Chapter 181: Seeking Trouble
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The sketch drawn with tea water quickly dried, leaving only faint traces on the table. Ban Jian furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment, somewhat uncertainly saying, “I understand, but there are a few details that need to be tested in practice.”
“Naturally.” Mingzhu cautiously wiped away the traces with a handkerchief, preparing to end the conversation. “Remember, this is our secret between us. Keep it to yourself, don’t tell anyone, and don’t leave any drawings. Once you’ve made the model and experimented with it, destroy it immediately. Don’t let it fall into anyone else’s hands.”
Ban Jian didn’t understand. “Shouldn’t I tell Fourth Lord?”
Mingzhu shook her head. “No, not yet. When it’s time for him to know, I’ll tell him.” Fearing that Ban Jian couldn’t keep his mouth shut and might accidentally reveal it, she threatened again, “If I find out that you’ve violated our agreement, next time, you won’t get any advice from me, nor will you be able to visit my Second Brother’s arsenal again. These are lightweight threats, I will…”
Ban Jian impatiently interrupted her threatening words. “I get it, I’m not stupid. This thing is crucial, it’s a matter of life and death. Fourth Lord has told me countless times; the more you know, the quicker you’ll die, and the more you talk, the quicker you’ll die. There are a thousand ways to die, from being hacked to pieces, to being torn apart by five horses, to being fried in oil or boiled in boiling water. He even asked me which one I’d choose.” He complained again, “Fourth Lord is much more ruthless than you; you only know how to scare people, but he really kills.”
Mingzhu suppressed her laughter. “So you’re not afraid of death? Aren’t you angry?”
Ban Jian sighed with a furrowed brow. “What can I do? I look at this bed crossbow as if I’m looking at my wife and son. If you ask who loves this bed crossbow the most in this world, it’s me. If I’m not allowed to bring it out, I’ll go crazy. You wouldn’t understand.”
Mingzhu believed that true geniuses and strong interests were inseparable. She was very satisfied with her easy relationship with Ban Jian, rather than relying on swords and threats to coerce and manipulate, which was too fragile and could easily break. She promised, “Rest assured, if you keep your promise, I will ensure your prosperity in my lifetime, and you can freely indulge in these strange gadgets. Even if I have to bring out my dowry to support you, I’m willing.”
Ban Jian’s eyes lit up. “Prosperity is good, but these things require a lot of manpower and resources. Remember your words, and I’ll remember mine. Let’s shake hands on it.” With that, he raised his palm to spit, but Mingzhu, feeling a chill, preemptively shook hands and crisply said, “Deal!”
Banjian naturally knew what she was afraid of. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head and said with a smile, “Right, there’s something I need to clarify with you first. A few days ago, I took leave to visit my master at the Jade Emperor Temple, and there I met a strange person. As soon as he saw me, he took some small things I had made in my spare time in the past and asked if I had made them. Thinking he wanted to buy them, I thought it would be good to earn some pocket money to buy alcohol, so I admitted it. Little did I know, he actually took out a whole box of silver ingots and said he wanted to invite me to his house to help manufacture some mechanisms.”
Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly stood up from her chair, speaking urgently, “And how did you respond?” Oh no! It must be that person, the one who drew the diagram in my past life and discovered Ban Jian, has come knocking on our door!
Ban Jian replied casually, “Of course, I refused. You’ve already forced me to sign the contract of servitude, and I’ve enjoyed so many delicious treats from you. Where else could I go? Do you think I’d be short of money? Besides, what I want isn’t money.” Seeing Mingzhu visibly relieved, he smirked cunningly, “Are you afraid I’ll run away?”
Mingzhu replied sternly, “I’m not afraid you’ll run away; I’m afraid you’ll do something you shouldn’t, and my Fourth Brother will end up killing you. How did you refuse him? Did you mention your work in our household?”
“No, Fourth Lord instructed me not to. I just said I wanted to go to Jiangnan to do business with someone, and I didn’t have time for such things.” Ban Jian’s face twisted in bitterness. “Fourth Lord is too fierce, I didn’t dare tell him, and I’m afraid Wu Jiang and the others might secretly inform him. He might think I’ve grown disloyal and quietly have me killed. Wangfei, please remember to tell him it has nothing to do with me.”
Wu Jiang was the one sent by Fu Mingzheng to serve and monitor Ban Jian, and he hadn’t hesitated to report Ban Jian’s faults, resulting in Ban Jian being reprimanded by Fu Mingzheng many times. So, it was reasonable for him to be wary of Wu Jiang. Mingzhu reassured Ban Jian kindly, “Understood, I trust your integrity. After you refused, what did that person say?”
“He didn’t say much. He just told me that I would regret it if I missed this opportunity. He asked if money was the issue and said he could add more, as long as I followed him and made two mechanisms in front of his master. If his master was satisfied, he could pay me double or even ten times the price. I got annoyed, so I had Wu Jiang and the others drive him away. He even scolded me for not knowing what’s good for me. But another person who came with him then apologized to me and said they would come again. Whenever I’m ready to go, I just need to leave a message for them.”
It seemed that the person didn’t yet realize Ban Jian’s importance, so although he had ambitions to recruit him, he didn’t consider him indispensable. Probably in the past life, the other party accidentally discovered Ban Jian’s talent during this recruitment process and gradually valued him, leading to Ban Jian’s lifelong imprisonment. Mingzhu’s heart twisted into a knot, silently praying that this was just a minor incident and would blow over soon.
After all, if the other party discovered Ban Jian’s importance, they would repeatedly entangle him, even deeply investigating him. If they traced it back here, it wouldn’t be good. What should she do? Mingzhu clenched and then loosened her fist, trying to smile calmly and naturally. “Do you remember what they looked like?”
Ban Jian earnestly recalled for a moment, “They looked very ordinary. The one who scolded me seemed arrogant and slightly fat, and the one who apologized to me had a mole on his nose. I’ll go back to my room and draw their portraits.”
“Alright, draw them meticulously.” Mingzhu gestured for Wu Jiang, who served him, to come in and specifically instructed, “Take good care of Master Ban Jian. Set up a table in the kitchen with fine alcohol and accompany Master Ban Jian for a drink.” She reminded Ban Jian repeatedly, “Don’t get drunk again; drunkenness leads to trouble…”
Wu Jiang grinned and said, “Wangfei, rest assured. Fourth Lord has instructed that if Master Ban Jian wants to drink often, he must not exceed three cups per meal.”
“Go on.” Mingzhu sat down and dipped her finger in tea water, drawing on the table. A represented her, and B represented the mysterious person who drew the diagram for the bed crossbow and found Ban Jian. Obviously, the other party had just started this matter. If she wanted to find the other party, she would have to start with the two people who had hired Ban Jian with heavy rewards.
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