Chapter Six: Aftermath
A heavy rain had just passed, and the air was filled with damp moisture. The surface of the canal rippled with turbidity, much like the current situation of the salt merchants in Yangzhou.
Inside the Pine Wave Garden of the Shen Mansion, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to drip water.
The ancient pine trees in the courtyard were lush and verdant after being washed by the torrential rain, but they could not conceal the somber atmosphere inside the house.
Madam Shen sat upright in the grand chair at the head of the table. The sandalwood prayer beads in her hand had long since stopped turning. After listening to Shen Rulan's detailed report on the attack on Qixia Mountain, she slammed the prayer beads down on the coffee table with a dull thud, causing a few drops of tea to spill from the teacup.
"What a Pan Shizhang! What a scoundrel from the Grand Canal Gang!" The old lady's voice was colder than ever before. Her usual kind and gentle demeanor, usually one of vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist prayers, had vanished without a trace, replaced by a chilling glint in her eyes. "How dare you touch my Shen family's salt and even injure my bodyguards! Are you trying to destroy the foundation of my Shen family? Do you really think that Madam Shen Qin is old and that the Shen family has no one left?"
She looked at Shen Rulan standing to the side, her tone softening slightly but still carrying an air of authority: "Lan'er, you handled things well at Qixia Mountain. You protected the salt goods, captured the prisoners, and didn't expose our preparedness. Well done."
Shen Rulan lowered her head and said, "Grandson only did what he was supposed to do. If Grandmother hadn't sent me to Qixia Mountain Estate to 'inspect the granary' beforehand and arranged for guards to accompany me, I'm afraid Pan Shizhang would have really succeeded this time."
Madam Shen nodded slightly, her gaze turning to Shen Fu, who stood solemnly to the side: "What are the casualties among the escorts of Yongsheng Escort Agency? Go and make arrangements. The medical expenses for all the injured escorts will be fully covered by the Shen family, and the compensation will be doubled, coming from my private account. We cannot let down those who risked their lives for the Shen family. In addition, prepare a generous gift and personally deliver it to Yongsheng Escort Agency to thank Lin Zhennan and his daughter Lin Xiao for their valiant efforts in protecting the escort. That girl Lin Xiao is young but brave and resourceful; she is very capable. The Shen family will remember this favor."
"Yes, Madam!" Shen Fu bowed and replied, secretly admiring the old lady's thoughtfulness—she had both appeased the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) and won over Yong Sheng镖局 (Yong Sheng Escort Agency), achieving two goals at once.
"As for Pan Shizhang," Madam Shen's tone turned cold again, her fingers tapping lightly on the coffee table, "since he broke the rule among salt merchants of 'not harming lives or destroying people's foundations,' he shouldn't blame the Shen family for showing no mercy. Shen Fu, do you remember? Pan Shizhang's biggest creditor is Manager Chang of Jinyuan Bank. They still have a loan of 30,000 taels of silver between them, which was originally agreed to be renewed at the end of the year."
Shen Fu nodded quickly: "Madam has a good memory, that's right. Manager Chang also has business dealings with our Shen family, and the relationship is quite good."
"That's good." A calculating glint flashed in Madam Shen's eyes. "Go and write a letter to Manager Chang immediately, saying that the Shen family is willing to act as guarantor and ask him to immediately collect all the debts owed by the Pan family. Not a single penny can be delayed! If Pan Shizhang dares to default on his debts, the Shen family is willing to assist Jin Yuan Bank in seizing Baolong Bank's shops to offset the debts!"
“Grandmother,” Shen Rulan suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of addition, “I think cutting off their money isn’t enough. The Pan family has been secretly smuggling salt into Jiangxi in recent years, circumventing the salt tax. I’ve already had people investigate the quantity and transportation routes of their smuggled salt, and even know that their next batch of smuggled salt will pass through the mouth of Poyang Lake. Perhaps… we could ‘accidentally’ reveal this information to Lord Li, the Salt Commissioner of Jiangxi?”
A hint of appreciation flashed in Madam Shen's eyes. She hadn't expected Shen Rulan to be so thoughtful: "Good! Using the government to kill someone is both satisfying and leaves no trace of our Shen family! This matter must be handled cleanly. Have someone find a 'Jiangxi merchant who accidentally learned of the news' to leak the information to Lord Li. We must not let anyone find evidence that our Shen family tipped us off."
"Grandson understands!" Shen Rulan replied, already having a plan in mind—if Pan Shizhang destroyed the Shen family's salt business, he would make Pan Shizhang taste the bitterness of family ruin and death!
Unlike the somber atmosphere of Songtao Garden in the Shen family mansion, the interior of Baolong Salt Shop was in complete disarray.
Broken teacups, overturned chairs, and torn account books were scattered on the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol and a sense of unease.
Pan Shizhang looked like a wild beast trapped in a cage, wearing a rumpled silk robe, his hair disheveled, his face contorted with rage. He had just smashed a second blue and white porcelain teacup, shards of which were scattered all over the floor.
"Useless! You're all useless!" Pan Shizhang roared at the dejected Scarface Li, spitting all over his face. "What use are you bunch of good-for-nothings? Dozens of men, armed with knives, couldn't even handle a woman and a few guards from the Shen family? So many of you lost, not a single one alive, and in the end, Shen Rulan even captured them! Tell me! Did you collude with the Shen family to deliberately sabotage my plans!"
Scarface Li trembled with fear and immediately knelt down, pleading with a bitter face, "Master Pan, I'm innocent! How could I dare to collude with the Shen family? That Shen Rulan is truly wicked! His guards are all formidable fighters, and his own archery skills are terrifyingly accurate; he shot our leader with a single arrow! Furthermore, it seems they were prepared; as soon as we made our move, their reinforcements arrived, giving us no time to react at all!"
"On guard?" Pan Shizhang narrowed his small eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them. "Could it be... that we've leaked the information?" He suspiciously scanned the accountant and several trusted men in the room, his gaze sharp, as if trying to see right through them.
Everyone inside the room lowered their heads in fear, and no one dared to speak—no one wanted to be treated as a "traitor" by Pan Shizhang.
Just then, the accountant of Baolong Salt Shop rushed in from outside, his face ashen, as if he had seen a ghost, his voice trembling: "Master...Master! Something terrible has happened! Manager Chang from Jinyuan Bank has sent someone here, saying...saying that the 30,000 taels of silver that our Baolong Shop borrowed last year is due today, and we must repay it immediately with interest! If we can't repay it today, they will seize our shops and salt warehouses to settle the debt!"
"What?!" Pan Shizhang was struck dumb, taking a step back and almost falling into his chair. "Didn't we agree to renew the loan at the end of the year? Does Old Chang dare to go back on his word? Isn't he afraid that I, Pan Shizhang, will fight him to the death?"
The accountant, with a mournful face, continued, "Manager Chang's men said... said that with Old Madam Shen as guarantor, they're not afraid we'll default on our debts. They also said... they also said the Shen family is willing to assist them in seizing our assets..."
"The Shen family! It's the Shen family again!" Pan Shizhang trembled with rage, veins bulging on his fat face.
Before he could even catch his breath, another trusted aide rushed in, his voice filled with despair: "Master! There's even worse news! News has come from Jiangxi that our three smuggled salt ships bound for Jiangxi were seized by the Jiangxi Salt Commissioner at the mouth of Poyang Lake! They were caught red-handed, all five hundred shi of smuggled salt on board was confiscated, and the brothers escorting the ships were also arrested! Lord Li of the Salt Commissioner said that they will be dealt with severely and that they will also investigate all the accounts of our Baolong Company's smuggling of salt!"
The series of devastating news struck Pan Shizhang like a hammer blow, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. His obese body swayed, and he finally slumped into a chair, his face instantly turning deathly pale.
Even he, in his daze, understood that this was no coincidence, but rather the Shen family's revenge! And such a swift and ruthless revenge—cutting off his financial resources, exposing his smuggled salt business, every move aimed at his Achilles' heel, trying to kill him in one blow!
“Chen…ru…lan!” Pan Shizhang squeezed out these three words through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with resentment and a hint of barely concealed fear.
He originally thought Shen Rulan was just a hot-blooded young man who could be easily subdued with a little pressure, but he never expected that the other party would be so ruthless and cunning.
He knew that the Baolong was probably really doomed this time.
Inside the main hall of the Yangzhou Salt Transport Commissioner's Office.
Zhao Dexian, dressed in comfortable casual clothes, sat in a grand chair, holding a folding fan in his hand, slowly fanning himself. On the table in front of him was a pot of freshly brewed Longjing tea, its aroma filling the air.
As he listened to his advisor's report on Pan Shizhang's recent situation, his face remained expressionless, with only a hint of calculation occasionally flashing in his eyes.
"Pan Shizhang... he's fallen already?" Zhao Dexian's tone was somewhat amused. He put down his folding fan, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "I thought he could hold on a little longer, but I didn't expect that kid from the Shen family to act so quickly and ruthlessly. Cutting off his money supply, exposing his smuggled salt business, one thing after another, they really wanted to drive Pan Shizhang to his death."
The clerk stood aside and whispered, "Sir, the Shen family's actions this time are too drastic; they're practically openly breaking ties with the Pan family. Should we... step in and mediate? After all, Pan Shizhang is also one of the salt merchants in Yangzhou. If he really falls, it might affect the stability of Yangzhou's salt market and consequently impact salt tax revenue."
"Mediate?" Zhao Dexian scoffed, setting down his teacup with a disdainful tone. "Why should we mediate? Pan Shizhang was stupid. First, he colluded with the Canal Gang to intercept the Shen family's escort team, breaking the rules. Then, he left evidence of smuggling salt, which the Shen family seized upon to retaliate. He brought it on himself. Now that he's been caught red-handed, it's only right that he pays his debts. If we get involved, won't we just be getting ourselves into trouble? We might even incur the Shen family's wrath. It would be a losing proposition."
He paused, a profound glint in his eyes: "Let them fight it out! Pan Shizhang's downfall will only benefit us. Without Pan Shizhang, the Yangzhou salt market will have one less unstable factor, and it will further highlight the 'importance' of the Shen family—at that time, the Shen family will dominate the Yangzhou salt merchants, and they will need our Salt Transport Commissioner's 'care' even more. Wouldn't the benefits we want be within our grasp?"
The clerk suddenly realized and quickly chimed in, "Your Excellency is brilliant! This way, we can sit back and watch the tigers fight, and then reap the benefits in the end. It's truly ingenious!"
Zhao Dexian smiled with satisfaction. He picked up his folding fan and continued to fan himself slowly.
He didn't care about the fate of the Shen and Pan families; he only cared about his own political achievements and money—as long as he could make enough profit during his tenure as the Salt Commissioner of Yangzhou, nothing else mattered to him.
...
Several days had passed since Lin Xiao successfully returned from escorting goods at the Yong Sheng Escort Agency's training ground. At this moment, she was practicing her spear techniques with a long spear in hand.
Her arm was wrapped in thick bandages, wounds left from the attack on Qixia Mountain. Although they had not fully healed, she still insisted on practicing her skills—in the escort agency, only those with sufficient strength could gain a foothold.
Lin Zhennan stood to the side of the training ground, watching his daughter's agile figure, his eyes filled with satisfaction. After Lin Xiao finished practicing a set of spear techniques, he stepped forward and handed her a towel: "Xiao'er, take a break. Tell your father the details of the attack on Qixia Mountain, especially Shen Rulan's reaction."
Lin Xiao took the towel, wiped the sweat from his face, and sat down on a stone bench. He then told his father everything about the attack on Qixia Mountain, including how Shen Rulan arrived in time with the guards, how she commanded the guards to fight back, how she shot the bandit leader with an arrow, and how she arranged for the guards to escort the caravan out of Qixia Mountain afterwards.
“…That young master Shen is no ordinary businessman.” Lin Xiao’s tone was tinged with admiration. “He remained calm in the face of danger, his archery skills were precise, his command was skillful, and he was also meticulous and thoughtful.”
Lin Zhennan pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Madam Shen Qinshi of the Shen family is a woman who has weathered many storms. She is experienced and shrewd. This time, our change of route was probably anticipated by her. She probably already knew that Pan Shizhang would make his move at Qixia Mountain, which is why she sent Shen Rulan there in advance to 'investigate the manor.' It was ostensibly to investigate the manor, but in reality, it was to provide support. From this perspective, our Yongsheng Escort Agency has probably been counted as a pawn on Madam Shen's chessboard."
Lin Xiao was somewhat surprised: "Then...aren't we being used by the Shen family?"
"It can't be called exploitation," Lin Zhennan smiled. "In the business world, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. The Shen family needs our escort agency to transport salt goods, and we need the Shen family's big business to keep our agency running. It's a win-win situation. Moreover, the Shen family has indeed been generous this time—not only did they give us double the escort fee, but they also gave us extra compensation. We, Yongsheng Escort Agency, acknowledge this favor."
He looked at his daughter and said solemnly, "Xiao'er, you did a great job this time. Although this escort mission was dangerous, it made our Yongsheng Escort Agency famous among the salt merchants in Yangzhou and truly got on the big ship of the Shen family. In the future, we should have more contact with the Shen family and maintain a good relationship—the Shen family's influence in Yangzhou is growing, and only by following the Shen family can our Yongsheng Escort Agency go further."
Lin Xiao nodded, but the image of Shen Rulan's unusually calm eyes resurfaced in her mind. She suddenly felt that this seemingly frail young master of the Shen family harbored too many secrets, making her want to explore them.
News of the banditry on Qixia Mountain, the danger faced by the young master of the Shen family, and the impending bankruptcy of the Pan family spread like wildfire throughout Yangzhou.
Whether in teahouses and taverns on the streets or in the idle chatter of ordinary people, everyone was talking about this matter. Everyone was marveling at the ruthlessness of the Shen family, the Pan family's own fault, and Shen Rulan's youth and talent.
Su Moqing went to the pharmacy to get medicine for her father that day, and overheard a lot of gossip along the way.
"...Have you heard? Young Master Shen is incredibly skilled at Qixia Mountain! He shot an arrow right through the bandit leader's arm. His archery skills are even better than the best archers in the army!"
"The Pan family is truly finished this time! They can't pay back the 30,000 taels of silver owed to Jinyuan Bank, and their smuggled salt business has been raided by the Jiangxi Salt Commissioner. Their shops are about to be shut down! It's karma!"
"Tsk tsk, this young master of the Shen family looks like a weak scholar, but I didn't expect him to be so capable. At such a young age, he has managed the Shen family in an orderly manner and even managed to push Pan Shizhang to this point. He's not simple!"
Su Moqing carried the medicine bag as she walked through the crowd, her heart pounding. She hadn't expected things to be so dangerous—Shen Rulan had actually experienced the fierce fighting, used a bow and arrow, and might even have injured someone.
She couldn't reconcile the image of the ruthless and decisive young master of the Shen family from the rumors circulating in the city with the gentle and refined man in the library who discussed painting and art and whose ears would turn red if he accidentally held her wrist.
Two completely different images intertwined in her mind, leaving her in a state of utter confusion.
She was relieved that Shen Rulan was safe and sound, but also felt lingering fear for the danger he had faced. More than anything, she felt an indescribable worry—she wanted to know if he was injured, if he was alright, and if he was also afraid because of that battle.
When Su Moqing reached the street not far from the Shen residence, she realized that she had subconsciously walked in the direction of the Shen residence.
She stopped abruptly, a blush rising to her cheeks. She lowered her head in a fluster, turned, and hurried away.
She knew that there was a world of difference between her and Shen Rulan, and that she shouldn't have such feelings for him, but she just couldn't control her heart.
The turmoil at the Shen family mansion has temporarily subsided. Pan Shizhang is preoccupied with his own affairs, and Cao Jin has also temporarily restrained his actions due to the trivial matters of the Imperial Household Department. Zhao Dexian continues to watch from the sidelines. The Shen family has finally ushered in a brief period of peace.
But Shen Rulan felt a deep-seated weariness—the days of dealing with open and covert attacks, scheming against people's hearts and losses, and the ruthless confrontation with Pan Shizhang had left her utterly disgusted.
She even began to miss the days when she discussed painting and art with Su Moqing in the library, which were some of the few times she could feel peace and purity.
As if by some strange twist of fate, Shen Rulan pushed open the door to the library.
The place remained quiet, filled with the scent of ink from books and a faint fragrance of paper, creating a sense of peace. On the painting table lay Su Moqing's unfinished "Peony Painting," the precious ruby-red paint still in its place, and several brushes and an inkstone neatly arranged beside it, clearly carefully arranged by Su Moqing before her last departure.
Shen Rulan walked to the painting table and gently picked up the unfinished "Peony Painting." The peony in the painting was mostly complete, the petals layered and rendered with rich, vibrant colors, demonstrating Su Moqing's patience and focus while painting. This tranquil and beautiful scene stood in stark contrast to the recent turmoil she had experienced; for her, it was a luxury.
She stretched out her fingers, her fingertips gently brushing across the smooth paper, as if she could feel the focus and warmth of Su Moqing as he painted. At that moment, the fatigue of the past few days seemed to lessen somewhat, and the coldness in her heart gradually melted away.
Suddenly, very light footsteps came from outside the pavilion, as if someone was hesitating whether to come in.
Shen Rulan turned around alertly, only to see Su Moqing standing by the door, holding a beechwood food box in his hand.
She wore a slightly worn, lotus-colored satin blouse embroidered with lotus scrolls, the cuffs were slightly frayed, but the collar was carefully trimmed with brocade—clearly a garment she had tried her best to maintain a decent appearance even in her impoverished state.
Her hair was loosely tied into a small double bun, adorned only with a plain silver hairpin and a few scattered velvet flowers. The strands of hair hanging down by her ears made her face look slightly tired, her expression hesitant, and her eyes concealed a trace of worry that was hard to detect.
Their eyes met, and both of them were stunned for a moment.
The library was so quiet that you could hear each other breathing.
“I…I heard…” Su Moqing spoke first, her voice softer than usual, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, “I heard that the Qixia Mountain Ancient Road was not peaceful a few days ago, and bandits ambushed and killed a caravan…Young Master…are you alright?”
She subconsciously lifted the food box in her hand slightly, her fingertips turning slightly white with nervousness. "This is... some calming tea that my father asked me to bring. It's made with mimosa flowers and polygala, and it can help with sleep. My father has been thinking of you these past few days, and when he heard that you've been busy lately, he asked me to bring it to express his gratitude."
The excuse was so clumsy that even she felt guilty—her father had indeed told her to thank him, but he had never said he would send her calming tea. This was just an excuse she made up because she was so upset after hearing the rumors about Qixia Mountain and couldn't help but want to see if he was alright.
Looking at the unconcealed concern in her eyes and the obvious panic in her expression, Shen Rulan felt as if a soft feather had gently touched the hardest part of her heart.
The chill and exhaustion brought on by days of intrigue and bloodshed seemed to be somewhat dispelled by this subtle warmth.
She had seen too many people flatter her and scheme against her, but few were like Su Moqing, who simply cared about her safety without any ulterior motives.
She nodded slightly, a faint but genuine smile appearing on her face. This smile lacked her usual aloofness and defensiveness, revealing only the weariness after shedding her disguise, yet also a hint of relief: "Thank you for your concern, Miss Su and Mr. Su. I'm fine, it's just that the guards were injured, but they've been properly taken care of."
She stepped forward and reached out to take the food box. Her fingertips accidentally brushed against Su Moqing's fingers, and the warm touch made them both pause for a moment, but they didn't immediately pull away like last time.
Su Moqing's fingertips felt slightly hot, and she quickly lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze, but her heart was beating like a drum, especially clear in the quiet library.
Shen Rulan also felt the warmth of her fingertips. She tightened her grip on the food box and said softly, "Thank you, Miss Su. I've been very busy lately and have been having trouble sleeping. This calming tea is just in time."
She placed the food box on the painting table, her gaze falling once more on the unfinished peony painting. Her tone carried a natural familiarity: "This peony painting is much more refined than when I last saw it, especially the shading of the petals. The use of ruby red makes it appear even more elegant and luxurious. Why didn't you finish it?"
Su Moqing then raised her head and looked at the painting on the painting table, her tone somewhat embarrassed: "I heard that the ancient road was not peaceful a few days ago, and I was so upset that I couldn't concentrate on painting. Today... I just thought I'd come and check if the painting tools are in order, and also... bring some calming tea."
She said this half-truthfully; she did want to see the art supplies, but more than that, she wanted to confirm his safety.
Shen Rulan naturally understood the unspoken meaning in her words, but did not point it out.
She walked to the painting table, picked up a clean wolf-hair brush, and handed it to Su Moqing: "Now that the turmoil has subsided, if you are in the mood, why not finish painting today? This library is quiet, just right for painting."
Su Moqing looked at the paintbrush he handed her, and then at the sincerity in his eyes. Her hesitation gradually dissipated. She took the paintbrush and nodded: "Okay."
Sunlight streamed through the windows of the library, falling on the painting table and giving the Xuan paper a warm golden glow.
Su Moqing sat down again, picked up her paintbrush, dipped it in a little ruby red paint, and carefully colored the last petal of the peony.
Shen Rulan sat on a chair to the side, not saying a word, just quietly watching her paint. His gaze fell on her serious profile, and the weariness in his eyes was gradually replaced by a sense of peace.
The air was filled with the scent of ink and the faint aroma of calming tea, along with a subtle, almost imperceptible atmosphere. Gone were the disputes over salt affairs and the scheming of human nature; only the fragrance of books and the unspoken tranquility between the two remained.
At this moment, Shen Rulan suddenly felt that perhaps this world is not only filled with endless struggles, but also has such simple and pure beauty that is worth protecting.
But she also knew that such tranquility was ultimately short-lived.
Although Pan Shizhang has been severely weakened, he may not give up easily; Cao Jin's marriage proposal is only temporarily shelved and will surely return in the future; Zhao Dexian is also eyeing the situation covetously, waiting to reap the benefits.
Soon she will have to return to that world full of swords and shadows, to continue fighting for the survival of the Shen family.
But at least for now, she can temporarily shed all pretense and defenses and enjoy this moment of peace.
As she watched the peony gradually taking shape under Su Moqing's brush, she thought to herself that perhaps after this storm had completely subsided, she would have more time to appreciate her paintings and feel this rare purity and warmth.
Su Moqing was focused on her painting, but her eyes would occasionally glance at Shen Rulan sitting beside her. She could sense the calm in his gaze, a stark contrast to the ruthless young master of the Shen family she had heard about. She suddenly realized that perhaps her previous understanding of him was too one-sided; he wasn't just cold-hearted, but that his position forced him to wear a hard mask.
The brush moved across the rice paper, and the last petal of the peony was finally completed.
Su Moqing put down her brush and looked at the completed "Peony Painting" before her, her heart filled with a sense of accomplishment. She looked up at Shen Rulan, her tone filled with anticipation: "Young Master Shen, look, it's finished."
Shen Rulan stood up, walked to the painting table, and carefully admired the painting.
The peonies in the painting bloom on the rice paper, with layers upon layers of petals and rich colors. They have both the delicacy of meticulous brushwork and the dynamism of freehand brushwork, just like real peonies blooming on the paper.
She exclaimed sincerely, "Wonderful! This peony painting is a masterpiece. Miss Su's painting skills are truly admirable."
Hearing his praise, Su Moqing smiled shyly, a smile that shone brightly in the sunlight.
Just then, Shen Fu's light footsteps and respectful voice came from outside the pavilion: "Young Master, the Old Madam requests your presence at Songtao Garden, saying there are important matters to discuss."
Shen Rulan's expression instantly returned to its usual composure. She said to Su Moqing, "Miss Su, I'm sorry, my grandmother is looking for me, so I need to go there first. If you've finished painting, you can make your own arrangements; there's no need to wait for me."
Su Moqing nodded: "Young Master, please go ahead. I will pack up my painting tools and leave."
Shen Rulan glanced at her again, then at the peony painting on the painting table, before turning and leaving the library. Her footsteps faded into the distance, carrying with them the somber and resolute weight of a Shen family heir.
Watching his departing figure, Su Moqing felt a faint sense of loss. She knew he was going back to that world full of strife. She sighed softly and began to gather the brushes and paints on her easel, carefully rolling up the "Peony Painting" and storing it away securely.
The sunlight was still warm, and the library was still quiet, but Su Moqing knew that some things had quietly changed. Her feelings for Shen Rulan were no longer just gratitude and curiosity; they had also grown into concern and worry. She didn't know where these feelings would lead her, only that from this moment on, she could no longer distance herself from the turmoil within the Shen family.
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