Chapter 60: Probing Words

Chapter 60: Probing Words

The room was dimly lit, the candlelight as small as a pea, barely illuminating the space before him. The man sitting opposite had a sullen expression, a large mole by his lips, and he smiled with ill intent.

Wen Ruan knew who this man was, but—he couldn't let on that he did.

"Who said His Highness, the Prince of Jian, wanted to amass wealth!" He spoke righteously, his features solemn, "His Highness told me it was for the people of the entire world!"

"Huh... Hahahaha—"

It was too hilarious; Luan Fengyu laughed until tears almost welled up in his eyes. "What era are we living in that someone still believes such nonsense! Young Master, did Prince Jian also tell you that for the sake of the people, he could suffer a little, and thus didn't allocate much travel funds for you, leaving you to find your own way through?"

Wen Ruan's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

Luan Fengyu: ...

"Foolish child, he's deceiving you. The royal family is the hardest to deal with—none of them are simpletons. You, this innocent and harmless little lamb, have fallen into their trap, and there's no escape. It's a dead end, and rather than being foolishly deceived and drained dry, it's better to hold something back and work with me."

Wen Ruan was on guard. "Who are you?"

Luan Fengyu bared a row of white teeth. "Who do you think possesses the ability, here in the Luan residence, to extract you from the family head's grasp?"

His brows and eyes danced with mirth, arms folded across his chest, brimming with self-satisfaction, thinking that with hints so blatant, the other party surely must have guessed by now.

Wen Ruan, however, blinked. "Who?"

Luan Fengyu: ...

"I am Luan Fenglin's younger brother! The position of the family head was originally mine! Mine!"

"Wen Ruan's expression remained unchanged, "We're family."

"Who's family with him!"

How could such a good-looking young man be so infuriating when he opened his mouth!

Luan Fengyu had originally intended to have a heart-to-heart chat with Wen Ruan, preparing patience and coaxing strategies, but now he had no mood left. He slammed the table in frustration, "Luan Fenglin stole my position as head of the family. From the old man at the top to the stewards, clerks, and servants below, not one person in the Luan family likes him. Yet, he indulges in women, squandering our ancestral legacy without end, still smugly believing himself to be some great figure. Sooner or later, I'll strip him of his power and take back everything that was taken from me! You being tricked into partnering with him will lead you nowhere good!"

Wen Ruan leaned back tightly against his chair, seemingly frightened, his eyelashes fluttering slightly, "Women?"

Luan Fengyu saw that he finally seemed frightened and snorted. "You probably haven't met the woman by his side, named Zisu. She's a formidable character, with a face as fair as peaches and plums, but a heart as venomous as a scorpion's. She can put on a good face and keep a man close. Rather than saying Luan Fenglin is a womanizer who lavishes money on her without batting an eye because of his love for her, it's more accurate to say this woman uses him to amass wealth and open doors. Do you really think it's true love? How could such a lowly person know true love? It's utterly foolish!"

Women again...

Wen Ruan slightly lowered his eyes, concealing his thoughts.

Luan Fengyu: "What did he just tell you? Was he trying to deceive you, telling you that you're in great danger now, and that following him is the only way to avoid these risks, while also sharing in the private wealth of the Second Prince? Let me tell you not to believe him. He hasn't even met the Second Prince; how could he have such influence? He merely wants to coax you into working for him, to pacify the side of Prince Jian and prevent any trouble, while conveniently increasing the production of salt, thus earning more money for himself. The tiny bit of profit he promised you doesn't even begin to compensate for your efforts!"

Wen Ruan was slow to react, responding with an "Oh": "So there's actually no involvement of the Second Prince?"

Luan Fengyu gritted his teeth, "How could there not be!?"

Wen Ruan: ...

"You've confused me. Does it exist or not?"

"Tact, understand?" Luan Fengyu clicked his tongue, genuinely somewhat impressed, "How did your family raise you, not knowing something like this, yet daring to dive headfirst into the circle of princes? The matter of salt is significant, the business isn't easy to conduct, but you must know that, right?"

Wen Ruan blinked, "It seems... so?"

Luan Fengyu spoke with gravity, "To succeed in this business, one must grease palms everywhere. Salt falls under the jurisdiction of the Three Departments, and every year, the accounts at the Chancellor's office must balance; there can be no mistakes, right? From bottom to top, it's already a stroke of luck if officials aren't overly greedy! The salt trade is such a juicy piece of meat that who wouldn't covet it, who wouldn't want a bite? The wealthy, the powerful, all scheme over it. Those below who dig up some benefits will send them upward, scheming everywhere they can. Those above, having taken enough benefits, are reluctant to give anything back while feeling uneasy. They continue to seek backing higher up. Layer by layer, searching until the end... where do you think it leads?"

That, of course, is the pinnacle of power —

Wen Ruan blinked. "The Emperor?"

Luan Fengyu: ...

"Are you truly naive or merely pretending to be! The Emperor, with his dominion over the four seas, has long since ceased to need to compete; now, his concern is to guard against others taking advantage of him, to prevent them from undermining his foundation! It is those who scheme to form factions and climb the ranks, those who aspire to rise higher, who would plot such things – the princes, do the princes understand this!"

Wen Ruan nodded vigorously, as if pecking at rice: "I see, I see, so you're talking about the Second Prince!"

"Luan Fenglin, though he has never personally met the Second Prince, has always maintained relations with the Second Prince's maternal family..."

He mentioned a name.

Wen Ruan silently took note of it, waiting until Luan Fengyu finished before stirring slightly, seemingly unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, and asked again, "What about the Third Prince... Everyone in the capital says that he and the Second Prince don't get along, that they've always been in conflict."

"It's not just that they've always been in conflict," Luan Fengyu snorted, "Now, guess if he's had a hand in this?"

Wen Ruan shook his head honestly. "I don't know."

"You're hopeless!" Luan Fengyu lamented, frustrated that iron wouldn't turn to steel, "If you want to handle things openly and above board, everyone involved must have their share. Otherwise, there could be trouble at any point. Even the minor officials running errands here have their cut. How could the Third Prince, a prince in his own right, not have his? If he doesn't, won't he make a fuss?"

While the Second Prince and the Third Prince were certainly at odds, neither wanting the other to gain an advantage, there were some areas where both had their hands in the same pot. Since they were 'in it together', 'on the same boat', it wasn't wise to completely fall out or go too far. Otherwise, the blood on the other's face would inevitably splash onto oneself.

Luan Fengyu said, "...The Third Prince simply isn't getting as much benefit from this as the Second Prince is, which leaves him somewhat disgruntled. Occasionally, he'll resort to some underhanded tactics."

This place could also be considered a buffer zone for the conflict between the two princes. If the Third Prince lost elsewhere and was in a foul mood, he'd exert pressure in this direction, stirring up trouble outside. The Second Prince, when in a good mood and caring about this enterprise, wouldn't mind giving up a portion of the profits. But if one day he was in a bad mood, perhaps because he hadn't bested the Third Prince in another area, he'd swallow all the profits here, not leaving a single coin for the Third Prince, making him feel the pinch.

But both sides had a tacit understanding; over the years, they never escalated these matters to His Majesty for judgment and resolution.

Of course, verbal sparring was still fair game.

Wen Ruan seemed to see the point: "This seems... no different from political struggles in court?"

Luan Fengyu was cryptic: "That's why I say, an innocent little bunny like you shouldn't easily get involved, or you won't even know how you've been skinned and dismembered when it happens."

Wen Ruan turned serious: "Thank you, you're truly a good person."

Luan Fengyu: ...

Where did this naive and sweet fool come from?

"Yes, I'm just too kind-hearted, unwilling to see innocents get involved," Luan Fengyu smiled. "I see that although your personality is a bit stubborn, you're not really fond of hardship. I've heard that your appetite isn't great, and you don't eat much at each meal. Are you not accustomed to the food here?"

Wen Ruan didn't deny it.

He had to appropriately 'expose' some flaws for outsiders to know. Of course, he was indeed too busy to have much on his mind regarding meals, sometimes skipping meals when he was too hungry, making him even less inclined to eat.

Luan Fengyu thought he had found a breakthrough and gently coaxed, "Then do you know what the best thing to eat in this world is?"

Wen Ruan: "What is it?"

"The giant abalone from the crevices of the seabed, the shark's fish maw, fresh abalone, dogfish..."

For each item mentioned, Luan Fengyu would use exaggerated words to describe their appearance, taste, preparation method, especially their rarity. Even high officials and nobles might not get to taste them once in their lifetime. He then pointed out—

"These all cost money."

A little or a lot isn't enough.

But where does this money come from?

Luan Fengyu revealed his true intentions: "What does Luan Fenglin's promise amount to? You should know that these salt fields, the profits from private salt sales are the most substantial. They don't enter the books, they don't go through official channels, outsiders don't know about them, and they flow endlessly... I've recently made a friend whose family background and methods are extremely powerful. He can handle buying all the private salt here. He lied to me, saying his surname was Wang, but I've already investigated and found out it was a fake name. Have you heard of the Jiang Nan Huo family? They are major merchants with deep-rooted connections everywhere, including paths into the capital city. It's said they have ties with your Prince Jian's princess!"

Wen Ruan: ...

Good job, Young Master Huo.

"You're both... trafficking in private salt?"

Luan Fengyu: "You wouldn't understand if I explained more. Just remember that we're partners. You and I will make salt together, while Young Master Huo will integrate resources and sell them externally. This endless source of wealth will be shared by everyone. Isn't that beautiful?"

Wen Ruan: ...

It's truly beautiful in your imagination. I make the salt, Huo Er sells it, finishing all the internal and external tasks. What do you do? Do we think we're earning too much money that we need to pick a lucky person to give it away to?

Luan Fengyu believed he was flawless and had established sufficient trust with the naive and sweet little rabbit. "…When the time comes, whether you like beauties or delicacies, whatever you want, you'll have it."

Wen Ruan: "I don't like it."

"…You will like it." Luan Fengyu gave an evil smile and snapped his fingers. "Bring him—"

Indeed, someone came, but it wasn't the servant he had arranged. They sprinkled a handful of powder over him, and Luan Fengyu passed out.

Wen Ruan also fainted. When he woke up, his head hurt a little, and he wasn't very comfortable. The environment around him had changed, and this time, the host was even ruder.

"I apologize, but it's inconvenient elsewhere. I can only invite the young master to talk here."

It was a woman dressed in purple, draped in a purple veil, barefoot, reclining on a couch. Her ankles jingled with silver bells, her body posture graceful and languid, her features enchantingly beautiful.

Wen Ruan: "Zisu?"

Zisu seemed surprised. "You know me?"

Wen Ruan: "No, I guessed."

"It seems the young master isn't as stupid as people say outside," Zisu narrowed her eyes, her smile seductive. "Tell me, how did you guess?"

Wen Ruan honestly replied, "Beautiful face like pear blossoms, heart as venomous as a scorpion…"

She was beautiful yet ruthless, kidnapping him late at night and clearly locking him up. There were no windows in the room, and the entrance was heavily guarded.

"Unafraid of showing her face, able to control men, and wearing so little…"

A man and woman alone in a room, with no precautions taken.

Wen Ruan looked away, as if he was extremely shy, not daring to look up.

Zisu suddenly understood. "Did that dog Luan Fengyu say something? What else did he say?"

Wen Ruan: "He said that it's not that Luan Fenglin dotes on you, but rather you use him to amass wealth and expand your network, merely acting for the occasion. There's no real love, you're a formidable character."

Selling out Luan Fengyu, he felt no psychological burden, and could even reinforce his naive persona.

Zisu: ...

"Do you think I am?"

"I'm a bit curious," Wen Ruan looked at her. "Are you?"

The youth's eyes were clear and pure, without a trace of impurity. His curiosity was straightforward and sincere, obediently adorable.

Zisu walked over gracefully, leaning slightly forward, her smile bewitching. "Does the young master like me? Hmm?"

Wen Ruan took a deep breath and leaned back straight, avoiding her breath as if she wasn't a tempting beauty but a terrifying demon.

Before the other party could react, Wen Ruan quickly waved his hand. "You, don't misunderstand. I just don't like the smell of cosmetics. It's a bit overwhelming."

It wasn't that he disliked the scent of cosmetics; it was clear he didn't like this type of woman, didn't want to be close to her, but spoke politely, trying not to offend her, maintaining proper manners...

He was indeed a rare, innocent young master.

"The young master is a gentleman... Then let's speak in a gentlemanly manner."

Zisu suddenly drew her sword and placed it against Wen Ruan's neck. "Come with me, and make good salt. I'll ensure you a life of wealth and honor, never worrying about food or clothing."

Wen Ruan exclaimed, looking left and right. "Go where?"

Zisu looked into the young man's lively and clear eyes, which held an inner vitality, and she didn't think he was a naive fool at all. Yet, his demeanor was indeed simple and innocent, lacking any ulterior motives...

"Of course not here," she said, "It's a beautiful little island, with sturdy houses and abundant fish and shrimp. Many gentle and lovely ladies live there, they will take very good care of you."

"Ladies?" Wen Ruan looked at Zisu, "Like your ladies?"

Zisu: "Of course not, I'm an anomaly, someone who can never return to the island. The island is reserved for the gentle and kind-hearted, to worship the most loving and great Holy Mother."

Indeed, she was from the Holy Mother Sect.

"It's on the water," Wen Ruan pursed his lips, "I don't like water."

Zisu: "It's just a temporary transition. If you don't like water, we can also do it on land. We have many similar places, such as the small county south of here, close to the sea but not in the water. If you get tired of living there or are exhausted from work, wanting to rest inland, that's also possible. The misty rain of Jiang Nan, the ink-painting beauty of Huizhou, even the capital... the outskirts, you can visit them as you please."

Wen Ruan understood that these were all bases of the Holy Mother Sect.

Apart from Sizhou, were there other places in Jiang Nan? Zhu Yan had thoroughly investigated the capital and found nothing, so it wasn't within the city but required looking outward?

Zisu stopped at this point, unable to reveal too much. Even what she had shared was due to Wen Ruan's naive appearance; if she didn't make it clear, she feared he wouldn't understand. She moved her icy-cold sword closer, "If you agree, you'll leave with me tonight. If you don't, I have ways to make you comply. In truth, sisters quite like adorable young men and don't want to hurt you, understand?"

Wen Ruan understood. The previous pair could still be negotiated with for mutual benefit, but this person directly resorted to coercion. Either cooperate with her and become a member of the Holy Mother Sect, or die.

He wasn't worried about his current predicament; this was exactly what he sought. He used himself as bait to see what demons lurked behind the salt fields, so he could deal with them all at once. Anyway, Nanxing and the secret guards would follow him. If leaving was necessary, there was nothing to fear.

He wasn't afraid, but someone else in the shadows was.

Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air approached.

"Who's there!"

Zisu instantly became alert, but it was useless. The lamp in the room went out with a puff, and in the blink of an eye, someone spirited away Wen Ruan without a sound or trace.

How dare they act against her!

"Chase after them!"

Wen Ruan was equally surprised. This masked person wasn't someone he had arranged, and the way they carried him off was different from the previous three. More surprisingly, they both suffered a brutal pursuit!

Not only from Zisu, but also from a hidden threat that had been lurking by his side for a long time, suddenly revealing itself!

Another masked person, using familiar sinister moves, struck ruthlessly. But strangely, this person took advantage of the chaos, targeting not himself but the masked person who had taken him hostage!

Suddenly not killing him? Or was the person holding him more important at this moment? Why, what made this person so special! Had they recognized him earlier, or did they just realize now!

It seemed they couldn't go to the Holy Mother Sect's island tonight. Wen Ruan made a decisive decision—

"Nanxing! Capture this person for me!"

"Yes!" In the night, Nanxing appeared, her long sword already unsheathed!

For a moment, swords and blades clashed, making a huge commotion that quickly attracted attention from the surroundings. More people focused on this area, their thoughts fluctuating in various ways.

...

In the northern region.

"Don't worry, they will definitely move tonight."

The Prince Jian's voice was calm as he reassured everyone around him with a few words, "The weather is getting colder, those who can't wait are not us, but them."

Fang Rui was anxious, "But they clearly don't want to come this way..."

"Of course they don't want to, because the terrain here is most advantageous to us."

Zhu Yan's slender fingers fell on the map, clarifying all troop deployments, "...Do you understand now? As long as we lure them here, they will have to come, whether they want to or not."

He stared intently at Fang Rui in the end, "This is our last confrontation. If we win, we can immediately return to the capital. There must be no mistakes, especially you, Fang Rui. Don't be impulsive, don't go out to tempt the enemy. Remember that!"

Fang Rui dared not disobey, "Yes!"

Yet, although Prince Jian scolded others harshly on the surface, when he returned to his room, he couldn't resist writing another large 'endure' character, hanging it above his bed.

He hadn't seen his princess consort for over a month!

His princess consort never wrote to him, not a single letter!

Had his face lost its charm? Or had his princess consort forgotten what he looked like!

Under the moonlight, the lute played a lingering melody, expressing longing but unable to resolve it.

The moon had already hidden behind the clouds, when will you hide in my arms.