After finishing dinner, Gu Wangchen picked his teeth with an Ivory Jade Toothpick, smacking his lips as he savored the lingering taste of the Golden Phoenix-wing Shrimp on the table.
He pondered for a moment, then asked, “Xiao Li, did the manor change cooks?”
“How did you know, Young Master? There really is a new chef who just joined recently. Of course, she was hired after a proper assessment, so her skills are guaranteed, and Chief Steward Wang personally oversaw it.”
“Mm,” Gu Wangchen nodded and replied, “Today’s Golden Phoenix-wing Shrimp tastes a bit different from before. The crispiness has improved—a nice touch. However…”
“However?”
“However, the flavoring isn’t quite the same as before. It doesn’t really suit my palate.”
An Li asked, “Then shall we dismiss her?”
“No need. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to the old taste, and a change of flavor might be nice. After all, it’s always been salty before, so something sweet is a good switch.”
“All right. I’ll let her know to prepare two versions of Golden Phoenix-wing Shrimp for you, Young Master!” An Li took out a small notebook and charcoal pencil, jotting something down.
“That’s thoughtful of you, Xiao Li.”
The crescent moon hung over the branches, petals drifting gently down and landing on the surface of the pond, spreading faint ripples.
Without another word, master and servant, one after the other, made their way to the West Wing Guest Room of the Wangchen Pavilion.
Gu Wangchen turned to the Family Guards standing on either side and asked, “How’s the situation?”
“Reporting, Young Master—the guest has eaten all the food we sent in.”
“Mm, if he’s able to eat, that means his body and mind are in decent shape.” Gu Wangchen sounded satisfied.
With that, he led An Li as he pushed open the door.
Creak—
Bathed in the warm glow of the lamp, a middle-aged man in a pale long robe sat cross-legged on the bed, meditating.
Gu Wangchen focused his mind and immediately activated the Myriad Reflections Dust Mirror, concealing his true cultivation.
There was a reason—after all, the person across from him was also a Cultivator and could sense True Qi.
He walked over to the table and sat down, studying the Messenger before him closely.
A square face, thick beard, bushy brows and big eyes—he looked every bit the loyal minister.
“You are… Gu Wangchen? Young Master Gu?” The Messenger looked up, squinting against the lamp behind Gu Wangchen, only then making out his visitor.
“You know me?”
“Of course I do,” the Messenger stood and cupped his fists, bowing gratefully. “I am Lu Quan. Many thanks to Young Master Gu for saving my life.”
“No need for thanks, it was just a coincidence. I was fishing by Ba Bridge when Xiao Li told me someone was calling for help, so I sent someone to take a look.”
He poured himself a cup of tea, speaking casually. “It was no trouble at all.”
“Regardless, Young Master Gu saved my life. Such great kindness, I can never repay.”
“I didn’t save you for repayment. I only did it to please my Xiao Li, understand?”
At this, he glanced at An Li, who was standing quietly behind him.
An Li lowered her head in perfect coordination, her cheeks tinged with red.
“…I understand.” Lu Quan nodded slowly, his gaze flickering between the two.
Though it was his first time meeting Gu Wangchen, he’d long heard of this man’s reputation—Sheng’an’s number one profligate was none other than the person before him.
At first glance, Gu Wangchen looked every bit the refined gentleman, but after a few words, that first impression was thoroughly overturned.
Saved as a way to please his maid?
Lu Quan couldn’t help but wonder if all the nobles in Sheng’an were this outrageous.
Still, Gu Wangchen had saved him. Whatever he thought, he kept it to himself and maintained a polite smile.
“By the way, Brother Lu, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Please, Young Master Gu.”
Gu Wangchen set his teacup down, his eyes lighting up with interest. “Honestly, I’m quite curious… who exactly did you offend to get yourself hunted down like that?”
“It was just some minor disputes in the jianghu. I had a grudge with one of the Cao Gang’s stewards. He used his position for personal gain and sent people after me. Nothing worth mentioning.” Lu Quan gave the explanation he’d already prepared.
“The Cao Gang sent people after you?” Gu Wangchen chuckled but said nothing more.
Lu Quan’s brows drew together. He felt that Gu Wangchen’s tone was off.
“Young Master Gu, it really was a grudge from the jianghu. To be honest, I worked for the Cao Gang a few years back, just to make a living. The grudge started then.”
“In the end, I couldn’t stand his exploitation anymore and left the Cao Gang, but I never thought he’d—”
“All right, Mr. Lu. I might be a little unrestrained, but I’m not stupid.”
Gu Wangchen interrupted, leaning forward as his tone sharpened. “So you’re telling me the Cao Gang can afford Xuantan Soft Armor? The Cao Gang has access to Automatic Military Crossbows?”
As he spoke, he waved his hand, and several Family Guards entered the room, each holding the soft armor and crossbows stripped from the attackers.
“I’m a thorough person by nature. You can ask around Pingkang Quarter if you don’t believe me,” Gu Wangchen said, pointing at the armor and crossbows on the table. “So, can you tell me the truth now, Mr. Lu?”
“…”
Lu Quan clenched his fists, lowering his head in silence.
He’d never imagined that this so-called profligate would not only save him, but also dig so deeply into those who hunted him.
Just as he’d said, the ones who came after him were not from the Cao Gang at all, but Imperial Shadow Guards under the Empress Dowager’s command.
He had no idea how they got their information. He’d changed his identity multiple times after crossing the river, yet still couldn’t shake off their pursuit.
With a sigh, Lu Quan composed himself and spoke, “Since Young Master Gu already knows, to keep hiding it would make me seem ungrateful. After all, you did save my life.”
He thought for a moment, deciding to reveal part of the truth. No matter what, the Secret Letter was still on his person, and Gu Wangchen was unlikely to be aligned with the Empress Dowager.
“Young Master Gu, the truth is I was ordered to deliver a Secret Letter from Jiangnan to Sheng’an. As you guessed, the letter is very important—that’s why I was targeted.”
“Mm, and what’s in the letter?”
“This…” Lu Quan hesitated.
Seeing this, Gu Wangchen said unhurriedly, “Don’t tell me it’s about the super-large Spirit Ore Vein discovered outside Ling City two years ago?”
Lu Quan’s pupils shrank suddenly.
Gu Wangchen saw every reaction, and thought to himself that he’d guessed right.
In the original story, after Si Kongyue saved Lu Quan and passed the Secret Letter to Li Zhaoning, that was the end of their initial encounter.
The letter’s specific contents were never revealed, only that it became the reason for the Taifu Faction to launch an attack against the Empress Dowager Faction in the Imperial Court later on.
After all, at the start of the game, the main perspective was still with Si Kongyue, roaming the jianghu, far from the political center.
But Gu Wangchen had pieced together enough hints from the game’s information to deduce that the Taifu Faction’s pretext for targeting the Empress Dowager Faction had everything to do with the Spirit Ore Vein near Ling City.
The reason a single ore vein could cause such upheaval was because, in this world’s setting, Spirit Ore was essentially a universal strategic resource.
Cultivators used it for cultivation, array formations required it to function, it powered devices, and even common folk could burn it as fuel. It was practically Grand Qi’s version of oil.
Accordingly, its mining was, of course, a state monopoly—like the Salt and Iron Monopoly, but even more crucial.
“So… Mr. Lu, did I guess right?”
Gu Wangchen put on a look of surprise, smiling as he said, “That’s not very fair of you. I went through all this trouble to save you, and all I wanted was to satisfy my own curiosity.”
Lu Quan’s brows furrowed as his gaze swept the room.
Sensing through his cultivation, he realized not only was the room filled with guards at about the Fourth Realm, but the outside was as well, and any reckless idea immediately vanished.
Impossible.
He took a difficult breath and finally said, his voice a bit hoarse, “Young Master Gu, are you really just curious?”
“Of course.”
“Very well,” Lu Quan nodded, then continued, “Since you wish to know, let me tell you everything…”