Chapter 75: The Branches of Jiangxiang Gang

Shopkeeper Feng poured Li Banfeng a cup of tea. After pondering in silence for a long while, he said, "I can't say for sure what's inside this gramophone. A merchant from Greenwater Bay sold it to me.

"He asked for one hundred and eighty thousand. I examined the gramophone carefully. I verified that the brand was authentic, the craftsmanship was solid, and the condition was nearly new. It was worth the price, so I didn't bargain and bought it from him. However, within less than three days of it being at my home, trouble struck.

"When I tried to track that merchant down, I discovered that he had already left Medicine King Gully. Since most residents of Greenwater Bay are wealthy, it was easy to ask friends there to look into him. I later learned that he had once belonged to a moderately wealthy family in Greenwater Bay. After attaching himself to the Lu Family, he managed to profit from several successful business deals. With his newfound wealth, he purchased a large mansion. However, on the very day he moved in, more than a dozen members of his family died under mysterious circumstances.

"I suspected that this was connected to the gramophone, but I found no proof. Even if I had, it would have been useless. If I had realized the gramophone was strange before agreeing to the purchase, I would have told him to get the fuck out. Unfortunately, the deal was already sealed, and nothing I said afterward could change that. In the end, I could only blame myself for having dull eyes."

Li Banfeng asked, "Can you tell me the name of this merchant?"

Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. "That won't do. I know his name, but I can't tell you. It's the same as how I would never give your name to the people who bought your Speckled-Snake Pills. This is the rule of a businessman."

Li Banfeng did not insist that Shopkeeper Feng answer, as there was nothing wrong with how he was handling the matter.

"You've already told me plenty, so I should still pay you." Li Banfeng took out two thousand and handed it over, but Shopkeeper Feng pushed the money back.

"Trader Li, I already cheated you once on this matter. Taking your money again would be far too shameless of me."

Since Shopkeeper Feng stubbornly refused to accept it, Li Banfeng cut straight to the next topic. "I need a travel permit to the Outer Provinces. Do you have a way to get one?"

"Outer Provinces..." Shopkeeper Feng furrowed his brow. "That won't be easy. I'll need to make some inquiries. You will need to wait a couple of days, for I am afraid there won't be news right away."

As long as there was a way, Li Banfeng could wait. However, he needed to know the price. "Shopkeeper Feng, how much does a travel permit cost?"

Shopkeeper Feng stroked his beard. "Trader Li, I will not hide it from you. I can choose not to charge you extra, but without at least twenty million, the matter cannot be done."

So it's really that amount. Yu Nan told me the truth.

Li Banfeng thought. Even so, he still wanted to ask the reason. "Why is a travel permit to the Outer Provinces so expensive?"

Shopkeeper Feng smiled. "I am a businessman, and I only speak in terms of business. If I could raise twenty million, I would certainly make a trip to the Outer Provinces myself. There are many fine goods you can find only there and not here, just as Puluo has plenty of items the Outer Provinces lack. A single round trip could bring in a huge profit and I would surely earn back more than twenty million. If the deals went well, I could earn several times that twenty million."

That's right. Why didn't I think of that? There's a fortune to be made here. I even have a Pocket Dwelling, so I can take all the rare treasures of Puluo Province to the Outer Provinces. If I succeed in this deal, I'll never have to suffer through rough, backbreaking labor for a living again.

Money! I really need money now!

Li Banfeng took out a red pill and handed it to Shopkeeper Feng. "Please take a look at this."

After examining it carefully for some time, Shopkeeper Feng gave a slight nod. "This is a superior-grade Mystic Blazing Pill. Trader Li, do you intend to sell it?"

"If the price is right, I'll sell," Li Banfeng said with a nod.

Shopkeeper Feng laid a handkerchief over the tea table and placed the pill neatly at its center.

Shopkeeper Feng took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, spread it flat on the tea table, and placed the pill neatly in the middle. This was Shopkeeper Feng's rule. Until a deal was settled, the goods had to remain in plain sight.

"Trader Li, the market price for this pill is two hundred thousand. I cannot purchase it outright, as my shop is only a general store, and I cannot be certain of selling such a rare item. If you trust me, leave it here and I will try to sell it on your behalf. If it sells, I will take twenty percent. If not, I will return it in its original condition. Is this acceptable?"

"Of course!" Li Banfeng agreed at once. He then produced his only purple pill and passed it to Shopkeeper Feng. "Take another look for me. What's the origin of this pill?"

Shopkeeper Feng examined it for a long while before returning it. "My judgment isn't sharp enough to tell what this pill is. I'll ask an expert when I see one."

Li Banfeng said, "Then why not leave it with you to sell as well?"

Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. "That won't work. I can't accept something when I don't even know its value. If a problem arose, I wouldn't be able to compensate you."

Li Banfeng disliked messy rules, yet he genuinely admired Shopkeeper Feng's. The principles of the world were simple. A few words were enough to make everything clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

With the important matters settled, Li Banfeng turned his attention to buying fuel and oil for the gramophone.

Shopkeeper Feng asked Chun Sheng to prepare the sundries, then invited Li Banfeng to sit a while longer. He still felt guilty about the gramophone and wanted to make it up to him.

"Trader Li, you've asked your questions, and I've answered what I could. However, there's another matter I happen to know a little about. I am just not sure if you are interested in hearing about it."

"Whose matter is it?" Li Banfeng asked.

"The dispute between the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House and the Yu Family Cloth Shop."

Why is Shopkeeper Feng bringing this up on his own?

Li Banfeng wondered. He kept his composure and gave a slight nod.

Shopkeeper Feng then told Chun Sheng to fetch the incense burner.

Soon, a red copper burner was placed on the table. Shopkeeper Feng struck a match, lit the incense, and thin trails of fragrant smoke drifted through the back room.

Li Banfeng's sense of smell was sharp. He carefully distinguished the fragrance of the smoke and sensed no trace of danger.

Shopkeeper Feng smiled and said, "Trader Li, don't take offense. This is just to prevent people from eavesdropping through the wall."

Using incense to prevent eavesdropping?

Li Banfeng thought. Once again, he learned something new.

Shopkeeper Feng poured a fresh pot of tea before continuing, this time on the subject of the Geng and Yu Families.

"I'm sure you've heard some rumors, Trader Li. The Geng Family and the Yu Family have indeed fallen into conflict. Some say it began because of Trader Qin, but in truth their rivalry started the year before last.

"Over the past two years, the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House had attached itself to the Jiangxiang Gang. Their business grew ever more domineering, and they had long set their sights on Shopkeeper Yu's cloth shop, seeking to take over her territory.

"Yet Shopkeeper Yu was a strong-willed woman. She refused to give up her shop. The Geng Family sent people time and again to stir up trouble, and over the past two years she had suffered many losses.

"Last year, a Top Thug of the Geng Family, Rong Jin'an, went and caused trouble at the cloth shop, killing two of the Yu Family clerks.

"Just a month ago, he returned, wrecked the cloth shop, beat up a few people, and even harassed two of the female clerks.

"Shopkeeper Yu had held back her anger for too long. When the incident with Trader Qin arose, she took it as her chance and killed Rong Jin'an. This sounded reasonable.

"In response, the Geng Family's eldest son lured Shopkeeper Yu to the Spring-Gazing Pavilion and killed more than ten of her men. That made sense as well.

"After that, the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House was burned down, and Geng Zhiwei went missing. This turn of events was what struck me as strange. The Geng Family went on a rampage, searching for Shopkeeper Yu everywhere and swearing to cut her to pieces."

Li Banfeng asked, "The Geng Family believe that Shopkeeper Yu was responsible?"

Shopkeeper Feng nodded. "They have set it in their minds that she committed the deed. By common reasoning, it should indeed have been her. However, I believe someone else is behind it."

Li Banfeng took a sip of tea. "Why do you say that?"

"Because it all happened so suddenly and strangely. Shopkeeper Yu bore a grudge against Rong Jin'an, so taking revenge on him was reasonable. However, she had never had any dealings with Trader Qin. After her revenge was done, there was no reason for her to save him."

"As for the burning of the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House, that was not something Shopkeeper Yu was capable of. Even if she had the ability, she would never have had the heart to do it."

"Shopkeeper Yu doesn't do things in such a cruel or absolute way. She always believed in leaving things at a stopping point. If she could truly bring herself to be ruthless, she would not have suffered so many losses these past years."

Li Banfeng set down his teacup. "Shopkeeper Feng, who do you believe was behind it?"

Shopkeeper Feng looked at Li Banfeng, shook his head, and said, "I can't explain clearly, but I have something here that I would like to show you."

With that he took out an envelope and handed it to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng opened the envelope. He pulled out a sheet of paper and saw that three names were written on it:

Xiang Guicheng is currently staying at the Trailhead Inn. He is a third-level Martial Cultivator and the Crimson Staff Enforcer at the second branch of the Medicine King Hall.

Zhong Desong is currently at Azure Pond Teahouse. He is a second-level Ascetic Cultivator and the Virtuous Adept at the Second Branch of the Medicine King Hall.

Du Hongxi is currently at the Elysian Melody Dancehall. He is a second-level

Nightfiend

Cultivator and the Wind Watcher at the Second Branch of the Medicine King Hall.

Li Banfeng read the paper as Shopkeeper Feng said, "The Jiangxiang Gang has sent three experts from the Medicine King Hall to handle the matter concerning the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House. These three powerful men are hiding near the Yu Family Cloth Shop, waiting for Shopkeeper Yu to appear.

"Shi Boyu, the Branch Master, and Sun Xiao'an, the Heartkeeper, are now stationed at the Branch Hall, ready to lend their strength at a moment's notice."

"What is a Branch Hall?" Li Banfeng wondered. There were too many new terms, and he could not make sense of them all at once.

Knowing that Li Banfeng came from the Outer Provinces, Shopkeeper Feng patiently explained, "The Jiangxiang Gang controls twenty-two divisions across Puluo Province. The Medicine King Hall is one of them, and it commands eight branches. The main branch and the second branch operate in the Inner Gully, while the other six lie in the Outer Gully.

"The Branch Hall is the gathering place for all the branches. Each branch was led by a Branch Master, a Heartkeeper, a Crimson Staff Enforcer, a Virtuous Adept, and a Wind Watcher, and each of these leaders commanded more than twenty followers. And so, a branch would have around a hundred and twenty people."

They have people with high cultivation levels and a great number of followers.

I really didn't expect the Jiangxiang Gang to be this big,

Li Banfeng thought

before asking, "What cultivation levels are the Branch Master and the Heartkeeper?"

"That I don't know for sure yet."

Li Banfeng glanced at the descriptions for Virtuous Adept Zhong Desong and Wind Watcher Du Hongxi, then asked, "What kind of Daoist Paths are Ascetic Cultivation and Nightfiend Cultivation?"

"Nightfiend Cultivation involves commanding ghosts and spirits. Wind Watcher Du Hongxi can control more than ten at once, all ready to do what he says. As for Ascetic Cultivation, that's a peculiar path. It's a path of suffering. People who walk it have to endure things others couldn't bear."

What kind of skill is it just to endure suffering?

Li Banfeng scratched his head, unable to make sense of Ascetic Cultivation.

As Shopkeeper Feng refilled Li Banfeng's tea, he said, "Trader Li, I doubt this has anything to do with you. However, I heard that the Jiangxiang Gang has been searching everywhere for folks from the Outer Provinces. I don't know why, but I just want to remind you that it has been rather chaotic in the Medicine King Gully lately. Please be careful."

Li Banfeng understood what Shopkeeper Feng was hinting at. Yu Nan saved Chubby Qin, but Chubby Qin had no dealings with Yu Nan. All along, Chubby Qin had been in close contact with Li Banfeng.

With the Jiangxiang Gang searching for people from the Outer Provinces, Shopkeeper Feng suspected Li Banfeng might be involved. In truth, however, the two matters were completely unrelated.

The Jiangxiang Gang had blamed the burning of the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House on Yu Nan, and in response, they dispatched an entire branch to deal with it.

As for their search for someone from the Outer Provinces, that was because Xiao Zhenggong had issued an order over the bronze lotus.

The Jiangxiang Gang probably hadn't realized that the same person was behind both incidents. But not realizing it now didn't mean they wouldn't uncover the truth in the end.

Shopkeeper Feng could already see the clues pointing to Chubby Qin. The Jiangxiang Gang weren't fools; they would follow Chubby Qin's trail sooner or later. It was only a matter of time before they uncovered the real culprit behind the fire.

Thoughts churned inside Li Banfeng's mind.

It's only a matter of time before they realize who I am.

He recalled the private investigator Daboinsky who had come earlier and thought,

Maybe the Jiangxiang Gang are already close... maybe they've already pieced it together... Good thing I didn't stay in Yu Family Village... good thing I slipped back into Inner Gully... lucky, lucky...

But if they find out it was me... if they discover I burned the Geng Family Medicinal Trading House and stole the bronze lotus... then they'll surround Yu Family Village. They won't stop until it's ashes. And me? Even if I grew wings, I'd never escape... never escape...

As of now, Li Banfeng had two choices.

The first option was to stock up on food and water, retreat into the pocket dwelling, and vanish from sight. It seemed safe on the surface, yet a nagging doubt gnawed at him.

Would it really work?