After seeing Liu Yao off, Li Chi let out a long, slow breath.

The matter was as good as settled — nothing would change now. Money truly could set a ghost to grinding a mill. Faced with such immense material temptation, Liu Yao had not the slightest resistance.

And Li Chi’s groundwork had been thoroughly convincing.

Liu Yao had received Li Chi’s lavish gifts — a box of gold leaf plus one “genuine” piece of calligraphy by Master Songming, together worth no less than a hundred thousand taels. Who could doubt him after such gifts?

If you told Liu Yao right now, yanking on his ear, that Li Duidui was a swindler — Liu Yao wouldn’t believe it.

After letting out his breath, Li Chi murmured to himself:

“Thank you, Teacher Li.”

Shen Rujian came out of the inner room just in time to hear this.

Curious, she asked, “Who is Teacher Li? A teacher from your academy?”

Li Chi nodded. “More or less.”

If Li Chi were to tell Shen Rujian that Teacher Li was the man now raising pigs up on Yun Yin Mountain, she might be mildly surprised.

But she would quickly make her peace with it — because in her view, Teacher Li seemed to have nothing he couldn’t do and nothing he didn’t know. She was hardly alone in that assessment: to everyone on Yun Yin Mountain, Teacher Li was a figure like an immortal descended from the heavens.

Before Li Chi had left Yun Yin Mountain, among the volumes Teacher Li had left for him were far more than just military strategy and battle formations.

Business — Teacher Li had imparted even more on that subject.

But Teacher Li had once said to Li Chi, very seriously: the methods written in those books were not to be used to deceive ordinary people.

To tell the truth, used on ordinary people, the effects would perhaps be even more astonishing.

One would simply need to lower the threshold for the so-called “distinguished guest” membership.

Shen Rujian asked, “Had you already set your sights on Anyang’s officials and wealthy merchants before all this?”

Li Chi nodded.

Swindling money from people like these sat less uneasily on the conscience, at any rate.

Shen Rujian said, “Very impressive.”

Li Chi said, “But not honorable.”

Those four words gave Shen Rujian pause for thought.

Li Chi said, “Yet at a time like this, there aren’t many truly honorable methods available.”

He went back to his seat, picked up his tea, and drank several mouthfuls. After speaking so much with Liu Yao, he was genuinely thirsty.

Shen Rujian asked, “What comes next?”

“Dig the pit deeper.”

Li Chi gathered his thoughts and said, “Now Liu Yao will spare no effort to help us — this is only the beginning.”

“Within two months, I’ll buy four or five ships. That way Liu Yao won’t grow suspicious.”

He looked at Shen Rujian. “Do you remember that shipyard we saw along the Nanping River on the way here?”

Shen Rujian nodded. “I remember.”

Li Chi said, “Once a portion of the pre-deposits come in, arrange for someone to go to the shipyard and place an order. We were quite far when we passed, but from what I could see, the shipyard’s capacity is really rather ordinary.”

“It’s a small yard. For cargo vessels over twenty *zhang* in length, they can only build one at a time — each taking several months at minimum.”

Li Chi said, “When you go to the shipyard, leave three thousand taels as a deposit. Commission them to build ten ships.”

Shen Rujian nodded. “If Liu Yao finds out, he’ll be even less suspicious. You’ve ordered ten ships — that’s at least two years of construction time. He’ll feel certain you intend to stay in Anyang long-term.”

Li Chi murmured in acknowledgment. “This kind of swindle — it really isn’t honorable…”

This was the first time Shen Rujian had seen someone execute such a sweeping scheme and feel not the slightest excitement or self-satisfaction.

And Li Chi kept saying the plan wasn’t honorable. He probably loathed this kind of method himself.

Yet precisely this kind of method, deployed against enemies in Jizhou in these times, was the most effective available.

Li Chi let out another slow breath, then smiled.

“Three thousand taels is enough to cover their initial costs. By the time we leave, the shipyard won’t be out of pocket — they’ll even come out slightly ahead.”

After a pause, he said to Shen Rujian with a somewhat apologetic air: “No need to wait half a month — the families of various officials and dignitaries will very likely start coming to call on you in a steady stream.”

Li Chi knew she feared the thought of it. She was someone who treasured her quiet — being made to receive a procession of strangers with whom she had nothing in common would be a genuine torment.

Yet Shen Rujian smiled. She rose and turned a slow circle in front of him.

She was still wearing the same plain linen clothes — but turning that circle, she was beautiful to an absolute degree.

Plain simplicity and exquisite elegance are things that ought not to coexist — yet on her, it was an exquisite simplicity.

She asked Li Chi, “Will I embarrass you?”

The force of that question — too great.

Li Chi was so startled he took a step backward. “Mister Shen, please don’t frighten me…”

Shen Rujian looked at Li Chi, thinking to herself: *this little schemer’s nerve is actually rather small.*

She smiled. “If you’re not satisfied, I could have someone go and buy some flashier clothes.”

Li Chi waved his hand. “Don’t!”

Shen Rujian asked with a smile, “Why not?”

Li Chi said, very seriously: “Don’t you know what you’re like? You want to put on flashy clothes on top of this?”

Lü Qingluan and the others standing nearby were inwardly startled — that sounded a touch harsh.

But Li Chi’s next sentence made Lü Qingluan and the others think that this man was perhaps the founding patriarch of all scoundrels.

Li Chi said to Shen Rujian, with complete seriousness: “As things stand, you already bring the multitudes to their knees. One more step forward, and it becomes a beauty that topples kingdoms. Can you take responsibility for all of humanity?”

Shen Rujian actually laughed — then nodded. “Then we’ll leave it as is.”

Li Chi quietly let out a breath of relief.

And inwardly said to himself: *…shameless.*

—

Another day passed, and Li Chi took people to view the premises for the Shen Medical Hall’s branch. The existing structure was already of considerable size — a little worn, but large and imposing enough.

Li Chi had Yu Jiuling make the arrangements: spare no expense, hire the finest craftsmen in whatever number could be found. Within half a month at the latest, have the branch premises entirely refurbished. And spend freely on furnishings — they needed to project the image of a Shen Medical Hall that spent money like water and never ran short.

—

At midday, a carriage pulled up before the timber building. Young Marquis Cao Lie had found his way there.

Li Chi came out to receive him, and the moment he saw Cao Lie, he bowed in greeting.

But Cao Lie caught him by the arm and said, “You’re not an ordinary man — so spare me the ordinary courtesies. If you’re the same as everyone else, I won’t come back.”

Li Chi smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to come in.

The two returned inside and settled in the reception room.

Cao Lie waved a hand dismissing all his attendants, even Xu Wenjun. That gesture signaled the depth of his trust in Li Chi.

Li Chi guessed he had something he wanted to say, so he sent his own people out as well.

“Young Marquis, is there something pressing?”

Li Chi asked.

Cao Lie smiled. “The matter you discussed with Prefect Liu yesterday — I already know about it today.”

Li Chi was startled. “The word got out that fast?”

Cao Lie laughed. “You say that like you were swindling someone.”

Li Chi sighed. “People talk.”

Cao Lie said, “It can’t really be called letting the word out. As you know, the Cao family’s influence in Yuzhou is formidable.”

Li Chi nodded. “Unrivaled.”

Cao Lie said, “So whenever there’s any wind or grass on Prefect Liu’s side, someone will naturally let me know.”

He leaned forward, edging closer to Li Chi. “Something this entertaining, this profitable — and you didn’t think to bring me in?”

Li Chi immediately shook his head. “No.”

Cao Lie pursed his lips. “So stingy?”

Li Chi said, “It’s not about being stingy. There’s risk involved. If you trust me, give me three to four months. Once things are settled, we can do business together.”

Cao Lie smiled at once. “You think I’m afraid of risk?”

He looked at Li Chi with an air of breezy self-assurance, yet absolute confidence. “You should know — in Yuzhou, the only risky business is the business the Cao family isn’t doing. Whatever the trade, once the Cao family decides to enter it, there’s no risk whatsoever.”

Li Chi explained, “First, I’m thinking of you. If you come in now, you might lose money — and if the very first business you do with me ends in a loss, that would look bad for you. You’re the Young Marquis, after all.”

“Second — this particular venture is about managing the relationship with the Anyang officials. If you came in, those officials would take it the wrong way. They’d feel I’d brought you in to pressure them.”

Cao Lie said, “You and your endless second-guessing… Fine. If you don’t want me in now, we’ll talk about it later.”

Li Chi let out a quiet breath of relief, then said, “In a few months you’ll see — no business is ever without its hazards.”

Cao Lie curled his lip again. “When you’ve built your business to the scale of the Cao family’s, you’ll understand — risk is something that lives outside of business, not in it.”

As long as Prince Wu still stood, nothing would touch the Cao family. As long as Great Chu still endured, the Cao family would remain Yuzhou’s unrivaled presence.

Li Chi smiled, then steered the conversation: “Young Marquis didn’t come all this way just about the business.”

Cao Lie made a sound of acknowledgment. “Yesterday Meng Kedi invited me to go fishing. I refused. So today I’m inviting you.”

Li Chi made a pained face. “You’re not worried the small shoes Meng Kedi’s already fitting me for aren’t small enough?”

Meng Kedi had invited him — and he’d declined.

Now he came to invite Li Chi. When Meng Kedi found out, he’d be cursing under his breath.

“I’m doing it on purpose.”

Cao Lie said, “And you ought to understand — once you and I go fishing together, all the great and small figures of Anyang City will know exactly what that means.”

Li Chi sighed. “Everything truly has two sides. Nothing comes without trade-offs.”

Cao Lie asked, “Are you afraid?”

Li Chi said, “Afraid you’ll lose.”

Cao Lie made a disdainful sound. “Then name the bet.”

Li Chi thought for a moment. “The braised sesame flatbreads back in Shengfang County — I never got my fill of those.”

Cao Lie roared with laughter. “If I lose, I’ll bring that couple to Anyang to make flatbreads for you.”

Li Chi said, “Young Marquis — you mustn’t go back on your word.”

Cao Lie said, “When have I ever gone back on my word?”

He called out toward the door: “Someone — go to Shengfang County. Invite the couple who make the oven-roasted flatbreads to come to Anyang and set up a stall!”

He rose. “Let’s go. I have never lost at fishing.”

Li Chi said, “If I lose — I’ll take those two away with me. I’ll see to them.”

Cao Lie roared with laughter again.

Just then, Shen Rujian came out to pay her respects to Cao Lie. This gave Li Chi a start.

Cao Lie quickly returned the courtesy and exchanged a few polite words with Shen Rujian.

The two men went out to go fishing. Cao Lie said, “Sister-in-law is very beautiful.”

Li Chi said, “Of course — otherwise would she be worthy of me?”

Cao Lie: “Psh… what are you so smug about.”

—

Back in the compound, Shen Rujian watched Li Chi’s retreating figure, thinking to herself: *schemer — how much further does your attentiveness reach?*

She knew. Li Chi had beaten and injured so many of the people in that shop. He was worried that the couple would face reprisals.

—