Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 68 A Joke
Old Chen observed intently.

The young man standing before the steps, under the "claws of Wu and Yue," saw something quite different from what Yongqiu had seen.

His eyes shone with a restrained brilliance, and his whole being exuded a clear and refined temperament, which emanated from his simple clothes.

Old Chen still remembered how Zhou Yi looked in Yongqiu, and the contrast between the two made his feelings so strong.

The Giant Kun Gang specializes in selling information; how could they not know what he's done?

If it were anyone else, their body would probably be cold by now.

With a sudden thought, Old Chen strode forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a smile:
"The Celestial Master is all-seeing. Even someone as insignificant as me cannot hide from him. It seems that our gang's information is not up to par, and our understanding of the Celestial Master is only the tip of the iceberg."

"Mr. Chen, you flatter me."

Zhou Yi entered the teahouse with a smile and naturally found a chair to sit down.

His gaze was fixed on Chen Laomou.

This old man is quite a talent, almost a low-budget version of Lu Miaozi.

He possesses superb skills in thievery and disguise, understands all kinds of architecture, is knowledgeable in the art of building boats, and is well-versed in the intricacies of naval warfare.

It is one of the three pillars of the Giant Kun Gang.

The gang leader, Yun, relied on her beauty to build connections within the gang, while the deputy leader, Bu Tianzhi, was the chief steward in charge of all sorts of affairs.

And Chen Laomou is the intelligence mastermind behind the scenes.

His disciples and followers learned from his teachings, which taught them how to steal and uncover intelligence. He can be considered a cornerstone figure.

Having ridden in Li Mi's oxcart, Zhou Yi realized that intelligence was vital.

No matter how extensive one person's knowledge and information is, it can never compare to that of a professional team.

"The Celestial Master is looking at me so intently; could it be that he has a way to resolve our predicament in Nanyang?"

Old Chen, his wrinkles deepening, laughed.

Zhou Yi said calmly, "Grandma Chen flatters me. I'm new here and came here to find a way to settle down."

Old Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and asked in return, "Does the Celestial Master know why this old man is here?"

"Most of the time, it was to train apprentices nearby and teach them how to treat the symptoms so that they could establish themselves and do business in Nanyang."

“That’s right,” Chen Laomou said bluntly.

"The Hai Sha Gang has been relentlessly pursuing us, fighting all the way from the coast to here. They have joined forces with local forces in Nanyang to continuously suppress us. If I hadn't come, this Nanyang branch would have had to close down."

Zhou Yi connected what he saw at the city gate with what the innkeeper had said: "Could it be because Yang Xinghui has gained power?"

Mr. Chen nodded.

"Then why not go find the big boss of Yang Town? The forces in Nanyang are so complicated. With your information, how could the big boss refuse?"

After hearing this, the old man chuckled and said, "The Celestial Master doesn't understand Yang Zhen at all."

"He always only cares about the big picture and doesn't pay attention to details. I don't know how to evaluate him."

"The peace and prosperity of Nanyang depended on his efforts, but the internal strife also stemmed from his indulgence."

Old Chen pointed to the west:

"Zhu Can is entrenched in Champion City. If the forces of Nanyang County unite, they will be able to defeat him."

"However, Yang Dalong chose to compromise and ease the situation by paying tribute every month."

"Zhu Can was wary of Nanyang's strength, but he could also gain some benefits, so on the surface, things remained peaceful."

Chen Laomou looked directly at Zhou Yi: "If the Celestial Master were in Yang Zhen's position, what would happen?"

Zhou Yi didn't speak carelessly, but cautiously said:
"I don't know the details. Perhaps Yang Zhen has his reasons, but eliminating Zhu Can would solve the problem once and for all."

Old Chen put the lock down:
"Therefore, it's no use for our gang to beg Yang Zhen. If he accepts us, he will become an enemy of the Hai Sha Gang, which will put him at odds with the Yang Xing Society. This is not what he wants to see."

"In Yang Zhen's view, the information from our gang is dispensable."

"But the Nanyang branch is of great significance to us and we cannot abandon it, hence our current predicament."

He first sighed, then smiled and said, "Can the Celestial Master help me?"

“Mr. Chen, please don’t joke,” Zhou Yi said with a smile. “I’m too busy taking care of myself to have any spare energy.”

"not necessarily."

"I have great confidence in Master Zhou. As long as we give the Way of Peace time, given time, Yang Dalong will compromise again, and the eight major forces can become nine major forces."

Old Chen picked up a needle, probed it into the strange keyhole, and it clicked open with a clang:

"Once the Celestial Master has established a firm foundation, Nanyang will become fertile ground. At that time, our gang will be able to follow in his footsteps and gain a foothold, and then suppress our mortal enemy, the Hai Sha Gang."

This old man understands perfectly well; the Celestial Master is not a man of Yang Zhen's temperament.

Zhou Yi casually:

"Old Chen has misunderstood me too much. I only seek peace and have no intention of competing with him."

Old Master Chen shook his head: "If the Celestial Master were all alone, he could still live peacefully even if he lived near the Eastern Capital. But the fact that the Celestial Master came to Nanyang means that he has something to care about and cannot let go of his relatives, friends and lineage."

"But if one wants to be at peace here, one cannot drift with the tide; one must seize power."

Old Chen handed the unlocked lock to Zhou Yi.

This lock is very ingenious, or rather, complex.

"This is a mechanical lock with many hidden compartments inside. It looks complicated, but it can be unlocked with a thin needle."

Zhou Yi returned the lock to him, saying, "Whether I compete with them or not will not affect our cooperation. I value your gang's information very much."

Zhou Yi, of course, wouldn't give a definite answer; he wasn't so easily fooled by the talk of nine major powers. However, Old Chen, contrary to his usual behavior, spoke like a gambler:
"If the Celestial Master requests any news from Nanyang in the future, our gang will not charge him a single penny."

A glint of light flashed in Chen Laomou's eyes: "Our gang only wants to earn one favor, how about it?"

Ok?
Zhou Yi is currently penniless, so of course he's tempted.

This is equivalent to getting an intelligence agency for free; how could one not take advantage of such a bargain?

"You have guts, but aren't you afraid of losing everything?"

The word "intelligence" sounds simple, but the human and material resources required behind it are enormous.

“Master, do not worry,” Chen Laomou stroked his beard. “Those of us in this line of work have a lot of assessments of people. If the highest level of assessment is five, then Master, you are at the third level.”

Zhou Yi was somewhat displeased: "Why not the fifth floor?"

"Because my vision cannot reach that far."

Chen Laomou then offered advice: "If the Celestial Masters want to establish a stable foothold in Nanyang, they only need to do two things."

"What two points?"

"First, you must not use the name of the Way of Peace, otherwise Yang Zhen will politely ask you to leave. If we talk about destabilizing factors, Zhou Tianshi is second to none. All the recent turmoil in the Central Plains has your shadow."

"I have the utmost admiration for the Celestial Master's ability to cause trouble."

Haha, is this a compliment?
Zhou Yi gave a dry laugh: "And the second point?"

Old Chen paused, his face darkening: "Secondly, the Celestial Master needs to kill three people."

"who?"

"The three managers of the Nanyang brothel."

Chen Laomou spoke fluently and in rapid succession:

"Xiaojinlou is a secret agent of the Baling Gang, in charge of information in the Central Plains, including the Yongqiu and Fule areas. These three managers must know about the Celestial Master's information."

“Once the Taiping Dao enters Nanyang, following the style of the Baling Gang, any unusual activity will attract their attention and investigation. When the two are verified, their identities will surely be revealed.”

"Zhou Tianshi eliminated these three scourges, firstly to benefit the common people, and secondly to relieve the Taiping Dao of its worries."

Zhou Yi interrupted him:
"Thirdly, it will help the Giant Kun Gang eliminate a competitor."

"Old Chen is brilliant. He said it would be free, but I got nothing and now I'm going to help you with your murder business."

Old Chen repeatedly said he dared not: "Even Yuwen Chengdu and Li Mi suffered great losses, how dare this old man plot against the Celestial Master?"

Zhou Yi pondered silently.

I almost forgot about the Baling Gang, those pests.

Those human traffickers deserve to die.

However, Chen Laomou's words need to be verified; we cannot be used as pawns.

Do you have pen and ink?

"Of course."

Old Chen offered a pen and paper, and then ground the ink.

Zhou Yi had already prepared a draft and wrote a letter to Lao Dan and the others.

"Rest assured, Celestial Master, I will send my most capable men to Yanggu."

Sending this letter was free, and it can be considered the Kun Gang's first investment.

Zhou Yi chatted with Chen Laomou for a few more minutes, and then got up to say goodbye.

He walked to the door and looked back at the wooden plaque that read "Eagle Claw of Wu and Yue".

He suddenly stared intently at Chen Laomou:

"Mr. Chen, your gang is far more familiar with the Taiping Dao than the Baling Gang. Can I trust you?"

When Chen Laomou met the young man's ambiguous smile, he suddenly felt a pang of fear.

"Master, do not doubt us. Our sect would never do such a treacherous thing."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Haha, Mr. Chen, please don't take offense. I was just joking."

"The Giant Kun Gang are my most trusted friends in Nanyang."

"I'll take my leave now and visit you another day."

"Alright, take care, Celestial Master."

Chen Laomou originally only intended to see him out, but this time he escorted him all the way to the alley entrance.

Only after watching the carriage in front of Meiwu Lane disappear into the distance did he turn back to the teahouse.

That wasn't a joke; it was a warning.

Chen Laomou was not angry; instead, he faced the problem squarely.

He can guarantee that he won't cause any problems, but what about the people below him?

"We must be cautious about the personnel dispatched to Nanyang."

"No wonder he can stir up trouble in the Central Plains; he's truly a formidable opponent."

……

(End of this chapter)