High above, in an upper-floor room, a young man stood examining a luminous pearl between his thumb and forefinger, letting the sunlight play across its surface. Behind him stood Zhou Jia and Qian Da, both bowing respectfully.  0

“They tried every dirty trick in the book,” Li Yuan remarked in a measured tone. “Cause trouble, frame us, bring in bailiffs to shut us down…then kill us if that failed. Brutal and relentless.”  0

He slipped the pearl into his pocket. The troublemakers who’d appeared earlier had secretly planted it in the wooden drawer. But every inch of the Ginger Tavern lay under Li Yuan’s watchful eye; once they left, he retrieved it himself. Sure enough, not long after, the baliffs arrived to search.  0

He could easily imagine the scenario. If they’d found that incriminating item, they would’ve thrown everyone in jail on fabricated charges, likely leading to executions…unless he went begging to Gu Xuejian for help, token in hand.  0

Li Yuan shifted his gaze. “Qian Da, you’ve been digging for intel these last four months. What have you discovered?”  0

His calm yet reassuring voice filled the room, and Qian Da stepped forward with fists cupped in respect. “Master,...0