At this time, both Wen Ruhai and Long Yan had been given medicine by the Long family’s physician and had fallen into deep sleep. Liu Baiyi, who managed the Long family’s affairs, came out to discuss with Meng Jianqing and the others how to respond. Upon hearing that this matter was related to Master Wuse, Liu Baiyi’s brow couldn’t help but furrowed.
Only now did Yun Yanran voice the question in his heart: “Does Master Wuse have very high prestige in Quanzhou?”
Liu Baiyi sighed softly: “The master established his staff at Longwang Valley twenty years ago and built Wanfo Temple, forty li from Quanzhou. Every winter, believers from within five hundred li come to pay homage. The ten-li area around Wanfo Temple is all forbidden ground. For twenty years, without the master’s permission, no one has dared to enter this ten-li area without following the incense pilgrimage route.”
Yun Yanjiao smiled: “Wanfo Temple—is it because the master’s Buddhist practice is profound that believers praise him as having ‘ten thousand household Buddhas’?”
With Master Wuse having such prestige among the local people, it was no wonder Prefect Wang showed difficulty when he heard this case was related to Master Wuse. Public anger is hard to defy, and the people of Fujian have a fierce temperament, requiring extra caution.
But it was Meng Jianqing who answered her: “The temple is named ‘Ten Thousand Buddhas’ because the Longwang Valley area was plagued by ten thousand snakes, so ten thousand Buddhas were established to suppress them. Master Wuse’s fame and prestige come from his ability to suppress snake disasters and protect the region. The court’s special tolerance toward him is precisely for this reason.”
With the fame of the former Five-Colored Dragon King, now Master Wuse, how could he not attract the Imperial Guard’s attention? How could the Imperial Guard not connect these two names to the same person?
The reason for turning a blind eye was not without cause.
Yun Yanjiao said in confusion: “If Master Wuse has already been practicing meditation for twenty years, why would he act against the Long family this time, even trying to kill Long Yan?”
Liu Baiyi sighed: “Miss Yun, do you find it hard to believe this matter is related to Master Wuse? Honestly, we dare not believe it. After all, Master Wuse and our old master had some friendship back in the day, and there’s no enmity between them. Otherwise, how could these twenty years have passed peacefully? But that copper-head snake was precisely the one our young miss saw at Master Wuse’s feet when she was young—its tail tip is missing a small section. That was bitten off by a fox before it turned golden, so the break is very irregular.”
Yun Yanjiao said softly, “Miss Liu, I’m just puzzled about why Master Wuse would do such a thing.”
Liu Baiyi sighed deeply: “Yes, we’re also very confused. Our Long family is Wanfo Temple’s largest patron.”
Meng Jianqing had been listening to their veiled verbal sparring and suddenly said, “I want to find someone to ask.”
Yun Yanran understood: “Chen Liuru?”
Chen Liuru had also made a deep impression on him earlier. To maintain such a clear head under such great upheaval, this person was indeed not simple.
Chen Liuru was brought over. Meng Jianqing observed him for a while and said, “The snake that bit Long Yan was very likely raised by Master Wuse. Can you tell us, if this matter was indeed done by Master Wuse, why would he want to kill Long Yan?”
Chen Liuru was stunned. As a Quanzhou local, he naturally knew Master Wuse’s great name. After long contemplation, Chen Liuru asked: “Captain Meng, are you saying the perpetrator wanted to kill Long Yan, rather than using antidote to control and threaten the Long family?”
Meng Jianqing smiled: “Correct. That’s why we’re confused—why kill Long Yan instead of finding a way to control her and thereby control the Long family?”
Chen Liuru lowered his head and furrowed his brow tightly.
Meng Jianqing and the others waited patiently for his answer.
After a long time, Chen Liuru slowly raised his head and said: “If it’s not a personal grudge, then there’s only one possibility—though honestly, I’m not very confident. I feel my thinking is too bizarre; it’s unlikely anyone else would think the same way.”
Meng Jianqing said flatly: “After eliminating all other possibilities, the remaining one, no matter how bizarre, might be true.”
Chen Liuru said “Oh,” thought a moment, then said: “I suspect the Ming Sect—oh, the Demon Sect—wants to kill Long Yan to strike at all of Quanzhou Prefecture.”
Meng Jianqing looked at him in surprise.
What kind of reason was that?
Chen Liuru said while thinking: “I’ve only recently developed this vague idea. I always used to think Long Yan’s spending was terrible. But recently, I’ve gradually discovered things aren’t as I thought. How should I put it? Oh, Captain Meng, when you arrived, you must have seen how the Long family rewards servants from various families, right?”
Meng Jianqing smiled slightly: “A thousand wen each.”
The spending was indeed too fierce.
Chen Liuru continued: “Those servants, after receiving this thousand wen, wait on the two long streets outside Flowing Gold Garden, often until after midnight. Those two streets are full of restaurants, wine shops, inns, as well as pleasure quarters, gambling houses, and theaters with storytelling, selling arts, and opera—one of Quanzhou city’s liveliest places. These servants, along with merchants large and small who come from various places to trade with the Long family, such as the seventeen fireworks merchants who delivered fireworks a month before this birthday feast seeking sales, all spend their time there. These two streets are both Long family property. The Long family itself only operates one pawnshop and one antique store, but all the other shops must pay rent to the Long family. I’ve calculated that the Long family’s rental income alone is enough to offset the annual expense of rewarding servants, with surplus. Moreover, because business is prosperous and shop owners earn more, rents increase every year. So recently, many more people have rented wasteland near these two streets from the Long family—I estimate within three years, there will be another equally prosperous street market.”
He was lost in thought for a moment, then continued: “The supplier of fresh flowers for Long Yan’s annual use is Hundred Flower Pavilion in the west of the city. Long Yan’s clothing and jewelry have always been imitated by women and girls throughout Quanzhou city and even all of Fujian and Guangdong. She likes using fresh flowers for decoration and making cosmetics from fresh flowers, which has made this fashionable throughout Quanzhou city. In Hundred Flower Pavilion village, all one hundred seventy households grow flowers, and even the old, weak, and disabled can thereby have warmth and food.”
On the small table beside Chen Liuru sat a pot of lush, budding pink-purple roses.
The gazes of Meng Jianqing and the others couldn’t help but fall on that pot of roses. Only now did they realize the Long family indeed had fresh flowers everywhere.
Chen Liuru sighed softly and continued: “These pottery and white porcelain flower pots are all transported from other places by sea vessels. The Quanzhou people who make their living just from loading and carrying these flower pots number no fewer than a hundred households.”
Countless thoughts turned in Meng Jianqing’s mind, but he still felt confused. He stared at Chen Liuru and said, “This being the case, indeed, many people depend on Long Yan for their livelihood. But with Long Yan squandering like this, even if the Long family has golden mountains and silver seas, how many years can they sustain it? Would the Demon Sect need to take such great risks to kill her?”
Chen Liuru smiled: “The Long family’s ancestral teaching is: ‘Money flows like water; flowing water does not rot.’ That’s why they named this garden ‘Flowing Gold Garden.’ I could never understand why they would choose such a name—money flowing like water, wouldn’t that mean they couldn’t hold onto wealth? But now, I think I might understand. The Long family never wanted to make money and spend it alone. They’ve always been generous—to put it bluntly, ‘everyone makes money together.’ When everyone has money, the Long family can make even more money. Or to put it another way, the more prosperous the business is, the more flourishing the Long family becomes. For instance, the Long family’s silk business—the more wealthy people there are, doesn’t it earn more money? And for example, one-fifth of Quanzhou’s docks belong to the Long family. Quanzhou has been so lively these years, with ships coming and going day and night. Just dock rental and inn warehouse rental alone are incalculable. Miss Liu manages the accounts and must know this very clearly.”
Liu Baiyi was listening with shock and amazement when the conversation suddenly turned to her. Meeting everyone’s gaze, she couldn’t help but be startled. Steadying herself and smoothing her hair, she smiled: “Sixth Young Master’s insight is profound. Baiyi has never thought of it this way.”
Meng Jianqing stared at Chen Liuru: “Why don’t you think it’s other sea merchants framing them?”
After all, the Long family was their greatest competitor. As for the Chen family, of course, it would be better to have one less competitor.
Chen Liuru smiled bitterly: “These past few years, all the families have been thinking about how to arrange marriages with the Long family—that would be most profitable. Who would have the heart to risk revenge from Long family guards by assassinating Long Yan? Moreover, my reason for suspecting the Demon Sect is that our family once offended them. Back then, my grandfather was still alive. He was always careful, determined not to offend anyone, but ended up offending everyone.”
Meng Jianqing smiled slightly.
The Chen family, skilled at shipbuilding, was indeed an object that the founding heroes who relied heavily on naval forces competed to win over.
The Chen family had walked on thin ice, maneuvering between all sides, yet still failed to please anyone.
Chen Liuru continued: “Regarding Long Yan’s importance to Quanzhou, I can cite many more examples, but I don’t know if Captain Meng is willing to continue listening?”
Meng Jianqing waved his hand: “No need.”
Chen Liuru’s description had already clearly shown him this point.
Thinking of this giant dragon of the Long family entrenched in Flowing Gold Garden, with money flowing like water throughout Quanzhou city in its every breath, endlessly vital—such a sight was truly… breathtaking.
Long Yan, who spent money like dirt, was the soul of all Quanzhou city.
Yun Yanran suddenly said, “Sixth Young Master’s theory is indeed eye-opening—but I wonder if there are such talents within the Demon Sect who could see through this point?”
Chen Liuru was startled: “I don’t know.”
Meng Jianqing said calmly, “There might well be. Seven Treasure Child is a possibility. Brother Yun and Miss Yun haven’t heard of this person, have you? This person is the Treasury Envoy of the Demon Sect’s Fujian-Zhejiang branch, real name Liu Muyan. Like the Tang Dynasty prodigy Liu Yan, he entered to control major financial affairs at thirteen, and became sworn brothers with the Five-Colored Dragon King at fifteen. Seven people were sworn in together, all from the Fujian-Zhejiang branch. Five of them are dead, the Five-Colored Dragon King became a monk, and the Seven Treasure Child’s whereabouts have been unknown for over ten years. We know he’s not dead yet, but as long as he doesn’t cause trouble, we originally didn’t want to do anything to him.”
The implication was that now the Imperial Guard couldn’t help but do something to the Seven Treasure Child.
Most of the former Ming Sect’s Fujian-Zhejiang branch were subordinates of Chen Youding, Fang Guozhen, and Zhang Shicheng.
The true face of this case seemed to be becoming clearer and more terrifying.
If this were the case, this would be another shocking case that could stir up bloody storms.
Yun Yanran and the others couldn’t help but secretly draw in a breath of cold air.