Two people sat across from each other in the Golden Wind’s bottommost deck, where iron walls enclosed them in the most secure and secluded spot on the whole vessel.
One was an old man with a square face and a pale complexion, who had a bronze abacus in front of him.
The other wore a white mask, had a thin figure, and carried a long sword at his waist.
“We both came here on orders. The master I serve has high martial skills, but a bad temper. He is one of the most difficult masters to serve on Weilong Mountain. He also speaks very rudely. I might as well tell you, manager Yan.” The masked man tapped the table, his tone mocking. “The Mu family of Qingzhou is nothing in my eyes.”
Manager Yan moved the abacus and placed it in front of the masked man, “This is all the wealth you have on Weilong Mountain now.”
“Manager Yan knows a lot. Even I, who belong to the Courtyard of Thousand Inventions, am not too sure about the exact amount of wealth.” The masked man said softly.
Manager Yan started to click the abacus again, and after he finished, he pushed it over. “Within three months, the Mu family can make the price of gold drop by 30%. By then, this will be the amount of wealth on Weilong Mountain. Your master is troublesome, but what about Master Bai? Is he easy to serve?”
The masked man cleared the abacus with one swipe after a moment of silence, “I trust the Mu family has the power, but I doubt they have the nerve.”
“The Mu family had an ancestor who was very bold, who bought this ship, the Golden Wind, and even did not fear the royal menace. And now, the boldest one in the Mu family is the seventh son on this ship.” Manager Yan replied.
“The seventh son is bold, but what about the Mu family’s head?” The masked man asked coldly.
“If the head of the family was here, then the seventh son would not be the one in charge. But the head is not here, so the seventh son of the Mu family makes the decisions. The seventh son says this matter is impossible, then it is impossible!” Manager Yan waved a finger lightly. “No room for negotiation.”
“What if we kill the seventh son?” The masked man raised his voice deliberately.
Manager Yan coughed lightly, “Entering this room can isolate all sounds, and no one outside can hear what you say. And you say you want to kill the seventh son, then what I just said about the gold is only the beginning. The Mu family will spare no effort to oppose Shanglin Heavenly Palace, even if it means losing everything, being exterminated, they will not hesitate!”
“Is the seventh son of the Mu family that important?” The masked man asked with some surprise in his tone.
“The seventh son of the Mu family is certainly very important, he is the most valued son of the head of the family, and also the most beloved grandson of the old Mu patriarch. But this has nothing to do with how important he is, any son of the Mu family here, as long as you, Shanglin Heavenly Palace, dare to harm his life, then the Mu family will fight you to the death. This is the foundation of our Mu family’s standing in the world, not to suffer losses.” Manager Yan paused, and continued to say word by word the latter half of the sentence, “Even if we die, we will not suffer losses.”
“No wonder the Mu family’s business is doing so well, they do have their reasons.” The masked man smiled. “But my master said, being the richest in the world, and being the best in the world, are still different. For example, killing a Mu family, maybe we might suffer some losses temporarily, but we might also swallow the Mu family, and become stronger than before.”
“I, manager Yan, have reached the age of sixty this year.” Manager Yan said abruptly.
The masked man did not understand, and pondered for a moment before replying, “What do you mean by that, manager?”
“When I first became the Iron Hand manager, I had the fortune of meeting the great palace master Su Han. I have seen many people in my life, princes and generals, all kinds of sects and schools, the heroes and villains of the martial world, but he was the most admirable person I have ever seen. I briefly believed that this martial world would become what we imagined under his hands.” manager Yan’s voice was filled with sentiment. “But I never expected, it would turn out like this today.”
“Manager Yan, I advise you not to say some words for your own good.” The masked man’s tone had a few more traces of killing intent.
“Shanglin Heavenly Palace, has only become a sect after all. No matter how big their influence, how strong their power, no matter being the best in the world, they have only become a sect after all.” Manager Yan said in a low voice.
The masked man pondered for a moment and put the sword at his waist on the table, “Manager Yan, we have been talking about our own reasons this night. We all have our own difficulties, but I have a word that I hope you can pass on to that seventh son of the Mu family. Those two people, they are not worth it.”
“If they are really not worth it, why don’t you let them go?” Manager Yan asked back.
“For us, they are very worthwhile, for you, they are just two passengers.” The masked man stood up, his finger lightly tapping the long sword on the table. “I’ll leave this sword here with you, manager. If you change your mind, just hang this sword on the flagpole. We’ll see it, and we’ll take action. I also keep your words in mind, manager. I’ll tell our master, to wait a little longer, until we reach the shore, the Mu family still has a chance.”
“I’ll give you this abacus too.” Manager Yan said slowly, but the masked man did not give him a chance to finish. He drew the long sword on the table in an instant, and slashed the bronze abacus to pieces. The fragments of the abacus fell to the ground, making a crisp sound. The masked man’s voice was cold, “No need. I came here to talk to you, manager Yan, as a gesture of goodwill, not because the Mu family really has the qualification to negotiate with us. I think you should know our attitude after this sword, manager Yan. Nothing else needs to be said, just hang the sword on the flagpole, and we’ll know.”
After pondering for a long time, manager Yan sighed and said, “I understand. I have a business proposition of my own, and I wonder if I can discuss it with you?”
“Oh?” The masked man sheathed his sword and said, “Doesn’t the Mu family have a rule that the manager can only handle the Mu family’s own business?”
“Business, oh business, this is a clearly losing business.” In his own bedroom on the Golden Wind ship, Mu Nianhua drank one cup of wine after another. “But I have to do it anyway. Is it for the reputation of the Mu family, or for my own dignity?”
The white-clad beauty next to him did not know if he was asking her this question, or if he was talking to himself, and remained silent.
“The book says, once agreed, nothing can stop it, but the book also says, do not make promises beyond your ability. I suddenly regret it.” Mu Nianhua sighed softly. “Maybe I’m not as formidable as my father and the others imagined.”
The door was pushed open at this moment, and manager Yan walked in from outside. He no longer had the distinctive abacus in his hand, but instead a long sword.
Mu Nianhua’s eyes slowly narrowed into a slit, and finally he put down the wine cup. “Manager Yan, this is the first time I witness you ruin a business.”
“The other party no longer treats this as a business, so the business cannot be done.” Master Yan shook his head.
“Nor is there any benevolence or righteousness.” Mu Nianhua laughed loudly.
Thank you.