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“Yes. You heard me. Hurry,” said Ling Zhang.

Afraid to ask any further questions, the servant immediately turned around and left.

The two traveling merchants from Jiangzhou were somewhat surprised as they were told that someone from Ling family had come to the inn to meet them. “Someone from Ling family?”

“Did Old Master Ling by any chance agree?”

“Our young master said that he consented to let you have an audience with our old master, but you have to go there immediately,” replied the servant of Ling family.

The two traveling merchants from Jiangzhou exchanged glances. ‘It’s already late in the afternoon, which is not the right time for paying anybody a visit.’

“You should be quick. Otherwise our young master might change his mind and this long journey of yours will be in vain,” urged the servant.

The fat middle-aged man immediately made a decision. “All right. We’ll go there right now.”

Hearing this, the thin one raised no objection. “Let me get the presents upstairs.”

The servant had meant to give them another prod but forbore to do so in the knowledge that these two men might feel Ling family was looking forward to their visit if he hurried them again.

Fortunately, after only a short while, the thin middle-aged man walked downstairs, a casket in his hands.

“Let’s go,” said the servant at the sight of him.

The two traveling merchants nodded and, following the servant, soon arrived at the mansion of Ling family.

Ling Zhang was waiting for them in the ante-room. Seeing the two merchants, he didn’t show any signs of anxiety but said, “Please have a seat. I mentioned your invitation to my grandfather. He took an interest in it and would like to meet you.”

Unsuspicious of anything, the two merchants from Jiangzhou rejoiced. “Really? Thank you, Childe Ling!”

Previously, the two men had had a somewhat unfavorable impression of Ling Zhang because of his attitudes, but now, on hearing that the situation had taken a favorable turn, they were overjoyed.

Given the expression on the faces of the two men, Ling Zhang believed that the they were not pretending. As a result, he grew more certain that people of Jia family were at work in that matter of Jiangzhou in his last incarnation. Otherwise, these two people wouldn’t have been so insistent on inviting his grandfather to Jiangzhou, given that Jia family had already been defeated.

However, though this matter had been made clear, he still decided that these two men had to pay for what they had done. He had already come up with a plan, but given the circumstances, he had no alternative but to shelve it until his grandfather and some other family members left Tanyang.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll go and inform my grandfather of your presence.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Childe Ling,” replied the two merchants in delight.

A moment ago, after the servant went to the inn to meet the two traveling merchants, Ling Zhang, along with Yuwen Tong, had talked to Ling Xingzhong and told him the plan. At first Ling Xingzhong was unwilling to leave Tanyang, but eventually he was convinced.

As a result, when Ling Zhang offered to inform his grandfather, he was merely posturing. Actually, Ling Xingzhong was sitting right in the back hall.

“Grandfather, they’ve come,” said Ling Zhang.

Ling Xingzhong gave a bob of the head, rose to his feet and replied, “Let’s go and have a talk with them.”

Ling Zhang walked up to him and guided him to the ante-room.

“I’m honored to bow before you, Old Master Ling.” At the sight of Ling Xingzhong, the two traveling merchants gladly cupped their hands and respectfully bowed to him.

“May I have your names?” With Ling Zhang’s assistance, Ling Xingzhong slowly walked to the host seat, sat down and then looked at the two men with a confused face.

“I’m Wang Xingfeng. This is Zhou Gaoyi, my blood brother. We are businessmen from Jiangzhou, reselling northern goods to southern people as well as the other way around. We own a couple of Yongxing Variety Stores in downtown Jiangzhou and managed to earn some money. Not long ago we acquired a couple of antiques dated at the former dynasty, which seem to be sacrificial vessels. We hired a local connoisseur to help appraise them, who confirmed that they were sacrificial vessels used in the previous dynasty but was unable to offer any further information. We really like those antiques pretty much, so we have an itch to find out about their authenticity. We made a lot of inquiries about antique connoisseurs, and one day, Lord Zhao, whose full name is Zhao Fu, told us that Old Master Ling possessed outstanding prowess in antique authentication and sacrificial vessel authentication. Though fully aware that it was thick-skinned of us to do so, we still requested Lord Zhao to write a letter of introduction for us, and then traveled a long way here from Jiangzhou, intending to seek help from Old Master Ling,” observed the fat middle-aged man who went by the name Wang Xingfeng.

“Oh? So it was Zhao Fu who recommended you to come here,” replied Ling Xingzhong. “I haven’t seen him for a very long time.”

“Lord Zhao talks about you a lot. If it weren’t for the fact that he was otherwise engaged, he would have come to Tanyang to visit you with us,” said Wang Xingfeng.

“That’s very nice of him.” Ling Xingzhong gave a smile and then asked, “What do those sacrificial vessels look like?”

Wang Xingfeng and Zhou Gaoyi gave a sketchy description of the antiques they had acquired. After hearing it, Ling Xingzhong slightly nodded with a fairly interested expression on his face. “Judging by your description, they do sound like sacrificial vessels of the previous dynasty. If they turn out to be authentic, you will be able to deem yourselves fortune’s favorite.”

Wang Xingfeng and Zhou Gaoyi were very happy to hear this. “Old Master Ling, you also think they are authentic?”

Ling Xingzhong stroked his beard and replied, “I cannot make such conclusion until I see them with my own eyes.”

Wang Xingfeng said excitedly, “If Old Master Ling is willing to come with us to Jiangzhou, we’ll make sure your kindness is repaid with satisfying honorarium!”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m just interested in those sacrificial vessels that you mentioned. How about this – since I happen to be free today, I’ll make some arrangements, and tomorrow we depart for Jiangzhou,” offered Ling Xingzhong.

Wang Xingfeng and Zhou Gaoyi were filled with joy. It had never crossed their minds that Ling Xingzhong would consent to go with them to Jiangzhou so willingly, and they would be on their way back the next day without any delay.

“We’re much obliged to you, Old Master Ling!”

“If you’ll excuse us, we’d like to return to the inn first. We’ll come back here to pick you up early in the morning tomorrow.”

After saying this in delight, the two people handed the gift they prepared to a servant of Ling family standing on the side. There was a piece of jade ware in the casket. It seemed to be of fine quality and was definitely very expensive.

Ling Xingzhong accepted it without any pretence of politeness. “How very thoughtful of you.”

The two people grew more delighted. Smiling, they took their leave and happily walked out of the mansion.

The first time that they had visited here, they had ended up being given the cold shoulder and asked to leave by Ling Zhang, and they had been consumed with anger and thought that this journey to Tanyang would be for nothing. Unexpectedly, the situation took a favorable turn so soon. Both of them felt that fortune smiled on them.

“Old Master Ling is so much nicer than that Childe Ling.”

“Shh, keep your voice down. No matter what, Old Master Ling has agreed to help us, which made this long journey of us worthwhile. Let’s just hope that Old Master Ling was right, that those antiques are authentic. In that case, we’ll get rich overnight and won’t have to work a single day for the rest of our lives.”

“Elder brother, you’re right. Those antiques are definitely worth making this journey.”

“Yeah. We’ll never cross path with that Childe Ling again, so don’t you do anything that might anger him.”

“Rest assured, elder brother. Why would I mess with him? He looks even scarier than a county magistrate when he wears that sulky expression on his face.”

Talking and walking, Wang Xingfeng and Zhou Gaoyi returned to the Rising Sun Inn and began making preparations for picking up Ling Xingzhong to leave Tanyang the next morning.

In the residence of Ling family, Ling Zhaowen still hadn’t returned from Prefecture Yamen yet. Because of the case of Jia family, he didn’t even come back to have lunch.

“Father, Zhang’er, you want me and Maomao to go to Jiangzhou with you?” Fu Caiwei was dismayed by the remarks of Ling Zhang and Ling Xingzhong.

Ling Xingzhong gave a bob of the head. “Yeah. There are going to be upheavals in Tanyang during the next few days, and it’ll be unsafe to stay at home as well. You and Maomao should go to Jiangzhou with me, so that Zhang’er and Lord Yuwen will be able to carry out their plans without the worries behind.”

It was not until this moment that Fu Caiwei came to understand why she and Maomao were meant to go to Jiangzhou. But since they had been asked to leave home to take refuge elsewhere, what Ling Zhang had to do next must be both very tricky and very dangerous. Thinking about this, she was very worried.

“But what about Zhang’er and my husband? It’s too dangerous. I can’t just leave them like this.”

“Aunt, uncle and I will be fine. Marshal is here,” Ling Zhang replied and then specially flicked a glance at Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong took the hint and promised, “Rest assured, Second Mistress Ling, I’ll keep Ling Zhang and Second Master safe.”

Fu Caiwei answered, “Thank you, Marshal, but you’re too important a person to take this kind of risk for us…”

“Aunt, just take Maomao and go to Jiangzhou with grandfather. I promise we’ll take good care of ourselves,” Ling Zhang said.

Still in concern, Fu Caiwei frowned, “Maybe you should leave with us.”

Ling Zhang shook his head. “We can’t. If we leave, Zhang Chong will be alerted and trouble will come. Aunt, I know that you’re worried about uncle and me, but this time, you must listen to me and grandfather. Take Maomao and leave here with grandfather. Only in the knowledge that you’re safe and sound will uncle and I stay focused on what we’re going to do and thus be rid of the risk of getting ourselves in danger.”

Fu Caiwei swallowed back the words on the tip of her tongue and hesitated for quite a while, looking rather worried.

Ling Xingzhong said, “Don’t think too much. Go and get everything ready as soon as possible. We leave early in the morning tomorrow.”

Since Ling Xingzhong had made up his mind, Fu Caiwei had no choice but to obey, no matter how unwilling she was. After heaving a sigh, she went to do packing, a frown of concern on her face.

Ling Maomao was brought back. At first, he was very happy to hear that he was going to Jiangzhou and no longer had to go to school, but when he was told that Ling Zhang would stay in Tanyang, he went unhappy. “Elder brother, why don’t you go there with us?”

“Elder brother has some business to attend to and doesn’t have the time to go with you,” Ling Zhang explained.

“But you were absent from our last journey, and now you’re doing this to us once again.” Ling Maomao was displeased. “Back then, you promised me that you would be with us on our next journey.”

“I’m afraid I have to break my word this time. I’m sorry. But elder brother really cannot leave. Be a good boy and stop being unhappy, okay?”

Ling Maomao kept silent. Clearly, he was still out of humor.

Resigned, Ling Zhang had no alternative but to scoop the boy up in his arms. “There, there! Stop being unhappy. How about elder brother helps you pack your stuff?”

Ling Maomao pouted his lips. “You’re just coaxing me, like you always do.”

Ling Zhang pinched his cheek playfully. “Who else is elder brother supposed to coax other than you?”

Ling Maomao widened his eyes and looked at him. “You also coax Lord Yuwen.”

Ling Zhang fell speechless.

“That’s nonsense.”

“I’m telling the truth. Didn’t you specially prepare a lot of delicacies to please him?” replied Ling Maomao.

It surprised Ling Zhang that Maomao still remembered that matter. “Didn’t elder brother prepare delicious food for you as well?”

“That didn’t count,” answered Ling Maomao. “Only dishes specially made for me will count.”