CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 55: HOW CAN YOU DISTINGUISH WHETHER I AM MALE OR FEMALE?_1

The melodious sound of the piano flowed through the room. A series of lively notes, like mischievous children, chased and laughed. Music’s greatest feature is its ability to alter the atmosphere of an environment in an intangible way.

Wenter thoroughly enjoyed this sensation. Even when the servant led in the blind man carrying an erhu, he continued his performance, undisturbed.

The blind man sat down on a chair. The servant, understanding the situation, discreetly withdrew, closing the door behind him. He knew his master disliked being disturbed by anyone unversed in music while he was enjoying it.

Upon completing his piece, Wenter rose and bowed halfway to his left and right, as if he had just finished a performance not in a room with only two people, but in a grand theater before a vast audience.

This greatly pleased the blind man.

It was like one meticulous person meeting another; both understood the importance of life’s little rituals and naturally felt a sense of kinship.

At last, Wenter’s gaze fell upon this blind man from the East.

"You are the Eastern musician who understands the piano?"

Blind Bei nodded.

"Heh heh."

Wenter moved to the table. This time, instead of tea, he poured himself a glass of wine. "Would you like some?"

Blind Bei nodded again; he was indeed a little thirsty.

"Play a piece, and then I’ll treat you to a drink."

Blind Bei stood up, one hand holding his erhu, the other reaching out to feel his way.

One step, then another, he slowly fumbled his way to the piano. After feeling for the chair beneath him to confirm its position, he sat down confidently.

It was a rather old-fashioned piano; after all, given the era, it couldn’t be expected to be modern.

But once his fingers made contact with the keys, that familiar feeling returned.

Blind Bei let out a long sigh of relief,

while Wenter, sipping his wine nearby, narrowed his eyes. At that moment, he clearly sensed a profound change in the Eastern blind man’s aura.

That confidence, that air, the perfect union of man and piano.

It was as if, in that moment, his own presence in this space was the true, superfluous burden.

The performance began. It was "Bagatelle in A Minor," more commonly known as "Für Elise."

Blind Bei didn’t know if Beethoven existed in this world, but it didn’t matter. Half his soul was now immersed in the familiar rhythm and feeling.

As for the other half of his soul, it was relentlessly roaring at him: You still have things to do!

When the music ended, Wenter, who had been holding his wine glass, remained motionless for a long time. After a short while, he placed a hand on his chest and exclaimed, "I have witnessed a musical miracle."

Blind Bei shook his head, saying with some regret, "This piano is a little out of tune."

But just as for someone who had gone without a smoke all day, any cigarette would be immense psychological comfort, Blind Bei now felt thoroughly satisfied.

"What can I do for you? As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do it."

Wenter knew clearly that this blind man was no ordinary street performer.

"I came to discuss a business deal with you."

"Many people want to do business with me. What kind are you referring to? Intelligence, or goods?"

"Goods."

"What kind of goods?"

"I smelled its fragrance on you."

Wenter was startled for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Heh heh heh heh..."

However, he showed no fear. In fact, his expression remained as warm as before, giving no hint that he had recently dispatched men to capture this very person who had now brazenly entered his home.

"Whether perfume or soap, their value is immense. As long as we can distribute the goods before those alchemists at the academy decipher their composition, it will be enough to earn a vast amount of gold coins.

I must say, you are courageous and bold, and you also possess a talent that I admire. But I still have to ask: like this, you want to discuss business with me?"

Blind Bei turned his head towards Wenter and asked, "How do you prefer to negotiate?"

"I’m not quite sure. This is something you need to show me."

"I understand."

"What have you understood?"

"That you’re asking for it."

Blind Bei’s fingers returned to the piano keys.

The next moment, the notes rang out again!

Wenter immediately released white Battle Qi and swiftly moved to the left.

BANG!

The table where Wenter had been standing instantly shattered.

Wenter lowered his stance slightly, poised to attack.

"Heh, your music is quite interesting. Are you a rare spatial magician?"

However, just as Wenter was about to make his next move, a chilling sensation touched his neck.

Xue Three had appeared behind him, his poisoned dagger resting lightly against Wenter’s skin, a hair’s breadth from drawing blood.

Wenter was quite composed. He decisively dispelled the Battle Qi he had just activated, raised his hands, and slowly straightened up. He said helplessly, "This is the first time I’ve realized my own home offers me no sense of security at all."

Blind Bei shook his head seriously. "Actually, I intended to discuss business properly."

"Then can you tell me why, after delivering the perfume and soap, you remained hidden for so long without showing yourselves?"

"Because we were waiting," Blind Bei answered.

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for a top-up."

They waited, and waited, and waited. Blind Bei and Xue Three had been in Tuman City for some days. They had selected their target and delivered the goods, but the awkward part was that My Lord’s advancement was slower than expected.

In fact, if Siniang hadn’t been aware that Blind Bei and Liang Cheng might face difficulties if My Lord didn’t advance soon, she wouldn’t have chosen to help Zheng Fan accelerate the process.

Otherwise, Blind Bei and Xue Three would likely still be playing their game of hide-and-seek.

Tuman City was no match for Hutou City. Even a merchant guild here couldn’t compare to the gangs in Hutou City. Moreover, the target Blind Bei had chosen this time was a... big fish disguised as a merchant caravan.

Through investigation, analysis, and employing certain methods to capture and interrogate informants under duress, Blind Bei had finally identified the man before him as a potential business partner.

"Alright, I’ve received the perfume and soap from you. So, what do you want from me?" Wenter asked.

"We have indeed prepared a shipment of goods. In fact, we can even give you the production formulas. What we want in return is a sum of silver taels, six hundred superior warhorses, and three hundred sets of armor and weaponry, all modeled after the Beifeng Army’s equipment."

"That’s too expensive, truly too expensive. If you were to convert it all into money, perhaps we could negotiate. High-quality warhorses and fine armor have a price but no ready market; I can’t procure them."

"You can get them," Blind Bei stated with certainty.

This man before him had deep connections in Yan State, among the barbarian tribes, and in the West. His influence was not to be underestimated.

"I think you have some understanding of my identity, but truly, I am a businessman. The perfume and soap I obtained from you are for my own business.

I can’t share the profits from this business with those greedy old men in the Elder Council, so I can only use my own capital.

I’m sorry, I’ve seriously considered your proposal, but I really cannot do it."

Warhorses, military equipment... unless this were Rome, where he could spend gold to have them sourced and forged.

"But this is Yan State. Smuggling so many warhorses and armaments here... does he take the three hundred thousand iron cavalry of the Beifeng Army in Beifeng Prefecture for fools?"

"Actually, this isn’t just business. You can consider it an investment."

"Investment?"

"I know you tried to contact that Commandery Princess, but you were unsuccessful."

"You even know this? I’m starting to seriously suspect you’re a spy from the Yan imperial court."

Xue Three, still holding the knife to Wenter’s throat from behind, nodded in agreement. "I think so too. It’s a pity Yan State doesn’t have a Ministry of Rites or an East Factory."

"The Commandery Princess looks down on you. Neither you nor the Western empire behind you is enough to make her three hundred thousand iron cavalry give you a second glance."

Wenter sighed, turned his head slightly towards Xue Three, and asked, "Can I wipe my sweat?"

Xue Three nodded, moving the dagger slightly. "Be my guest."

"Hmm."

Wenter patted his forehead a few times. "Your words are too harsh."

"It’s the truth. So, I believe that instead of wasting your efforts trying to woo someone who looks down on you, you’d be better off investing in cultivating a new power."

"This new power, is it yours?"

"It’s my lord’s power."

"What are the benefits of investing in you?"

"We will betray our own and act as your collaborators. In fact, I’ve always believed that due to the distance, if your empire wishes to extend its reach to the East, even if your armies arrive, you’ll need local natives to serve as your lackeys.

This is a cost-effective way, and I’m sure it’s been used frequently in your empire’s expansion."

"I understand. But I have another question. There are so many military leaders in Beifeng Prefecture. Why shouldn’t I try to bribe them instead of investing in you from scratch?"

"Because of the investment value."

"Because you currently hold my life in your hands?"

"That can also be considered a reason."

"Then, this reason is no longer valid."

A gruff voice suddenly interjected. Erha’s figure had appeared stealthily behind Blind Bei.

Wenter shrugged. "Now, we’re even. My life is in your man’s hands, and yours is in my dog’s. Hah, come to think of it, I actually hold the advantage."

Saying this, Wenter said to Erha, who had appeared behind Blind Bei, "Be careful, he’s a spatial magician. However, now that you’re this close, a magician shouldn’t pose much of a threat. But you arrived quite late. You didn’t deliberately wait until it was all over before coming to rescue me, did you?"

Erha stuck out his tongue, licked his own nose, and grumbled, "What spatial magician? He’s clearly a psychic magician! My talent is psychic perception. This room, inside and out, was layered with who knows how many of his psychic probes. I went to great lengths to evade them and sneak up behind him."

As he spoke, Erha licked his lips, as if still savoring the taste of that mastiff. "Too bad for you, didn’t expect this, huh? It’s true I’m a demonic beast, but my innate ability is psychic. Today, you’re just out of luck."

Despite a demonic beast being close enough to smash his head with a single swipe of its paw, Blind Bei remained unfazed. He said very calmly, "There’s a sad story I feel it would be cruel to tell you. Actually, you were already affected by my psychic power before this."

"Are you kidding? Is this what you Easterners call... a dead duck still having a hard beak?"

"Don’t believe me?"

"You have to give me a reason to believe."

Erha was very confident in his psychic talent.

"If you weren’t affected by me in advance, you should’ve noticed that the mastiff I sent over to you..."

"What about that mastiff? In my eyes, she was beautiful. I like a wild, feisty type; conquering that is more thrilling."

"It’s a male."

Erha: "..."