TGCFNM -Chapter 304 Going to the Bank

After lunch, Xiao Hua went off to help Fuxiang buy some things, while Cao Tong and Yan Sheng also needed to run errands for Fuxiang’s father.

So Zhang Dong drove the carriage and led them ahead first.

Uncle Wu, on the other hand, led Chu Ling, Wan Sanjin, Su He, and Hong Shiyuan to the back entrance of the Tiansheng Grand Bank. They passed through the back courtyard, then took a narrow street. After arriving at another location, they were invited inside.

“This whole area belongs to the Wan family. The front is for receiving guests, while the back is where the important stuff is,” said Hong Shiyuan.

Chu Ling looked around and couldn’t help but marvel at the luxurious décor—it was clear that a fortune had been spent.

Wan Sanjin also looked around, occasionally exclaiming in astonishment.

Su He was puzzled: “Isn’t this your family’s place?”

Wan Sanjin nodded: “Yes, but it’s the first time I’ve actually seen it.”

Hong Shiyuan chuckled: “The young master used to live in the capital and hadn’t been to other places. Somehow, one day, he just ran off.”

Chu Ling smiled: “I know what happened. He came to Sishui County for Fu Qingyu. Either he drugged him, or he secretly had a crush on him.”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes widened: “I was just helping a close friend out of trouble!”

“Did he ask you to help him out?” Chu Ling asked curiously. “Or is it just something you assumed?”

Wan Sanjin said earnestly: “Although Qingyu didn’t say anything and never complained, I thought that’s what he wanted.”

Chu Ling: “Huh?”

Su He, though unsure about the root of the issue, felt something was off from Wan Sanjin’s words: “If you didn’t think it was serious, you wouldn’t have come to Sishui County at all.”

Wan Sanjin thought carefully and realized it was true: “I remember Lan Yu complained several times and said he was worried… after all… you understand, sir.”

At that time, the Grand General’s power was at its peak, and the emperor had nothing left to bestow. In such circumstances, if the Grand General’s family wanted a marriage alliance, it would have been a simple matter of a single word.

Who would have thought that overnight, the whole structure collapsed.

Chu Ling understood, but asked: “Who’s Lan Yu?”

“Shi Lanyu, the second young master of the world,” Wan Sanjin replied.

Chu Ling furrowed his brows in disbelief: “Huh?”

Su He caught on: “You, Fu Qingyu, and Shi Lanyu were friends in the capital. Shi Lanyu complained out of worry, you remembered it, and that’s why you came to Sishui County.”

Wan Sanjin waved his hand: “Yes, we’re friends and classmates. We studied together at Fuchen Zhai, and only the three of us never planned to take the imperial exams.”

“You studied? Really?” Chu Ling was genuinely shocked. “You studied, and your handwriting is that ugly?”

Su He also asked: “So what exactly did Shi Lanyu complain about that made you have to come to Sishui County?”

Wan Sanjin hesitated. He didn’t know how to answer either of the two questions.

So Chu Ling solved one for him: “He came to Sishui County looking for me because he was worried I would bully Fu Qingyu. But he didn’t expect that all I really wanted was to be a county magistrate. Feeling guilty, he became my advisor and has been providing financial support to our government office ever since.”

Su He nodded, visibly moved.

“So, Sanjin, did you really study?” Su He asked again.

Wan Sanjin felt like he had been pierced through the heart: “…I did study. The teacher at Fuchen Zhai was Grand Tutor Fu. He had ten disciples, and my elder brother paid to get me in.”

For the first time, Su He showed a hint of apology in his eyes. He patted Wan Sanjin’s shoulder seriously: “I don’t look down on you.”

“Really? Then if I encounter a ghost, can I sleep with you?” Wan Sanjin asked excitedly.

Su He raised his hand to stop him: “No!”

Wan Sanjin was furious: “I treat you as my sworn dead brother!”

Su He replied calmly, “I treat you as my living corpse.”

Chu Ling looked at Uncle Wu and Uncle Hong with an expression as if she didn’t know the two men. “As the family head, I apologize.”

Uncle Hong was silent for a long while, then looked at Uncle Wu and asked, “Why do I feel like this isn’t quite the same as what the Young Master described in his letter?”

Lord Chu, righteous and relentless in solving bizarre cases.

Coroner Su, who could make the dead speak.

And their young master, gradually mature, able to handle things independently.

He remembered the anticipation when he received the secret letter, the admiration while conversing with Chu Ling at the tavern—but now, all that remained was a long, silent pause.

Uncle Wu said naturally, “They’re just like that.”

He had gotten used to it, familiar with it.

Uncle Hong patted Uncle Wu heavily on the shoulder. “It hasn’t been easy for you on this journey.”

Uncle Wu nodded. “The rest is up to you. I need to escort Fuxiang’s Father and the others.”

Uncle Hong: “……”—a bit regretful.

Chu Ling cleared her throat, trying to restore everyone’s image. “Uncle Hong, what we came here for this time… Uncle Wu should have already delivered the letter in advance.”

Uncle Hong nodded. “What you obtained in the Snow Mountain, Old Wu only mentioned roughly. But since it’s in Ningzhou, don’t worry. We’ll make sure to give a price that will satisfy the Lord.”

Wan Sanjin added from the side, “Don’t worry, my lord. I know the market. This is the government treasury’s money—we absolutely cannot let them cheat us.”

Uncle Hong felt a bit restless, tempted to hit someone.

Uncle Wu, on the other hand, slapped Wan Sanjin on the back and gritted his teeth, “The Young Master already instructed!”

“Oh.” Wan Sanjin exhaled in relief. “Then I’m at ease.”

Uncle Hong, feeling a bit sympathetic, also gave a slap.

A little later.

The group went up to the second floor of the building. Uncle Hong personally led them to a room and told them to take out the items.

Wan Sanjin and Su He handed over the bundles they were carrying.

Uncle Hong couldn’t help but close his eyes. They had carried these bundles all the way, yet held them so casually, as if they might drop at any moment. He had thought, It can’t be, how could something so important be held like this? Yet, it really was.

Uncle Hong glared at the two. “Open the bundles.”

Obediently, they opened them. One bundle contained divine water in porcelain bottles, the other contained gemstones, gold, and medicinal herbs.

Uncle Hong asked them to wait, then sent someone to inspect the items.

After a while, he came back with the receipt and looked at Chu Ling. “There are twenty-seven bottles of divine water. The Young Master said one bottle is for the eldest young master, so we count twenty-six bottles.”

Chu Ling, slightly shocked, turned to Wan Sanjin. “Two bottles short.”

Wan Sanjin glanced awkwardly at the beams above the ceiling and stammered, “Well, it’s giving Qingyu two extra bottles, just to be safe. My lord, he’s young but has a chronic cold condition—what if he doesn’t live long?”

Su He quietly asked beside him, “If he doesn’t live long, can I dissect his corpse? I think his bones would be beautiful too.”

Wan Sanjin shook his head. “No, Qingyu must live.”

Chu Ling looked at Wan Sanjin with disdain, then turned to Uncle Hong. “Let’s just count it as twenty-six bottles.”

Uncle Hong couldn’t help but laugh, then continued, “There are eighty-one gemstones in total. The gold, due to its exquisite workmanship and special patterns, we priced separately… Adding the cost of the medicinal herbs and converting everything into gold, it comes to about 3,280,000 gold coins.”

Chu Ling felt like she had been hit by happiness all at once. “We’re rich!”