Chapter 48: Borrowing Power
Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Borrowing Power
Su Mu followed the two men into a tavern.
The tavern’s decor was lavish and exquisite, and all the servers bustling about were young, beautiful women.
Even though Su Mu didn’t know much about the Inner City, he could tell that an establishment like this was not a place ordinary people could afford.
They went straight to a private room on the top floor. As soon as he entered, Su Mu saw several women with graceful figures, clad in light gauze, swaying their hips to the sound of zithers and lutes.
Such a decadent scene, and in broad daylight, no less.
’Is this a tavern or a brothel?’
As Su Mu grumbled internally, he got a clear look at the person who had summoned him.
Besides the dancers, there was only one young man in the room, dressed like a dandy.
The young man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, casually draping his arms around the women on his left and right.
The woman on his left brought a cup to his lips, and he drank the wine without lifting a finger.
"Young Master, we’ve brought him."
The two men who had brought Su Mu here stood at the door and bowed.
The young man roared with laughter, pushed the women away, and sat up straight.
"So, you’re Su Mu?"
His eyes fell upon Su Mu, sizing him up. "You’ve got some nerve. Do you have any idea whose man Xu Mingchen is?"
"Your man, perhaps?"
Su Mu said calmly.
While the other man was sizing him up, he was doing the same in return.
’This young man’s flesh is firm. He must have gone through Body Tempering.’
’I just don’t know how far he’s gone—flesh, muscles, sinews, or bone.’
"Not too stupid, I see. You figured out he’s one of my men,"
the young man said.
Su Mu was speechless. His opinion of the man dropped a few notches.
’You drag me all the way here and ask that first thing? Does that even require guessing? An idiot could tell you’re connected to Xu Mingchen.’
"Since you know Xu Mingchen is my man, you should also know that you have to know who the master is before you beat his dog,"
the young man said coldly. "You’ve slapped his face, which is the same as making me lose face.
So tell me, what should be done about this?"
"I’m afraid you’re mistaken."
Su Mu shook his head and said, "The way I see it, it was Xu Mingchen who made you lose face.
He violated the Da Xuan Law, which could have easily implicated you.
I taught him a lesson to make him more cautious in the future. That only benefits you; it does you no harm."
"Nonsense!"
the young man said coldly. "Do you think you can get away with twisting words like that?"
"Bullying a country bumpkin like you wouldn’t show off my skills anyway."
He paused, then continued, "I happen to be short on men who can get things done. I see you have some skill, so I’ll give you a chance to serve me."
"That way, this business between you and Xu Mingchen will be considered internal strife. No matter who wins or loses, my face won’t be affected."
The young man rattled on, not giving Su Mu a chance to react.
Su Mu found it quite the eye-opening experience.
’This guy’s line of thinking is certainly unique. Wouldn’t infighting among your own men just prove you’re incompetent? You can’t even control your own subordinates—how is that ’face’?’
"I’m afraid I can’t work for you,"
Su Mu said, shaking his head.
"Hm?"
The young man’s expression turned cold, and the dancers’ movements subconsciously faltered.
"So, you’re refusing the easy way out and choosing the path to ruin?"
"I don’t know about easy ways or paths to ruin."
Su Mu said earnestly, "If you’re really set on me working for you, it’s not impossible. But I’d need one person’s permission first."
"Are you talking about Hu Yuxing?"
the young man said with a sneer. "He’d dare try and snatch someone I want?"
"Not him."
Su Mu shook his head.
"Then who? Has someone else already recruited you?"
The young man frowned slightly.
’When this Su Mu entered the Inner City, I should have been the first to get the news.’
’Could any offer from those Outer City folks possibly compare to one from me, a direct heir of the Wang Family?’
"I can’t tell you his name,"
Su Mu said, "But you can ask them where they found me."
Su Mu gestured to the two men who had brought him over.
"Speak!"
The young man snapped at his two subordinates.
"Replying to the Young Master, we found him at the entrance to the Taiping Bureau,"
the two subordinates said hastily.
"The Taiping Bureau?"
The young man’s body trembled visibly, and his back straightened, like a misbehaving student who suddenly hears his teacher sneaking up behind him.
"You’re working for the Taiping Bureau? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The young man seemed to realize his reaction was unseemly and grew furious out of embarrassment.
"With your status in the Inner City, how could I possibly deceive you?
You can find out just by asking around."
Su Mu said, "You must have already looked into my background.
Aren’t you curious where a vagrant like me learned his saber technique?"
"This—"
The young man’s pupils constricted.
The report from Xu Mingchen said that Su Mu had seemingly grasped Saber Intent, but it didn’t mention where he learned his saber technique.
"I don’t mind telling you. The saber technique I practice is called the Submerging Wave Saber Technique, and it was bestowed upon me by that lord."
Su Mu cupped his hands in the direction of the Taiping Bureau as he spoke.
As soon as he said this, the young man and his two subordinates all sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.
Even the music and dancing came to an abrupt halt. The dancers and Musicians all stared at Su Mu with awe and reverence.
The young man realized how thorny the situation had become.
His name was Wang Guan, a direct heir of the Wang Family, one of the four great families of the Inner City.
But even with his status, he couldn’t afford to offend the Taiping Bureau.
He was already thanking his lucky stars that those gods of death hadn’t come looking for trouble with him. Why would he proactively provoke them?
This Su Mu was obviously not a member of the Taiping Bureau yet, but to have been taught this saber technique, he must have been noticed by someone important within it.
Su Mu watched Wang Guan and was surprised to see him trembling slightly.
’Looks like the Taiping Bureau’s reputation is even more formidable than I thought. It’s enough to make someone like Wang Guan pale at its very mention.’
Su Mu wasn’t afraid of Wang Guan investigating. From start to finish, he hadn’t told a single lie.
The Submerging Wave Saber Technique had indeed been given to him by "Brother Taiping."
At most, he had only used a trivial bit of clever phrasing; he hadn’t lied at all.
If Wang Guan misunderstood, that was his own misinterpretation. It had nothing to do with him.
Even if he went to the Taiping Bureau to ask, the most he could find out about was the Submerging Wave Saber Technique.
"Brother Taiping" probably wouldn’t have the time to explain anything to him.
"A misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding!"
Wang Guan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Brother Su, we’re on the same side! I’ve long known that Xu fellow’s hands weren’t clean, committing crimes and breaking the law behind my back. Even if you hadn’t acted, Brother Su, I was planning to teach him a lesson myself.
You’ve actually done me a huge favor this time, Brother Su."
He stood up, bowing slightly. "Brother Su, please, have a seat. You must do me the honor today and allow me to host you properly."
"It’s getting late. I need to leave soon. I can’t stay overnight in the Inner City,"
Su Mu said.
"Brother Su, don’t you worry. I’ll have a word with the City Guard Bureau. Do they have a death wish? How dare they think of kicking you out of the Inner City?"
Wang Guan said, puffing out his chest.
"Brother Su, please, take the seat of honor!"
Wang Guan called out enthusiastically, "Everyone, get moving! Let the music play on, let the dancing continue...!"