Chapter 365: Chapter 240: King Landu, Overbearing

"What? Is he not well known?"

"Not at all. It’s just that we merchants who travel frequently never dare to call him by his ’bandit title’ directly. We mostly just call him the ’Bandit King’."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly. "And why is that?"

"That King Landu is a ruthless character. Not only is he greedy and domineering, but his methods are vicious."

"Merchants who travel the Ancient Tea-Horse Road year-round, whether they’re from our Great Wei Dynasty, the Western Buddha Country, or even Poshisu Country, all have to give him a pound of flesh."

"Even I..."

Jia Yuzhi paused, a fearful look on his face. "Most of the shopkeepers I sent to Poshisu Country to procure herbs were either killed or wounded."

"King Landu has his rules. All passing merchants must hand over half their goods. If you dare to run, he’ll kill everyone. If you dare to hide anything, he’ll kill half of you. If the count is wrong, he’ll kill one person, just depending on his mood."

Wang Ji clearly didn’t know the details about King Landu and asked, "How can our Great Wei Dynasty tolerate someone like that?"

Jia Yuzhi gave a bitter smile. "Shopkeeper Wang, there’s something you don’t know."

"That King Landu isn’t just a simple horse bandit. He’s also the blood brother of the king of Poshisu Country, and he has nearly twenty thousand men under his command."

"Unless the Marquis personally leads the Dingyuan Army back to Poshisu Country, it would be impossible to annihilate them."

"What’s more, that King Landu was taught by the Jade Dragon National Preceptor of Poshisu Country. His Martial Arts cultivation reached the Grandmaster realm long ago. Ordinary Martial Artists would just be throwing their lives away if they went after him."

Grandmaster...

Martial Arts was divided into nine realms: the lower, middle, and upper, each with three stages.

And Grandmaster was a realm above those nine.

A Martial Artist who reached this realm possessed strength beyond human limits.

Chen Yi frowned to himself. ’No wonder the Hidden Guard takes King Landu so seriously.’

Having learned most of what he wanted to know, he signaled for Wang Ji to send Jia Yuzhi away first.

After he left,

Chen Yi then took out the letter Lin Huai’an had written to King Landu. While making small talk with Wang Ji, he began writing on the table.

[This afternoon, find someone who can read the Poshisu script. They must be trustworthy. Have them translate the contents of this letter for me.]

[Wait for me tonight at the residence on Chuansi Street.]

Wang Ji nodded after reading, carefully took the letter, and wrote back: [Sir, the medicinal herbs haven’t arrived yet. The Hundred Herbs Hall workshop has been somewhat affected. I’m afraid things will be delayed for a few days.]

Chen Yi waved his hand, signaling that it was no matter, and said with a smile, "I only came here to ask when Boss Chen Yu will be returning to Shu State."

He held up three fingers.

Wang Ji understood immediately and said, "I’m afraid Mr. Qingzhou will be disappointed. My boss should be back in three months, around New Year’s Day."

Chen Yi smiled and exchanged a few more words before getting up to leave, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

After learning about King Landu’s situation, he grew even more curious about the Hidden Guard General’s intentions for contacting him.

’Surely this bunch of White Tiger Guards, who see it as their duty to destabilize neighboring countries, haven’t also turned traitor, have they?’

After a moment of thought,

Chen Yi shook his head to himself. ’Probably not.’

’If even the White Tiger Guard were siding with the enemy and funding them, then the Great Wei Dynasty might as well just be overthrown. There’d be no point in trying to maintain it.’

"I need to see what these Hidden Guards are really up to."

Without lingering, Chen Yi went straight to the Yunqing Building and immediately spotted a lovely figure waiting by a second-floor window—Xiao Wan’er.

The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

Xiao Wan’er waved to him, her face blooming into a smile that brightened the gloomy, rainy day.

Chen Yi smiled and nodded, then walked up the stairs to the second floor and entered a spacious and magnificent private room.

Glancing around, he clasped his fist in a salute and said with a smile, "My apologies for keeping you all waiting."

Cui Qingwu didn’t respond.

Chen Yunfan, leaning back in his chair, waved a hand for him to sit. "Since when did you become so polite, Brother Yi?"

As Chen Yi sat down with Xiao Wan’er, he retorted just as impolitely:

"What can I do? My dear brother is now the Assistant Governor of the Shu State Governor’s Office. I wouldn’t dare overstep my bounds."

"...You actually care that I’m an Assistant Governor?"

Seeing the two start to bicker, Cui Qingwu tugged on Chen Yunfan’s sleeve and gestured for Huan’er to serve the food.

"Why are you two still like a couple of kids?"

Chen Yunfan tilted his head up and said, "I’m not. Can’t say the same for Brother Yi, though."

Chen Yi was about to fire back when Xiao Wan’er, beside him, also gave him a little tug and asked in a curious tone:

"Little Sister Qingwu, were they like this when they were little, too?"

Seeing her expression, Cui Qingwu’s interest was piqued. She smilingly began to recount the "history" between the two brothers, Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan.

Even though Chen Yunfan shot her a look to stop, she kept on talking without a pause.

Chen Yi, on the other hand, didn’t mind. Hearing "his own" stories from someone else’s mouth was a novel experience.

"...In short, Qingzhou was highly regarded back then, while Brother Yunfan, on the other hand, was punished many times."

After listening, Xiao Wan’er covered her mouth and giggled. "So the rumors from Jiangnan Prefecture were all true. My husband really has been clever since he was a child."

Chen Yunfan pouted. ’Brother Yi is still plenty clever now.’

’In fact, he’s incredible.’

’Not only has he reached Perfection in the Calligraphy Dao and the Martial Arts Dao, he’s even accomplished in the Medical Dao.’

’In comparison, he, the older brother, had nothing on Chen Yi except for a disposable title as Assistant Governor of the Governor’s Office.’

’It’s just pathetic.’

Once the dishes were all served, Cui Qingwu brought over a jar of wine, filled the cups for Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan, and said with a smile, "Have a taste."

Chen Yi smiled and nodded, clinked cups with Chen Yunfan, and then drained his in one go.

He wasn’t a man who enjoyed wine—not in this life, and not in his last one either.

So, as the wine went down, he only tasted a hint of sweetness and smoothness, and not much else.

Chen Yunfan, however, was more of a connoisseur. After drinking, he smacked his lips. "Not bad. It’s got a sweet flavor."

Cui Qingwu said with a smile, "This is my Yunqing Building’s Lang Wine, brewed with spring water from Wumeng Mountain and the upper reaches of the Chishui River. It has a natural sweetness, so even the new vintage tastes good."

Watching the three of them laugh and joke, Xiao Wan’er couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

She wanted to have a taste too, but alas, her body wouldn’t allow it.

Chen Yi glanced at her, noticed her mood, and placed a pastry on her plate. "The food should be pretty good, too," he said with a smile.

Xiao Wan’er’s envy instantly vanished. She gave a gentle nod and began to eat in small, delicate bites.

After three rounds of drinks, Chen Yunfan remembered something and asked, "Brother Yi, you’ll be participating in the Annual Examination this time, right?"

Chen Yi heard this and asked in surprise, "You want to persuade me too, Brother?"

"Persuade?"

"I don’t want to participate, but alas..."

Chen Yi glanced at Xiao Wan’er, earning a reproachful look from her, and then continued:

"Alas, I have no choice but to participate."

Chen Yunfan paused, put down his chopsticks, and said with a serious expression, "You have to participate."

Chen Yi’s heart skipped a beat. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because that Academic Administrator..."

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