Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Universal Bank

March 14th, Year Seven of King Zheng of Qin

A new business opened its doors across from the Zilan Pavilion, its grand opening marked by the crackle of firecrackers and a lively lion dance that drew curious passersby. Even more eye-catching were the rows of armed soldiers standing guard, arousing intrigue among the crowd. But what truly captured everyone's attention were the two nearly one-meter tall bronze lions flanking the entrance. Whispers rippled through the onlookers as they speculated about the nature of this establishment.

When the curtain was lifted from the signboard, four bold characters were revealed: "Bank of the Realm." The script was markedly different from the usual, upright and dignified, lending an air of gravity.

An elderly man stood at the entrance, smiling as he greeted the gathered townsfolk. "This is a bank," he announced. "A place where one can deposit and withdraw money."

Immediately, someone in the crowd called out, "Why should I trust my money to you? Isn't it safer at home?"

"Exactly! Why go to all this trouble?"

"Do you think we're fools?"

The murmurs grew, skepticism thick in the air.

The old man, noticing that the planted questioners had voiced the people's doubts, smiled and replied, "Our bank is backed by the King of Han himself—what more assurance could you need? As for the second question, if you deposit your money with us, we pay interest at a rate of ten percent per month. And any merchant knows, traveling far and wide, the biggest hassle is carrying large sums of cash—it's simply too cumbersome. Our bank has branches in every city of Han. In the future, all you need is our bank’s promissory note; you can withdraw funds wherever you go. Isn't that convenient?"

After listening to his words, some in the crowd were visibly stirred, though others remained suspicious.

Once again, a planted questioner piped up, "Where does your bank get the money to pay us interest? Money doesn't just fall from the sky!"

"That's right! Where's the catch?"

The townsfolk murmured in agreement—this bank seemed too good to be true; who would hand out money for nothing?

The old man remained unhurried, waiting for silence before continuing, "As a bank, we both lend and borrow. Many have surplus funds, but many more are in urgent need—bride prices, medical expenses, business ventures. All can come to our bank for a loan, at a monthly interest of twelve percent. We make only a modest profit on the fees—small margins, but many transactions."

He scanned the crowd. "Any other questions? Speak freely."

Another plant asked, "But if we deposit our money and you abscond, where would we find you?"

"Right! If you run away in the night, all our hard-earned money would be lost!"

Confidently, the old man answered, "Our bank’s owner controls a glass mine. Every client who deposits with us receives a small glass ornament. You all know how rare glass is—so, no more doubts, I trust!"

The plant, performing his part, asked with a dubious expression, "Is that really true?"

The old man, satisfied, nodded, "If you don’t believe me, come inside and see for yourselves."

With that, he ordered the doors opened. The crowd, curiosity piqued, streamed inside.

The first sight to greet them was a lifelike glass sculpture of a flying horse, vivid and priceless, surrounded by rows of glass ornaments in various shapes—rabbits, lotuses, and, most striking of all, at the center, a half-meter tall landscape made of glass, upon which a fiery red dragon coiled atop a mountain, awe-inspiring to behold.

The townsfolk were astonished. In Xinzheng, they thought they’d seen every treasure—had even witnessed auspicious omens three times—but today their eyes were truly opened. None doubted the financial strength of this establishment now. Were it not for the soldiers stationed within, many would have found it hard to control their desires.

Seeing the crowd suitably impressed, the old man declared, "For every sum you deposit, you’ll receive a corresponding gift as collateral. Whenever you want your money back, simply return the gift and your funds will be returned."

Across the street, Li Yu watched everything unfold from the window of Zilan Pavilion.

“Husband, is all this your doing?” Zi Nu nestled in his arms, also watching the scene outside.

Li Yu did not hide the truth from her and nodded, “This bank is only the first step.”

“Husband, will the people’s lives truly become better than now?” Zi Nu asked, her eyes confused as she watched the surging crowd.

“Of course. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have forgiven me,” Li Yu replied, gazing at her alluring lips and kissing her.

Zi Nu put her arms around Li Yu’s neck, responding with equal passion.

“Husband, let’s go to bed,” Zi Nu invited.

“No—right here,” Li Yu whispered, guiding her hands to the windowsill, standing behind her, lifting her skirt, and burying his head.

Zi Nu held the windowsill, her gaze dreamy as she looked outside, her senses overwhelmed by a new and thrilling excitement. She reached her peak quickly, covering her mouth to suppress the sound, her body shuddering with pleasure.

...

“If anyone wishes to open an account, today is the day!” The old man, seeing the crowd’s expressions, realized things were going even better than expected and pressed his advantage.

Though everyone was fascinated and secretly excited, when it came time to part with their money, hesitation returned.

At that moment, a man approached from outside, his belly prominent, exuding the air of a nouveau riche. “I, Tiger, am depositing twenty thousand in gold. Two thousand in interest every month—what’s there to hesitate about? No wonder some folks never get rich!”

Many recognized the newcomer—Jade Tiger, Han’s wealthiest merchant.

He brought a whole wagonload of cash, which the staff began counting on the spot. The old man arranged for the paperwork, and after handing Jade Tiger a certificate stamped with “Universal Remittance,” onlookers crowded around in curiosity. Jade Tiger, ever the showman, held the paper aloft with a grin, basking in the attention. The “Fifty Thousand Gold” in large letters was impossible to miss, with the date and a small official seal in the corner.

The old man then presented Jade Tiger with the glass flying horse, carefully boxed in an ornate case. Jade Tiger accepted his prize with delight.

...

After more than ten days of arduous travel, Li Yu gazed with excitement at the familiar city of Xianyang.

Wives, here I come!

His first stop was Yixiang Courtyard. When he saw Liu Feixu, her belly was already visibly rounded.

Catching the surprise in her eyes, Li Yu embraced his beautiful wife, inhaling deeply to ease the ache of longing.

“My lady, you’ve worked hard,” he said gently, resting his hand on her belly.

“Husband, I haven’t suffered. I just miss you terribly every night,” she replied, stroking his hair and watching him nestle against her belly, her face radiant with happiness.

She had her own child, and the best husband in the world—Liu Feixu truly felt blessed.

Li Yu pressed his ear to her belly. Here was his own blood, his legacy in this world at last. He felt a surge of responsibility.

Because of her pregnancy, Feixu’s once proud peaks were now even more enchanting, heavy with the aura of motherhood. Her hips, which Li Yu had loved from the first moment he met her, were now even fuller, and he couldn’t resist caressing them.

Her hormones were running high, making her more passionate than ever. Despite her condition, Feixu was the one to take the initiative, pressing Li Yu beneath her like a swan at play, eager and loving.

Li Yu, concerned for her, held Feixu as she caught her breath. “My darling, let me take care of you.”

“Husband, I’m just happy. I want to please you, to make you happy too,” Feixu said softly, caressing him.

“Silly girl. Just seeing you makes me happy. You’re the best gift heaven could ever give me,” Li Yu replied, as he gently laid her down, showering her with kisses and affection.

“Husband, love me,” she whispered.

...

Li Yu stayed with Liu Feixu for three whole days, rarely leaving the bed except to feed each other. During this time, he painted a portrait of her as an expectant mother, sitting quietly by the window, hands on her belly, face serene and gentle.

Because his true identity could not be revealed, Li Yu had much idle time in Great Qin.

Until a letter arrived, passed to him through Liu Feixu.

The salutation read “Master,” and Li Yu paused, only realizing who it was from upon reading further.

Tian Mi had returned to the peasant household and accepted Wu Kuang’s proposal; their wedding was set for April. She wrote of her admiration for Li Yu, promising never to betray him, to keep herself chaste for his sake. At the end, there was a bold red lipstick mark—blatantly seductive.

After reading, Li Yu handed the letter to Feixu. “That girl is cunning—never believe more than half of what she says. But the clever know when to adapt, and that can be useful.”

After reading the letter, Feixu asked, “Husband, what do you plan next?”

“First, plant some of our people in the peasant household through Tian Mi. Arrange for some of your own to be placed as well. I want to turn the peasant faction into an empty shell,” Li Yu replied after some thought.

“And find a way to arrange a meeting with Zhao Gao,” he added.

“Of course. I’ll see to it,” Feixu said, leaving the room.

Li Yu sat in the bedroom, pondering what would happen next. Because of his arrival, many things had happened ahead of schedule, while others had quietly ended before they began. Soon, a name came to mind—the catalyst for the entire Legend of Qin.

Where was she now?

...

The Moon Palace

Recently, the Moon Goddess had been troubled.

Perhaps all women have their days of disquiet, but this was different.

That woman had, for some reason, returned to live in the Moon Palace and no longer visited her lover—torment for the Moon Goddess.

Since childhood, their relationship had always been harmonious. She often cared for her, and truly saw her as an elder sister. But as the years passed, others began to compare them. The Moon Goddess strove to catch up, but talent is not something hard work alone can bridge.

With each disappointment, her heart changed—from admiration to jealousy. The best was always hers: talent, beauty, others’ admiration, even her husband.

Was there any man better than Li Yu?

Ying Zheng, whom the Moon Goddess had met, was a boorish and unromantic man. Besides him, who else could compare to Li Yu?

She refused to always lose to her so-called senior sister.

Just as she thought this, a shadowy figure slipped over the wall into the courtyard.

Why is he here? the Moon Goddess wondered.

She did not reveal herself, but hid aside and watched.

“Husband, you’re back?” came a delighted voice.

“I heard you’ve been staying at the Moon Palace, so I came to see you,” the man replied.

“Husband, since you’ve been away, I’ve been living here, surrounded by memories, missing you. My heart ached, so I came to stay with my junior sister for a while,” the woman explained.

“It’s my fault. My lady, let’s have a child,” the man suggested.

“Husband, I’ll be visiting the Yin-Yang School soon to take care of some matters. If you come too late, you won’t find me,” she said with a note of longing.

“Do you need my help?” he asked.

“No, I can manage. Come with me, husband,” she said, leading him inside.

The Moon Goddess composed herself, quietly witnessing it all.

What was once mere speculation was now certain—Li Yu had not been in Xianyang, perhaps not even in Qin, for some time. No wonder her senior sister had been so absent-minded lately. She didn’t know what had kept him away, but it had to be important—otherwise he wouldn’t have kept it secret, or snuck back just for her.

To have a child.

A child?

The Moon Goddess was struck by an amusing thought.

Within the elegantly simple bedroom, clothes lay scattered across the floor, some torn as if ripped in passion. On the rocking bed, two entwined figures, like chrysalises, clung together, feeling each other’s warmth with desperate intensity.

When kindling meets flame, longing ignites.

Li Yu held Yanfei tightly in his arms, recalling their hour-long union, uninterrupted.

Exhausted, Yanfei drifted into sleep with a contented smile.

Li Yu thought to himself that even with all his efforts, he still felt spread too thin.

He gazed at Yanfei’s sleeping face, her smile undisturbed in her dreams.