Early the next morning, Mo Zi arrived as promised. Having arranged with Zhou Wen to wait at the side door of Pearl and Jade Records’ back hall, she knocked on the door knocker.
“Wait a moment. I’ll go help him out.” Because of the loss of those two pearls, Zhou Wen couldn’t give Mo Zi a pleasant expression. He even omitted her title and coldly shut the door.
Mo Zi leaned against the cart shaft behind her, her mood unaffected by Zhou Wen’s sour face.
“Mo-ge, why do I see him looking so extremely unwilling?” Today Cen Er had replaced Chou Yu in the driver’s position. Chou Yu had already returned ahead to Steaming Mist Ridge to prepare for departure.
“Selling us pearls worth two hundred thousand taels at cost price of five thousand taels—naturally he’s unwilling in his heart.” After Mo Zi returned yesterday, aside from the Water Purification Pearls she would privately pocket and Yuan Cheng’s background, she hadn’t concealed anything else and had told Cen Er everything.
Although Cen Er initially felt it was dangerous, upon hearing about the Water Purification Pearls, he hurriedly asked Mo Zi what they were like. Mo Zi described them in detail. His eyes lit up as he said directly that they must be genuine. Unlike Mo Zi who knew nothing about Buddha Treasures Studio, Cen Er had long heard of its great reputation and knew of the Min clan descendants’ obsession with the Water Purification Pearls. Therefore, no matter what, he couldn’t object. He even happily said that thinking they’d lost a return trip fee, who would have expected such a huge windfall to fall from heaven—the God of Wealth had delivered himself to their door. With these pearls in hand, Qiu Sanniang could do any business she wanted with ease.
“From what you said, those pearls aren’t even his but belong to the first corrup—” Cen Er twisted his mouth, quite looking down on Zhou Wen’s opportunism.
“Cen Er, from now on, it’s best not to say those four words.” Mo Zi gestured for him to keep silent. “You can call him Master Yuan.” As the former dynasty’s Prime Minister of Nande, calling him “master” was still appropriate.
“Look at my stupid mouth.” Cen Er raised his hand as if to slap his own mouth. “Won’t say it again. What I meant was, since Master Yuan is the big boss, what does Zhou Wen have to begrudge?”
“I’m only guessing. Who knows what their relationship actually is? Never mind what it is—as long as they can give us the pearls, that’s fine.” What didn’t affect her, she didn’t investigate. She loved protecting herself wisely.
The door opened again. On Zhou Wen’s Maitreya-Buddha-like fat back lay Yuan Cheng with both arms hanging down limply, still disheveled with tangled hair, prisoner’s clothes stained with blood, looking near death.
“Boss Zhou, did you invite a physician?” Seeing Cen Er carefully help the man into the carriage, Mo Zi asked Zhou Wen.
“My lord wouldn’t let me.” Zhou Wen still had a somewhat dark expression, but when he saw the carriage curtain lowered, he clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mo Zi saw this and understood clearly in her heart. “Then how are my lord’s injuries?”
“How would I know?” Zhou Wen’s confidence strengthened somewhat. “My lord has a body worth ten thousand gold—how could we small folk casually look at it? In any case, I’m handing over a living person to you. Since you’ve taken the payment, do the job well.”
Mo Zi couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She stepped up onto the cart with one foot and called for Cen Er to come drive the horses. Once Cen Er grasped the reins, she bent down and entered the carriage interior.
This was originally a cargo cart—the carriage wasn’t comfortable, made of cheap wood with high hardness. Sitting too long made one’s bones ache. Considering that after all, he was giving her two hundred thousand taels for free, she couldn’t treat him too casually. She had specially bought soft cushions and quilts, and also fumigated them with Cloud Grass Pills that Bai He had formulated to help relieve pain.
“My lord? My lord?” Zhou Wen patted the cart covering from outside and lifted the cloth curtain to call inside.
“Boss Zhou, could it be you’ve regretted this and want to carry your lord back home?” Mo Zi sat on Yuan Cheng’s right side.
Zhou Wen glared at Mo Zi, ignoring her, and continued calling Yuan Cheng. “My lord, now that you’re leaving, this… I…” He stammered, his gaze evasive.
“Zhou Wen.” Yuan Cheng’s posture was exactly the same as yesterday—leaning back with disheveled hair covering his face, making it impossible to see his features or expression.
“Yes, yes.” Zhou Wen hastily responded.
“You’ve followed me this long—you should know my character. Once I safely board the ship, Pearl and Jade Records will be yours.” Yuan Cheng’s voice was even weaker than yesterday.
“My lord has always kept his word—Zhou Wen wouldn’t dare doubt it. It’s just this name transfer…” The person was leaving—oral promises had no proof!
“After one month, someone will naturally deliver the property deed and the official shop transfer seal. Your name will be on it. From then on, you and I will have no further connection. Take care of yourself.” A faint smile suddenly appeared at Yuan Cheng’s dry, blood-cracked lips. “Mo-ge, I’ll trouble you. Let’s go.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Zhou Wen grinned with delight and withdrew his hand.
Almost simultaneously, Mo Zi heard the door close.
“You say I’m ruthless?” She smiled coldly. “Master Yuan seems to have entrusted the wrong person.”
“You’re wrong. If I had entrusted the wrong person, I’d probably already be locked back in prison by now. Zhou Wen, though not a good person, can dare to take temporary risks for profit. I lured him with Pearl and Jade Records. Without getting benefits, he absolutely wouldn’t betray me. Moreover, he once helped me earn quite a lot. I’m leaving Nande and probably can’t return for a while. With me absent, having the shop in my name would just be an empty listing—better to give it to him.” After resting briefly, Yuan Cheng continued, “Furthermore, without me, Yuan Cheng, Pearl and Jade Records will soon become a general store selling women’s hairpins. What’s there to regret?”
Mo Zi thought to herself, that’s true—without Pearl and Jade Records’ biggest source of goods, it would naturally decline. Zhou Wen coveted immediate benefits and was eager to sever ties with an imperial criminal. How could he think about the future?
“If my lord doesn’t mind, from now on may I call you ‘master’ to avoid falling into the ears of those with ulterior motives?” The cart began to jolt. Mo Zi prepared to hear him groan.
Unexpectedly, he sat cross-legged with his back still straight against the cart wall.
“No problem. Mo-ge may also directly call this Yuan by his name.” Though Yuan Cheng’s breath was weak, his voice remained consistently clear.
“Master might as well lie down and rest. From the city to where I’ve moored the boat—at fast speed it takes two hours. This cart of mine is originally for hauling goods, not as comfortable as ordinary carts. Sitting too long will make your bones fall apart. I see your injuries are quite serious—it’s better to lie down more, sleep more, and preserve your strength.” Mo Zi couldn’t ask Cen Er to drive slowly because she herself had arranged to depart at noon—she couldn’t very well be late.
“If I lie down, I fear I won’t be able to get up again. If I fall asleep, I might never be able to speak again.” He didn’t want to die, and he couldn’t die. Yuan Cheng stubbornly sat. “These soft cushions and quilts are all new. Mo-ge has kind intentions—this Yuan is deeply grateful.”
In this physical condition, to still have such keen observational powers—Mo Zi truly gained new insight.
“Master needn’t thank me. I’ve received benefits—this small matter I can still do. As long as it’s not exchanging my whole boat of people’s lives, if you have any requests, just mention them. If they’re reasonable, I’ll certainly do my best to satisfy them.” Mo Zi spoke sincerely.
In terms of righteousness, someone like her might be called a lackey. However, in this strictly hierarchical social system, for a helpless woman, what benefit was there in upholding righteousness? Even if Yuan Cheng was a thorn in the eye and flesh of all Nande people, right now he was her, Mo Zi’s, boat passenger. Once aboard her boat, they shared one fate. Moreover, he had already agreed that if there were any accidents, he would end his own life without implicating her and the others.
Why be harsh toward someone whose life hung by a thread?