease: "Wasn't this treasure looted from our people?"

Pan Yun, while counting, said: "Why couldn't they have raided a few ships?"

"Besides, maybe they used the money they stole from our people to buy these back?"

Pan Yun snorted: "This vault was the Kikuchi family's escape route—they knew someone in Japan was watching them, given how big their pirate business was, yet how little influence they held in the shogunate."

Chen Wen pondered: "I see. They feared the shogunate would seize their funds for military use, so they hid the money out at sea."

Chen Wen was stunned: "Aren't they afraid the shogunate will fly into a rage and confiscate their entire estate?"

"Confiscation won't get them anything," Pan Yun said. "If they can't have it, neither will the court—doesn't that suit them fine?"

"It does suit us fine," Chen Wen glanced around. "How do we split it?"

"Fifty-fifty."

"Fine. After we divide it, I'll have men move it onto the ships. Where do you want it unloaded? Have you arranged for pick-up?"

Pan Yun shook her head: "Soon, have your men retreat outside the cave—we can move the goods ourselves. What remains is yours, as long as you don't speak of what you've seen."

Chen Wen frowned: "This contradicts our original agreement. If you can take the treasure yourself—and you have such abilities—why even seek my cooperation?"

"Because when I sought your cooperation, I didn't yet have the ability to cross the sea," Pan Yun winked mischievously. "Truthfully, had Yushan County not been in trouble, I could've pretended I lacked that ability and simply asked you to deliver the treasure ashore. But time was urgent."

Commander Chen stared at Pan Yun, confirmed she spoke truthfully, and his expression softened considerably.

He felt a pang of guilt, frowning: "In that case, I've contributed almost nothing—I'd be ashamed to take half."

He thought long, then reluctantly said: "Seven-three—you seven, me three. If you still think I take too much, two-eight is fine too."

Pan Yun smiled: "Commander Chen, you haven't done nothing. These past six months, if not for your regular patrols preventing Japanese pirates from approaching, the Kikuchi family might've found this island long ago—we'd have found nothing."

Commander Chen exhaled in relief—he'd feared Pan Yun would deny his contribution.

These past six months, though never spoken aloud, he'd periodically brought troops to patrol here, even occasionally training troops in this area; his close subordinates long knew this place held treasure.

And those subordinates had their own subordinates…

So many had vaguely learned they guarded a treasure.

For these past six months, Wu Xiaoli had often shortchanged them—only the thought of this treasure kept the men from mutiny.

If he returned empty-handed, he couldn't possibly explain it to his brothers.

Earlier, taking fifty percent felt perfectly justified.

After all, he hadn't just patrolled for half a year—he also provided men and ships to transport the treasure back.

But now, since Pan Yun could take it herself, taking fifty percent made him feel undeserving.

Chen Wen urged her to decide quickly: "Three percent or two? Pan Daochang, make up your mind."

Pan Yun shook her head, insisting on fifty percent: "My disciples of Mount Sanqing never break promises. My sister and you agreed: fifty-fifty upon success. Said fifty-fifty, means fifty-fifty."

"I won't take more, nor less."

Pan Xiaohei scoffed inwardly: 【Who was it that just wanted to sneak in and take it?】

Pan Yun, face unchanged, sent it a single word in her mind: 【Go!】

Chen Wen frowned, deeply conflicted.

Pan Yun slapped his shoulder: "A real man, why hesitate? I know your character—this treasure will either serve the people or the army."

"Whether the former or the latter, it's not for personal gain. I give it willingly."

"If you refuse, you break my promise—and that would shatter my Dao heart."

Chen Wen immediately replied: "Fine. I accept my fifty percent of the treasure."

Chen Wen solemnly said: "I accept this kindness, Pan Daochang. Should you ever need me, just say the word."

Pan Yun smiled: "I won't be polite with you, Commander Chen."

Chen Wen eagerly wanted to repay her somehow, lowered his gaze, then asked: "I heard the soldiers who returned say your senior disciple stayed behind in Japan?"

Pan Yun nodded, sighed: "Yes. I'm reluctant too—but for country and family."

Chen Wen nodded with admiration: "Mount Sanqing's great righteousness!"

He said: "If that silver mine discovered in Japan is real, they may lift the maritime ban—at least toward Japan. Soldiers said you now have three ships; your senior disciple will likely engage in maritime trade?"

Pan Yun nodded: "That's the plan."

"Rest assured, Pan Daochang—if your senior disciple engages in maritime trade, I guarantee no Japanese pirates will harass him in the East Sea," Chen Wen said. "In these waters, I still have some influence; most of the patrol fleet officers owe me favors."

Pan Yun's eyes brightened; she bowed: "Commander Chen, this humble Daoist of Mount Sanqing thanks you."

Chen Wen burst into laughter, clapping her arm: "Brother and sister, no need for thanks!"

Pan Yun also laughed.

Chen Wen ordered the soldiers to retreat outside the cave, then summoned Seeing Miao Zhen and the other two, telling them to put their share of the treasure into their spatial items.

Chen Wen watched as box after box vanished under their hands, his eyes filled with awe: "If this were war, you should handle logistics—transporting grain and supplies. You'd save so much in provisions and manpower."

Pan Yun laughed: "We'd be happy to take that job, but the officials in court don't trust us."

Chen Wen thought for a moment and understood, then gave Pan Yun an awkward smile: "I absolutely trust Daoist Pan. If I ever become a general, I'll hire you to manage my grain transport."

"Good, I'll remember that," Pan Yun said with a smile. "I'll be waiting for you, Commander Chen, to become a general and appoint me as grain officer."

The treasure was divided and stored in the three of them's spatial items, leaving each of them a little extra room for their own belongings.

Seeing that Pan Yun wasn't moving, Chen Wen grew curious: "Why aren't you collecting anything, Daoist Pan?"

Pan Yun smiled gently: "Give the children more chances to learn through experience."

Chen Wen's face showed admiration and wonder: "Mount Sanqing is truly a divine mountain. In this world, countless people fight to the death over a few taels of gold—but you trust each other."

All four looked puzzled: Money? Them? No—what would they gain from that?

Pan Yun scratched her head. Though she had always loved wealth—after all, money could do so many things—

to betray friends and family for money… why go that far?

In this life, beyond food and drink, all other spending on wealth is merely for peace of mind. If you betray loved ones for it, aren't you turning things upside down?

Seeing Miao Zhen and the other two cared even less about wealth.

They had grown up on Mount Sanqing, where they never paid for food or clothing; Tao Yanbai had only learned to save money these past two years.

From childhood, they were taught that as long as they possessed skill, wealth would always come easily.

So when their junior uncle liked earning money, they followed suit; when he liked spending it, they followed him in that too.

Compared to wealth, they preferred the feeling of accumulating and rising in cultivation. Wealth was merely external.

"Junior Uncle, everything's stored."

Pan Yun snapped back to attention, glanced around, and saw that the gold, silver, and piles of copper coins on the ground had been roughly half collected into their spatial items.

She nodded in satisfaction: "Commander Chen, the rest is yours."

Chen Wen scanned the remaining treasure—nearly all of it—and since he and Daoist Pan didn't fuss over minor details, he stepped out of the treasure chamber and called to the soldiers waiting outside: "Bring in the sacks! Load it up! We're going home!"

The soldiers rushed in happily, pulled sacks from their belts, shook them open, and squatted down to start filling them with copper coins—plop, plop, plop.

A squad leader slapped the back of his head: "Idiot! Load the gold and silver first!"

"Oh." The soldier dumped out the copper coins and turned to load the gold and silver.

The squad leader hit him again: "Idiot! You've already loaded it—can't you just fill one sack first? Dumping it out now? That's throwing away fortune!"

Soldier: "Oh."

He obediently squatted again and began shoveling the copper coins back in.

Squad leader: … Sometimes he really wanted to report them to the authorities.

Chen Wen, standing with arms crossed overseeing everything, waved dismissively: "No matter. It's all going back to camp—eventually for the brothers' families."

The soldiers worked even harder.

Pan Yun and the others stood by with arms crossed, watching without interfering.

Once all scattered items were loaded into sacks, the soldiers lifted the chests and carried them to the boats, four men per group.

There was so much that eighty men had to make three trips to finish moving everything.

The treasure chamber was stripped clean—not even a rat would come back.

(End of Chapter)