Chapter 599
Chapter 599
Inside another one of the Hidden Yuan Society’s strongholds.
Shu Baidao lay on a bed, while Shu Tingyu and several masters of the Hidden Yuan Society stood in a row before him. Among them was a powerful master of the Grandmaster level.
“Have you completed the investigation?”
Shu Tingyu said.
“When the sluice gate of the underground waterway was opened, several hundred barrels of fish oil were swept in. The sewer system beneath our Silver Note Pavilion is a complex maze with many bends. Most of the tide flowed through and out into other river tributaries, but the majority of the wooden barrels, filled with fish oil, became trapped and accumulated in the sewers. The explosion of those tens of thousands of catties of fish oil was what overturned the ground.”
Shu Baidao said.
“Even so, it shouldn’t have been enough to collapse the Silver Note Pavilion. An explosion of fish oil couldn’t have brought down all nine iron pillars.”
“Those nine iron pillars were all melted through.”
At Shu Tingyu’s words, Shu Baidao asked in a startled voice.
“Melted through? How is that possible? Is there something in this world capable of melting and severing iron pillars as thick as a thigh?”
Shu Tingyu’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“We have not yet found the reason.”
It was a terrifying feat, one that could only be described as the work of a god. To have burned through such thick iron pillars without a single soul noticing—even the alchemists of the Hidden Yuan Society could neither determine the cause nor find a single clue.
“The manpower Shen Lang used to destroy our Silver Note Pavilion this time was likely far less than we anticipated.”
Hearing Shu Tingyu’s words, Shu Baidao felt a heart-wrenching pain, as if he were about to vomit blood again. He quickly shut his eyes.
‘This wretched bastard has so many tricks up his sleeve. And he plays by no rules. With a single act of vengeance, he has mangled our Hidden Yuan Society to this extent.’
“Master, what should we do now? Should we report Shen Lang?”
“How would you report him? Do you have evidence? Do you think the King will deliver a just verdict for us?”
Just as Shu Baidao said, for the Hidden Yuan Society to report Shen Lang would be to expose their weakness to the world. It was the same on modern Earth. You might see small nations constantly appealing to the United Nations, but have you ever seen the United States run to the UN with tears streaming down its face, complaining of being wronged? When someone displeases them, they take matters into their own hands.
“Father, how should we announce this situation to the public?”
At Shu Tingyu’s question, Shu Baidao once again closed his eyes in pain. The collapse of the century-old Silver Note Pavilion was a devastating loss. The destruction of a single building and the loss of a few hundred men were trivial. What truly mattered was the blow to the Hidden Yuan Society’s reputation. A reputation is hard to build but can be shattered in an instant.
“Announce to the public that the nine iron pillars had rusted, that management was negligent, and that the incoming tide caused the earth dragon to turn over, leading to the collapse of the Silver Note Pavilion. Compensate all casualties with an astronomical sum of gold, and punish those who were derelict in their duties! I will personally go to Yanjing to plead guilty and let them handle this matter! Ning Yuanxian can withstand our pressure, but he can never withstand the pressure from Yanjing. In addition, announce that the State of Yue’s Hidden Yuan Society is facing a debt crisis. All who owe the Hidden Yuan Society must repay their debts to help us overcome this crisis!”
Shu Tingyu was stunned.
‘This… this is a demand for Ning Yuanxian to repay his debt, isn’t it?’
“What’s important now is to transform the thousand individuals with the Blank Bloodline into an elite army. If that succeeds, it will make up for our losses this time, a way to atone for our failures through merit.”
* * *
Soon after, the Hidden Yuan Society announced the following to the world:
Following this, the Hidden Yuan Society held a lavish funeral for the deceased. The King himself attended, reprimanding the negligent staff of the Hidden Yuan Society while offering his condolences to Shu Baidao. Then, Shu Baidao formally pleaded guilty to the headquarters in Yanjing and submitted his resignation. The capital fell into a hush, everyone sensing the approach of a storm.
Sure enough, after submitting his resignation, Elder Shu Baidao of the Hidden Yuan Society entered the royal palace and formally pressed King Ning Yuanxian for his debt. The two parted on unpleasant terms. Afterward, the Hidden Yuan Society revealed that Ning Yuanxian had been borrowing money from them for twenty-three years, and after subtracting what he had already repaid, his total debt, including principal and interest, amounted to a staggering twelve million six hundred thousand taels. The world was utterly astonished.
‘The King borrowed that much money? How on earth did he spend it all?’
Even Shen Lang felt his head spin when he heard the amount. He knew the King was heavily in debt, but he had no idea it was this much. For the past twenty years, Ning Yuanxian had been borrowing to cover old debts, letting the interest compound until it reached this astonishing figure. Huang Dong had nearly wet himself in shock when he heard the sum at the time. He had originally intended for the Tiandao Society to buy out the debt, but now he saw that the amount was far beyond what they could handle. Even Shen Lang could do nothing about this debt. He had already harvested all the "leeks" in the capital, and for the time being, his infamous reputation for swindling would echo throughout the city.
“Ning Yuanxian must be the greatest of all spendthrifts.”
As Shen Lang said this, Huang Dong instinctively glanced at him. Pricked by the look, Shen Lang asked timidly.
“Brother Huang Dong, I… how much do I owe the Tiandao Society?”
For the past two years, Shen Lang had only been squandering money and had never calculated how much he had borrowed. Huang Dong said warmly.
“We are all brothers, strategic allies. Let’s not talk about money.”
“That won’t do. Even between blood brothers, accounts must be kept clear.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Talking about money hurts our relationship, doesn’t it?”
“Are you sure it’s fine? Then I’ll really take it as fine…”
Huang Dong said bluntly.
“Three million one hundred and fifty thousand taels!”
What a shameless madman. Shen Lang was truly brazen. The other party said it was fine, and he was ready to forget the debt entirely.
‘Ugh! Th-that much? In less than two years, I’ve squandered that much money?’
Shen Lang said sheepishly.
“Some of that debt should be put on His Highness Ning Zheng’s account.”
“His Highness Ning Zheng owes us six hundred and ninety thousand taels. That amount has not been included.”
At Huang Dong’s words, Shen Lang scratched his head.
‘How did I spend all that money? I squandered so much without even realizing it? Ning Yuanxian took twenty years to rack up over ten million in debt, while I managed three million in a year. It seems… I’m the real top spendthrift. Your Majesty, my apologies. I misunderstood you! It turns out you are more frugal than I am.’
In truth, Huang Dong was joking with Shen Lang. The Tiandao Society never expected Shen Lang to repay the money anytime soon; they only prayed he would be a little more lenient with his future spending. The strategic benefits Shen Lang had brought them had already far exceeded three million gold taels.
* * *
While Shen Lang was carefree despite his large debt, the King was plagued with a splitting headache. Shen Lang had destroyed the Hidden Yuan Society’s branch, yet the fallout had landed squarely on the King. Was this fair? Ugh! Actually, it was exceedingly fair.
‘Who told you, Ning Yuanxian, to be Shen Lang’s backer? If you weren’t supporting him from behind, that fellow, no matter how audacious, would never have dared to run so rampant in the capital.’
Of course, if it were only the State of Yue’s Hidden Yuan Society pressing for the debt, Shen Lang wouldn’t have cared. The key was that the Hidden Yuan Society in Yanjing was exerting pressure, and so was the Great Yan Empire. His Majesty the Emperor sent an envoy to the capital to inquire about Ning Yuanxian’s intentions. Of course, the Emperor expressed great concern for Ning Yuanxian, asking if he needed mediation. But this was, in itself, a form of pressure. Faced with the envoy from the Hidden Yuan Society’s headquarters in Yanjing and the pressure from the Emperor, Ning Yuanxian felt immense strain. But could he blame Shen Lang? Impossible!
First, it was the Hidden Yuan Society that had tried to steal Shen Lang’s individuals with the Blank Bloodline, severing his hope of creating his second Nirvana Army. Second, when Shen Lang destroyed their branch, he was venting King Ning Yuanxian’s frustrations for him. It was just that his methods were so extreme they left people aghast.
The Hidden Yuan Society presented Ning Yuanxian with two options.
First option: repay the money. A down payment of four million gold taels. The King did have a hefty sum of five million taels on hand, freshly swindled by Shen Lang. But that money was for the campaign against Prince Gong’s army, to prepare for two future wars that could decide the nation’s fate. It was untouchable. The fate of the country was at stake; it could not be taken lightly.
Second option: charge Shen Lang with a crime, arrest him, and imprison him. Shen Lang had destroyed the Hidden Yuan Society’s branch in the State of Yue, creating a blood feud that could only end with the death of one party. Although the Hidden Yuan Society had not publicly accused Shen Lang, they were bound to seek revenge.
‘Repay the debt, or capture Shen Lang!’
* * *
This matter was of grave importance. Destroying the Hidden Yuan Society's branch in the State of Yue was immensely satisfying, but it was also a slap in the face to the Hidden Yuan Society in Yanjing. Who didn’t know that the Empire stood behind the Hidden Yuan Society? The King could no longer protect Shen Lang. The pressure from the Yanjing headquarters grew stronger, and the tone of the Emperor’s envoys became increasingly stern. Moreover, the most recent envoy was a high-ranking prince. Though they didn’t say it outright, Ning Yuanxian was left with only two choices. Repay the debt, or capture Shen Lang. As for the crime to charge him with, any would suffice.
* * *
To save Shen Lang, the King once again humbled himself and visited the residence of Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu. He intended to ask the Zhu Clan to use their influence in Yanjing to, at the very least, keep His Majesty the Emperor from intervening. He also intended to ask for Grand Preceptor Zhu Hongzhu’s help. But he was told that Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu was bedridden with illness and could not be woken. The King returned with nothing. And in that moment, an irreparable rift formed in the once incomparably close relationship between the King and Zhu Hongzhu; it could now be considered all but shattered.
In fact, Zhu Hongzhu had sided with the Great Yan Empire on several occasions before. Especially during the previous crisis of the Great Heavenly Temple, Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu had allowed the court officials to attack Ning Yuanxian, showing no intention of sharing the King’s burden, an act unbecoming of his position. Yet even then, Ning Yuanxian had not reproached the Grand Preceptor. Though their stances were at odds, their private relationship had remained close. But this time, Zhu Hongzhu’s refusal to see him under the pretext of illness made Ning Yuanxian’s eyes redden—not from rage, but from a broken heart.
* * *
After leaving the Zhu Clan’s estate, Ning Yuanxian did not immediately return to the palace. Instead, he went to Ning Zheng’s Marquis of Zhangping's Estate and walked straight into Shen Lang’s study.
“Shen Lang, I have now lost my Grand Preceptor. I am truly alone. What you did this time was too big. It not only threw our State of Yue into turmoil but also alarmed Yanjing, shocking even His Majesty the Emperor. But I do not blame you! But Shen Lang, what are you doing now?”
Shen Lang looked up and said.
“I am writing my resignation! I am resigning from all my posts and will leave the capital to return home!”