Chapter 342 - 329: Suo Li Wew (2)

Chapter 342: Chapter 329: Suo Li Wew (2)

...

The Zhou Mansion.

Under the cover of night, a dark figure scaled the high courtyard wall as silently as a cat and dropped into the grounds.

Watery moonlight spilled over the vast estate.

Pavilions and towers were scattered artfully about, connected by winding corridors. Rockeries and ponds dotted the landscape, and in the distance, the faint outline of a small bridge over a flowing stream could be seen.

’This place... is fucking huge.’

The dark figure couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.

The Zhou Mansion was too large, and the figure was not familiar with its layout.

After passing through a moon gate, he faced a three-way fork in the path, each leading to a different courtyard. He hesitated for a moment, unsure which way to go.

The instant he stopped to get his bearings, the situation changed abruptly.

A figure flashed out, as silent as a ghost and so fast it left only an afterimage.

The dark figure didn’t even have time to react before a vast, pliable, yet irresistible force enveloped him. His internal energy stalled, and his arms were pinned behind his back, completely immobilizing him. He couldn’t even make a sound.

"Mmph!"

Panic seized the dark figure; he knew he’d been discovered by an expert.

He struggled with all his might, but the hands holding him were like iron clamps, unmoving.

"Who are you?"

A cold voice, laced with chilling killing intent, sounded by his ear.

The figure recognized the voice and, in a panic, lowered his own to call out urgently, "Young Master, it’s me! Old Bai, Bai San!"

"Bai San?"

The person behind him clearly faltered. He ripped off the black mask, revealing a face that was still panicked and somewhat sheepish.

Chen Shouheng’s brow furrowed, and he finally released his grip. "What are you doing skulking around here in the middle of the night? Couldn’t you have come through the front gate and been announced?"

Bai San rubbed his numb shoulders, wincing. He glanced around warily before lowering his voice to a whisper. "Young Master, this is no place to talk. I have urgent matters to report!"

Seeing that his expression wasn’t fake, Chen Shouheng stopped questioning him and said in a low voice, "Follow me."

With that, he moved, gliding forward as silently as a falling leaf.

Bai San quickly gathered his energy and followed.

The two of them, one after the other, arrived outside a study.

"Shouheng, what happened?"

Zhou Shuwei, wearing a brocade robe over a simple nightgown, walked over. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes when she saw Bai San, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Young Madam."

Bai San hurriedly bowed.

"Shuwei, you’re just in time."

Chen Shouheng said to his wife, "Bai San says he has urgent news."

Bai San didn’t dare delay. He reported that Chen Li had instructed him to activate a secret agent known as Suo Li Weng, secretly bought using the Pig Emperor’s network. This agent was none other than Du Runian, the Inspector General of the County Inspection Bureau. Bai San then shared what he had learned from Du Runian about the Governor’s Mansion’s plans for the Sun Family’s assets.

"Divided into three parts?"

Chen Shouheng’s face was filled with confusion. "What does Zhao Yuanhong mean by this?"

Zhou Shuwei was lost in thought and didn’t answer immediately, clearly processing and analyzing the information.

Chen Shouheng suppressed his doubts and instructed Bai San, "This matter is of great importance. Go find Du Runian again. Have him find out exactly what Zhao Yuanhong is planning. Which three families does he intend to give the assets to? What’s his scheme? The more detailed the information, the better."

Hearing this, Bai San’s face fell. He spread his hands and complained, "Young Master, it’s not that Old Bai isn’t dedicated, but you don’t know—the Master sent me out on this task without a single silver ingot!

The two hundred silver taels to buy information from Du Runian? I, Old Bai, had to pay that out of my own pocket first. To go and ask for more information will probably cost even more. With my meager savings, it’s like trying to cook a meal without rice!"

At this, Chen Shouheng’s face darkened, and he glared at Bai San.

He knew Bai San’s nature. The man was truly greedy, but he wouldn’t dare to cut corners on a task assigned by the family.

He couldn’t be bothered to argue. He retrieved five hundred taels of silver from a hidden compartment in the study and gave it to him. "Don’t be stingy. Make sure you get the information as quickly as possible. If it’s not enough, come back to me for more."

The moment Bai San saw the silver, his eyes lit up. Beaming, he tucked it into his robes and slapped his chest, promising, "Rest assured, Young Master, Young Madam. When Old Bai handles things, it’s always clean and quick. I’ll go find out everything for you right now."

With that, he cupped his hands in a salute to Chen Shouheng and Zhou Shuwei and left cheerfully.

Inside the study.

Chen Shouheng looked at his wife and asked in a low voice, "Shuwei, have you figured something out?"

Zhou Shuwei let out a soft breath, a cold glint in her beautiful eyes. "Shouheng, this Lord Zhao Yuanhong is quite ambitious, I’m afraid. He’s not one to be content serving under others. We’ll have to be even more careful when dealing with him in the future."

"Oh?"

Chen Shouheng raised an eyebrow. "Shuwei, what do you mean?"

Zhou Shuwei analyzed, "After the fall of the Liu Family, our Chen Family is the only great Noble Family native to Liyang County. Although other great families from outside the county, like the Cao, Li, Su, and Jiang, have significant assets in Liyang, their roots are not here.

"Zhao Yuanhong is afraid! He’s afraid that if our family takes over the Sun Family’s entire estate, our power will expand too rapidly. We’d turn the tables on him, and he, the Governor, would be at our mercy."

Her voice was cool and her analysis methodical. "So, he’s resorting to this little game of divide and conquer. By splitting the Sun Family’s assets into three parts, he can bring in two other powers to check and balance our Chen Family. This way, he intensifies the conflict between us, while he, the Governor, can mediate from the middle, reap the benefits, and sit back and watch. A fine calculation indeed!"

As understanding dawned, Chen Shouheng’s face turned ashen. "That Zhao Yuanhong! Two-faced bastard, scheming against our Chen Family like this. After the way he acted at the Governor’s Mansion... The man has absolutely no integrity!"

"A government official has two mouths. How can you believe everything they say?"

Zhou Shuwei, however, was relatively calm. "This Lord Zhao has ambition, yes. But unfortunately, in trying to play this game of checks and balances, I’m afraid his ambition outweighs his skill. He has miscalculated."

Chen Shouheng looked at his wife. "What do you mean?"

Zhou Shuwei said coolly, "To play the game of balance, you first need enough power to intimidate all parties. Without absolute power, this balancing act is like walking a tightrope. One small misstep, and you’re playing with fire and will get burned. He’s just one Divine Hall Grandmaster. What makes him think he can control the future three great powers of Liyang? In my view, he’s courting disaster."

Chen Shouheng’s anger subsided slightly. A thought struck him, and he looked at his wife. "Shuwei, from the way you’re talking... do you already have a countermeasure?"

Zhou Shuwei smiled faintly. "Don’t be anxious, Husband. Our Lord Zhao has calculated a thousand things, but he’s overlooked one crucial detail."

"What is it?"

Chen Shouheng’s spirits lifted.

"What the Sun Family owes the Government Office is forty thousand bolts of silk, which, at market price, is worth at most one million taels of silver."

Zhou Shuwei explained, "According to Court law, if the auction proceeds exceed the amount of the debt, the excess must be returned to the seller."

Chen Shouheng paused for a second, then instantly understood. "Shuwei, you mean... we drive up the price!"

"Exactly!"

Zhou Shuwei nodded. "No matter if Zhao Yuanhong brings in the Cao Family, the Li Family, the Su Family, or the Jiang Family, when they participate in the auction and the price gets pushed past what they’re willing to pay, they’ll naturally give up when they see there’s no profit to be made."

Chen Shouheng understood completely. "The Sun Family’s concubine and legitimate daughter are in our hands. Even if we bid one and a half million, or even two million taels, the money will just go from our left hand to our right. It’ll just be moving from one of our pockets to another."

Thinking of this plan, Chen Shouheng couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. "We’ll go with this plan. Let’s see how Zhao Yuanhong cleans up this mess."

Seeing her husband agree, Zhou Shuwei reminded him, "Shouheng, although we have a counter-plan, this matter is still of great consequence. We must report to Father before deciding on a final course of action."

Chen Shouheng made an immediate decision. "Alright. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning for Lingxi to report the situation here to Father in person."

Zhou Shuwei nodded. "I’ll look after the mansion. Be careful on your journey."

The couple discussed a few more details before finally extinguishing the lamps and resting late in the night.