Scripture of Days Past

After returning to Azure Sun County, Chu Qiguang spotted the Azure Sun Trade Association’s trading center from afar as he passed through the western main street.

The trading center had already bought all the restaurants and shops in the surrounding area, and it was currently surrounded by throngs of people. Only a small portion of them had come to trade stocks. The rest were checking stock prices and gathering information.

Many stalls had also been set up nearby, selling things like snacks, stuffed buns, and wine.

Chu Qiguang made his way through the western main street and arrived in front of the Wu Residence, deciding to give them another chance. Wu Siqi was still the grand secretary, and he would remain in that position for nearly another decade, so Chu Qiguang wanted to remain in his good graces.

If Wu Wei is willing to cough up some money, I’ll let him off the hook. If he refuses, then I’ll have to apply some pressure. That may put me at odds with Wu Siqi, but given the Yong’an Emperor’s personality, he’ll probably be more inclined to trust me if he finds out that I’m on bad terms with the grand secretary.

***

Inside the Wu Residence, Sun Bin was very surprised to learn that Chu Qiguang had come to visit.

Ever since Wu Wei appointed him as the new CEO of the Azure Sun Trade Association half a year ago, his life had taken a drastic turn for the better. The Azure Sun Trade Association was constantly expanding and attracting more powerful and wealthy investors. At this point, Sun Bin was treated like an esteemed guest by many people he had to be respectful to in the past.

Back when Chu Qiguang first founded the Azure Sun Trade Association, Sun Bin had visited him, only to be denied an audience.

”Did he say why he’s here?” Sun Bin asked.

”He said he wants to discuss some business concerning the trade association,” the servant replied.

A cold sneer appeared on Sun Bin’s face. He must be envious of my achievements and wants to get some money from the trade association. Perhaps he even intends to return and take my place.

With that in mind, he gave a cold harrumph and said, ”Master Wu is busy right now. Tell Chu Qiguang that if he wants to discuss matters concerning the trade association, he can speak to the accountants at the trading center. This is a private residence, and the Wu Clan has no private matters to discuss with him. Tell him you’re speaking on behalf of Master Wu.”

A hesitant look appeared on the servant’s face. ”Should we not at least report this matter to Master Wu?”

”Are you defying my orders?” Sun Bin asked with a displeased expression. ”I’ll explain everything to Master Wu myself. You just focus on doing your job. Understood?”

The servant hurriedly gave an affirmative response.

”Go!” Sun Bin snapped, and the servant quickly scurried away to relay Sun Bin’s message to Chu Qiguang.

”Tell Wu Wei that I’ll only wait for him for three days at most,” Chu Qiguang said. ”If he makes me wait any longer than that, he’ll miss his only chance.”

The message was relayed back to Sun Bin, who merely scoffed and dismissed it as an empty threat.

***

Three days later, Wang Cailiang’s family, Zhou Ergou’s family, and Chen Gang’s family had all been taken to Heavenly Melody Manor for their protection.

Liu Yao’s funds had also arrived, and it was finally time for Chu Qiguang to carry out his plan.

Wang Cailiang had no idea what Chu Qiguang intended to do, but the mere thought of having six hundred thousand taels of silver filled him with a sense of disbelief.

”What do we do now?” he asked.

”First, we lower the stock price,” Chu Qiguang replied.

”But how do we do that? So many false negative rumors have already been spread about the Azure Sun Trade Association that I don’t think they’ll work anymore.”

”If simple rumors won’t work, then we’ll give them more credibility,” Chu Qiguang said with a smile. ”If a lie is repeated a hundred times, it becomes the truth. As long as we make enough of a fuss, people will be forced to listen. If I say the stocks carry a virus or that wearing cotton garments will cause demonification, there will always be some people willing to believe me.”

Wang Cailiang didn’t know what a virus was, but he still nodded and asked, ”Then what rumors should we spread?”

”There are fiends among the workers of the Azure Sun Trade Association, aren’t there?”

Only then did Wang Cailiang recall that Chu Qiguang had personally performed the Heavenly Fiend Foundation Establishment Technique on the first batch of skilled workers in the Azure Sun Trade Association.

That night, the two Chongming Birds flew over the Northern Mountain Manor. Following Chu Qiguang’s instructions, they scattered the flyers prepared in Hidden Fiend Village from the sky.

The next morning, a barely literate worker picked up one of the flyers and struggled to read what was written on it.

”Azure Sun Trade Association... workshop... fiend...”

”Give me that!” the shopkeeper snapped, snatching the flyer from the worker. ”You can’t even read! Utterly useless, you are!”

”There are fiends posing as workers in the Azure Sun Trade Association’s workshop?” the shopkeeper exclaimed after reading the flyer.

More than a thousand fiends in Hidden Fiend Village worked day and night to produce these flyers, and the rumor soon spread throughout Spirit Province like wildfire.

At first, most people were unconvinced. However, as the rumor continued to spread, their confidence in the Azure Sun Trade Association gradually began to waver.

What if it’s true? Even if it isn’t, what if other people believe it and start selling their stocks? I have to sell mine before the price starts falling!

Over the course of roughly half a month, the rumor began to take root in people’s minds, prompting many of them to sell their stocks.

In the past few days alone, the Azure Sun Trade Association’s stock price had fallen from four taels and two qian to three taels and one qian.

”Start buying,” Chu Qiguang ordered.

”Now?” Wang Cailiang exclaimed.

”Wu Wei and the others will have to address the falling stock price to appease the shareholders,” Chu Qiguang explained. ”All they need to do is debunk the rumor, and the stock price will naturally rebound. We need to start buying before that happens.”

***

Sure enough, Wu Wei and Sun Bin were already taking action.

At around noon that day, a raised platform was erected in front of the trading center. Wu Wei, Sun Bin, and Abbot Chen Zhu stood atop it.

With a warm smile, Wu Wei addressed the massive crowd gathered in the street. ”I’ve heard that some rumors have recently been circulating, claiming that our workshop is full of fiends. I am here today to debunk those lies. Abbot Chen Zhu of the Azure Sun Daoist Temple will visit our workshop with his fellow Daoist priests. Together, they will perform fiend-vanquishing rituals to prove that there are no fiends among us.”

Over the next few days, the Azure Sun Trade Association continued making active efforts to debunk the spreading rumors. Just as Chu Qiguang had predicted, the stock price quickly stabilized before rebounding.