Chapter 128: Conditions and Cooperation

While tidying up the tea table, Zhang Qinglin noticed a fresh box of tea—Wuyi rock tea, specifically Dahongpao.

Dahongpao is the king of Wuyi rock teas and the absolute finest among Oolong teas. It relieves fatigue, detoxifies, prevents illness, stimulates saliva production, and promotes diuresis. Regular consumption also lowers blood lipids and fights aging. Having abstained from tea for some time, Zhang Qinglin felt a sudden wave of inspiration and decided to brew a pot. The very process of making tea served as a soothing balm for his frayed nerves and exhaustion.

Just as he poured himself a cup and closed his eyes to savor the curling wisps of fragrance rising from the rim, Bai Weiwei walked through the doorway. Approaching the pear-wood tea table, she remarked, "You must have known I was coming; the tea is already brewed."

Zhang Qinglin turned sideways, offered a faint, thin-lipped smile, and pushed a freshly poured cup toward her. "Taste this newly arrived Wuyi Dahongpao."

"Mm, not bad at all," Bai Weiwei praised, lifting the cup for a small sip.

Just as Zhang Qinglin reached to refill her cup, Sister Zhou walked in. Catching sight of Bai Weiwei, her expression seemed to tighten momentarily. After offering a polite greeting to Zhang Qinglin, she smiled at Bai Weiwei and asked, "Are you here to buy tea, Miss? We have some fresh arrivals."

"Sister Zhou, this is a friend of mine. Didn't you have matters to attend to this morning? How is it that you're here now?" Zhang Qinglin asked, turning toward her.

"Oh, there's been a lot going on at the teahouse lately. Since my business was finished, I came right over. Ah, so she's Xiaolin's friend! Well, you two go ahead and chat, chat away," Sister Zhou said before heading toward the counter.

"Come on, let's talk upstairs," Zhang Qinglin said, picking up the teapot and leading Bai Weiwei up to the second floor.

"I had a friend in Shaanxi make inquiries about the whereabouts of your two companions, but nothing came of it. All we found out is that they were abducted on Zhougong Avenue," Bai Weiwei said, taking a seat at the large tea table.

"Weiwei, do you really have no idea who snatched them?" Zhang Qinglin asked.

"Why ask that? Do you think I should know something? Or is it because Zhao Chu is my brother that you've never truly trusted me?"

"Weiwei, that's not what I meant. Please, listen to me."

"What is there to listen to? If you can't even trust me, why should I stay here and make a fool of myself?" With that, Bai Weiwei stood up and headed for the stairs.

Zhang Qinglin stepped forward to block her path, standing right in front of her as he gazed intently into her eyes. "My friends were taken by your brother."

Bai Weiwei lifted her large, expressive eyes to stare at him. "How do you know that?"

"The night before last, in your brother's hotel room. He told me himself."

As Zhang Qinglin was speaking with Bai Weiwei, Sister Zhou's voice drifted up from downstairs: "Xiaolin, telephone! It's for you."

Zhang Qinglin glanced toward the stairwell, wondering who could possibly be calling him at the teahouse at this hour. Descending to the ground floor, he took the receiver and immediately heard a panicked voice on the other end: "Old Zhang, hurry up and save us! These people are absolute lunatics, ah—!" It was Cheng Che.

"Cheng Che! Cheng Che! Where are you? Tell me where you are!" Zhang Qinglin shouted into the phone, gripping it tightly.

There was no response from the other end, save for the muffled sounds of someone gagging Cheng Che and dragging him away. Then, a rough, aggressive male voice took over: "Listen well. If you want to save your brothers, be at the entrance of the Lijin Club in Zhangshuwan sharp at eight o'clock tonight."

"Who are you? What have you done to them?" Zhang Qinglin demanded, shouting into the mouthpiece with a furrowed brow.

Without another word, the person on the other end hung up, leaving only a series of monotonous dial tones.

Striving to maintain his composure, Zhang Qinglin handed the phone back to Sister Zhou and returned to the second floor, walking slowly back to the tea table with a heavy, complicated heart.

"What is it?" Bai Weiwei asked, stepping over to him.

"I just got a call. I heard Cheng Che crying out for help. Someone wants to meet me at the Zhangshuwan Lijin Club at eight o'clock tonight."

"Who's asking to meet you? Is it Zhao Chu?" Hearing the mention of the Zhangshuwan Lijin Club, Bai Weiwei instantly guessed the culprit.

"It wasn't his voice."

"Then it must be someone he arranged. Are you planning to go see him tonight?" she pressed on.

"Do I have a better option? Even you couldn't find out where they are being hidden. I have to go to this meeting, or else there's no telling what they'll do to Cheng Che and the others." Zhang Qinglin's gaze swept over the photographs scattered across the table.

"Then I'm coming with you. If it really is Zhangshuwan, I know people there. If anything dangerous happens, at least we'll have each other to lean on." Bai Weiwei lifted her eyelids and cast a sidelong glance at him.

Zhang Qinglin looked back at her and nodded. At this point, it was the only way.

Jiang Xinyue had gone to the hospital, and Wu Cheng'an had not yet returned from seeing Fanni, leaving the outcome of that encounter unknown. As for the bronze jue suddenly appearing in the teahouse, someone must have deliberately sent it there for Zhang Qinglin to find. With the bronze jue in his possession, Zhang Qinglin at least possessed a bargaining chip to force Fanni to speak.

Checking his watch, Zhang Qinglin saw that it was already past six. Bai Weiwei noted that the club was quite far away, and barring any traffic jams, it would take nearly two hours to get there.

Walking over to the window, Zhang Qinglin looked down at the street, where pedestrians were still bustling about. He couldn't wait for Wu Cheng'an to return; turning to Bai Weiwei, he signaled that they should set off immediately.

Sitting in the car, a multitude of thoughts raced through Zhang Qinglin's mind, but the overriding urgency of Cheng Che and the others suffering in captivity spurred him on relentlessly.

The bold characters of the Lijin Club sign loomed ahead. Bai Weiwei parked the car right at the entrance, and both of them stepped out.

No sooner had they hit the pavement than a black car screeched to a halt right at their feet. Zhao Chu stepped out from behind the wheel.

With a smirk, Zhao Chu greeted them, "Mr. Zhang, please go right in! Ah, and Weiwei is here too."

Zhao Chu led Zhang Qinglin toward a private parlor, but stopped Bai Weiwei at the doorway, barring her from following them inside.

Once inside the suite, Zhao Chu settled onto a sofa. A waiter entered, set down a bottle of red wine and two glasses, poured the drinks, and promptly retreated.

Pulling a thick, hand-rolled cigar from his case, Zhao Chu looked at Zhang Qinglin with a hazy, contemplative gaze and asked, "Mr. Zhang, have you given any more thought to our cooperation?"

Lighting the cigar, Zhao Chu crossed his legs with effortless elegance. He took a slow drag, exhaled a thick plume of blue smoke, and waited for Zhang Qinglin's reply.

As Zhang Qinglin looked at Zhao Chu, his mind raced. This time, Zhao Chu was leveraging the personal safety of Cheng Che and Chi Tan, promising that the moment they secured the exact location of Emperor Gaozong of Tang's mausoleum, he would release his captives, offering no hindrance should they wish to enter the tomb or simply walk away.

According to the intelligence Bai Weiwei had gathered, there was no trace of where Zhao Chu was keeping Cheng Che and Chi Tan. Clearly, Zhao Chu had prepared thoroughly, brimming with absolute confidence that this alliance would be sealed.

"I can agree to cooperate, but I have one condition," Zhang Qinglin said.

"A condition? Mr. Zhang, name whatever you like," Zhao Chu said with a casual flick of the hand holding his cigar.

Wary of his casual demeanor and fearful of falling into a trap, Zhang Qinglin straightened his posture and replied, "First, send my friends back to Beijing. I must see with my own eyes that they are safe before we discuss any cooperation."

At this, the thick cigar clamped between Zhao Chu's lips twitched. He took a hard pull, then fixed his gaze on Zhang Qinglin. "I'm afraid I cannot agree to that. Under the very shadow of the imperial throne in Beijing, my men operate strictly within the law, and I have no fear of you dragging the police into this mess.

"However, the River and State Scroll is not in Beijing; it is in Xi'an. Therefore, Mr. Zhang will have to trouble himself to travel to Xi'an to reunite with your friends. But rest assured, I have taken very good care of them."

"If I cannot see them, there is nothing to discuss. Good day!" Zhang Qinglin declared with a stern expression, turning on his heel to leave.

Instead of panicking, Zhao Chu remained utterly composed. He tapped the ash of his cigar into an ashtray and glanced up lazily. "I presume Mr. Zhang received a phone call from Xi'an today. Oh, and by the way, that uncle who raised you is still in the hospital, isn't he? Broken bones take a hundred days to heal. Are you truly certain you won't discuss cooperation today?"

Zhang Qinglin froze in his tracks. Zhao Chu's words were a veiled threat, but what shocked him even more was the realization that Uncle Jiang's car accident might also have been orchestrated by this man. Coupled with the unknown fate of Cheng Che and the others in Xi'an, the message was painfully clear: *You know the score, and if you stubbornly refuse to cooperate, the consequences will be severe.*

Turning back to face Zhao Chu, Zhang Qinglin glared at him with undisguised fury. "What exactly do you want?"

"Have a seat, Mr. Zhang. No need to rush; we have all the time in the world to talk," Zhao Chu said, keeping the cigar between his teeth as he uncrossed his legs and straightened his collar.

Zhang Qinglin returned to the sofa and slowly sat down.

"Here is how it stands: the Zhao Group recently organized an expedition. Three different teams are heading out to explore three separate locations. You will join the team bound for Xi'an. We depart in three days, and someone will pick you up. Once you arrive in Xi'an with your map and notebook, you're free to tag along with the expedition for a bit of sightseeing. Why not make the best of it?" Zhao Chu stared straight ahead, his eyes bright and sharp.

"I don't understand. Why must I join an expedition? What does that have to do with our cooperation?" Zhang Qinglin asked, genuinely baffled.

"Of course you must join. Only by being part of the team will you and your cargo of maps and notebooks have the full protection of the Zhao Group. Traveling alone with those two items out in the open would be far too dangerous. I am merely looking out for you. Surely you realize how many pairs of eyes are fixed on you right now?" Zhao Chu gestured with the wine glass he held in his right hand.

Zhao Chu's words left Zhang Qinglin in silence for a long moment. It was true—Chen Shenxiao had issued a similar warning earlier. The only reason he hadn't yet been ambushed by shady characters was likely because Chen Shenxiao's operatives were shielding him from the shadows.

"Ah, there is one more thing. I believe it bears mentioning," Zhao Chu added.

Zhang Qinglin raised his head to look at him without a word.

"Bai Weiwei is my sister. Whatever exists between the two of you, I suggest you keep your distance. I will not have her dragged into this. And let me give you a piece of advice: never take a woman's words to heart, or you will lose everything in the end." Raising his glass, Zhao Chu stared intently at the deep crimson liquid within.

"My affairs with her are none of your concern," Zhang Qinglin replied evenly.

Zhao Chu spread his hands, lifting his glass in a mock toast. "I know Mr. Zhang is a reasonable man. Come, let's have a drink to our successful partnership!"

Zhang Qinglin sat stiffly, refusing to touch the glass on the table, his expression as calm as ever.

Just then, the door to the parlor was flung open. Bai Weiwei strode in, brushing past two bodyguards who hesitated to touch her and could only stand with tense, menacing postures, their hands raised in futile restraint.

Lowering the wine glass he had held suspended in mid-air, Zhao Chu slanted a glance at the guards, silently signaling them to retreat to the back.

Seeing Bai Weiwei barge in, Zhang Qinglin stood up immediately.

"Zhao Chu, was it you who abducted his friends?" Bai Weiwei demanded, fixing her gaze on the man lounging on the sofa.

Spinning the wine glass in his hand, Zhao Chu offered a faint smile and ignored her entirely.

Realizing he would not answer, Bai Weiwei walked over, grabbed Zhang Qinglin by the arm, and shot Zhao Chu a venomous look. "Don't think that just because you rule the roost in the Zhao Group no one will ever betray you. Even if you won't tell me now, I'll find out the truth myself. Come on, Xiaolin, let's go."

With that, Bai Weiwei pulled Zhang Qinglin out of the private room. During the drive back, she asked him no questions, nor did she inquire about what had passed between him and Zhao Chu. She dropped him off at the street corner near the teahouse.

As Zhang Qinglin stepped out of the car, she spoke softly to him: "Though I don't know what has transpired between you and Zhao Chu, rest assured, I will not stand idly by. And for the record, I am not the person other people have made me out to be."

"Weiwei, I don't judge people based on what others say. Leave Cheng Che and the others to me—this has nothing to do with you. Go back and get some rest," Zhang Qinglin said. He gave her a brief wave, turned, and walked toward the teahouse.

He knew that even if he hadn't confessed that her brother was the one behind the abductions, she would have uncovered the truth sooner or later. As for Zhao Chu's warning to stay away from her, it was likely an attempt to shield her from the storm.

Noticing that the lights of the teahouse were still on in the distance, Zhang Qinglin quickened his pace. As he approached the entrance of the Water, Cloud and Blue Sky teahouse, Wu Cheng'an was just walking up from the opposite side of the street. Catching sight of Zhang Qinglin, Wu Cheng'an hurried his steps.

"What happened to your face?" Zhang Qinglin asked in shock, stopping as Wu Cheng'an drew close enough to reveal a large, bruised purple welt spanning his left cheek and the corner of his eye.

Wu Cheng'an pressed his right hand against his abdomen, grimacing as he cast a wary glance over his shoulder.

Noticing his guarded behavior, Zhang Qinglin swept a quick look around the quiet vicinity before ushering him inside.

Once the heavy wooden door was bolted shut behind them, Jiang Xinyue, who was cleaning up the ground floor, rushed over at the sight of them. "Brother, where on earth did you two go tonight? What happened to him?"