Poor Taoist Qiu Chuji

Chapter 376: Small 'Juyi' in the building

The carved wooden windows of the Guoyunlou were pattering loudly as the rain lashed against them. Summer downpours always come so suddenly and so urgently.

Just as some people you want to see disappear like rainwater flowing into rivers, some unexpected people suddenly appear like moss hidden in mud slabs, only a downpour can wash away their muddy color.

Lin Daiyu's fingertips traced the edge of the mahogany table, and half a cup of Biluochun tea rippled in her palm.

The man in blue robes opposite slammed his scabbard heavily onto the brick floor, startling the swallows that fluttered across the vermilion beams.

"My three brothers were all captured by the authorities because of you!" the man in blue said, staring at Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu lowered her eyes and gazed at the tender buds floating in the tea soup. The rain vapor mixed with the sandalwood fragrance wafted up from the Boshan incense burner, wetting her raven-feather-like eyelashes. She neither answered nor denied the man's question, but was slowly retrieving her memories.

During the period when Jia Baoyu gradually became more effeminate, Lin Daiyu mingled in the Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) of the capital and did some things.

Among them, it was common to see people standing up for justice and fighting against injustice.

Of course, she was still very naive at the time and rarely took direct action. Instead, she would lure government officials to arrest people and act as an unofficial constable.

Suddenly, the sound of three short and two long xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) came from the second floor. An old man in a gray robe emerged from the shadows, staring at Lin Daiyu with a sinister gaze. The short knife in his hand gleamed coldly in his sleeve.

This is the seventh killer in the last two days.

There will only be more in the future.

Lin Daiyu suddenly chuckled, and the jade bracelet on her wrist struck the celadon cup, the clear sound breaking the oppressive and somber atmosphere in the Guoyun Tower.

"So, you're here to deal with me?"

"Aren't you afraid of becoming someone else's weapon and getting hurt here?" Lin Daiyu asked.

Canglang!

The sound of a long sword being drawn rang out, and a burly man lunged at the gray-robed old man who had been secretly watching.

The two figures clashed rapidly inside the building, quickly falling from the second floor to the first floor, and then fighting their way from inside the building to outside.

The old man excelled in agility and speed; judging from his nimble movements, his so-called 'old age' was probably a disguise.

The burly man possessed astonishing strength, wielding a thick-backed broadsword weighing at least twenty pounds. He spun it around with tremendous force, his powerful swings overwhelming the 'old man'.

"I can be your knife too!"

“After all… you, little Mengchang, are now isolated and helpless. Most of those who once followed you have now abandoned you. The rain is pouring down outside, and no one is coming to help you with an umbrella,” the man in blue said.

As soon as he finished speaking, the crisp sound of horses' hooves breaking through puddles came through the rain, growing ever closer.

Several figures, riding tall horses and wearing straw hats and raincoats, stood quietly not far from the Guoyun Tower, their identities unknown, whether friend or foe.

Lin Daiyu gently placed the teacup back on the table, the warmth remaining on her fingertips long since absorbed by the damp, cold silk cloth.

"I don't believe you!" Lin Daiyu said seriously, looking at the man in blue.

"You have no one you can trust now!"

"At least my three brothers are still counting on you to get them out!" said the man in blue.

Lin Daiyu said, "They killed and robbed people in the street, which violated the law. I am powerless to do anything about it."

"There are no aggrieved parties or plaintiffs, so there's no need for Lord Lin to intervene. We'll handle the rest ourselves," said the man in blue.

Lin Daiyu looked seriously at the man in blue robes before her: "Those three people are not suitable to be your brothers!"

"Sharing weal and woe is a matter of principle!"

“Alright! Send this box to my father in Yangzhou, and I’ll write a letter for you to withdraw the lawsuit!” Lin Daiyu nodded and said, pushing a box toward the man in blue robes.

The man in blue robes picked up the box, put it in his pocket, and nodded, saying, "Unless I die, I will never make a mistake!"

Lin Daiyu said, "Thank you very much, my friend! May I ask for your name?"

"No need! We're not friends yet!"

The man in blue turned and strode away.

After his figure disappeared from sight, Qiu Chuji's voice reached Lin Daiyu's ears: "You didn't give it to me, did you!"

"Of course not!" Lin Daiyu nodded in reply.

"Why didn't you believe him?" Qiu Chuji asked again.

"The person is real, and their background is certainly true, but they fit the chivalrous stories in the novels too well. Master, you said that stories shouldn't be taken seriously! I can't even truly trust those I've done favors for or those who have helped me, let alone someone like this who pretends to turn enemies into friends." Lin Daiyu felt that Qiu Chuji was treating her like an ignorant child.

A group of people wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats approached, tied their horses in the stables, and then, carrying the moisture from outside, rushed into the Guoyunlou.

The leader took off his straw hat, revealing a rugged, bold, and hairy face.

"Uncle Lu!" Lin Daiyu waved happily to the person who came.

Then, one after another, people took off their straw hats and called out: "Brother Zhao! Brother Li! Sister Bai! Uncle Xie..."

These were all friends from the martial arts world whom Lin Daiyu had made before. Now that they had received Lin Daiyu's message, they rushed over from the vicinity.

It wasn't exactly a coincidence.

Between the capital and Yangzhou, there is a canal, a golden waterway of the entire dynasty. Along the banks of this canal, there is endless business, which naturally gave rise to many people who make a living by the river.

Isn't the so-called "jianghu" (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) simply about making a living along rivers, lakes, and seas?

"We never expected that Lin Dalang, the young master of Mengchang, whom we befriended, would actually be the daughter of the Salt Commissioner. We were quite surprised when we received the news!" Uncle Lu, the leader, said with a hearty laugh.

Lin Daiyu smiled shyly: "In any case, we are good friends, so let's not talk about status."

"You may continue to call me Lin Dalang, as if I have no other identity!"

Everyone smiled, though they knew this was just Lin Daiyu using words to ask for something, they still felt comfortable listening to it.

The fact that the daughter of a high-ranking official was friends with these江湖人 (jianghu people) was quite flattering to them.

Several younger members of the group, gazing at the beautiful Lin Daiyu, felt an overwhelming sense of longing and anticipation, their desires growing even more intense.

Then, at Lin Daiyu's invitation, the group rushed into the main hall, where waiters served tea and water. Soon, various fruits, vegetables, wines, and cold dishes were served, but hot dishes and main courses would have to wait.

After a lively gathering and a hearty meal, Lin Daiyu took out a bag of fine pearls that had been removed from her jewelry and dress and handed it to Uncle Lu.

Uncle Lu's expression changed: "Xiao Lin! What are you doing? Are you trying to humiliate your Uncle Lu?"

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "That's not the case. It's just that this matter is both a private matter and a public matter. Although you all have a friendship with me, I cannot use it to coerce you friends."

"This bag of pearls is not much, but I believe that when you all arrive at my father's place, my father will surely give you another gift as a token of my gratitude!"

Everyone declined again and again.

After this was repeated several times, Uncle Lu finally accepted it politely.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Daiyu took out five identical wooden boxes and handed them to everyone, saying, "This matter is of great importance, and I urge you all to take the risk and try!" "These five wooden boxes are all equipped with mechanisms. If you do not know the secret code between my father and me and open them in advance, the boxes will self-destruct, and the contents inside will also be destroyed."

"I do not know which of these five boxes contains what my father needed."

"Gentlemen... This journey is perilous. If you are unwilling, you may leave now and meet again another day. We can still be good friends!"

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, and after a moment, no one left.

Uncle Lu said, "Although we haven't known each other for long, I remember that you helped us find a suitable place to stay in the capital, and you also introduced us to Xuejia Wazi, so that we could make a living with our skills in a place like the capital."

"Since you have prepared such a generous gift, we will risk our lives to get things done for you."

After Uncle Lu finished speaking, he was the first to take a wooden box and put it close to his body.

Then the others around him also took a wooden box and put it into their pockets.

"Without further ado, let's prepare tea and provisions and set off now. From Jiangyin to Yangzhou, it will only take a day at most," Uncle Lu said with a hearty laugh, patting his chest.

Everyone stood up at the same time, then put on raincoats and straw hats and rushed into the rain.

A moment later, several fast horses dispersed and headed towards Yangzhou via different roads.

······
A day or two later, in the study of the current head of the Zhen family in the Zhen family mansion in Jinling, six identical wooden boxes were placed.

Looking at the six identical wooden boxes, which were clearly made from wooden cabinets from the inn, the head of the Zhen family frowned and gestured to the steward to open one of them.

The wooden box was opened, and it was completely empty.

Then all six wooden boxes were opened, and they were all empty.

“Sir! These boxes...none of them have been opened.”

“There are guards along the way, so no one dares to cause trouble!” the steward said, his body trembling slightly.

The Zhen family head asked, "Where are those martial arts practitioners who delivered the wooden box?"

The steward thought for a moment and said, "They must have gone to Yangzhou!"

"These江湖人 (jianghu people) are the most greedy. After receiving their reward from us, they will probably still go to Imperial Censor Lin to get another one."

The head of the Zhen family slammed his folding fan heavily on the table, clearly showing some anger, but he kept his composure and refrained from speaking.

This is a matter of great importance; how can we be so careless?

Whose bowl are those江湖人 (jianghu people) holding, and whose rice are they eating...? How can this be clearly explained?

To be on the safe side, it's best to clean everything up as soon as possible.

But actually, cleaning it up won't help.

Because Lin Daiyu sent out more than just these six wooden boxes.

Instead, there are at least thirty.

Even if we could kill all the people who delivered the boxes, we certainly wouldn't be able to keep it a secret.

Once their reputation is ruined, no matter how greedy people in the underworld are, no one will do anything for the salt merchants anymore.

Instead, it brought them closer to Lin Daiyu and her father.

The steward immediately knelt down, offering no explanation, but simply saying, "Master, rest assured! I will definitely have people keep a close eye on Lin Ruhai and will not give him any chance to turn the tables."

"And then there's Yang Guangde... He searched the entire Guoyunlou, but he didn't find it. However, he doesn't know much, so he certainly won't ruin Master's plans."

The head of the Zhen family let out a heavy sigh and said, "Three days! I'll only give you three days!"

"Either deal with Yang Guangde, or get rid of that troublesome little girl, or... you deal with yourself."

"Also, the fire must not reach the Zhen family's house. Even if it happens, you should know where to stop!"

"Although we have no marriage ties with the Lin family, we have been on good terms with the Jia family for generations. Remember this!"

The butler knelt down and kowtowed, then left through the door.

······
Lin Daiyu used a wooden box as a trick to distract the salt merchants.

Meanwhile, he was still performing a grand opera in the Guoyun Tower, resisting wave after wave of overt and covert probing, sneak attacks, and assassinations.

As time went on, the entire Guoyunlou seemed to be placed on a bonfire, ready to be completely set ablaze at any moment.

The more the salt merchants couldn't do anything about Lin Daiyu, the more anxious they became.

As empty wooden boxes were sent out one after another, they became increasingly suspicious that there might be some 'real stuff' inside these boxes that had been delivered to Yangzhou.

And does this 'genuine stuff' contain evidence that is extremely detrimental to the salt merchants?

As for where the trigger 'Yang Guangde' is, and why the salt merchants don't address the problem at its source?

He is currently being temporarily confined in a small world by Qiu Chuji, which is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.

However, this also eliminated the biggest flaw in Lin Daiyu's fishing plan.

As for the spirit peach that Qiu Chuji took out from his small world to help Lin Ruhai recuperate, it had actually been disguised by Lin Daiyu herself two days earlier when various martial arts heroes came to visit. She went to the dock, found a boatman, and handed it to the Jia family's official ship.

At that time, Xueyan would take over the spirit peach and, after arriving in Yangzhou with the official ship, deliver it to Lin Ruhai.

Although it will take a few days longer, it is a more reliable approach.

Furthermore, given the effects of the Spirit Peach, as long as Lin Ruhai still has a breath left, it can pull him back from the brink of death.

Xueyan was originally assigned to Lin Daiyu by the Lin family. Although she had some minor flaws, her loyalty was beyond doubt. Moreover, once she arrived at the Salt Inspector's residence, it would be more convenient for Xueyan, who was originally a maid of the Lin family, to act. She secretly handed the spirit peach to Lin Ruhai, which would help the father and daughter to work together to weave a net and lure the salt merchants out further.

After all, they are most complacent when they are closest to 'success'.

Moreover, now that Lin Ruhai, the Salt Inspector, is about to die in office, the salt merchants all have their own ideas about who the next Salt Inspector will be.

The once united front had long been showing signs of internal disintegration.

Otherwise, they would not have tolerated Lin Daiyu's constant provocations in the Guoyun Tower.

Ultimately, to these salt merchants, Lin Daiyu was nothing more than a young woman with remarkable martial arts skills. Once Lin Ruhai died, she would be like a rootless duckweed, destined to perish sooner or later.

It's one thing for them to use unorthodox methods from the martial arts world to deal with it!

Otherwise, if these wealthy salt merchants really got serious and used their connections with the government to deal with Lin Daiyu, no matter how powerful or skilled she was, she would still suffer a setback.

After all, she is far from being able to fight against an entire country by herself, let alone an entire army.

In comparison, it's roughly equivalent to the internal strength and lightness skills of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen in the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes. After all, the core of Qiu Chuji's "Flower Heart Method" is not to increase combat power, but to enhance appearance, temperament, and charm.

This changed somewhat in Lin Daiyu, but it was not completely reversed.

(End of this chapter)