Chapter Sixty-One: The Arrival of an Unwelcome Guest, Guo’s Rage (Part Two)

Chapter Sixty-One: The Unwelcome Guest Arrives, Guo Nu's Fury (Part Two)

To remain unmoved was impossible!

Back in the twenty-first century, when he was just a desperate graduate student, Zhang Qian had seen gold necklaces, bracelets, and earrings displayed in department stores. Yet, a fist-sized nugget of natural gold was something he had only heard of—until today, when he finally had the chance to see what such a treasure looked like.

By rights, his fortune was no longer insignificant. Even if his “Paracetamol” and “Cefalexin” capsules remained unsold due to their steep prices, he still held at least ten thousand strings of copper coins as a deposit from Ren Qiong and two other merchants. But no matter how high the pile of coins, their allure could never compare to a block of pure gold. Moreover, only forty strings had been converted into Kaiyuan Tongbao; the other nine thousand nine hundred sixty remained mere figures in the ledger.

So, before Lala Wan, the business officer, began his introduction, Zhang Qian’s gaze was transfixed. Even as Lala Wan meticulously described each item, Zhang Qian never nodded. The desire in his eyes for the gold nugget gradually transformed into pure appreciation.

Yes, appreciation! Just as he used to admire the jewelry in those golden counters, separated by thick glass—necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and other ornaments. The color of gold radiated warmth; its artistry brought joy to the eye. Yet, at the time, none of these were worth draining his bank account, nor risking his future to obtain.

Now, this massive nugget of natural gold was indeed extraordinary in its impact and temptation, but it was no more worthy than the formula for his floral water.

Even without considering the immense profits from large-scale production, the hidden value behind the manufacture of the floral water kept his mind clear despite the gold’s allure.

True, he was already friends with Ren Cong, and his relationship with Guo Nu was decent. Yet, the resources of the Ren and Guo families had nothing to do with his own modest connections.

True, he had once saved Ren Qiong’s life, but Ren Qiong had already repaid that debt with this estate and over a thousand acres. The House of Bo, behind Ren Qiong, held no ties to Zhang Qian.

If Zhang Qian wished to establish himself in Tang, to achieve even his most basic ambitions, friendship alone would never suffice.

If he wanted the Ren family’s resources to support him at critical moments, if he wanted Guo’s network to protect him, if he wanted the young Marquis Duan to stand up for him as he did for Ren Qiong, if he wanted, through these families, to make more friends and broaden his connections—he would need to offer something of real value, something that could continually motivate cooperation.

At this moment, the most suitable thing he could offer was his floral water.

Among adults, especially strangers, there is no deep camaraderie or reckless sacrifice. Philosophy and life experience had already taught Zhang Qian that shared interests are the best bond to maintain "friendship" among unfamiliar adults.

The truth is cold, harsh, but undeniable.

So, when Lala Wan finished introducing all the items and looked up, awaiting Zhang Qian’s surrender, he was surprised to see Zhang Qian reluctantly shift his gaze from the gold nugget, then smile and clasp his hands in salute. “Thank you, Officer Lala Wan. The formula for Six God Floral Water is a secret not passed outside my master’s lineage. Forgive me, but I cannot agree.”

“Not enough? You think it’s not enough?” Lala Wan’s eyes widened in anger, fists waving in threat. “Don’t be too greedy! That floral water—if we put our minds to it, my Tubo apothecaries could surely concoct something similar! When that day comes, even these…”

He used his toe to flick a snow leopard bone toward Zhang Qian, continuing his bluster. “Your formula won’t even be worth these bones!”

“The formula is a master’s secret. Even if it’s worth only a blade of grass, I wouldn’t trade it for ten thousand taels of gold!” Zhang Qian kicked the bone back, smiling with calm dignity.

“You—” Lala Wan made as if to pounce, but seeing Ren Quan standing nearby, arms folded and sneering, he quickly withdrew. Spinning around, he retrieved two identical bundles from behind the saddles of his horses, hurriedly returning. “These—these are all yours too! Surely that’s enough?!”

He shook the bundles open with a flourish. Tiger whips, leopard bones, jade, gold nuggets—all spilled across the ground.

“Ah…” Zhu Liang, the registrar from the Guest Department of the Honglu Temple, winced in pain. If Lala Wan had succeeded in his intimidation, at least one bundle would have been his reward. Now, it all belonged to Zhang Qian, a mere commoner—who seemed intent on refusing the deal!

But Zhu Liang dared not intervene. Though Zhang Qian’s shield, He Zhizhang, was known as a kindly old man and held no higher rank than Zhu Liang himself, He Zhizhang had entered office as the top scholar of the Yiwei class, while Zhu Liang owed his post to the recommendation of a court official.

Among He Zhizhang’s graduating class, two had already become secretaries of the Central Secretariat, one a minor supervisor. The highest of those recommended alongside Zhu Liang was a mere county magistrate.

In short, though Zhu Liang now outranks He Zhizhang and wields more authority, their prospects are worlds apart. Zhu Liang’s career would peak as a deputy, while He Zhizhang, with diligence and good alliances, was destined for a ministry—possibly even a chief minister.

So, though his heart bled, Zhu Liang wisely stayed out of it, lowering his head and adopting the demeanor of a meditating monk, pretending the gold nugget on the ground was nothing more than a clump of earth.

“Boy, don’t be too greedy. These goods are enough to buy a hundred of your estate behind you, five thousand—no, ten thousand yaks!” After a long silence, Lala Wan’s roar dragged Zhu Liang back to reality.

Looking closer, Zhu Liang saw that while he was practicing his silent meditation, Lala Wan had opened the fourth and fifth bundles and placed them at his feet. Yet Zhang Qian, across from him, remained utterly unmoved by the gold nugget, even acting as if he were ready to close the door and see the guests off.

“Master Zhang, please wait!” Not wanting to offend He Zhizhang, nor Lala Wan, Zhu Liang forced himself to speak. “Officer Lala Wan is a trusted confidant of the Tubo king. He genuinely wishes to purchase the recipe for Six God Floral Water. If you feel what he offers is insufficient, perhaps you could name your price?”

“Yes, how much do you want? Just say it!” Lala Wan found his anchor, rushing forward and grabbing Zhang Qian’s sleeve despite the risk of catching a cold. “As long as you name it—even if you want a yak’s weight in gold sand, I’ll find a way to bring it to you!”

“It’s not about gold sand—ah, ah!” Zhang Qian, nauseated by the pungent air, quickly turned his head and covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, concealing his sneezing. “To be frank, don’t waste your energy. The formula is not for sale, not for any amount of money! Ah, ah, ah…”

“You look down on us!” Lala Wan, seeing Zhang Qian’s unwavering refusal, steeled himself and raised his fists. “You scorn the children of the gods—I’ll…”

This was his favorite tactic when negotiations failed in the Chang’an markets. Usually, it forced his opponent to yield, or the local constables would intervene and pressure the other party into submission. But today, this move proved ineffective.

Before his fists could strike, Ren Quan, who had been standing watch at the door, swiftly seized his wrist. With a series of fluid movements—stepping forward, twisting, hooking a leg, pushing—he sent Lala Wan flying half a yard, landing flat on his back with a thud.

This stirred up a hornet’s nest. Lala Wan’s attendants, enraged and humiliated, began shouting and drew their steel blades from behind their saddles.

Before they could attack, intense hoofbeats thundered behind them. Over twenty strong servants in black surged forward, led by a broad-shouldered youth.

“Who are these scoundrels, daring to cause trouble outside Chang’an, do you think the Tang dynasty is powerless?” the youth shouted, drawing his bow, his arrows and curses flying ahead. “Drop your blades, or my arrows will show no mercy!”

An arrow whistled overhead, passing at least five feet above Lala Wan and his men.

The youth nocked another arrow, “Brother Zhang, don’t be afraid—Guo Er is here. Ren Xiao Wu and his family retainers are right behind. If anyone dares trouble you today, I’ll tear them to pieces!”

With his words, another arrow shot out, again wildly inaccurate, but it was enough to terrify Lala Wan and his followers, silencing their clamor.

Accuracy was irrelevant; what mattered was that he truly dared to shoot at people.

Lala Wan’s audacity for strong-arming deals and brawling inside Chang’an depended on the assumption that local officials would avoid trouble. As long as they provoked conflict, victory was assured.

Now, faced with someone reckless, the situation changed entirely. If violence truly broke out, Lala Wan’s attendants, though fierce, were outnumbered and doomed.

Moreover, in recent years, Tubo’s repeated invasions of Tang had ended in defeat. The regent dowager, Meilu, had to resort to old wisdom, seeking full support from Tang by marrying off a princess to Tubo to strengthen their power.

If blood were spilled today, even if the marriage plan went ahead, Lala Wan would return to Tubo as a troublemaker, likely losing both legs and being demoted to slavery.

Smart people are everywhere; before Guo Nu and his retainers could get any closer, Lala Wan decisively raised his hand and slapped his attendants’ faces, one by one. “Drop your blades, drop your blades! Who told you to draw weapons? I was merely sparring in wrestling with Master Zhang’s companion. Why are you making a fuss? Drop your blades, or you’ll all be slaves, none spared!”

Clang, clang, clang—steel swords tumbled to the ground.

Ignoring the scornful stares around him, Lala Wan strode over to Zhu Liang, the registrar, and bowed deeply—an attitude rarely seen. “Registrar Zhu, a misunderstanding—it was truly a misunderstanding. You watched from the side; please explain to Master Zhang and that young lord. Tubo and Tang are relatives by marriage. How could the servants of Tubo’s son-in-law truly fight with the people of Tang’s father-in-law?”