Chapter 78: Talks Nearly Break Down, Turning the Tables with Power

The group arrived at the City Lord Manor. One look at its size told them this old fellow knew how to live well.

“Esteemed guests, please allow this lowly one to go and report first.”

Guard Captain Ding Xiu said respectfully.

He was only a guard captain in a mid-sized city, an eighth-grade official. He could not afford to offend the Immortal Dao Merchant Association.

The Supreme Heavenly Dynasty divided secular cities into four categories. Super-large cities generally housed first-tier forces; large cities housed second-tier forces; mid-sized cities housed third-tier forces. The fourth category consisted of small cities, newly established or remote.

Official ranks in the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty followed the same hierarchy. A guard captain in a mid-sized city was only an eighth-grade official.

“Go ahead. By the way, have City Lord Chen come out to receive me personally.”

Ling Wushuang did not make things difficult for Ding Xiu, but he still demanded that Chen Lou come out to greet him.

“This lowly one understands.”

Without another word, Ding Xiu hurried directly into the City Lord Manor.

“What? Ling Wushuang of the Immortal Dao Merchant Association is here? And he wants me to go out and receive him personally? How could he possibly show up in a place like this?”

Chen Lou grew flustered at Ding Xiu’s report. He could not afford to offend the Immortal Dao Merchant Association. Neither could his uncle.

“Quickly, accompany me to welcome him.”

After thinking it over briefly, Chen Lou obediently went out to greet them.

“Young Master Ling honors us with his visit. Forgive this official for failing to greet you sooner. Please, come in.”

Not long after, Chen Lou hurried out of the manor, speaking as he approached.

But his expression soured again when he saw Qin Xiao’s group and the people from the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion. How had they gotten involved with the Immortal Dao Merchant Association?

“City Lord Chen is too polite. Brother Qin, Senior Ye, let us go in.”

Ling Wushuang offered a brief reply before addressing Qin Xiao, Ye Qiuyue, and the rest.

Without standing on ceremony, Ling Wushuang strode directly into the City Lord Manor.

Qin Xiao and the others naturally followed.

“The Immortal Dao Merchant Association really is something. Even an official of the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty treats them with such respect. They must be far more powerful than I imagined.”

Qin Xiao had thought Chen Lou merely feared the association’s strength. It seemed there was more to it. Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.

In the manor’s main hall, Ling Wushuang again dispensed with ceremony and took the host’s seat. Chen Lou could only sit in a guest’s seat.

Qin Xiao and the others sat wherever they liked. They knew the negotiations would be between Ling Wushuang and Chen Lou; they were only there to listen.

“City Lord Chen, I have come here today at the request of Brother Qin. I understand there is some misunderstanding between you two, so I am here to clear it up.”

Before Chen Lou could figure out how to broach the subject, Ling Wushuang stated his purpose directly.

“Young Master Ling, I mean no disrespect. Everything I have done follows the rules. If they cooperate, there will be no misunderstanding. Why trouble yourself to come here in person?”

Naturally unwilling to let the matter drop, Chen Lou resorted to bureaucratic rhetoric.

“You know perfectly well whether you followed the rules. As I said, I came to clear up this misunderstanding. Does City Lord Chen have something else in mind?”

Seeing Chen Lou still resorting to bureaucratic evasions, Ling Wushuang grew annoyed. He had come in person, yet the man was still fobbing him off.

“Well… you misunderstand, Young Master Ling. How would I dare? But the main misunderstanding is between my uncle and Pavilion Master Ye. I have sent for him, and he will be here soon. We should wait for him before deciding anything.”

As soon as Ling Wushuang’s arrival had been announced, Chen Lou had hurriedly sent word to Chen Shunyi outside the city.

He had dared act because his uncle was waiting outside the city. If Ye Qiuyue struck first, his uncle would have a legitimate excuse to suppress them. Then he could threaten Ye Tianyi with a charge of rebellion against the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion. The pavilion would have to obey.

A charge of rebellion was serious enough to wipe out an entire clan. Once the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty acted, no one could protect them, and there would be nowhere to flee. Death would be their only fate. Under those circumstances, the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion would have to agree to all his demands.

Once his uncle subdued Ye Tianyi, the two women accompanying Qin Xiao would have to become Chen Lou’s concubines. Everything had been planned perfectly, but Ling Wushuang had appeared out of nowhere, leaving Chen Lou no choice but to seek his uncle’s help.

“Oh? Your uncle is Grand Commander Chen? I have had the fortune of meeting him a few times. Since you say so, we shall wait for him to arrive.”

Ling Wushuang looked unconcerned. He had already guessed Chen Lou had someone backing him; otherwise, the man would never have been so bold.

“It really was a trap. Good thing I stopped Aunt.”

When Chen Lou said Chen Shunyi would arrive soon, Ye Tianyi realized he had been waiting outside the city all along, waiting for her side to strike first.

“Young Master Ling, it has been a while! I had just left when I heard you were here, so I hurried back. Still young and promising as ever, I see. You look close to breaking through to the peak of the Nascent Soul realm.”

Soon, Chen Shunyi entered with a laugh, taking the opportunity to sound friendly with Ling Wushuang.

“Uncle, please take a seat.”

Seeing his arrival, Chen Lou hastily vacated the guest seat.

“I wonder what brings Young Master Ling here today?” This chapter was copied from NovelPing without permission.

Though Chen Shunyi was fully aware of the situation, he feigned ignorance.

“Nothing particularly complicated. I heard that you and your nephew had some misunderstandings with the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion and my good friend Qin Xiao, so I decided to act as a mediator to settle the matter.”

Cutting straight to the point, Ling Wushuang refused to beat around the bush.

“Young Master Ling, my misunderstanding with Pavilion Master Ye is a small matter. I can let it go. But I cannot easily intervene in city affairs. Chen Lou is an official of the dynasty, responsible for everything in the city. It is not my place to interfere. Surely you should not be meddling in the dynasty’s affairs either, Young Master Ling?”

Chen Shunyi would not let it go so easily. He invoked the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty: Chen Lou was Tianyi City’s City Lord, an imperial official, and this was the dynasty’s business. Accommodating Ling Wushuang would not be so easy.

“Oh? Are you implying that because I hold no official post within the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty, I have no right to intervene in this city’s affairs?”

Ling Wushuang knew exactly what he meant and grew displeased.

“I meant no such thing. But this matter really is difficult to handle. Please do not make things difficult for us, Young Master Ling.”

Despite his denial, that was exactly what Chen Shunyi meant. He would use the dynasty’s rules to pressure Ling Wushuang. What could the young man do about it?

“If you insist on that, Commander Chen, have you forgotten that the Immortal Dao Merchant Association is an Imperial Merchant? The Celestial Emperor granted our President a first-grade princely title and our Vice Presidents second-grade princely titles. They carry no actual authority, but are those ranks yours to insult? My father, the Qingzhou Vice President, holds a second-grade princely title, and I am his Heir Apparent. You are only a fourth-grade Grand Commander. Why have you not paid your respects?”

Ling Wushuang had not wanted an open confrontation. But if Chen Shunyi insisted on using his position to bully him, he did not mind letting the man feel what that was like.

“This subordinate Chen Shunyi pays respects to Heir Apparent Ling.”

At Ling Wushuang’s reprimand, Chen Shunyi rose and obediently paid his respects.

He had no choice. Ling Wushuang was right: he was an Heir Apparent. Even without actual authority, he still enjoyed the privileges of that title. Chen Shunyi was only a fourth-grade official and could be punished for showing contempt for him.

“Heir Apparent Ling, even if you hold that title, you lack executive power. This matter remains difficult to oversee.”

Even after their open confrontation, Chen Shunyi wanted to hold out a little longer. He had prepared so much and could not bear to give up now.

“I may lack executive power, but does the Governor-General of Qingzhou lack it as well? If you persist in your obstinacy, I shall return to the branch office this very moment and report your conduct directly to the Governor-General.”

Ling Wushuang only had an Heir Apparent’s title, but the Qingzhou Governor-General was his father’s close friend. He could report them.

“This official knows he was wrong. Please forgive me, Heir Apparent. We will drop the whole matter.”

With Ling Wushuang invoking the Qingzhou Governor-General, Chen Shunyi realized he meant business. He had to back down, lower his head, and admit defeat.