The Ingenious One – Chen Xiao, Mao Xiaotong

According to the rumors in the martial world, there is a secretive sect called "Qian Men". Its members are exceptionally intelligent and can serve the country and protect the people. However, as things tend to go, the extreme leads to the opposite, and Qian Men eventually provoked the wrath of heaven and the imperial court by causing chaos in the state. One faction of Qian Men, called "Ling Yuan", was martial and swore to resist the court to the death, while the other faction, "Yun Tai", distanced themselves from politics and became merchants. Ling Yuan and Yun Tai were originally from the same root, but they have been fighting for a hundred years due to their differences.

Several months ago, Yun Xiang left the mountains after completing his studies, upholding the principles of his sect which aimed to benefit the world and protect the people. He sought to settle old scores with his family's enemies. However, during this process, Yun Xiang learned that his savior Wen Cong had been imprisoned and was serving his sentence in the salt fields of Baiju Town. Yun Xiang immediately went alone to rescue him. Meanwhile, due to the government's ban on maritime trade, the livelihoods of fishermen were threatened, and the corrupt officials in Baiju Town colluded with bandits to expel the Jianghu heroes and intercept salt merchants.

Yun Xiang had heard earlier and secretly joined forces with the Jianghu gang to set up a trap to besiege the bandits, laying the foundation for the next step. It was precisely because he dressed like a weak scholar in a white robe and black gown with a gauze cap that he could easily make people lower their guard. By the time the bandits realized the incense burner was poisoned, it was too late, and they had no choice but to surrender.

After successfully completing their mission, Yun Xiang learned from the bandit leader that the mastermind behind the scenes was Yan Luowang, who used his official position for personal gain and framed the Jianghu heroes under the guise of suppressing bandits. After bidding farewell to everyone, Yun Xiang went to the gambling den where Yan Luowang often went and coincidentally met the valiant Shu Yanan. When Yan Luowang was exposed as a cheat by Shu Yanan, who had a strong character, she fought with his henchmen in public and ultimately escaped by jumping out of a window.

That night, a sudden strong wind blew with rain and fog pouring down, but it did not dampen Yun Xiang's mood for watching the fight. He stood nearby holding an umbrella, watching as Shu Yanan fought against multiple opponents with ease, knocking them down with just a few moves. She left a deep impression on him.

The next day, Yun Xiang found the fellow disciple Chai, the boss of the Chai Medicine Shop. He took the initiative to talk to him about the past of the Yun Tai, but when it came to the situation of Wen Cong being imprisoned, Chai was vague in his response. Yun Xiang did not delve deeper into the matter, but suddenly remembered the heroic figure of Shu Yanan and curiously asked Chai if he knew whether any other fellow disciples had been sent to Baiju Town. The answer was that no one else had been sent there.

Yun Xiang learned from the shopkeeper Chai that Yan Luowang had colluded with the Cao Gang, but because the account books were done perfectly on the surface, it had not yet attracted the attention of the government. Later, Yun Xiang sneaked into Yan Luowang's house to search for hidden accounts and met Shu Yanan again. They hid themselves on a beam before Yan Luowang arrived, and although the process was dangerous and almost exposed, they finally heard the content of his transaction with the leader of the Cao Gang.

After leaving Yan's mansion, Yun Xiang figured out that Shu Yanan was Wen Cong's adopted daughter. He confided in her about his mission to rescue Wen Cong and promised her a surefire plan with a hundred percent success rate. To prove his sincerity, Yun Xiang offered to show Shu Yanan his secret account book. Shu Yanan accepted his proposal, and they agreed to cooperate with each other while acting independently.

Their plan's first step was for Yun Xiang to go back to the Hongyun Casino and challenge Yan Luowang to a gambling match publicly. Yan Luowang vaguely remembered Yun Xiang from his previous visit and became suspicious of his relationship with Shu Yanan. Thus, he set the rule that even if they tied, the one who went first would win.

Yan Luowang had exceptional dice-rolling skills and blocked Yun Xiang's path with three ones directly. He was convinced that Yun Xiang would lose the game, but to his surprise, Yun Xiang stacked the three dice without even touching the cup. After several intense rounds, Yun Xiang gained the upper hand and intentionally exposed Yan Luowang's secret of injecting mercury into the dice.

As expected, Yan Luowang became furious and had Yun Xiang thrown into the Salt Mine Dungeon. The dungeon was dark, cold, and filled with desperate cries and unbearable stench. Yan Luowang stood in front of Yun Xiang with a condescending attitude, swearing to make him suffer and never see the light of day again.

Fifteen years ago, bandits massacred the Luo family village, and hundreds of people were killed. Yun Xiang witnessed the tragic deaths of his parents with his own eyes and was fortunate to be saved by Wen Cong and sent to Yun Tai. Young Yun Xiang swore to avenge his parents and made a promise with Wen Cong that he would find out the truth when he left the mountains. Since then, he has hidden his identity as "Luo Wenjia" and focused on cultivating for fifteen years.

Now, in prison, Yun Xiang has a chance to investigate and finally identifies an old man with a broken leg and a foul smell as Wen Cong. However, Wen Cong has been tortured to the point of being almost lifeless. Yun Xiang encourages him not to give up, carefully records the working hours and living habits of the prison guards, and talks to Wen Cong as much as possible. Under Yun Xiang's questioning, Wen Cong truthfully tells him that he was killed by Qitianfeng, the leader of the Caobang gang, and falsely accused of fraud and deception.

At the same time, Shu Yanan posted the secret accounts of Yan Luowang's salt trafficking at the Yanzhou government office, causing a citywide uproar. Qitianfeng was afraid of being implicated and ordered his men to kill the witnesses in Baiju town. When Yan Luowang heard that the accounts had been leaked, he was furious and returned to the prison to interrogate Wen Cong about whether he had passed on the news. But seeing Wen Cong with both feet broken and barely alive, Yan Luowang realized that he couldn't have done such a thing and decided to pack up and flee. Zhang Kui, a member of the Caobang gang, was sent to kill Yan Luowang and burned down the Yan mansion. Although Yan Luowang escaped from the siege, he met Shu Yanan on the way and was ultimately unable to save himself.

As news of Yan Luowang's salt trafficking spread, everyone involved was uneasy, and the prison guards were too busy to pay attention to what was happening in the prison. Yun Xiang seized the opportunity to start a fire and distract the guards.

Before his death, Wen Cong revealed the truth about the tragedy at Luo's village. He bribed officials and soldiers through Qi Tianfeng in the name of fighting pirates to enter Luo's village and force the farmers to give up their land. However, the soldiers went on a killing spree, and the old, weak, women, and children were unable to escape. When Wen Cong arrived and learned of the situation, he only managed to save Yun Xiang. Apart from that, Wen Cong did not reveal the true culprit behind the scenes. Instead, he advised Yun Xiang to give up revenge, as he knew that the more one knew, the more desperate they would become. Shu Yanan timely repelled the pursuers, and Wen Cong's daughter entrusted Yun Xiang to take care of her.

Because Qi Tianfeng was also the enemy who destroyed Shu's entire family, Shu Yanan swore at Wen Cong's grave that she would catch him during her lifetime and promised to work together with Yun Xiang.

Although Yun Xiang was not yet skilled in martial arts, he was good at strategizing. Cooperation was better than fighting alone. The two of them then traveled together to Yangzhou, where the transportation gang was thriving. Nearby, there was also a famous swordsman named Jin Biao, also known as Jin Shiliang. Although he was in the business of killing for money, he had a bottom line that could not be crossed: not to kill women, children, and those he liked. Yun Xiang knew that Qi Tianfeng would not let him go, so he hired the number one swordsman in the martial arts world, Jin Biao, in advance to ensure a safe journey. Jin Biao took Yun Xiang's money and promised to keep his word, rejecting Zhang Kui's offer of a large sum of money and going straight to the agreed meeting place. Yun Xiang did not disappoint Jin Biao and gave him a golden ingot as a reward.

The prosperity of Yangzhou is second only to the capital city, with the two cities located on opposite sides of the Yangtze River and serving as important hubs for frequent commercial trade, including that of the Su family, one of the century-old merchant families in the capital city. However, Su Mingyu, the young master of the Su family, lacks worldly experience and places great value on friendship. Some people understand his weaknesses very well and flatter him excessively. He was quite pleased with himself and rashly bought back raw silk at a high price from the other party, causing Qian Rong, the housekeeper, a lot of headaches.

Yun Xiang saw everything clearly and approached Qian Rong to talk, exposing Su Mingyu's business loophole. He believed that honesty and integrity were essential in business, and violating rules would make many honest farmers feel cold-hearted, which would ruin their reputation. This statement made Su Mingyu unhappy, but Qian Rong thought that Yun Xiang had a good head for business and was willing to take him with him to the capital city.

Due to the destruction of the road ahead, the caravan rested and reorganized in the nearby forest. That night, Jin Biao slept soundly leaning against a tree, which gave Yun Xiang some peace of mind and meant that he had confidence in dealing with these crises. Shu Yanan noticed that Yun Xiang had some martial arts skills, otherwise, how could he easily dodge the arrows? She was curious why he still hired Jin Biao at a high cost for protection. Yun Xiang honestly admitted that this set of martial arts had some flaws, but he was unwilling to reveal the location of his vital points. As they were talking, Su Mingyu came over with a wine jug, swaying back and forth, and talked about her troubles under the influence of alcohol. Since her father's death, all the family business had been entrusted to her elder sister Su Huairou, but Su Mingyu was still the eldest son of the Su family and would eventually take over the position of the imperial merchant. However, Su Mingyu's ambition was not in doing business, but in becoming a master swordsman and traveling around the world.

At this moment, a large group of bandits suddenly attacked the caravan. Shu Yanan and Jin Biao fought back with all their strength, while Yun Xiang showed his unique skill for the first time, which could only be sustained for ten breaths, as its name implied. The steward Qian Rong realized that these people were not just random robbers, but seemed to be after Yun Xiang, so Yun Xiang used his eloquence to divert suspicion towards the conflict between the Su family and the Cao gang, which made Qian Rong half-believe it.

Su Mingyu is passionate about martial arts and becomes friends with Jin Biao. They practice martial arts together while on the road. Su Mingyu originally thought that Jin Biao's knife skills were inherited from the Wu family of Beidu, but the Wu family's knife skills, the "Suspension Rock Twelve Forms," emphasized being impenetrable, rather than winning by speed like lightning. On the other hand, Shu Yanan's moves seemed elusive and tricky, but in reality, they were more defensive than offensive. Su Mingyu instantly thought of the "Pulling Star Knife" of the Shu family in Nandu. When Su Mingyu mentioned this, both Shu Yanan and Jin Biao were secretly surprised. They didn't expect this young master, who couldn't fight, to have some knowledge about martial arts. Su Mingyu felt a deep connection with the two and expressed that he would entertain them as the host when they reached Nandu. However, he ignored Yun Xiang, who was standing behind him.

Zhang Kui's defeat caused numerous deaths and injuries to his brothers. Qi Tianfeng ordered a lavish burial for them and gave Zhang Kui one last chance to make amends. Su Huairou, the eldest daughter of the Su family, was looking through account books in the study and gradually understood Qian Rong's daily hard work and management. She hoped that her younger brother could take on responsibilities as soon as possible. After the caravan arrived in Nandu, Su Mingyu took the three friends to the Liansheng Lane, the famous industry of Wen Cong, and finally saw Ke Menglan, the female mastermind he had been longing for. When Wen Cong was at his peak, his assets were everywhere in Nandu and he was in a great position. However, after he fell out of favor, the merchants in Nandu were like wolves and tigers fighting over his properties. Only the Liansheng Lane faced auction and would soon fall into the hands of others.

Shu Yanan was curious about Yun Xiang's relationship with saving Liansheng Lane and seeking revenge. Yun Xiang did not give a direct answer, but instead asked why she knew Ling Yuan's martial arts. Shu Yanan calmly explained that she had saved Ling Yuan's disciple many years ago and had secretly learned one and a half moves from him. Yun Xiang did not express his opinion on this, as he had his own answer in mind. As for the real purpose of coming to the southern capital this time, Yun Xiang told Shu Yanan that he wanted to make Qi Tianfeng and the Caobang gang fall apart, and of course he needed Shu Yanan to assist him, with each playing to their strengths. Yun Xiang knew that the business world was based on a chain of debt, and since these merchants were unscrupulous, he saw no need to treat them with courtesy and decided to collect all the debts owed, and the effect would depend on Shu Yanan's means.

Jin Biao is a gambling addict and not good at gambling skills. He lost all his money to Ke Menglan and owed her 60 taels of silver. Just when Jin Biao questioned Shu Yanan's intention for bringing him to the gambling house, Yun Xiang stepped in and gambled against Ke Menglan. He won back the silver that Jin Biao had lost in just one game. After the game, Jin Biao wanted to repay Yun Xiang by offering to kill someone for him at half price. However, Yun Xiang allowed Jin Biao to stay by his side as a bodyguard and paid him a salary every day.

Seeing that Liansheng Lane is about to be auctioned, Ke Menglan is worried and feels uncomfortable. She is afraid that changing ownership of the gambling house will cause her and her sisters to lose their shelter. Su Mingyu saved up 3,000 taels of silver to participate in the auction for Liansheng Lane, claiming that he will not let Ke Menglan become homeless. However, he had made similar promises before but failed to fulfill them.

Guanghui Zhuang is the Qianzhuang (money bank) that Yuntai established in the southern capital. Yun Xiang visited Mo Bufan, a fellow member who was managing the bank, through Kang Qiao. He sought for help and asked about Wen Cong's situation. Mo Bufan evaded his questions, unwilling to say more. Yun Xiang silently noted Wen Cong's transactions with Guanghui Zhuang in his mind. Although Wen Cong and Mo Bufan were both members of Yuntai, they had different responsibilities. One was in charge of managing the affairs of the southern capital, while the other was responsible for collecting information and delivering letters. This could explain why Wen Cong fell into trouble, but Mo Bufan was still able to take care of himself. After Yun Xiang left, Mo Bufan and Kang Qiao discussed this highly regarded junior brother of the sect leader.

On this day, Jin Biao came alone to visit the poor children that he had been supporting for a long time at the Jishan Tang. Jia Chang'an and his wife lied that the children were all resting and showed him their account book to review. Jin Biao was illiterate and had never doubted them. Just as he was about to leave, the little girl Xiaoyu deliberately made a noise to attract attention. But under the threatening gaze of Jia Chang'an and his wife, Xiaoyu lowered her head and didn't dare to look at Jin Biao, remaining silent throughout. However, as soon as Jin Biao left, Jia beat Xiaoyu mercilessly and locked her in the woodshed until Jia Chang'an intervened to stop her. This couple pretended to accept money for helping orphans, but they were actually engaged in human trafficking. Jia threatened Xiaoyu that she would break her legs if she dared not to obey.

Due to Yun Xiang sending Shu Yanan to collect debts from merchants, he was left unprotected, and Zhang Kui took the opportunity to follow and track him. Yun Xiang sensed something was wrong and quickly lit firecrackers to resist for a moment before leading them to Mo Bufan's territory. In a critical moment, Mo Bufan and his adopted son Kang Qiao stepped forward to rescue Yun Xiang and quickly dealt with Zhang Kui. All of this was calculated by Yun Xiang. With the help of Shu Yanan, Yun Xiang successfully collected the merchants' debt receipts and thanked her by giving her a set of women's clothing. The next day, the auction at Liansheng Fang was held as scheduled, and Ke Menglan deliberately arranged to meet Su Mingyu and sent him clothes as an apology, thereby strengthening Su Mingyu's determination to buy Liansheng Fang.

Shu Yanan's reappearance in women's clothing was stunning, and Yun Xiang couldn't help but admire her. However, Jin Biao ruined the atmosphere. Later, the three arrived at Liansheng Fang and found that merchants of all sizes from the city had gathered there, and even the gambling industry leader Tang Xiao had attracted attention by bringing in skilled bodyguards. Qian Rong presided over the auction, and before it began, Su Mingyu appeared with three thousand silver tickets. Originally, Su Mingyu wanted to buy Liansheng Fang to save Ke Menglan, but Tang Xiao was determined to win it, and both sides quickly raised the bid, soon surpassing the price of three thousand two. In a hurry, Su Mingyu turned to Yun Xiang for help, and Yun Xiang was willing to lend him a thousand two with one percent interest, directly bidding for four thousand two silver.

However, based on the current market, the price of Liansheng Fang has already reached a high price of 4,000, but Tang Xiao stubbornly refused to accept it and raised the price to 4,500. The merchants present were in an uproar, and the atmosphere at the auction was pushed to the limit. This amount of money was also a limit for Su Mingyu. Suddenly, Yun Xiang proposed to bid for Liansheng Fang together with Su Mingyu, and eventually became the buyer with a bid of 6,000 taels of silver. Arrogant Tang Xiao felt that he had lost face and brought his skilled bodyguards to find Yun Xiang. After exchanging names, he and his bodyguards left Liansheng Fang. At the same time, the Caobang gang salvaged the body of Zhang Kui, whose fatal wound was a cut on the neck.

Qi Tianfeng arranged for his subordinates to give Zhang Kui a lavish burial. He learned from his steward that although Yun Xiang had superior body techniques, he had never revealed any martial arts skills. Yun Xiang was able to quickly gather a group of people to ambush and kill many of the killers from the Cao gang by himself, and to this day, no one knows the whereabouts of their bodies. It was precisely because the exact strength of Yun Xiang was still unclear that Qi Tianfeng sent someone to prepare 5,000 silver tickets to be sent to the Tang family's gambling house. Only by completely getting rid of Yun Xiang can he feel at ease.

As the change of ownership of Liansheng Lane's East House, the participating merchants in the auction dispersed one after another. Su Mingyu hosted a dinner at the tavern to thank the three heroes for their help. Su Mingyu took the initiative to talk about the two bodyguards around Tang Xiao, Ah Zhong and Mei Zhu. Although their identities were unreliable, there were many signs indicating that they came from Dongying and the extreme north of the Great Wall.

Due to Tang Xiao's extensive network of contacts, even though Ah Zhong committed the crime of killing several soldiers, he was still able to go about his business as usual. On the other hand, Mei Zhu had been practicing her unique skills all year round, with a domineering attack and a ghostly figure. Su Mingyu revealed that he had witnessed her being surrounded by enemies and had defeated them after just a few dozen moves.

Su Mingyu talked eloquently, piquing the interest of Shu Yanan and Jin Biao. However, Yun Xiang seemed uninterested until Shu Yanan suddenly asked Su Mingyu how he viewed Qi Tianfeng. Yun Xiang unconsciously looked at her. Su Mingyu did not notice anything strange and admitted that Qi Tianfeng's martial arts skills were indeed outstanding, but his old illness was affecting him and he was not as good as he used to be. Therefore, Su Mingyu promised that the three heroes would be protected by the Su family and would not be harmed.

However, Su Mingyu never expected that Yun Xiang did not have the three thousand taels of silver and therefore could not immediately complete the transaction. The rules of the Chamber of Commerce's auction require payment and signing of the contract within two days, otherwise the auction will be considered void. Su Mingyu was anxious, but Yun Xiang promised to gather the three thousand taels of silver in just one day. When this was said, all three present did not believe it, and Su Mingyu left the seat angrily.

On the way to Guanghui Inn, Yun Xiang reminded Shu Yanan not to mention Qi Tianfeng to Su Mingyu again, indicating that the Su family's status was coveted by Tang Xiao and would be of even greater use in the future. As the carriage shook, the two of them exchanged intimate glances and their feelings for each other began to change subtly.

Arriving at the entrance of Guanghui Village, Jin Biao made a bet with Yun Xiang. If Yun Xiang couldn't borrow 3,000 taels of silver this time, they would no longer owe each other. But if he succeeded in borrowing the money, Jin Biao would let him employ him as a bodyguard for a few more months. Later, Yun Xiang went to see Mo Bufan and was rejected when he presented the loan notes from the merchants. In the end, he promised to pay back ten times the amount borrowed and not only obtained the 3,000 taels of silver but also won the bet with Jin Biao, allowing him to continue to stay by his side as a bodyguard.

When Shu Yanan learned that Yun Xiang had to repay 30,000 taels of silver within a month, she was shocked. However, Yun Xiang had another matter that required her help. Meanwhile, Kang Qiao didn't understand Yun Xiang's actions. Although Mo Bufan had not yet figured it out, he knew that after this incident, they probably couldn't be friends anymore.

A restaurant waiter, entrusted by Jin Biao, went to deliver food to the children of Jishan Hall. He sensed something was amiss and, pretending to go to the toilet, investigated the backyard, where he unexpectedly discovered that Xiaoyu was being beaten and tortured. Just as the waiter was about to report the incident to the authorities, Jia Shi appeared behind him, killed him silently, and discussed with Jia Chang'an how to quickly resolve the trouble with Jin Biao.

After Su Mingyu successfully acquired Liansheng Lane, he confessed to his older sister that he truly loves Ke Menglan and plans to find a way to help her escape her lowly status. Although Su Huairou had opposed this relationship before, she now sees her brother's growth and determination and is willing to support the couple, on the condition that Su Mingyu studies commerce and takes over the Su family business.

That evening, Yun Xiang, Su Mingyu, and others arrived at Liansheng Lane. Su Mingyu took the opportunity to confide in Ke Menglan about his feelings. Ke Menglan, aware of their class difference, deliberately distanced herself and emphasized that they were only master and servant. Su Mingyu, feeling dejected, drank alone, and Yun Xiang came to the rooftop to talk with him.

Yun Xiang advised Su Mingyu that he could help Ke Menglan escape her lowly status without relying on the Su family. He suggested that they could reach out to Tang Xiao, a powerful figure in the entertainment industry, and if Su Mingyu trusts him, he can handle this matter. As they were talking, they suddenly saw flames in the distance, and it turned out to be the Su family residence.

A group of black-clad individuals infiltrated the Su mansion and set fire to the storehouse, causing a devastating loss of silk. Su Mingyu learned that some of the servants were still trapped inside the burning building and rushed in to save them, risking his own life. Upon hearing that Su Mingyu had returned safely, Ke Menglan breathed a sigh of relief.

However, in two months, the Ministry of Industry would have to submit tribute fabric to the Imperial Merchant, and it was currently the busiest season for production. With the loss of the silk, the Su family would face a great disaster. Su Mingyu went to see Ke Menglan, hoping for her concern, but was met with indifference, leaving him feeling disheartened.

Afterwards, Shu Yanan regretted listening to Yun Xiang's plan to set fire to the storehouse and angrily questioned him. Yun Xiang explained that he hoped to use the fire to lure in Qi Tianfeng, who had a grudge against him and also coveted the Su family's wealth.

Mo Bufan came to pick up Yun Xiang, and Shu Yanan was appeased. When alone with Mo Bufan, Yun Xiang expressed his doubts about Shu Yanan's background and asked for Mo Bufan's help in investigating.

Meanwhile, Su Mingyu, Su Huairou, and Qian Rong analyzed the cause of the fire and suspected that it was the doing of the Cao gang, who had previously clashed with the Su family. Su Huairou believed that there was not enough evidence to come to a conclusion, especially with rumors circulating about Tang Xiao's involvement.

Tang Xiao is the superior of Qi Tianfeng, and he intentionally left him waiting for a long time when he heard that Qi Tianfeng came to find him. As Yun Xiang expected, Qi Tianfeng wanted to take advantage of the situation and swallow up the Su family. At the same time, the Su family had to decide to go to Yangzhou again to purchase a large amount of raw silk. Qian Rong privately advised Su Mingyu to understand Su Huairou, but Su Mingyu directly pointed out that if her eldest sister was not the leader, she and Qian Rong would have been together long ago.

Tang Xiao mocked Qi Tianfeng for being more harm than good, and that he had caused himself trouble by failing to deal with Wen Cong in the past. Qi Tianfeng endured his anger and talked to Tang Xiao, willing to cede some land to him for building a brothel. Tang Xiao was satisfied and promised to help him get rid of Yun Xiang.

Mo Bufan sent Yun Xiang to meet the master of the Yun Tai Gate outside the city. However, the gate master only heard his voice and did not see him, blaming him for not following the orders of the chief commander of Yuezhou, but instead entering the capital without permission. He ordered him to return to the mountains to continue his training. Yun Xiang felt that once he gave up on his own goals, he could no longer understand what the world wanted, loved, or hated, let alone contribute to society and the country. Therefore, he believed that those who enter the Yun Tai Gate must have a heart like his, not being trapped by mundane desires. He came to the capital not only to seek revenge and repay his gratitude, but also to fulfill Wen Cong's regretful wish.

Because of this, the sect leader agreed to let Yun Xiang stay in the Southern Capital and reminded him not to be distracted and forget his mission. Furthermore, Qi Tianfeng's actions were not worth mentioning, and the real obstacle was the Southern Capital Chamber of Commerce. After meeting with the sect leader, Mo Bufan and Yun Xiang talked by the river, deepening their impressions of each other.

Meanwhile, Shu Yanan disguised herself as a black-clad attacker and attacked Kang Qiao with a poisoned hidden weapon, which slashed his face and also injured his left shoulder. Fortunately, Kang Qiao had the antidote and quickly informed Mo Bufan of the incident, describing the situation of the black-clad attacker. Yun Xiang listened thoughtfully, but Mo Bufan was annoyed that Yun Xiang had brought trouble upon himself.

That evening, Tang Xiao led a group of people to Liansheng Lane, but Ke Menglan personally negotiated and sent Tian Hu to inform Jin Biao to leave immediately. Ke Menglan said that Liansheng Lane had just changed its owner and was not yet open for business, so she ordered them to leave. Unexpectedly, Tang Xiao threatened Ke Menglan to go with him and boasted that he could make her a top courtesan.

As Tang Xiao was about to take Ke Menglan away, Shu Yanan and Jin Biao rushed out to stop him. Shu Yanan angrily accused Tang Xiao of conspiring with Qi Tianfeng, but Tang Xiao boasted that he dared to move Wen Cong because he had support that she couldn't even imagine. Due to Jin Biao's drunkenness, he was no match for the two skilled bodyguards, and Shu Yanan, who was already injured, gradually fell into a disadvantage.

At a critical moment, Yun Xiang stepped forward to stop Tang Xiao. Upon hearing this, Su Mingyu criticized Jin Biao for being useless and was instead beaten up by him. Shu Yanan never really understood Yun Xiang's true intentions and questioned him about what he wanted to do. Yun Xiang didn't give a direct answer, but he didn't conceal his concern for her.

Curious about the connection between Yun Xiang's defense of Liansheng Lane and revenge, Shu Yanan asked him directly. Instead of answering, Yun Xiang asked her how she knew Ling Yuan's martial arts. Shu Yanan casually revealed that she had saved one of Ling Yuan's disciples years ago and learned a half move from him. Yun Xiang did not comment on this and had his own answer in mind. As for his true purpose for coming to the southern capital this time, Yun Xiang told Shu Yanan that he wanted to break up the alliance between Qi Tianfeng and the Caobang and needed her assistance in doing so. He knew that business was all about debts, and since these merchants were unscrupulous, he saw no reason to treat them with respect. Instead, he planned to collect all the debts owed, and the success of this plan would depend on Shu Yanan's methods.

Jin Biao is a gambling addict and not skilled in gambling. He lost all his money to Ke Menglan and owed her sixty taels of silver. Just as Jin Biao questioned Su Mingyu's intentions for bringing him to the gambling house, Yun Xiang stepped in and gambled against Ke Menglan. He won back all the silver that Jin Biao had lost in one game. Afterwards, to repay Yun Xiang, Jin Biao offered to kill someone for him at half price. Yun Xiang allowed Jin Biao to stay by his side as a bodyguard and paid him daily. Watching as Liansheng Lane was about to be auctioned off, Ke Menglan felt uneasy and worried that the change of ownership of the gambling house would leave her and her sisters homeless. Su Mingyu saved up three thousand taels of silver to participate in the auction of Liansheng Lane, claiming that he would not let Ke Menglan become homeless. However, he had made such promises before but had failed to keep them, and Ke Menglan no longer had any hope. She admitted that she was of humble birth and unworthy of him.

Due to Yun Xiang sending Shu Yanan to collect debts from merchants, he had no one to protect him and Zhang Kui took the opportunity to follow and track him. Yun Xiang noticed something was amiss and quickly lit firecrackers to resist for a moment before leading them to Mo Bufan's territory. In a critical moment, Mo Bufan and his son Kang Qiao came out to rescue them, skillfully disposing of Zhang Kui, all of which was calculated by Yun Xiang. With the help of Shu Yanan, Yun Xiang successfully collected the debt receipts from the merchants and as a gesture of gratitude, gave her a set of women's clothing. The next day, the auction at Liansheng Alley proceeded as planned. Ke Menglan intentionally arranged to meet Su Mingyu and sent people to give him clothes as an apology, thus strengthening Su Mingyu's determination to buy Liansheng Alley.

Shu Yanan's new female attire was impressive, and Yun Xiang couldn't help but be amazed by her beauty. The compliments were endless until Jin Biao ruined the atmosphere. Later, the three of them arrived at Liansheng Lane and found that all the merchants in the city had gathered there, including the gambling tycoon Tang Xiao and his skilled bodyguards. Qian Rong presided over the auction, and just before it started, Su Mingyu appeared with three thousand silver bills. Originally, Su Mingyu wanted to buy Liansheng Lane to save Ke Menglan, but Tang Xiao was determined to acquire it. They kept bidding until the price surpassed 3,000 taels of silver. In desperation, Su Mingyu turned to Yun Xiang for help, who was willing to lend him one percent interest to borrow one thousand taels of silver. Yun Xiang directly bid for four thousand taels of silver.

Yun Xiang and Shu Yanan realized that there was something wrong with Jishan Hall, and after investigating secretly, they discovered that Jia Chang'an and his wife were involved in dirty deals. It turned out that every month, Jishan Hall sent someone to collect children. Girls were sold as thin horses, and boys were sold as servants. Shu Yanan believed that since someone went to buy regularly, there must be fixed business between the upstream and downstream. Qi Tianfeng never dealt with the business of human trafficking and fireworks, but he had no choice but to accept it.

Shu Yanan noticed that Yun Xiang was staring blankly at a finger ring, and every time she asked, he would cover up or change the subject. Shu Yanan felt that Yun Xiang was hiding too many secrets, and he was no different from Jin Biao, Su Mingyu, and others. Even though the rules of the Yun Tai gate prohibit getting involved in love and hatred, what is the point of keeping memories without love and hate?

Mo Bufan brought Yun Xiang to meet the Yun Tai Sect Master in the outskirts, but the Master only heard his voice and didn't see him, blaming him for not obeying the orders of the commander-in-chief of Yuezhou and instead trespassing into Nandu, and forcing him to return to the mountain to continue his cultivation. Yun Xiang felt that once Mo Bufan gave up his worldly desires, he could no longer understand the desires, loves, and hates of ordinary people, let alone contribute to the society and the country. Therefore, he believed that those who entered the Yun Tai Sect must keep their worldly desires in mind, but not be trapped by them. He came to Nandu not only to seek revenge and repay kindness, but also to fulfill Congwen's regretful wish.

Because of this, the Sect Master agreed to let Yun Xiang stay in Nandu, but reminded him not to be distracted, and not to forget the mission of the Sect. Besides, what Qi Tianfeng did was not worth mentioning, the real obstacle was the Nandu Chamber of Commerce. After meeting with the Sect Master, Mo Bufan and Yun Xiang talked by the river, deepening their impressions of each other.

On the other side, Shu Yanan disguised herself as a black-clothed person and attacked Kang Qiao. A poisoned hidden weapon cut his face, and he also wounded her left shoulder. Luckily, Kang Qiao had an antidote with him and promptly informed Mo Bufan about the incident, describing the situation of the black-clothed person. Yun Xiang listened thoughtfully, but Mo Bufan was angry that Yun Xiang had brought disaster upon him.

That evening, Tang Xiao led everyone to Liansheng Alley in a grand manner. Ke Menglan personally negotiated and sent Tianhu to inform Jin Biao to leave quickly. Ke Menglan explained that Liansheng Alley had just changed ownership and was not yet open for business, so she ordered them to leave. Unexpectedly, Tang Xiao threatened Ke Menglan to go back with him, saying that he could make her a top prostitute in the brothel.

Jin Biao was fond of gambling but not good at it. He lost all his money to Ke Menglan in a row, owing a total of sixty taels of gold. Just as Jin Biao was questioning the intention of Su Mingyu bringing him to the gambling house, Yun Xiang stepped in and gambled against Ke Menglan. In just one round, he helped Jin Biao win back the silver he had lost. Afterward, to repay Yun Xiang, Jin Biao offered to kill someone for half the price. Yun Xiang, on the other hand, allowed Jin Biao to stay by his side as a bodyguard and paid him a daily salary.

As she watched Liansheng Lane about to be auctioned off, Ke Menglan felt uneasy and worried that the change of ownership of the gambling house would leave her and her sisters without a place to live. Su Mingyu saved up three thousand taels of silver to participate in the auction and claimed that he would not let Ke Menglan become homeless. However, he had made similar promises in the past but failed to keep them, and Ke Menglan no longer had any hope, admitting that she was born lowly and did not deserve someone like him.

Due to Yun Xiang sending Shu Yanan to collect debts from the merchants, he was unprotected and Zhang Kui took the opportunity to follow and track him. Yun Xiang sensed something was amiss and quickly lit fireworks to resist for a moment, then led them to Mo Bufan's territory. In a critical moment, Mo Bufan and his adopted son Kang Qiao came forward to save the day, skillfully taking care of Zhang Kui, all of which was calculated by Yun Xiang. With the help of Shu Yanan, Yun Xiang successfully collected the debt certificates from the merchants and thanked her by giving her a set of women's clothing. The next day, the auction at Liansheng Fang was held as scheduled. Ke Menglan deliberately arranged a chance encounter with Su Mingyu, and sent clothes as an apology to him, thereby strengthening Su Mingyu's determination to buy Liansheng Fang.

Shu Yanan's change of clothes was eye-catching, and Yun Xiang couldn't hide his admiration for her stunning appearance. The praises were endless, but Jin Biao ruined the atmosphere. Later, the three of them arrived at Liansheng Lane and found that all the merchants in the city had gathered here, with the gambling head Tang Xiao and his skilled guards attracting attention. Qian Rong acted as the host for the auction. Just before it started, Su Mingyu appeared with three thousand silver tickets. Originally, Su Mingyu wanted to bid for Liansheng Lane to save Ke Menglan, but Tang Xiao was determined to acquire it, and the two sides kept raising the bid, quickly surpassing 3,000 taels of silver. In a hurry, Su Mingyu turned to Yun Xiang for help, and Yun Xiang agreed to lend him one percent interest, giving him one thousand taels of silver to directly bid for 4,000 taels of silver.

Su Huairou saw that her younger brother was unusually concerned about the Su family's business, so she handed over the deed to him and was willing to bet all of the family's assets on it. Yun Xiang greatly admired Su Huairou's courage. With the gradual stabilization of the price of southern silk in the market, Qian Rong's revelation to the merchants that someone was hoarding goods and causing high prices seemed hypocritical. The Su family had a responsibility to stabilize the prices and continue to trade at two taels per jin. Su Mingyu promised to personally transport the raw silk back and hire the four major escort agencies to accompany them.

Within a day, 70% of the 80,000 raw silk deeds were sold, causing the price of raw silk to skyrocket. The news spread like wildfire. Once the Su family's raw silk was back, the price of southern silk in the market would return to normal. Qi Tianfeng, who had hoarded a huge amount of raw silk, intended to take over the Su family. Naturally, he would not let them succeed easily. Ding Yi truthfully reported to Yun Xiang about his visit to the Su family last night. He suspected that this scheme was more likely to have come from Yun Xiang's hand. Although Qi Tianfeng was unhappy, he still invited Yun Xiang to meet with him. Su Mingyu wanted to accompany Yun Xiang, but was refused by Ding Yi. Yun Xiang remained calm and comforted Su Mingyu not to worry. He believed that the more dangerous the situation was, the more interesting it would become.

Later, Yun Xiang went to the meeting alone and was unexpectedly ambushed by Qi Tianfeng. The two engaged in a fight, each probing the other's skills. Yun Xiang discovered that Qi Tianfeng had profound internal strength, and Qi Tianfeng also detected flaws in his techniques. So, he deliberately mentioned Wen Cong and hinted that Yun Xiang wanted both the Su family and the Cao gang to suffer losses, but Yun Xiang remained calm and only answered with a yes or no.

Qi Tianfeng said that if the Su family admits defeat now, they would at most lose the reputation of their business or their title as a royal merchant. But selling the ticket would mean gambling on the Su family's century-old foundation, which also means that Yun Xiang would be driving the Su family to a dead end. However, Yun Xiang did not agree with Qi Tianfeng's words and left after exchanging a few words. Later, he realized that his jade finger ring was lost at the restaurant, and he was very upset. At the same time, Qi Tianfeng picked up the ring and carefully examined it. The word "Luo" was engraved on it, which made him realize that Yun Xiang was actually from the Luo family. He must have come to the southern capital for revenge. Therefore, in the next action, Qi Tianfeng emphasized that in addition to being wary of the Su family, they also need to pay extra attention to Yun Xiang's movements.

Because the Su family's caravan is leaving tomorrow, Su Huairou declined her brother's request to escort the goods. But Su Mingyu had already promised and Yun Xiang thought it would be fine, especially since Shu Yanan and Jin Biao would accompany him and ensure his safety. That night, Jin Biao raised his price, not for money, but to ask Yun Xiang to help find the child who was sold. He also wanted to start a school in Liansheng Lane, responsible for the daily expenses of the children. If they succeed, they can make a living on their own, but if they don't, they can work in the gambling house.

Yun Xiang naturally had no objection and knew that Jin Biao and Shu Yanan had already discussed it. Seeing that Yun Xiang was uneasy, Shu Yanan bravely sneaked into the Qi family's mansion to help him find the jade finger ring, and she successfully retrieved it from Qi Tianfeng's hand with great difficulty. Qi Tianfeng asked Shu Yanan to tell Yun Xiang that if he did not help the Su family this time, he would tell him everything about the past of the Luo family.

By the latter half of the night, Shu Yanan returned the jade ring to its rightful owner, Yun Xiang, and passed along a message from Qi Tianfeng. While Yun Xiang complained about Shu Yanan's actions potentially jeopardizing their plans, he was actually deeply moved and didn't express his gratitude to her. Shu Yanan felt frustrated and went to pack her things. After giving it some thought, Yun Xiang went to find Shu Yanan again and hugged her, relieved that she returned safely. He realized he would have regretted it for the rest of his life if something had happened to her.

Qi Tianfeng knew that the Su family's silk trade had only three options: canal transport, sea transport, or road transport. With him guarding the canal, sea transport was impossible, and road transport could be stopped by setting up bandits, preventing the silk from entering the capital. As a result, the Su family would go bankrupt. He started to buy up a large amount of futures contracts, thinking he had the upper hand. Yun Xiang also took action and immediately went to see Mo Bufan, offering to give him valuable land and industries in exchange for Mo Bufan's help in protecting the smooth passage of the silk trade into the capital and recovering the orphans from Jishan Hall. Soon, Qi Tianfeng also found Mo Bufan and wanted to borrow money to speculate on futures contracts, offering to put up all the assets of the canal gang as collateral and give Mo Bufan a monthly cut of the profits. Although Mo Bufan was a fellow disciple of Yun Xiang's, he was ultimately a businessman and had to weigh which side's interests were greater and more beneficial to Guanghui Village.

Since the sale of the silk contract in the market, the price of silk has steadily fallen. Su Mingyu had no servants following him, so he naturally had to wash his own clothes. But just as he hung up his clothes, Shu Yanan informed him that they would be leaving in an hour. Seeing this, Jin Biao couldn't help but chuckle and comforted him, saying that a real man doesn't sweat the small stuff, and even if his clothes are dirty, he can still wear them.

Su Huairou invited Kou Yan into the mansion and asked her how much the price of silk in the southern capital could be lowered with the sale of 80,000 pounds of silk contracts. Kou Menglan believed that spot prices would make merchants more at ease, so the market price of silk would continue to fall, possibly down to four taels of silver per pound. It was precisely because Kou Menglan was so knowledgeable about business that Su Huairou had a newfound appreciation for her and asked her to keep an eye on Yun Xiang's movements and report any anomalies immediately.

Qi Tianfeng was determined to win and began to plan to change his old house. He also provided new clothes for his brothers and was eager to move. On the other hand, the Su family's commercial convoy encountered repeated dangers during their three-day journey. First, there was a spy planted in the team, and then they were harassed by night attacks, leaving them exhausted and surrounded by enemies. This was because the Su family promised to return the raw silk and fulfill their promise to the merchants within fifteen days, otherwise they would lose their position as the head of the Nan Du Commercial Association, and even be bankrupt.

Due to the troubles on the way back to the city, Su Mingyu became more and more uneasy. Shu Yanan felt that this was not a long-term solution, so she suggested that everyone hold on for another night and rest at a nearby abandoned inn the next day. Yun Xiang inquired about the situation of the merchant group from Kang Qiao every day and felt that something was amiss. Kang Qiao said that since he had a fishing rod in his hand, there was no need to worry about the safety of the bait. The outcome was near, and they just needed to be patient. Qi Tianfeng heard that the merchant group was heading towards the inn and was confident in catching them like fish in a barrel. Shu Yanan knew the problems with the inn and informed the heads of each escort team to deploy a plan. Considering the limited time and the strength of the bandits, it would be of no use to continue to consume resources. Rather than just defending, they decided to take the initiative to attack and split their forces to transfer the enemy's strength.

Shu Yanan arranged half of the family servants to exchange clothing with the escorts, seemingly forming two teams to transport the goods, but in reality, one team was entirely composed of family servants while the other consisted of all escorts. Zheng, the leader of the escorts, was responsible for the team of family servants, and together with others, they made noise in one direction while Shu Yanan and Jin Biao each led a team of their own. Only Su Mingyu stayed behind at the inn to take care of the raw silk. Despite the danger, there was still a glimmer of hope. Shu Yanan, Jin Biao, and the others were ambushed and fought fiercely, shedding blood.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a badly wounded family servant managed to escape back to the inn. Under severe torture, he revealed the location of the raw silk. When the last wave of remaining bandits stormed into the inn, Su Mingyu bravely picked up a sword for the first time and fought back, splattered with blood, but overwhelmed by emotions.

At this critical moment, Shu Yanan and Jin Biao rushed to the scene and found the inn strewn with corpses, but fortunately, Su Mingyu was unharmed. Jin Biao could see that Su Mingyu was almost scared out of his wits, so he sprayed some white wine onto his face until he gradually came to his senses and talked about his own experience of killing, feeling very uneasy in his heart.

Jin Biao comforted Su Mingyu to rest well and gave some medical treatment to the wounded. Although they had been fighting tirelessly during the day, there were still bandits knocking on the door at night. The caravan had already suffered heavy casualties and had no chance of winning. Seeing that the gate was about to be broken open, Shu Yanan and Jin Biao could no longer sit still and stood with their remaining guards in the courtyard, ready to fight back. Su Mingyu listened to the noise outside and gradually regained his clarity and determination. He clenched his long sword and walked into the courtyard, determined to have a fierce fight with the bandits.

Unexpectedly, Qi Tianfeng's subordinate Xie Guang had dug a tunnel leading to the place where the raw silk was stored. When everyone was caught off guard, he lit a big fire and burned all the raw silk. By the time Shu Yanan and others realized what was happening, it was too late. The raging fire destroyed tens of thousands of raw silk, and Su Mingyu collapsed in despair.