The gates of the Wei Estate were shut tight, barring Zhu Kui from entry.
Wei Mao had declined Zhu Kui’s visit, citing the lateness of the hour. The gifts loaded in the carriage were sent back along the same path they came, never having so much as caught the eye of Wei Mao himself.
"Cousin, we're all family here. Why be so cold? It’s a connection, after all," Lu Bei remarked curiously as they walked through the back courtyard.
Wei Mao was a man of cold exterior but warm heart, not one to ignore social graces. His attitude toward Zhu Kui just now had clearly been one of deliberate avoidance.
"He is a distant relative of Senior Sister Zhu, not mine. And by that token, he is not your relative, either," Wei Mao said, first emphasizing the distinction before adding, "Zhu Kui’s trading firm has a partnership with the Elixir Room, providing a large portion of the raw materials needed for refining. As Senior Sister Zhu is the bookkeeper for the Elixir Room, and given the distant family tie, she needs to avoid even the appearance of impropriety."
Besides, with his senior sister’s absent-minded nature, she would be trapped in a scheme nine times out of ten if someone were to latch onto her as a relative.
"Putting it that way, he must be quite capable to have such a large business."
"His uncle is the Prefect of Dongqi Commandery."
"..."
That was far too realistic!
Lu Bei rolled his eyes. "Cousin, judging by Zhu Kui’s name, his branch of the family should have renounced their power. How is it that he has an uncle in such a high official position?"
"There are always exceptions." Mentioning Prefect Zhu Ting, Wei Mao spoke with a hint of admiration. "It has nothing to do with birth. Some people, even after renouncing their status, can climb to high positions through their own ability."
"If that’s the case, Cousin, you shouldn't have shoved your cold shoulder in his face." Lu Bei worried aloud, "He might speak ill of you in front of the Prefect, and then you’ll be in for some trouble."
"It doesn’t matter. I take orders from the Commandery Commandant, and the Commandant’s relationship with the Prefect is quite ordinary."
"..."
So that was the kind of conflict of interest he was avoiding.
***
Meanwhile, in the departing carriage, Zhu Kui’s expression was dark and unsettled.
He had expected Wei Mao’s less-than-subtle refusal, but Lu Bei’s attitude had left him unsure. The man had been insincere, and the way he looked at him was as if he were just some random passerby.
Three months ago, through the connections of his uncle, Prefect Zhu Ting, he had squeezed out the original supplier for the Elixir Room and successfully taken over the business.
In just two months, he had made a tidy profit through the minor operation of lowering the quality of the raw materials. It wasn't much, just the price difference. Any businessman knew that price differences were where the real money was; otherwise, you were just working for nothing.
As for the consequences of lower-quality raw materials... apart from it being difficult to produce high-grade pills, there were no other impacts.
The pills produced by the Dasheng Pass Elixir Room were not high-end; they were primarily *Qi-Nurturing Pills* and *Blood-Replenishing Pills*. The Huangji Sect would keep a portion for their inventory, and the rest were shipped to various locations across Dongqi Commandery. Because they weren't high-end, the users were mostly rank-and-file soldiers. To them, as long as it wasn’t a failed pill, it didn’t matter whether it was "high-grade" or not.
Within the borders of Wu Zhou, all trading firms surnamed Zhu did business this way, and even those not surnamed Zhu would occasionally skim on quality for a month or two. It wasn't that there were no honest merchants, just that everyone was profit-driven. That was the nature of the business.
*If they can do it, I can too.* Zhu Kui earned this money with a clear conscience.
He wasn't one to eat alone; he believed in spreading the wealth, so the alchemists working in the Elixir Room had all received their share. No one spoke out of turn, and no one had the time or inclination to mind how the Zhu family conducted their business. It had essentially been a sure thing.
He had never expected that the matter would be exposed.
A secret agent had been parachuted into the Elixir Room, refining *Enlightenment Pills* continuously for a month. Every single bottle was a finished product. According to Lin Bohai, the quality of every single pill was indistinguishable, as if measured with a ruler.
This wasn't just alchemy—what normal person would refine *Enlightenment Pills* for an entire month straight? This was clearly a test to gather evidence!
At first, Zhu Kui had dismissed Lin Bohai’s talk of a "secret agent," but after some investigation and testing, he realized to his horror that trouble had come knocking.
First, Lu Bei’s background was mysterious; he arrived at Dasheng Pass at night, and within two days, he had entered the Elixir Room through Zhu Yan’s introduction. Zhu Yan had even helped him register for a household account—the whole thing reeked of trouble.
Second, according to Zhu Kui’s eyes inside the Elixir Room, Lu Bei lived a quiet, secluded life. He had been in Dasheng Pass for a month, moving only between the Wei Estate and the Elixir Room. No social life, no entertainment, not even once going out for a stroll.
Most terrifying of all, the alchemists in the room had repeatedly mentioned the Cloud-Water Tower, and some had even extended invitations, yet the man hadn't taken the bait.
Normal men usually fell into two categories: those who were lustful, and those who were very lustful. If a man didn't fit into either, it only went to show that the man was not normal!
As for Zhu Yan, Zhu Kui had inquired about her, but she only said Lu Bei was a distant relative and stopped talking if asked any further.
That month, Zhu Kui had been unable to eat or sleep. Just as the inventory was depleted and he was preparing to provide normal raw materials to the Elixir Room again, Lu Bei had suddenly left and gone to the military camp overnight. This news hit Zhu Kui like a thunderbolt. And then... there was no more news.
Calming down, Zhu Kui had an epiphany.
*Right.* He was surnamed Zhu—the Zhu of Wu Zhou. This wasn't some capital crime like treason; even if they caught him, it wouldn't be a severe punishment. Lu Bei was gathering evidence and using intimidation just to try and scrape some profit for himself.
Sure enough, after lurking near the Wei Estate for a few days, Lu Bei had finally appeared.
What puzzled Zhu Kui was that since everyone was already playing this unspoken game, and they had met face-to-face, why reject his gifts? *Was it not enough? You didn't even look at them, how can you say it’s not enough?*
Zhu Kui didn't understand. Considering that Wei Mao, who held military power, was present, he assumed Wei Mao also wanted a piece of the pie. He signaled the driver to turn the carriage around and head to the residence of Prefect Zhu Ting.
***
Prefectural Mansion.
Prefect Zhu Ting was about forty, with the refined appearance of a scholar, yet like Zhu Kui, he was a large, robust man.
After hearing the cause and progress of the matter, Zhu Ting’s hand holding the teacup didn't tremble. He took a slow sip of the hot tea and said calmly, "Regarding the Huangji Sect, I will have a word with Lin Boxian. You will accept the penalty and make up the shortfall, and the matter will be put to rest."
Lin Boxian was the manager for the Huangji Sect at Dasheng Pass. He possessed a high level of cultivation, and he and Zhu Ting were friends despite their age gap. Within Dongqi Commandery, the fact that the Huangji Sect and the government could coexist peacefully had much to do with their close personal friendship.
"Uncle, what about that agent and Wei Mao? Should we just leave them be?" Zhu Kui asked cautiously.
"We certainly can't leave them be. Tomorrow morning, you will deliver an invitation to the Wei Estate. Tomorrow night, you will accompany me to host General Wei at the Bright Moon Tower. As for that agent..." Zhu Ting pondered for a moment. "Give him some benefits so he doesn't walk away empty-handed. If he remains greedy and unsatisfied, inform the Huangji Sect truthfully. Cut the gordian knot quickly; do not look for further trouble and create new complications."
"Then won't my business be gone?"
"Heh." Zhu Ting sneered at this, slamming his teacup onto the table. "Do not sacrifice the greater benefit for a small profit. If the business is gone, we can always start another, but if your reputation is ruined, you will have nothing left. Do you understand?"
"Uncle is right to teach me." Zhu Kui lowered his head, not daring to argue.
"By the way, any news from your eldest brother?"
"Not yet." Zhu Kui shook his head and added, "Counting the time, he should be back within these few days."
"When he returns, have him come see me. I have something for him to handle."
"I understand."
Zhu Kui nodded with a serious face. He didn't ask what it was that needed handling. Taking the invitation letter penned by Zhu Ting, he hurried out of the Prefectural Mansion.