Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

「Blue Poplar Village, Mengchun Garden.」

Ma Wu led his men to dismantle the phonograph on the dance floor and handed it over to Li Banfeng for disposal.

Xiao Chuanzi felt heartbroken. It was a masterpiece from the Beautiful Voice Record Player Shop; such quality craftsmanship was incredibly hard to find in Puluo State.

"Master Wu, without the phonograph, what kind of dance floor is this? Are we supposed to dance in silence?"

Ma Wu turned to look at a corner of the dance floor. "Isn't the band practicing right there?"

He had assembled a small band in Blue Poplar Village, complete with violins and trumpets for Western music, as well as dulcimers and pipas for Chinese folk music.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! PHRRRRT!

The trumpet sputtered.

Chuanzi shook his head repeatedly. "Master Wu, is this even listenable?"

"There aren't many who can dance anyway, so just put up with it," Ma Wu said, rather open-minded. "Go to Greenwater City, find Steward Qiu, and tell him to be wary of phonographs; they have Ling Family hooks on them."

...

At Hundred Joy Gate, Lu Yuanhai arrived with his men to dismantle the phonographs. Yang Yanzheng panicked, "Second Young Master, what are you doing?"

Lu Yuanhai said, "These phonographs have too much static and are unpleasant to listen to. We'll replace them all with a band."

The main dance hall didn't rely on phonographs; the space was too vast, and their sound was insufficient. Lu Yuanhai now ordered the phonographs in the ballroom and the Famous Performer's Chambers to be dismantled.

Yang Yanzheng desperately tried to persuade him, "Second Young Master, please discuss this with the Second Miss."

"No need to discuss. I've already hired the band for you."

"The ballroom, we can make do, but these Famous Performer's Chambers... they're special."

"What's so special about them?"

Yang Yanzheng, anxious, said, "You often visit Hundred Joy Gate. The Famous Performer's Chambers are for the Singing Empress's solo performances. During a solo performance, she has to... entertain. Is it appropriate for her to be entertaining in there while a band plays nearby?"

Lu Yuanhai laughed. "Why would it be inappropriate? I'll show you all in a moment. Having a band nearby adds to the atmosphere and even gives one more... vigor."

Nothing Yang Yanzheng said worked; this was Monkey Qiu's order.

Monkey Qiu stood in the manor hall, looking at the phonographs inside the house.

When Lu Dongliang met with misfortune, by the time Monkey Qiu arrived, the phonograph was still playing a tune—Lu Dongliang's favorite, "Dream Person."

When He Yuxiu went to Qian Yue Tower to confront Lu Dongjun, Lu Dongjun had disguised himself as Lu Dongliang to attend a feast there. Qian Yue Tower was also playing music—He Yuxiu's favorite, "Full Moon and Blooming Flowers."

These were events Monkey Qiu had witnessed with his own eyes.

There was another incident he had heard about. Lu Dongjun had killed a manager at Jiangyuan Leather Factory, exposing his whereabouts. At that time, the manager's office was also playing music, a tune called "Peaceful Spring."

More than half the phonographs in Puluo State came from the Beautiful Voice Record Player Shop. It seemed all phonographs from their shop had hooks in them. These matters were all under the control of the Ling Family. Lu Dongliang and Lu Dongjun had very likely been eliminated by the Ling Family.

How exactly did the Ling Family rise to power? Newspapers, dance halls, cinemas—how did all these businesses gradually fall into the hands of the Ling Family? Perhaps Lu Dongliang was aware of these things, but Monkey Qiu had never really paid them any attention.

Right now, though, there was some good news.

Ling Miaowen was dead.

Who did it? Hundred Flowers Gate? Does Zhang Xiuling possess that kind of strength? The He Family and the Ling Family hadn't been on good terms over business at Hai Chi Ridge; could it have been the He Family's doing? Possible. To silently kill Ling Miaowen in Puluo State, other than the Lu Family, only the He Family could accomplish it.

Putting aside the cause of Ling Miaowen's death for now, the newspaper business had to be quickly snatched up by Lu Yuanshan. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Monkey Qiu ordered the phonographs to be dismantled. As Lady Duan, Duan Shaoxia, came down the stairs, she sighed. "Dongliang used to love listening to music. If he saw the phonographs gone, he would certainly have a few words for you."

Monkey Qiu bowed respectfully. "However the Master scolds, I will listen. But these things cannot stay."

With a laugh, Duan Shaoxia said, "I was joking with you, and you took it seriously! Such a menace—how could the Master possibly have kept it? This time, we were fortunate, thanks to Junyang who brought the message. Otherwise, our family might still be unaware of how much we would have lost over these things. Junyang is a good kid. Earning a few Ocean Dollars in that rundown Blue Poplar Village isn't easy for him. I heard he still owes quite a debt to the Imperial Workshop, probably because he was gathering those ten thousand Ocean Dollars for us. Zhiheng, as a woman, I shouldn't meddle in business affairs. But today, I'm being bold enough to ask you this favor: please don't take Junyang's Hua Hong anymore."

Monkey Qiu nodded. "I will heed Madam's words."

"When you have time, invite Junyang over for a meal." As she spoke, Lady Duan helped Qiu Zhiheng straighten his collar, then turned and went upstairs.

This gesture was a bit strange, somewhat overstepping.

Qiu Zhiheng was stunned for a moment, his cheeks flushing.

What's going on? How could I...

Qiu Zhiheng rubbed his forehead, trying to distract himself.

He recalled Ma Wu and nodded slightly.

Ma Wu indeed was a good kid. I really should invite him for a meal someday. It would be nice if that young brother could also come.

...

Li Banfeng sat in the Portable Residence, feeling the breeze beside the phonograph.

He had dismantled two Windmill Phonographs. One of them had been refined by Red Lotus and given to his wife, who then evolved a fan function. The other phonograph, unrefined, remained in the Portable Residence.

"My dear, why are we keeping this thing?"

"It's useful. I've already removed the hooks from it. In the future, husband can take this out to do some errands for Little Servant."

"It's just an ordinary phonograph. What can it do?"

"I've left a bit of Spirit Attribute in this phonograph; it can help husband clean up an area. The record I made before used ninety percent of its Mana. It's no longer potent enough to kill, but it's still sufficient for removing hooks."