Lan Xinlu blinked: "Too much?"
The young master said, "Twenty million is no small sum. Even for the Yi family, we must be careful when lending it out."
Lan Xinluo smiled and said, "It's because no one but your Yi family can lend it to me, otherwise why would I have come to you?"
“I’m a businessman, I don’t do things that don’t bring me any benefit,” the young master said calmly, picking up a folding fan from the table. “I don’t think you can repay this money.”
“That’s true,” Lan Xinluo frowned, revealing a resentful look, “If you can’t return it, you’ll have to sell me to you.”
The young master smiled: "For someone like Miss Xinluo to offer herself as payment for a debt, I would be more than happy to oblige, but twenty million..."
"how?"
"not worth."
The color on her pretty face changed slightly, but she quickly returned to normal. Lan Xinlu glared at him and sighed, "I've never met a man like you before, with such an unpleasant way of speaking."
The young master said, "If you want to borrow so much, you should give me a reason."
Lan Xinluo said seriously, "Young Master Yi should know about the Jiang family's extraordinary treasure."
The young master thought for a moment: "A few years ago, during the Jiang family massacre, that treasure, along with the Jiang family's ancestral 'White Day Startling Wind Sword Manual,' disappeared and its whereabouts are unknown. It is likely that it was taken by the murderer."
Lan Xinlu shook her head: "You haven't seen it with your own eyes, so how do you know they were really taken away?"
The young master asked, "How do you know they weren't stolen?"
Lan Xinluo lightly flicked her long sleeves: "Since I know, I have my own way of dealing with it."
The young master was silent for a moment, then looked at her and said, "If I remember correctly, the Lan family and the Jiang family have been friends for generations."
Lan Xinluo nodded: "You're not mistaken."
The young master said, "Now, you are trying to seize the Jiang family's property."
"With so many people watching, it's too unsafe to leave the treasure in the hands of the useless Jiang Xiaohu," Lan Xinluo said regretfully. "Since they are family friends, we should take good care of it for him."
The young master's eyes flashed: "Who committed the Jiang family massacre?"
Lan Xinlu covered her mouth and laughed: "It wasn't me."
The young master smiled and asked, "What benefit would this bring me?"
Lan Xinluo's eyes flickered slightly: "The Jiang family's treasure is extremely wondrous, and it might even help someone unify the martial world. Countless people are eyeing it now, even the Thousand Hands Sect has sent people to monitor that kid..."
"The Thousand Hands Sect?" The young master frowned slightly. "The Jiang family's treasure is just a rumor. The Yi family doesn't need to waste its energy on something that doesn't exist."
Lan Xinluo looked at him and slowly said, "What if I told you that this is true?"
The young master did not answer: "If it's true, and you've come to me for help, aren't you afraid that I also have ulterior motives?"
Lan Xinluo countered, "The Yi family is wealthy and powerful, and has connections in the imperial court, enough to make people wary. Would they really be interested in the martial arts world?"
The young master shook his head: "The Yi family does not want to be suspected by the imperial court."
“That’s right,” Lan Xinluo sighed. “Everyone can be interested in it, but the Yi family would never want to become more powerful, which is why I came to you.” She then laughed, “We have more leads than you. Even if you are interested, you will definitely wait until we find the item before making your move and reaping the benefits. Isn’t that what unscrupulous merchants love to do?”
The young master remained unfazed and smiled, "Besides, Miss Xinluo is determined to have that item, how could I dare to take away what the beauty desires?" He paused, then slowly closed his folding fan, "You are a smart man. Since you know the court's taboos, you should understand that that treasure may not be a good thing."
"Do you think the imperial court will definitely send troops to appease the people once the martial arts world is unified?" Lan Xinlu snorted. "Even if they do send troops, the outcome is uncertain. You must know that we have been planning for many years, and our influence is spread throughout the martial arts world. We are also operating in the shadows. We are not like those bandits in the north, who can be driven away by a single army."
The young master nodded: "I only know that many people are unwilling to take risks."
"To achieve great things, how can one not take some risks?" Lan Xinluo said with a seductive look in her eyes. "You are loyal to the imperial court, while we aspire to the martial world. Wouldn't it be better if we became family in private?"
The young master sighed, "I'm afraid that's not good. If the two elders find out that I brought back a woman who likes to use men as chairs for no reason, they will surely be furious."
Lan Xinluo suppressed a laugh: "So you're a good boy after all."
The young master was not angry: "I am a good boy, so I would never waste money. Since Miss Xinluo has come with good intentions, she must have a better reason to persuade me."
“I’ll help you earn more money,” Lan Xinluo said with a composed expression. “You’ve forgotten that the Jiang family, once known as the richest family in Jiangnan, had accumulated wealth far exceeding a mere 20 million over the generations. That treasure may be fabricated, but the ‘Daylight Startling Wind Sword Manual’ and that fortune are certainly real. We each get what we need, so what’s wrong with that?”
.
The beauty departed, leaving behind a lingering fragrance. The young master gazed thoughtfully at the teacups on the table.
"Did the young master really agree to her request?"
“Now we know who sent those people outside the Jiang family compound,” the young master replied, seemingly changing the subject. “Look, so-called family friendships are nothing more than this. It’s still hard to say who the mastermind behind the Jiang family massacre is…” He suddenly stopped and sighed, “Just like when we do business, it’s best to rely on yourself.”
Liu Bai said, "According to her, the Thousand Hands Sect did indeed send people to monitor Jiang Xiaohu. It seems they are really interested in that treasure."
The young master shook his head: "The one being monitored may not be Jiang Xiaohu. That silly girl can disguise herself. Jiang Xiaohu should know her identity, yet she still trusts her. Perhaps... that kid has lived this long, do you think he's only been looking for girls to gamble?"
Without hesitation, Liu Bai replied, "Revenge."
"Without martial arts skills, it won't be easy for him to take revenge on his own."
"Does the young master mean that he has a deal with the Thousand Hands Sect?"
The young master put down his folding fan: "Regardless of his relationship with the Thousand Hands Sect, the Lan family will inevitably become enemies with the Thousand Hands Sect if they want to seize that treasure. Rather than taking action ourselves, we should observe from the sidelines and let them do the work to find out where the item is."
Liu Bai frowned: "We cannot be enemies with the Thousand Hands Sect."
“I will not be an enemy of Jin Huanlai,” the young master glanced at him and chuckled. “Whether others deal with him or not is none of our Yi family’s business.”
Hidden treasures in the mountains
"Jin Huanlai, I have something to tell you!" As soon as they entered the garden, Qiu Lingling pulled him aside, seemingly very mysterious.
Jin was puzzled: "What?"
"You know what? There seems to be a cave on the mountain next door."
Jin frowned: "There are so many caves, why are you running around again?"
“No,” Qiu Lingling shook her head, “I found it this morning when I was gathering herbs for my master. It’s on a cliff. The cave there is different; it even has a lock.”
What's inside?
"I don't know. I've tried many methods, but I can't open the lock."
Jin snorted, "Can't even open a single lock?"
“That lock is strange, I’ll take you to see it.” Qiu Lingling pulled him up.
.
The cave was indeed on the cliff. The two used their lightness skills to climb up, only to find that it was not really a cave. It was very shallow, at most enough for a dozen people to stand on. The stone wall inside was a single piece, uneven, with a hole less than the thickness of a little finger. If it were anyone else, they would not have noticed anything. But what kind of business did the Thousand Hands Sect do? Although Qiu Lingling's knowledge was limited, she could recognize that it was an extremely special keyhole.
Imagine, who would put a lock on a cliff for no reason?
"Am I right? There must be a door here." Qiu Lingling touched the stone wall.
Looking at the keyhole, the inside was worn smooth, indicating it had been used frequently. Jin Huanlai also began to wonder: "Could there be something inside?"
Qiu Lingling blinked: "Try opening it?"
What lock could the dignified leader of the Thousand Hands Sect not open? Jin glanced at her, then took out a purple, crystal-clear hairpin from his bosom. The color was like grapes, clearly made of precious amethyst. The hairpin head was adorned with a delicate and exquisite butterfly, its wings slightly raised, lifelike. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that it was absolutely first-rate craftsmanship.
"Is this the butterfly-shaped purple jade hairpin you mentioned the other day?" I asked curiously.
Jin didn't answer. He inserted the thin hairpin tip into the keyhole and slowly fiddled with it. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he finally heard a "snap". He immediately pressed his palm against the stone wall and pushed it inward with force. Sure enough, the stone wall gradually opened inward, revealing a dark passage.
The two exchanged a glance.
"Wait here."
"I want to go too!"
Her small hand gripped his tightly, firmly. Jin said no more, and pulled her inside. With a sound, the stone door behind them closed, and the two were plunged into darkness.
.
The tinderbox was lit, and everyone in the Thousand Hands Sect carried this item with them, which came in handy at this moment.
The passage was about two meters wide. Just in case, the two walked slowly along the cave wall, one in front of the other. Sure enough, after walking less than twenty steps, Jin Huanlai felt his left foot sink. Without thinking, he instinctively grabbed Qiu Lingling, leaped into the air, and dodged several rows of swords and spears thrusting out from the left and right. The moment the fire went out, he quickly stepped on the spears, slapped the cave wall with his left hand, and relied entirely on his superb lightness skill to slide forward along the cave ceiling until he landed safely.
The tinderbox was lit again, and when they looked back, the knives and spears on the cave wall had disappeared.
It was incredibly dangerous just now. If they had been even half a step slower, they would have been pierced by swords and spears. Qiu Lingling's face was pale as she hugged him tightly: "Let's go back."
Now that they were already inside, Jin was not about to go back easily. He sneered, "It's just a small mechanism, what's there to be afraid of? Setting up the cave in such a hidden place, I want to see what good stuff is inside."
Despite this, Jin Hailai dared not be careless after receiving such a rude awakening. He cautiously probed further in, but to his surprise, the path ahead was surprisingly smooth, without any traps or hidden weapons. He was filled with doubt. Perhaps the owner of this place thought the cliff was secluded enough and did not expect to be discovered...
As they were pondering this, the path in front of them suddenly disappeared, and the two found themselves in a room.
.
There were about a dozen boxes on both sides, each large enough to fit a person. They were all very new, as if they had just been delivered, indicating that people do come in frequently.
Jin casually lifted one of the lids, and the two of them were immediately dumbfounded.
A whole bunch of gold bricks!
Qiu Lingling stammered, "Is...is it true?"
Jin didn't speak or touch the gold. He continued walking inside, opening each box one by one. Inside were gold bricks, various pearls, jade, vases, and antiques, each item of considerable value, gleaming in the light of the tinderbox.
Qiu Lingling laughed: "Haha, so many treasures, let's take them all home!"
"It's just a lot, nothing good," Jin Huanlai said without taking it to heart, and continued walking inside. "There are rooms over there, let's go take a look."
The first two rooms had only about ten boxes, and they were in very new condition. However, the last two rooms were quite surprising. The rooms were almost completely filled with dozens of boxes stacked on top of each other, some of which reached the top of the cave. Unlike the first two rooms, the boxes here looked very old, with peeling paint on the surface, indicating that they were quite old and must have been transported much earlier.
Even the leader of our Thousand Hands Sect, who is the richest man in the world, was extremely shocked. Damn it, apart from the Yi family in the north, there are actually people in the world who are richer than this leader!
Since the boxes arrived at different times, some first and some last, they are definitely not treasures. They look more like a treasure vault. Could it be that some rich person stored their money here?
The fifth room was faintly glowing, which made Jin Huanlai even more suspicious. He led Qiu Lingling over there.
.
The scene before me was as expected. The room was much smaller, with a luminous pearl embedded in each of the four walls, shimmering with a soft and beautiful light. There were no boxes in the room, but in the center there was a stone platform about half a person's height, on which sat a jade box.
Based on past experience, the real treasure was most likely here. Jin extinguished the tinderbox and carefully examined it by the light of the luminous pearl. He found that the jade box was deeply embedded in the stone platform, almost forming a whole, and was very sturdy. Moreover, experience told him that it was best not to move it easily.
The jade box showed no signs of poisoning, and upon tapping and touching it, it didn't appear to contain any mechanism. After thinking for a moment, he instructed Qiu Lingling, "You can go out now."
Qiu Lingling asked nervously, "Are you going to open it?"
"kindness."