LC chapter 7

 

As the end of the semester approached, many elective courses were coming to a close, and students were groaning in unison over the various final research papers they had been assigned.

Lin Ruan had enrolled in an economics course. At the time, Meng Zhen told him that, since his family ran a business, taking economics would benefit him in the future. He convinced Lin Ruan to choose it, too. However, right before the deadline, Meng Zhen suddenly became interested in psychology and left Lin Ruan to switch to that course.

The psychology professor was an interesting white man who was easygoing and approachable. Meng Zhen wasn’t worried about failing at all.

Lin Ruan, however, was in trouble. His economics professor was a British gentleman who seemed to hold a government position. He condescended to teach two sessions a week and carried an air of nobility that was even more aristocratic than nobility itself.

The title of his final paper alone was profoundly complex, leaving Lin Ruan utterly lost.

Another sunny, clear weekend arrived, with sunlight streaming through the window onto his desk. Lin Ruan sat on his stool, staring at the blank paper, utterly stumped.

A sound came from the hallway. He walked over and peeked out just in time to see Shi Ning emerge from Zhanxi’s room. Spotting Lin Ruan, Shining asked, “What’s up? Need something?”

Lin Ruan stepped out and showed him the thesis topic.

After reading it, Shining chuckled and said, “It’s somewhat interesting.”

Lin Ruan smiled sheepishly and said, “I don’t understand it.”

“That’s normal. It’s a highly academic theory that briefly surfaced about twenty or thirty years ago, but it hasn’t been mentioned since. Modern economic theories have little to do with it now.”

“Then how should I write it? Are there any reference books?”

Just as Shi Ning was about to speak, the door behind him suddenly opened. Zhan Xi, wearing a light gray knit sweater, leaned against the doorway and watched the two of them.

Lin Ruan stood up straight and formally greeted him, saying, “Sir.”

Shining glanced at Zhan Xi, then back at Lin Ruan, and smiled. “I don’t know much about these things either. You can ask Master. He’ll definitely know.”

With that, Shining descended the stairs. Left alone at the doorway, Lin Ruan could only turn his gaze toward Zhan Xi.

Zhan Xi glanced at the thesis topic in Lin Ruan’s hand. His voice was as cool as ever. “Come in.”

Lin Ruan stepped into Zhan Xi’s room. The space was familiar to him—even more so than his own new room next door.

Zhan Xi intended to explain things properly to Lin Ruan, but unfortunately, Lin Ruan had no such inclination. He sat cross-legged on the carpet, leaning against the coffee table. His head was down as he took diligent notes, afraid to miss a single word Zhan Xi said.

After a while, Zhan Xi paused. Lin Ruan quietly lifted his head to look at Zhan Xi, meeting his gaze directly.

“Don’t understand?” Zhan Xi asked.

“Why choose if I don’t understand?”

“Meng Zhen chose it for me.” Lin Ruan couldn’t make decisions for himself.

Zhan Xi understood. He rose and pulled a book with a gold-embossed cover from the shelf. He handed it to Lin Ruan. “This is the complete exposition of the theory.”

Lin Ruan took the book and flipped through a couple of pages, intending to study it thoroughly later.

Suddenly, there was a knock at Zhan Xi’s door. Tong Bo was delivering the visiting cards that had arrived over the past few days.

A thick stack of cards landed on the corner of the desk. Lin Ruan glanced at them twice before lowering his head to continue flipping through the book.

After speaking with Tong Bo, Zhan Xi dismissed him. He returned to the sofa and sat down without glancing at the stack of cards.

Curious, Lin Ruan asked, “Are these all people doing business with you?”

Zhan Xi nodded.

Lin Ruan asked again, “Sir, won’t you see them?”

“It’s unnecessary.”

“What about your goods, then? Will you sell them all in our shop?”

Zhan Xi owned several establishments, including restaurants, teahouses, rice shops, pharmacies, carriage rentals, and jade shops, most of which belonged to his mother.

Zhan Xi smiled and reached out to ruffle Lin Ruan’s hair. His hand slid down the back of Lin Ruan’s head and rested on his neck. “The goods they trade with me aren’t ordinary foreign wares.”

Lin Ruan pondered for a moment before understanding. “Are they arms?”

Zhan Xi neither confirmed nor denied, merely pinching Lin Ruan’s neck and urging him to read.

After finishing his thesis that afternoon, Lin Ruan came downstairs to help A Yue tidy the room. Shi Ning had brought back a gramophone—supposedly the latest German model and the only one in all of Beijing. A Yue played violin pieces on it, saying that listening to violin music on a warm winter afternoon evoked a languid, decadent feeling.

But before the piece finished playing, that languid, decadent mood shattered. A sudden clamor erupted outside. Lin Ruan peered through the window and saw three or four guards confronting several men in black suits at the doorway.

The men in black suits looked fierce. Behind them stood a middle-aged man in a long coat and hat, holding a cane, looking this way.

Uncle Tong heard the commotion and stepped outside. The moment he appeared, the men stopped arguing. No one knew what he had said to them, but shortly after, he led the group back inside.

As soon as they entered the room, he called Lin Ruan over. When he approached, Uncle Tong said, “A Mr. Wu wishes to discuss business with the master. Please inform him.”

“Yes,” Lin Ruan said as he ascended the stairs. Uncle Tong invited the man to sit down and ordered tea to be served. Every detail was handled with impeccable propriety. Neither Tong Bo nor the servants showed any signs of disturbance from the earlier altercation, maintaining perfect composure.

Lin Ruan pushed open Zhan Xi’s door. Zhan Xi stood by the window, likely having witnessed the earlier incident in the garden.

“Sir, are you going downstairs?”

Zhan Xi set down his half-finished coffee and turned around. He was still dressed in his loungewear. “Let’s go.”

Lin Ruan’s heart settled instantly.

Zhan Xi descended the stairs at a leisurely pace. The moment Mr. Wu spotted him, he let out a hearty laugh. “Brother Zhan, it’s been ages!”

Zhan Xi reached the bottom of the stairs, settled onto the sofa, and then spoke. “Indeed, it has been some time.”

Lin Ruan brought a cup of tea from the kitchen. Zhan Xi took it and lowered his head to blow away the foam on the surface. “I hear the south is in turmoil again. How did you find the time to come all the way here, Mr. Wu?”

Mr. Wu was one of the southern warlords and was not usually in this area.

After a pause, Mr. Wu replied, “Precisely because of that, I’ve come to discuss business on behalf of my employer. Brother Zhan, you must be aware that the fleet of ships you’ve anchored at Tianjin Port is quite conspicuous.”

“Those goods?” Zhan Xi dismissed it lightly. “I just returned from abroad and brought back some foreign imports. Nothing more than novelties.”

“I’ve heard there are some fine items among them.”

Zhan Xi nodded. “There are indeed some fine vintages of wine. Shall I send you a few bottles when you leave, Mr. Wu?”

Mr. Wu’s expression darkened. “Pretending ignorance when you know the truth is pointless. I’m referring to those several ships of arms!”

Zhan Xi glanced up at him. “Those shipments have already been promised to someone else. Your timing is unfortunate, Mr. Wu.”

“I’ll pay double the price!”

Zhan Xi suddenly smiled. “What they offered wasn’t money—it was lives. How many lives do you have, Mr. Wu?”

Mr. Wu’s face darkened instantly. “Zhan Xi, don’t push your luck!”

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, the bodyguards behind him drew their weapons, black muzzles trained squarely on Zhan Xi.

Zhan Xi lowered his head, took a sip of tea, and then looked at Mr. Wu as if he were a clown.

“Well! Quite the lively scene today!” A youthful voice suddenly echoed from outside. The front door swung open, and a handsome young officer stepped inside. Behind him, two columns of soldiers poured in like a river. Each soldier held a weapon and surrounded Mr. Wu and his bodyguards in the center.

Zhan Xi remained seated on the sofa, utterly unruffled.

The leading officer wore a dark green military uniform with metal buckles that reflected a cold gleam. He was draped in a cloak that brought a chill into the room.

He walked over and sat down beside the sofa. Lin Ruan served him tea as well. “Please enjoy your tea, Young Master Gu.”

Mr. Wu’s face turned ashen. “Gu… Young Marshal Gu, weren’t you supposed to be out of the capital?”

“What are you talking about? With the New Year approaching, where else would I be but at home?” Gu Ji crossed his legs, his tone hinting at arrogance. “Speaking of which, Mr. Wu, my father misses you terribly. Why not grace us with your presence and catch up?”

With that, Gu Ji gave a dismissive wave. Before Mr. Wu could respond, soldiers stepped forward and led him and his bodyguards away.

The moment they left, Gu Ji’s defiant expression disappeared. He turned to Zhan Xi, seeking praise. “Well? Better late than never, right? My timing today was perfect!”

Gu Ji was the son of General Gu, a warlord from the north. His mother and Zhan Xi’s mother were sisters, and the two families had always been close. After Zhan Xi moved out of the Chun Prince’s mansion, the Gu family consistently looked after him, fostering an exceptionally close bond between the two households.

Zhan Xi snorted derisively. “I thought you’d given up on those ships’ worth of goods.”

“Not at all! The moment I heard you were back, I rushed straight here!” Gu Ji chuckled. “Even though I haven’t returned yet, I’ve dispatched people to take charge in Jincheng. All it takes is one call from you, and my men will ship the goods out.”

Zhan Xi raised an eyebrow. “You want the goods before the payment is settled?”

“I’d never shortchange you, least of all you!” Gu Ji gestured, and two soldiers carried in a crate. When they opened it, neatly stacked gold bars were revealed.

Zhan Xi inspected them, nodded, and had Tong Bo carry the crate away.

Gu Ji slipped off his gloves, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. “I see you docked quite a few ships at the harbor. You must have brought back quite a haul.”

Zhan Xi didn’t beat around the bush. “Get to the point.”

Gu Ji smiled. “Out of all those ships, only a few carried military supplies?”

Zhan Xi glanced at him, a faint smile curling his lips. “All right, you’re making progress.”

Gu Ji grinned mischievously. “I knew it! Third Brother, tell me honestly—what other treasures do you have?”

Zhan Xi didn’t spell it out; he only said, “Whatever you want, I have it here.”

Gu Ji was overjoyed. “Third Brother, you’re the first person I’ve ever truly admired!”

“Don’t get too excited just yet,” Zhan Xi said. “Do you have any spare cash?”

Gu Ji chuckled twice. “To be honest, I just won a battle and seized a lot of territory. During negotiations, the other side agreed to pay a ransom. So, yeah, I have money!”

Gu Ji laughed, and Zhan Xi laughed too. Since Zhan Xi would ultimately receive all the money, he had every reason to be pleased.