Love letters are not allowed in the exorcism notebook!-Chapter 823 - 70: There’s Always Someone Willing to Kneel
The sun was already high in the sky when Li Mingshen was finally roused from his heavy slumber.
The previous night he had stayed up reading by lamplight for most of the night, so much so that he didn’t even know when he had fallen asleep. For a moment, all he felt was numbness and soreness throughout his entire body.
Just as he was reaching for the tobacco pipe on the table to take a puff, a servant came in to report softly that visitors had arrived outside.
Upon hearing this, Li Mingshen instantly frowned deeply: "Haven’t I told you lot that I’m bedridden and recovering these days, and that I won’t be receiving any guests?"
"This time it’s Procurement Officer Lu from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Mr. Hashimoto. They’ve specifically requested to see Master."
Hashimoto?
Li Mingshen’s mind cleared instantly, and he stared angrily at the servant: "What is he doing here? How did he get this information?"
"Mr. Hashimoto came by once before, but we stopped him from coming inside..."
"Why didn’t you notify me?"
"Master, you know..."
Li Mingshen rubbed his temples and let out a long sigh.
Ever since he returned, he had claimed illness and remained at home, refusing all visitors. He had only summoned the most accomplished of his students to collaborate with him in studying the manuscripts from the alien world. Aside from this, no visitors were allowed under any circumstances.
In this era, with such limited communication and inconvenient transport, efficiency in handling matters was extremely low. Even the news about the Zhu family massacre had already been in the newspapers for several days, yet the Governmental Office had made no move to investigate the female flying thief.
But not everyone’s efficiency was this low. Were the Fusang people dogs? With noses this sharp?
Hashimoto...
Li Mingshen calmed himself for a moment and said in a deep voice, "Fetch Maocai here!"
Within a few minutes, a young man in a long gown walked in from outside. There was originally a faint hint of levity and amusement on his face, but the moment he noticed the icy, somber expression on Li Mingshen’s face, his heart was struck with alarm, and he hurriedly straightened up his demeanor.
"Teacher!"
"Let me ask you, have you been sneaking out to play again recently?"
"No..."
"Have you been associating with the Fusang people?"
"Uh..."
"Speak! They’ve already tracked me down here! What else are you afraid to admit?"
Seeing Li Mingshen in a furious rage, the young man finally panicked and quickly blurted out: "Yes... I did go to Hashimoto Trading Company..."
"What did you tell the Fusang people?"
"I didn’t really say anything; it’s just that... when Mr. Hashimoto was showing off his newly acquired machine tools, I couldn’t stand it and retorted that I had seen better ones..."
"You wretched brat!"
Li Mingshen stood up, grabbed the inkstone on the table, and hurled it harshly at the young man’s forehead. "What couldn’t you stand? Is this something you can discuss with the Fusang people? What do you think I summoned you and your fellow disciples here for? To go out and brag to others?"
The hard inkstone struck the young man’s forehead, leaving a gash from which blood immediately streamed down. Clutching his forehead, the young man staggered back a step but couldn’t help stiffening his neck to debate: "But we can’t build the machine tool blueprints ourselves. Sooner or later, we’ll have to buy them from the Foreigners. What difference does it make whether they know now or later? Instead of letting the Foreigners make the profit, we might as well let the Fusang people earn it—they are, after all, our blood relatives..."
Li Mingshen swayed slightly, feeling as though the world were spinning. He was so enraged by the young man in front of him that he almost passed out.
But he gripped the table firmly, forced himself to stay clear-headed, and fixed a deathly glare on the young man before him, speaking coldly: "Liu Maocai, you’re very good, very good. I’ve taught for so many years, diligently and cautiously as if treading on thin ice. Yet I never imagined that in my old age, I would raise such a disgrace! From today onward, you are no longer welcome here. This small temple of mine cannot accommodate a mighty immortal such as yourself!"
"What immortal?"
The young man didn’t even have time to reply before a shrill, mocking voice rang out from outside.
No sooner had the voice finished than a pale-skinned, effeminate man walked in alongside another bearded man in a Western suit.
Li Mingshen bellowed, "Officer Lu! What is the meaning of breaking into a private residence?"
"What are you saying, Professor Li? You’ve been claiming illness and staying home. I came with good intentions to visit you, only to hear from afar that you were lecturing your student so vigorously. You don’t sound ill at all—surely there’s no illness?"
Faced with Li Mingshen’s rebuke, Officer Lu remained unfazed. With his hands clasped behind his back, he glanced at the manuscripts piled on the desk and smirked, "Mr. Hashimoto tried to visit the other day as well, but your servants blocked his way. I can’t help but wonder since when has the threshold of the Li Mansion risen so high?"
The man in the Western suit removed his hat and bowed politely. "Professor Li, pardon my intrusion—please forgive me."
Li Mingshen sighed bitterly. At his age, how could he not see the underlying scheme here?
Since that so-called great war—no, it wasn’t even a war; it was merely the unilateral trampling of the Imperial Court by the Allied Forces—it seemed as if the entire Imperial system had had its backbone extracted by the Foreigners.
Especially those who came from within the palace, bowing and scraping in front of the Foreigners while venting all their pent-up resentment and humiliation onto their own countrymen.
The Hashimoto Trading Company had operated in Tianmen for years, deeply rooted with extensive connections.
In the past, he would not have dared to treat Mr. Hashimoto so lightly. After all, many of the instructional materials and equipment at the academy still had to be purchased through the Hashimoto Trading Company, and some graduates from the academy even opted to go to Fusang for further studies.
Take for example his brilliant disciple Liu Maocai—by the looks of it, his heart had long been set on the Fusang people, and he couldn’t wait to don wooden clogs and taste raw fish.
Unfortunately, Li Mingshen failed to recognize his true nature earlier.
As for Officer Lu, no matter how inflated he tried to make himself, he was merely a palace procurement officer—an insignificant figure who clung to power and prestige. Judging by his demeanor, he had most likely accepted bribes from Mr. Hashimoto and now served as his lackey.
The household staff might be able to block Hashimoto, but they couldn’t stop Officer Lu.
Facing these two uninvited, overbearing guests, Li Mingshen straightened up and composed himself with a stern expression: "Mr. Hashimoto. I had always thought of you as a gentleman of integrity. To think you would stoop to such discourtesy—it truly changes my view of you."
Hashimoto quickly lowered his head. "Please forgive me, Professor. As the Saint said, ’If in the morning one hears the Way, by evening one may die without regret.’ I recently purchased advanced machinery from West Germany, intending to invest in a factory in your country. But then I heard from Liu Sang that you, Professor, possess designs a hundred times more advanced. The thought has kept me up at night with restless longing. I only wish to borrow the blueprints for a look, with no ulterior motives!" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
As he finished speaking, he pulled out a check from his pocket and offered it with both hands, presenting it to Li Mingshen. "Professor, you must understand—when it comes to commerce, capturing the first opportunity ensures an endless advantage. To lag behind even by a step could lead to irreversible disaster. I am willing to pay a substantial sum for the blueprints. If you feel the amount insufficient, I can return to secure further funds."
Li Mingshen shook his head, reached into the book chest beside him, and pulled out a revolver. He cocked it, aimed it at Hashimoto’s face, and said coldly, "Not for sale. Leave!"
