Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return

Chapter 789 Historical Number One Swindler

"The Jinghai Chamber of Commerce is the property of the Mo Family. Ever since the old Family Head handed over the management to Young Master Mo, the business has been declining day by day. Young Master Mo, being in a foul mood, would lash out at the Shopkeeper and the clerks at will, making everyone uneasy. As my contract had just ended and feeling utterly disheartened, I decided to leave and tendered my resignation to Young Master Mo. Who would have thought he would refuse to let me go, not only withholding half a year of my monthly salary but also beating me severely and throwing me out of the Chamber of Commerce?He declared that whoever dared to take me in would be making an enemy of the Mo Family. With my severe injuries and no one daring to take me in, it seemed I was bound to die of illness. Fortunately, Nanyan Commerce took me in out of kindness and healed my injuries, so I came to work for Nanyan Commerce.

The Mo Family accused me of betrayal. They not only hate me but also harbor resentment towards Nanyan Commerce. Alas, I have brought trouble upon Nanyan Commerce. If I am not mistaken, they have come today to smash the signboard of the Chamber of Commerce," Manager Zhou said, blaming himself.

"This kind of betrayal is intolerable. If it wasn’t for someone holding me back, I would have skinned him alive," Young Master Mo muttered incessantly as he walked ahead.

"There is no need for the young master to stoop to his level. He’s just a dog raised by the Mo Family. We have more important matters to prioritize," the middle-aged guard by his side advised.

"Right. Let’s spare him for now. Once we have dealt with Nanyan Commerce, we can take our time with him," Young Master Mo concluded after some thought.

"Tributor Qiu, is everything ready?" Young Master Mo asked the elder beside him in a lowered voice. Mu Hanyan was not mistaken; this elder was indeed a tributor of the Mo Family.

Tributor Qiu didn’t speak, merely nodding his head.

Mu Hanyan frowned. Even though Young Master Mo had lowered his voice, how could it possibly escape her Six Senses, which were several times sharper than those of a Sword Saint?

Manager Zhou was right; they really had come to smash the signboard of Nanyan Commerce.

Mu Hanyan didn’t blame Manager Zhou. The wrongdoing began with Young Master Mo, which had nothing to do with Manager Zhou. Nanyan Commerce employed Manager Zhou because of his abilities. Since his contract with Jinghai Chamber of Commerce had ended, it wasn’t considered stealing talent.

Besides, if Nanyan Commerce desired to grow stronger, it was inevitable to offend some. It was better to stand your ground rather than to live in constant fear of wolves ahead and tigers behind.

What worried her was what exactly Young Master Mo intended to do to Nanyan Commerce and who Mu Nan had sent for protection. Without precautions, they could easily fall prey to his schemes.

As she anxiously pondered, Mu Hanyan caught sight of Che Xiang. Thankfully, it was someone she knew. Just as Mu Hanyan was about to approach and warn him, Che Xiang briskly stepped forward to greet an elderly man dressed in wide-sleeved robes, his demeanor cold and bearing the air of a superior.

The elderly man carried a large wooden case on his back and appeared extremely arrogant, while Che Xiang’s demeanor was exceedingly respectful. Before Mu Hanyan could even greet them, Che Xiang escorted the elder to the back hall.

Mu Hanyan watched the elder and the large case he carried, contemplating for a moment, then a bitter smile appeared on her face.

Why did it have to be this old fellow? Now there was real trouble. Probably, even before Young Master Mo made his move, the reputation of Nanyan Commerce was already at risk of being sullied.

Xuanyuan Fengchen, the most mysterious Sword Casting Master on the Holy Court Continent, was known for his technique that could amaze the heavens and move gods and ghosts. He was even hailed as a once-in-a-millennium sword casting prodigy on the Continent.

The Divine Swords he personally forged were worth an entire city, and Royal Families from different countries vied to purchase them, and various aristocratic families took pride in owning a treasure sword personally crafted by Xuanyuan Fengchen. For a very long time, owning one almost symbolized one’s status and identity.

However, aside from that, Xuanyuan Fengchen also had another title, the biggest fraud in the history of the Holy Court Continent.

That’s right, a fraud. The longswords he forged were all gold on the outside but rotten straw on the inside, in other words, fakes. But they were fakes so convincing that not only ordinary Treasure Appraisers but also the official appraisers of various countries’ courts were duped by him.

Years later, when the truth came out, the Royal Families lost all face, many appraisers involved lost their lives, and numerous ancient Chambers of Commerce that had been passed down for thousands of years went bankrupt.

Mu Hanyan had seen Xuanyuan Fengchen in his past life deep within the Longyan Mountain Range. At that time, he was being hunted by a coalition of Royal Families, various noble families, and many Chambers of Commerce. Although he managed to flee deep into the Longyan Mountains, he still couldn’t escape his death in the end.

Having witnessed this scene with her own eyes, even Mu Hanyan couldn’t help feeling emotional. To have scammed to such a degree was indeed a mark for eternity.

This guy showing up at the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce was clearly for a reason. Mu Hanyan cursed her bad luck silently; how come she encountered this guy just as the Chamber’s branch in the Capital had opened? He really thought highly of the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce.

Mu Hanyan was a bit perplexed. Although the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce had a great reputation in Nanxi County, it was hardly noticeable in the Capital and couldn’t compare to those old-brand Chambers of Commerce with histories of thousands or even tens of thousands of years. With Xuanyuan Fengchen’s tastes, how could he set his sights on the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce?

Could it be that Mo Yanhong had found him to come and sabotage their reputation?

Very quickly, Mu Hanyan dismissed this guess. One of the reasons Xuanyuan Fengchen had been able to con the entire Holy Court Continent was his extremely cautious nature—he always worked alone and never left any trace. How could he possibly be helping Mo Yanhong?

What was the real reason then? Suddenly, Mu Hanyan had a revelation: Xuanyuan Fengchen would only become truly famous years later. In fact, he hadn’t basked in his false glory for long before being exposed and lured into a fatal trap. The reason was simple: he sold swords, and swords were meant for use, not just for display. No matter how splendid they seemed on the surface, there was always a moment when the truth would reveal itself.

On further reflection, the current Xuanyuan Fengchen, despite having some reputation, was not as notable as he would be in a few years. Likely, he hadn’t yet become bold enough to target those well-established Chambers of Commerce, let alone deceive the Royal Family. That’s probably why he targeted the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce.

Even though she understood why Xuanyan Fengchen had appeared at the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce, Mu Hanyan still felt a headache brewing. Che Xiang had only shown his face and immediately welcomed Xuanyuan Fengchen into the inner hall, probably to the VIP room, and she didn’t even have the chance to warn him.

With the current strength of the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce, they were definitely unable to see through Xuanyuan Fengchen’s scam. Being cheated was a foregone conclusion, and losing some money was one thing, but reputation was key. Mu Hanyan did not want the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce to end up like those Chambers she knew in her past life, ruined in reputation by Xuanyuan Fengchen and never recovering.

"No, I must warn Che Xiang as soon as possible." Without hesitation, Mu Hanyan headed towards the inner hall.

"Please halt, sir. The area inside is the VIP room of our Nanyan Chamber of Commerce, and without the order of our Family Head, outsiders are not permitted to enter," a guard stopped Mu Hanyan just as she reached the door.

This guard seemed to be newly hired and didn’t recognize Mu Hanyan. However, since this was the Capital, filled with countless scions of noble families and royals, his attitude was still quite respectful.

"Tell Che Xiang to come out and see me," Mu Hanyan said, not bothering to waste words with him.