Chaotic World Book-Chapter 455 - 442: A Glimpse of Hongling

"Unexpectedly, when Lei faced Wang Daozhong, although he was somewhat cautious, he showed no visible reverence and quickly laughed heartily, ’I’ve long admired you, a significant figure of the Earth List, such a rare opportunity, this place is truly honored... Please, Mr. Wang!’"

He then warmly looped his arm through Li Si’an’s as they entered the tent together, "Has it been years since you last visited? Where have you been making your fortune these years?"

Li Si’an followed with a cheerful smile, "In recent years, I’ve mostly been in Jingxiang, rarely traveling elsewhere."

Zhao Changhe entered with great interest, noting that the opponent seemed welcoming, but there was a hint of snubbing... It was the first time he realized that Wang Daozhong, who usually dazzled wherever he went in Central Earth, could also seem so ordinary.

What the other party really meant was this, "He cared about your strength as a figure from the Earth List, but don’t bother bringing up Langya Wang. Whether you are Langya Wang or Qinghe Cui, this is Erhai, and your influence doesn’t reach here. Only your own strength will be seriously considered, everything else is irrelevant."

Even being on the Earth List, a lower-ranked Wang Daozhong wouldn’t have much deterrence in this chaotic place. A mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snakes. You must have official business here, you couldn’t possibly be relying on brute force alone, could you?

When here, you must follow the local rules.

As everyone took their seats according to host and guest, Lei Ao waved his hand generously, "Bring out the osmanthus wine for our esteemed guests."

Zhao Changhe sat aside, tasting the wine in silence, observing Lei Ao and Li Si’an making small talk.

Lei Ao continued the earlier conversation with Li Si’an, "So you’ve been in Jingxiang, huh? Jingxiang is nice! I see you’ve whitened quite a bit... What brought you to personally escort the goods this time?"

Li Si’an smiled slightly, "I came to see if Brother Lei was being bullied here, and whether you need help from a brother."

Lei Ao was taken aback, "Brother Li, why do you say that?"

Li Si’an feigned surprise, "Isn’t there a problem with the upstream supplies Brother Lei?"

Lei Ao nodded suddenly, then sighed, "I never expected that such an issue would trouble Brother Li to travel thousands of miles here, I feel quite guilty."

Li Si’an was puzzled, "How could you call this ’such an issue’?"

Lei Ao said, "We really shouldn’t discuss it openly."

He glanced at Wang Daozhong and lowered his voice, "After the tax silver was intercepted in early spring, the Southwest Provincial Government didn’t let it go and collected from everyone again..."

Li Si’an’s expression shifted.

Collected again, and he hadn’t heard of it... Where did it go then? It hadn’t appeared in the Imperial records... Was it intercepted again?

That would mean three times the tax silver had been lost.

"Brother Li surely realizes that no one can withstand such repeated losses. This time, we could only offset it with goods on hand, what better goods could we possibly have left," sighed Lei Ao, "It’s not that we’re trying to fool you with substandard products; honestly, that’s the best we currently have. We just hope this situation will end soon, and we can return to normal; otherwise, we’d struggle even to find dirt, let alone jade."

Li Si’an pondered for a moment, his expression suddenly changed.

This was Jima Town, and although it seemed lively, it didn’t mean all tribes were at peace.

If Lei Ao’s words were true, the tribes of the Southwest might already be at their limit of endurance... and now with another robbery, if the Provincial Government decided to halt its actions, it might be fine, but if they imposed another levy...

Would the Southwest be driven to rebellion?

Zhao Changhe also wondered, could Li Shentong’s purpose in robbing the silver be to provoke rebellion in the Southwest? But whether the Provincial Government would continue to scourge was not something Li Shentong could control from afar...

Lei Ao then proposed, "If Brother Li distrusts, you are welcome to inspect our warehouse?"

Li Si’an waved his hand, "Never mind. Given the situation, what are your thoughts?"

Lei Ao tentatively said, "Brother Li comes from the affluent Central Earth and has some clout; could you possibly speak to the Provincial Government?"

Li Si’an laughed out loud, "In such matters, even if the Buddha himself were here, you wouldn’t ask him for help but turn to me?"

Lei Ao’s gaze finally settled on Wang Daozhong, smiling slightly, "I was overjoyed to reunite with Brother Li and talked too much, thus neglecting Mr. Wang. May I ask Mr. Wang, what brings you to Erhai?"

In reality, Zhao Changhe knew Lei Ao had no intention of directing him to the Provincial Governor. This attitude would have been apparent from the start otherwise.

It was highly likely that the previous pleasantries were just empty words to appease Li Si’an. Li Si’an, a crafty old fox, probably sensed it too and they were just going through the motions.

With a judgment flashing in his mind, Zhao Changhe sipped his wine calmly and said, "One is to expand my family’s trade routes, and secondly I heard the Southwest has many unique talents, and I wish to recruit some for my family. Mr. Lei has been deeply rooted here for many years, do you have any guidance for me?"

Lei Ao asked, "What kind of unique talents does Mr. Wang seek?"

"Those skilled in Gu Technique; isn’t this the biggest difference between the tribes of the Southwest and Central Earth?"

Lei Ao shook his head, "Those who know Witchcraft are usually clan priests with very strict regulations. They won’t work for others easily nor reveal Gu techniques. Otherwise, why hasn’t anyone gone to the Central Plains all these years? Mr. Wang should understand this."

"A different time calls for a different approach," Zhao Changhe leisurely said. "Now that you have been pushed to such limits by corrupt officials, yet still cling to the old ways without seeking new paths, it is truly laughable."

Li Si’an glanced sideways.

Zhao Changhe continued his tirade, "I’m not sure how much you hear of the happenings in Central Earth from your seclusion in the Southwest, but let me be frank, my Wang Family is purging the king’s side. If someone seeks a new path, wouldn’t my Wang Family be an excellent choice?"

Li Si’an really wanted to cover his face.

Zhao Changhe deliberately paused, then slowly continued, "If anyone wishes to stand on their own, they might as well contact our Wang Family for mutual support."

It wasn’t just Li Si’an who couldn’t bear to look; Lei Ao’s expression twitched, and he quickly said, "This, this matter is too significant, it’s not something Lei can decide..."

"You don’t need to decide now, Mr. Lei. You can go back and consult with your clan leader, or other friendly wizards."

Previously defiant, Lei Ao wiped away sweat and said, "Then please, Mr. Wang, stay for a few more days and enjoy the sights of Cang Mountain and Erhai."

Zhao Changhe said, "Mr. Wang and Mr. Si’an came here just to find a guide. Now that we’re here, Mr. Si’an has his own business to attend to, and since we’re not on the same path, it’s not proper to trouble you further. May we ask Mr. Lei for some attendants to serve as local guides, at a price that satisfies these brothers?"

To seek Yue Hongling’s or the Sword Pavilion disciples’ news indirectly, Zhao Changhe planned to insinuate through attendants, first seeing if they had encountered any lady in red or white-clothed swordsmen. If not, they could concoct an excuse to "remember something" and ask Lei Ao to mobilize people to help, making it less obvious.

To Zhao Changhe’s delight, Lei Ao laughed heartily, "How could I possibly charge Mr. Wang? Who... "

He gestured around, about to select a few attendants, when suddenly a cold voice came from outside, "I heard that Mr. Langya Wang has arrived... Wuding from the Sword Pavilion, who has long revered the name of Langya Sea Suppressing Sword, hopes Mr. Wang will not begrudge a lesson."

Li Si’an was startled, and Zhao Changhe was dumbfounded.

Damn, Old Wang, can you also inadvertently invite trouble?

No, that’s not right...

Is this a joy or a sorrow?

As if finding something after a long search in vain, the missing leader of Sword Pavilion bizarrely appeared here, seeking Wang Daozhong... If we could follow him later, any mystery could be thoroughly solved.

But the problem was that Wuding couldn’t be defeated!

With him ranked sixth on the Earth List, life already lost, did they plan to haunt him as ghosts?

But since it had come to this, running from Wuding was impossible; better to face it and see if they could bluff their way through...

Zhao Changhe rose "indifferently" and replied as he headed out, "Mr. Sect Master is too modest... Ranked sixth on the Earth List, it should be I, Mr. Wang, who seeks instruction from you, Mr. Sect Master."

Li Si’an anxiously said, "Sir!"

Damn, you can’t just inexplicably die here, how would I explain to the Chief when I get back?

Zhao Changhe waved his hand dismissively and stepped out.

Outside, the guards had already dispersed, forming an empty space. In the center of the space, a white-clothed swordsman stood quietly, straight as an arrow, his eyes slightly closed, head bowed.

The whole figure resembled a sword... which reminded Zhao Changhe of his first encounter with Han Wubing.

Now, Han Wubing had a bit more smile, not as much the face of a dead man...

Seeing "Wang Daozhong" emerge, the swordsman’s eyes snapped open, and it seemed like a sharp Sword Qi burst through the void, making a thunderous explosion.

Zhao Changhe gripped the Ancient Sword Dragon Emperor, timely bowing, "The sect master’s elegance remains."

Regardless of recognition, this phrase could always be used as a prevarication. More importantly, this bow subtly dissipated the other’s "Heart Sword" attack without a trace of fanfare.

Zhao Changhe knew scant about swordsmanship but had seen quite a bit.

Such skills he had observed within the Sword Emperor Inheritance. One reason he felt that swordplay wasn’t the ultimate path was that it felt too repetitive, over and over, not as rich as the way generations of scholars had elaborated on swordsmanship.

Seeing "Wang Daozhong" easily see through and neutralize his intimidation, Wuding finally showed a grave expression, "To say you’re the least on the Earth List is too modest. With just that move, advancing a few ranks wouldn’t be hard."

Zhao Changhe smiled, "No matter how much I advance, I am still no match for the Sect Master. Simply by opening your eyes, you have got me raising my hand. I have never heard of those higher ranked challenging those lower. Since the Sect Master and I met in this foreign land, we should be having a drink. How come it turned into a duel? Wang Daozhong admits defeat. May I invite the Sect Master to sit at the tavern?"

Wuding replied indifferently, "As an aristocrat, you do have the demeanor. It’s precisely because you are Wang Daozhong that I picked this... "

Before he finished speaking, a surge of Sword Qi erupted in the distance. fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

Wuding’s usually expressionless face changed abruptly, and he turned in astonishment.

A subordinate swordsman flew in, "Sect Master, the Provincial Governor has been assassinated, a glimpse of red vanished in a flash."

Wuding took a deep breath and murmured to himself, "Quite a Yue Hongling... thought she was like a homeless dog hiding, turns out she was just waiting for a chance to strike... I underestimated her..."

He turned to the Wang Daozhong in front of him, bowed, and said, "A complication has arisen, I need to return... I’ll seek Mr. Wang’s advice another day."

With that, he vanished in a flash.

He didn’t notice the gentle smile and soft expression of this Mr. Wang.

Sunset’s Feather Hongling, indeed uncatchable... Truly, she never needs worrying about.

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