Finest Servant - Chapter 199

Chapter 199 The Drama Unfolds

Xu Wenchang’s words were heavy with implications. However, Lin Wanrong acted as though he hadn’t heard, chuckling as he said, “Since Mr. Xu has come to Jinling, perhaps you will stay a while longer and witness the beauty of Xuanwu and Qinhuai. I believe it will be a worthwhile trip. Ahem, the scenery of the Qinhuai River is quite enchanting, Mr. Xu, as a man of taste, I believe you won’t miss it.”

Xu Wenchang gave a dry laugh, replying, “This old man is pressed for time on his visit to the south. Although the sights of Qinhuai are splendid, I’m afraid I lack the leisure to enjoy them.” He paused for a moment, surveying the surroundings before whispering, “To be honest with you, during my handling of the White Lotus case in Hangzhou, I found new clues related to Jinling. Thus, I hurriedly made my way here.”

Lin Wanrong let out a hearty laugh, “Mr. Xu, as a pillar of the state and deeply trusted by the Emperor, it is inevitable that you are always on the move. By the way, Mr. Xu, how did you know I was here?” He beat around the bush, tactfully avoiding any mention of the White Lotus, displaying great finesse.

Xu Wei laughed, “The reputation of ‘Food for Immortals’ is well-known throughout Jiangsu and Zhejiang, how could I not know? This restaurant not only has a flourishing business but also has four extraordinary couplets hanging. I have some interest in business and couplets, so how could I not pay a visit when in Jinling? As they say, seeing is believing, and today, I’ve seen its unique and ingenious arrangement. Here, I also happened to meet you. It seems I have some destiny with ‘Food for Immortals’.”

Xu Wei had traveled the world, seen many things, and the praise he gave to ‘Food for Immortals’ indeed lived up to its reputation. However, when he mentioned this coincidence, Lin Wanrong didn’t believe it. Gao Qiu’s brother, Gao Shou, served under Luo Min and shared some responsibility in protecting the restaurant. Xu Wei and Luo Min were good friends, so figuring out the real relationship between himself and ‘Food for Immortals’ wouldn’t be hard for him. His so-called coincidence was clearly a planned rendezvous.

“Especially these four world-class couplets, even I, Wenchang, find myself incapable of matching them, it’s embarrassing.” Xu Wenchang looked at the four couplets regretfully, apparently genuinely helpless. Lin Wanrong was somewhat smug, probably the first person in the world to stump Xu Wenchang.

“By the way, Little brother Lin, this match for the first half of the couplet ‘Smoke Trails Along The Vibrant Eaves, Mirrored In The Eyes Of Swallow. Fog Veils The Darkened House, Wherein The Objects Fade’ – who came up with it? It’s quite well done. The world is indeed full of talented people,” said Xu Wenchang, referring to the second half of the couplet that Luo Ning had brought that day. It had already been mounted together with the first half, eliminating one of the four unmatched couplets in the world.

“Oh, that,” Lin Wanrong chuckled, “It was matched by a good friend of Miss Luo Ning, the daughter of Governor Luo Min, during her time in the capital.” He continued, “I heard she’s no ordinary lady, a teacher at the Jinghua Academy in the capital, and also the youngest ceremonial officer at the Imperial Academy. Quite a big title.”

“A friend of Miss Luo?” Xu Wei gave a long “Oh,” and with a mysterious smile, said, “So it’s her, that explains it.”

Upon Xu Wei’s arrival, Lin Wanrong, the wily merchant, wouldn’t let such a golden opportunity slip by. He chuckled to Qiaoqiao and said, “Qiaoqiao, Master Xu is a highly esteemed figure that can’t be invited even with a lantern. Go and prepare the ink, brush, and paper. We must have him write a few words for our ‘Food for Immortals.’”

Xu Wei’s calligraphy was renowned and worth its weight in gold. Qiaoqiao needed no explanation from her big brother and excitedly went to prepare the stationery.

Xu Wei and Lin Wanrong’s relationship was quite harmonious, as Lin Wanrong had acted as the matchmaker for him and Su Qinglian. Writing a few words naturally was not an issue. He laughed and said, “My young friend, are you trying to embarrass me? With your four masterful couplets ahead, how could this old man dare to perform?”

But Lin Wanrong didn’t mind, he wasn’t the type to let an opportunity to make money pass by.

Xu Wei hesitated for a moment, seeing that the ink and paper had been fully prepared. He reluctantly shook his head, picked up the brush, pondered for a moment, and wrote with a smile, “This place sings and dances with wine in spring, and the capital’s celebrations are not yet over. The banquet is served with jade soup, and the flying cups shatter the moon, gathering in the literary tower.”

Damn, this Old Xu really had talent. He could whip up a poem in the blink of an eye. Especially the last two lines, they not only praised the food but also highlighted the prosperity of the local literary scene. The lines were a stroke of genius. Others might find these lines pointless, but who was Xu Wenchang? He was the number one scholar in the world. With this poem as a topic, wouldn’t the money roll in from all over the world?

“Qiaoqiao, hurry and frame this poem well, hang it in the most conspicuous position in the hall, this is our treasure, to be shared with the scholars of the world,” Lin Wanrong enthusiastically called out.

Xu Wei bowed repeatedly, “I am flattered, flattered, Little brother Lin, you are overpraising.”

Having successfully extorted a poem from Xu Wei, Lin Wanrong then sat down, leisurely drinking tea with him.

Xu Wei glanced at him and smiled, “Little brother Lin, a few days ago in Hangzhou, I was already convinced of your extraordinary talent. Sure enough, upon returning to Jinling, you’ve made a name for yourself.”

“Oh? What are you referring to, Mr. Xu?” Lin Wanrong asked curiously.

Xu Wei declared, “Little brother Lin, do not be modest. A few days ago at Old Lady Luo’s banquet, you single-handedly defeated Shen Banshan, the king of couplets. Each of your couplets is a classic, much talked about by the scholars in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Didn’t you know?”

“Oh, that…I’ve never paid much attention to the rumors about me.” Lin Wanrong shyly said.

Xu Wei burst into laughter, “Little brother Lin, you really are no ordinary person, I admire you. However…”

His voice lightened, “Little brother Lin, although your reputation precedes you, you have inadvertently offended some people. Like the other day, when Young Prince Ning personally attended the birthday celebration, you contradicted him. Aren’t you afraid of offending him?”

“Mr. Xu, you aren’t trying to scare me, are you? Think about it, I, Lin San, am just a small servant, without power or influence, at most, I just do some small business. Who is the Young Prince? The son of a Prince, a royal relative, his vision is so far-reaching, his mind so broad, I only exchanged a few skills with his doorman, to mutually promote each other, how could he bother with me?” Lin Wanrong replied with a guffaw.

“Little brother Lin, you indeed have a broad mind. I admire you to no end,” Xu Wei said, smiling at him. “However, there is one thing, have you carefully considered it?”

Seeing that Lin Wanrong was all ears, Xu Wei continued, “Little brother Lin, you have a feud with the White Lotus cult, and you detest them deeply. The Imperial Court has tried to suppress them several times, with great determination. Yet there are many twists and turns, and after several attempts, they’ve always returned empty-handed. Why is this? The White Lotus cult originated in Shandong, so why are they so rampant here in Jiangsu? Are there other reasons behind this? The White Lotus case in Hangzhou, although it involves a wide range, is still within a controllable scope. But why has Jiangsu lost control?”

Xu Wei seemed to be talking to himself, but he was intentionally speaking for Lin Wanrong to hear. Lin Wanrong chuckled, thinking, ‘Old Xu, you’re so cunning, deliberately enticing me to speak. If I don’t give you something, wouldn’t I be letting your goodwill go to waste?’

He frowned, and said, “When Mr. Xu puts it this way, I do find it odd. Why is there such rampant banditry in Jiangsu?”

He recounted some of the important events of that day, then continued, “On that day when Miss Xiao and I were captured by the White Lotus bandits, there were many dubious points. First, how could Young Master Tao find the White Lotus bandits so easily when the authorities had been unable to detect their tracks for many days? Second, how was he able to borrow troops from the Mounted Infantry Battalion, and why did he attack just as the bandits were retreating? Third, with so many soldiers from the Mounted Infantry Battalion surrounding them, why did the White Lotus bandits manage to disappear without a trace? These three points of suspicion have been lingering in my mind, and I still don’t have a solution. Besides, when I was among the bandits, I had contact with three of their leaders. One of them was Lu Zhongping, who was arrested by Mr. Xu. The other two were of similar age to him, and one of them was their master. From the way he spoke, he must have been of extraordinary origin. There are indeed many mysteries in this, and I can’t figure it out.”

His words were half-hidden, half-revealed. Xu Wei laughed and said, “Little Brother Lin is an extremely clever person. How could you not understand the ins and outs of this? You just don’t want to explain it. Well then, I’ll be straightforward. My trip to the south this time, attending the annual meetings in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, is only surface work. The real pressing matter is…” He raised his hand, grinned slightly, then made a sharp chopping motion, saying, “— to wipe out this White Lotus.”

“Good, good,” Lin Wanrong clapped his hands and laughed. “Mr. Xu, you think for the people. I truly admire you to the utmost.”

Xu Wei spoke with stern seriousness, “In the case of Hangzhou, you’ve seen it yourself, Little brother Lin. This White Lotus cult is nothing more than a disorderly mob. Aside from their ability to deceive the common people with their mystical pretenses, their other skills are quite ordinary. It shouldn’t be difficult to exterminate them.”

“Then why is it that every year there are attempts to eradicate them, yet they always fail?” Lin Wanrong asked, his voice full of implication.

Xu Wei nodded, “That’s precisely the heart of the matter you’ve been questioning. Our Great Hua Dynasty has countless loyal ministers and competent generals, but there are also treacherous, cunning individuals. This White Lotus menace thrives due to the covert collusion and support from these individuals with ulterior motives. Currently, we are dealing with formidable enemies invading from the north, while the White Lotus cult creates internal chaos. This is a time of internal strife and foreign threats for our dynasty. In the coming spring, the North will wage war, and if the White Lotus menace remains, it will be like a seeping sore on the body of the state, causing pain throughout. I have come to the South firstly to eradicate the White Lotus cult and secondly to sever the claws of the dark forces that support them from behind, thereby restoring peace to our Great Hua. Together with all our citizens, we will drive away the invaders, jointly resist the barbarians, and rebuild the golden age of our heavenly empire.”

His words were fervently impassioned, revealing his extraordinary oratory skills.

The national enmity and familial hardship were not yet Lin Wanrong’s concern. He only wished for tranquility in Jinling, and most importantly, to keep Qiaoqiao safe from any danger.

However, the situation was becoming more intriguing. The Young Prince hadn’t left, Xu Wei had arrived, and there was the old fox Luo Min too. He chuckled to himself, anticipating the drama that was about to unfold.