After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 356: Chapter 355: Arrogance and Condescension

”Well... after this latest trade run, we’re supposed to pay out wages this afternoon, or by tomorrow at the latest. The men are all waiting for their pay to take home. So, if you could just sign off on it?”

”Also, the delivery date for this batch of Earth Cave Spider Silk is tomorrow. The merchants from Treasure Tree are getting a bit impatient. You...”

In the past, Master Gan had always been the one to sign before any wages were paid out. Now, Steward Zhao wasn’t sure who to ask. Next in line should have been Second Master Gan, but...

Second Master Gan flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the table as he shot to his feet. ”Money, money, money! My brother is dead, my mother is unconscious, and at a time like this, all you can talk about is money? Do you even have a heart!”

”Second Master, please calm your anger.” ’A heart is one thing, but the work has to be done. A family as large as the Gans must continue to function.’

”Leave! Don’t bother me with this crap!”

Steward Zhao opened his mouth but said nothing.

Just then, the door creaked open, and an old woman came out. ”Mrs. Maoo is awake. She’s crying for the Second Master.”

Second Master Gan hurried inside, but not before turning back to warn Steward Zhao, ”Mrs. Maoo can’t take any more shocks. Handle these trivial matters however you see fit. Just don’t come here and make things worse!”

Not long after he went in, Steward Zhao heard Mrs. Maoo begin to wail her heart out again.

Second Master Gan joined her, and their cries rose and fell in turn, a duet of grief that filled the room.

Steward Zhao let out a long sigh.

As he was walking out, he nearly collided with someone else rushing in.

”Third Master?”

It was Third Master Gan, who had received the news and rushed back.

His eyes were slightly red. Hearing the crying from the inner room, he pulled Steward Zhao into the back hall to talk.

”Steward Zhao, what in the world happened?!”

Steward Zhao briefly explained what had transpired, focusing, of course, on how Master Gan had been killed.

Third Master Gan’s eyes glazed over as he listened. He plopped down into a chair, and after a long moment, he managed to ask, ”Are the arrangements for my eldest brother’s funeral taken care of?”

”Ah, we just sorted them out with the Second Master.” ’It had taken a great deal of effort.’

’The Second Master kept choking on his sobs, unable to speak, and they had to stop several times.’

Third Master Gan muttered an ”oh” or two. ”Then... what about us... What do we do now?”

’Usually, Eldest Brother held up the sky for the Gan Family. Now that the sky has fallen, what are we going to do?’

Zhao Fu waited patiently for him to continue. ’With Master Gan dead, control of the Gan Residence and the Commerce Association would pass to the other Gans. If they didn’t take charge, what authority did a servant like him have?’

With a sliver of hope, Third Master Gan asked, ”So, for the Commerce Association’s affairs, will Second Brother be managing them for now?”

”That... I am not sure.” Steward Zhao gave a bitter smile. ”The Second Master is overwhelmed with grief and unwilling to deal with these trivial matters.”

Third Master Gan coughed. ”Then wouldn’t the Commerce Association fall into chaos with no one in charge?”

”Are you willing to take over, Third Master?” Steward Zhao couldn’t hide his surprise.

Third Master Gan braced himself. ”Just... walk me through it first.”

”Right, right. Our Gan Family Commerce Association has one hundred and twelve people and deals primarily in the Demon Nest trade. Our main businesses are textiles, medicinal herbs, and ores, and we’re also involved in seven smaller categories. The Gan Family has four hundred mu of top-grade irrigated fields and one thousand one hundred mu of medium-grade fields. As for shops, we have eight in Wuze County and twelve in Bailong Village...”

Steward Zhao gave him a rough rundown. If written down, it would have been a few hundred words long. He then added, ”For the rest, you’ll have to see the accountant. Everything is clearly recorded in the ledgers... Third Master?”

Third Master Gan listened with his mouth half-open, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

’That much? It’s that complicated?’

His resolve wavered. He forced himself to say, ”Fine, I’ll go take a look another day. Are there people who normally manage these things?”

”Some do, some don’t. In the past, the Master would make temporary appointments, and Grand Steward Anx would usually coordinate everything.” Steward Zhao added, with a hint of self-interest, ”Sometimes the Master would have me handle things as well.”

The hint was obvious, but Third Master Gan just grunted in acknowledgement and gave no commitment.

Steward Zhao’s heart sank.

’Just as I thought. Third Master Gan isn’t even considering me. He’s almost certainly planning to have that man Luo take over.’ Steward Zhao snorted to himself, then said, ”There is one more thing—the most important matter at hand.”

”Hm? There’s more?” Third Master Gan no longer bothered to hide the reluctance on his face. ”Go on.”

”The Gan Family Commerce Association is able to dominate Wuze County not only because of Master Gan’s exceptional skills but also because of our exclusive trade with the Demon Nest.” Steward Zhao was still working for the Commerce Association, so he had to say what needed to be said. ”But this time, our caravan was taken hostage by bandits and forced into the Spider Queen’s territory to act as cover while they tried to steal treasures from the Underground Palace. Although the bandits ultimately failed, the Spider Queen no longer trusts us as she did before. So, she gave the token for entering and exiting the swamp to another young man.”

”Oh...” Third Master Gan nodded. ”And then?”

He knew a little about the family business, at least.

Seeing his expression, Steward Zhao knew he didn’t understand the severity of the situation. ”The trouble is, without the Passage Command, we can’t enter the Demon Nest Swamp anymore. We’ll be blocked by the Mirage Mist on the outskirts. If that happens, the Gan Family Commerce Association will lose its exclusive trade with the Spider Queen, and I’m afraid we’ll lose our advantage in Wuze County.”

He gave a bitter smile. ”News of Master Gan’s death will spread throughout the county in less than two days. When that happens, people will grow restless.” That was when the Gan Family’s true time of turmoil would begin.

Third Master Gan finally realized the gravity of the problem. ”If this Token is so important, why did the Spider Queen give it to someone else?”

”She trusts that young man more, I suppose,” Steward Zhao explained. ”The bandits were on the verge of success when he ruined their plans. He pleaded with the Spider Queen on our behalf, but only on the condition that the Gan Family caravan escort him to the Beiga Capital.”

Third Master Gan breathed a sigh of relief. ”That’s easy to handle. Just say I agree, and he’ll give us the Token, right?”

”It’s not that simple.” Steward Zhao shook his head. ”The Spider Queen requires us to escort him all the way to the Beiga Capital. Only then will we get the Passage Command.”

”What?” Third Master Gan was displeased. ”We have to take him all the way to the Beiga Capital first? Won’t that make us miss the autumn shipping season?” Even he, with his scant interest in commerce, knew that Master Gan was busiest during the spring and autumn.

”Those were the conditions for our caravan to leave the Demon Nest. We had no choice but to agree.”

”And he’ll just give us the Passage Command after he gets to the Beiga Capital? That’s ridiculous! Only a fool would believe that!” Third Master Gan sneered. ”This is extortion! The Gan Family can’t afford to be played for fools!”

Steward Zhao tried to make him understand. ”Third Master, this means the Spider Queen has effectively placed the power to choose her trade partner in Young Master Hee’s hands. We must treat him very carefully. Right now, he is at the Yuanzhi Restaurant, waiting for a meeting with the Gan Family.”

As he finished speaking, he saw Third Master Gan’s expression change drastically, a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief. ”Yuanzhi Restaurant?”

”A tall kid, seventeen or eighteen, dressed in coarse clothes, sitting by the window?” ’No, it can’t be!’ ”An air of arrogance about him?”

’He didn’t seem that arrogant, did he?’ Steward Zhao said, ”Ah... That’s him. You’ve just been to the Yuanzhi Restaurant?”

”...” Third Master Gan cleared his throat. ”Just passing by. Right, I have something else to do. Have Second Brother deal with him.”

”??”

’The Second Master? He’s washed his hands of everything except comforting Mrs. Maoo.’ Steward Zhao was speechless.

Third Master Gan practically oiled the soles of his feet, slipping away even faster than he had arrived.

***

Hee Lingchuan cleaned out his ear.

’So that’s how it is.’

A quarter of an hour later, someone came up the stairs.

Sitting on the second floor, Hee Lingchuan saw him coming. It was Steward Zhao.

Steward Zhao was all smiles. ”Young Master Hee, please come with me.”

”Are the Gans free now?” Hee Lingchuan asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”They’ve agreed to let me in?”

”Ah?” Steward Zhao gave a dry laugh. ”Why would you say that?”

”A moment ago, Third Master Gan let his lackey injure someone, then told me to wait here, threatening to teach me a lesson.” Hee Lingchuan spread his hands. ”So, here I am, waiting.”

Steward Zhao was dumbfounded.

’No wonder Third Master Gan’s expression was so priceless when he heard Young Master Hee was at the Yuanzhi Restaurant.’

’He offended the man before they could even start negotiating.’

Inwardly, he cursed Third Master Gan up and down, but his face was wreathed in a strained smile. ”Could it be a misunderstanding? I...”

”I hear Second Master Gan never handles business. You should have Third Master Gan come talk to me. I’ll be right here, waiting for his grand arrival,” Hee Lingchuan said flatly. ”If he’s not here within a quarter of an hour, I’m leaving. The Gans aren’t the only caravan that can get to the Demon Capital City.”

’Such a hard-line stance?’ After hearing that last sentence, Steward Zhao immediately complied. ”Yes, of course.” He then turned and left.

’The Gan Family has lost its patriarch; the great tree is about to fall. But I have the Shi Family Commerce Association as a backup, so what do I have to be afraid of?’

Two waiters nearby recognized Steward Zhao. Seeing him act so respectfully toward Hee Lingchuan, they couldn’t help but look at each other in bewilderment.

’This was completely different from Third Master Gan’s attitude. What act were the Gans putting on? We don’t get it.’

...

A quarter of an hour later, the restaurant’s wooden stairs creaked again. This time, however, the steps were slow, clearly betraying the reluctance of the person coming up.

Third Master Gan had arrived, followed by Steward Zhao.

Third Master Gan came to the table, cupped his fist, and said, ”Thank you, Young Master Hee, for your righteous intervention in the swamp, rescuing my family’s caravan.”

The word ”righteous” was spoken with particular emphasis.

’Embarrassed by a compliment about being righteous? Third Master Gan overestimated me.’ Hee Lingchuan didn’t even put down his wine cup, just swirled it in his hand. ”I’ve been waiting for you, Third Master. Waiting for that lesson you were going to teach me.”

”I was rude earlier.” Third Master Gan was grinding his teeth so hard they might shatter, but he had to stick to the script of ’arrogant first, deferential later.’ ”I offer you my apologies.”

Hee Lingchuan just said, ”Oh.”

”About the Passage Command...”

”Is that it?” ’Would I let him off that easily? I’ve been sitting here bored for over a double-hour. What’s the time cost of that? Not that my time is worth much right now.’ ”Trying to have someone killed in the market, making a scene at my expense... and you think a flimsy apology is enough?”

”You...” ’A thousand curses ran through Third Master Gan’s mind.’ ”What do you want?”

Hee Lingchuan leaned casually against the windowsill. ”First, you’re paying for this meal and for the damages to Yuanzhi Restaurant. No less than two gold.”

Paying was humiliating, but it was easily done. Third Master Gan nodded at Steward Zhao, who immediately called over the Shopkeeper and handed him two gold.

The Shopkeeper, holding the heavy small gold ingots, thought he must be dreaming.

’So the guest was right. The tyrannical Third Master Gan of Wuze County is actually paying compensation to someone?’

”Second, the hunter you injured is lying in Beisong Pharmacy, which is just two streets away. Go and compensate him for his losses. You’ll pay until he is satisfied.”