Tomb Robber: I, Chen Yulou, am dedicated to cultivating immortality!

"This……"

That little thought.

Chen Yulou said it bluntly.

Luo Laowai couldn't help but stand there in a daze, a look of embarrassment on his face, and he laughed awkwardly twice.

But my mind was working very fast.

He certainly wasn't here out of loyalty.

It's all for the benefits.

Even though he didn't know the origin of that green bamboo, he understood its value, which could not be described in a few words.

What do you want?

If you don't have it, you will suffer the loss.

But if the lion opened his mouth too much, he was afraid of angering the person in front of him.

In the past, Luo Laowai would not even think about it and would definitely ask for two hundred guns, ten thousand bullets, or even fifty or eighty thousand silver dollars.

However, after what happened at the lake last year.

Now, he is increasingly unsure of the mind of Shopkeeper Chen. He feels that he is very secretive and difficult to guess.

"Don't be in a hurry, think about it slowly."

Seemed to see his embarrassment.

Chen Yulou did not rush him, but just picked up the teacup and sipped it slowly.

The old tea left over from last year still tastes a bit worse.

The new tea roasted from the first batch of tender buds during the Qingming Festival is the real masterpiece.

"Yes, thank you, Manager Chen, for your understanding."

Hearing this, Luo Laowai couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

My mind is a mess right now.

The main reason was that I didn't expect him to be so direct before I came here, which caught me off guard.

Sit back in the chair.

Luo Laowai fell into deep thought.

What he lacks most at the moment is naturally money. No matter when, money can take you around the world, but without money you can't take a single step.

But the question is how much is the right amount?

One hundred thousand or eighty thousand.

Certainly not.

In today's chaotic world, the least valuable thing is human life. Let alone hundreds or hundreds of thousands, even one silver dollar is enough to buy many lives.

The Chen family is wealthy. The wealth accumulated by three generations is probably enough to rival a country.

But Chen Yulou is not a fool. On the contrary, his character and methods are unmatched by ordinary people.

In an ordinary family.

Maintaining the status quo is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

What's more, under his leadership, the Chen family is more glorious than the previous two generations.

One hundred thousand or eighty thousand is indeed not a lot for the Chen family.

But he would never agree so easily.

But if you don't want money, you have to start from other aspects, such as guns and cannons. However, these things are more difficult to deal with than money, and they are good things that cannot be bought even with money.

There are not enough guns and artillery on Changsheng Mountain.

It is even more impossible to exchange a piece of bamboo for two hundred guns and cannons.

If all are excluded...

Then you have to focus on things that can make money.

For example, the secret art of tomb robbing? !

No, no.

As soon as this thought came to mind, Luo Laowai felt his heart tighten, as if a pair of invisible hands were holding him tightly. He felt cold all over and almost couldn't breathe.

This mother is the foundation of the Chen family.

The four schools of tomb raiding, fortune-telling, mountain moving and ridge lifting have been passed down for thousands of years. Not to mention him, even Guaizi and Kunlun may not have mastered them.

Unless Chen Yulou has water in his brain.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to agree.

Or...what about the local products business?

He had been in Xiangyin for a long time, so he naturally knew what the best way to make money was, which was nothing more than funerary objects, opium, and guns.

But guns and cannons are beyond the reach of ordinary people.

As for opium, he dared not touch it again. He saw with his own eyes the miserable fate of the smokers who were driven away from the mountain last year.

After counting in this way, only the funerary objects are left.

However, the Chen family also knew that this was a golden goose that could lay eggs. From tomb robbing to selling funerary objects, this series of businesses were firmly in their hands.

With Chenjiazhuang in Xiangyin as its center, it radiates to the surrounding villages within a dozen miles.

From the provincial capital to the prefectures, counties and districts.

There are Chen family antique shops almost everywhere.

This is a highly profitable business, bringing in large quantities of gold and silver every year.

Of course, in addition to this, the Chen family is involved in far more industries than just antiques and funerary objects, but also includes grain, oil, wine, rice, food, clothing, housing and transportation.

It can be said that except for salt, iron, guns and cannons which were controlled by the government, almost all businesses were involved.

That’s why they say the Chen family is rich enough to rival a country.

This is by no means an exaggeration.

It would be a lie if Luo Laowai said he wasn’t jealous.

Not only him, but everyone in Xiangyin, from top to bottom, was jealous.

Do you really think that Song Laowu and Peng Laizi appeared out of nowhere and dared to cause trouble on the Chen family's territory in Xiangyin?

Both of them have big shots backing them.

It's just that he has his eyes on the Chen family's business.

Want to interfere.

If he could get a few shops, then Luo Laowai would have a few golden gooses laying eggs in his hands, so why would he worry about not having ways to make money?

only……

Can Shopkeeper Chen agree to this?

Luo Laowai hesitated again and again, stammering his lips, not knowing how to start the conversation.

"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 awkwardly.

"Come on, tell me, I want to listen."

He picked up the copper kettle, added some hot water into the teacup, and quietly watched the tea leaves bobbing up and down in the water, and Chen Yulou spoke slowly.

Luo Laowai is a very ambitious person.

This is something he has always known.

Although he was nominally working with the support of the Chen family, he had been secretly developing his power.

The fact that the pistol battalion was formed by cutting back on expenses is a clear example.

However, Chen Yulou was too lazy to pursue the matter in the past, and he really made a name for himself.

Now he comes to my door with a rare plant.

He really wanted to see what benefits this guy wanted to gain that made him so anxious and make so many trips in the past six months.

"Then... Shopkeeper Chen, I, Old Luo, will not be polite."

"Say!"

Hearing this, Luo Laowai gritted his teeth.

"As you know, Lao Luo has always wanted to do local product business, and he has accumulated some experience in Tongguan Mountain. However, local products are easy to lose money, so... could you please give me two shops, Manager Chen?"

call--

Finished the words in one breath.

Luo Laowai seemed to have accepted his fate. He stood there with his eyes downcast. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest and he felt cold sweat in his hands.

Antique shop?!

Hearing this, Chen Yulou couldn't help but raise his eyebrow.

I knew that this old guy was very ambitious, but I didn't expect that his ambition would be this big.

The Chen family settled down in the world.

It's nothing more than tomb robbing and antique trading.

One is a secret business, the other is an open business.

It's fine for him to take the engineering battalion to search for dragons and steal bones. After all, the local products business has been done by people since ancient times. As long as you are brave enough to ride a dragon or a tiger, it's enough.

But getting involved in the antique business is more than just doing business.

"Coach Luo really has a good plan."

Picking up the teacup and taking a sip, Chen Yulou sneered.

Finished!

I could hear the chill in his tone.

Luo Laowai's mind instantly sank to the bottom of the valley, and he felt a chill all over his body.

On the forehead that had just been wiped clean, beads of cold sweat rolled down like rain.

"The Chen family has been operating for three generations for a hundred years, and yet Luo Shuai wants to take advantage of this broken bamboo. Isn't this too much of a disregard for Chen?"

Two shops.

It doesn't seem like much.

But once this matter is revealed, it will happen again. The embankment of a big river will be breached by an ant hole, which is equivalent to digging up the roots of his Chen family.

How could Chen Yulou agree?

"No... no, Shopkeeper Chen, Lao Luo would never dare to have such an idea."

“I just want to have a legitimate business.”

Word by word.

It's like a heavy hammer hitting a drum.

It fell heavily on Luo Laowai's heart.

Cold sweat instantly soaked his long gown.

He was hunched over, almost kneeling down in fear, with a bitter face, and kept explaining.

"Are you running a business?"

"My Chen family has 180 trades, and 72 of them are in it. Why do we have to be in the antique business?"

Chen Yulou sneered.

He had actually thought it through. If Luo Laowai was smart and asked for money, he would just give it to him.

But this guy is too greedy and wants to swallow an elephant.

How dare you set your sights on this?

"Manager Chen, calm down. It's Lao Luo who has lost his mind."

His tone became increasingly cold and his words became increasingly fierce.

How could he dare to have any chance of luck?

He felt like a knife was hanging on his neck. If he said another word of nonsense, he might not be able to leave the Guanyun Tower today.

Do you really think that Chen Yulou, who took over the Chen family and became the head manager when he was in his teens, has a gentle personality?

One will be a million bones.

Mercy does not control soldiers, and justice does not control wealth.

The same is true on Changsheng Mountain.

Can a name suppress more than 100,000 bandits in the mountains?

That world was won with the blood and bones of human beings.

"I think Luo Shuai has a clear mind and can see the pros and cons at a glance. Otherwise... Changsheng Mountain should be handed over to you. Who knows, in a few years, you might be able to establish your own territory."

Bang!

Hear this.

Luo Laowai could no longer stand steadily. He felt his knees go weak and he fell to the ground with a bang.

"Manager Chen, Lao Luo swears to heaven that he would never dare to have such thoughts."

"Everyone in Etou Mountain has been under the command of the Chen family for generations."

He kowtowed six or seven times in a row, and his head hit the ground, with blood almost oozing out from between his eyebrows.

At this moment, Luo Laowai was terrified to the extreme.

At the same time, I felt extremely upset.

I should have known that this was like courting death. Why would I be greedy for that little snack? I should have just handed the thing over honestly with both hands. Given Chen Yulou's personality, he might be so happy that he would give me any kind of reward.

"What is Luo Shuai doing?"

"It's the Republic of China now, kneeling and kowtowing is no longer a thing."

Chen Yulou didn't even move his eyelids.

Luo Laowai is a man who often outsmarts others with his own cleverness.

I always thought that other people couldn't see my little thoughts.

"Manager Chen... Lao Luo was really wrong. Please be magnanimous and forgive me this time. Lao Luo was blinded by greed and had no other intentions."

Luo Laowai, kneeling on the ground, looked ashen and cried.

"okay."

"How many eyes are staring at you, and you're kneeling here crying and making a fuss, what does that look like?"

I don’t know how long it will take.

Just when Luo Laowai thought he was going to die today.

A faint voice suddenly came.

His heart couldn't help but beat violently, and he wanted to look up to see the expression of Shopkeeper Chen, but under the current circumstances, he didn't dare to take the risk.

"Since you want to make a legitimate living, I have a way."

"I just don't know if you are willing?"

Hear the words.

Luo Laowai was even more excited.

"Yes, yes. As long as it is a reward from Shopkeeper Chen, I, Lao Luo, will do my best."

He agreed without hesitation.

Chen Yulou couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth as he sipped his tea slowly.

"Dongting Lake connects the north and the south, and is the source of three rivers. It is in an extremely important location. The Chen family intends to take it. I think Commander Luo has a strong army and is the most suitable."

"Where the Yuanshui River meets the Dongting Lake, there is an island called Chishan. You take your people to the island."

"By then, all the boats on the river will be under your watch. It will definitely be a very profitable business."

The more Luo Laowai listened, the more he felt something was wrong.

He naturally knew that Dongting Lake was just north of Xiangyin, but that place had been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. Since the end of the Ming Dynasty, the disaster of water bandits had never stopped.

In addition, the water area is vast, and no one has ever been able to occupy the entire swamp by himself.

Even when the Chen family was at its peak, they never achieved this.

Now, Chen Yulou actually asked him to take over Chishan Island... Isn't this clearly asking him to die?

What's the point of talking about strong soldiers and horses?

He now has no more than four or five hundred men under his command.

The most elite among them is the Pistol Battalion, which has only about a hundred people.

Then there was the engineering battalion. These people were a mixed bunch, most of them were gangsters, and he had specifically recruited them to rob tombs and search for treasures.

Further down is the Infantry Battalion, which sounds nice, but is actually cannon fodder.

They are either poor people fleeing from disaster, or local hooligans and scoundrels.

Four or five hundred people may seem like a lot, but only the pistol battalion can fight.

Taking over Dongting Lake with only a hundred people?

Is he Li Jun, the Dragon of the River, or Zhang Shun, the White Shark in the Waves?

But he didn't dare to refuse. After all, he had just escaped death. If he did it again, he would definitely not see the sun tomorrow.

With his head lowered, Luo Laowai's face was full of bitterness.

It would have been fine if he didn't get a reward of 100,000 or 80,000 yuan for offering a treasure, but now he has to sacrifice himself.

"how?"

"It seems that Luo Shuai is still reluctant."

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time without responding, Chen Yulou tapped lightly on the huanghuali table top with his fingers.

Not loud.

But to Luo Laowai's ears, it sounded no less like thunder, shaking his heart and soul.

"Yes... Lao Luo is of course willing."

Luo Lao's eyebrows crooked and his heart skipped a beat. He dared not remain silent any longer and spoke immediately.

"That's good."

Hear this.

Chen Yulou's expression then showed a hint of satisfaction.

The 800-li Dongting Lake, since he wants to occupy Junshan Island as a blessed land, he must ensure that the water is calm.

Junshan Island and Chishan Island are far apart and support each other.

It is most appropriate to let Luo Laowai do this.

Since he was also feeling uneasy and restless in Xiangyin, he might as well go to Dongting Lake and fight those bandits. Evildoers need to be dealt with by evildoers.

He has actually been thinking about candidates these days.

Defending islands and attacking mountains, and sitting in charge of a large lake, these are things that ordinary people cannot do. One must be ruthless and brutal, because you have to know that those pirates are out in the wind and rain, and they are all ruthless characters who kill without blinking an eye.

All I can say is that Luo Laowai was unlucky and it happened to be delivered to him.

"Then... Shopkeeper Chen, when will we set off?"

After a moment's silence, Luo Laowai couldn't help but ask.

"Just these few days. As for the specific time, Luo Shuai will decide it himself."

"okay."

Hearing this, Luo Laowai felt uncomfortable but also a little relieved. He was not worried about anything else, but was afraid that Chen Yulou would send someone over to stare at him.

It's like tying your hands and feet, and it's not as smooth as doing things.

"In that case, then, Shopkeeper Chen, I, Old Luo, will take my leave first and go back to the mountain to get ready so that we can set off to Dongting Lake as soon as possible."

Luo Laowai has already accepted his fate by now.

He sighed secretly, stood up and was about to leave.

"Go to the account office and withdraw 10,000 silver dollars. The emperor doesn't need hungry soldiers. Luo Shuai works for me, so he can't just leave empty-handed."