CH 110

Li Duan contemplated further and felt that this matter could not be left like this. He had to find someone to enquire about it, but the problem was that he had no suitable person in mind.

As a result of the Wei Xiaoshan’s incident, most of their family’s servants were dismissed by governor Tang. Not only did the servants escape, but their family’s actions were also monitored by the noble families residing in Lin’an City and the Pei family. They were unable to obtain new servants, and there was no one to carry out their shady dealings. Their information network was seriously impaired, and many activities had to be halted. 

Should he hire a few ruffians to help out?

Li Duan was mulling over the names of those infamous thugs in Lin’an city in his mind when it was reported that Lin Jue had arrived.

He quickly got up and walked out to welcome Lin Jue, asking the messenger, “Did my cousin come alone or was he with someone?”

Lin Jue had gone back to Fujian to contact the Peng family and he was just wondering how things were going.

But before the attendant could reply, he saw Lin Jue, who was accompanied by several attendants, walking towards him.

Lin Jue had a sullen expression, and when he saw Li Duan, he said flatly without even bothering with formalities, “Ah Duan, let’s talk in the study!”

Li Duan’s heart thudded as he intuitively felt that something was wrong.

His heart sank and he waved his hand towards the servants around him.

The servants all retreated.

Lin Jue and Li Duan entered the study.

Li Duan did not call for his maid but personally made tea for Lin Jue.

Lin Jue roughly untied his cloak and threw it in annoyance on the Luohan chair in the study. He went up to Li Duan and said, “Ah Duan, things are not looking good! The eldest master of the Peng family came together with me to Lin’an, saying that the Pei family had unexpectedly gotten hold of a nautical chart that would take them from Guangzhou to the Arab Empire. The Tao family in Guangzhou has already tested the voyage, and the route is viable ……”

“What did you say?” It was as if he was struck by lightning. Li Duan’s hand shook and the teapot fell to the ground with a “clank”, the premium Biluochun tea leaves scattered on the ground. He spun around, with a darkened expression as he looked at Lin Jue, “The Pei Family obtained a nautical chart?”

His previous concern was about the authenticity of the nautical chart, but never did he expect that before the authenticity of the chart was verified, there would emerge such an incident!

Lin Jue looked at Li Duan and sucked in a deep breath, and only then did he feel his frazzled mind calming down a little and his thoughts clearing up. “I quickly returned to Fujian and delivered the painting to the Peng family. The Peng family examined the painting and the nautical chart and was very satisfied. Following our previous discussion, we did not want to be remunerated for our services but to join the Peng family to take this route and have a share in the business. The person who received me was the 11th master of the Peng family. He also came to Lin’an along with his grand elder. Although he gave his verbal agreement, but words are not trustworthy, a contract is the best surety. The eleventh master also promised to sign a document with our family.

“However, we needed more time to settle the paperwork, furthermore I politely requested that the document be stamped with the Peng family’s seal. I stayed in the Peng family’s estate overnight. The next morning, the eleventh master personally took the drafted paperwork for my review and discussed the details, but who knew that after lunch, the situation changed drastically.

“The Peng family’s grand elder personally saw me and asked about the process of finding the painting. Of course I couldn’t say anything about the Yu and Wei families, so I only said that I had followed the clues they gave, which led me to Lu Xin. I didn’t expect that although Lu Xin promised to sell the painting to us, he unexpectedly drowned after partaking too much wine, and Lu Xin’s relics fell into the hands of the Yu family. Afraid of attracting the Pei family’s attention, we encouraged the Lu family to discreetly retrieve Lu Xin’s relics. We paid 500 taels of silver to purchase it from the Lu family.”

Speaking of this, Lin Jue’s forehead was covered in sweat, and he continued in a lowered voice, “Old Master Peng listened carefully, and did not say anything. He asked me to pack my luggage and to follow him to Lin’an City. I was a little confused when I heard about it and asked Old Master Peng what was going on, but he only smiled and said something about being not too familiar with Lin’an City and wanted me to be his guide.

“What kind of person would I be if I didn’t find it suspicious? Before I even learnt to walk, I followed my father in his travels, so what kind of people have I not met? What kind of things have I not seen? As soon as I heard this, I knew something was up. However, I was living in the Peng family’s estate, eating their food, and I was really afraid that they would kill me there and then without a sound. I pretended that everything was fine, packed up my things and followed the Peng family, leaving the city overnight.

“On the way, I managed to find out more about the situation. It turns out that the Pei family obtained a nautical chart, and it was exactly what the Peng family wanted. The Pei family issued an official notice, inviting various influential families to come to Lin’an for an auction. The nautical chart will go to the highest bidder. There’s also an entrance deposit of two thousand taels of silver ……”

So those unfamiliar faces appearing in Lin’an were all influential people from around the country?

Li Duan did not both about the tea leaves scattered on the ground anymore. His face was pitch-black as though it was going to rain at any moment. He quickly poured a cup of water and handed it to Lin Jue, saying “What does the Peng family mean by this? Do they suspect that we also sent this painting to the Pei family?”

Lin Jue didn’t sleep much these few days, let alone having proper meals.

He took the tea cup and quickly gulped down the water and draining it. He replied, “The Peng family people did not say anything. But isn’t it obvious? As soon as we entered Lin’an City, Old Master Peng asked me to find you. He took the Eleventh Master to stay in one of the Pei family’s guest rooms which was used to receive people who were participating in the auction. He told me that the Eleventh Master would come to visit us tonight. I thought, since the Pei family is selling the nautical chart, with the highest bidder winning it, they will definitely reveal a portion of the nautical chart for those who come to the auction for them to verify its authenticity.”

How did things turn out like this?

Li Duan was in a state of panic.

Lin Jue was his relative and also his collaborator. There were some things that can be spoken among relatives, but not with collaborators. He couldn’t reveal his true feelings in front of Lin Jue, otherwise the relationship between their Li family and the Lin family would grow tense, and Lin Jue would think that he was weak and would not respect their family as he had before.

“What do you have to be afraid of?” He put on a brave front and said indifferently, “The clues to obtain this painting were all given by the Peng family, and we also sent the painting to the Peng family according to their wishes. Their family verified it and affirmed that it was genuine. Now that something has gone awry, of what concern it is to us? And even to visit us at night!” Li Duan coldly snorted, “Let them visit then. I also want to ask them about how they intend to settle his matter. Didn’t you say before that there was only one nautical chart? Then where did the Pei family’s nautical chart come from? Things are precious due to their scarcity. We aren’t that stupid to be doing two conflicting trades at once and jeopardise a mutually beneficial deal.”

Prior to this, Lin Jue was a little flustered, but once he saw Li Duan’s confident demeanor, he calmed down.

He couldn’t help but add sheepishly, “Isn’t it because I’m afraid that the Peng family is suspicious that we leaked the information?”

“Leaking of information, aren’t they suspects as well?” Li Duan replied. His own confidence gradually increased, saying “Haven’t they looked for other families before coming to us? The Peng family is one of the top families in Fujian, but the world is so big, there’s Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu, their family can get a hold of news about the Pine Creek fishing hidden painting, can’t others also obtain the same? This kind of thing, from a prominent family like theirs, shouldn’t that be the case?”

Lin Jue laughed bitterly.

That’s true, but only if the Peng family admitted that something went wrong at their end!

They were rich and powerful, and if they somehow grew angry with them, what can they do?

“Let’s wait until we see the Eleventh Master tonight!” Lin Jue said impassively, “I hope the Pei family’s nautical chart is not connected to us!”

At this point, they could only wait till they met with the Peng family at night.

On the Pei family’s side, Pei Yan finally had some time for himself.

The matter has all been arranged, and the details were all taken care of, so there’s not much left to do.

Ah Ming brought in a small four-compartment box and smiled with eyes like crescents, “Third Master, the Yu family sent over some peanut crisps, do you want to try some?”

Pei Yan opened the box and found that in addition to the three kinds of snacks he usually liked to eat, there was also an unfamiliar crispy candy.

The malt-colored sugar was wrapped with white and chunky peanuts, which besides looking freshly-made, also made people hungry.

Pei Yan tasted one.

He tasted both the sweetness of the malt candy and the crispness of the peanuts.

Pei Yan tsked.

Usually with this kind of boiled sweets, the insides were soft, but this peanut crisp was like its name, crispy and crunchy like sugar crystals.

However, it would have tasted better with more peanuts.

He subconsciously felt that this should be something that Lady Yu concocted.

“What is Lady Yu up to again?” Pei Yan asked.

Hu Xing came to him as soon as he returned from the Yu family’s countryside residence, so of course he knew that the Yu family’s mountain forest land was most suitable for growing peanuts.

Peiyan remarked, “Perhaps their family is thinking of growing peanuts? I see that this candy is not cheap to make either. However, the candy is filled with peanuts, so it requires lesser sugar and should be cheaper than a completely sugar-filled candy, so it should also be able to sell well. However, I’m afraid that it will take three years to sell one season’s worth of peanuts as peanut crisps candies. By then, the peanuts wouldn’t taste good, and the sweets will not sell well either.”

Although this is a little harsh, but it was not unjustified.

Ah Ming had a good relationship with Yu Tang, so once Pei Yan said this, he became a little worried for her.

“I heard that this peanut crisp was made by Lady Yu.” He looked at Pei Yan somewhat nervously and said, “But I didn’t hear that Lady Yu intended to sell it. Perhaps she unintentionally made this kind of delicious sweet for you to try? You have helped out their family so much, they must be very grateful to you!”

This could be true.

Pei Yan pondered and asked, “Is Lady Yu making such peanut crisps lately?”

Since the last time Pei Yan asked about Yu Tang, Pei Man did not have a satisfactory answer, so the Pei family’s servants paid more than the usual attention to Yu Tang’s comings and goings.

Ah Ming spoke, “Lady Yu did not go out of the house these days as you had instructed, so she should be at home making these peanut crisps. However, Lady Yu also sent someone to inquire about the sale of candied preserves, and also inquired about the sale of food stores and cost of charcoal.”

The corners of PeiYan’s mouth could not help but twitch.

Why does it seem like a headless fly scurrying around aimlessly?

Can’t she just rest a little? Stay at home obediently?