Chapter 50: Dirty Laundry

10 February 1228 of the Ziyun era, noon.

In the courtyard, Zhou Donghuang and Lin Lan were eating, while Fu and Granny Lian stood behind them.

“Young Master, someone is here,” said Fu suddenly.

Hearing this, Zhou Donghuang looked towards the outside of the courtyard. A man was walking towards them quickly. When he got a clear look at the man, a murderous glint swept across Zhou Donghuang’s eyes.

The man was none other than the disciple Lin Hua who had let them in a few days ago only to backstab them.

“Lin Lan, Fourth Elder is back… Second Elder asked me to inform you to confront him in the back courtyard in an hour’s time.” Lin Hua laughed. “I can’t wait to see what proof you have to show later that Fourth Elder stole your formula.” With that, Lin Hua left.

“Donghuang, can you really prove that you came up with the formula for the blood staunching elixir?” With the confrontation with Fourth Elder Lin Tonghong nearing, Lin Lan was nervous.

“Mother, relax,” Zhou Donghuang said with a smile. “When I gave you the formula the last time, I memorized it… I even know what to add to it to increase its potency. Besides that, I also know what herbs to remove to lower its potency. Doesn’t the Lin family have an intermediate-level medicine master? Later, let him be the judge.” Zhou Donghuang was confident.

Only the person who had come up with the formula would know its potency, and which herbs to remove or add to alter its effect. This was common knowledge to not just an intermediate-level medicine master but to a basic-level master as well.

…

At the main door of the Lin family household.

A man in a Chinese outfit looked out towards the end of the road. He was decently built with defined facial features and had an air of majesty. His eyes looked expectant as if he was waiting for something.

Behind him, a bulky old man with white eyebrows smiled as he said, “Chief, the Lu family chief, Lu Qinghu really gave you respect. Not only did he say there’s no need for a banquet lunch, but he’s also even coming personally to look for you.”

The man was the Lin family chief, Lin Zhuoyue. The old man behind him was Head Elder Lin Tianzheng.

“Lu Qinghu is no small figure… Furthermore, this time, we are asking them for a favor. We must be courteous and respectful,” said Lin Zhuoyue. “Head Elder, you must not treat him like the lesser family chief that he used to be. Now, he is a level-four adept and chief of a preeminent family, equal in position to me. Today, we must obtain the resale rights of the Lu family Qi gathering elixir… once we obtain it, our profits will double.” Lin Zhuoyue’s eyes were expectant.

Even if the Lu family did not allow the families that had resale rights to sell the elixir in the capital, the Lin family had more than just their guilds in the towns. The Lin family could sell the elixir in the neighboring, inferior county. Even though there would be labor and shipping costs, there would still be substantial profits.

“Don’t worry Chief, I know how important this is,” Lin Tianzheng said with a nod.

“Here they are!”

After a moment, Lin Zhuoyue and Lin Tianzheng saw two sedans lifted by eight people each coming towards the Lin family household from the end of the road in the distance. Most importantly, on the curtain of these sedans was embroidered with a large “Lu” character. These were none other than the sedans from the old lesser family and present preeminent family, the Lu family.

Soon, the two sedans stopped at the main door of the Lin family household, and two figures walked out from the sedan. They were none other than the Lu family chief, Lu Qinghu, and the Lu second elder, Lu Bao.

“Welcome, Family Chief Lu and Second Elder Lu. It really is an honor. Please come on in,” Lin Zhuoyue welcomed them warmly, and Lin Tianzheng led the way personally. “Chief Lu, Second Elder Lu, this way please.”

“You are too courteous, Chief Lin,” Lu Qinghu smiled and nodded. They entered the Lin family household and into the hall, behind Lin Zhuoyue and Lin Tianzheng.

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“Serve the tea!” Once the four of them were seated, Lin Tianzheng called the servant girls who were waiting at the door, and they served tea.

“Chief Lu, you single-handedly led the Lu family from a lesser family into the ranks of the preeminent families, you are simply amazing… unlike us, we count on the fortune of our ancestors.” Lin Zhuoyue praised Lu Qinghu, giving him a thumbs up.

“Exactly,” Lin Tianzheng smiled. “In the hundred years of history of Yunfeng county, only Chief Lu reached level-four of gathered qi as a disciple of a lesser family, and led a lesser family to become a preeminent family.”

“Chief Lin and Elder Tianzheng are too kind, I was only lucky.” Lu Qinghu sipped his tea and smiled as he shook his head. Although he pretended to be modest, he could not help laughing to himself quietly.

In the close to one hundred years of history of Yunfeng county, the reason why the lesser families had not produced a level-four adept was first because their disciples were less talented, and secondly because the preeminent families had intentionally tried to suppress the lesser families. Whenever a lesser family produced a strong, level-three adept, he would somehow die mysteriously. Though it was claimed to be an accident, it was actually murder committed by the preeminent families.

The alliance between the Lu, Ma, and Fang family allowed them to protect each other, and it made the preeminent families wary. They did not dare to touch any of them. If not for that, he would have suffered the same fate at the hands of preeminent families like the Lin family.

“Chief Lu is too humble,” smiled Lin Zhuoyue as he prepared to enter the topic. “Chief Lu, let’s not beat about the bush. I have asked to see you today about the hugely popular Qi gathering elixir that the Lu family has been selling…”

“Chief!”

Before he could finish, Lin Zhuoyue was interrupted by a loud sound from outside. A breathless disciple had rushed to the door of the hall.

“Second Elder told me to tell you that Fourth Elder and Lin Lan are in the backyard and are waiting for you to begin the debate.”

Just as the words left his mouth, Lin Tianzheng stopped him.

“Enough! Chief has no time now to bother about these small things. Let them do it at another time.”

“Y—yes!” The disciple answered and turned to leave.

Just then, Lu Qinghu said, “Wait!” The disciple stopped in his tracks. “Chief Lin, who is your fourth elder confronting in the backyard? What is going on?” he asked Lin Zhuoyue curiously.

He had seemed to hear the disciple mention the name “Lin Lan,” but he was not sure, so wanted to confirm what he had heard.

“They say not to hang one’s dirty laundry outside… but since Chief Lu has already asked, there’s nothing to hide,” Lin Zhuoyue said with a heavy sigh. He continued, “Chief Lu should have heard that we got the formula for a blood staunching elixir that was forty percent more potent than the ones on the market?”

Lu Qinghu nodded. “I heard Fourth Elder Lin had chanced upon it outside and handed it to the Lin family.”

“Indeed,” Lin Zhuoyue agreed. “A few days ago, a disciple whom I had banned not only disregarded my orders and came back but even said… that she had been the one who had brought the formula to us and that her credit had been stolen by Fourth Elder. Even more ridiculous is that she said she has evidence that it was her formula. So now, she is waiting to confront our fourth elder about it.”

“She is very bold indeed… does she happen to be someone I know?” Lu Qinghu asked.

“Chief Lu probably has never heard of her; she is just a side disciple whom we had sent to a small town to manage the guild there. Her name is ‘Lin Lan.’” Lin Zhuoyue shook his head.

Lin Lan?! Just as Lin Zhuoyue said this, Lu Qinghu and Lu Bao narrowed their eyes and stood up hurriedly.

“Chief Lu, Lu Second Elder, this…?” Lin Zhuoyue and Lin Tianzheng were shocked by the abrupt actions of the two.

“Chief Lin, I know you wanted to talk about the Qi gathering elixir resale rights… but now I’m more curious, what evidence does your Lin side disciple have to say that the blood staunching elixir was her formula?” Lu Qinghu breathed in deeply and squeezed out a smile. “Why don’t… we go over and watch their confrontation together?”