Chapter 770: Taibai Tower in Jining City

As for managing the Smelling Incense Sect's affairs in Xuzhou, that had always been part of Zhao Jin's plan. The Xuzhou Smelling Incense Sect was originally territory carved out by Mu Shulan's father, Mu Wusheng. Zheng Quan and his wife were Mu Shulan's personal servants to begin with, so having Mu Shulan manage it was the most suitable arrangement. As for whether a woman should stay at home obeying the three obediences and four virtues, that might suit other families, but there was no need to mention it in the Zhao household. When Xu Zhenzhen had children, she still had to look after her maiden family's household affairs and businesses. It was no bad thing for Mu Shulan to have her own domain to manage.

The tale of how the Smelling Incense Sect leader captured the sect's Holy Maiden and wanted to burn her alive, only for a young hero from Xuzhou to utterly rout him, rescue her, and defeat every challenger along the way — apart from those who experienced it firsthand, not many people heard this legendary story. The authorities knew nothing of it at all, and most places among the common folk were equally ignorant. Shandong had already been drained to its last breath by the Liao tax, and no one had the attention to spare for such secret matters.

The Grand Canal forbade irrigation on either bank. The three eastern prefectures had to fell timber and burn charcoal for the capital, and the three western prefectures had to raise horses for the capital. Now, with this Liao tax added on top, Shandong truly could not bear it any longer. Only two places still retained a trace of prosperity: one was Linqing Subprefecture, the other was Jining Subprefecture. Though the Grand Canal basin in Shandong was universally miserable, these two nodal hubs were still quite thriving, not even inferior to Jiangnan.

Mu Shulan's fourth uncle, Mu Wujia, naturally could not stay in Linqing Subprefecture. He had killed his own elder brother and sold his own niece. The original Mu family line had completely collapsed, and who knew how many people wanted his life. It was said that Inspector Li of Linqing had also secretly put out word that he did not want to see the loathsome Mu Wujia anywhere in Dongchang Prefecture. Whether through official or underworld channels, far too many people wanted to curry favor with Inspector Li. Had the Smelling Incense Sect leader, Xu Hongru, not given Mu Wujia the position of Jining Assembly Master, Mu Wujia would have been butchered even if he stayed in Yanzhou Prefecture. But since he was the Smelling Incense Sect's Assembly Master, everyone had to show some restraint.

It had to be said that Xu Hongru indeed possessed great ambition. The Mu family's fourth son, Mu Wujia, had killed his own second brother and, working from inside and out, captured Mu Shulan, allowing Xu Hongru to seize the territory of Dongchang Prefecture. But within ten days, Zhao Jin had led the Xuzhou cavalry north to Yuncheng, cutting the Smelling Incense Sect's forces to pieces, then seizing Mu Shulan back and defeating every pursuing force along the way. Most of the official circles and local areas were unaware, but the martial world knew the story inside out. Everyone knew the Smelling Incense Sect had suffered a huge loss and that Xu Hongru had lost tremendous face. Yet even under such circumstances, Xu Hongru still gave Mu Wujia the position he had promised him. This Jining Assembly Master was the most lucrative post in the entire Smelling Incense Sect, one that countless people had their eyes on.

After the incident where Zhao Jin snatched the person away, Hou Wu, Xia Zhongjin, Shen Zhi, and several others all proposed sending Mu Wujia off to Northern Zhili or Henan. Some even suggested silencing him outright. But Xu Hongru still honored his promise and reassured the terrified Mu Wujia.

The Jining Assembly Master post was extremely lucrative. Mu Wujia had originally assumed he would not get a single bit of it, but to his surprise, all the customary benefits and regular perks came to him without the slightest reduction. The only thing was, he could not manage any affairs. Real power was held by a senior Incense Master of Jining, a direct disciple of Xu Hongru. Xu Hongru kept up appearances well enough that people in the martial world would give him a thumbs-up and say he kept his word as surely as a thousand pieces of gold. As for the substance behind the appearance, no one paid it any mind at all.

But Mu Wujia was perfectly content with this. He had no ambition to manage people or affairs. In the dazzling, colorful world of Jining Subprefecture, with enough silver in his hands to spend every day eating, drinking, and making merry — this was exactly the life he wanted. As for building up a regional power base, or marrying his niece off to Wang Haoxian of the Wang family — to Mu Wujia, those things had only ever been means to enjoy himself better, to eat, drink, and make merry more. Now, he had enough.

Mu Wujia had also heard about what happened in Yuncheng County. As soon as the news reached Jining, the Incense Master who held real power immediately had Mu Wujia and his subordinates rounded up and confined. At the time, Mu Wujia was scared to death. But then Xu Hongru sent word again, and Mu Wujia went right back to comfortably being his Assembly Master. After this incident, Mu Wujia himself understood: the Smelling Incense Sect leader Xu Hongru needed him as a figurehead, a banner to attract all the various factions of the martial world. If even a man like him could be kept on and given an important post, how much more so for others.

Once he figured this out, Mu Wujia spent his days even more lost in drunken dreams. Enjoy one day at a time — isn't that what life is all about?

It was mid-twelfth month. Even in a bustling place like Jining Subprefecture, shops and storefronts everywhere were closed. But the city's finest restaurant, Taibai Tower, remained open for business. Mu Wujia came here every day to drink and amuse himself, booking a private room and staying from morning until night, until the restaurant closed, then staggering back drunk. Though Taibai Tower was a restaurant, it provided far more than just food and wine. As long as you had silver, they had everything.

What Mu Wujia loved most about Taibai Tower, besides the fine wine and food, were the women here. Mu Wujia did not care for women of the demimonde. Ever since his days trafficking people in Dongchang Prefecture, the Mu family's fourth son had developed a particular interest in the very young. In ordinary times, this predilection would be called utterly inhuman, but in times like these, it counted for nothing at all. Across from Taibai Tower was a tea shop, and inside that tea shop were children waiting to be bought and sold. With refugees and famine victims everywhere in Shandong, far too many children were being sold off to such prosperous places. Though the fates awaiting these boys and girls were also miserable, compared to their peers who had not been sold, they were the lucky ones.

The child traffickers in that tea shop welcomed Mu Wujia warmly. This gentleman would pick one each time, then return the child by nightfall. He paid the full asking price when buying, and when returning the child, he did not ask for any money back. Though a child who had been defiled could not be sold for a high price, it was still a sum of money after all. Who wouldn't like such a generous patron?

Mu Wujia picked a girl who caught his eye, had his subordinate hand over the silver, and turned to walk toward Taibai Tower. As he stepped out of the tea shop, a beggar came over, kowtowing and pleading for alms. Mu Wujia kicked him aside impatiently and casually scolded the subordinate who had failed to block the man. The situation in Shandong was dire, and large numbers of refugees had flooded into Jining. Even the entrance of Taibai Tower had plenty of them. No matter how the waitstaff tried to clear them away, they could never get rid of them all. These beggars and refugees hoped to eat some leftover scraps, but how could such things ever reach them? The kitchen staff and waiters had long since divided everything up among themselves. As for charity from the wealthy, after years of seeing such wretched sights, everyone's hearts had long since hardened. No one would part with a single coin.

Watching Mu Wujia's retreating figure, one of the sect members accompanying him curled his lips in a contemptuous smile. This man was a Jining local, thoroughly familiar with the people and terrain here. He had been assigned to attend to Mu Wujia to prevent any mishaps arising from unfamiliarity with the place. He was a trusted confidant of Xu Hongru's disciple, considered core lineage within the Smelling Incense Sect, and naturally looked down on a turncoat like Mu Wujia. People said the Mu family had several outstanding figures, and that the Mu family Holy Maiden had a great reputation. But this Mu Wujia was lecherous and fond of drink, cowardly and without integrity. Even inside Jining City, he had to bring six bodyguards with him — truly laughable. And these bodyguards were the so-called "good hands" Mu Wujia had brought from Dongchang Prefecture, "good hands" who couldn't even stop a beggar.

If it were his own superior here, he would never have kicked that beggar away. If the beggar were a young or middle-aged man, his superior would even offer a few kind words of comfort, perhaps even recruit him into the sect. But what did this Mu Wujia know of sect affairs? All he knew all day was indulgence. Did he not realize the Smelling Incense Sect needed to keep a low profile and guard against the authorities?

Everyone at Taibai Tower had already come to regard Mu Wujia as a major new wealthy patron in Jining. The moment they saw him arrive, the host would smile and usher him inside. The Jining sect member accompanying Mu Wujia also had a bit of local fame, and seeing him acting as a mere servant and attendant made them hold Mu Wujia in even higher regard.

Mu Wujia was shown into his usual private room. Without needing any instructions, pastries, candied fruits, dried fruits, and fragrant tea were promptly served. The kitchen had already begun preparing Mu Wujia's favorite dishes. His bodyguards also needed food and wine, and the local attendant had to join in the drinking. Even the poor, trembling girl had to be fed something good; otherwise, she would not survive this wealthy patron's rough treatment.

From the manager down to the waitstaff, no one at Taibai Tower found Mu Wujia's proclivities strange. The entire establishment only wondered about one thing: in this freezing weather, a cup of warmed Hanjing Famous Liquor warmed the whole body through, yet this Master Mu would not touch a single drop of it. Even hearing the name seemed to annoy him greatly.

A banquet naturally required female musicians as well. Taibai Tower handled everything with practiced ease. By the time Mu Wujia finished his pot of Frighteningly Fragrant tea, the singing girls and musicians from the hall would be arriving.

"Back when our Mu family first arrived in Linqing and needed to establish ourselves, the local toughs wouldn't allow it. I took a blade and blocked the entrance to one of their halls all by myself. I went in and killed five, wounded six, and the rest all knelt on the ground and kowtowed to me. That battle was truly magnificent!" Mu Wujia sputtered and spat as he recounted his heroic deeds.

The Jining local attendant forced out a smile with difficulty. Assembly Master Mu had already told this tale three times, back and forth, and it was truly tiresome. What made it worse was that the man knew the truth: back then, the two Mu brothers, along with several fighters, had charged in together. Now, in the retelling, it had become his solo heroic feat. In a safe place like Jining Subprefecture, he still had to bring six bodyguards for protection — with courage like that, what heroism was there to boast of? It was utterly ridiculous. Mu Wujia, of course, had no idea what his attendant was thinking. He carried on, thoroughly pleased with himself, and then glanced at the frightened girl he had bought, huddled in the corner. A wicked fire surged up inside him. He just wanted to drink quickly; strong liquor was the best aid to arousal.

"Where's the wine?!" Mu Wujia slammed the table and bellowed. A place like Taibai Tower was old hand at serving customers. The moment a patron shouted like that, someone immediately came to attend. At once, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard outside the private room. Everyone assumed it was a waiter arriving. The door to the private room was pushed open. When the door opened, everyone was taken aback — it was actually the manager of Taibai Tower himself.

The manager of Taibai Tower was something of a personage in his own right; even the Subprefect of Jining had to show him some face. For an outside wealthy patron like Mu Wujia, the most the manager would do was send over two complimentary dishes during the meal and offer a toast. He would never come in person just because someone slammed a table. As everyone was puzzling over this, the Taibai Tower manager, his face full of apology, said, "Master Mu, my sincerest apologies. An honored guest has booked the entirety of Taibai Tower and urgently needs to entertain visitors. This honored guest's standing is such that our humble establishment cannot refuse. So we must ask everyone to kindly accommodate us. Our establishment has prepared carriages and horses and has also reserved a banquet at the nearby Star-Picking Tower. We ask everyone to please relocate. All expenses today will be covered by our establishment."

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