The Overlord of Puluo

By the next day, Ma Wu had almost recovered, so Li Banfeng took him out of the hospital at once.

Zuo Wugang sighed in admiration. ”The physician at this hospital is incredible. It is just a pity about what happened last night. With trouble like that, the hospital does not feel very safe.”

Zuo Wugang had sensed it as well when Cedric and Wan Jinxian fought in the hospital as well.

Huo Ling did not take it seriously. ”Let them fight. What does that have to do with us? They can try dragging my Darling Wu into it and see what happens. Let’s see if they dare!”

Ma Wu looked at Huo Ling and shook his head again and again. He had to admit that Shui Yongquan was right. Huo Ling was not cut out to be an assassin, much less a support hook.

Still, Huo Ling loved Greenswater City, and Ma Wu could not bear to send her back. For one thing, Huo Ling was warm-hearted. Very warm-hearted. In fact, she was warm in a way most people could not quite handle.

After they got back to Freewind Wharf, Ma Wu explained what had happened. A middle-aged man had said something beside him, and right after that, he fell ill.

Li Banfeng knew that this middle-aged man was Cedric’s senior brother. He also knew the man had come for him, and that he was one of He Jiaqing’s subordinates.

But that raised another question. Who exactly was this senior brother?

Zuo Wugang had some impression of him. ”I saw him in the corridor yesterday. He was covered in rashes, which was pretty disgusting, but from the back, he looked a lot like Wan Jinxian.”

Huo Ling paused. ”Who is Wan Jinxian?”

”Lu Dongjun’s strategist. He served the Lu Family’s Second Master. That old bastard is vicious and cunning. Lu Dongliang used to tell us to stay on guard against him all the time.”

Li Banfeng listened quietly from the side. As he connected this with what Cedric and Wan Jinxian had said the night before, a faint clue slowly took shape in his mind.

It was still vague. There seemed to be a trail, but it appeared only in broken pieces. It just needed to be sorted out properly.

Ma Wu was still weak, so Li Banfeng told him to rest early. Then he returned to the Pocket Dwelling and went through the newspapers from the previous year.

Back in Medicine King Gully, Li Banfeng had first learned about Puluo Province through a pile of old newspapers he had bought from the Ru Family Bookhouse. Since then, he has made a habit of saving newspapers.

The disaster at the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs had been Lu Dongjun’s finest moment. He had appeared again and again in both major and minor newspapers, so Li Banfeng found plenty of reports about him.

The problem was figuring out which person was Wan Jinxian.

In the end, he found it!

In a local newspaper from the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, Li Banfeng found a report that mentioned Wan Jinxian. Back then, Wan Jinxian had appeared on Lu Dongjun’s behalf to hand out food to some of the disaster victims.

During the early days of the pest problem, Lu Dongjun had built up quite a good reputation. Most likely, that was all thanks to Wan Jinxian’s virus. Later, the mosquitoes mutated, and Lu Dongjun’s grand success collapsed into a grand failure.

But was Wan Jinxian really out of ideas at the time? He could definitely have come up with other solutions. All he had to do was create another disease to hold down the number of mosquitoes. It would not solve the problem for good, but it would at least buy Lu Dongjun some time.

Yet, Wan Jiaxian did not do that. Soon, Lu Dongjun disappeared.

Wan Jinxian had never meant to help Lu Dongjun deal with the mosquitos.

From the very beginning, he had only lured Lu Dongjun to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. He first pushed Lu Dongjun into the spotlight and let him enjoy all the praise. Then, once Lu Dongjun had climbed high enough, he let him fall and lose everything. He was the one who caused Lu Dongjun to be ruined in both status and reputation.

But what was his purpose? To be exact, this was not Wan Jinxian’s purpose. It was He Jiaqing’s purpose. Wan Jinxian was only one of He Jiaqing’s men.

Li Banfeng spread out the newspapers one by one and focused on reports from the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs during that period.

After more than half an hour of searching, he finally found the key detail in one of the reports.

It was the businesses. The businesses at the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs!

After Lu Dongjun got the mosquitos under control at the First Ridge, he started buying up businesses left and right. The newspapers from that period had plenty of photos of him signing contracts. In no time at all, a good number of businesses in the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs had fallen into his hands.

So where did those businesses go afterward?

Li Banfeng kept flipping through the newspapers and soon found the answer. Lu Dongjun had sold them off again.

They were sold to Shen Rongqing, Qian Xiangjun, Duan Shuqun...

Li Banfeng had never heard of a single one of these merchants.

Lu Dongjun had been nothing more than a go-between. He gathered the businesses into his hands, then passed them all out again in the blink of an eye.

Why go through all that trouble? Li Banfeng thought. Business... I think there was a huge business deal made back then. Who did it? It was Miss Chu!

Li Banfeng kept flipping further back through the newspapers. Then he discovered something else.

Before Lu Dongjun went to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs, he had already sold off quite a few Lu Family businesses in Greenswater City. The most famous deal was the sale of Paramount Club to Miss Chu.

Later, Qiu Zhiheng bought most of those businesses back, but not all of them. Some had been bought by other people.

And who were those people? Shen Rongqing, Duan Shuqun...

It was the same group of people again.

Li Banfeng stared at the newspaper, and the thoughts in his mind began spinning faster and faster.

”Heyaaaaa, Husbaaand dear~ What has gotten into you today? Since when are you so eager to learn? Come try on this suit of armor first. This is a rare treasure...”

”My precious wifey, forget the armor for now. Sing me something cheerful.”

”Husband dear, you are in quite the mood today.”

”It is not that I am in a good mood. I think I am having some kind of episode.”

What a huge scheme. A freaking huge scheme! Li Banfeng screamed inwardly. His brain felt like it was about to overload.

As soon as the Gramophone heard Li Banfeng say he was about to have some kind of episode, she hurriedly began singing ”The Stars Are Witnesses to My Love.”[1]

”A star beyond the sky shines softly on my heart,

”And in my heart, one soul has left their mark.

”When I am dry and withered, you bring the rain.

”When I am lost and wandering, you guide my way...”

With the violin and piano accompanying her, the Gramophone’s soft, tender voice soon calmed Li Banfeng down. Little by little, the scattered clues began to connect.

He Jiaqing had used Wan Jinxian to lure Lu Dongjun to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. During that time, Lu Dongjun had been nothing more than a tool. He had gone around gathering one business after another, never realizing that he was helping He Jiaqing build up his fortune.

With the businesses listed in the newspapers and the Ling Family’s assets added in, He Jiaqing’s current holdings were already on par with the Four Great Families.

Could this be the capital he planned to use to rebuild Puluo? No! There was more!

In last night’s conversation, Cedric and Wan Jinxian had also mentioned He Haiqin.

He Haiqin had fallen ill because Wan Jinxian had done something to him.

If Wan Jinxian had only been Lu Dongjun’s strategist, then it made sense for him to harm He Haiqin. It would have benefited Lu Dongjun. But if Wan Jinxian had done it under He Jiaqing’s orders, then the whole matter would have become much more complicated.

Back then, Li Banfeng had bought three and a half years’ worth of newspapers from the Ru Family Bookhouse. In that pile of old papers, he found the reports about He Haiqin’s serious illness.

That was when Wan Jinxian infected He Haiqin, Li Banfeng thought

Before He Haiqin fell ill, most of the news was about the fight between the He and Lu Families. Judging by the overall trend, the He Family still had a slight upper hand back then.

But once He Haiqin fell ill, the Lu Family became the dominant power. In other words, He Jiaqing had already started manipulating the balance of power in Puluo Province from that moment onward.

And after that?

Li Banfeng looked at the newspaper and muttered inwardly, After that, I arrived.

Li Banfeng spread the newspapers out one by one, starting from the main room and laying them all the way to the seventh room.

The Gramophone sang the song over and over again. She was afraid Li Banfeng might suffer another episode, but Li Banfeng was unusually calm.

The clues are getting clearer, Li Banfeng thought.

After he arrived in Puluo Province, one wave of trouble followed another, almost without pause. Once Lu Dongliang died, the Lu Family fell into chaos, and the Ling Family took advantage of the chaos and rose up.

Li Banfeng stared at the newspapers and muttered inwardly, Was all of this under He Jiaqing’s control? No. Not everything.

Lu Dongliang’s death was definitely beyond his control. He could not have known Lu Dongliang would die by my hand.

But he must have something to do with the Lu Family’s chaos. Judging from the news at the time, the Lu Family and the He Family had already fallen out in the open over the Crimson Lotus.

As for whether He Yuxiu or Lu Dongjun attacked Lu Dongliang, we can wait to find out about that. The important thing is that trouble broke out between the Lu Family and the He Family. When that happened, He Jiaqing got what he wanted.

So that’s why he had me bring the Crimson Lotus back to Puluo Province?

The more Li Banfeng thought about it, the more it made sense.

Li Banfeng continued muttering inwardly, He Jiaqing’s identity is too obvious. If he had brought the Crimson Lotus back himself, word would definitely have gotten out. Once that happened, the He Family would be besieged and attacked, and he would not be able to stay out of it. More likely than not, he would become the main target.

But something about this does not add up. He does not have to bring the Crimson Lotus back. He can just leave it in the Outer Provinces.

He has already used A Parting Across Ten Thousand Miles to trap Lu Xiaolan in the He Family’s old residence. He has already pretended to be a victim and gotten himself admitted to the hospital.

At that point, all he needed to do was spread the rumor that Lu Xiaolan stole the Crimson Lotus and disappeared. The Lu Family will not be able to explain it, and they will still be dragged into trouble.

And he can then stay at Yuezhou with the Crimson Lotus. He could make as many pills as he wanted. Isn’t this the perfect ending for him?

So why does he insist on making me bring the Crimson Lotus back? Why does the Crimson Lotus need to come back to the Puluo Province?

The clues still had not fully come together.

When did He Jiaqing start setting this up? Was it after he went to Yuezhou or did it start when he was in Puluo?

Li Banfeng did not have any newspapers from further back and he couldn’t help but feel that he should have bought more old newspapers back then. These things were far too useful.

Are there places similar to the Ru Family Bookhouse in Greenwater City?

Li Banfeng held the Gramophone close for a while. Once the Gramophone was sure he was not having an episode, she finally relaxed.

After leaving the Pocket Dwelling, Li Banfeng asked Zuo Wugang, ”Is there anywhere in Greenswater City that sells old newspapers?”

”Newspapers? Old newspapers...” Zuo Wugang did not know many characters, and he rarely read newspapers. This question had clearly stumped him.

Chu Xuan, one of the singers at Freewind Wharf, usually liked reading newspapers. She knew a place.

”There is a Ru Family Bookhouse on Wansheng Road, behind Tranquil Longevity Restaurant. I went there once. They sell old newspapers.”

Li Banfeng knew where the Tranquil Longevity Restaurant was located. He had been there for a drink once.

He was about to leave when he suddenly turned back. ”Which bookhouse did you say?”

”Ru Family Bookhouse.”

Wait, Li Banfeng thought. The one in Medicine King Gully was called Ru Family Bookhouse too. Why is the one in Greenswater City called Ru Family Bookhouse as well? Is this a chain store?

Li Banfeng soon arrived at the Ru Family Bookhouse. The place was not large, but it looked strangely familiar. The storefront and signboard were exactly the same as the Ru Family Bookhouse in Medicine King Gully.

Li Banfeng stepped inside and looked around. Is this chain really that standardized? The storefront is the same, and even the layout inside is identical.

”Are you here to buy books?” Boss Ru came forward to greet him.

Even the boss of the store looks exactly the same!

”Were you not doing business in Medicine King Gully before?” Li Banfeng asked.

Boss Ru’s eyes lit up. ”You know me? I was indeed in Medicine King Gully before. Later, business got better and better, so I moved to Greenswater City.”

So that’s what happened...

Li Banfeng nodded and said, ”I would like to buy some newspaper.”

”This way please.”

***

”Here are the newspapers you wanted. Check the dates first and see if they are right.” Boss Ru handed Qiu Zhiheng a stack of old newspapers.

Qiu Zhiheng paid him and carried the newspapers back to Qiu’s Medicinal Trading House.

His wife, who was at the side, asked, ”Why did you bring back so many old newspapers?”

”I did not pay much attention to the business in Medicine King Gully before,” Qiu Zhiheng said. ”Now that I am here, I need to understand the whole situation properly.”

His wife laughed. ”You have seen all kinds of storms in your life. Surely you can see what is going on in Medicine King Gully with one glance.”

Qiu Zhiheng shook his head. ”One glance is enough to understand the general situation. But if I miss even one small detail, that detail might turn into a big problem.”

While they were talking, the person delivering medicine arrived.

His wife smiled. ”There is just something so likable about that little medicine-delivery girl. I will go and see her.”

Qiu Zhiheng asked casually, ”Which girl?”

”The Xue family’s girl from Threeshore Village in Outer Gully. Her name’s Xue Yingying.”

Qiu Zhiheng thought for a moment, then shook his head. ”Has she been here before?”

”Of course she has. She delivered the medicine last time too. Her nickname is Leafy.”

Author’s Note:

PS: In Chapter 164, Lu Dongjun’s Jiangyuan Tannery was acquired by Shen Rongqing. Lu Dongjun had no idea about it, yet the newspaper published a photo of him shaking hands with Shen Rongqing.

1. This is an old Shanghai-era Mandarin song first sung by Zhou Xuan and Yao Min. Listen here. ☜