Chapter 344 - 331: Behind the Scenes

Chapter 344: Chapter 331: Behind the Scenes

The bamboo forest was quiet, the stream murmuring softly.

Chen Shouheng recounted everything in detail: how Bai San had learned from a covert informant that Governor Zhao Yuanhong intended to split the Sun Family’s assets into three parts for auction, and his wife Zhou Shuwei’s analysis of the situation and her proposed countermeasures.

Chen Li stood with his hands clasped behind his back, listening quietly.

"Father, your foresight is truly divine. You predicted this perfectly."

After finishing, Chen Shouheng added with relief, "That Zhao Yuanhong really is devious."

Chen Li had originally sent Bai San to activate their sleeper agent, Suo Li Wew, more out of a reminder from Jiang Nanyue and his own habitual caution. His intention was to place a piece on the board, not because he was certain Zhao Yuanhong would try anything.

He just hadn’t expected a move to be made so quickly.

He mulled it over for a moment before speaking. "Shuwei’s proposal to simply raise the price, using force to overcome artifice, is indeed the most feasible and safest solution right now."

His tone then shifted as his gaze fell upon his son. "However, Shouheng, in your opinion, how should we respond?"

Chen Shouheng thought for a moment before replying, "Father, I believe Zhao Yuanhong dares to act this way because he’s relying on his status as Governor. He’s banking on the assumption that our Chen Family wouldn’t dare make a move against a Court-appointed official."

"If you were to take action, Father, and give him a small taste of our absolute power, I expect he would discard these petty schemes and deal with us honestly as agreed."

After hearing him out, Chen Li gently shook his head.

His eldest son had indeed matured a great deal from the rash young man he used to be. He now knew how to plan and was willing to listen to advice.

But his perspective was still too shallow, habitually falling back on the straightforward thinking of a Martial Artist.

He didn’t rebuke him, however. Instead, he posed a question. "Shouheng, let me ask you. If you were in Zhao Yuanhong’s position as a Governor, facing a family that openly has four Divine Hall Grandmasters and power far exceeding your own—while you yourself are merely at the Divine Hall realm—what would you do?"

The question caught Chen Shouheng off guard. He thought for a moment, then answered, "If I were him, after weighing the pros and cons, I would choose to avoid a direct confrontation for now. I’d sell the Sun Family’s assets to you and then slowly plot ways to divide and counterbalance you in the future."

"Correct."

Chen Li nodded. "Even you understand the principle of concealing one’s strength and biding one’s time. Zhao Yuanhong climbed his way from a mere garrison commander to the position of Acting Governor. Do you think he’s an incompetent fool?"

"Would he not know that playing such a clumsy balancing act at this juncture would not only be difficult to pull off but would also immediately offend our Chen Family to the point of no return, placing himself in grave danger?"

He paused, then continued, "What’s more, he accepted one thousand taels of gold from our Chen Family. ’Take the money, solve the problem’—that is the rule, the unspoken agreement. To take the money and not do the job, and even try to bite the hand that feeds you by setting a trap, is a sure path to self-destruction. With his shrewdness, would he be unable to make this simple calculation?"

This series of rhetorical questions struck Chen Shouheng like a heavy hammer, jolting him awake as a thin layer of cold sweat beaded on his back.

A look of confusion appeared on his face. "Father, then... then why would he..."

Chen Li said, "Unless Zhao Yuanhong is a fool blinded by greed, there is only one explanation for his audacity. Someone, or some power, has given him the confidence—or made him believe he’s strong enough—to contend with or even suppress our Chen Family."

Chen Shouheng was stunned. "Father, you mean... there’s someone behind him? Who could it be? The Cao Family, or the Su Family?"

This deduction was completely beyond his expectations.

"It’s too early to guess."

Chen Li waved his hand dismissively. "The enemy is in the shadows while we are in the light. Acting rashly will only alert them, and we might even fall into a larger trap."

"Then how should we respond?" Chen Shouheng asked urgently.

"We do nothing."

Chen Li’s answer was unexpectedly simple. "Just follow Shuwei’s plan."

In Chen Li’s view, while Zhou Shuwei’s judgment of the root cause might not have reached the heart of the matter, her proposed countermeasure was the most stable option at present.

Since the other party has drawn the line and wants to play this game within the rules, with an overt plot, then we’ll just play along.

A contest within the rules is open and aboveboard. Even if the person behind them wants to use this as a pretext, they will find no leverage.

As for flipping the table, how can you flip it when you don’t even know where the table is?

Chen Li added, "However, waiting and observing doesn’t mean being completely passive. Have Bai San find that Suo Li Wew again. Tell him his silver coins are guaranteed. Have him pay close attention to any unfamiliar faces coming and going from the Commandery Magistrate’s Office. The more detailed the information, the better."

"Yes, Father. I’ll see to it as soon as I get back."

Chen Shouheng nodded.

Watching his eldest son agree to each point, Chen Li sighed inwardly and couldn’t resist offering a piece of advice. "Shouheng, I arranged your marriage to Shuwei because I value her intelligence. I hoped she would be an invaluable partner to you, someone to cover your blind spots and offer strategies at critical moments."

"But that doesn’t mean you should rely on her for everything and hand over your decision-making authority. You must listen to her advice, consider it, and analyze it, but the final decision must be your own."

Chen Shouheng flushed with shame, a look of contrition on his face. He bowed deeply. "Yes, Father. I was wrong."

"For matters at home, you, Shouye, and Shouyue are to assist your mother. Especially with external affairs—you are the eldest son, and you must shoulder the main burden."

After giving a few more instructions, Chen Li patted his eldest son on the shoulder. "Come on. It’s getting late. Let’s go back and eat."

When the father and son returned to the small courtyard,

the three little ones—Shoujing, Shouyue, and Shoucheng—were gathered around the table. Each was clutching a chicken wing or drumstick, their faces shiny with grease.

Seeing Chen Shouheng enter, Shoujing held up his half-eaten drumstick and mumbled, "Big Brother, you can have this."

Chen Shouheng couldn’t help but chuckle. He teased, "Shoujing, I thought you hated greasy meat the most? What’s with the change of heart today?"

Chen Shoujing’s face fell. He pouted and complained, "You don’t know, Big Brother! At the tutor’s house, breakfast and lunch are nothing but coarse rice and boiled cabbage. You can’t even see a speck of oil. I’m starving all day long!"

His aggrieved expression made even Chen Li crack a smile.

After the meal, Chen Shouheng got up to leave.

Just as he was about to depart, Chen Li seemed to remember something. He called him back and instructed, "Before you return to Liyang, take a detour back to Lingxi and bring Linglong here. I have other matters to discuss with her."

Chen Shouheng nodded in agreement, mounted his horse, and rode off.

...

「Liyang, Governor’s Mansion.」

Zhao Yuanhong, dressed in casual clothes and holding a thick ledger, headed toward a separate courtyard in the rear of the mansion.

This had been the residence of the previous Governor, He Mingyun.

With its pavilions, rockeries, and ponds, it had everything one could want and was the finest courtyard in the Governor’s Mansion.

Although Zhao Yuanhong had been appointed Acting Governor, as long as the official appointment from the Court had not arrived, he was merely "acting" and not the "official" one. Without the proper title, his authority was not fully established.

Therefore, while he conducted his daily business in the main hall of the Governor’s Mansion, he would dutifully return to his own County Captain’s Mansion to rest at night, never overstepping his bounds by staying here.

But at this moment, a light was on in the small building that should have been vacant.

He arrived at the gate of the separate courtyard. It was ajar, and silence reigned within, save for a bright light shining from a single window on the second floor.

Zhao Yuanhong walked in, went up to the second floor, and stopped outside the door from which the light emanated. He raised his hand and knocked.

"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK."

After three knocks, there was no response from within.

After about a dozen breaths, a low, concise word finally came from inside: "Enter."

The voice was not loud, but it carried the authority of someone long accustomed to a high position.

Not daring to delay, Zhao Yuanhong quickly and gently pushed the door open and entered.

The room was brightly lit. On a soft couch against the far wall, a middle-aged man in black satin robes sat cross-legged, clearly having just finished his Cultivation.

This man was none other than the Jiangzhou Governor, Zhou Bo’an.

Zhao Yuanhong stepped forward and bowed. "Reporting to the Governor, the liquidation and assessment of the Sun Family’s assets is complete. Everything has been divided into three portions as you instructed. My preliminary calculations show that each portion is equivalent to about four hundred sixty thousand taels of silver."

"The first portion mainly includes the Textile Workshop in the city, as well as the prime waterfront fields along the river in Qingshui County. The specific acreage is..."

Before he could finish, Zhou Bo’an waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off. "There’s no need to report such trivial details one by one. Just handle it properly yourself."

Zhao Yuanhong’s words caught in his throat. He quickly fell silent and replied, "Yes, I understand."

He glanced at Zhou Bo’an’s expression, hesitated for a moment, then braced himself and asked tentatively, "Governor, since the three portions of assets have been divided, besides the Chen Family, which other families should I notify to participate in the auction for the other two portions? Please instruct me."

Zhou Bo’an’s gaze, like two bolts of cold lightning, swept over Zhao Yuanhong. He didn’t answer but asked instead, "I told you to intentionally leak the news that the Sun Family’s assets would be sold in three portions. Did you do it?"

Zhao Yuanhong replied, "To answer the Governor, this matter is of great importance, and the intentions of the other two parties have not been finalized. I feared it might cause unnecessary complications, so I have not yet dared to publicize it."

Zhou Bo’an snorted. "There’s no need to wait. I have my own arrangements for the other two bidders. You just need to draft and announce the auction procedures as soon as possible and set a date for it to begin. Don’t ask about the rest."

A bitter look appeared on Zhao Yuanhong’s face. "Governor, please understand, it’s not that I’m overthinking this. If the Lingxi Chen Family has nothing to do with them, then it’s fine. But if they are truly suspects, their strength is likely unfathomable."

"I am merely at the Divine Hall realm, with meager Cultivation. If the Chen Family gets desperate and does something drastic... I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep my head. I hope the Governor will be considerate."

"With me here overseeing things, what are you afraid of?"

Zhou Bo’an’s tone suddenly grew heavy, filled with a murderous intent. "Besides, this is not just my idea. It is a top priority that the Governor himself has personally instructed must be handled as quickly as possible. Three Thousand Commanders from the Garrison Command have vanished—no sign of them, dead or alive."

"This matter has already alarmed the Inner Court, and the higher-ups are furious. If we cannot investigate this quickly, expose the mastermind, and give a clear explanation to the Court and the Inner Court..."

Zhou Bo’an’s gaze locked onto Zhao Yuanhong as he said, word by word, "You, me, and even the entirety of Jiangzhou—none of us will be able to bear the consequences!"

"Yes. I understand."

Zhao Yuanhong didn’t dare say another word and quickly bowed to accept his orders.

"Go. Get it done quickly."

Zhou Bo’an waved his hand and closed his eyes again.

"I will take my leave."

Zhao Yuanhong bowed one more time before backing out of the room.

He sighed to himself. ’I know all too well that if this is truly related to the Chen Family, then it’s a dead end. But now, I have no path of retreat. I can only brace myself and see this through.’