Wan Bao respectfully removed his wet suit and handed it over. “The Zhang family has arranged to meet at an underwater cavern beneath Qingze Lake at dusk. My lord, you can use this suit to dive.”
“No need. I’ll swim there directly,” Wang Cang Hai said. “Tell me everything about your time infiltrating the Zhang family.”
Wan Bao nodded and began his report.
“For the past ten years, I worked as the Wan family’s accountant, managing the private ledgers of Master Wan’s household. In recent years, Master Wan has had frequent dealings with the Zhang family. I often saw the Zhang family patriarch, Zhang Qi Ling, and his kin, Zhang Hai Wang and Zhang Hai Xing, whenever they met for business or leisure. Since I handled their expenses at taverns and pleasure houses, we developed some acquaintance over food and drink.
“Zhang Qi Ling always wears a cast-iron mask. Even among his own clan, very few people have seen his true face. As for Zhang Hai Wang and Zhang Hai Xing, I have already described their appearances to you. The portraits you drew were at least ninety percent accurate—once you see them in person, I’m sure you’ll recognize them.”
* * *
Wan Bao then revealed crucial information.
“Six months ago, Master Wan San and Zhang Qi Ling set sail on the Wan family’s largest merchant ship, the Poseidon, to search for some kind of treasure in the Boundless Sea, southwest of the Da Yong Empire.
“They vanished without a trace.
“Aboard the Poseidon were one hundred and fifty Wan family sailors and one hundred and fifty Zhang clan members. Every single person disappeared along with the ship—gone as if they had never existed.
“Since then, both the Wan and Zhang families have been desperately searching for their missing leaders.
“Four months ago, the Wan family reached out to you, Lord Xiao Wang, for assistance. You personally traveled to the Wan household to investigate. But Master Wan San’s two sons—one nine years old, the other three—were too young to make decisions.
“So, together with the Wan family’s old steward, Wan Quan, and myself, we devised a plan.
“Wan Quan would continue leading the search openly. The Wang family would assist from the shadows. And I, since I was more familiar with the Zhang family, would infiltrate them to gather information on their search for Zhang Qi Ling.”
Three months ago, under Wang Cang Hai’s orders, Wan Bao had arrived at the Zhang family stronghold in Ba Nai, Guang Xi, carrying large amounts of gold and silver.
“I sought out my drinking acquaintances, Zhang Hai Wang and Zhang Hai Xing,” Wan Bao explained. “I told them that after Master Wan San’s disappearance, Steward Wan Quan had seized control of the household accounts and warehouse records, ousting me from the Wan estate. With nowhere else to turn, I had come to seek refuge with the Zhang family, hoping they would help me find Master Wan San.
“If Master Wan San could be found, I would return to serve him as before. But if he were truly lost forever, I would willingly pledge myself to the Zhang family, taking on any task—accounting, stewarding, running errands—just for a place to stay.”
At first, Zhang Hai Wang and Zhang Hai Xing were wary of Wan Bao and kept him away from the Zhang family's internal affairs. However, after spending three months together, their wariness gradually lessened. Wan Bao’s steady, diligent work earned the trust of other Zhang clan members.
This time, when the Zhang family gathered at Qing Ze Lake, Zhang Hai Wang and Zhang Hai Xing brought Wan Bao along. They even shared critical information with him—this lake concealed an ancient underwater tomb that Wan San and Zhang Qi Ling had visited before their disappearance. They believed the tomb might hold clues to their whereabouts. Since the Zhang clan’s vice-patriarch, Zhang Pei Shan, had just returned from searching for Zhang Qi Ling overseas, he would personally oversee the gathering.
Zhang Pei Shan had been away from Ba Nai, Guang Xi, for months, and this would be Wan Bao’s first opportunity to meet him.
0 Comments