Chapter 127: Reserve Funds

The two sides clashed fiercely in the street.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of weapons colliding was particularly jarring in the quiet night. The local residents heard it, yet not a single soul dared to come out and investigate.

Squelch!

Lou Yi commanded the Gold-Blade Guards, holding their ground firmly. They quickly dispatched a dozen men, but the number of elite fighters hired by the aristocratic families was overwhelming. Even after a dozen were slain, many more surged forward, wave after wave.

"Hold the formation! Don't break! Just stall them for a moment longer, and we'll be able to retreat," Lou Yi roared.

"Don't worry, Boss! These people are no match for us!"

The Gold-Blade Guards moved in perfect unison, their defensive formation impenetrable. Whenever they struck, they did so with the lethal precision of a viper. With such disciplined movement, they were virtually impossible to break through—not just for ordinary swordsmen, but even for armies that had spent years in the heat of battle.

A stick of incense later, the battle was still raging.

The ten Gold-Blade Guards remained unscathed, not even a corner of their clothes touched, while over thirty of the aristocratic swordsmen lay dead. Their bodies littered the street, blood pooling like a river. It was a gruesome sight.

Hidden in the distance, Huang Wenyuan watched with a pounding heart. "What kind of background do these men in black have to possess such strength?"

He knew very well that the dozens of swordsmen he had brought were rare experts. The Hebei aristocratic families had spent tens of thousands of coins to recruit them. It was an elite lineup, yet before the Gold-Blade Guards, they proved utterly fragile.

"Withdraw!"

Lou Yi led the Gold-Blade Guards away, leaving the scene. Huang Wenyuan could only watch, helpless to stop them.

***

Back at the merchant house, the building remained dark, with no lights lit. Luo Tong drove the carriage through the rear courtyard, careful not to alert anyone.

Li Zhi sat in the living room, waiting anxiously. Seeing Luo Tong return, he asked urgently, "How did it go? Was it a trap?"

Luo Tong nodded. "When I left, Lou Yi was leading the men to hold off the pursuit. There were dozens of them, and Huang Wenyuan was among them!"

"It seems I was careless," Li Zhi said. "When Lou Yi and the others return, burn your night-walking gear immediately. Then, bury all the money deep beneath the floor of the back courtyard."

"Is Your Highness worried that a fellow like Sun Jiali will come to search the place? Surely he wouldn't dare?"

"Beyond Sun Jiali, what about the Ministry of Justice? If those powerful families have enough reach to bring in an official from the Ministry to conduct a search, and they find something, it won't be easy to explain!"

"Understood!" Luo Tong agreed wholeheartedly.

Click, clack, click...

Outside, there were hurried footsteps and the sound of armor clashing. Was an army passing by?

Li Zhi ran to the door and peered through the crack. The soldiers passing by were none other than Zhao Wu’s Cavalry Guards.

"Why is he here?"

"Who?"

"Zhao Wu!"

Luo Tong pondered for a moment. "He is the commander of the Cavalry Guards. I recall they have replaced the city watch to maintain order in the capital. The fighting earlier must have alerted them."

"I see!"

Even if the Cavalry Guards weren't specifically targeting the merchant house, Li Zhi remained cautious. Once Lou Yi returned, Li Zhi burned the night-walking gear and buried the eight million coins deep in the backyard.

In the middle of the night, Zhao Wu was led by men from the aristocratic families back to the exterior of the merchant house. Standing before the entrance, Huang Wenyuan pointed a finger and said, "General, this is the place! Send your men to search—you’ll surely find something!"

"Are you giving me orders?" Zhao Wu’s expression turned grim.

Huang Wenyuan stammered, "I wouldn't dare... I am merely requesting your assistance, General. Once this is settled, there will certainly be a generous reward!"

"Hmph!" Zhao Wu scoffed. "I’ve been patrolling all night and I am exhausted. I have important matters to attend to tomorrow; I have no time to arrest a suspect for you. Besides, you have no concrete evidence. How can I search someone’s property based on your word?"

Zhao Wu’s attitude had shifted completely. He had originally agreed to help Huang Wenyuan catch the culprits, but upon arriving at the location, he realized this was the merchant house of the Ninth Prince, Li Zhi. Aside from the fact that he didn't believe Li Zhi would send men to rob the families, he wouldn't dare to raid the Prince’s property in broad daylight even if he had.

"But..."

"Move out!" Zhao Wu couldn't be bothered with Huang Wenyuan’s nonsense. With a wave of his hand, the Cavalry Guards withdrew.

Knowing the stolen money was right inside the merchant house but being unable to do anything about it—there was no greater frustration in the world. Huang Wenyuan was completely defeated.

***

"Are they gone?" Li Zhi poked his head out from an upstairs window.

"They're gone!"

"I didn't expect that lad Zhao Wu to give me such face. We should interact more often in the future!" Li Zhi chuckled.

The next day, business at the merchant house proceeded as usual. Huang Wenyuan had truly left the capital, and those eight million coins had officially become Li Zhi's assets.

"Your Highness, look at this," Luo Tong said, approaching Li Zhi with a box, smiling broadly.

"What is it?"

Luo Tong replied, "The agricultural base in Hongnong County has produced its first batch of sweet potato sprouts. They are very fresh. The Governor and the Registrar of Hongnong specially picked some and sent them over for your inspection!"

Luo Tong opened the box. Inside lay a dozen sweet potato sprouts, vibrant and exceptionally fresh.

Li Zhi looked at them and smiled. "Good. Once these sprouts take root, we can expand the cultivation area. Before long, the entire Hongnong commandery will be planted with sweet potatoes. In a few months, the harvest will be immense."

"Congratulations, Your Highness! Our hard work has not been in vain!"

Li Zhi took the sprouts and rushed into the kitchen. He personally stir-fried a dish of "Stir-fried Immortal Vine."

Li Zhi had coined the name himself. He called it the "Immortal Vine" because such a plant had never existed in the Tang Dynasty. Calling it a life-saving immortal vine was no exaggeration, and it made it easier for people to remember. Perhaps, years from now, the name "Immortal Vine" would become legendary.

"Luo Tong..." Li Zhi called out as he carried the dish to the living room.

Luo Tong hurried over. "Did you call, Your Highness?"

"Taste my cooking—Stir-fried Immortal Vine. Tell me how it tastes."

"Right away!"

The fragrance alone was enough to make Luo Tong’s mouth water. He took a bite with his chopsticks and immediately gave a thumbs-up. "Truly delicious!"

"So this is the sweet potato sprout?"

"Yes!"

Luo Tong finished the dish in a flash, still wanting more. "It’s a delicacy, but there’s too little of it. Can you make some more?"

"Damn it!" Li Zhi had been deep in thought and hadn't realized the bowl was already empty. "How are you not stuffed to death?"

"Hehe..." Luo Tong chuckled. "You can't blame me. There was only a tiny bit—it wasn't even enough to get stuck in my teeth. If you made more, wouldn't you be able to eat some too?"

"By the sound of that, is this my fault now?"

"Not at all!" Luo Tong laughed. "I mean... such a delicious dish shouldn't be made in such small quantities. We should send word to Hongnong to bring more. Oh, and we could send some to the tavern across the street; it would definitely sell for a high price!"

"That makes sense!"

Although they needed the sprouts to cultivate more sweet potatoes, they didn't need every single one. If they could use the "Stir-fried Immortal Vine" to create a buzz, the tavern could make a significant profit, which would serve as a reserve fund for dealing with the aristocratic families.