"This..."
That little thought.
Chen Yulou said it bluntly.
Luo Laowai couldn't help but froze on the spot, with a hint of embarrassment on his face, and he laughed twice.
But his mind was spinning very fast.
Of course he didn't come here to be loyal.
It's all about the benefits.
Even if he didn't know the origin of that green bamboo, he knew its value, which couldn't be described in just a few words.
What do you want?
If you don't, you will suffer a loss.
But if the lion opened his mouth, he was afraid of offending the person in front of him.
If it were in the past, Luo Laowai wouldn't even think about it. He would definitely ask for two hundred guns, ten thousand bullets, or even fifty-eight thousand silver dollars.
However, I experienced what happened at the lake last year.
Nowadays, he is more and more uncertain about shopkeeper Chen's thoughts. He only feels that he is secretive and difficult to fathom.
"Don't be in a hurry, think slowly."
It seems that he can see his difficulty.
Chen Yulou didn't rush him, he just picked up the tea cup and sipped it slowly.
The old tea left over from last year still tastes bad.
The new tea that is roasted from the first sprouts during the Qingming Festival is truly a masterpiece.
"Yes, thank you shopkeeper Chen for your understanding."
Hearing this, Luo Laowai couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief.
My mind is in a mess right now.
Before the Lord came, he didn't expect that he would be so direct, which caught him off guard.
Sit back in the chair.
Luo Laowai fell into deep thought little by little.
Right now, what he lacks most is money. No matter when, he can travel all over the world if he has money, but he can't move around without money.
But the question is how much is appropriate?
One hundred and eighty thousand.
Definitely not possible.
In today's troubled times, the most valuable thing is human life. Not to mention one hundred and eighty thousand, a piece of silver is enough to buy many lives.
The Chen family is rich. The wealth accumulated by the three generations before and after them is estimated to be enough to rival the country.
But Chen Yulou is not a fool. On the contrary, his temperament and methods are not comparable to ordinary people.
Put it in an ordinary family.
Maintaining success is as difficult as ascending to heaven.
What's more, in his hands, the Chen family is more glorious than the previous two generations.
One hundred and eighty thousand is really not much for the Chen family.
But he would never agree so easily.
But if you don’t need money, you have to start from other aspects, such as guns, but these things are more troublesome than money, and they are good things that even money can’t buy.
There are not enough guns and guns on Changsheng Mountain.
It is even more impossible to exchange such a piece of bamboo for two hundred long guns and short cannons.
If everything is excluded...
Then you have to focus on things that can make money.
For example, the secret technique of reverse fighting? !
No no no.
As soon as this thought came up, Luo Laowai felt his heart tighten, as if a pair of invisible hands were holding him tightly, and he felt chills all over his body, and he almost couldn't catch his breath.
This mother is the foundation of the Chen family.
Touching gold, making hills, moving mountains, and unloading ridges, the four sects have been passed down to this day for thousands of years. Not to mention him, even Guaizi and Kunlun have not mastered it.
Unless Chen Yulou is out of his mind.
Otherwise it would be impossible to agree.
Or... what about the local goods business?
He has been in Xiangyin for a long time, so he naturally knows what this first-class profitable business is, which is nothing more than open weapons, smoke and guns.
But guns and guns are simply out of reach of ordinary people.
As for heavy smoke, he didn't dare to touch it again. He could see the miserable fate of the smokers who were driven away from the mountain last year.
After all this calculation, there is only one clear weapon left.
However, the Chen family also knew that this was a golden rooster capable of laying eggs, and they had a series of livelihoods firmly in their hands, including digging for sand and selling exposed weapons.
With Chenjiazhuang in Xiangyin as the center, it radiates to the surrounding villages and towns.
Go up to the provincial capital and go down to all prefectures and counties.
There are Chen's antique shops almost everywhere.
This is a hugely profitable business, bringing in large amounts of gold and silver every year.
Of course, in addition to this, the Chen family is involved in far more industries than antiques and utensils, as well as grain, oil, wine, rice, basic necessities, food, housing, and transportation.
It can be said that, except for salt, iron, guns and other businesses controlled by the government, almost all businesses are involved in the business on the surface.
That's why it is said that the Chen family's wealth can be the enemy of the country.
This is no exaggeration.
Luo Laowai must be lying if he says he is not jealous.
Not only him, but everyone inside and outside Xiangyin is not greedy.
I really thought that Song Laowu and Peng Laizi appeared out of thin air and dared to cause trouble on the Chen family's territory in Xiangyin.
Both of them have big people behind them.
It's nothing more than taking a fancy to the Chen family's business.
I want to get in the middle of it.
If he could be allocated a few shops, then Luo Laowai would have a few golden chickens laying eggs on his hands. Why worry about not having a way to make money?
Just...
Can shopkeeper Chen agree?
Luo Laowai hesitated again and again, pouting his lips, not knowing how to speak.
"Have you thought about it?"
How could his little movement be hidden from Chen Yulou's sharp eyes?
Put down a piece of osmanthus cake.
Pulling out a silk scarf from under the plate and gently wiping his hands, Chen Yulou glanced at him and smiled meaningfully.
"Yes..."
His thoughts were broken.
Luo Laowai didn't dare to hide it and nodded sarcastically.
"Come, talk, I'll listen."
He picked up the copper pot and added some hot water to the tea cup. He quietly watched the tea leaves rise and fall in the water, Chen Yulou said calmly.
Luo Laowai is very ambitious.
This is something he's always known.
Although he was nominally working with the backing of the Chen family, he had been secretly developing his power.
The pistol battalion set up even if they were frugal in food and clothing is proof of this.
However, in the past, Chen Yulou was too lazy to pursue the case, but he actually got some tricks out of him.
Now he came to the door with a strange plant.
He really wanted to see what kind of benefits this guy wanted in exchange for, so he was so anxious and made so many trips in the past six months.
"Then... Shopkeeper Chen, I, Lao Luo, are not welcome."
"Say!"
Hearing this, Mr. Luo gritted his teeth.
"As you know, Lao Luo has always wanted to do the local goods business. He has accumulated some experience in Tongguan Mountain. However, these local goods are easy to get into your hands, so... can you please shopkeeper Chen give me two shops?"
Phew——
Finished the words in one breath.
As if resigned to his fate, Luo Laowai stood there with his eyes downcast, his heart beating wildly under his chest, and he felt that there was a handful of cold sweat in his hands.
Antique shop? !
Hearing this, Chen Yulou couldn't help but twitch his eyes.
He had known that this old guy's ambitions were not small, but even he did not expect that his ambitions would reach this level.
The Chen family settled down and settled down.
It's nothing more than a bucket shop and an antique shop.
One is a secret business, and the other is a business on the surface.
It would be better for him to just lead the engineering battalion to search for dragons and steal bones. After all, people have been doing the local goods business since ancient times. If you are brave enough to ride a dragon or a tiger, you only need that fate.
But getting your hands into an antique shop is more than just doing business.
"Luo Shuai has a really good plan."
Lifting the teacup and taking a sip, Chen Yulou sneered.
It’s over!
I could hear the chill in his tone.
Luo Laohuai's mind suddenly sank to the bottom of his mind, and he felt cold all over his body.
Cold sweat rolled down like rain on my freshly wiped forehead. "Three generations of the Chen family have been in business for a hundred years. Luo Shuai wants to take advantage of such a broken bamboo. Isn't it too disrespectful to look down on Mr. Chen?"
Two shops.
It doesn't seem like much.
But once this kind of thing is let go, one thing will lead to another, and the embankment of the river will collapse in the ant nest, which is equivalent to digging up the roots of the Chen family.
How could Chen Yulou agree?
"No... no no, shopkeeper Chen, Lao Luo would never dare to have such an idea."
"I just want to have a decent business."
Every word.
Like a heavy hammer beating a drum.
A bang bang hit Luo Laowai's heart.
Cold sweat instantly soaked his long gown.
The whole person was hunched over, so frightened that he almost knelt down. He kept explaining with a grimace on his face.
"Real business?"
"My Chen family has 180 businesses, accounting for 72 of them. What's so bad about it, is that it has to be an antique business?"
Chen Yulou sneered.
He had actually thought about it. If Luo Laowai was smarter and asked for money, he would just give it to him.
But this guy is greedy and greedy.
How dare you put your mind to this.
"Shopkeeper Chen, please calm down, it's Lao Luo who got wet and lost his head."
His tone became colder and his words became more intense.
How dare he have any luck.
He felt like the knife was hanging on his neck. If he said another nonsense, he might not be able to leave the Guanyun Tower today.
How can Chen Yulou, who really took over the Chen family and became the big shopkeeper at the age of ten, have such a gentle temper?
One general succeeds and ten thousand bones wither.
Compassion does not control soldiers, and righteousness does not control wealth.
The same goes for Changsheng Mountain.
Can one name suppress more than 100,000 bandits and bandits on the mountain?
That is a world made of human life, blood, and bones.
"I see that Luo Shuai has a clear mind. He can see the pros and cons at a glance. Otherwise... Changsheng Mountain will still be in your hands. Maybe in a few years, he will be able to separate himself."
< br>
Bang!
Hear this.
Luo Laowai could no longer stand still, he felt his knees weaken and fell to the ground with a bang.
"Shopkeeper Chen, Lao Luo swears to God that he will never have such thoughts."
"Everyone up and down Etou Mountain has been under the command of the Chen family for all their lives."
Bang bang bang, he kowtowed six or seven times in a row. His head hit the ground, and there was almost blood oozing from his eyebrows.
At this moment, Luo Laowai was extremely frightened.
At the same time, I was extremely upset inside.
He should have known this a long time ago. He was seeking the skin of a tiger. Why did he covet the snack? He honestly offered the thing with both hands. With Chen Yulou's character, he might have received any kind of reward when he was happy.
"What is Luo Shuai doing?"
"Now that we are in the Republic of China, we have long lost the idea of kneeling and kowtow."
Chen Yulou didn't even move his eyelids.
Luo Laowai is a person who is called clever but is misled by his cleverness.
I always think that others can’t see my little thoughts.
"Shopkeeper Chen... Lao Luo is really wrong. Please forgive me this time. Lao Luo is blinded by lard and has no other thoughts."
Mr. Luo, who was kneeling on the ground, had a crooked face ashen and burst into tears.
"Okay."
"How many pairs of eyes are staring at this, what do you look like kneeling here, crying and fussing?"
I don’t know how long it will take.
Just when Luo Laowai thought that he would definitely die today.
A faint voice suddenly came.
He couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat, and wanted to raise his head to see Shopkeeper Chen's eyes, but in the current situation, he didn't dare to take the risk.
"Since you want to do something serious, I have a way."
"I just don't know if you are willing?"
Hear the words.
Luo Laowai was even more excited.
"I am willing, I am willing, as long as it is a reward from shopkeeper Chen, I, Lao Luo, will definitely do it well."
Seeing that he agreed without hesitation.
Chen Yulou, who was slowly sipping tea, couldn't help but curl up the corner of his mouth.
"Dongting Lake is connected to the north and south, and the three rivers come together. The location is extremely important. The Chen family plans to capture it. I think Luo Shuai's troops and horses are strong, which is the most suitable."
"Where the Yuanshui River connects with the Dongting, there is an island called Chishan. You can take people to the island."
"When the time comes, all the ships on the river, large and small, will be under your nose. It will definitely be a very profitable business."
The more Luo Laowai listened, the more he felt something was wrong.
Dongting is located in the north of Xiangyin, he naturally knows it, but that place has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. Since the end of Ming Dynasty, water bandits have never stopped causing disasters.
Coupled with the vastness of the water area, no one has ever been able to occupy the entire swamp by oneself.
Even when the Chen family was at its peak, they never did it.
Now, Chen Yulou actually asked him to take Chishan Island... Didn't this mother clearly want him to die?
What's the point of having strong soldiers and strong horses?
His men now hold up the sky but only have four to five hundred men.
The most elite among them is the pistol battalion, which only has about a hundred people.
Then there was the engineer camp. These people were a mixed bag, and most of them were Jianghu people. He specially recruited them to fight against each other and hunt for treasures.
Further down is the infantry battalion. The name sounds nice, but it is actually cannon fodder.
Either they are poor people fleeing for safety, or they are hoodlums and gangsters.
Four to five hundred men seemed like a lot, but the only ones that could fight were the pistol battalions.
Capture Dongting Lake with a hundred people?
Do you think he is Li Jun, a gangster, or Zhang Shun, a wanderer?
However, he did not dare to refuse this matter. After all, he had just escaped from death. If he did it again, he would never see the sun tomorrow.
Lowering his head, Luo Laowai's face was full of bitterness.
Damn, if you offer a treasure, it doesn't matter if you don't get a reward of 108,000 yuan, but now you have to get yourself involved.
"What?"
"It seems that Luo Shuai is still reluctant."
Seeing that he remained silent for a long time without responding, Chen Yulou tapped his fingers lightly on Huanghuali's table.
Not loud.
But when it fell on Mr. Luo Wai's ears, it was no less than a muffled thunder, which made his heart tremble.
"Yes... of course Lao Luo is willing."
Mr. Luo's crooked eyebrows twitched. He dared to remain silent and spoke immediately.
"That's good."
Hear this.
Only then did Chen Yulou show a hint of satisfaction.
Since he wants to occupy the eight-hundred-mile Dongting Lake as Junshan Island as a blessed land, he must ensure that the water is calm and calm.
Junshan Island and Chishan Island are distantly connected and form the horns of each other.
It was perfect for Luo Laowai to do this.
Since he is also sitting on pins and needles on the border of Xiangyin, restless, he will go to Dongting Lake to fight with those water bandits. Evil people still need to be tortured by evil people.
He has actually been thinking about candidates these days.
Defending an island, attacking a mountain, and taking control of a large lake are things that most people really can't do. They have to be ruthless and cruel. You must know that those water bandits come and go in rain and wind, and they are all ruthless characters who kill without blinking an eye.
It can only be said that Luo Laowai was unlucky, and it happened to be delivered to him.
"Then... Shopkeeper Chen, when will you leave?"
After a moment of silence, Luo Laowai couldn't help but ask.
"It's just these few days. As for the specific time, Luo Shuai will decide it himself."
"Oh...ok."
Hearing this, Luo Laowai felt uncomfortable, but felt a little relieved. He was not worried about anything else, but was afraid that Chen Yulou would throw someone over and keep a close eye on him.
It's like tying up one's hands and feet, and it's not fun enough to do things.
"In that case, shopkeeper Chen, I, Mr. Luo, will resign first and go back to the mountain to make preparations so that we can set off to Dongting Lake as soon as possible."
Luo Laowai has already resigned himself to his fate.
He sighed secretly and stood up to say goodbye.
"Go to the accountant and pay 10,000 silver dollars. The emperor still needs hungry soldiers. Luo Shuai works for me, so naturally he can't just be empty-handed." (End of Chapter)