Li Duan was thinking that this matter couldn’t just be left unattended—he needed to find someone to go out and investigate. But as for whom to send, he temporarily had no good candidates.
Last time, because of Wei Xiaoshan’s affair, the estate where they kept people had been raided by Magistrate Tang. Not only had their people fled, but their family had also been watched by the local gentry of Lin’an and the Pei family. Unable to recruit new people, they had no one to handle their shady business. Not only had they lost their previously well-informed sources, but many matters had also come to a standstill.
How about recruiting a few hangers-on?
Li Duan was carefully pondering the well-known ruffians in Lin’an when Lin Jue arrived.
He immediately stood up. As he walked out to welcome Lin Jue, he asked the young servant who came to announce the visitor, “Did Young Master Lin come alone or with someone?”
Lin Jue had returned to Fujian this time to contact people from the Peng family. He wondered how that matter had turned out.
But before the young servant could speak, he came face to face with Lin Jue, who was surrounded by several young servants.
Lin Jue wore a grim expression. Upon seeing Li Duan, he didn’t even exchange pleasantries but said directly, “Duan, let’s talk in the study!”
Li Duan’s heart sank. His intuition told him something had gone wrong.
His expression involuntarily darkened as he waved to the servants beside him.
The servants all withdrew.
Lin Jue and Li Duan entered the study.
Li Duan didn’t call for maids but personally made tea for Lin Jue.
Lin Jue irritably removed the cloak draped over his shoulders and threw it onto the daybed in the study, saying to Li Duan, “Duan, this is bad! This time, Master Peng came with me. He says the Pei family inadvertently obtained a maritime navigation map that can go from Guangzhou to Dashi. The Tao family of Guangzhou has already tested the route—the shipping lane is viable…”
“What did you say?” Like a bolt from the blue, Li Duan’s hand trembled. The tea canister fell to the ground with a “thud,” and premium Biluochun tea scattered everywhere. He turned around, his face black as lacquer as he stared at Lin Jue, “The Pei family obtained a maritime navigation map?”
He had been worried all along that there was a problem with the map, but he hadn’t expected that before the map matter was clarified, now something like this had happened!
Lin Jue looked at Li Duan and took a deep breath. Only then did his panicked heart calm down slightly, and his thoughts became clearer: “I rode swiftly back to Fujian and delivered the painting to the Peng family. The Peng family verified the painting and map—they were very satisfied. Then, as we had previously agreed, I asked for no payment but requested that when the Peng family conducts business on this shipping route in the future, we would hold one share. The person who received me was Eleventh Master Peng. By the way, he also came along with Master Peng this time. He agreed at the time, but I thought verbal promises were worthless—we needed a written agreement. So I wanted to establish a contract with them, and Eleventh Master agreed.
“But drawing up a contract takes time. Moreover, I tactfully indicated that the Peng family seal should be affixed to the document. So I stayed overnight at the Peng family estate. Early the next morning, Eleventh Master personally brought a draft contract to discuss details with me. Who knew that after the noon meal, the situation changed.
“Master Peng personally received me and asked about the process of how I found this painting. Of course, I couldn’t mention the Yu and Wei families’ involvement. I only said that following the leads they gave us, I found Lu Xin. Unexpectedly, Lu Xin agreed to sell us the painting, but then got drunk and drowned. Lu Xin’s belongings fell into the hands of the Yu family. Fearing we’d alert them and attract the Pei family’s attention, we secretly instigated Lu Xin’s family to retrieve his belongings, then bought them back from the Lu family for five hundred taels.”
Speaking to this point, sweat broke out on Lin Jue’s forehead. His voice also lowered several degrees as he continued: “Master Peng listened carefully. At the time, he said nothing, only telling me to pack my luggage and accompany him to Lin’an. I was confused when I heard this and asked Master Peng what had happened. Master Peng smiled and said something about being unfamiliar with Lin’an and asking me to guide him.
“What kind of person am I? Before I could even walk, I followed my father traveling north and south. What kind of people haven’t I encountered? What kind of situations haven’t I seen? I immediately knew something was wrong when I heard this. But at that time, I was living in the Peng family’s house, eating the Peng family’s food. I really feared they might silently kill me there. Pretending I hadn’t noticed anything, I packed my things and left the city that night with the Peng family people.
“Only on the road did I learn the details. Turns out the Pei family somehow obtained a map—the very map the Peng family wanted. The Pei family even sent out broad invitations, inviting many prestigious households from various places to come to Lin’an for some kind of auction. They’re saying whoever has the most money gets this map. The entry deposit is two thousand taels of silver…”
So these unfamiliar faces that had appeared in Lin’an these past days were those prestigious households from various places?
Li Duan couldn’t be bothered with the tea leaves spilled on the floor. His face was as gloomy as if it were about to rain. He casually poured a cup of plain water and handed it to Lin Jue, saying, “What does the Peng family mean? Do they suspect we also sent this painting to the Pei family?”
These past few days, Lin Jue could be said to have barely closed his eyes, let alone eaten or drunk properly.
He took the teacup and drained it in one gulp. Only then did he say, “The Peng family people didn’t say so. But isn’t it obvious? As soon as we entered Lin’an, Master Peng had me come find you. He and Eleventh Master moved into the guest quarters the Pei family arranged for families participating in the auction. He also told me that Eleventh Master would come visit us tonight. I figured that since the Pei family is selling this map with this ‘highest bidder wins’ approach, they’ll definitely show a portion of the map to these auction participants to verify its authenticity. Master Peng, under the guise of being a bidder, moved into the Pei family estate—most likely wanting to see whether that map is the same as the one in ‘Fishing in Seclusion by Pine Stream.'”
How had things turned out this way?
Li Duan felt extremely panicked inside.
But he and Lin Jue were both relatives and collaborators. Some things relatives could say, but collaborators absolutely could not. He couldn’t show it in front of Lin Jue. Otherwise, as the Li and Lin families rose and fell relative to each other, Lin Jue would think him weak and wouldn’t submit to their family as before.
“What do you have to fear?” He couldn’t help but put on a calm face and said indifferently, “The painting’s leads were provided by the Peng family. We also sent the painting to the Peng family according to their wishes. After they verified it, they also confirmed it was an authentic painting. Now that there’s been a mishap, what does it have to do with us? They’re even coming to visit us tonight!” Li Duan snorted coldly. “Then let them come visit. I’d also like to ask the Peng family how this matter should be handled. Didn’t they say previously that this map was unique? So where did the Pei family’s map come from? Rare things are precious—even if we were stupid, we wouldn’t ride two boats, selling jade at cabbage prices.”
Previously, Lin Jue had indeed been somewhat panicked, but now seeing Li Duan’s confident appearance, he also calmed down.
He couldn’t help but say sheepishly, “I was just afraid the Peng family suspected we leaked the information.”
“Speaking of leaking information, doesn’t the Peng family itself have suspicions?” Li Duan said, and even he gradually gained confidence. “Before they approached us, hadn’t they approached other families? The Peng family is one of the premier families in Fujian, but the world is vast—there’s still Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu. If they could obtain news of ‘Fishing in Seclusion by Pine Stream,’ couldn’t other families have heard even a whisper? This kind of thing is more likely to leak from prestigious great households like them, isn’t it?”
Lin Jue smiled bitterly.
That was true in theory, but the Peng family had to acknowledge that the problem came from their side! With their great wealth and power, if they insisted on venting their anger on them, what could they do?
“Let’s wait until we see Eleventh Master tonight!” Lin Jue said listlessly. “Let’s hope the map the Pei family obtained has nothing to do with us!”
At this point, they could only wait until evening to meet with the Peng family people.
On the Pei family’s side, Pei Yan had become idle.
With matters at hand, everything that needed arranging had been arranged, and everything that needed attention had been attended to. Instead, there was nothing to do.
A’Ming brought in a small four-compartment tiered box, smiling with narrowed eyes: “Third Master, the Yu family sent over peanut brittle. Try it and see if it’s good?”
Pei Yan opened the box. Besides three snacks he usually liked to eat, there was an unfamiliar sweet.
The malt-colored sugar was studded with plump white peanuts. Besides looking novel, it was also appetizing.
Pei Yan tasted one.
It had both the sweet fragrance of malt sugar and the crispness of peanuts.
Pei Yan clicked his tongue.
Usually, things wrapped in sugar boiled this way ended up seeming cooked through. This peanut brittle truly lived up to its name—very crisp indeed.
However, if there were a bit more peanuts, it would be even better.
He subconsciously felt this was something Miss Yu had come up with.
“What is Miss Yu up to now?” Pei Yan said.
As soon as Hu Xing had returned from the Yu family’s old estate, he had run before Pei Yan to claim credit. Naturally, Pei Yan then learned that the Yu family’s mountain forest was most suitable for planting peanuts.
He said, “Their family isn’t planning to plant peanuts, are they? I reckon making this candy isn’t cheap either. However, candy with peanuts in it is ultimately a bit cheaper than pure sugar—it should sell. The fear is that one season’s worth of peanuts made into brittle would take three years to sell out. By then, the peanuts in the brittle won’t taste good anymore, and the candy won’t sell well either, right?”
Though these words were somewhat cutting, they weren’t without basis.
A’Ming had a rather good impression of Yu Tang. When Pei Yan said this, he felt somewhat worried for Yu Tang.
“I heard this peanut brittle was made by Miss Yu herself.” He looked at Pei Yan somewhat nervously and said, “But I haven’t heard that Miss Yu wants to sell this. Perhaps she unintentionally made this delicious candy and wanted to ask you to taste it? You’ve helped their family so much—their family must be very grateful to you!”
These words also had some merit.
Pei Yan grunted in acknowledgment and said, “Has Miss Yu just been making this peanut brittle recently?”
Ever since Pei Yan had asked about Yu Tang and Pei Man couldn’t answer, the Pei family people had paid special attention to Yu Tang’s whereabouts.
A’Ming spoke readily: “Following your instructions, Miss Yu hasn’t gone out these days. She should just be making this peanut brittle at home. However, Miss Yu did have people inquire about the preserved fruit business, and also about the sundries shop business and the charcoal-making business.”
The corner of Pei Yan’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.
Why did it sound like a headless fly buzzing around aimlessly!
Couldn’t she just settle down and stay quietly at home?