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[The Ingenious One]

[Episode 12 The Mastermind]

Don't lose it again.

How did you get it?

You went to see Qi Tianfeng?

Mr. Yun.

Qi Tianfeng visited Mr. Mo again this morning.

[Guanghui Bank]

The January Letter?

It's the real work of Wang Xizhi.

This coral is so beautiful.

I bet it's a tribute to the royal family.

This...

Qi, what is this one called?

The Cauldron of God Gu.

It reminds me of an old friend.

I remember seeing this cauldron at Wen Cong's house

when he feted the merchants in Nandu.

Yeah.

He later gave it to the Chamber of Commerce for auction.

It cost me a fortune

to buy it.

Qi.

These are all precious treasures.

If any government official catches me owning one of them,

my whole family will be beheaded.

Now you're giving them to me as gifts.

I have to doubt your motives.

Don't get me wrong.

You can make fortunes by selling any of these things

on the black market.

Qi,

we are both businessmen.

So save me your little trick.

Tell me.

What brought you here?

Just speak your mind.

You're well-informed

of what's going on in the market.

So you should know

that the raw silk of the Su Family has entered the city.

I lost everything

in this big gamble.

I've heard about it.

So I have no choice

but to give you these treasures

in exchange for something else.

What is it?

All the assets of the Cao Sect

are in Guanghui Bank.

If you take them back,

you'll have to

reorganize everything

and may not be able to

earn as much as we do now.

So I have a suggestion.

Why don't we make a new deal?

Mr. Mo,

if you can lend me some money

to help me pay off the debt,

I promise to cut you in for 30%

on the profits the Cao Sect earns

from today onwards.

Mr. Mo.

50-50!

In that way, you can get all your money back

in less than three years.

After that, you can sit it out and have a share

of every dime we make.

Qi Tianfeng,

you don't seem to know the score here.

All the assets of the Cao Sect

are in my hands now.

I can even say your life

is mine too.

In other words,

every penny I let you keep is a reward.

How could you call this a deal?

I advise you

not to burn your bridges.

Don't burn your bridges.

Isn't that something

Mr. Wen once said to you too?

Have you ever considered cutting him some slack?

I am where I am today

because I never believe in fate!

Sit down and have some tea.

It's exciting.

Why don't you watch it with me?

Once this matter is over,

we'll be even, right?

Not even close.

You still need to find the orphans in Jishan Hall.

I know. I'll get it done.

Tell me.

You caused quite a stir.

What's in it for you?

Besides,

Master ordered you to take down the Su family,

but you helped them make a big fortune.

Don't worry.

I'll explain it to Master.

Yun Xiang.

If we join hands again in the future,

I hope you can be honest with me,

so I won't make assumptions.

Transforming Palms.

Correct.

You're so young but have mastered

such an evil skill.

What can Transforming Palms do?

Transform.

They transform your opponent's power into yours.

So the punch Qi Tianfeng threw just now

ended up landing on himself.

So Kang Qiao is invincible?

One may beat him with weapons with sharp edges.

Kang Qiao is lucky.

Qi Tianfeng fights with bare hands too.

Back off.

I'll tackle him myself.

If I exert all my strength,

can you still transform it into yours?

Let's find out.

Shadowmen, attack!

Kang Qiao!

Kang Qiao!

K-Kang Qiao!

Sister, help me!

Young Master.

Your clothes are dry.

Young Master.

Young Master.

The bloodstain won't wash off.

Don't worry, Mr. Mo.

Kang Qiao was protected by his internal force.

The power of that blow was greatly decreased.

He just needs some time for the broken bones to heal.

By the way,

here is a secret medicine.

It's a miracle cure for broken bones.

You're not the one who's in pain.

Here, drink it.

No.

It'll disperse my internal force.

Drink it and have a good rest.

Your internal force will come back soon.

No.

Without my internal force,

how can I fight Qi Tianfeng if he comes back?

Just drink it.

I'll take care of the rest.

I didn't raise you to be so reckless.

All you do is get in fights.

You're so combative.

Mo.

Sorry to make you worry.

What should I do if something happens to you?

I don't want to bury you!

Mr. Mo, I've got news.

Mr. Mo.

Leave Kang Qiao to rest.

Let's talk outside.

Qi Tianfeng fled to one of the Cao Sect's docks

and is hiding in a boat.

He was stumbling,

so he must have been badly injured.

He didn't return to the base.

Looks like he's planning to run away.

When I came back,

I saw Ding Yi heading to the dock with a bunch of people.

They are all Qi Tianfeng's trusted aides.

Keep a close eye on them.

Report to me immediately if anything happens.

Yes.

Sorry for what happened to Kang Qiao.

I'll go back and find more medicines

that can help him recover sooner.

Qi Tianfeng is at the end of his rope.

You don't need to do anything now.

I'll take over from here.

Of course.

You'd better not cause me more trouble.

Kang Qiao can't get injured again.

It'd be too much for him.

Listen. You should thank god

that the Iron Hand Demon didn't hit his heart or head today.

Or you wouldn't be standing here

and chatting with me now.

It seems that you and Kang Qiao

have a deep connection.

Is there a story?

It's none of your business.

Wait.

You just said

we need to be honest with each other

if we want to work together again.

Kang Qiao was an orphan.

I pitied him and adopted him.

I later found that he was kind and honest,

so I sent him to study in Yuntai Sect.

He was so talented

that the old weirdo Zhong Beidou

noticed him

and insisted on taking him as his last disciple.

Since Kang Qiao was in Yanwu Master's good graces,

he should've stayed at our headquarters.

Yeah.

But Kang Qiao didn't want to.

Five years later, he insisted on coming back

and has stuck around since then.

That old weirdo was so mad.

He went through lots of hardships

but still have a kind and pure heart.

You're lucky to have him

as your right-hand man.

My right-hand man?

I've long regarded him as my son.

What? Don't tell me

you're to remind me that the sect rules

forbid us from forming bonds with others.

We indeed have such rules.

Nonsense.

We're human.

We have feelings.

These feelings are real.

If one doesn't care for the people around him,

how can we count on him to save the world?

Mr. Mo.

Careful. The walls have ears.

You have ears.

You're right.

Thank you for your trust.

I'm willing to tell you so much

because you had the guts to disobey Master

and let the Su family go.

I think we're the same.

We don't follow rules.

Now it's your turn.

Be honest with me.

Tell me about you.

Actually, my story

is similar to Kang Qiao's.

That's all you can tell me?

Mr. Wen saved my life.

So Mr. Wen is as important to me

as you're to Kang Qiao.

What happened to you?

To tell you the truth,

my whole family was killed.

Mr. Wen told me repeatedly

that I can't mention my past to anyone.

So you're the only one in the sect who knows about it.

Master doesn't know either?

You've been studying in the sect for 15 years.

The family that was killed 15 years ago…

You're from Luo family's village?

You know about that massacre?

The massacre in Luo family's village was a sensation.

Everyone in Nandu knew about it.

But don't ask me for details.

I don't know any.

I told you

I'm not close to Wen Cong.

I know nothing.

Fine.

Then please

keep this secret for me.

It makes sense now.

You raised a lot of dust

with one scheme after another

not only to avenge Wen Cong

but also to find out

the truth about the massacre.

I knew it.

It's impossible for anyone

to have no feelings at all.

You're Master's direct disciple,

but you feel hatred just like everyone else does.

Mr. Mo,

I told you about my past

because I'm sure

that I'll need your help in the future.

Wait.

Did I just cause problems for myself?

I won't let you

help me for nothing.

Really?

Check carefully.

All assets must be recorded.

Don't miss anything.

Mr. Tang.

Mr. Mo.

What a rare visitor to the Cao Sect.

I'll be a regular here in the future.

What brought you here, Mr. Tang?

Who are you to ask that?

Where is Mr. Qi?

He ran away.

If I'm not mistaken,

you're here to collect

the large sum of money

you lent to Qi Tianfeng, right?

It's a long story.

I'll just grab a few valuable things to cut my losses.

Be careful.

Everything inside is mine.

You'll have to pay if you break anything.

What do you mean?

Mr. Tang, come here.

All the Cao Sect's assets

[Deed]

belong to my Guanghui Bank now.

Mo Bufan.

Don't be so conceited.

You're getting carried away.

Mr. Tang,

don't be exasperated.

I'm not exasperated.

I heard that Mr. Qi became a total failure

all thanks to Mr. Yun's

ingenious strategies.

What?

Has Guanghui Bank colluded with him?

Mr. Tang.

It's just about business.

Collude is not the right way to put it.

You have a point.

You have a point.

How about Mr. Qi?

Is he dead?

Do you wish he were dead?

What a funny question.

[Cao Sect]

You guys must find Qi Tianfeng.

Some dirty hands have gotten on the Cao Sect.

We need to wipe it clean.

Understood.

Let's go.

[East of town, Qi Tianfeng's old house]

Master Qi.

You've gotten internal injuries.

You need to take a good rest.

I underestimated Kang Qiao.

I didn't expect so young a man

to be a master of martial arts.

Mo Bufan is so conniving.

He laid low when we dealt with Weng Cong.

Who'd have known he's from Yuntai Sect?

Yeah.

[Liansheng House]

Jin, be careful.

Don't worry.

Be careful with the table.

Don't scratch the tables.

The old furniture is fine.

Why did Mr. Yun dump all of them

and buy new ones?

Liansheng House has been closed for too long.

It's long been forgotten.

Besides, most gambling houses in Nandu

are under Tang Xiao's name.

If we want to be successful,

we have to be creative.

But what purpose can these new tables serve?

These tables are smaller.

And,

the bets are smaller too.

The guest rooms upstairs

will be replaced by joined beds.

Guests from different places

can sleep over for free.

I see.

We can't compete with the Tang family for rich gamblers

so we'll start with small wagers they think little of.

Bit by bit,

we'll be popular again.

Smart.

We take what is dumped

and offer what is needed.

Mr. Yun brushed us off.

I thought he didn't care about

Liansheng House.

I'm afraid he's up to something else

and we just don't know about it.

Well, we haven't made a penny

but already spent a lot on the furniture.

It's fine.

If we do a remodel in the future,

these tables can be used as desks for the children.

Children?

Whose children?

Did You forget what Mr. Yun promised you?

Yun Xiang mentioned those children to you?

Is he really going to help me find them back?

He's taken it seriously.

He's changed.

What are you thinking about?

I'm thinking about you.

I don't believe that.

Let me look at you.

You look much better.

Really?

Yes.

Now that you've had enough rest,

maybe you should start looking for Qi Tianfeng.

He has nothing now.

This is your best chance to take revenge on him.

I'm not in a hurry.

I know you'll need him

to find out what happened in Luo Family's village.

You won't let him escape.

Why don't you tell me more

about that incident in Luo Family's village?

So I won't kill Qi Tianfeng

the second I see him.

You won't do that.

You've become much less reckless recently.

But you're still the same.

If I changed for the better too,

would we be together forever?

Alright. Let's get down to business.

Have you already found

where Qi Tianfeng is?

There's a dock

20 miles east of town.

It was abandoned years ago.

There is a deserted house

near that dock.

It's said to be Qi Tianfeng's first property

when he started from scratch.

He's hiding there.

20 miles? So close?

Maybe he was injured by Kang Qiao and couldn't travel very far.

He may escape again.

I'll go with Ten Taels of Gold

to bring him back right away.

Wait.

He's desperate now.

We must not underestimate him.

I can't let just you and Ten Taels of Gold go there.

If that guy from the Su family could join you,

I'd have nothing to worry about.

Mr. Yun.

Mr. Yun.

Chairman Su is here.

He wants to see you and Miss Shu.

Mr. Qian.

Go.

Okay.

Is Warrior Jin in Liansheng House?

Yes.

This way, please.

Mr. Yun appears cold-hearted,

but after the dust settled,

it turned out

that he pretended not to care

but has arranged everything for us.

He set us up and helped us out.

Don't be fooled by him so easily.

Like you were?

You little brat.

Mr. Qian.

Mr. Qian.

Hello, everyone.

Liansheng House is ready to open.

Yes.

Are you here to get your money?

Gold is heavy,

so I took a few banknotes.

If there's anything improper,

please let me know.

It's fine.

Banknotes are more convenient.

Thank you.

Miss Meng Lan,

I need to ask you about something.

What did you say to Mr. Su at the back door

of Su's Residence the day before yesterday?

Sorry. I presumed too much.

I shouldn't have come over uninvited.

Don't get me wrong. That's not what I mean.

I just want to know

whether there was anything off with Mr. Su that day.

He seemed a bit distracted.

I thought he was tired from the journey.

He didn't say anything special.

He would rather feel sad himself

than make you worry.

Is Mr. Su all right?

What?

He hasn't gathered himself yet?

Warrior Jin, you're used to bloodshed,

but Mr. Su had never seen that before.

After he came back, he couldn't eat

and couldn't sleep.

It's just killing someone

and getting some blood on his hands.

How about this?

I'll talk to him.

You paid me double.

I have to do something.

Both I and Miss Su

prefer someone else to do it.

Can I go now?

Of course.

The sooner, the better.

Thank you, Mr. Qian.

By the way, Miss,

Miss Su said

this time you'll walk in through the front door.

Thank you, Mr. Qian.

Go now.

Chairman Su, I guess you're here

to ask about Qi Tianfeng's whereabouts, right?

He's out of his depth now. I'm in no rush to go after him.

Then what else can I do for you?

I've been interested in business since I was young.

The strategies you used this time

impressed me greatly.

I've been trying to put the pieces together.

May I ask you a few questions?

I'm sure you've long

seen through my little tricks.

You flatter me.

It looked like the Su family was cornered by Qi Tianfeng,

but I think it's just a plot of yours

to lure him into the trap.

The rise of silk price was indeed a big problem.

I could've been voted out as the chairwoman.

Things could get worse.

The Su family might not be able to submit the tribute cloth

and lose His Majesty's rewards.

But no matter what,

losses were inevitable

but the Su family could certainly survive.

However, we heeded your advice

and sold the deeds.

That was when we put the future

of the Su family at stake.

After Qi Tianfeng knew about it,

he rolled the dice

and bought lots of raw silk deeds.

As a result, the price was raised.

Only one of the Cao Sect and the Su family could survive.

Qi Tianfeng easily goes to extremes.

I knew it would work for him

and I didn't have better options.

Fortunately, we won.

So let's put it behind us.

But there's one thing I don't understand.

Now that we're the winners,

why don't you just let it go?

It's not easy to take the Su family down.

No matter how ambitious Qi Tianfeng was,

he needed to gain the upper hand to succeed.

What gave him the upper hand

was the fire in Yufeng Warehouse.

I thought since Qi Tianfeng

benefited the most from that fire,

he should be the one who set the fire.

Are you implying that someone else did it?

I don't have evidence.

But after you capture Qi Tianfeng,

please do me a favor and ask him about it.

Of course.

Miss Shu.

Your wish has been fulfilled.

I returned the compensation from the four Armed Escort Agencies

and paid 20,000 taels of silver

to the escorts' families.

It's very kind of you, Chairman Su.

I merely did what I promised.

Miss Su, you almost

lost your life this time

and gave all the escort fee

to those escorts.

You're so much kinder than me.

I know you did that just because you have a warm heart,

but others may think

you showed sympathy

because you experienced

something no one knows about.

Don't make innuendos.

Just get to the point.

If Qian Rong tries to kill me,

don't fight him.

I don't want you to die for nothing.

Have you heard of

Shu's Armed Escort Agency?

It used to be the most famous Armed Escort Agency in Nandu.

Then you should know what happened to the Shu family.

You should also understand

why I treat the dead and wounded escorts so well.

Yanan,

don't be rude.

So, you're the only one left of the Shu family.

If I said anything that offended you,

please forgive me.

Chairman Su.

She's been through a lot

and only survived thanks to her fierce personality.

Please don't take it to heart.

Mr. Yun,

I came today to thank you.

I didn't mean for that to happen.

I can't win this game

even if we play until it's dark.

Beat the drum and pass the flower.

Guess how many pine nuts are in the fist.

What's so hard about this simple game?

Fill the glass.

I'll show you how to win.

Great.

Girl.

Is she crazy?

Rong,

do you think what Shu Yanan said

is the truth?

I'm not sure.

But if Shu Yanan

really were an orphan of the Shu family,

it would explain

why she helped those escorts.

If that were the case,

it'd be very likely

that she set the fire in Yufeng Warehouse.

Shu's Armed Escort Agency was destroyed by Qi Tianfeng.

Yun Xiang may have told her

that by burning down Yufeng Warehouse,

she could avenge her family's deaths.

That would give her enough reason

to do something even more terrible.

This matter is complicated.

To avoid future troubles,

why don't we find a chance to capture Shu Yanan?

No need.

I made myself very clear just now.

Yun Xiang used us this time,

but we got the profits

we deserve.

So it's time

to put the whole thing to an end.

Do you want to kill Qi Tianfeng?

If you do, trust me.

Don't ask anything.

[Yufeng Warehouse]

[Shu's Ancestral Hall]

You did well just now.

Su Huairou came here

to let us know

that she's not a pawn that we can manipulate.

Given the circumstances,

even if she knew the truth,

she wouldn't pursue it.

Do you think I'm afraid of being killed by Qian Rong?

In the past, I only killed criminals

and never hurt innocent people.

I'll say it again.

You didn't kill those escorts.

Don't tell me to delude myself.

You said that so easily

just because you weren't there

seeing swords going through their hearts.

Their warm blood

didn't splash on you.

Because of the fire I set,

they ended up dead in the wilderness.

Many women lost their husbands.

Many children lost their fathers.

Calm down.

Calm down!

Haven't we made an agreement?

You'll just carry out orders

without asking any questions.

So when you went to Yufeng Warehouse that day,

you had no idea what would happen.

But I'm different.

I knew everything from the beginning.

That's why I keep telling you

Qi Tianfeng was the one who killed those escorts.

I'm not just trying to comfort you.

I'm also lying to myself.

If one day,

the ghosts of those escorts come back for revenge,

they won't come at you.

They'll come at me.

I hope you understand

that many innocent people

were killed by Qi Tianfeng.

If we hadn't taken this opportunity to get rid of him,

yeah,

those escorts wouldn't have died,

but more innocent people

would be killed by that bastard.

Do the lesser evil to eliminate the greater evil.

Is that how the Yuntai Sect does justice?

Before Su Huairou left,

she said the four Armed Escort Agencies in Nandu

are willing to take this chance to kill Qi Tianfeng.

I've asked Ten Taels of Gold to contact them.

But don't worry.

This time,

I'll kill him without a single drop of blood being shed.

How can you be sure?

I have my ways,

or I wouldn't have given you my word.