Chapter 809: Small Melting Pot

A few small dishes, a pot of hot wine, talking about business, talking about the world.

Yu Nan brought the whole Yu Family Gang to Green Water City: "When I first came, it was pitch black and I didn't recognize anyone. I spent money to lease this shop, but I was cheated. The house deed was real, but the land deed was fake."

The landlord told me to tear down the shop and get out within three days, otherwise he would call people to set it on fire and burn it clean."

Li Li Banfeng drank a cup of wine and said: "Did you fight him, or talk to him?"

Yu Nan said: "At first I wanted to talk to him. Being cheated counts as my incompetence. I wanted to spend an extra portion of money to buy his territory.

But this bird-man opened his mouth like a lion, asking for three times the price, enough for me to buy another shop. No matter how I discussed it with him, it was useless, forcing me to have no choice but to fight him."

Li Li Banfeng looked at the shop: "I heard your business is quite prosperous, so you must have won."

Yu Nan shook her head: "I didn't win either. We fought back and forth, fought quite a few battles, and until the end, he wouldn't let the territory go to me."

After being tossed around like this, my business couldn't open, and sitting and eating until the mountain was empty wasn't a way. I really wanted to move, but I didn't expect this person to die at the hands of Luo Zhengnan."

Li Li Banfeng didn't understand: "What dealings did this person have with Luo Zhengnan?"

Yu Nan smiled playfully: "It was a blessing from you!"

Li Li Banfeng said: "What blessing from me? You never told me you were doing business in Green Water City."

Yu Nan filled Li Li Banfeng's cup with wine: "If you don't say this matter is coincidental, the landlord and the house owner of this shop are actually one group.

They were originally disciples of the Jiang Xiang Gang. After the gang was scattered by you, they took the gang's industry, separated the land deed and house deed, and relied on a few shops to commit fraud, specializing in cheating money from outsiders."

This matter was known to Luo Zhengnan. He led people to continue to suppress the remnants of the Jiang Xiang Gang and happened to suppress them to the head of this group of people.

These two were finally cleaned up, and the land deed also fell into the hands of Hall Master Luo."

I was still thinking, asking Luo Zhengnan for the land deed wouldn't be an easy thing either. I estimate he wouldn't ask for a price lower than the previous one. I came to Green Water City for such a long time, didn't earn a cent, and couldn't even afford food and drink. I didn't dare to complain in front of others, but cried secretly I don't know how many times.

But I really didn't expect Luo Zhengnan to send the land deed over later. He said this was Seventh Master's instruction."

I thought you were taking special care of me. Later I found out that outsiders who were cheated by the Jiang Xiang Gang all got their land deeds back. You say, isn't this a blessing from you?"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head slightly, and then asked: "After getting the land deed, did it open smoothly?"

"Opening was opening, but it wasn't that smooth," Yu Nan sighed repeatedly, "There were more than a dozen gangs, big and small, who came to ask for flower red."

When asked who was in charge, they were all big figures with faces and reputations, and I couldn't afford to offend any of them. But if I gave to every family, I wouldn't be able to earn back the capital. Those messy things back then, thinking about them now still makes me want to shed tears."

Li Li Banfeng said: "You shed so many tears, but you never thought of finding me? If you don't want to find me, that's fine, you can find Qin Qin Xiaopang,

he will definitely help you."

Yu Nan was silent for a moment, looked at Li Li Banfeng, and said mysteriously: "Do you know, now in the cloth business in Green Water City, I count as a figure. Guess what they call me?"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "Can't guess."

"They call me Male Old Woman!"

Li Li Banfeng picked up the wine pot and filled Yu Nan's cup: "Brother Yu, why don't we become sworn brothers!"

Yu Nan smiled and raised her wine cup: "Brother Li, please!"

After drinking a pot of wine, it was time for Li Li Banfeng to leave.

He wrote a check and handed it to Yu Nan, asking her to send all the ready-made clothes and fabrics to Xiaoyao Dock.

Yu Nan looked at the check and was stunned for a long time: "Seventh Master, are you not joking? You really want to empty my shop?"

Li Li Banfeng said: "Didn't we say it clearly just now? Everything you have in the shop, I want."

Realizing Li Li Banfeng wasn't joking, Yu Nan was a bit nervous: "Seventh Master, it's a good thing to make such a big deal before the end of the year.

But once the shop is emptied, the business can't be done. Can you wait for me to bring in goods and turn them around?"

Li Li Banfeng took his top hat, looked at Yu Nan with a stern face: "Within three days, the goods must be delivered, otherwise I will burn your shop!"

Yu Nan was startled.

Li Li Banfeng stared at Yu Nan for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "I'm so overbearing, am I too ignorant of the rules of the world?"

+

Yu Nan let out a long sigh and also laughed, with a bit of resentment, and a bit of reluctance.

The snow was falling heavily. Li Li Banfeng put on his top hat, lowered the brim, and left the cloth shop.

Yu Nan braved the snow, sent him to the door, and kept watching Li Li Banfeng's back silently.

Will I see him again in the future?

Should I just not deliver the goods and wait for him to come and burn the shop?

Yu Nan thought for a while, woke up the accountant and the warehouse manager, and asked them to prepare the goods immediately.

Back then, Li Qi burned the Geng Family Medicine Shop. Everyone felt it was impossible, but he really burned it.

Some things are best not tested with Li Qi.

After buying the fabric, Li Li Banfeng went to buy phonographs at the Wonderful Sound Phonograph Shop. Ling Ling Miaosheng hugged a hand-cranked phonograph and refused to let go: "This phonograph has been with me for more than twenty years!"

Li Li Banfeng said: "No one buys old goods from twenty years ago. I'm buying them at the original price now, doesn't that count as being cheap for you?"

Ling Ling Miaosheng blocked the door and shouted: "You can't buy them all, this is my life!"

Li Li Banfeng was angry: "You opened the shop, you set the price. I'm paying for things and you won't sell. Are you doing business or not?"

Ling Ling Miaosheng's tears were about to fall: "Business can't be done like this." After buying dozens of phonographs, Li Li Banfeng went to Black Stone Slope and bought a pile of shadow play machines and films. Feeling that he had bought enough, Li Li Banfeng returned to Green Water Bay first, dug out the Local God Seal at his residence in Round Bamboo Lane, and sucked dry the human energy.

After that, he brought a car full of good things and went to the Foolish City.

Three miles away from the city, Li Li Banfeng found an empty space, first unloaded the goods from the 'Personal Residence,' and then lifted the talent that residential cultivators easily ignored, walking directly toward the city gate.

The Foolish City was considered Li Li Banfeng's home. Going home must be open and

Just seeing the city walls, Li Li Banfeng felt that Fool City was different from before; every brick and tile carried a new atmosphere.

When he reached the city gate, he didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt the gate had been renovated and no longer had that old, rotten aura from before.

Seeing the crowd moving back and forth inside the city gate, Li Li Banfeng saw a clear change in them; they carried a joy and happiness of living and working in peace.

"One person, pay an entrance fee of one silver dollar first!"

Slap!

Li Li Banfeng slapped this old man away.

Not everyone had obvious changes, but that didn't matter; Li Li Banfeng could truly feel that Fool City was different from before!

"Sir, would you like to buy some flowers?" A young girl with a blushing face and a shy smile came up to Li Li Banfeng.

Buying a bouquet of flowers was appropriate; there was a vase in the study, and it used to hold fake flowers, but now it had to be replaced with real ones!

"How much for these flowers?" Li Li Banfeng took a fancy to a bouquet of peonies.

"Three dollars."

Not expensive!

Such vibrant peonies, three dollars wasn't expensive!

"I'll take a bouquet!"

"Alright, sir, that's three hundred and ninety-six dollars in total." The girl handed Li Li Banfeng a bouquet of baby's breath.

Li Li Banfeng was stunned for a moment: "Wasn't it three dollars?"

"Three dollars per flower, no cheating the young or old..."

Slap!

Li Li Banfeng slapped the girl away too.

A sturdy young man walked over holding a cow gallbladder: "Sir, one look and I know you're an expert. This is a bear gallbladder from a six-headed bear I just hunted in the New Lands. You've seen two-headed bears, and maybe you've seen three-headed bears, but when have you ever seen a six-headed one..."

Slap!

The young man was also slapped away, flying over ten meters and landing beside an old lady.

The old lady sat on the ground, hugged the young man, and cried: "My child, how could you leave your mother behind—"

The young man didn't know this old lady, but seeing the atmosphere was right, he simply lay on the ground, closed his eyes, and stopped moving.

The old lady pointed at Li Li Banfeng and said: "Everyone, come and take a look. You can't let this heartless man leave. He snatched my child's bear gallbladder and hit my child—"

Bang!

Li Li Banfeng stepped forward and kicked the old lady and the young man together into the alley.

Fool City is quite good!

Arriving at Sun Sun Tiecheng's home, Sun Sun Tiecheng was very happy and quickly ordered his men to set out wine.

Li Li Banfeng said: "Big Brother, I brought back some things, and they've all been unloaded outside the city. You should call some men to transport them back into the city."

Sun Sun Tiecheng folded his arms and smiled honestly: "This is your own home, why are you being so formal? A-Gui, take the ghost servants and move the things back."

Gui Gui Jianchou didn't want to go: "You're asking me for such a trivial matter? Just call a few more people in the city to move them!"

Sun Sun Tiecheng frowned: "Are you talking nonsense? If I let them move it, what will be left for me? Last time the Peddler sent a cart of things over, I let them move it, and in the end, I didn't even see the cart."

Gui Gui Jianchou was very unhappy, but he went anyway.

Li Li Banfeng asked: "Brother, where is that little melting pot of yours? Let me take a look."

Sun Sun Tiecheng pointed to the backyard: "It's just sitting in the courtyard, A-Yi is studying it there."

Li Li Banfeng squatted beside A-Yi to look at the little melting pot together.

The appearance of the little melting pot was exactly the same as the bronze lotus, the only difference being that it was constantly moving.

Its lotus leaves were constantly opening and closing, and the lotus heart occasionally blew out a gust of wind.

A-Yi asked Li Li Banfeng: "Did you see the trick to it?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded and said: "I think it's very similar to the Great Melting Pot."

A-Yi asked again: "Have you seen the Great Melting Pot?"

"I have."

"Did you see it from the inside or the outside?"

Li Li Banfeng looked at A-Yi: "What do you think? If I went inside the Great Melting Pot, could I still come out?"

A-Yi sighed softly and pouted: "Then it's no fun. I want to know the structure inside this thing; I want to take it apart, but my big brother won't let me."

Li Li Banfeng thought for a moment and asked: "Can you put it back together after taking it apart?"

"Putting it back the same way is boring; I can come up with quite a few new tricks." A-Yi wanted to touch the leaves of the little melting pot, but was stopped by Sun Sun Tiecheng.

"What the hell are you doing! Didn't I tell you that touching it invites Heavenly Light?"

A-Yi was unconvinced: "I can handle it."

"Even if you can handle it, you can't mess around. Just look at it here; don't you dare break this thing for me. This thing will definitely have great use in the future."

A-Yi hummed, then turned to look at Li Li Banfeng: "Zhao Zhao Xiaowan once told me that she had been inside the Great Melting Pot. Bring her here, and the two of us can study it together!"

Li Li Banfeng found an empty room, used the Liankuo Lian Dongfang to swap his wife out, and explained the situation.

His wife was a bit scared. After meeting Li Li Banfeng, her memories had partially recovered, and she had some resistance to things in the Inner Provinces.

If it were before, let alone seeing the Great Melting Pot, just mentioning the Inner Provinces might have driven her crazy.

Now, asking her to look at a little melting pot that was extremely similar to the Great Melting Pot, his wife really wasn't sure if she would lose control.

The moment she saw the little melting pot, his wife's body did indeed tremble.

Li Li Banfeng was worried about his wife and was about to send her back, but he saw her calm down quickly.

"This thing looks quite exquisite." His wife wanted to touch the lotus leaves; she wanted to see if it had the same feel as the bronze lotus at home, but remembering the Heavenly Light, she didn't touch it rashly.

A-Yi didn't ask where Zhao Zhao Xiaowan came from; she only cared about what she wanted to know: "Zhao Xiaowan, what does it look like inside the melting pot?"

Zhao Zhao Xiaowan stared at the little melting pot for a long time. She had thought that seeing something exactly like the Great Melting Pot would help her remember quite a few things, but Zhao Zhao Xiaowan didn't remember anything.

A-Yi asked cautiously: "Zhao Xiaowan, you don't need to remember anything else; just tell me directly which hole in the lotus heart you were in at the time. I want to see if the lotus heart of the little melting pot corresponds to the Great Melting Pot."

"Perhaps it was too long ago; I really can't remember," his wife rubbed her forehead. "Or perhaps because I've died twice, I've forgotten things I shouldn't have."

Confirming she couldn't remember, Zhao Zhao Xiaowan recommended another person to Li Li Banfeng: "Husband, ever since Ling'er came out of the Great Melting Pot, she has remained in the Inner Provinces acting as a first-class weapon. She hasn't experienced life and death again, so she must remember more than I do."

Having fought together at the Dangkou Camp, A-Yi and Sun Sun Tiecheng had both seen Jiang Ling'er, so there was no need to hide this. Li Li Banfeng handed the key to Zhao Zhao Xiaowan, used the Liankuo Lian Dongfang to go to the Jade Emerald Building, and brought Jiang Ling'er out.

Jiang Ling'er took one look at the little melting pot, leaped up, and jumped onto Zhao Zhao Xiaowan, refusing to come down.

"Ling'er, don't be afraid!" Zhao Zhao Xiaowan hugged Jiang Ling'er. "This isn't the Great Melting Pot. Look carefully; the Great Melting Pot isn't this small. Do you remember which hole in the lotus heart you were in? Ling'er, Ling'er—"

Jiang Ling'er first breathed rapidly, then stopped breathing altogether.

She had fainted.

Zhao Zhao Xiaowan said: "Quickly take Ling'er back to the Jade Emerald Building to recover; don't ever mention the melting pot again."

Li Li Banfeng took Jiang Ling'er back.

Back at the Jade Emerald Building, Jiang Ling'er woke up, curled up on the bed, and wouldn't speak to anyone.

The Jade Emerald Building was unhappy: "Son-in-law, you took my daughter out for such a short while and made her like this. Don't you think you should tell me the reason?"

Li Li Banfeng didn't know how to explain: "I took her to see the Great Melting Pot, not the real Great Melting Pot—"

Jiang Ling'er let out a cry and curled up under the quilt.

The Jade Emerald Building complained: "Why did you take her to see that thing? Do you know how much she suffered in the Great Melting Pot? Even if a couple is joking around, you can't joke like this!"

Li Li Banfeng was helpless. He stayed with Jiang Ling'er for a while, and once she calmed down, Li Li Banfeng didn't dare mention the Great Melting Pot again and returned directly to Fool City.

During this time, Li Li Banfeng had been thinking about one thing: his wife also came out of the Great Melting Pot, so why didn't she have such a big reaction?

Was it because she looked at the red lotus at home every day and was used to it?

Back in Fool City, Zhao Zhao Xiaowan was discussing things with A-Yi: "Can this thing be shown to your mother?"

A-Yi shook her head: "It's best not to show it to her. The red lotus is something made by the Heavenly Maiden, and my mother has an obsession with things from the Heavenly Maiden."

Li Li Banfeng said: "What if I show it directly to the Heavenly Maiden?"

A-Yi was startled: "Wouldn't that be the same as showing it to my mother?"

Zhao Zhao Xiaowan understood what Li Li Banfeng meant. Li Li Banfeng didn't want to show it to the Heavenly Maiden beside A-Yu; he wanted to bring this little melting pot to show the bronze lotus.

"Husband, it's best not to be reckless about this matter."

The red lotus at home is fake, and the red lotus in front of them is real. If the real and fake red lotuses meet, no one knows what the result will be. The lotus leaves of the little melting pot slowly unfolded, and the wind from the lotus heart suddenly became more intense.

A-Yi looked at Zhao Zhao Xiaowan: "Gui Gui Jianchou is here."

The Great Melting Pot had a strong perception of ghosts, and the little melting pot maintained this characteristic. Gui Gui Jianchou currently had many dead souls on him.

His wife didn't want to see Gui Gui Jianchou, so Li Li Banfeng used the Liankuo Lian Dongfang to swap his wife back.

Gui Gui Jianchou entered the backyard and smiled at Li Li Banfeng: "Old Seven, the things you brought back are really good. Old Sun is so happy he doesn't know how to distribute them. You should go take a look."

Li Li Banfeng was about to go to the front yard when he heard A-Yi ask: "Brother, do you think this lotus heart is round?"

Gui Gui Jianchou thought A-Yi was calling him: "You can't call me brother; you have to call me uncle. This thing is round, why wouldn't it be round?

It's rounder than the Tang Yuan on the street!"

Li Li Banfeng wasn't a craftsman and wasn't that sensitive to dimensions, but since A-Yi asked, Li Li Banfeng activated his Golden Eyes and Fine Hairs,

and observed carefully for a while.

"Sister, do you think this is an ellipse?"

A-Yi gestured with her fingers, and Gui Gui Jianchou exclaimed: "Don't touch it; Heavenly Light is nothing to joke about."

"Brother, I don't think this is even an ellipse." A-Yi estimated the dimensions and felt the shape of the lotus heart was very special.

What Li Li Banfeng worried about most was this: "Do you think the shape of the lotus heart is a bit like the Great Totem?"

Gui Gui Jianchou shook his head: "Old Seven, you're being a bit far-fetched. The Great Totem is indeed round, but you can't say it's like it just because it's round. This lotus heart also has seven holes, while the Great Totem is just a circle with nothing inside."

A-Yi nodded: "That's true. The Peddler told me that the shape of the Great Totem cannot be copied. I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me."

Shang Kingdom, Zhaoge City.

Lan Qiao Yi took Nian Nian Shangyou for a walk around the city. The epidemic had basically disappeared; those who could survive had survived, and the royal family members who had fled outside the city were returning one after another.

These people had all fled to Bozhou. The New Cabinet established by Yu Zhuo in Bozhou had just started to show improvement, and the new monarch had corresponding candidates, but who could have thought that after a trip to Yindu, Yu Zhuo would be gone.

Lan Qiao Yi issued a political decree: if royal family members returned to Zhaoge within a month, previous matters would be forgiven.

They had made such a big determination when leaving Zhaoge before, but now that the decree was issued, everyone returned without much hesitation. The so-called New Cabinet was completely disintegrated within a few days, and the voices opposing Lan Qiao Yi basically disappeared.

The situation gradually returned to the right track. Nian Nian Shangyou had intended to have a few days of peace, but upon returning to the mansion, Lan Qiao Yi asked Nian Nian Shangyou to take a trip to Puluo Province.

"Go tell Li Qi to take Cui Cui Tike away immediately. If he refuses, he will have to suffer the consequences!"

Nian Nian Shangyou really didn't understand what Lan Qiao Yi wanted to do.

The epidemic was over; why did he want to force Li Qi to take Cui Cui Tike away now?

Besides, why should Li Qi listen to you?

And suffer the consequences? How much bitter fruit has the Great Shang eaten during this time? Is there any fruit left for Li Qi to eat?

Nian Nian Shangyou didn't want to go, but he had to find a suitable excuse.

If he said he was afraid of Li Qi, this excuse definitely wouldn't be suitable. If he said Li Qi wouldn't listen to advice, Lan Qiao Yi would definitely say he would only know after trying to persuade him.

He couldn't find an excuse from Li Qi, so he simply found one from Cui Cui Tike.

"My Lord, why must we let Li Qi take Cui Cui Tike back? Why not just leave Cui Cui Tike in Zhaoge forever!" Nian Nian Shangyou waved his palm downward, making a killing gesture.

"Kill him?" Lan Qiao Yi looked Nian Nian Shangyou up and down. "Are you sure?"

Nian Nian Shangyou bowed: "I am!"

This wasn't bragging; Nian Nian Shangyou was indeed sure about killing Cui Cui Tike. Cui Cui Tike wasn't good at fighting; with a few first-class weapons, he could definitely take his life.

He couldn't kill him before because he was worried he would fight to the death and bring a disaster to Zhaoge.

But now the disaster had passed, and Zhaoge was already like this, so there was nothing to worry about. Why wait if you're not going to kill him?

Who would have thought Lan Qiao Yi's response would be: "Killing an imperial envoy would damage the Emperor's majesty and harm the reputation of the imperial court. This move is inappropriate." What is he thinking? He's still talking about the new monarch's majesty?

They had already fallen out with Puluo Province; does the new monarch still count?

Even if the new monarch still counted, killing an imperial envoy wouldn't harm his reputation. How many people has this imperial envoy killed? Among the Great Shang officials, who doesn't want to kill him?

Killing Cui Cui Tike is clearly something that would make everyone happy!

"My Lord, this subordinate feels that this matter—"

"No more words!" Lan Qiao Yi drafted a letter and handed it to Nian Nian Shangyou. "When you see Li Qi, persuade him with kind words! If he remains stubborn, come back and report to me."

Nian Nian Shangyou was helpless and set off for Puluo Province that day.

That evening, the messenger He He Shengdong requested an audience.

In terms of appearance, He He Shengdong looked to be around fifty, but this man was He He Caiyuan's father and He He Jiaqing's great-grandfather; his actual age was over a hundred.

He bowed his head and entered the study, held the letter tube above his head with both hands, presented it to Lan Qiao Yi, and then stepped back a few paces, standing properly opposite the desk.

From beginning to end, He He Shengdong's eyes were fixed on the tips of his shoes, never looking directly at Lan Qiao Yi.

Lan Qiao Yi didn't rush to open the letter. He looked at He He Shengdong and said: "Your great-grandson, He Jia, has done a great thing!"

Hearing this, He He Shengdong knelt on both knees and kowtowed repeatedly: "He He Jiaqing is full of evil and his crimes are unforgivable. Please, my Lord, give the order to allow this old man to go and clean up the family."

Lan Qiao Yi sighed and said: "This person is extremely evil and should have been executed long ago, but considering your loyalty, I will show mercy and spare him one more time."

"He made a huge mistake because he coveted territory. I will send him a piece of territory and let him become a local tycoon. I am treating him with such tolerance; if he knows how to repent, he will still be a talent worth molding in the future."

"Thank you, my Lord, for your great kindness!" He He Shengdong kowtowed repeatedly, making thumping sounds.

Lan Qiao Yi waved his hand: "No need to thank me. Devoting your loyalty and wisdom to the imperial court is the repayment for this friendship. You may go down and rest."

He He Shengdong crawled on his knees all the way out of the study.

After he left, Lan Qiao Yi dismissed everyone and opened the letter tube.

The secret letter had only one line: "The Great Totem is seventy-five percent repaired; this is the limit."

Lan Qiao Yi tapped the table with his fingers, nodded slightly, and said: "Seventy-five percent, that's enough!"