Joy of Life

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fan Xian looked silently at Yun Zhilan in front of him and unexpectedly thought of the first time he had seen this sword master in Jingdou’s Royal Palace. At that time, he was an inexperienced young man who had just ventured into the politics of the three countries for the first time. The reputation of the first disciple of the Sword Hut had already spread throughout the world. He was the main figure in the Dongyi diplomatic group.

Six years had passed. Fan Xian had become one of the most powerful people in the world. Even Yun Zhilan had to kneel before him and express his loyalty to him. The changing of time was deeply moving.

Fan Xian didn’t know what Sigu Jian did before he died or how he convinced the stubborn Yun Zhilan, but he could sense there was not much falseness in Yun Zhilan’s attitude. He understood these warriors, who endlessly explored the way of martial arts. Once they decided on something, it was difficult for them to go back on their word.

He heard Yun Zhilan’s word clearly, “12 swords.” Fan Xian’s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked at him calmly and said, “Twelve swords… If the heart of your sword is not here, how could I control these 12 swords?”

Without waiting for Yun Zhilan to reply, he stood up and solemnly helped up this first disciple of the Sword Hut. Sincerely, he said, “I know you won’t believe me just because of the sword saint’s words before he died. I don’t need you to believe me. However, if this is a transaction in which I need the strength of the Sword Hut and the Sword Hut needs my protection, but you are not there, how will I be able to grasp these 12 swords?”

There wasn’t a smile on Yun Zhilan’s face. He said indifferently, “Teacher has prepared something to reassure you.”

After speaking, Yun Zhilan turned and left, not giving Fan Xian any chance to talk to him and persuade him otherwise.

Fan Xian stood as if something was amiss in the room. He wondered what task Sigu Jian had given Yun Zhilan. In a moment, he guessed something. Although Sigu Jian had placed a great gamble on him, he would always need someone to balance him, watch him, and control him.

Yun Zhilan was a person who did not form alliances. Given his reputation in the hearts of the disciples of the Sword Hut, if, one day, Fan Xian’s actions damaged the interests of Dongyi too much, one order from him would probably leave Fan Xian with control of 12 swords in name only. He would immediately be left with just a single pitiful sword.

…

…

After Yun Zhilan, it was the second disciple of the Sword Hut that entered. Fan Xian looked at the middle-aged man calmly and found that his appearance was very common. There was nothing that stood out on his face. The sword intent on his body was also deeply buried. Wearing a slightly thick cotton robe, he didn’t look like a powerful sword master. Instead, he looked like a housekeeper.

Fan Xian smiled bitterly in his heart. Sigu Jian had pushed him directly into the fire pit. It seemed that the disciples of the Sword Hut had all accepted his last will and were coming in one by one to report on their duties.

Fan Xian glanced at the brown urn at his side. Out of the corners of his eye, a perplexed expression flashed through his eyes. The sword master of a generation had become a pot of ash next to him.

His hand gently stroked the urn. It was as if he could still feel a slight warmth from Sigu Jian’s bones. Following the movement of his fingers, the gaze of the housekeeper-like second disciple changed, but it immediately became calm again. Waving his hand, a few third-generation disciples brought in a number of chests.

Fan Xian raised his head and asked with a smile, “Is this the legacy of the sword saint?”

The second disciple smiled but didn’t say anything until all of the chests were placed in Fan Xian’s room. Only then he quietly said, “Of course, the Sword Hut has far more property than this. This is only some cash flow that could be moved temporarily. Teacher said that you need silver now, so I have brought it to you. There are also some accounts that I thought you would be interested in. I acted on my own had had them brought over.”

Fan Xian was slightly surprised and looked calmly at this housekeeper-like Sword Hut ace. He would not underestimate this second disciple. On the contrary, of the 12 Sword Hut disciples, he had always thought that this second disciple warranted his attention. Putting aside the fact that he managed to stay neutral during Yun Zhilan and Thirteenth Wang’s internal strife and not become involved, Sigu Jian always had him stand guard outside the Sword Hut. From this, one could deduct just how deeply Sigu Jian trusted him.

Silver, accounts? Fan Xian looked at him with narrowed eyes and asked, “Many thanks, but I don’t know what these accounts have to do with anything?”

The second disciple of the Sword Hut evenly said, “It’s related to Taiping money house.”

Hearing these words, Fan Xian could no longer stay seated on the low couch and abruptly rose. He stared at the second disciple speechless for a moment. In the end, he couldn’t help but laugh self-mockingly. In a voice full of admiration, he said, “I would never have guessed. I think no one would have guessed… that the owner of the biggest money house in the world was a warrior hidden in the Sword Hut.”

Taiping money house, the largest money house in the world! To some degree, the Ming family’s massive fortune in the past had depended on Taiping money house’s cash flow support. From the appearance of this money house, it had become the largest in the world with the best reputation, par none. During these past dozens of years, no other money house had been able to threaten its position.

Even when, a few years ago, Fan Xian had secretly allied with the Northern Qi Emperor and, along with the management of some elderly officials of the Ministry of Revenue that his father had sent to him, he had created the strange and large Zhaoshang money house. In front of Taiping money house, it was still like an underdeveloped child.

With the production and sales rights of the palace treasury in his hand, two channels for smuggling, a coalition of brothels, and a large-scale money house, Fan Xian was, without question, the richest person in the world.

He knew that although he had a lot of silver in his hands, when it was compared to Taiping money house, it was still nothing to look at.

Taiping money house was firmly rooted in the commerce of the mainland. All of the major merchants had deep connections to it. If Taiping money house truly exerted itself, the amount of silver it could mobilize was truly a staggering amount.

Fan Xian was not a common noble official. He had commercial experience from his previous life and many interactions with merchants in this one. He knew better than most people the terrifying power of Taiping money house and effect it could have.

In the past, he had had the Overwatch Council investigate Taiping money house. Each time the investigation reached a certain territory, the clues would abruptly stop.

Since this money house started in Dongyi, then, naturally it was connected to the Sword Hut. At least, Sigu Jian had to be secretly supporting it. Fan Xian had not thought that the greatest money house in the world would be the property of the Sword Hut or that the master of Taiping money house would be the second disciple of the Sword Hut.

Fan Xian stared in a daze at the master of Taiping money house. Endless complicated emotions surged into his heart. It was only now he knew how much Sigu Jian had put down on this great gamble, and how much power he had given him.

The 12 swords were terrifying. Control of Dongyi was terrifying. What was truly terrifying were probably these chests of accounts that had been delivered to his room. The accounts of the Taiping money house.

Fan Xian took a deep breath and bowed in admiration to the second disciple of the Sword Hut. Evenly, he said, “I still don’t know your name.”

This respect was not for his status as a disciple of the Sword Hut or his position as a ninth-level ace. Rather, it was a show of respect to his position as the master of Taiping money house. In this world, the most worthy thing of respect was power. Someone who held half the silver in the world in their hands was, without question, deserving of respect.

At least, that was what Fan Xian thought.

“Li Bohua.” This second disciple of the Sword Hut, the master of Taiping money house, was not surprised by Fan Xian’s behavior. Gently, he said, “I’ve managed Taiping money house 16 years.”

Fan Xian was silent for a moment, unsure how to speak to this person. Following Sigu Jian’s intention, this person should be at his service. Could a person who controlled Taiping money house truly be at his service?

Immediately after, he thought of more things. His pupils constricted slightly. Given the power in his hands, Zhaoshang money house and Taiping money house, which faintly controlled the livelihoods of countless merchants and people, he realized what so much power could oppose.

This was a bottom-up opposition.

Li Bohua looked at Fan Xian’s expression and knew what he was thinking. Slowly, he said, “Taiping money house provides loans to the world. If there is a difficult situation, I’m afraid those loans won’t be able to be collected, but…”

The books came out. Fan Xian looked at him and waited for his next words.

“Banknotes flutter throughout the world, but the money markets remain in Dongyi.” Li Bohua didn’t hide anything in front of Fan Xian. “If you could gather all this power in one place, you could indeed influence a great many things. If you want to cause chaos, it would not be a difficult matter.”

Only those with power spoke with confidence. Only now did Fan Xian realize that the most powerful person of the 13 Sword Hut disciples was not Yun Zhilan with the greatest reputation or Thirteenth Wang with the most limitless realm. It was Li Bohua, who held the most silver in his hands.

“This is a large gift,” Fan Xian said slowly. He had already recovered his calm from the surprise. “If there are too many demands from Dongyi and I am still unable to fulfill them, it must be explained early.”

“This is already your property.” Li Bohua looked at him with a not-quite-there smile. Unlike other martial aces, this master of the mainland world of commerce immediately saw Fan Xian’s cautiousness. Evenly, he said, “There were no requests in teacher’s last will. Presumably, you two already discussed it. I am just carrying it out.”

Fan Xian’s brows furrowed. He said with a self-mocking smile, “I’ve already been struck by a golden basin falling from the heavens, am I going to get struck for the second time today?”

“I don’t know what you need silver for, but I have silver.” Li Bohua was silent for a long time. He then suddenly said, “Of course, personally, I want to bring up a condition with you.”

Fan Xian looked at him calmly. “You have the right and strength to bring up any condition you want.”

Li Bohua slowly rose and said, “At the beginning, Taiping money house was the property of the Master of Dongyi. Later, it became the Sword Hut’s private property. I have devoted 16 years of energy and spirit to it. The money house has grown larger and larger, but you must remember that the silver in the money house is not just the money house’s silver. It also contains the savings of all the merchants in Dongyi and even the savings of countless people from Northern Qi and the Qing Kingdom. If you must use it, you have to have a limit and cannot take away all the merchants’ money.”

“Naturally.”

“What I mean is, Taiping money house is actually the money house of Dongyi people. It is their money and their root.” Li Bohua looked at him calmly. “You only have half a Dongyi bloodline, so I want to remind you that our subservience is only that in name. We don’t want to become Yanjing people, Jiangnan people, or Weizhou people. We just want to be Dongyi people.”

“Speak straightforwardly.” Fan Xian looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“No troops are to be stationed,” Li Bohua said quietly with a frown.

With these words, the corners of Fan Xian’s lips twitched into a smile. He quietly said, “You are a clever man and know that this is something the sword saint has already agreed. I cannot compromise.”

Immediately after, he furrowed his brows and said, “You also have to sympathize with me. In order to convince the hundreds of thousands of people in the Qing Kingdom, I have already done my utmost.”

Li Bohua smiled. What he said earlier was just a trick in negotiation. He now sincerely made his true request.

“If there must be troops stationed, I hope it will be the Black Knights,” Li Bohua said calmly, looking at Fan Xian. “I will not accept others.”

Fan Xian shook his head. “There are 1,000 Black Knights. The Emperor would not agree.”

“Then, it must be past subordinates of the Great Prince, ideally, the Great Prince would come here personally,” Li Bohua said, also not making further compromises. “There is already restless movement from the various vassal states. The people’s hearts are falling into chaos. After the funeral, if the Qing army enters forcefully, it could incite a great deal of backlash. Once the situation becomes chaotic, how will it be resolved?”

“Are you saying it wouldn’t be a problem for the Black Knights or the original Western Expedition Army to enter Dongyi?”

Li Bohua said with a slight smile, “The master of the Black Knights is you. The master of the Western Expedition Army is the Great Prince. Everyone in Dongyi knows that you are a descendant of the mistress of the Ye family and the Great Prince is the son of Lady Ning.”

Fan Xian furrowed his brows, He wasn’t sure what important effect this had on the calmness of the situation in Dongyi.

“One has to consider the people’s hearts,” Li Bohua said in a quiet voice. “In these 20 years, Dongyi has produced two famous women. One of them was your mother. Even today, the merchants of Dongyi still see the old Ye family as the pride of Dongyi. The other is Lady Ning. A pitiful female prisoner of war in Dongyi later became the Noble Consort of a foreign country. Perhaps you may think it strange, but the people of Dongyi never thought of this as a humiliation. They only think of it as a rare honor.”

Fan Xian was silent. He thought of the Chinese girls who had become European royalty and wives of the super-rich in his previous life. It seemed that the emotions of the people then were not in conflict. On the contrary, there was a secret joy that had nothing to do with worshipping outer appearance. It was probably the pure joy of announcing the charm of one’s country to the outside world.

“The status of Lady Ye and Lady Ning never changed in the hearts of the Dongyi people,” Li Bohua said as he looked at him. “Thus, you and the Great Prince are actually half Dongyi in the hearts of many merchants and common people. If one of you were to station your troops here, the emotions of the people would be easier to calm.”

Fan Xian was silent for a long time. He then said, “What you say makes sense. I will use these words to try and convince the Emperor. Presumably, the Emperor also wants a whole Dongyi and not one with troops rising and swimming in blood.”

“Thank you for your trouble.” After Li Bohua said this, he bowed deeply and prepared to leave.

As for the specifics of how Dongyi would become a subject of the Qing Kingdom, such as whether there would be a yearly tribute or if it would be directly included in Jingdou’s tax system, they were still being discussed by officials at various levels. Above all of these state affairs was,, the most important matter of stationing troops. Li Bohua had come forward breezily with the Taiping money house and breezed out again after leaving behind the chests. It had made the burden on Fan Xian’s shoulder a bit heavier.

“Please, wait a moment,” Fan Xian suddenly said and held back his guest. The shock in his heart had not disappeared completely. He truly did not understand why Sigu Jian had decided to take such a gamble on him before he died or why the disciples of the Sword Hut were not asking for details or reasons before heroically, and even brashly, bringing out Dongyi’s property.

Unlike Sigu Jian, they didn’t know about the past, the gap that could not be smoothed between Fan Xian and the Emperor. Why did they trust Fan Xian?

“We are just trusting in teacher’s wisdom,” Li Bohua said looking at him with a slight smile. “As you presumably know, teacher has never been an idiot.”

Fan Xian was silent and then laughed. “Since you’ve invested so much, presumably you have some way of watching me?”

“It is not Yun Zhilan.” Fan Xian narrowed his eyes in thought. “There needs to be a new Master of the city. Yun Zhilan is the best choice. He is far removed from within the Sword Hut and coldly watches from the side. He would be a counterweight to me in the bigger picture, but where is your counterweight to me personally? You must know that I am not someone to be controlled.”

“We have no desire to control you,” Li Bohua said calmly. “That is why we are following our teacher and carrying out the greatest gamble in the world. Of course, it would not surprise us if you go back on your promise and swallow Dongyi whole. After all, you are a Qing subject and the illegitimate son of the Qing Emperor. The survival of Dongyi is of little importance to you.”

“Since you have thought of this, how could you make this gamble?”

“Dongyi has no other power other than money… and swords.” Li Bohua bowed with a smile and walked out of the room. Then, a sword walked in.

The face of the exhausted Thirteenth Wang was completely pale. After he looked at Fan Xian for a long time, he said in a very low voice, “From today onward, I will follow you every day. If you go back on your promise, I will kill you.”

“Can you kill me?” Fan Xian sighed and shook his head.

Thirteenth Wang stared at him stubbornly and said, “If I’ve misjudged you, I will kill you even if I can’t do it.”

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