I changed the world.

Page 435

At this very moment, in private room 202 on the second floor of the Dinghai Oriental Hotel, Wen Zaide, the eldest son of the Marquis of Changping, and Wang Ling, the second son of the Marquis of Runan, were enjoying a meal of local Dinghai delicacies while chatting.

The two were currently discussing matters concerning the Qianluo Group. Wang Ling picked up his wine cup, took a small sip, and then asked, "Has Chairman An still not replied to Brother Jingde?"

“Perhaps he is hesitant…” Wen Zaide shook his head, picked up a piece of yellow croaker, and put it in his mouth to savor it: “Given Qianluo’s current situation, we are definitely not the only ones eyeing him. Perhaps other lobbyists are also negotiating with him. The highest bidder wins, after all. This Mr. An is a businessman, and he always compares prices from different vendors.”

“If that’s the case…” Wang Ling frowned, “Should we try to urge him a little…”

Compared to Wen Zaide's seemingly relaxed demeanor, he was actually much more concerned about this "business deal." After all, although the Marquis of Runan's family seemed to be of higher social standing than the Earl of Changping, Wen Zaide was the eldest son and had served in the military, thus having the right to inherit the family business. This was why many people called him "Young Earl." Barring any unforeseen circumstances, given the empire's long-standing custom of primogeniture, he would be able to inherit the family business even if he did nothing.

But Wang Ling was different. He was the second son, with an older brother. Unless his brother died for some reason in the future, after his father passed away, he would be nothing more than a retired nobleman, able to live on a monthly stipend, nothing more. And as things stand now, his tall and strong older brother doesn't seem to be on his way to death at all.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 909 Marquis of Jingbei

This means that his passion for money is far greater than Wen Zaide's. After all, this is paving the way for his own future, and a piece of the lucrative Qianluo Group is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, no matter how small. It's impossible for him not to covet it.

"Ziling, do you have any ideas?" Wen Zaide asked with great interest. Ziling was Wang Ling's courtesy name. In fact, in his view, last night's "business" was a risky endeavor, aiming to at least establish a connection. If Qianluo had the opportunity to sell its shares, he could make a profit if he was lucky. If Qianluo didn't choose his side, then since he had already made the connection, he could still try to find a way to squeeze in and get a share of the profits.

After considering for a moment, Wang Ling said, "Recently, some mouthpieces in the public sphere have been stirring up trouble. I think it might be worthwhile... to make a fuss about this..."

"Oh? You mean, to show him goodwill?" Wen Zaide asked thoughtfully.

"As the saying goes, 'courtesy before force'..." Wang Ling chuckled, "We should at least let that Chairman An see our capabilities."

“My family owns shares in Changhe Newspaper Group. They have six newspapers and three magazines under their name, and they are all reporting on anti-monopoly issues. I can use my father’s name to put in a good word and suppress their reporting. That should be fine,” Wang Ling said after thinking for a moment.

"As for Wang Jinchang..." Wen Zaide nodded, then added, "In that case, I'll also put in a word with Xinhuanet to suppress their report."

"If Chairman An is still hesitant at that time, then we should let him know that we can help him suppress public opinion, and naturally we can also make public opinion rise to a higher level." Wang Ling said with a smile, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. This matter is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and no matter what, he is determined to take a piece of the pie.

“Speaking of which, the second young lady of the Marquis of Jingbei’s family is coming over tomorrow. If we can get her involved as well, then we’ll have a much better chance of success,” Wen Zaide suggested.

"The Marquis of Jingbei..." Wang Ling's eyes lit up upon hearing this. As a noble family that participated in Emperor Huanzong's Northern Expedition, the Marquis of Jingbei's lineage had always wielded considerable influence in the military and even throughout the southern part of the empire. The current Marquis of Jingbei, holding the rank of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and a General, wielded influence in the court and among the common people that was in no way inferior to that of several dukes, making him a leading figure among the southern nobles. Although both were marquises, the Marquis of Jingbei's influence in the court far surpassed that of the Marquis of Runan.

"I heard that the second young lady doesn't really like participating in social activities?" Wang Ling asked after thinking for a moment.

"Yes, it is said that this second young lady rarely attends the Jiangling social season balls. In fact, many noble sons are eyeing this young lady and want to pursue her, but she never shows up, which leaves them with no opportunity to try their luck..." Wen Zaide himself was already married, so he had only heard about such anecdotes about young ladies.

“It’s really rare for her to come. I heard that this young lady is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jingbei…” Wang Ling said with great interest.

“Yes, I met her once last year. As you know, my family has always had a relationship with the Marquis of Jingbei’s mansion.” Wen Zaide nodded and said, “She and her two elder brothers are all born of the same mother, so they have always been very favored.”

Wang Ling nodded. He knew that the ancestor of the Marquis of Changping was a general under the Marquis of Jingbei during Emperor Huanzong's Northern Expedition. Therefore, the Marquis of Changping's family had always maintained frequent exchanges with the Marquis of Jingbei's family.

"In that case, I'll have to ask Brother Jingde for an introduction!" Wang Ling's face showed a hint of anticipation and excitement, and this was not just from a "business" perspective.

"Hahaha, Ziling is a handsome young man, of course there's no problem. Who knows, the second young lady might just take a liking to you at first sight..." Wen Zaide clearly saw through his thoughts. In his opinion, this second young master of the Ruyang Marquis's family was a bit too eager. However, he naturally wouldn't say anything. After all, who can say for sure about such things? What if it really works out?

“If the Marquis of Jingbei’s mansion is willing to join, then it’s more than half done…” Wang Ling smiled, feeling more confident. He was quite sure he could persuade the second young lady of the Marquis of Jingbei’s mansion. After all, she didn’t have to do anything. Why wouldn’t she want to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?

Moreover, if Wang Ling wants to make money, doesn't that second young lady want to too?

Just as the two were toasting and laughing, Wen Zaide's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and then answered the call.

"Hello...it's me..."

"Huh? What? An Zhengquan went to Yunxiao Temple?"

"Okay...okay...bring it over here, I'll go take a look right away." Wen Zaide didn't say much before hanging up his phone, but the smile on his face had already faded considerably.

Looking at his expression, Wang Ling didn't understand what had happened. However, upon hearing An Zhengquan's name mentioned in his words, she tentatively asked, "Has something happened?"

"They say a video has surfaced online, saying that An Zhengquan is currently visiting Yunxiao Temple," Wen Zaide said, frowning. As he spoke, he was operating his phone.

"Hey... going to Yunxiao Temple to offer incense isn't a big deal." Wang Ling breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, since many people from the Oriental Hotel had been going to Yunxiao Temple to offer incense these past few days.

"It is said that Yunxiao Temple opened its gates wide, and Master Li personally came out to greet them!"

"Huh?!" Wang Ling couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly moved closer to Wen Zaide to check his phone: "You must be seeing things, right? What kind of person is Master Li? Why would he personally come out to greet us?!"

At this moment, Wen Zaide had already opened a video on his phone. The video was shared by Youle.com, the largest short video platform in China. Wang Ling quickly leaned over to watch.

The video title is: "Netizens report! An Zhengquan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qianluo Group, and his entourage appeared at Yunxiao Temple in Dinghai, where the temple opened its gates to welcome them."

Once the video is played, the image clearly shows a grand palace with its main gate open. At the top, the plaque that reads "Yunxiao Temple" is clearly visible. The person filming clearly lingered on this scene for two seconds.

The camera then panned to the line of Taoist priests in front of the temple gate, and the video then stopped in the line of priests, showing several priests wearing red robes and one priest in a purple robe being surrounded by others.

The purple-robed Taoist suddenly began to move, a bright smile appearing on his face. The camera followed him, and then he was seen approaching several people who were also dressed in Taoist robes. The first one was a middle-aged man, whom Wen Zaide and Wang Ling immediately recognized as An Zhengquan, whom they had met yesterday!

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 910 - What exactly happened?

As for the others after An Zhengquan, judging from their obedient demeanor towards him, they are likely senior executives of Qianluo.

However, what surprised the two was not An Zhengquan's appearance, but the purple-robed Taoist priest who greeted them with a smile, then took An Zhengquan's hand, seemingly to exchange pleasantries, and then introduced him to the group of Taoist priests beside him.

After a while, the purple-robed Taoist priest led An Zhengquan and his party toward the temple gate, and from beginning to end, he held An Zhengquan's hand tightly without letting go!

Because the video was of good quality, both Wen Zaide and Wang Ling could clearly see the face of the purple-robed Taoist priest.

"Is this...is this the Protector of the Nation, the Profound and Virtuous Immortal?" Wang Ling, as the second son of the Marquis of Runan, had never met Li Jingxin before, so he asked Wen Zaide with some uncertainty.

“It is indeed Master Li.” Wen Zaide, on the other hand, had met Li Jingxin before and recognized him at a glance.

"This...the An family and Yunxiao Temple have no connection, so how could they have Master Li personally come out to greet them?" Upon hearing this, Wang Ling's expression immediately changed. Clearly, this was a situation that he had not considered at all.

"Brother Jingde, your family has a close relationship with Yunxiao Temple. Is this Master Li really that polite?" Wang Ling hurriedly asked.

Wen Zaide shook his head, his brows furrowed as well: "This great master is so rare that even an ordinary person would find it difficult to meet him. When my mother went up the mountain to offer incense before, she only met the abbot, Master Jingyuan. Oh... that's the abbot who will take over the position of abbot later. He is Abbot Li's junior brother."

"It is said that since Abbot Li returned from the capital last time, he has not received any guests. Even ordinary nobles find it extremely difficult to get a meeting with him. I heard..." Wen Zaide's voice suddenly became much softer.

“What? Brother Jingde, please speak frankly…” Wang Ling hurriedly said.

“I heard that His Majesty and the Empress both intend to invite Master Li to the capital again, and even sent a message through the Bureau of Religious Affairs. However, Master Li has not yet made any trips…” Wen Zaide said in a low voice, then added, “This is just hearsay, and must not be spread.”

"Brother Jingde, rest assured, this matter is only what you said and what I heard, so it will definitely not be spread..." Wang Ling took a deep breath and then nodded.

“I’ve also heard that… there really are immortals behind this Yunxiao Temple…” Wang Ling also lowered his voice.

“This is true… It is said that an immortal appeared during the Beacon Tower incident… Before I left this time, my father specifically instructed me that if I met this Master Li, I must be respectful and not be impolite…” Wen Zaide nodded.

Although the Wang family, the line of the Marquis of Ruyang, holds a high title, the two most recent heads of the family have held sinecure positions in the military, making them less well-informed than the Marquis of Changping, a major general in the Aerospace Force.

However, some things about Master Li were not exactly secrets within the nobility circle. It was just that some things were too mysterious, which made people feel at a loss. Previously, Wang Ling was half-believing and half-doubting, but now that Wen Zaide had made such a statement, he became more and more wary.

"How exactly did An Zhengquan manage to get on the good side of Master Li of Yunxiao Mountain?" Wang Ling frowned and asked, "Could it be that he gave up some benefits to Yunxiao Mountain?"

“It’s not impossible…” Wen Zaide frowned and said, “However, if Master Li is really willing to step forward, this matter will be really difficult to handle… The most urgent thing is to figure out what exactly is going on between Qianluo Group and Yunxiao Temple?”

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承和三十七年2016年4月13日11:45建安省司法部特殊医疗中心

In a special ward guarded by security personnel, Wei Yuanzheng, a director of the Maritime Bank, lay sprawled on the hospital bed in an unseemly posture. After a period of recovery, the whip marks on his back had mostly healed. However, the scabbed areas still prevented him from sitting or lying down normally, so he had to remain in this awkward position.

Because of his current physical condition, he was not transferred to the Department of Justice's Special Crime Investigation Service for interrogation. Instead, personnel from the Department of Justice come to his ward daily for routine questioning.

After so many days of questioning, he has gradually become familiar with Xiao Yun'an and Chen Shen, the two senior investigators from the Jin'an branch of the Fourth Division of the Special Crime Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice. However, at this moment, he has a distressed expression on his face, like that of someone suffering from constipation.

"Mr. Xiao...didn't you say back then that your side was an intelligence agency, not a law enforcement agency?" Wei Yuan lay on the bed, looking at the two people sitting in front of his bed, leisurely drinking tea, and mumbled with an ugly expression.

“That’s right, Mr. Wei, I’m not lying to you. We are indeed an intelligence agency. But being an intelligence agency doesn’t mean we don’t have our own methods and intentions to reconstruct the truth of things…” Xiao Yun’an said with a smile.

Wei Yuan opened his mouth, then sighed helplessly. He was already regretting cooperating with these intelligence agents. They had initially agreed that Mr. Xiao Yun'an was not a law enforcement agency, and Wei Yuan had believed him. So he gradually recounted what he considered important events, mainly concerning the ghosts and spirits of the underworld, and fragments of his memories of his trip there.

Although his memories of the underworld were like a faded photograph after he woke up, with many things he couldn't recall, even fragments of information were invaluable to the detectives. They questioned him repeatedly about every detail to ensure that no detail was missed.

In addition, the sacrificial ceremony he witnessed with Yu Huai and Xu Hanzhang that night was also one of the key points of their questioning. As for his own and Wei Feng's actions and arrangements during that time, Wei Yuan tried to gloss over it by claiming it was due to altering the feng shui.

At first, everything seemed to be going as he expected. The two detectives in front of him did not show any seriousness. Their main focus of questioning was on the underworld and the relevant aspects of the ritual performed by Yu Huai and Xu Hanzhang that night, as if they really did not care about what Wei Feng and others had done.

After two or three days, Wei Yuan's vigilance gradually lessened. Xiao Yun'an and Chen Shen came to ask questions every day, as punctually as clocking in for work, and usually, they would ask the same question many times in different ways.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 911 The Trap

Wei Yuan was not surprised by this. Having served in the military himself, he knew that this method was a common interrogation tactic. Repeated questioning was used to confirm the truthfulness of the answers. If the answers were inconsistent, or if certain facial expressions were observed that were psychologically considered to indicate concealment, then those answers would be scrutinized to identify any potential problems.