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Wang Guan's guess was not entirely wrong. After the three of them left, Han Lang immediately had a servant prepare a restorative broth and personally carried it to Old Mr. Han's room.

The old man was lying in bed, his face etched with melancholy, naturally causing Han Lang considerable worry.

"Grandpa, are you alright?"

Han Lang placed the soup on the nightstand, saying with concern, "Come, have some soup to refresh yourself..."

"Don't worry about me..." Old Mr. Han did not refuse, draining the broth before settling back into bed, his eyes now holding a bit more sparkle. "It’s not some earth-shattering blow; I can handle it. It’s just a slight feeling of emptiness and loss right now. It will pass in a couple of days."

Clearly unwilling to dwell on the matter, Old Mr. Han smoothly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, it’s the middle of the workday. Do you know why I asked you to come back from the company?"

"Wasn't it to bring Master Banshan over?" Han Lang was slightly taken aback.

"That’s only part of it." Old Mr. Han shook his head gently, smiling. "Earlier this morning, Brother Qiao of Jinyang called me and informed me that his granddaughter is arriving in Hong Kong today. Calculating the time, she should be here around noon..."

"What?" Han Lang exclaimed, instantly recalling Wang Guan's cryptic parting words.

"What what?" Old Mr. Han frowned. "Why are you making such a fuss?"

Han Lang quickly defended himself. "Grandpa, didn't I tell you when I came back? That Miss Qiao, she doesn't like me at all..."

"What is liking, what is not liking?"

Old Mr. Han glared. "Do you think, with our family's standing, this is a matter worthy of debate? I thought you would understand; love is a luxury for you. Unless you willingly give up your inheritance rights, you should have had this realization long ago."

If this were a Japanese, Korean, or Taiwanese idol drama, Han Lang would now stand up and shout that he would give up everything for love. But unfortunately, Han Lang was utterly pragmatic, nodding as if it were expected. "Grandpa, of course, I understand that principle. The key issue isn't that I don't understand; it's that she doesn't understand."

"Nonsense," Old Mr. Han chided. "It's better if she doesn't understand..."

"What do you mean?" Han Lang was genuinely confused.

"If she doesn't understand, it further proves how deeply the Qiao family spoils her."

A gleam of knowing intelligence flickered in Old Mr. Han's eyes as he analyzed carefully. "During your days at the Qiao residence, you should have seen how much Brother Qiao dotes on his granddaughter. On the surface, he seems to be deciding her marriage, but in reality, the final choice rests with the young lady. Isn't that level of importance enough for you to grasp her significance?"

"Grandpa, I understand," Han Lang murmured thoughtfully, nodding slightly.

A marriage alliance was essentially about borrowing influence from the other side. Since the male side now needed the female side's influence, he had to actively pursue it rather than just waiting for fortune to fall from the sky.

"It's good that you understand," Old Mr. Han nodded with satisfaction. "As the pearl of the Qiao family, it’s natural for her to be willful; if she weren't, it would suggest she isn't favored. In that case, the alliance wouldn't hold much value."

"Furthermore, the fact that she’s making this trip to Hong Kong shows she still listens somewhat to Brother Qiao's arrangements. The opportunity has been given to you; you must seize it well, utilizing the advantage of local proximity."

At this point, Old Mr. Han paused. "Oh, yes. Brother Qiao also asked me to tell you that when you meet her, you must listen to the instructions of someone named Wang Guan..."

"What? Listen to his instructions?" Han Lang was utterly shocked and stunned into silence.

"What's wrong?" Old Mr. Han asked, puzzled. "Brother Qiao said this person is his inside contact and can help you."

"What inside contact..." Han Lang rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Grandpa, do you even know who that Wang Guan is?"

"Who else could he be? At most, a bodyguard or an employee of the Qiao family." The old man was unconcerned. Because Banshan Heshang only mentioned the surname when introducing him earlier, and not the name, he had no idea he had already met Wang Guan.

"That Wang Guan, he is..." Han Lang thought for a moment, attempting to be deliberately vague, "He is a friend of the Qiao family's eldest daughter, and their relationship is quite intimate. He might not necessarily help me."

"Intimate?" Old Mr. Han paused, then shook his head. "Don't overthink it. Since Brother Qiao said so, he must have his reasons. Just do as he says."

"But..."

Before Han Lang could say more, Old Mr. Han cut him off. "Brother Qiao is giving you a chance out of respect for me. Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, Grandpa." Han Lang immediately nodded, his expression firm, though inwardly he was already lamenting. He had just offended Wang Guan, and now he had to approach him again—wasn't that walking straight into a trap?

Setting aside Han Lang's miserable mood, Pi Qiushe had already driven back to his hotel. He then guided Wang Guan and Master Banshan back to the suite for a quiet chat, the conversation naturally circling back to the preceding events.

Pi Qiushe apologized. "Master Banshan, I am truly sorry. It seems I made you run a fruitless trip to Hong Kong."

"That's my fault; I shouldn't have been so blunt and exposed the truth, making Old Mr. Han lose face," Wang Guan admitted with slight embarrassment.

"Amitabha, this matter has nothing to do with you two benefactors," Master Banshan said with a slight smile. "Cause and effect are predetermined. The main issue was the stubbornness of Layman Han. It’s fortunate that Benefactor Wang resolved his obsession; otherwise, Layman Han would have inevitably run into trouble sooner or later..."

This was not a curse, but a statement firmly rooted in reality. Given his overly rigid temperament, it certainly wasn't conducive to maintaining his health. Coupled with Old Mr. Han's advanced age, if things continued this way, he might very well suffer a serious imbalance—a sudden shock could potentially cause his entire system to collapse.

"No need for thanks; just don't hate me," Wang Guan chuckled. Sometimes doing good deeds was this difficult; the person helped might not feel any gratitude.

"Benefactor Wang jokes," Master Banshan replied, pressing his palms together and bowing slightly. "Layman Han is an intelligent man; he is just temporarily clouded. Once his obsession dissipates, he will naturally see things clearly and understand Benefactor Wang's good intentions."

"I don't have any good intentions," Wang Guan laughed heartily. "Didn't you see I ended up getting substantial benefits too? Tsk tsk, truly a wealthy household; they give away things like Golden Silk Nanmu worth millions without a second thought."

Having steered the conversation, Wang Guan changed tack. "Master Banshan, are you interested in taking on this next task?"

"What does Benefactor Wang mean?"

Master Banshan could guess part of it, but he still required confirmation.

"Although the wood carving is damaged, the material itself is excellent; it shouldn't be wasted like this," Wang Guan smiled. "By simply cutting away the decayed outer layer and planing off the lotus pedestal carving, it will become another piece of precious, fine timber."

"That's right, Golden Silk Nanmu," Pi Qiushe agreed. "If we divide that remaining piece of wood, we can carve various ornaments, and even the scraps can be polished into beads, strung into a set of prayer beads, consecrated by the Master, and still fetch a high price."

As expected of an expert in commerce for many years, Pi Qiushe immediately knew how to maximize the value of the wood.

"Master, what do you think?" Wang Guan asked lightly. "This shouldn't be a difficult task, right?"

"The task itself is not difficult..." Master Banshan said it wasn't difficult, yet a hint of hesitation showed on his face. "However, I fear I cannot stay in Hong Kong for long..."

"Why?" Pi Qiushe finally couldn't help but ask. "There's nothing one cannot say to others. Master, what trouble have you encountered that you must conceal?"

"Could it be that your trip to Hong Kong was not merely at Old Mr. Han's invitation to help him, but perhaps you also sought his assistance for something?" Wang Guan speculated thoughtfully. "In that case, I have become the villain who ruined the Master's important business."

"Amitabha, absolutely not." Master Banshan shook his head. "Benefactor Wang worries too much."

"A monk does not tell lies," Wang Guan looked him straight in the eye. "Master, you cannot lie."

"Amitabha, this poor monk would never dare break the precepts." Master Banshan maintained his humble and downcast appearance. "My trip to Hong Kong was indeed purely by invitation, with no other purpose."

"We believe that," Pi Qiushe pressed, then frowned. "But what about in Singapore? Master, you must know that I have many friends in Singapore as well. Even if you don't tell us now, I can have them investigate later and find out the truth."

"Amitabha." Master Banshan sighed with a touch of helplessness. "Why must you two benefactors be so persistent?"

"Is the Master implying we are being nosy?" Wang Guan asked with a smile. "It is true, however; since we have nothing better to do, meddling in other people's affairs is a form of recreation."

"Precisely..." Pi Qiushe smiled, stating the facts. "But we only bother meddling in matters concerning people like the Master. We wouldn't bother with anyone else."

"Amitabha." Master Banshan shook his head with a wry smile. "I fear you two."

At that moment, Wang Guan and Pi Qiushe exchanged a knowing glance before attentively listening to Master Banshan recount his story. The trouble, as it turned out, was far more than just a minor inconvenience; it was an unprovoked disaster.

Everyone knew that Singapore had limited land but a multitude of religions, leading to fierce competition—not just between different sects, but also internally within the same denomination. Although the monastery Master Banshan belonged to was small, someone else had taken an interest and planned to negotiate a "collaboration" involving a merger...

Well, the terms "collaboration" and "merger" were merely polished euphemisms. In plain terms, it was an absorption and annexation, intending to turn the small temple into a subordinate body of the larger sect to expand its influence.

Master Banshan was naturally unwilling to accept such a situation. Even though they shared the same faith, technically they were fellow disciples, and one could even stay at another temple for free meals and lodging.

However, when it came to the succession of the lineage, the brutally evident facts established by the Sixth Patriarch Huineng and Shenxiu over a thousand years ago demonstrated that whether or not one possessed the Bodhi tree was irrelevant; what truly mattered was the mantle, or rather, the position...

This was pure conjecture on Wang Guan's part; in reality, Master Banshan was far more detached from fame and fortune than he imagined. (To be continued.) www.RT