Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Three thousand taels isn’t enough?
A shadow crossed Li Suifeng’s face.
He’d collected just over ten thousand taels yesterday. But that money had to stretch — bonuses for the dock brothers, a portion remitted to branch headquarters, and the three thousand for Qi Hu. After all that, he’d probably have less than three thousand left for himself.
And the old man still wanted more?
But the displeasure vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. Qi Hu was just one man. Not worth the aggravation.
If the old fox truly pushed him too far, slipping into the Qi residence some night and taking his head would be no great feat.
He didn’t believe for a second that Qi Hu could resist the Life-Death Talisman. Once that was planted, the old man’s entire personal fortune would be his for the taking whenever he pleased.
“Elder, I’m planning to remit a portion to headquarters. Once the books are settled, I’ll send along another share for you.” Li Suifeng forced a thin smile onto his face.
Acting? Everyone knew how to play that game.
Only then did Qi Hu nod with satisfaction.
“Elder — those people who died on the street outside Green Stone Alley last night were Red Lotus Sect, weren’t they?” Li Suifeng seized the opening. “There’ve been rumors that the Red Lotus Sect was using our Canal Gang’s docks to ship supplies. That can’t be true, can it?”
A cold sneer settled over Qi Hu’s face.
“Every dock was in the Helmsman’s and Qin Wuyang’s hands. The biggest one is yours now. Keep your eyes open.”
“The Red Lotus Sect and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are going at it hot and heavy over in Mingzhou Prefecture these days. A lot of jianghu wanderers are going to start spilling into the surrounding areas before long. Tell your people to stay sharp. Mingzhou isn’t like Nanyang — they’ve got real fighters over there.”
“If your men cross the wrong person, it’ll be a headache. Make sure the brothers keep their eyes peeled.”
“A few Red Lotus Sect elites died here yesterday. In the short term, they shouldn’t be making any moves. But keep the docks on alert regardless.”
“Mm.” Li Suifeng nodded.
He lingered at the Qi residence for a while, but Qi Hu showed no inclination to invite him to stay for a meal.
Li Suifeng took his leave.
“Brother Li!”
He hadn’t gone far before Sun Xi’s voice called out behind him.
Li Suifeng turned with a smile.
“Brother Sun — something on your mind?”
Sun Xi fell into step beside him, all smiles.
“Free this evening? Let’s grab a drink at the Cuihong Pavilion.”
Back when Li Suifeng had been a mere ninth-rank nobody, Sun Xi — as Qi Hu’s chief advisor — would never have bothered cultivating a relationship with him. But now Li Suifeng controlled a dock. Give it another ten years, and the man might well have risen to Branch Elder.
Qi Hu was old. How many more years could he hold power in the Canal Gang?
Sun Xi needed to think about his own future.
Besides, all he was doing was building a friendship. It wasn’t like he was switching allegiances.
Li Suifeng grinned.
“Why not?”
“Nothing pressing at the dock today.”
“My treat!”
Sun Xi waved the offer away. “I couldn’t let you pay. I’ve also invited Retainer Zhou — he’ll be there too. We’ll meet at the Cuihong Pavilion tonight.”
“Done.”
…
Nightfall.
Li Suifeng left the docks and made his way to the Cuihong Pavilion.
He hadn’t returned to his courtyard during the day. Ye Qingmei was a jianghu woman — injured or not, she could handle feeding herself.
“Well, if it isn’t Boss Li!”
He’d barely reached the Cuihong Pavilion’s entrance before a woman in layers of garish finery sashayed up to greet him.
In all his years since transmigrating, Li Suifeng had visited the Cuihong Pavilion more than a few times. Unlike the Yichun House, this was Canal Gang property — he was practically obligated to support the business.
Besides, this body was twenty-three years old. A man couldn’t exactly keep himself company with nothing but his own two hands forever.
In the past, he’d waited until his savings built up enough to afford someone worth the visit. The run-of-the-mill girls did nothing for him.
“Boss Li — if you’d told us you were coming, I’d have saved our best private room for you!”
A gust of perfume swept over him.
The madam beamed.
“If I’d known you were visiting, I’d have held it myself.”
Li Suifeng’s status was a far cry from what it used to be. He ran this entire street now.
The old treatment wouldn’t cut it anymore.
“Is Sun Xi here yet?” Li Suifeng waved past the pleasantries.
“He is, he is!” The madam bobbed eagerly. “Master Sun just went in.”
She personally escorted Li Suifeng to Sun Xi’s private room before withdrawing.
“Boss Li — we’ve been waiting!”
Sun Xi’s face lit up when Li Suifeng walked in, rising to greet him.
“Sorry I’m late!”
“Sorry I’m late!”
Li Suifeng returned the smile.
Also in the room sat a man in his forties — Retainer Zhou Chao, the very person Sun Xi had mentioned.
He was one of Qi Hu’s people, and close with Sun Xi.
“Quite the entrance!”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think Boss Li here was an Elder of our Nanyang Branch!”
Before Li Suifeng could even offer a greeting, Zhou Chao opened with undisguised mockery.
Sun Xi’s expression flickered.
“Brother Zhou…”
He hadn’t expected Zhou Chao to start something this quickly.
He knew perfectly well what was eating the man. Jealousy — pure and simple — over Li Suifeng’s control of the Linshui Docks.
The Linshui Docks weren’t just the largest dock in Nanyang Prefecture. The entire street it anchored was a red-light district, swimming in money. When Sun Xi had mentioned inviting Li Suifeng, Zhou Chao had already expressed his displeasure.
What Sun Xi hadn’t anticipated was that Zhou Chao would throw all pretense to the wind and attack in front of his face.
“Retainer Zhou — got a problem with me?”
Li Suifeng’s eyes narrowed as he fixed Zhou Chao with a stare.
Not good.
Sun Xi’s face changed. The air had turned volatile in a heartbeat.
Li Suifeng was young and riding high. His temper ran hot.
“I wouldn’t dare.” Zhou Chao sneered.
CLICK.
“If you don’t dare, then shut your mouth.” Li Suifeng stepped into the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
SLAM!
Zhou Chao’s palm cracked against the table.
“Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?”
“I was following Elder Qi before you were even born!”
“Which is exactly why you’ve wasted your years and learned nothing.” Li Suifeng advanced on Zhou Chao.
Zhou Chao shot to his feet, wariness flashing in his eyes.
He was late eighth-rank — roughly the same level as the late Retainer Jiang.
Li Suifeng had slapped Jiang Cheng to death at the Riverside Pavilion. Killing him would be no harder. A thread of regret wormed through his chest. He’d been too impulsive.
“Boss Li — Brother Zhou — please, for my sake, let’s—”
Sun Xi tried to mediate, but before the words left his mouth, Li Suifeng was already moving.
The private room wasn’t large. One step brought Li Suifeng to the edge of the table.
His hand shot up!
The wine pot on the table landed in his palm.
Internal energy surged!
FWIP!
A single Life-Death Talisman shot from his hand.
“You dare—”
Zhou Chao’s fury erupted. He was one of Elder Qi’s senior retainers — and Li Suifeng had actually struck first.
He drew his blade to intercept, but he was a fraction too slow.
The Life-Death Talisman moved too fast. Before the blade was even halfway up, the talisman had already sunk into Zhou Chao’s chest and vanished.
“That’s it?”
Zhou Chao had braced himself for death. When nothing happened, bewilderment replaced terror.
“Boss Li — Brother Zhou — we’re all on the same side here. Let’s not ruin the mood!” Sun Xi exhaled with relief.
“AAAGH—”
“You… what is… what’s happening?”
CLANG!
Zhou Chao’s saber clattered to the floor. A maddening itch erupted from somewhere deep inside his body. His hands began raking frantically across his skin.
Nothing helped.
The harder he scratched, the more ferocious the itch became.
“How can it itch this much?”
“What… what did you do to me?”