Chapter Seventy-Three: Empty Halls After Departure

“We sent someone to buy some of their mosquito coils, and they’re almost identical to the products from our shop,” the attendant said between breaths.

When they brought them back, everyone was stunned.

But weren’t these items developed exclusively by their shop? How could the Zhao family have them as well?

Han Qing scrutinized the Zhao family’s mosquito coils inside and out twice. They were indeed exactly the same in appearance. Only the price was deliberately set so low—obviously meant to crush their competition.

And how had the formula for the mosquito coils been leaked? Who had passed it on?

Clearly, he had missed something significant these past few days.

“It’s all my fault for trusting Lin Fei back then!” he muttered.

He hadn’t yet arranged for anyone to investigate when Young Master Zhu hurried over, his eyes burning with barely contained rage.

“He was supposed to leave North County, wasn’t he? How did you end up entangled with him again?” Han Qing asked, puzzled.

“If he were leaving under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t matter. But he actually took several girls who perform comic dialogues from Drunken Flower Pavilion with him—it’s outrageous!”

What?

He was an Inspector—what business did he have doing such things? It was absurd.

“Are you sure it was him?”

“He took the girls’ indenture contracts. He sent people to buy them, paid for them. Everyone at Drunken Flower Pavilion saw it.”

There was really nothing they could do.

After all, it was a legitimate business deal. He paid two or three times the usual price, so he could indeed take those girls away.

“But that’s not the worst part. He took the pavilion’s signboard with him!”

That couldn’t be possible, could it? Generally, a shop’s signboard wouldn’t just end up somewhere else unless Drunken Flower Pavilion had treated him badly.

“And even more incredibly, Lady Zhilán left with them as well. How am I supposed to keep running the pavilion now?”

It was surreal.

“I don’t know how he persuaded them, but he managed to take seven or eight girls.”

Young Master Zhu grew angrier as he spoke.

He had managed to endure up to now, but this was too much. Cutting off someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents.

Were it not for Lin Fei’s position as a court official, Young Master Zhu would have taken drastic measures.

“Didn’t you ask anyone about it?”

“Lord Lin said all these girls were willing to follow him. He’ll arrange everything for them in the capital, and told me not to worry.”

It was baffling.

---

It was clear Young Master Zhu was deeply distressed.

“So after half a year of hard work, I’ve gotten nothing? And you promised me, swore up and down I should invest in Drunken Flower Pavilion. Aside from the dividends of the first few months, what about afterwards?”

So this was what he wanted from him.

Han Qing smiled slightly.

He knew immediately—his friend wanted to profit from him.

“I can’t help you. The contract you signed was with Drunken Flower Pavilion, not with me.”

Let those who caused the problems answer for them. Han Qing would not shoulder the blame.

“There’s not much hope left now. But I heard your mosquito coil shop, the one you operate with Lord Lin, is facing competition, yet he still hasn’t left. Can’t you persuade him?”

“That’s unlikely. I suspect Old Master Zhao got the formula because we have a traitor inside.”

“That shop is owned by Merchant Zhao. Didn’t they ask for your help before?”

Young Master Zhu was confused.

So many inexplicable things kept happening lately; none of them seemed normal.

“Yes, back then I agreed to certain terms and received plenty of benefits.”

It was a straightforward business partnership.

But this group’s actions were hard to fathom.

“What will you do?”

“I’ve sent someone to investigate. If there’s been a breach within, then those people shouldn’t have left yet.”

Han Qing spoke coldly.

To have a traitor emerge right under his nose—it was infuriating.

While the two of them were commiserating, Lin Fei himself arrived.

“You’ve got the nerve to show up?” Young Master Zhu sneered, refusing to be polite.

“This afternoon, I’ll be leaving North County. The mosquito coil shop will be closed down. If I’ve offended either of you before, I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

With that, he ignored their reactions and left.

Strange—what was he up to?

“Han, with all your years of experience, do you think this man has lost his mind?”

Han Qing shook his head.

“I may have an inkling.”

Han Qing quickly made his way to the Zhao family’s mosquito coil shop and told the proprietor at the door that he wished to see Old Master Zhao.

The proprietor seemed to know he would come and invited him inside.

“Master Han, long time no see!”

---

“Old Master, I have a question—how did you obtain the formula for the mosquito coils? Was it Lin Fei who gave it to you?”

He spoke directly, as if sure of the answer.

“Yes, since you two were at odds, it was only natural for us to benefit from it,” Old Master Zhao said with complete candor.

After all, he had already acquired such an important formula; the rest would require no further intervention.

“Why target me?”

Han Qing knew this old man was cunning, but he didn’t expect him to be so quick to forsake gratitude.

Moreover, the Bai family had already collapsed, leaving Zhao as the only candidate for the wealthiest in North County.

What more could he possibly want?

“You’re mistaken. I’m not targeting you alone—any merchant who competes with us has no place here.”

Ruthless indeed.

After years of waiting, he was finally revealing his true intentions.

“But your Zhao family can’t compare to the Bai family. A mere merchant—how can you contend with so many peers?”

Han Qing saw through it.

Old Master Zhao must have someone supporting him.

“True. But Lord Lin, the Inspector, is my benefactor.”

So that was it.

The two had colluded to this extent—not only ruining Drunken Flower Pavilion but also selling the mosquito coil formula to others.

Han Qing took his leave at once.

So what was Lord Lin’s purpose? Was it simply to make more money? That seemed unlikely.

Han Qing didn’t believe such a simple excuse. Clearly, monopolizing the market was the only way to truly dominate it.

Yet now he had deliberately sold to a competitor, which made no sense.

With this blow, the shop’s customers were steadily dwindling.

The staff began questioning whether their prices were too high.

They pleaded with Han Qing to lower the price of the mosquito coils.

But if the price dropped, the quality of the materials would suffer.

Safety and reliability would no longer be assured.

Who would dare run such a business?

Han Qing settled back into Tinglan Courtyard to read, as though all the turmoil outside no longer concerned him.

But even at this stage, those who wished him harm were unwilling to let go.