"I am truly sorry, my lord! I really cannot disclose the origins. After all, if I don't adhere to the rules, I'm afraid such matters will never come my way again…"
Yuan Xingchi bowed to Li Bangyan with a feigned look of difficulty, saying calmly.
"Can't there be any flexibility?"
"Although I cannot reveal the origins, I can assure you, my lord, that in Bianliang City, and indeed throughout the entire Great Song Dynasty, besides the original, this is the only copy!"
After a moment of hesitation, Yuan Xingchi spoke directly.
"And the original..."
"I am merely a broker. If you truly wish to purchase it, my lord, I can introduce you!"
"May I know the price you are asking, sir?"
Hearing this, Li Bangyan gritted his teeth and asked.
Although he felt it was unlikely, for him, ten thousand guan was a sum that would truly cripple him.
What frustrated him was that Yuan Xingchi, sitting opposite him, smiled and shook his head.
"One hundred thousand guan..."
As he uttered this number, Li Bangyan's heart began to tremble.
If it weren't for the fact that this item was so incredibly important to him, he would never have offered such a price. After all, 100,000 guan was enough to empty his father-in-law's household.
But to his despair, Yuan Xingchi sitting opposite him shook his head again.
"Mr. Yuan..."
This time, Li Bangyan became somewhat displeased.
This was almost all the money he could muster, yet this fellow was still not satisfied. Li Bangyan even felt a killing intent stir within him.
"My lord, you jest. Didn't I say before? If I were only after money, I wouldn't have come to you. I believe Lord Wang and Lord Bai would certainly be able to offer a higher price!"
These words were jarring. Even Li Bangyan, who considered himself worldly, couldn't help but blush at this moment.
"Then what do you mean, sir?"
However, shame notwithstanding, Li Bangyan quickly asked again.
"The other party did not want money, they only asked for your lord to do them a favor!"
Hearing Yuan Xingchi say this, Li Bangyan's heart sank. This was precisely what he feared most.
After all, at this time, if he were to leave any handle, it would truly be disastrous.
But looking at the confessions in his hand, Li Bangyan hardened his heart and gritted his teeth, deciding to face it head-on.
That's right, these were copies of the confessions of those Khitan assassins…
When he took these items from Yuan Xingchi, he didn't even doubt their authenticity. After all, the impression Yuan Xingchi had left on him previously was too deep.
Moreover, according to the news from the old steward, what was written on them was likely all true.
"As long as it is within my capabilities, my lord, please speak your mind!"
"If that is the case, then please lean closer, my lord!"
Seeing that Li Bangyan had finally relented, Yuan Xingchi smiled again and beckoned to Li Bangyan.
Having reached this point, Li Bangyan, however unwilling, had to lean his ear closer.
What Li Bangyan didn't expect was that although he wore a veiled hat, his bleeding scars on his face were incredibly obvious as he leaned in.
After admiring Lady Lin's masterpiece, Yuan Xingchi collected his thoughts, lowered his voice, and whispered a few words into Li Bangyan's ear.
"That's it?"
After he finished speaking, even Li Bangyan was stunned. He never imagined that what Yuan Xingchi asked for would be so simple.
"Indeed, it is a simple matter for my lord. Otherwise, how would I dare to trouble you here?"
Yuan Xingchi smiled and continued.
"After the matter is settled..."
Li Bangyan said, gesturing towards the envelope.
"My lord, please rest assured. After the matter is settled, I guarantee this will absolutely not appear in court!"
When Yuan Xingchi said the words "in court," he deliberately emphasized them. However, it was clear that the preoccupied Li Bangyan did not notice this detail at all.
"If that is truly the case, then you, sir, are my savior, Li Bangyan!"
Without these confessions, Lin Daqian's crime would merely be the assault on the county office. As long as he didn't speak carelessly, even if he were eventually executed, it would at most implicate the Lin family.
As a married daughter of the Lin family, and moreover a relative of the Prime Minister, Li Bangyan would at most be charged with poor supervision.
At best, he might be impeached by an Censor, have his official rank reduced by one or two levels, and be fined a year or half a year's salary. These matters would essentially pass.
But once these things were added, the situation would become immediately complicated.
Lin Daqian's crime would no longer be simply burning down the county office.
After all, in the confessions of these individuals, they had clearly recounted the process of burning down the Changping Granary.
Before the burning of the Changping Granary, they had lived as employees and servants of the Lin family in the Lin family's shops.
If not for the incident of burning down the county office, perhaps harboring Khitan spies could have been considered an unintentional mistake.
But once the crime of burning down the county office was added, it was difficult even for Li Bangyan himself to believe it was an unintentional mistake.
"My lord, you are too kind. As I said, I am just a broker!"
Yuan Xingchi smiled but said nothing more.
"No, no, no. To Mr. Yu, it may be a simple matter, but to me, this is a life-saving favor. I, Li Bangyan, understand the difference. With such great kindness, your affairs will be my affairs in the future!"
As Li Bangyan spoke, he seriously straightened his clothes, then stood up and bowed deeply to Yuan Xingchi.
"Since that is the case, I shall not disturb you further, my lord!"
Yuan Xingchi smiled and then turned to leave.
"Rest assured, sir, I have remembered this matter. As soon as your side initiates it, I, Li Bangyan, will do my utmost!"
"Thank you, my lord!"
Only after Yuan Xingchi had gone quite a distance did Li Bangyan let out a long sigh and sit down on the chair in the side hall.
"My lord, I have brought the ointment for you. Please take a look..."
Seeing Yuan Xingchi leave, the old steward quickly approached him again.
"Go and invite my wife here!"
After taking a deep breath, Li Bangyan said again.
"Wife?"
The old steward's expression became somewhat peculiar. His face was already disfigured; was he still going to continue…