Chapter Fifty-Six: Master Fu's Letter

“So he really is an old fox—he even managed to fake his own death to escape. Who could have thought of such a thing?” Fu’s family held significant status and property in Fairness Town and the city of Eastshore, yet they abandoned it all without hesitation. They even kept it a secret from their own son.

But did the old master of the Fu family realize that his actions would leave his son in a place of no return?

[When Chu Tianxing joined the Black Heaven Sect, I knew that death was my only option.]
[My son, I hope you will not blame your father.]
[I truly had no other way.]
[Only this could ensure your safety.]
[By the time you read this letter, I suppose Chu Tianxing and the others will have believed I am gone.]

As Baili Feihong read this, he recalled that he had only pitied the Fu family’s downfall and had offered them incense. Perhaps, after the old master’s “death,” Fu Junying had never paid respects to his ancestors, or even to his father...

Baili Feihong looked up, but did not see the ancestral tablet of the old master.

Well then, what a truly “kind father and filial son.”

“In the end, it’s to my advantage,” Baili Feihong mused, turning his gaze to the map in his hand.

He had a feeling that the old master’s lifetime of accumulated wealth was recorded somewhere on this map.

But at this moment, the contents of the letter intrigued him more.

What kind of power could have forced the old master to fake his death, abandon his home, and abandon even his own son?

[But you must be careful—they will certainly be watching you.]
[I had not wanted to drag you into this, but I feared you might do something reckless to avenge me, so I left you this letter.]
[Beware of Chu Tianxing, even though he is but a pawn.]
[Moreover, the River Transport Guild plays a crucial role in this conflict. Sadly, I was never able to reach the core and do not know how many powers within the Yuan Empire are involved.]
[This is an imperial struggle, and anyone drawn in will be shattered to pieces.]
[Since ancient times, the imperial family has been devoid of true affection. The dragon’s sons vie for the throne—distance yourself as much as possible.]

Baili Feihong frowned slightly.

This letter was a hot potato.

Behind the River Transport Guild stood the Princess Royal. This was hardly a secret to the Demon Suppression Bureau. The true role the Guild played in the opium case had yet to be revealed.

[My seafaring vessel was attacked by the Lafarre Empire after I refused to join the Black Heaven Sect.]
[The royal family of Lafarre has already been infiltrated by the Black Heaven Sect. Beware if you encounter anyone from Lafarre.]
[This small pellet of “Fortune Paste” is tied to the very fate of the Yuan Empire.]
[If the Black Heaven Sect wishes to return to Yuan, they must first weaken it.]
[The dangers here are grave. My son, you must understand—do not get involved with any of these forces.]

[After reading this letter, I have left you a final card to play. You need only enroll at the Spring and Autumn Academy in the capital. When the time comes, make your escape from the capital, board a ship at Beihai, and go to the Aurelia Empire.]

The letter was succinct, never saying more than necessary. Even the contingency plan could only be activated once Fu Junying reached the Academy.

Yet the warnings mentioned the Yuan imperial family, the Lafarre royals, and the Black Heaven Sect.

“Currently, the River Transport Guild in Eastshore is under Ding Bo’s control.”
“But the Guild in Eastshore is only a part of the larger network across the Yuan Empire.”
“No matter how powerful the local governor is, he cannot meddle in the Guilds of other provinces.”
“Fairness Town is already destroyed.”
“If even something happens in Chu Village, it will be hard to keep it from Chu Tianxing.”
“If I were Chu Tianxing, I’d simply reroute the shipments through other ports in Yuan.”
“With his influence, he doesn’t need to use Eastshore at all.”
“Chu Village’s actions only served to alert the enemy.”

Baili Feihong sighed.

Everyone is a wise man after the fact. Getting involved in the opium case had been a reckless move from the start.

“Hopefully, Ding Bo won’t find anything else in the River Transport Guild. Otherwise, the trail will be truly lost.”

What is the River Transport Guild in the eyes of the Demon Suppression Bureau? Only by dragging the real masterminds into the open and exposing their true faces can the opium problem be solved once and for all. Even if someone tried to smuggle opium in the future, it would be on too small a scale to matter.

“The fate of the Yuan Empire will be decided by the Devil’s Strait.”

If they could seize the Devil’s Strait and control the maritime gate, foreign opium would never enter the Yuan Empire. Furthermore, to control the Devil’s Strait would be to seize the throat of the neighboring countries.

Baili Feihong knew his own words carried little weight. All he could do was stand by and watch.

“This matter cannot be reported to Gongyang Yan.”

He immediately struck a match and burned the letter.

He knew that if Gongyang Yan got hold of this letter, many things could be done. But you can never be too careful. If the information fell into the hands of those behind the scenes, they would silence him without hesitation.

Gongyang Yan had the powerful Gongyang clan behind him. But Baili Feihong was just a commoner; if he died, he died.

At best, when word of his death spread, people would only sigh at how hard it was to be a Demon Suppression Inspector, slain by monsters yet again.

The real masterminds could control demons. The River Transport Guild’s Master Zhang had already demonstrated that for him.

And what mattered most? Of course, his own life.

“These imperial families, like immortals, sit high above, ruling the fates of all below.”

Baili Feihong shook his head and picked up the register.

[Chu Tianxing: Originated from Chu Village, once a deckhand, once sailed the seas. Survived a shipwreck, fell into the ocean, and drifted to a primitive continent inhabited by backward people. Saved by the locals, he traded his possessions for a handsome sum in gold and jewels. Returned to Yuan, recruited villagers, and founded a maritime fleet—his wealth was built by plundering the tribes of that land.]

[Yang Shichen: Eastshore merchant, in truth a pirate chief.]

[Zhang Shiliang: Eastshore merchant...]

Everyone listed in the register was a boss behind the scenes in Fairness Town. This was how they had made their fortunes.

“Overseas, to them, is a lawless land.”

“No wonder people say the initial capital accumulation is the hardest. Even if their hands are stained with blood, the process of gathering that first fortune is always a struggle.”

It was only after colluding with foreign powers that their wealth truly amassed.

“This register, at least, can be handed in.”

“Those on the list are all prominent figures in Eastshore. Only the governor Gongyang Yan can deal with them—it’s a trap for anyone else.”

Baili Feihong tucked the register into his pocket. Then he picked up the map.

It wasn’t a treasure map. But in the eyes of certain people, it was more precious than any treasure.

It was a maritime chart, heavily annotated.

To possess this chart was to possess the true wealth of the Fu family.

Every route marked meant immense riches.

If this map were to be auctioned in Eastshore, its holder would become a great tycoon overnight.

“A lifetime of seafaring, the Fu family’s charted routes are a priceless legacy.”

He carefully put it away. Even if he never used it, it could be left for future generations. Failing that, if he ever needed money, he could always sell it.