Chapter 112

Shi Hong dared not slam the table at Fan Zhang Yuli, nor did he have the guts to hold a grudge against him.

He blamed all the accounts on Chen Guanlou. Everything today was caused by Chen Guanlou.

Little did he know that his shame turning into anger, his incompetent rage, had actually guessed the truth. It was indeed Chen Guanlou who had given Fan Zhang Yuli the idea to add heavy burdens to him.

Shi Hong had Shi Hong's troubles, and Chen Guanlou had Chen Guanlou's troubles.

Regarding the cooperation agreement with Manager Li of the Sitong Bank, Chen Guanlou was pondering how to resolve it.

He certainly could not cooperate with Manager Li.

As for those antique paintings, calligraphy, and rare books of unknown origin, heaven only knows who is involved behind the scenes.

He even suspected that Manager Li's goods came from the palace.

Since ancient times, there have always been daring people in the palace stealing imperial-use items.

The imperial court is short of money, and the Emperor is short of money. It's hard to guarantee that the Crown Prince isn't short of money, or that Prince Jin isn't short of money.

Everyone loves money; money is a good thing. It's just that money cannot be conjured out of thin air. There are too many valuable things in the palace. The old Emperor himself doesn't even know exactly how many treasures there are.

If one were to pilfer a few items and take them out of the palace, who would notice? By the time the incident is discovered, time will have passed, and it will be impossible to investigate.

He certainly could not engage in this kind of trade that costs one's head.

It's just that Manager Li is powerful and has experts guarding him. For a moment, he really couldn't think of a good solution. This matter couldn't be discussed with anyone, lest one day, when he starts committing murder, he gets found out. That wouldn't be good.

There was also one piece of good news.

Killing two Third-Rank warriors in one night allowed his understanding of the martial path to reach a higher level. The "Record of Ascending to Heaven" had successfully reached the Great Perfection of the second volume the night before last, and he would definitely break through within this year.

Once he practices the third volume of the "Record of Ascending to Heaven," he will have the confidence to weigh the strength of a Fourth-Rank warrior.

He hadn't thought of a solution yet when a letter arrived from Manager Li's side. There was a piece of porcelain that needed him to process the accounts.

Chen Guanlou told the messenger, "I must see the goods; otherwise, I cannot process the accounts."

The messenger was a robust man in his early thirties who, according to his own introduction, was a distant relative of Manager Li.

"Chen Tou, that's not what you discussed with Manager Li in the beginning. Processing accounts without seeing the goods is the rule."

Chen Guanlou sneered, "You talk to me about rules? You aren't qualified."

The other party was furious upon hearing this. Chen Guanlou, a mere prison guard, actually dared to look down on him. It was simply ungrateful. Manager Li's assessment of Chen Guanlou was indeed correct: he was a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Don't be polite with him; just go hard.

He slammed the table and roared, "Chen Tou, don't be ungrateful. Manager Li is giving you a chance; you don't have the qualification to refuse. You can only cooperate well. If you cooperate well, everyone will eat and drink well in the future. If you harbor any other thoughts, don't blame us for being ruthless. There is no benefit in going against the Sitong Bank. You are young and inexperienced, hot-blooded and impulsive. I'll forgive you this first time. You hurry up and take back what you just said and cooperate well. I'll pretend nothing happened."

Chen Guanlou scoffed. Sure enough, from beginning to end, the other party never took him seriously and only treated him as a tool to be used.

Since he was a tool, he could naturally be replaced at any time. His head could also be taken at any time. This trade cannot be done, Chen Guanlou thought.

Once he gets his hands dirty, it will be extremely difficult to get out. As a small figure, what virtue or ability does he have to get involved with things from the palace? Manager Li is overestimating him.

He even suspected that this was a trap—a trap to frame the Hou Fu using him. It's just that he was in the trap, unable to see the full picture and unable to guess the human heart.

The Hou Fu's stance was also unclear. They claimed to support the old Emperor, yet they went against Jiang Tu, making the old Emperor unhappy.

If they supported the Crown Prince, Du Fuzi said the Master of the house hadn't gone to the Eastern Palace to pay respects for many years.

No matter what the other party's scheme was, he had to find a way to delay it until he could think of a solution.

Inspecting the goods wasn't just for delay; to figure out the other party's purpose, one must understand it deeply.

He insisted, "I must see the goods with my own eyes; otherwise, there's nothing to talk about. If you have the ability, find a second person who can help you process the accounts. Come, come, the ledger is right here; you write it, can you? I'll give you this position, can I? Processing accounts is very simple; just write a few strokes and it's done."

"Chen Tou, you insist on being like this. Have you forgotten how you promised Manager Li in the beginning? Aren't you afraid that if it's investigated, you'll be in deep trouble?"

"I'm afraid, I'm so afraid, I'm scared to death. But even if I'm to die, at least let me be a ghost who knows why." Chen Guanlou sneered; without the pressure of two Third-Rank warriors, he didn't give a damn.

Call him a bully of the weak and a fearer of the strong, or ungrateful—his life is still a life. Although he didn't know Manager Li's specific purpose, he could be certain of one thing: Manager Li didn't have the intention to kill him for the time being.

With this reliance, he naturally had to take the opportunity to bargain and win chips for himself.

"You want me to trade a piece of porcelain without knowing anything. Where to buy it, who to sell it to? It's all up to you. If something goes wrong and it's investigated, I'll be the one in deep trouble. I am very willing to cooperate with Manager Li. It's just that you need to show a little bit of sincerity, and the matter can be resolved perfectly. How about it?"

"I cannot make the decision on this matter."

"Then go consult the person who can make the decision. Your time is also precious, so I won't delay you. Please!" Chen Guanlou served tea to see the guest out and politely invited the person out.

Manager Li seemed anxious to ship the goods, and the next day he sent a reply: he could see the goods. It would be inside the Sitong Bank shop. The agreed time was noon, when they could receive him.

Chen Guanlou didn't hesitate at all; he invited Du Fuzi and headed to the Sitong Bank.

Along the way, Du Fuzi was trembling with fear, as if standing on the edge of an abyss.

"That is the Sitong Bank. What kind of luck do we have to provoke the Sitong Bank? If they let you help process the accounts, the goods must be of unknown origin. Tell me, what should we do then?"

Chen Guanlou was not panicked at all, appearing to have a plan in mind, "Fuzi, don't panic. When we arrive at the bank, we will adapt to the situation."

"How to adapt?"

"Just watch my eyes and act accordingly."

Du Fuzi was a bit confused and blinked.

Chen Guanlou smiled at him, appearing full of confidence.

Du Fuzi always felt it was a bit unreliable, but for a moment, he didn't know how to refute it. Since they were already here, they might as well see the goods first.

The trade between two people shouldn't let Chen Guanlou bear the pressure alone. If there really was a disaster, he was willing to charge to the front. Anyway, he was just an old man, and he had lived enough in this life. With Chen Guanlou's character, he would definitely take care of his family after he died.

Seeing Du Fuzi's serious expression, as if he were heading to the execution ground, Chen Guanlou laughed out loud, "Fuzi, don't be so serious. Rest assured, there will be no trouble today, I guarantee it."

"How to guarantee?"

"The mountain man has his own clever plan."