https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-615-A-First-Encounter-in-the-Hall-of-Merriment/12580223/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-617-Jin-Ban-Hua-s-First-Steps-in-the-Jianghu/12583850/
Chapter 616: Slandering Chu Liuxiang in Front of Chu Liuxiang Himself
Chapter 616: Slandering Chu Liuxiang in Front of Chu Liuxiang Himself
Jin Banhua turned to look at Zhang Xiaolin, and Zhang Xiaolin returned her gaze.
Zhang Xiaolin laughed heartily, while Jin Banhua's smile was more restrained.
"Since Brother Zhang is the largest ginseng and herb merchant in the Changbai Mountain area, I presume you have some fine ginseng in your possession?" Jin Banhua inquired.
"Certainly, Brother Jin. How many roots do you desire, and from which year?" Zhang Xiaolin sat down, took a sip of wine, and casually touched the dice.
"In the past, my family sourced our herbs from Ma and Lin families in Guandong, but in recent years, the quality of their wild ginseng has deteriorated. If Brother Zhang has superior goods, I would be happy to take as much as you can offer."
Jin Banhua asked in a soft voice, "As long as it doesn't affect Brother Zhang's relationship with the Ma and Lin families."
Zhang Xiaolin's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression and laughed aloud, "Ma Chengjie and Lin Sanyu, those two scoundrels, angered all the ginseng collectors in Changbai by arbitrarily raising their prices! Naturally, they wouldn't be able to acquire any good products."
Jin Banhua nodded, "I see. Please, Brother Zhang."
Zhang Xiaolin breathed a sigh of relief, silently grateful for Li Hongxiu's thorough preparation. Not only had she provided him with a detailed identity, but she had also prepared intelligence on the various factions in the Changbai Mountain area.
And this Zhang Xiaolin was, of course, none other than Chu Liuxiang himself.
Chu Liuxiang sat down, and although he had interacted with Jin Banhua a few days ago, Jin Banhua had not seen his true face. He was confident that Jin Banhua would not see through the mask that Su Rongrong had prepared for him.
However, Jin Banhua was a wealthy young master from the capital, and the capital and Jiangnan were the largest consumer bases for wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain. Thus, it was possible that Jin Banhua had some knowledge about the area, and he might even see through his non-existent "Zhang Xiaolin" identity.
Fortunately, Jin Banhua did appear to be a spoiled young master, with limited knowledge about Changbai Mountain. He only asked a single question before believing him.
Chu Liuxiang felt relieved and began to play Pai Gow with a relaxed demeanor, even finding the time to chat with Jin Banhua, "Brother Jin, instead of enjoying your blessings in the capital, what brings you to Jinan?"
Jin Banhua shot Chu Liuxiang a sideways glance and replied indifferently, "I came to Jinan to clear my mind after being schemed against by that bastard, Chu Liuxiang."
Chu Liuxiang, "..."
Night Fragrance, the Thief Lord, whose very footsteps could break hearts.
Chu Liuxiang's reputation, like a tree's shadow, spread far and wide, even within the upper circles of Jinan. At the mere mention of his name, the atmosphere at the gambling table turned three shades colder.
Cold Autumn Soul, who was entertaining guests nearby, was also startled and quickly asked, "Brother Jin, do you have a grudge against Chu Liuxiang?"
"Mhm." Jin Banhua nodded and threw the dice, letting out a cold hum, "That so-called Thief Lord is nothing more than a thief. He stole a white jade statue of a beauty from my home."
The owner of the Mi Manor asked in shock, "Is it the Jade Beauty, one of the Four Treasures of the Capital, along with the Nine Dragon Cup, the Red Cloud Jade, and the Purple Sun Inkstone?"
"Indeed." Jin Banhua nodded and picked up a set of cards, "That bastard entered the capital a few days ago and stole all four treasures. I heard he went to Jiangnan and exchanged them for over a million taels of silver to aid the elderly, orphans, and widows."
Everyone fell silent. Although most of them were wealthy and indifferent to the suffering of others, they dared not openly disparage acts of charity.
However, Jin Banhua seemed dissatisfied, "He stole my Jade Beauty, sold it for several hundred thousand taels, and used the money to do good deeds. On the surface, he doesn't seem to have profited from it, but he gained a good reputation."
"But!" Jin Banhua flipped over his Pai Gow tiles, revealing a long three paired with a matching card, one of the smallest combinations.
"That Jade Beauty belonged to me! Everyone praises Chu Liuxiang as a chivalrous thief, a Thief Lord, but who cares about the victim?
"Should the rich be subjected to theft and robbery just because of their wealth?" Jin Banhua tossed the dice back onto the center of the gaming table. "The Jin family may not be the most charitable, but we've never earned ill-gotten gains. With his reputation, if Chu Liuxiang had just asked, my family would have gladly donated three to fifty thousand taels of silver."
"Instead, he stole from us and profited from it, showcasing his extraordinary agility and enhancing his fame. Meanwhile, he made a clown out of my family, turning us into objects of ridicule."
As Jin Banhua spoke, he pulled out another silver ticket and placed his bet, turning to Zhang Xiaolin, "Brother Zhang, what do you think? Isn't Chu Liuxiang a deceitful and hypocritical villain?"
Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but reach up and rub his nose.
This was the first time he had encountered someone criticizing him to his face and then asking for his opinion. It was indeed a bit awkward.
While there was an element of exaggeration in Jin Banhua's words, those who could succeed in the business world were hardly saints. However, the Jin family of the capital did value their reputation and had their principles, so they couldn't be considered truly evil.
Chu Liuxiang's sole reason for stealing the treasures from the capital was that those families were so wealthy that they wouldn't miss a few treasures. Thus, he had no qualms about taking from them and felt no psychological burden.
Now, hearing the victim's grievances directly, he felt that perhaps he had been a bit inconsiderate.
Chu Liuxiang nodded, pinching his nose, and thought about whether he should spread the word that there were actually four great benefactors from the capital who had contributed as well.
However, he quickly shook off this train of thought, as his primary purpose for coming here wasn't because of Jin Banhua but for Cold Autumn Soul.
Thus, Chu Liuxiang set this matter aside and focused on gambling.
But while Chu Liuxiang no longer spoke to Jin Banhua, the latter didn't leave him alone.
"Brother Zhang, say something! Isn't Chu Liuxiang a hypocrite?" Jin Banhua pressed Zhang Xiaolin, "Shouldn't we teach him a lesson every time we meet and expose his true colors?"
Chu Liuxiang nodded with a bitter smile, "Yes."
"That's why I'm here." Jin Banhua declared, "I intend to expose his true face and take back my White Jade Beauty from him."
Chu Liuxiang asked, unable to resist, "But didn't he already sell the White Jade Beauty?"
"I don't care!" Jin Banhua coldly huffed, "Debts should be repaid, it's only right. If he can't return my White Jade Beauty, I'll make him kneel and..."
"Young Master, be cautious with your words," Liao Gang warned from the side, "I've heard that this Chu Liuxiang has a thousand faces and is highly skilled in martial arts..."
"My martial arts skills are no less impressive!" Jin Banhua slammed his hand on the table and raised his eyebrows, "I've studied under dozens of masters since I was young, and my martial arts are now vast and profound, rarely matched in the martial arts world. How could Chu Liuxiang's skills surpass mine?"
The crowd fell silent.
Cold Autumn Soul, sitting nearby, coughed lightly and smiled as he tried to ease the tension, "I've also heard of Young Master Jin's passion for martial arts, but today, we're here to gamble, not to compare our martial arts skills."
"Indeed! Indeed!"
"Absolutely!"
The guests laughed awkwardly and continued rolling the dice and grabbing cards.
Chu Liuxiang found Jin Banhua's simplicity amusing, and he even felt a bit regretful for having teased him in the capital.
However...
This personality was indeed ill-suited for the unpredictable world of the martial arts.
Once this matter was concluded, he would find an opportunity to advise Jin Banhua against venturing too deeply into the martial world.
(End of Chapter)
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