Gu Pingyuan smuggled Sichuan salt into the Two Rivers region, using the “reverse thirty-seventy split” accounting method to win the full support of salt shop personnel. Manager Fei’s “Prosperity Salt” also achieved remarkable success. All the managers and clerks stayed in the shops day and night, willing to walk two li to deliver goods door-to-door just to sell one more jin of salt. With such dedication to business, even if they were selling miscellaneous goods, the business would surely thrive, let alone salt with tenfold profit margins.

What had clearly been a dead chess game was instantly turned around by Gu Pingyuan, who forcibly twisted the Li family’s “sheep’s head” and slaughtered a great dragon. According to reports from various locations, wherever Gu family salt shops went, they swept through like a whirlwind, squeezing Li Qin’s shops until they couldn’t earn even a single wen in profit. Conducting business to this extent was truly exhilarating. Earning money and receiving dividends, moreover settled monthly – all those employed by the Gu family were in high spirits. The Gu family truly seemed to have planted a money tree this time, sitting daily to collect silver reported from various shop locations. Originally one bookkeeper was insufficient, so they hired two more, each wielding their brushes at flying speed, yet still busy until deep into the dewy night before completing the account books.

Amid all this jubilation, no one noticed that Gu Pingyuan quietly withdrew one hundred thousand taels of silver from the accounts in one go, handing it to Peng Haiwan with secret instructions for a certain task.

The business was extraordinarily good, but this made Shunde Tea House noisy from morning to night. Seeing Chang Yu’er’s belly growing larger with no peace for rest, Gu Pingyuan felt very uneasy. He received a letter from his younger brother saying their mother’s health had improved considerably and she could walk around without difficulty, lightening the burden of care for the younger siblings. Thus he discussed with his wife about sending her back to Zhenjiang for quiet convalescence.

Chang Yu’er herself was willing to return. She was an extremely filial woman who, as the Gu family’s eldest daughter-in-law, always carried the responsibility of caring for elders and younger siblings. Moreover, the recent discord with her mother-in-law had just dissipated like smoke – if they remained apart too long, it might seem as if grudges were still harbored, which could invite others’ misunderstanding.

The couple agreed immediately. Gu Pingyuan asked the Peng family womenfolk to go to Jiangning city’s best medicine shop to buy a large chest of pregnancy supplements, and also brought many Jiangning specialties for his mother and siblings.

Gu Pingyuan originally planned to reach Zhenjiang by the “Tenth Month Festival” to pay respects at his grandfather’s grave, but then reconsidered – this would surely make his mother sad again, so he decided to delay departure by two days to avoid this occasion. Thus, at noon on the third day when the sun was just right, two Gu family horse carriages – one for passengers, one loaded with large and small packages – waited outside the tea house. Amid everyone’s farewell words, the couple stepped out the main gate.

Fearing the journey’s bumps would be too much for his wife, Gu Pingyuan decided to drive himself. Just as he was about to help his wife into the carriage, he felt Chang Yu’er’s body suddenly stiffen, standing motionless while gazing toward the street entrance.

The woman standing at the street entrance also didn’t move, likewise directing her gaze over, looking at Chang Yu’er’s increasingly heavy figure. That gaze seemed somewhat desolate yet tinged with mockery – mixed together like the lotus-flower ballads sung by beggars at the city gate, making one’s heart ache while wanting to point at heaven and curse with laughter.

“You go ahead, I’ll wait for you,” Chang Yu’er said with difficulty, moving her body into the carriage and turning back to nod at her husband.

“Alright, I’ll be right back,” Gu Pingyuan walked toward Bai Yimei, feeling his steps unbearably heavy.

“Did you… come specifically to find me?” Standing before Bai Yimei, Gu Pingyuan’s heart beat much faster, and after several hesitations, he still uttered words that sounded ridiculous even to himself.

“Master Gu, congratulations on your prosperity,” Bai Yimei maintained her ice-cold tone, leaving Gu Pingyuan even more at a loss for words.

Seeing his bewilderment, Bai Yimei stretched out her hand, and Zhang Pigeng behind her handed over a stack of banknotes. Bai Yimei took them and waved them, asking: “What generous spending – sending people to the Huai salt fields to bribe officials and soldiers, using this large sum to repair housing for salt workers and purchase grain and medicine.”

The hundred thousand taels Gu Pingyuan had allocated was for exactly this task he’d asked Peng Haiwan to handle. Looking at Bai Yimei’s sharp gaze, he hesitated before saying: “Yes, but this is only a temporary measure.”

“Oh, then I really want to ask – what exactly is Master Gu’s long-term plan?” Bai Yimei’s eyes held a hint of mockery.

“You probably know I’m competing with the Li family for salt business in the Two Rivers. There are many reasons, but there’s one I’ve never told anyone. After I gain control of the salt fields, I plan to ensure those former followers of the Ying Prince no longer suffer. Though they are rebels and criminals whom I have no authority to release from the salt fields, I can treat them like my own managers and clerks – paying them wages, ensuring they eat well and dress warmly, reunite with families, and live without being bullied.”

“Finished? This is your long-term plan?” Bai Yimei laughed coldly. “Master Gu, now I understand why you can earn buckets of gold daily. You not only calculate others’ lives but also make others sell their lives for you.” She raised the banknotes again. “One hundred thousand taels to make tens of thousands work like oxen and horses for you their entire lives – what a fine abacus calculation.”

“Whether you believe it or not, everything I said comes from my heart. Once I control the Huai salt fields, I’ll treat these salt workers as my own family.”

“You’re lying!” Bai Yimei shouted angrily. “You’re just afraid of retribution, wanting to buy peace of mind with this money. Hmph! After doing unconscionable things, you think throwing out some silver settles accounts? How could it be so simple? Take back your banknotes – this blood debt cannot be repaid this way.”

Seeing Gu Pingyuan reluctant to take the banknotes, Bai Yimei stepped forward two paces, coming before him, her gaze looking over his shoulder toward the back.

“If you won’t take them back, then I’ll give them to your wife.”

“No!” Gu Pingyuan felt a stifling anger in his chest with no outlet, suppressing that surge of grief and speaking with a hint of pleading: “You can see she’s with child. Besides, matters between you and me have nothing to do with her.”

“With child, with child…” Bai Yimei’s face turned pale, repeating these words several times before giving a bitter smile. “You’re considerate of your wife carrying a child, but what about me? When I was pregnant, my husband was tricked into going to the Qing army and had his head cut off, while I had to force smiles in my enemy’s bedchamber, accompanying the man who killed my husband…”

“Stop talking!” Gu Pingyuan roared wildly, his body trembling violently. Nearby tea house clerks and street pedestrians were startled by this sudden shout, looking over in surprise.

“Yes, I unintentionally made a grave error. You can collect this debt however you wish, but don’t repeatedly cut my heart with knives.” Gu Pingyuan clenched his teeth, slowly shaking his head, then suddenly took out a small cloth bundle from his chest, untying it to reveal a gold-inlaid jade hairpin.

Gu Pingyuan spread his palm flat, extending it before Bai Yimei, his anguished gaze looking directly at her.

“Or you can use this hairpin again to carve out my heart and use it to honor your husband.”

This white jade hairpin, once broken in two, was connected in the middle with gold inlay. Between the gold and jade, one could faintly see dark red color – the bloodstains left when Bai Yimei had thrust it into Gu Pingyuan’s chest that day.

“Heaven, he’s actually kept this hairpin all along.” Bai Yimei involuntarily stepped back, her heart suddenly feeling as if struck by a whip, the pain forcing her to close her eyes to endure it.

She heard Gu Pingyuan’s next words: “If I had known we would become like this, I never would have stepped one foot outside Gu Family Village. I don’t want golden halls and jade houses, don’t want glory and wealth – those gold and silver treasures you can’t bring at birth or take at death, what use are they! I was so foolish, taking imperial examinations, seeking family glory – actually, just having you by my side would be happier than anything, even if I spent my whole life as a country farmer.”

He let out a long sigh, like an echo from deep underground.

“But everything is too late. How many times I’ve dreamed of Teacher teaching me to read, dreamed of you preparing lunch and calling me, dreamed of that little stream behind your house – you and I, only you and I… Yimei, I know you forbid me to call this name, but I swear to heaven, I never calculated against the woman with this name, never wanted to make her sad or distressed. I’d rather suffer a thousand cuts than let her be hurt even slightly.”

Hearing Gu Pingyuan’s heartfelt voice, Bai Yimei’s heart also tore with pain. What had this man done to make her hate him so? He had done nothing except love her. Bai Yimei actually never believed he knowingly wrote that false letter aware of Miao Peilin’s collusion with Sengge Rinchen – she only hated herself. If the Ying Prince hadn’t married her, then Gu Pingyuan wouldn’t have tried to find her an escape route, mistakenly leading the Ying Prince into a trap.

Bai Yimei opened her eyes, looking at the man before her – the man she once wanted to entrust her entire life to. Tears slid down her jade-carved cheeks, dropping to the ground.

After finishing these words, Gu Pingyuan suddenly felt as if drained of strength. He gazed at Bai Yimei, this woman who was once his childhood sweetheart but now viewed him as an enemy. He suddenly had a feeling that whether love or hate, these were the bonds connecting him and her, but now their fate seemed truly exhausted – love and hate growing distant, leaving only endless emptiness.

The two looked at each other, both wanting to say more but truly having nothing to say. Gu Pingyuan took Bai Yimei’s hand, carefully placing the jade hairpin in her palm, saying softly: “Take care.” Then he turned and walked step by step toward the carriage where his wife waited.

Bai Yimei watched Gu Pingyuan walk farther away. She gripped the hairpin tightly, as if grasping those distant times almost forgotten. The stack of banknotes slipped powerlessly from her hands, caught up by the west wind sweeping across the long street, fluttering about with no telling where they would drift.

Gu Pingyuan walked to the carriage without a word. Chang Yu’er looked at him through the raised curtain, her eyes holding a trace of helplessness but more love and heartache. Yet Gu Pingyuan looked aside – he didn’t know how to meet his wife’s gaze. If asked to die for Bai Yimei at this moment, he wouldn’t hesitate, but if asked to choose one person between Bai Yimei and Chang Yu’er to spend his life with, he would also unhesitatingly walk to Chang Yu’er’s side. Such contradiction was difficult even for Gu Pingyuan to face. For an instant, he unexpectedly thought of someone – his father, Li Wantang.

The Gu family carriage passed the street corner heading toward Zhenjiang. In a sedan chair by the roadside, someone quietly watched – the entire street scene had fallen within his sight.

“Sir, didn’t you come specifically to discuss matters with him? Should we stop the Gu family carriage?” The questioner was Qiao Henian’s personal attendant, Kang Qi.

Qiao Henian had also been troubled recently. Not only had Gu Pingyuan not been crushed by Li Qin, he had launched a sudden counterattack against the Li family. This not only left Li Qin panicked but also greatly surprised Qiao Henian, who served as Huai Salt Transport Commissioner.

When two tigers fight, one must be injured. Qiao Henian understood this, but he always believed his authority as Salt Transport Commissioner could control the situation – preventing the Li family from becoming too powerful while making Gu Pingyuan submit obediently to help constrain Li Wantang. Now Gu Pingyuan’s overwhelming move made Qiao Henian realize he was gradually losing control over him.

Li Wantang was, after all, the Huai salt field supervisor approved by Prince Gong. If he just watched Gu Pingyuan drive the Li family out of the Two Rivers, where would Prince Gong’s and Minister of Revenue Baojun’s face be? The current Qiao Henian was far more sophisticated than the young clerk who had once recklessly petitioned the court for Gu Pingyuan. He often regretted why he had been so hot-headed then, actually offending a prince plus a minister.

Regret came too late. Fortunately, he now enjoyed Governor-General Zeng Guofan’s favor, sitting in this position known as “the richest post under heaven” – Huai Salt Transport Commissioner. Moreover, neighboring province’s Li Hongzhang also regarded him favorably – truly having connections on all sides. Qiao Henian reminded himself that the more this was so, the more he couldn’t make mistakes. The secret task Li Hongzhang had given him was merely preparation for unforeseen circumstances – the future remained unknown. The Huai Salt Transport Commissioner was his main position. Huai salt taxes were a major source of national treasury income. If tax collection failed under his administration, a single evaluation of “muddled incompetence” would be enough to destroy his career.

From Li Wantang returning half the salt shops, to Li Qin demanding one million taels of silver, finally to Gu Pingyuan’s counterattack that left Li Qin only able to defend – through this series of fierce battles in the salt business, Gu Pingyuan had firmly gained the upper hand.

From intelligence Qiao Henian gathered, Li Wantang had been shut indoors for days, apparently not intending to participate in his two sons’ conflict. Li Qin’s only response was price cuts, but when he cut prices, Gu Pingyuan followed suit, always keeping control of the situation. Li Qin’s territory was gradually eroded while he remained helpless – victory seemed decided.

Therefore Qiao Henian came today to persuade Gu Pingyuan to stop while ahead, not to really force the Li family to the point of defaulting on salt taxes. It would be best to return to the previous arrangement – half the shops each, fair salt supply from the fields, with himself mediating to unify both families’ selling prices and calm this nearly frenzied salt market.

What left Qiao Henian uncertain was that he still couldn’t understand where Gu Pingyuan had found such wealth to fight the Li family to this extent. If this person truly had the capital to completely destroy the Li family, whether he would listen to his words remained questionable.

So today Qiao Henian came specifically to test his resources, then act accordingly. In any case: no matter how fiercely Gu Pingyuan and the Li family fought, it couldn’t ruin the great matter of Huai salt administration.

Unexpectedly, before his sedan chair had even landed, Qiao Henian first witnessed a drama of romantic entanglement. He found the woman standing before Gu Pingyuan very familiar – he must have seen her before. Following this train of thought, he suddenly gasped in shock.

“Return home,” Qiao Henian said woodenly from his sedan chair. After a long while, he added: “Remember, from now on this official will no longer visit the Gu family shops. If I forget momentarily, you must remind me.”

Kang Qi was puzzled but repeatedly agreed without understanding.

“Who would have thought Gu Pingyuan still associates with this Taiping pseudo-princess, even openly conversing and exchanging items on the street. This person is truly foolish beyond measure.” Qiao Henian recalled that scene at Gu Family Village years ago, and how afterward Gu Pingyuan had frantically pressed him about the route for transporting Bai Yimei, forcing him to reluctantly reveal details. He heard later that Chen Yucheng had personally come to rescue the prisoner. If the court learned of this, he himself would become a Taiping accomplice. Qiao Henian shuddered, not daring to think further.

“Kang Qi! The matter must still be handled, but we need a different approach. Everyone in this tea house knows you’re my personal attendant and that Gu Pingyuan and I are close friends – they won’t be on guard. Find a clerk who knows inside information, casually inquire where Gu Pingyuan really got all this silver. Take this.” Qiao Henian tossed over a two-hundred-tael banknote. “Treat him to courtesans – he gets drunk, you stay sober. Understand?”

Free food, drink, and women – this was a windfall impossible to find even with lanterns. Kang Qi cheerfully accepted the banknote, bowed gratefully to his master, and hurried off.

This Kang Qi was quite capable. By the third day he had results. His luck was good – a clerk helping Manager Peng had just suffered a house fire that left nothing behind. When Kang Qi learned of this, he visited with one hundred taels as assistance. Such generosity between mere acquaintances moved the entire family to gratitude. Kang Qi seized the opportunity to invite him drinking. With wine entering sorrowful hearts, the clerk naturally became thoroughly drunk. Drunk tongues tell truth – he revealed all the inside information he knew.

“Well done. You’re very sensible. You spent one hundred taels – I’ll reward you tenfold. Go to the accounting office shortly for one thousand taels reward money.” Seeing results, Qiao Henian’s heart settled considerably.

“Thank you for your generous reward, sir.” Kang Qi’s eyes lit up with even more enthusiasm as he recounted every detail of the intelligence gathered.

“This Master Gu is truly capable. From Sichuan-Yunnan to the Two Rivers, Wang Si’s horse caravan handled transport. Within Two Rivers territory, he connected with the Canal Gang leader, and all along the Yangtze River Navy provided secret protection. How could this not be foolproof?” Kang Qi concluded with a laugh.

Qiao Henian showed no trace of amusement, narrowing his eyes and nodding slightly: “So that’s how it is. Everyone thought the Gu family found tremendous financial resources to compete with the Li family in spending, never imagining he took a different path – finding cheap supply sources to compete with the Li family in salt. On this point alone, Li Qin falls far short of him. Li Qin focused all energy on the Two Rivers, thinking control of Huai salt fields would doom Gu Pingyuan, while Gu Pingyuan could break out of this framework, setting his sights much farther. From my understanding of this person, I’m certain he has grasped the approximate output of salt fields nationwide. I, as Salt Transport Commissioner, also know something of this. Sichuan salt originally had low production, but during the Taiping rebellion when business was disrupted, large quantities were stockpiled. Plus recent years of well salt extraction using foreign technology – reportedly the Zigong salt region drilled a well over three hundred zhang deep called Shenhai Well, multiplying output several times. But due to exclusive regional sales systems, salt-consuming people hadn’t increased, leaving Sichuan salt merchants frantically worried. Gu Pingyuan’s large purchases at this time were buying gold at cabbage prices – how could he not make huge profits?”

“Of course your friend has capabilities, sir.” Kang Qi flattered opportunely.

“Hmph, friend? He found so many people yet kept this official completely in the dark – seems quite distant indeed.”

“Well… sir, you are the Huai Salt Transport Commissioner after all. How could Master Gu openly discuss private salt smuggling with you? That would put you in a difficult position.”

“That sounds somewhat reasonable, but am I not in difficulty now?” Qiao Henian said angrily. “Gu Pingyuan only thinks of making money and settling grudges with the Li family, never considering that his actions will leave Huai salt fields without tax revenue for at least half a year. This silver involves capital funds and northwestern military provisions, relating to the red caps of several first and second-rank officials and benefits of hundreds of circuit intendants, prefects, and county magistrates. Never mind half a year – even lacking silver for ten days or half a month offends countless people. If even the palace blames us, hmph, I’d be delusional to think I could retreat to being a county magistrate. Even if Gu Pingyuan truly drives the Li family from the Two Rivers, the court won’t care about internal details – they’ll certainly censure this official for failing to pacify the region and soothe merchants, causing such a huge mess.”

“I heard Master Gu has returned to Jiangning. Given your deep friendship, sir, why not visit him? For public and private reasons, he must consider your face, mustn’t he?”

“Easier said than done.” Qiao Henian laughed coldly. “He spent so much effort to reverse such an unfavorable situation – for him this is his only chance. How could he give up for my sake? If I went to persuade him and he refused, parting unhappily would be minor – alerting him would make this person much harder to manage in future.”

Qiao Henian’s usually clear voice suddenly turned sinister. Kang Qi lowered his head uncertainly, hearing no sound from across for a long time, as if papers were being laid out for writing. After much time, Qiao Henian finally said: “Listen – have someone copy this letter, then find a way to deliver it to Li Qin without letting anyone see its connection to the Salt Transport Commissioner’s office.”

“Yes, this humble one will find a messenger to deliver it.” Kang Qi accepted the folded letter.

“Merchants should only make officials comfortable and content – how can they cause headaches and trouble? This time he needs a lesson, or this person will become increasingly ignorant of proper limits.” Qiao Henian’s brow ridge moved almost imperceptibly.

“Snap!” Li Qin’s handsome face twisted terribly as he slammed the letter viciously onto the table.

“This letter was delivered to my home yesterday, specifically addressed to Young Master Li. Seeing the envelope bore no name or signature, and the messenger couldn’t explain who sent it, I feared it might contain compromising language, so I opened it to check. Please forgive my presumption, Young Master Li.” Wang Tiangui sat nearby unmoved, though he too had been quite shocked upon reading this letter.

“I said we couldn’t give Gu Pingyuan breathing room – how about that? The Li family wanted to play a chess game with him in the Two Rivers, but he set up the board in Sichuan-Yunnan, with the Two Rivers being merely one corner in Gu Pingyuan’s view. Playing this way, the Li family could never defeat him.”

These words were utterly clear – Li Qin was playing only half a game while Gu Pingyuan controlled Sichuan salt sources, winning half the battle from the start, then using this advantage to play the Two Rivers game with Li Qin. Li Qin had thought he held all advantages, never imagining that despite all his busyness, he was being played by Gu Pingyuan. Thinking of these recent days’ continuous bad news and his subordinates’ funeral expressions, plus the looks he didn’t need to guess they gave him, Li Qin’s face flushed red as he sprang to his feet.

“Young Master Li, where are you going?” Wang Tiangui asked from behind.

“To report to officials, naturally!” Li Qin said viciously. “Salt is subject to regional monopoly – Gu Pingyuan is breaking national law. If he doesn’t want to be poor, I’ll make him dead!” The words slipped out, but he suddenly realized Gu Pingyuan was no longer the former “stinking exile” he could send Chen Laizi to assassinate, but his half-brother.

“Excellent!” Wang Tiangui’s eyes brightened as he stood. “Before coming I worried Young Master Li couldn’t be ruthless enough, never expecting your decisive and swift action. This Wang truly underestimated a hero.”

Li Qin felt some regret, but with Wang Tiangui’s provocative words, he couldn’t back down now and remained silent in contemplation. The crafty Wang Tiangui wouldn’t let Li Qin retreat, pointing at the letter on the table: “The Gu family’s private salt smuggling has been exposed. This informant hides behind the scenes – not reporting to authorities himself but telling us, showing he wants to use our hands to deal with Gu Pingyuan. Even if Young Master Li spares him, this informant won’t spare the Gu surname. But this way brings complications – if the Gu family becomes prepared, then…”

“You needn’t say more, I’ll go to the Two Rivers Government Office right away.” Li Qin lifted his foot to leave.

“Wait!” Wang Tiangui waved his hand. “To find Lord Zeng?”

“Of course. I can’t very well go find that official surnamed Qiao. Though this matter falls under his jurisdiction, everyone knows he breathes through the same nostril as Gu Pingyuan.”

“Certainly not to find Qiao Henian, but going to the Two Rivers Government Office probably won’t help either. You must know Lord Zeng has always greatly admired Gu Pingyuan. He’s a commanding figure who always cherishes talent and won’t take court laws too seriously – he might well smooth things over. According to this letter, the Xiang Army’s water forces are also involved, so we definitely can’t approach Lord Zeng. If this pot of rice is cooked half-done, it won’t be easy to add more firewood and water.” Wang Tiangui spoke deliberately.

“This…” Li Qin knew these words made sense but found himself in a difficult position.

“Haha.” Wang Tiangui laughed. “As long as Young Master Li is willing to report to the authorities, I’ve already found the right office for submitting your petition.”

Li Qin looked at Wang Tiangui, seeing him grit his back teeth and say word by word: “Go find the Grand Canal Governor – that will surely satisfy you.”

When good fortune comes, spirits soar. Peng Haiwan had been sent by Gu Pingyuan on business, and when he hurried back to Jiangning, dawn was already breaking, yet he felt no fatigue whatsoever. Reflecting on his decades in business – starting by following fellow villagers in the timber trade, later working as a broker, being selected by Old Master Hu for his eloquent mediation skills to work at Tailai Tea House. In less than ten years, he had independently managed the Jiangning branch, becoming the manager of Tailai Tea House’s largest branch. Though his journey couldn’t be called completely smooth sailing, he had profited at every turn. However, this time, watching Master Gu display his prowess and single-handedly reverse an extremely unfavorable situation, forcing the imperious Beijing Li family into retreat after retreat – in less than three months, he had nearly severed all the Li family’s customer base. Such business conduct was simply unheard of, truly exhilarating to the extreme.

He had made up his mind that after this season’s tea house dividend settlement, he would request to help the Gu family with their salt business. First, the reverse thirty-seventy profit split was truly enviable – the merchants working as managers and clerks for Gu Pingyuan’s salt shops received monthly dividends, with even ordinary small clerks earning bonuses equivalent to major managers elsewhere. How could this not provoke envy? Moreover, working for someone like Gu Pingyuan truly felt refreshing – this person was not only generous but also valued loyalty, truly a master worth serving.

Peng Haiwan knocked on the tea house’s back courtyard side gate, seeing lights throughout the main residence where Gu Pingyuan lived. Puzzled, he asked: “Has the master risen so early?”

A clerk laughed: “Where’s the early? They were balancing accounts last night – he and several bookkeepers plus salt shop managers barely slept all night. They just had a late meal and, being tired from walking about, are now chatting.”

“Oh, perfect timing then. I’ll also go report on my task.”

Saying this, Peng Haiwan walked toward the main residence, lifting the curtain to enter and seeing everyone seated together listening to Gu Pingyuan speak.

“Manager Peng has returned – you’ve worked hard. Please sit and have tea before speaking.” Gu Pingyuan noticed him immediately and greeted him with a smile.

Peng Haiwan sat down smiling and listened along with everyone else, discovering Gu Pingyuan was discussing salt affairs.

“As we discussed while balancing accounts, many aspects of the salt business become more confusing the more you think about them from a mere buying and selling perspective – you might never understand them in a lifetime.”

“Then please explain it properly to us, master, so we can also understand.”

“How could I finish explaining in just a moment?” Gu Pingyuan shook his head with a smile. “To truly start from the beginning would take us far back – in ancient times, China was divided in two, with Emperors Yan and Huang each controlling half. If not for their conflict over salt, China would never have been unified. So salt has carried a bloody taste from the very beginning – profit and disaster coexisting. Whatever is indispensable becomes a source of great profit. People can eat vegetarian food but cannot eat bland food, so salt became the most profitable commodity among all goods.”

Therefore, every dynasty treated salt as a source of national tax revenue. During the Spring and Autumn period, Guan Zhong, to help Qi State compete for hegemony, first proposed government-operated salt fields where merchants could not operate without special permits – later dynasties all followed suit. During Emperor Wu of Han’s reign, to quell northern Xiongnu invasions that emptied the treasury, he ordered ‘monopolizing the world’s salt and iron’ to gather wealth for military campaigns. In the Tang Dynasty, not only were salt fields government-operated, but salt shops were also controlled by officials – historically called the ‘salt monopoly law,’ which essentially meant salt that could be bought for one tael of silver was deliberately sold to people for ten taels. Every household needed salt and had no choice but to buy it, so they could only endure silently. To maintain this official sales system, private salt was naturally prohibited with severe punishments. During Emperor Wu of Han’s time, those caught selling private salt had one toe cut off, repeat offenders lost two toes, until they couldn’t walk and thus couldn’t sell private salt anymore. Later dynasties had even stricter laws – beheading became commonplace, leading to uprisings like Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao at the end of Tang, and Zhang Shicheng at the end of Yuan – all these men were originally private salt dealers.

“Good heavens!” Even without formal education, these names were commonly heard in teahouses and storytelling halls everywhere – who would have thought they were all private salt dealers? Everyone quietly exclaimed in amazement.

“Speaking of salt production, Huai is undoubtedly first. The ancient saying goes ‘When south winds come, wealth follows naturally’ – in those days people could go to salt flats themselves to collect sun-dried salt blocks, sweeping up a whole dustpan with a broom, then selling it at market – hence the saying ‘Eighteen sweeps after Xiaoman Festival.’ How could officials let people freely collect salt, so they enclosed the salt fields and established the ‘yin’an’ monopoly system based on salt field output, transportation, and population – ‘yin’ referred to salt production quantity, ‘an’ referred to permitted sales locations. Places like Qinghai Salt Lake, Shanxi Salt Pond, Changlu Salt Field, Huai Salt Field, Sichuan Salt Wells, etc., bound production and sales areas together, forbidding anyone to overstep boundaries. This facilitated court management and tax collection while balancing salt prices everywhere. During our dynasty’s Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, Huai salt quotas exceeded sixteen million yin, called ‘gang salt.’ Each yin was about 370 jin, with price differences within the Two Rivers region reaching over tenfold. At that time, the Two Lakes were also Huai salt field distribution areas – white salt transported to Hankou was not only mixed with many impurities but prices rose over thirtyfold. How could those Yangzhou salt merchants not make huge fortunes? It’s said the chief merchant’s wife Lady Wang alone occupied eighteen gardens, kept countless male concubines, and when going out even had pure gold horseshoes. When one person attains the Way, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven – not just them, but even gatekeepers and sweepers in salt merchant households ate delicacies daily, with people calling them ‘master’ when they returned home.

This speech left everyone tongue-tied with amazement, their admiration for Gu Pingyuan growing even greater – truly worthy of being the master, while they only knew how to sell salt, he understood salt affairs so thoroughly. Manager Fei laughed: “In those days Yangzhou had ten great salt merchants plus countless small and medium merchants, all sharing profits yet living so luxuriously. Now you alone dominate – given time, whether Jiang Chun who built White Pagoda overnight or Lady Wang with eighteen gardens, neither could compare with the Gu family’s wealth.”

But Gu Pingyuan didn’t laugh along with everyone. He picked up a book from the desk, stroking its cover: “What I just described is all recorded in ‘Complete Works of Lord Tao Wengyi.’ Lord Tao Shu was truly a friend to us merchants – if he hadn’t died, how could Huai salt fields have become what they are today?” Remembering Old Master Hu’s words, he sighed softly and said to Manager Fei: “Now we’re smuggling private salt and making huge profits, but this is merely a temporary measure, moreover violating regulations. If not for defeating the Li family, I wouldn’t do this. But then again, the ‘yin’an’ monopoly system is already outdated. Now foreigners have small steamships on the Yangtze that can travel in one day and night what canal boats take several days. Two years ago at the Ten Thousand Tea Conference in Beijing, I heard an English merchant named Charlie Lin mention they have something called ‘trains’ in their country that run ten times faster than the swiftest horses. In my view, these things will appear in the Qing Empire sooner or later – trains replacing mules and horses, steamships replacing canal boats. Then places previously unreachable by boat or inconvenient by cart might become instantly accessible, creating new business opportunities. Gentlemen, remember my words: profit from smuggling is only temporary gain, but seeing ahead brings lifelong benefit.” He looked intently at Manager Fei, then swept his gaze over everyone, saying solemnly: “Given time, I hope to divide the huge profits of Huai salt fields – even all the world’s salt fields – equally, so common people needn’t count every copper when buying salt. When customers smile happily, merchants can prosper long-term. What do you say?”

These words left everyone silently contemplating, each privately impressed. As it was getting late, Gu Pingyuan asked them to return and rest. Peng Haiwan wanted to report his success, so he stayed behind alone.

“What did that Young Master Su say?” Gu Pingyuan had been concerned about this matter – he really didn’t want to get involved in such extremely dangerous treasonous affairs, so when retained earnings reached one million taels, he immediately sent Manager Peng to return the money to Su Zixuan.

“He wouldn’t accept it at first, but asked why the master didn’t come personally to deliver it. I used our prepared explanation – that the master was unwell and couldn’t personally travel to Suzhou, truly apologetic, but the silver was complete without shortage and interest was added at market’s highest rate.”

“What did she say?”

“This young master listened without comment, only giving a cold laugh. He handed those banknotes to his book boy without even counting them. I asked him to write a receipt, and just as I was about to take leave, he finally spoke. He asked me to tell the master… this…” Peng Haiwan suddenly seemed troubled, looking up at Gu Pingyuan’s expression.

“Just repeat his exact words,” Gu Pingyuan urged.

“Then I’ll speak. He said the master’s ability to repay such a large sum so quickly proved he hadn’t misjudged initially, hoping the master would carefully consider his previous words and not misjudge the situation, lest he regret it too late. He also said this money couldn’t be returned this way – originally it was life-saving money. Without it, Gu family salt shops would have belonged to the Li family long ago, and it wouldn’t be the master’s turn to play aloof today.”

After hearing this, Gu Pingyuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This Su Zixuan was sharp-tongued and clear-thinking – though only conveyed through Peng Haiwan, his words still carried thunder-like force. Fortunately he hadn’t appeared personally, or he’d truly have no response.

“I understand.” It seemed this trouble couldn’t be avoided after all. Gu Pingyuan felt somewhat displeased and was about to ask Manager Peng to rest when the night-watch clerk hurried in.

“Manager, there’s a military officer here to see the master, says it’s urgent.”

“Military officer?” Gu and Peng looked at each other. Gu Pingyuan asked: “Which office sent him with a message?”

“Doesn’t seem like it. He rode a fast horse, arrived breathless, didn’t say he was an official messenger, and was very polite, repeatedly saying he requested to see Master Gu.”

“How strange – a soldier coming urgently in the dead of night surely brings no good news. Master, let me handle this first to see what it’s about.” Peng Haiwan rubbed his hands.

“No, visitors are guests – we should treat them sincerely.” Gu Pingyuan walked toward the outer hall.

Upon meeting face to face, Gu Pingyuan was startled. He recognized this person – though they’d only met once, anyone who’d seen this man’s appearance could never forget it. His face was severely disfigured, twisted and crooked as if bones had been broken, with a mouth full of black when speaking – his teeth had fallen out and been replaced with ebony false teeth. His name was Feng Cheng, disciple of Master Lu from the water forces. Last time when Master Lu came to report that Li Qin was colluding with Bai Yimei’s Tonghai Gang to sell private salt officially, he’d brought this man surnamed Feng. Gu Pingyuan remembered he also held official rank – a lowly clerk, ninth-rank patrol inspector.

However small, he was still an official. Gu Pingyuan quickly paid respects, and Feng Cheng was quite courteous, repeatedly returning the courtesy. Once host and guest were seated and tea served, just as Gu Pingyuan was about to inquire about Feng Cheng’s purpose, he spoke first.

“Master Gu, you’re probably facing great disaster – quickly prepare countermeasures.”

This single statement shocked both Gu Pingyuan and Peng Haiwan. Gu Pingyuan carefully studied this once-met Feng Cheng, seeing his grave expression didn’t seem like joking.

“Officer Feng, could you please explain more clearly?”

“Of course, that’s why I came.” Though Feng Cheng’s speech was unclear, he spoke very logically. Taking a deep breath, he recounted everything systematically.

As water forces patrol inspector, he was stationed at Shaobo Lake mouth between Gaoyou and Yangzhou to inspect passing vessels. Yesterday at noon, three military boats from the Grand Canal Governor’s office came from Qingjiangpu direction. One boat had torn sails and stopped at the lake mouth dock for repairs, hurrying anxiously as if rushing to travel.

Feng Cheng had been with the water forces nearly three years – an old soldier. Water forces and canal troops met daily on waterways and knew each other well. He used this opportunity to treat two acquaintances to tea and casually asked what they were doing. They replied this time they were going to raid a salt merchant surnamed Gu’s home, expecting to make some money, so all the brothers were excited.

“Hearing this, my heart jumped. I quickly tried to learn more, but these two were confused – only knowing the target was surnamed Gu, nothing else. I went to the military boat to inquire further, finally learning this operation was led by Grand Canal Governor Wu Tang’s trusted secretary, repeatedly saying they would thoroughly raid the Two Rivers’ greatest salt merchant. I’ve heard of Master Gu’s business – being surnamed Gu and a major salt merchant, this surely refers to you. I quickly borrowed a fast horse to rush here and report.”

“Thank you, thank you.” Seeing Feng Cheng drenched in sweat from running, Gu Pingyuan was truly grateful. This news was too shocking. Peng Haiwan was still pondering: “Raid the home? Master Gu’s home is in Huizhou, in Zhenjiang he stays at an inn, and here he’s only temporarily residing – what home are they raiding?”

“Could it be…” Manager Fei, hearing the news, also hurried out. He immediately felt cold sweat on his back, quickly looking at Gu Pingyuan and finding his face also deathly pale.

“Nine times out of ten, word has leaked. Let’s hurry over now to see if there’s time to move things out.” Gu Pingyuan gave orders, and all Shunde Tea House clerks hitched up carts to follow him outside.

“Officer Feng, great kindness needs no thanks – there will surely be generous rewards later.” Gu Pingyuan took out a five-hundred-tael banknote as thanks. Unexpectedly, Feng Cheng absolutely refused to accept it, and his manner didn’t seem to find it insufficient. Gu Pingyuan suddenly remembered – last time he’d given Master Lu five hundred taels and Feng Cheng one hundred taels, which he’d also stuffed through a door crack without taking.

But this time the man had made great effort – how could there be no reward? Unable to decline further, Feng Cheng simply said: “Master Gu, I truly cannot accept this money – the reason will become clear later. Please hurry with your business and don’t delay important matters for my sake.”

Gu Pingyuan had to give up, leading people hurriedly to the riverside outside the city. Following Manager Fei’s idea, beside Shunde Tea House’s great warehouse, they had built ten large salt storage warehouses, each five zhang high with pointed tops and square perimeters. The most interesting feature of these warehouses was their construction on wooden piles, with most of their structure five feet above water level – publicly said to prevent fire, but with deeper meaning known only to Gu Pingyuan and a few others.

The warehouses had mechanisms underneath!

The warehouse floors suspended above water were all hinged boards, normally secured with mechanical catches, but all catches were connected by hemp ropes that sank into the water, usually invisible. In emergencies, one need only fish up one end of the rope and pull hard – all hinged boards would open and contents would fall into the water.

If other goods fell into water, they could be salvaged, but salt dissolved immediately upon contact with water, leaving no trace. This was Manager Fei’s strategy for destroying smuggling evidence at critical moments. Liu Heita had been living and eating here these days precisely to guard this mechanism – ensuring no one accidentally triggered it while guaranteeing someone could use this desperate measure when necessary.

Now seemed to be the necessary time. When Gu Pingyuan brought people to the warehouse, external transport was too late – he could see the three canal governor boats Feng Cheng mentioned had already docked. Manager Peng’s eyes widened anxiously, still wanting to have people quickly transport salt out, but Gu Pingyuan waved to stop him, saying gravely: “Too late.” He gave Liu Heita a meaningful look. Liu Heita silently walked into shallow water at the shore, bent down to untie the hemp rope fastened to wooden stakes, coiled the rope several times, and gripped it firmly in his hands.

By now dawn was breaking. A thin mist had risen on the morning river surface, gradually spreading to shore. In the mist, the canal governor’s people approached carrying a string of lanterns, soon drawing near. Through the haze, the leading figure came closer and closer until the Gu family people finally recognized his face, all involuntarily gasping.

Li Qin! He smiled triumphantly at Gu Pingyuan across from him, pointed at those ten great warehouses, and turned back saying: “Secretary Wu, this is the place.”

“Mm.” A person emerged from behind him, walking unhurriedly but with eyes fixed on Gu Pingyuan, like a well-fed cat watching a mouse that couldn’t escape.

“I’ve been following Lord Wu intercepting smugglers on waterways for years. I’ve seen examination candidates stuff salt into entire book chests, passenger boats with hollowed boards for storing salt, even officials returning home in retirement secretly carrying private salt in their carriages – all discovered one by one. But today really opens my eyes – Master Gu actually brazenly built so many huge warehouses to store private salt. Heh heh, truly audacious beyond measure. National law shows no mercy to salt bandits – with such massive smuggling quantities, the canal governor’s office could request imperial command flags to execute you on the spot.” Secretary Wu looked at the tense faces of the Gu family people and suddenly smiled. “However, today is Young Master Li of the Li family making the accusation. He has words to say – we might as well listen.”

“Wait.” Gu Pingyuan interrupted him. “Secretary Wu, at our last meeting in Qingjiangpu, I helped the Governor with a not insignificant favor. Is today’s matter your own initiative or following orders?”

“Haha.” Secretary Wu sneered, looking at him mockingly. “That’s why I say you’re audacious beyond measure – actually daring to bribe Ministry of Revenue clerks and alter official documents, even doing such things as tearing down Buddhist temples to build new ones, then playing both sides for profit. Did you really think gods and ghosts wouldn’t know? But that woman surnamed Bai from the Canal Gang has already exposed what you did! Today, it’s the Governor’s special order for me to handle you. Well, nothing more to say now, right?”

Gu Pingyuan’s last glimmer of hope was extinguished. He nodded: “Very well, since Lord Wu misunderstands me, I’ll explain later. But today Secretary Wu keeps mentioning private salt – I ask you, where is this private salt? Please point it out for me and my clerks to see, so we can also open our eyes.”

“You!” Secretary Wu truly hadn’t expected Gu Pingyuan to respond this way. “Hey, you’ve probably eaten too many Jiangning ducks and learned their tough-mouthed ways even when the meat is tender. This evidence is right before your eyes – how dare you deny it?”

“Evidence? You mean these ten warehouses?”

“Exactly!”

“These are empty – completely empty!”

“Bullshit!” Li Qin had been listening for a while and couldn’t help speaking now. “Stop your mystifying tricks. Do you think I’d dare disturb the canal governor and deploy three boatloads of troops without certainty? I tell you, I’ve long had people watching your private salt, following it all the way from Sichuan-Yunnan here. Weren’t you balancing accounts with people until late last night? That’s because this batch of private salt arrived, filling these ten warehouses completely full. You needed to settle previous accounts before distributing private salt to various salt shops. You still dare say these are empty? Heh heh, but I say they’re full – from top to bottom, all private salt! How about opening them up to see on the spot!”

Gu Pingyuan frowned. This private salt trade would be exposed sooner or later – he’d prepared for that, but being discovered so quickly by Li Qin, and with such detailed knowledge, was unexpected. Salt shop managers and clerks were making money hand over fist – they’d never voluntarily inform or betray secrets. It seemed someone had inadvertently leaked inside information.

“Stop guessing – you can’t figure out who betrayed you.” Actually Li Qin didn’t know who wrote the informant letter either. The letter not only clearly described Gu Pingyuan’s salt transport routes but also detailed how to verify salt ledgers and find evidence of the Gu family’s private salt smuggling – clearly written by someone very knowledgeable about salt affairs.

“Gu Pingyuan, don’t say I’m not giving you a way out. You heard Secretary Wu’s words – this private salt is enough to have you beheaded ten times over. But considering our slight connection, I don’t want to see you lose your head. As long as you hand over the private salt plus all your smuggling profits and all salt shops under your name, the canal governor’s office can show leniency and let you return to Huizhou. My Li family won’t pursue this matter further.”

This was the condition Li Qin had negotiated with the canal governor’s office – the private salt and all Gu family silver would go to Wu Tang, while Li Qin would take the original hundred-plus shops plus Gu Pingyuan’s newly opened dozens of salt shops. Each getting what they needed with substantial gains, both sides naturally agreed readily.

The Gu family people listened with splitting fury – the territory Gu Pingyuan and everyone had worked so hard to establish, Li Qin wanted to take with a casual remark. Truly outrageous.

“Is that all? You’d spare our Gu family this way?” Gu Pingyuan asked calmly.

“You guessed right – of course that’s not all.” Li Qin smiled mockingly. “I have one more condition. You must come back to the Li family with me and kowtow in apology before my parents, admitting defeat and saying you can never beat me. Only then will this matter be settled.”

“Young Master Li, don’t go too far…” Peng Haiwan and Manager Fei spoke simultaneously.

“I am going too far! So what? I currently hold the upper hand – if I don’t take this chance to beat Gu Pingyuan so thoroughly he can never recover, I’d feel sorry for myself. His life and all of yours are now in my palm. If the canal governor’s office thoroughly investigates this matter, probably one or two hundred people won’t escape consequences.” He looked at Gu Pingyuan and grinned. “Aren’t you always most concerned with loyalty? These people followed you in business only to face house raids, exile, or even execution – don’t you pity them?”

While he spoke, Gu Pingyuan had already clenched his fists, knowing today’s affair would end badly, but Li Qin shouldn’t be too pleased yet. He glanced at Liu Heita, seeing this rough man also staring intently at him – with just one meaningful look, he would certainly pull hard. Then tens of thousands of shi of salt would fall into water simultaneously, turning the Yangtze River into brine. Though this meant losing over a million taels of silver and most of the Gu family’s profits from recent months, thinking of Li Qin and Secretary Wu’s expressions then, Gu Pingyuan suddenly smiled.

“What are you smiling about?” Li Qin couldn’t help being stunned.

“I’m smiling at your nonsense. I already said these are completely empty, yet you insist they’re full of private salt. Very well, please bring people to open them and see.”

“Gu Pingyuan, are you truly unafraid of death, preferring death to admitting defeat to me?” Li Qin shrieked angrily. He truly hadn’t planned to take Gu Pingyuan’s life – just driving him back to Huizhou in disgrace and having him boost his own morale before their parents would satisfy him. But unexpectedly, even now Gu Pingyuan still wouldn’t yield. Li Qin recalled how in the frontier, Shanxi, Beijing, and Huizhou, despite his status as the Li family’s eldest son, he’d lost everywhere to this exile, this lowly-born Gu Pingyuan. The disdain in Gu Pingyuan’s eyes plainly showed he didn’t think much of any Li family young master – this nearly drove him mad.

Gu Pingyuan’s unexpected composure confused even the usually meticulous Secretary Wu. He approached Li Qin and whispered: “Are you certain there’s private salt inside? If we open the warehouses and find nothing, we can’t afford to lose face.”

“This person always deceives others – he’s bluffing again, trying to fool us into leaving. Didn’t you also say that grain business had the canal governor’s office quite deceived?” Li Qin said hatefully.

“That makes sense. Men, open the warehouse doors for me!” Mentioning that incident made Secretary Wu furious – he’d lost at least ten thousand taels in benefits that time, and today he’d recover it all.

Though river breezes blew gently, the atmosphere here resembled the moment before execution at an execution ground. Everyone held their breath, watching canal governor soldiers push toward the great warehouse doors. Gu Pingyuan turned his head, looking at Liu Heita and nodding slightly in signal.

Liu Heita gritted his teeth, planted his horse stance firmly, tensed his arms with muscle blocks bulging on his shoulders, and prepared to pull backward on the rope with all his strength.

Gu Pingyuan closed his eyes slightly, as if already hearing hinged boards opening, vast quantities of salt thunderously falling into water, the dissolving sounds from the water surface, and among the shore crowd’s exclamations, Li Qin’s furious roar.

“Wait!” At this critical moment, a shout suddenly came from the distance, startling everyone who was completely focused.

Who was it? Everyone focused their gaze to see a “Wuxi Express” boat docked at the river surface, with the boatman helping someone out from under the black canopy. This person walked along the shore toward them, and by the dawn light, Li Qin was first to recognize and call out: “Father! How did you come here?”

It was indeed Li Wantang, but he wasn’t dressed in his usual attire – instead wearing fourth-rank official robes, his bearing quite resembling that of a court minister. He glanced at Li Qin but didn’t answer, simply coming to stand steadily between the two groups.

Secretary Wu was also dumbfounded. Today’s military leader was a sixth-rank battalion commander, and military officials weren’t worth much – being merely a scholar by background, he naturally had to step forward and pay respects.

Seeing both the military officer and Secretary Wu come to bow respectfully, Li Wantang accepted their courtesies graciously, then asked: “The Canal Governor’s office has always managed canal smuggling interception, while Yangtze smuggling interception is the water forces’ duty. Why are canal troops at the riverside today?”

Secretary Wu was startled by this question, then felt angry, thinking this Li father-son pair was truly interesting – the son reported to officials to arrest someone, while the father immediately showed protective intent. Weren’t they toying with the Canal Governor’s office? You Li Wantang really think you’re an official – never mind being merely a candidate official, even if you were a current official, a mere fourth-rank daring to stand straight before the Canal Governor’s people – truly ignorant of proper limits.

Therefore his words carried some discourtesy: “Since military campaigns began, the court has repeatedly issued edicts: ‘Do not consider other provinces’ battles unrelated to oneself, must work together harmoniously for coordinated defense and suppression.’ With this principle, when the water forces were busy fighting Taipings, the Canal Governor’s office naturally took on more responsibilities. Over time, whether Yangtze or canal waterways, everyone cooperates fully.”

This reason sounded righteous and proper, using court edicts as a big hat to press down, clearly warning Li Wantang not to meddle.

What kind of person was Li Wantang? Having frequented Beijing’s princely mansions and government offices for decades, dealing with countless officials large and small, he naturally understood immediately. He smiled slightly: “Secretary Wu surely knows my Li family received court permission, especially Prince Gong’s favor, specifically licensed to operate Huai salt fields. Hearing a major private salt dealer was caught today, I came specially to see – this isn’t excessive, is it?”

“Oh, not excessive, not excessive.” Secretary Wu was also someone who understood implications. Hearing Li Wantang invoke Prince Gong, his attitude immediately softened by three parts. He pointed toward Gu Pingyuan across from them, saying seriously: “Master Li, this person is that private salt dealer, and your eldest son made the accusation. Those warehouses contain evidence of private salt smuggling. I was just about to have people search inside when Master Li called out.” Finishing, he stepped aside with an attitude of ‘let’s see how you handle this.’

By now, throughout the Two Rivers region, almost everyone knew the relationship between Li Wantang and Gu Pingyuan – knowing that those locked in mortal combat were blood father and son, blood brothers. Now the younger brother had accused the elder brother of a capital offense, evidence and criminal about to be caught red-handed, yet the father had rushed over – this was more dramatic than stage plays. Everyone stared unblinkingly at the scene.

“Father, you needn’t come here. I can handle this matter,” Li Qin said.

“Shut your mouth!” Li Wantang snapped quietly. He walked step by step toward Gu Pingyuan, stopping before him and looking up at this son who wanted to completely destroy him. Gu Pingyuan looked coldly back at him without speaking.

Peng Haiwan and Manager Fei standing beside Gu Pingyuan suddenly felt somewhat awkward and uneasy, slowly shifting their feet to move aside.

Li Wantang spoke in a voice only Gu Pingyuan could hear: “Selling high while buying low, yet maintaining sustainability – either you have sufficient capital to harm others with capital, or you have another supply route to balance purchase prices. If capital were sufficient, you could buy out Huai salt field supplies to checkmate me – your not doing so proves financial resources remain inadequate. Carefully comparing salt quantities you purchase from Huai with output quantities from your salt shops, the matter has long been crystal clear.”

Gu Pingyuan’s gaze flickered, his lips moved, but he still didn’t speak.

“I’ve been waiting for you to pull back, but it seems you have no such intention. I heard you want to completely drive me out of Huai?” Li Wantang spoke very slowly, consistently avoiding terms like “Gu family” or “Li family.”

“So what? Hasn’t Beijing’s Li family always been invincible, always getting whatever they wanted – whether goods, money, or people?” Gu Pingyuan finally spoke. “I just want the Li family to roll back to Beijing, lest they remain in Jiangnan where our Gu family might accidentally encounter them on the street someday and find the sight disgusting.”

“I don’t blame you for saying this – after all, I wronged you and your mother back then,” Li Wantang said softly. “But words must be spoken clearly. Now you and I operate two separate businesses. Even if Li Qin hadn’t reported to the Canal Governor’s office today, I would soon have done this deed. But not reporting you – rather cutting off Wang Si’s caravan transport routes within Sichuan territory, preventing Sichuan salt from entering the Two Rivers and blocking your supply route.”

“So you father and son truly think alike – worthy of both bearing the Li surname,” Gu Pingyuan said mockingly. “Then what’s your meaning in coming today? Do you want to personally watch me beheaded, to see the last drop of blood you gave me drain from my body? Or do you plan to persuade me to admit defeat and kowtow in apology to your good son Li Qin?”

Hearing these sharp and cutting words, realizing these two were actually father and son, Peng Haiwan got goosebumps while Manager Fei’s palms broke out in cold sweat.

“Just watch what I do,” Li Wantang said, his face somewhat pale as he turned to face the Canal Governor’s people.

“Master Gu just joked with everyone – these warehouses are indeed full of salt.”

“How about that? Didn’t I say correctly? So much private salt – this is a major case rarely seen since the Qing Dynasty’s founding,” Li Qin said somewhat puzzled, not expecting his father to come specifically to help him. Without thinking, he immediately added this comment.

Li Wantang glared at him, then said words no one expected.

“However, all this salt was shipped from Huai salt fields – it’s not private salt.”

What! Li Qin nearly jumped up, and Secretary Wu’s eyes widened.

“Father, you… how…” Li Qin was so agitated he couldn’t speak coherently.

“Keep your mouth shut – it’s not your turn to speak here,” Li Wantang roared angrily. Li Qin fell silent, only glaring furiously at Gu Pingyuan.

“Master Li, your son came to report the Gu family selling private salt, yet you say this is official salt from Huai salt fields. Who exactly is joking here?” Secretary Wu knew that accepting Li Wantang’s statement would ruin all benefits, and he’d have no way to explain to Wu Tang upon return. In his anxiety, sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.

“My son simply doesn’t understand the inside story. Since this is the case, let’s speak openly. Gu Pingyuan is also my son – this is universally known. The so-called raising field salt prices by fifty percent to sell to him was really due to unavoidable difficulties. Throwing dirt publicly was merely to confuse outsiders’ eyes. Privately, I naturally had to supplement this salt batch to him – this is the origin of salt stored in these warehouses.”

“Your words need evidence – you can’t claim this is official salt without proof,” Secretary Wu said frantically.

“Having conducted business most of my life, how could I be careless about this point?” Li Wantang took out a ledger from his sleeve and handed it over.

“This records business dealings between Gu Pingyuan’s salt shops and Huai salt fields. Openly it shows quantities sold at fifty percent markup, secretly it shows quantities sold at fifty percent markdown – every transaction clearly recorded. Of course, whether open or secret, official taxes were fully paid – otherwise how could it be called official salt? Please take this ledger back for careful verification, Secretary Wu. You may also compare it with account books from Gu Pingyuan’s salt shops. I guarantee absolutely no discrepancies – otherwise let the Canal Governor’s office hold me accountable.”

Peng Haiwan and Manager Fei exchanged glances, both secretly alarmed. This meant Li Wantang had long stationed people to monitor all Gu family salt shops, even recording salt quantities entering and leaving. How much manpower this required to estimate all quantities accurately – Li Wantang had truly made tremendous efforts to protect Gu Pingyuan.

“Good, good. I trust Master Li – no need to return for verification.” With detailed accounts already produced, clearly prepared in advance, what flaws could be found? Secretary Wu’s face flushed red with anger, glaring fiercely at the dumbstruck Li Qin beside him before cupping his hands to Li Wantang: “Your father and son are truly remarkable – the Canal Governor’s office has learned much.” He waved his hand, preparing to lead his people away in frustration.

“Wait!” Gu Pingyuan felt extremely conflicted. Li Wantang had just transformed private salt into official salt with a few words. If he now ordered Liu Heita to trigger the mechanism and sink this salt into the river, it would become both meaningless and laughable. He even regretted not giving the order earlier for Liu Heita to pull the mechanism – though that would have lost large quantities of salt, it wouldn’t leave him in such a dilemma as now.

But accepting Li Wantang’s kindness meant he had resolved the crisis and even paid official taxes for this private salt. How could he continue fighting this person in the future? Gu Pingyuan’s mind was in turmoil, glaring at Li Wantang without knowing what to say.

Li Wantang looked at this son’s complex and painful gaze, sighing silently in his heart before announcing loudly: “Taking advantage of everyone being here today, I declare one matter. From today forward, salt from Huai salt fields, regardless of which salt shop it’s sold to – including Li family salt shops – will all be the same price, absolutely no different pricing!”

“Father!” Li Qin screamed wildly.

“Qin’er, he is your elder brother after all,” Li Wantang said softly, looking at his other son’s nearly mad anger.

“I won’t acknowledge it – I’ll never acknowledge it! Gu Pingyuan, you actually dare… Just wait, I’ll definitely settle this account with you!” Li Qin shouted loudly, running toward Jiangning city without looking back.

“He really said that?” Lady Li’s eyes seemed to flash with phosphorous fire, one hand gripping a Kangxi porcelain teacup with veins bulging on the back of her hand.

“Yes.” Li Qin was both shocked and angry, not yet awakened from that nightmare. He was the Li family’s only son, yet his father had other flesh and blood. Not only that, this father who had lived with him day and night for twenty years now dealt him a heavy blow before so many people, protecting instead that nemesis Gu Pingyuan. This left Li Qin feeling not just defeat but immense humiliation.

“Father not only paid a large sum in official taxes to create false accounts for the Gu family, but also said from now on, salt field salt would be the same price whether sold to me or him, with no distinction.” Remembering this made Li Qin gnash his teeth with hatred. “This must all be Gu Pingyuan’s behind-the-scenes scheming. He appears to hate Father to the bone, but secretly who knows how he’s been pleasing him, wanting to use our Li family’s wealth to profit the Gu family. He could sell private salt so recklessly because he was so confident of support.”

“I’m not asking about that!” Lady Li suddenly stood up, gripping Li Qin’s collar tightly. “Did he really say ‘Gu Pingyuan is your elder brother’?”

Li Qin was startled, seeing his mother’s sinister and terrifying gaze, feeling chilled to the bone before finally nodding.

Lady Li swayed, stepping back several paces to collapse in her chair, murmuring: “Father, you truly predicted it. After so many years, that ‘Gu’ character still can’t be worn away, that ‘Li’ character still can’t be carved in.”

“Mother, what are you saying?” Li Qin didn’t hear clearly.

“Must not be soft-hearted, cannot be soft-hearted…” Lady Li repeated these phrases over and over, her gaze gradually changing from confused to vicious.

“Qin’er, do you remember in Beijing when I had you find someone to kill Gu Pingyuan?”

“I remember.” Li Qin certainly remembered – Chen Laizi had mistakenly killed Fourth Sister Chang’s father. At the time he regretted the failed strike, but now reflecting, he couldn’t distinguish his feelings.

“Mother, why did you deceive me? Why say Gu Pingyuan’s father died at Li family hands, at Father’s hands, using this reason to have me find someone to kill him? You clearly knew then that he was…”

Lady Li’s sharp gaze stopped him from continuing. She said leisurely: “I didn’t deceive you. Gu Wanzhang was killed by Li Wantang – your father personally buried that man surnamed Gu, then turned around to become the future ‘Li Half-City.’ But now this dead man seems about to return to life, helping his former family fight against the Li family that showed him boundless kindness. Hmph, I knew long ago he was this type of person – having once abandoned wife and child, he can certainly do it again now.”

Li Qin felt his heart being pricked by needles, involuntarily blurting out: “Then what do we do?”

“What do we do?” Lady Li’s voice was colder than an ice cellar. “We mother and son certainly can’t sit waiting for death. I want to see – without the Gu family, where can he return to?”

Outside Suzhou’s Lion Grove Garden’s Lixue Hall, purple magnolias and peonies bloomed. The hall’s exterior rockery was entirely built with lake stones, relics from the Northern Song’s “Flower and Stone Tribute,” shaped remarkably like Buddhist lion seats.

“Hearing lion roars within Lion Grove Garden – how wonderful!” A person sat peacefully inside the hall, sipping tea and smiling softly.

“Surnamed Su, stop your frivolity with me – know that I don’t tolerate sand in my eyes,” Bai Yimei said coldly as water, softly roaring. “Do you think delaying can solve everything? Tens of thousands of lives hang constantly in my heart. Every day I know how many more died, how many more couldn’t survive today. If a person’s heart burns like oil from morning to night, tell me – would she let you remain leisurely here?”

Su Zixuan glanced at Bai Yimei, restraining his smile and nodding with a sigh: “You may not believe this, but that fire in your heart – I understand it better than anyone. However, you’re forcing me to save those salt workers. Even if I rescue them from the salt fields, how many will die in the process? Have you considered this?”

“They live worse than death – better to risk mutual destruction,” Bai Yimei’s eyes reddened. Her agitation stemmed from Zhang Pigeng learning through Assistant Prince Yang Fuqing at the salt fields about a horrifying incident.

Half a month ago, among salt workers and families kept in separate quarters, a child surnamed Du developed intestinal colic deep in the night. His mother desperately begged the guards and overseers to allow fetching a doctor. These military masters cared nothing for criminals’ lives, saying “discuss it at dawn” before locking the gates and going to sleep.

The poor mother could only use hot compresses to ease the child’s pain, but to no avail. Before dawn came, the child died in agony. The family naturally wailed in grief, but reaching this point, they could only accept fate – who made this child’s destiny so poor?

Originally the matter should have ended there. The child’s father, after crying bitterly, made a simple coffin from wooden boards, wanting to send it to the separated family quarters so the child wouldn’t be buried naked. Who would have thought the guards demanded money – ten taels of silver or the coffin couldn’t be carried in for burial preparation. Where could the child’s father get such money? Already heartbroken and now facing extortion, he quarreled with the guards. Those military masters glared angrily, not only beating him but kicking the coffin to pieces, reducing it to wood scraps.

Witnessing this, the salt workers went mad with rage, surging forward seeking justice. The commanding officer claimed this was seditious rebellion, using foreign guns to disperse them, shooting over a hundred people dead on the spot, including the child’s father. Upon hearing this news, the mother hanged herself, and all three family members went to the underworld together.

If not for Assistant Prince Yang Fuqing leading several steady, mature people to secretly maintain protection and using collectively pooled money to bribe military officers, who knows how much worse things might have become. Hearing this, Bai Yimei truly ground her teeth in fury, unable to wait any longer, thus hurrying to Suzhou again to discuss with Su Zixuan how to quickly rescue this group of salt workers from their sea of suffering.

“I also want to perform this meritorious deed, but the sea of suffering is boundless,” Su Zixuan shook his head slightly, truly showing compassionate eyes. “The sea of suffering I speak of is this Qing Dynasty – north and south of the great river are all court territory. Rescuing people is already difficult enough. After escaping the salt fields, where should these tens of thousands go? Daily food and drink alone requires enormous expenses. Using money is still a small matter – ‘When people exceed ten thousand, they’re boundless and endless.’ Never mind escaping, even finding a place to hide is impossible. They’re unarmed – when official troops catch up to exterminate them, they’d only have a dead end.”

“You’re not saving them – you’re merely hastening their deaths,” Su Zixuan concluded decisively, truly having a heart-stopping impact.

Only then did Bai Yimei realize she’d indeed been too hasty, losing proper measure. She frowned, supporting her forehead as she sat down, silently despondent.

“The Buddhist lion seat before Buddha speaks of sincerity bringing efficacy. Since you’ve spoken to this point today, I’ll also reveal something to you. Remember last time I mentioned ‘to achieve proper fruit, one must destroy the thieves’ den’?” Su Zixuan smiled.

Bai Yimei hadn’t forgotten these words, but when Su Zixuan spoke vaguely then, she only half-understood. Today he rarely brought it up again, so she directed questioning eyes toward Su Zixuan.

“Though the sea of suffering is boundless, we might as well learn from Jingwei filling the sea. If this Two Rivers region were no longer Qing Dynasty territory, then salt workers would have a place to settle,” Su Zixuan leisurely walked to the window, admiring magnolias through ice-plum patterns.

“Are you talking nonsense?”

“Let me tell you – the Zeng brothers will surely rebel within the year. When Xiang Army rises, it will certainly be overwhelming. At worst, it will divide territory by the river. If salt workers can respond en masse then, tens of thousands of troops will be founding heroes. Not only will they no longer suffer, but each will gain merit to ennoble wives and benefit children.”

Though Su Zixuan spoke lightly, his words carried great weight, leaving Bai Yimei dumbfounded.

“Why did I follow you to Jiangnan? Just to accomplish this great deed. Scheming to kill the Monk Prince was merely to remove obstacles for Zeng Guofan. Now you understand.”

“But…” Bai Yimei looked at this elegant young gentleman before her, refined and transcendent as if not eating mortal food. Who could imagine she was contemplating such earth-shaking dynastic change? “The Heavenly Kingdom was destroyed by that demon Zeng’s hands. He’s these people’s mortal enemy. Having them help Zeng Guofan become emperor – I don’t think they’d agree.”

“So you must persuade them to recognize the times. ‘Circumstances are stronger than people’ – if they only remember old grudges, never mind me, even Heaven and Buddha couldn’t save them,” Su Zixuan turned around, each word like advice yet like severe warning.

Bai Yimei had to admit Su Zixuan spoke of the salt workers’ only path to survival, but she truly had no confidence in persuading these former Ying Prince followers to instead serve the demon Zeng, whose hands were stained with countless Heavenly Kingdom brothers’ blood and tears. As she pondered with lowered head, the door curtain lifted and Zhang Pigeng strode in.

“Big Sister!” he called out, glancing at Su Zixuan before swallowing his words.

“No matter, speak freely.” Having reached this point in their discussion, nothing remained worth concealing.

“These past days, someone’s been gathering capable ruthless characters, gathering in small groups at Zhenjiang. Zhenjiang is Elder Gang Leader Jiang’s residence. To prevent harm to the gang leader, Canal Gang brothers naturally made secret inquiries. They discovered these people’s target isn’t Elder Gang Leader Jiang, nor Canal Gang members.”

“Then who?” Zhang Pigeng’s hasty arrival to report surely wasn’t unrelated news.

“The Gu family. Someone’s offering huge rewards, wanting to exterminate them completely – ten thousand for killing one person.”

“Snap!” Bai Yimei slammed the table and stood up, her voice already trembling: “Kill his entire family?”

In her mind flashed unbidden Gu Pingyuan’s cheerful smile, Old Lady Gu’s kindly face, Gu Yuting’s mischievous appearance, Gu Pingwen’s shy demeanor, even Chang Yu’er’s face and her pregnant form appeared one by one before her eyes.

“Zhang Pigeng, immediately handle two matters!” Bai Yimei’s eyes flashed like lightning, words rushing like wind. “Send word down – from today, whoever dares touch one hair of the Gu family becomes Canal Gang’s enemy! Canal Gang’s hundreds of thousands of brothers will pursue murderers to the ends of the earth, ensuring they have money but no life to enjoy it.”

Zhang Pigeng hesitated momentarily before answering uncertainly.

“Also, take people to Zhenjiang immediately – you must protect the Gu family’s lives before they strike. Go quickly!”

Zhang Pigeng turned to leave when Su Zixuan called from behind: “Wait!”

Bai Yimei looked at her puzzledly. Su Zixuan walked over, taking out the short gun that never left her waist, extending it to Zhang Pigeng.

“Take this foreign gun!”

The sky was overcast like black dragons spreading clouds across the heavens. West winds howled low while dark heavy clouds hung so low they seemed to press against treetops, rolling and stretching with lightning and thunder flickering through gaps. Jiangning’s deep autumn was naturally rainy, and seeing these rain clouds approaching menacingly, every household closed doors and windows. The vast Zhenjiang streets were nearly deserted.

Zhang Pigeng rushed to Zhenjiang with his men, inquiring at the inn where the Gu family stayed. The innkeeper said the Gu family’s second master had returned to Hangzhou several days ago to handle warehouse business. Only the eldest daughter-in-law and daughter accompanied the old lady staying here. Early this morning they went to Jinshan Temple to worship Buddha and hadn’t returned yet.

Zhang Pigeng hesitated, wondering whether to wait for their return, when the innkeeper added: “Just now several men in black clothes fiercely asked where these Gu family people went. After asking, they headed straight for Jinshan Temple.” Hearing this, Zhang Pigeng felt as if his rear was on fire, running toward the riverside. Reaching the river, he watched helplessly as the ferry docked on the opposite shore and several dark figures filed up the mountain path.

Zhang Pigeng stamped his feet anxiously. He’d inquired beforehand – these people across were all ruthless killers, cruel and vicious. Never mind several Gu family women – even strong men would suffer. By the time the ferry leisurely rocked back and his men crossed to the other shore, the three Gu family lives might already be lost.

“Tie your knives securely – swim across!” Zhang Pigeng shouted. Never mind autumn’s cold water – Bai Yimei’s orders were clear: protect the Gu family at all costs.

Inside Jinshan Temple, evening bells rang ethereally. Ancient Mother emerged from Guanyin Hall accompanied by bell sounds, looked at the sky, and complained: “Aiya, why didn’t you call me earlier? It’s about to rain.”

Gu Yuting pouted: “I said we should return early, but sister-in-law said Mother’s health hasn’t fully recovered. Climbing mountains is strenuous, yet you won’t ride a sedan chair. Since you haven’t finished reciting all twelve scripture volumes, you’d have to climb the mountain again tomorrow, fearing excessive fatigue for you. So she wouldn’t let me disturb Mother.”

Ancient Mother smiled at the heavily pregnant Chang Yu’er, pretending to scold: “Child, don’t you know you’re about to give birth? If you catch cold from rain, what would we do?”

Chang Yu’er smiled with pursed lips: “Your daughter-in-law isn’t so delicate. Mother’s vows are what matter.”

“I just made a great vow before the Bodhisattva – if you can safely deliver this child, I’ll fund rebuilding this Guanyin Hall and recast golden Buddha statues.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Chang Yu’er lowered her head, nearly shedding tears.

“Sister-in-law, this is good news – why are you sad?” Gu Yuting consoled.

“I’m not sad. I lost my birth mother young, and now having another mother who loves me makes me happy.” Chang Yu’er’s voice caught slightly.

“Family members getting along means comparing hearts with hearts. You’re a good child, so naturally I must be a good mother-in-law.” Ancient Mother unknowingly moistened her eyes too.

Gu Yuting wasn’t used to such conversations, changing topics: “Let’s hurry along. Best to reach the boat before rain starts. There’s a carriage waiting at Zhenjiang dock – rain won’t matter then.”

“Little Ting is right. If we’re truly trapped by rain, this being a Buddhist place, it’s improper for us women to stay overnight.” Ancient Mother nodded as Chang Yu’er and Gu Yuting supported her left and right toward the temple gate.

They’d come to worship frequently this past year, always making donations. The guest monk knew these were Buddhist benefactors, seeing Ancient Mother leave, he accompanied them to the temple gate, bowing farewell. Just as Ancient Mother’s group stepped outside the gate, having walked only two steps, they encountered a group of people head-on. Both sides were startled. Chang Yu’er saw these several men all wore black clothes and short boots, each showing fierce glares – clearly not good people at first glance. Unease suddenly surged in her heart as she stopped, saying quietly: “Mother, let’s return to the temple.”

“You… are surnamed Gu, from Huizhou?” The leader was a one-eyed man who examined them with his single eye, asking with a cold smile.

Chang Yu’er’s heart pounded wildly. Suppressing terror, she stepped forward speaking gently: “No, we’re surnamed Liu, from Hefei.”

“Oh!” The one-eyed man squinted up and down, finally settling on Chang Yu’er’s protruding belly. A sinister smile appeared at his mouth corners as he suddenly shouted: “It’s them – don’t let any escape!” Drawing a sharp awl from his leg bindings, he strode forward rapidly.

Ancient Mother was so frightened her legs went weak. Chang Yu’er managed to stay composed, hearing from his words these people weren’t bandits but specifically targeting the Gu family. Offering money for lives would likely be useless. She and Gu Yuting shouted for help while supporting Ancient Mother in retreat.

Fortunately this was just outside the temple gate – otherwise all three Gu family members would have died. The guest monk hadn’t gone far. Hearing cries for help, he quickly came with several nearby monks. Seeing the bad situation, they grabbed door bars, brooms, and mops nearby to block these people.

“Amitabha Buddha! How can you harm women and children in this Buddhist pure land? Aren’t you afraid of retribution before the Bodhisattva?”

“If our line of work feared retribution, we might as well go home and hold babies!” The one-eyed man said only this before calling his men to advance with blades.

They really dared strike. These monks were naturally no match, but fortunately this group of killers only targeted the Gu family, merely wounding monks. Blood flowed everywhere, looking terrifying as the monks fell groaning and wailing. This group pursued down urgently.

This delay allowed Chang Yu’er to flee with Ancient Mother through two courtyards. Gu Yuting asked anxiously: “Sister-in-law, who are these people? Why do they specifically want to kill us?”

“Now isn’t time for questions. We must escape quickly. If they catch up, we’ll surely die.” Chang Yu’er looked around for routes.

Shouts and screams from the front courtyard reached them distantly. Ancient Mother, having eaten vegetarian food and chanted Buddha’s name all her life, had never seen such scenes. She trembled all over, silently reciting Buddhist names.

“Let’s escape up the pagoda,” Gu Yuting’s eyes suddenly lit up, pointing at Cishou Pagoda behind the temple.

“No!” Though the situation was critical, Chang Yu’er remained calm. “If we’re trapped up the pagoda, we’d truly have no escape route.”

“We must run toward the back mountain, circling from there to the front mountain – there are several paths. Best if we can shake them off and board the ferry safely.” Chang Yu’er decided, taking Gu Yuting and Ancient Mother through Jinshan Temple out the back gate.

Just as they exited, lightning cracked like golden snakes dancing wildly. Thunder shook heaven and earth, startling the several people. Before they could look up, bean-sized raindrops poured down like buckets. Instantly, wind and rain raged like overturning seas. The entire Jinshan Temple was shrouded in vast white rain mist.

“This rain comes at a good time.” Seeing visibility limited to dozens of steps, Chang Yu’er felt slightly relieved, but mountain paths were already treacherous. With mud and water churning, walking became even more difficult as the several women escaped step by step with great hardship.

Ancient Mother and Chang Yu’er had never been to the back mountain. Fortunately, Gu Yuting’s lively nature meant she often couldn’t bear waiting outside halls, running to the back mountain to play, so she was fairly familiar with paths. Leading them to a crossroads, she pointed at a small path: “This is monks’ shortcut for carrying water, leading directly to the riverside. Following the mountain base isn’t far to the ferry.” Then pointing at the slightly wider main road: “This is the path for pilgrims, winding back to Jinshan Temple’s front gate. Sister-in-law, take Mother on the small path to avoid these people. When they catch up and can see me, I’ll lead them to the main road.”

“Too dangerous! If something happens to you, a young woman, how do I explain to your elder brother?” Chang Yu’er said urgently.

“Yes, we can’t separate. Let’s three women go together.” Ancient Mother also shook her head.

“Sister-in-law, carrying a child already makes movement difficult. Mother’s legs are even less agile. Running this way, they’ll definitely catch us.”

Only when Gu Yuting said this did Chang Yu’er feel pain in her abdomen – probably the earlier fright plus fleeing had disturbed the fetus. She secretly gritted her teeth enduring it, hearing Gu Yuting continue: “At least my legs are nimble. I’ve run on mountains since childhood – these people might not catch me. Otherwise, if sister-in-law and Mother have accidents, I truly couldn’t explain to elder brother.”

No matter what she said, Chang Yu’er and Ancient Mother dared not leave their family’s young woman here waiting for a pack of wolves, only shaking their heads in refusal. The situation was critical. Gu Yuting grew truly anxious, simply sitting on the ground and shouting: “Fine! Then none of us leave. When people catch up, we’ll die together.”

Chang Yu’er bit her lower lip thinking tensely, finally nodding to persuade Ancient Mother: “Little sister is right. Let’s listen to her.”

Ancient Mother had lost her composure. Chang Yu’er gave instructions, taking her mother-in-law along the small path through mud and water.

Rain grew heavier, like the Milky Way pouring down. This small path followed the mountain edge, merely a dirt track shoveled out. Where it broke, they simply reopened it – it couldn’t withstand torrential rain washing. Chang Yu’er supported her mother-in-law, though extremely careful, the dirt path still became muddy. Two people walking side by side was already narrow. Ancient Mother accidentally stepped into a mud pit, twisting her ankle and limping even slower. After struggling around a bend with the downhill path in sight, both mother and daughter-in-law were simultaneously dumbfounded.

No more path!

About two zhang of mountain road ahead was washed away by rainwater. Where the path used to be was now a waterfall, mud and sand rushing down. Never mind crossing – one unsteady step forward would be swept down the mountain.

Chang Yu’er wiped rainwater from her face, looking at both sides of the path. The mountain terrain wasn’t particularly steep – Jinshan Temple’s “Golden Mountain” wasn’t high, only about twenty-odd zhang from river surface to peak. But a pregnant woman plus an elderly woman just recovering from serious illness already gasped with every third step on level ground, let alone climbing down the mountain in such heavy rain – it wasn’t just difficult but nearly impossible as climbing to heaven.

“Does Heaven not want me to see him again?” Chang Yu’er looked at the washed-out path, showing a bitter smile on her face, but abdominal pain made her instantly alert. She stroked her belly, shaking her head forcefully: “Mother, let’s go back. Hopefully those killers have already chased down the main road, and we can hide in the temple.”

Ancient Mother gasped: “I can’t go on – can’t take another step. This way I’ll only drag you down. Child, listen to Mother – go alone and leave me here. If Heaven has eyes, we mother and daughter can meet again. If Heaven forbids it, you preserving this bit of Gu family bloodline would let Mother die with closed eyes.”

“No, absolutely not! This path isn’t far – I’ll carry Mother.” In the pouring rain, Ancient Mother could still faintly see Chang Yu’er’s tears streaming down.

“Silly child, in this rain on this path, you getting out alone would be difficult enough. Taking me is impossible. Go quickly.”

“No!” Chang Yu’er shook her head forcefully while crying, somehow finding strength to turn around, truly intending to carry the exhausted Ancient Mother. This forceful movement made her abdomen feel like knife cuts. She nearly cried out but only bit her lip hard until tasting salty blood.

“Haha! Indeed, these twenty thousand taels are mine alone!” This loud laughter nearly scared Chang Yu’er’s soul away. Looking up, she saw the one-eyed man, also mud-covered and bedraggled but with greedy, excited gleams in his eyes.

“Who exactly are you? How did our Gu family offend you?” With no retreat behind and a killer ahead, Chang Yu’er’s heart went cold.

“Didn’t you hear me mention twenty thousand taels of silver? Ten thousand per person. Those fools chased down the main road, but I’m an old hand – I guessed you’d definitely split up to escape. Just didn’t expect this path to be the big share – two people! Heh heh, Heaven’s picking me to get rich. After this job I can go home and retire.” He grinned evilly, pointing his knife tip at Chang Yu’er: “I’ll even cut out the one in your belly – maybe that’s worth ten thousand taels too.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Chang Yu’er felt grief and anger. “Even if I die, I won’t let you touch one hair of my child.”

Ancient Mother trembled forward two steps, suddenly kneeling to plead: “Sir, if you must kill, just kill this old woman. Spare my daughter-in-law and her unborn child. This is Buddhist holy ground – please accumulate virtue and do good deeds.”

“Ridiculous! Who would give up ten thousand taels of silver? Just accept your fate – someone’s paying big money for your heads!” The one-eyed man scraped his sharp awl on his shoe sole, preparing to pounce.

Ancient Mother struggled to stand, staggering back two steps to Chang Yu’er’s side, looking at her with compassionate eyes: “Child, jumping down might still leave us a way to live. Falling into this beast’s hands means certain death.”

“I’ll listen to Mother.” Chang Yu’er nodded firmly.

Seeing the one-eyed man approaching step by step, Ancient Mother hesitated no longer. Using her body to shield Chang Yu’er, she fell toward the mountain path below. Both women tumbled into the ravine, instantly disappearing from sight.

“Bah! Damn his ancestors – now I have to go through trouble finding corpses to cut off heads. Really unlucky.” The one-eyed man was stunned momentarily, rushing to peer down. He saw the long slope below with jagged river stones faintly visible but no trace of the Gu family mother and daughter-in-law, cursing viciously.

Fearing the bodies might be washed away by river water, he urgently sought ways down, pondering convenient climbing spots when he suddenly sensed something wrong behind him. Turning sharply, he saw a young man gripping a waist knife glaring at him furiously.

“Friend, you’re also here for this reward money?” The one-eyed man, seeing he didn’t look like an official, asked tentatively.

“Where are the people?” The other asked instead of answering.

“They jumped down! How about this – help me find the corpses together. When we find them, we’ll split seventy-thirty. I’ll give you six thousand taels – generous enough?”

The young man nodded noncommittally, walked forward a few steps, then suddenly chopped down: “Let me make you a corpse first!”

This was Zhang Pigeng. Hearing the Gu family had jumped off the cliff, he blamed himself for arriving late and failing Bai Yimei’s assignment, venting all his anger on the one-eyed man with increasingly swift knife strikes.

Though the one-eyed man was also a jianghu person, he lived by theft and occasional murder – how could he compare to Zhang Pigeng, who’d rolled on battlefields and churned through seas of blood since childhood? Moreover, his awl was disadvantaged against a long knife. After just a few exchanges, being careless while parrying, Zhang Pigeng cut off four of his five fingers. “Aiya!” – in excruciating pain. Quick as lightning, Zhang Pigeng used a “Embracing Moon” technique, smoothly thrusting his blade into the man’s heart. The one-eyed man only managed half a scream before settling his account.

“Go chase your fortune dreams.” Zhang Pigeng spat, leaning forward to look down, murmuring: “Jumping from such height, I’m afraid…” He cut cloth strips from the one-eyed man’s clothes to wrap his hands, grasping branches and stone crevices to climb down. Living people must be found alive, dead people must be found as corpses – he had to give Bai Yimei an explanation somehow.

Gu Pingyuan’s horse charged straight into the inn courtyard, nearly hitting the wall before he could rein it to a sharp stop. Liu Heita’s horse followed closely behind. Both men dismounted almost simultaneously, hurrying toward the back courtyard.

Bai Yimei had received Zhang Pigeng’s message and sent him to rescue people. Then thinking such a major matter should be reported to Gu Pingyuan, she sent someone to Jiangning. Finding Gu Pingyuan and explaining the situation, he was shocked beyond measure, bringing Liu Heita in a frantic horse race to Zhenjiang. But with this detour, five or six hours had passed since the incident occurred.

The Gu family had rented the inn’s east wing for over a year – a rare major customer. The innkeeper came forward with a bitter face: “Master Gu, what can I say about this? The old lady went to the Buddhist temple to burn incense and actually encountered bandits. These damned ones dared commit violence before the Bodhisattva – aren’t they afraid of falling into Avici Hell?”

Gu Pingyuan had no time for him. Liu Heita grabbed the innkeeper’s collar: “Where are the people? How is my sister?”

“Fortunately there was a benefactor’s rescue, but injuries are severe. The doctor is examining them now.”

While speaking, Gu Pingyuan didn’t stop, plunging into the courtyard. He saw several servant women helping the inn standing in the courtyard with hands hanging down. The old lady usually treated people kindly and gently, while Chang Yu’er was even more considerate to servants, winning everyone’s affection. Now with such a tragic incident, several people were wiping tears sadly.

Seeing this, Gu Pingyuan’s heart sank. Just as he was about to enter the room, Gu Yuting emerged holding a prescription with tear stains on her face. Looking up suddenly, she saw her elder brother. She too had been chased and nearly killed on the mountain, exhausted when almost falling into deadly hands, fortunately rescued in time by Zhang Pigeng’s men. Returning to town, only she remained to support the Gu family, requesting doctors and medicine for most of the day without drinking water or closing her eyes, utterly exhausted when finally the family’s backbone arrived. Gu Yuting’s body swayed, nearly collapsing. Gu Pingyuan stepped forward to support her, seeing his little sister’s tearful eyes, only not daring to cry aloud for fear of disturbing patients inside.

“How are Mother and Yu’er?” Gu Pingyuan asked softly as Liu Heita also gathered around.

Gu Yuting shook her head, choking: “Mother is severely injured and hasn’t awakened. The doctor initially wouldn’t even prescribe medicine. Later I pleaded desperately, and he said he could only do his human best, prescribing one dose and saying we’d know the outcome within three days.”

Gu Pingyuan felt as if stabbed by a knife. He pounded his thigh heavily, his face contorting in pain as tears fell.

“What about my sister?” Liu Heita was also sad but more concerned about Chang Yu’er.

“Sister-in-law she…” Before finishing, a maid hurried out from the west wing, calling Gu Yuting’s name, too anxious to speak clearly: “Quick, quickly!”

Gu Yuting struggled to rise, barely standing steady yet still wanting to follow the maid into the room.

“Little sister, you rest. I’ll go,” Gu Pingyuan stopped her.

“I’ll go, I’ll go,” Liu Heita competed.

“None of you can go – the midwife is inside.” After saying this, Gu Yuting walked into the west wing in a few steps, leaving two grown men standing outside in bewilderment.

“The midwife is inside” – that meant… Gu Pingyuan dared not think further. He entered his mother’s room, where Ancient Mother indeed remained unconscious. Her exposed face and hands showed wounds and bloodstains from stone impacts during the mountain fall. Gu Pingyuan stared blankly at his mother’s weather-beaten face, suddenly feeling everything he’d done before was utterly foolish.

“Mother, please get better.” Gu Pingyuan slowly knelt down, holding his mother’s hand in his palm, feeling the familiar warmth from childhood, saying softly: “When you recover, our whole family will return to Gu Family Village. Your son won’t be competitive anymore, won’t seek prominence – just staying with Mother, living well.” He bowed his head as tears dropped onto blue brick flooring, soon moistening a patch.

After an unknown time, someone knocked on the window outside: “Elder brother, please come out. There’s something needing your decision.”

It was Gu Yuting. Gu Pingyuan was startled, stepping outside quickly to see Manager Peng had also arrived with several capable clerks, waiting outside ready for orders at any time.

Looking at his sister’s pale face, ominous premonitions rose in Gu Pingyuan’s heart. He steadied himself and asked: “Yu’er is still well? What did the midwife say?”

Gu Yuting’s face showed the expression of wanting to cry but having no tears. She looked at her elder brother miserably, stammering without knowing how to begin. This tension and unease were clearly felt even by Liu Heita, who stared with copper-bell eyes at Gu Yuting in panic, not knowing what terrible news might come from her mouth.