Book 15: Chapter 19
A Cup of Wine to Ward Off the Cold. In the Pugilistic World.
I started fiddling with the knife after Tiangou departed. It wasn’t a weapon for close-quarters combat; it was too short and thin for any purpose, actually. The blade was only longer than half a finger, and the sharp section was extremely short. It would’ve made sense if it was meant to be used as a projectile. The “Ages are the Border” text carved onto it made me think of the phrase “eternal life”. When I deliberated further, I realised that monarchs considered the four oceans surrounding us to be the borders, but here was a man who used time as a border.
Based on Shang Bies.h.i.+’s background, and his accomplishments, if he was willing to mentor a Prince for me once he returned, I’d be willing to pay him twice his s.h.i.+fu’s salary!
When I heard Proprietor s.h.i.+ sneakily approach, I said, “Relax. Relax. Didn’t I tell you the money is coming?”
Eyeing the box in front of me, Proprietor s.h.i.+ asked, “Didn’t he bring you money?”
I promptly swept the box into my arms.
“That box looks like it’s worth quite a bit.”
“Man, she’s just your wife! Why do you collapse under pressure so easily?!”
“You want to relieve me from the pressure, then?”
“No. I can only say that because you’re shouldering it. Just wait a little longer. The money is on the way.”
I turned Proprietor s.h.i.+’s head away because he gave me a look of distrust. Subsequently, I looked around for a while, sent a few singles, whistled twice, and by the time he turned back around, his waiter was sitting opposite me. I shooed off the confused proprietor.
He was unmistakably the waiter, but he was now someone else’s employee. No matter how many times I saw him, I could never get used to him.
“I didn’t win, but I did obtain the prize. My debt is cleared now, right?” I slid the box over to him. “We agreed to clear my debt with this. Don’t go back on your word now.”
The waiter just giggled and then gave me an affable smile.
“… You don’t want it?”
“Please do not make things hard for this one.” The waiter scratched his head as if I was putting him in a dilemma. “This one seeks the other two items, not this item that will have every Confucian disciple hunting him down. Everyone knows the worst people to shake off are scholars who want to kill.”
“You’re willing to write off a debt of one million, yet this isn’t what you want? Don’t tell me you want those lame study tokens. What do you want them for? All the writers and editors of Black and White Reflection going on some study group camp or something?”
“No, this one’s job and Black and White Reflection’s jobs are separate jobs.”
“Basically, left hand into the right pocket. You should’ve told me sooner if it was those two tokens you wanted. It’s your fault for not clarifying it. I went through a lot to get this jade piece. If you’re not going to state your reasons for coveting the two tokens, I’m not swapping.”
He gave me a coy smile. “You are so naughty, Duke Ming. You already have them on you; you are just testing this one. Otherwise, you would not offer a celestial-spider-silk-woven box. It is this one’s honour that you would think so highly of him.”
He got me there. The Nine Dragons Fire Jade wasn’t worth a million. If it was, Uncle Jiyi would’ve already bought it. It, as he said, was genuinely risky to hold on to given its importance to Confucianism. Besides, these p.r.i.c.ks were in the business industry.
“I feel like I lose every time I do business with you. I’m not making the same mistake again. If you’re willing to write off my huge debt for something besides this, you’re after something big. I’m not going to let you do something I’d rather you not. Make your decision.” I slammed the items he wanted onto the table. I wasn’t concerned he would s.n.a.t.c.h them from me.
He looked down at the items, looked away and then back multiple times. “You truly are making it difficult for this one. As a researcher of treasures, this one is interested in all manner of treasures. Why would Daren Academy be an exception. There are things he wants from them, but he cannot say it. How about we do this: in addition to your debts that are calculated as the typical rules, we have to calculate your interest and the delay in payment. Let us write off your interest in exchange for no questions. How about it?”
I shook my head vigorously. “You’re winning. The head of Confucianism, Huang Yuzao, is my elder, my respected elder.”
“This one shall repay your debt to Eight Deities, as well.”
“Hmph!” I slammed the table. “And today’s drinks.”
“Sure.”
Uncle Huang would toil all his life at the current rate. It was time for him to retire and let his students do the heavy lifting. They needed training and experience if they were going to succeed him, right? I wasn’t the kind of person to ask for a referral award. Uncle Huang and I were family, after all. Thus, we completed our exchange merrily.
I was free of debt, but don’t forget, I still had all the valuables from the underground palace! Yes, selling this jade piece would bring trouble, but there were plenty of rich idiots in the martial world. Why would I say no? Why should I have been the unlucky one?
Pork shoulders, dices, and wine, here I come!
After the waiter went back to being a waiter, someone came with my money – the money I needed to pay plus another five hundred for me to spend. Didn’t I tell you the martial world’s treasury and I were buddies?
Before night fell, Long Cheng, in his disguise, came to see me, a representative for League of a.s.sa.s.sins, and even Wawa dropped by to pinch some desserts. Long Cheng filled me in on news in the capital and Hangzhou, as well as the mysterious new organisation called “Yizhen Alliance”. No lie, I felt my hairs stand up whenever I heard the name “Yizhen Alliance”. It had to be the most ridiculous name I’d ever heard. League of a.s.sa.s.sins came to apologise for Vivianite’s actions. I guess they were used to me being a constable of Liu Shan Men now, but… I had to question if I had been standing out too much. Wawa dropped in purely to leech.
Proprietor s.h.i.+ didn’t pester me to leave even when there were no more customers at night. I drank alone until the last customer for the day arrived.
“Is this old one here early?”
“I’d say late.” I finished my drink and then stood up to salute the elder. “Take a seat, Prime Minister.”