Chapter 950: Far-Sighted Planning and a New Appointment

Jinbiao Brewery’s factory was completely burned to ashes, causing a major news story in Denuozhou, and the Guofang Force also learned of the incident.

It wasn’t that Jinbiao Brewery was owned by the Guofang Force, but that it had also handled part of the production and transportation of “military supplies.”

Clearly, they could no longer continue producing these military supplies, so their orders had to be temporarily reassigned to others—such as Lan, the current major producer.

The masters wouldn’t wait for him to rebuild his factory and resume profiting from his Guofang sales; they wouldn’t wait even a minute.

On the fifth day after the fire, the Guofang Force confirmed Jinbiao Brewery could not fulfill its orders, so they called Lan.

Lan did not refuse the contract to take over Jinbiao Brewery’s Guofang orders.

Even if the profit was smaller, it was still profit, wasn’t it?

Erwen handled these matters extremely well; Lan trusted him and asked no further questions.

He was chatting with Luo Jiefu.

The Imperial Chamber of Commerce had grown slightly larger, especially after selling a portion of its scarce medicines and making a huge profit.

Over a million worth of medicine now had an official price of over three million, especially the potent anti-inflammatory and painkiller drugs—they were in high demand on the battlefield, and no matter how much there was, someone could always absorb it.

This was only the official price; on the black market, the prices for these two drugs were even higher!

A three-dollar potent drug could sell for twenty dollars; war brought many changes, and while ordinary people were still feeling them, some were already counting their money.

“...This shipment has already been shipped out by more than half.”

Luo Jiefu grinned from ear to ear; having spent his whole life as an ordinary man, he never imagined that in old age, he’d suddenly become a capitalist.

Perhaps this was what people called the “Lianbang Dream,” but he felt that term didn’t accurately describe what he now possessed.

“Lan Dream” might be more accurate—because without Lan, he wouldn’t have anything he had now.

“We’ve established connections with several international brokers; in the future, if we acquire scarce goods, we can sell them directly to them at very reasonable prices.”

“They invited us to visit, but I declined.”

Lan nodded as he listened, “Take care of these matters yourself—you have enough life experience and wisdom for me to trust you completely.”

“Just remember: don’t take risks—in business or in social matters, avoid them entirely.”

“For anyone who invites you, send subordinates instead, and after they return, observe them closely—don’t place them in key positions.”

Luo Jiefu nodded in agreement; he understood Lan’s meaning.

There are many kinds of brokers: some help capitalists find power, others help power find capital—that’s the most common.

But beyond these, even more brokers are active in this world.

Some can procure people; others can obtain rare animals; some know underground bandits and thieves and can acquire any jewelry a client desires.

Naturally, some can also obtain scarce goods and facilitate exchanges.

You need money—or something of value to trade.

Lan instructed Luo Jiefu to have limited contact with them, but not to get too close.

These people will do anything for money—including corrupting others—and this is precisely why they hold their place on the international stage—

They understand human desires and exploit them.

Luo Jiefu and people like him are ordinary; they may not withstand these brokers’ corruption. Lan didn’t want this old man to ultimately fall into his own hands.

After finishing this topic, Lan asked curiously, “I’ve never heard about your family—do they resent you working so intensely for me?”

Luo Jiefu burst out laughing, “Of course not!”

“They think my lightbulb finally turned on in old age!”

“Lan, not just me—my family, my children, everyone in the Chamber—deeply and sincerely thank you and everything you’ve done for us!”

“I’ve long wanted to invite you to my home for a meal, but I worried it might be too forward...”

Lan shook his head, “Of course not—we’re friends. Between friends, there’s no such thing as forward or not.”

He glanced at the calendar, “Tonight, might your wife be willing to cook for me?”

Luo Jiefu was overjoyed!

A home dinner meant everything to Lianbang people—whether host or guest, once others learned Lan had dined at his home, with no one else present, only his family,

their gaze toward Luo Jiefu would change from now on.

For Lan to dine at his home meant he was now one of Lan’s “inner circle.”

This wasn’t just a simple home dinner—it was a glittering staircase leading to a higher class!

“I’ll call her right away—and tell the children to come home...”

Luo Jiefu went to the adjacent lounge, where the phone was, rather than using the one on Lan’s desk.

After about two or three minutes, Luo Jiefu returned beaming, sat back across from Lan, and said, “She’s preparing her best dish—you may have tasted the ingredients, but never their flavor!”

“I’m looking forward to it!” Lan affirmed, then changed the subject, “Have you been following the news lately?”

Luo Jiefu thought carefully about recent news, then replied cautiously, “Yes, I have.”

Lan raised a hand to soothe him, “You’re tense.” He opened his cigarette case, gestured for Luo Jiefu to take one, and took one himself.

After both lit their cigarettes, Lan continued, “The Lianbang government has designs on Yalan—it has abundant resources, but the locals don’t know how to use them efficiently.”

“And its geography is critically important to the Lianbang!”

Luo Jiefu nodded as he smoked.

He had attended Lan’s birthday party, and as chairman of the Chamber, he and his family had been lucky enough to avoid the shelling.

But that didn’t mean they hadn’t felt it—the Lianbang wasn’t as strong as they imagined during the bombardment.

Shells took lives, destroyed buildings, turned everything beautiful into ruin.

Even now, he remembered going to the docks—the area most heavily shelled.

He saw craters on the ground, bricks flung everywhere, blood staining the pavement a deep red.

He saw workers using tools and hammers to pry shrapnel embedded in walls.

He saw the dark red bloodstains on the walls.

Everything resembled hell on earth—he heard one shell had exploded in a crowd.

Dozens of people were instantly lying on the ground.

Those near the blast point were almost unrecognizable—first cut apart by shrapnel, then shredded by the blast wave—too horrific.

Even now, Luo Jiefu dared not go to the port—he heard many people stepped on chunks of flesh. This was unquestionably the most terrifying chapter in Jingang City’s history.

Precisely because its aftermath was so profound, people kept discussing it—and kept bringing up “The Raid on Jingang” as proof.

Some insisted that if Yalan were under Lianbang control, all this might have been avoided.

Of course, they’d also need a navy admiral willing to dispatch patrol ships!

There was no real hatred between Lianbang and Yalan people—but their location was vital, and the Lianbang wouldn’t let it go.

“The Lianbang government will occupy Yalan and turn it into part of the Lianbang, possibly expanding by four or five prefectures.”

“From the President’s perspective, this is easy!” He lightly traced a few lines in the air with his fingertip, as if signing a document, “All he needs to do is sign his name at the bottom of a paper—others will handle everything else.”

“But this isn’t something that can be settled in one go—it requires a long process.”

Even now, Luo Jiefu still didn’t fully grasp what Lan was saying; he felt Lan sometimes acted like famous politicians.

Saying something, yet saying nothing at all—but this made him respect and listen even more carefully.

“We need to send people to work in Yalan—the Imperial Chamber, you, me, and you can recommend others.”

“Of course, you don’t have to go—you have a choice.”

This matter involved the competition among members of the Lianbang Senate.

For senators, it might be just a one-dollar bet on whose person completes the task fastest and best.

But for those actually responsible, it could be a matter of life and death.

Lan took it seriously.

Senator Cleveland couldn’t be a senator forever, but Lan White could be Lan White forever!

At this moment, Luo Jiefu understood why Lan had asked about his family and children—not to threaten him, but to subtly warn him that this mission might be dangerous.

He frowned, smoking hard; Lan didn’t interrupt.

Only when his fingers stung did he realize he’d finished the cigarette.

He quickly crushed it in the ashtray and asked, “What will my job be?”

“Will I have to pick up a weapon and charge into battle?”

He laughed at himself, “I hope they don’t consider killing an old man a badge of honor—and I’m not good at it anyway!”

Lan smiled and shook his head, “Why would you think that?”

“You’ll represent the Imperial Chamber, selling affordable, practical Lianbang goods to Lamen, and offering locals some employment.”

“It’s no different from what you do here—in fact, it’s easier.”

These tasks weren’t complicated, but Lan had his own duties—he couldn’t oversee civilian trade and propaganda himself forever.

He needed someone he trusted to handle it—Luo Jiefu was his chosen man.

Hearing he wouldn’t have to rush into frontline combat, Luo Jiefu’s interest surged, “If that’s the case, I’ll give it a try!”

“It’s settled.”

“Later, I’ll tell you exactly what to do...”

That evening, after finishing his work, Lan went with Luo Jiefu to his home.

Previously, Luo Jiefu lived in a modest community in the Imperial District—he bought a standalone house, not a villa, and the whole family lived together, cramped.

But since joining the Imperial Chamber and working with Lan, he’d moved into a large villa; his children now had their own villas right next door.

All these changes came from Lan—he sincerely, deeply appreciated this young man.

Soon, the convoy stopped outside Luo Jiefu’s villa; his wife and children were already waiting at the door.

When Lan stepped out of the car, Luo Jiefu’s family immediately came forward.

They had no such insane moral purity; they did not consider Lans a gangster to be evil or bad.

Everyone was very warm, including Roger’s children.

“Alright, let’s go inside!”

“Hope we’re not disturbing anyone!”

Lans’s convoy was still highly recognizable in Jincheng; nearby residents left their villas to glance over, perhaps pretending to pass by or having other business, but ultimately they wanted to see Lans.

Roger laughed and motioned for his family to step aside, escorting Lans into his villa; he could already imagine how many people in the neighborhood would contact him tomorrow, asking why Lans had come to his house—and at such a special time, over dinner.

As Lans walked toward the courtyard, he could tell Roger had made a lot of money—this villa cost at least twenty thousand credits.

Of course, it might now be worth only fifteen thousand, since the shelling of Jincheng had driven some locals to flee overnight.

This caused housing prices in Jincheng to plummet—but not in the Bay Area.

Prices in the Bay Area remained stubbornly high; for the wealthy, they would not sell their homes—they didn’t lack the money.

The real depreciation was in the Prosperia District, where the middle class concentrated; many had moved farther from the coast, even to Creek Valley City or simply left entirely.

Not all real estate prices were falling, though; the Siling District, far from the coastline, saw a clear rise in property values.

In short, a villa still worth at least thirteen to fourteen thousand credits remained a lifetime’s savings for many.

Roger’s wife prepared a lavish dinner, and his children were especially cooperative; the atmosphere at the table was warm and harmonious.

Yet Roger did not mention his upcoming long journey over dinner; he felt it might make Lans feel pressured.

So they spoke of nothing during dinner.

Only after Lans left did he bring it up with his family.

“Is it dangerous?” his wife asked, deeply worried.

To federals, Xiang Yalan had only two impressions—the men’s paradise, and a place full of danger.

Sex in Xiang Yalan was a cheap social resource; in the Federation, to sleep with a girl, you needed at least one appealing trait—wealth included.

You could be funny, strong, rich, have a good father, or be well-endowed.

In short, you needed some attractive quality.

But in Xiang Yalan, simply being a federal granted you countless sexual resources; beautiful girls, like models, would crawl before you—of course, with their backsides turned toward you.

All they wanted was to leave Xiang Yalan; they’d ask you to buy them a ticket home when you bought yours.

And danger? It came from rampant gangs across Xiang Yalan’s nations, warlords, or constant coups in some countries.

Those who had never been to Xiang Yalan were filled with fear of it.

Roger shook his head with a smile. “Lans’s people will protect me, and Lans will go with me.”

“Though we all think it’s dangerous, do you think he’d go somewhere that dangerous?”

“Don’t worry too much about my safety—I’m just thinking…” he said, glancing at his children, “this might be an opportunity.”

“For one of you.”

Roger was old, and his children were no longer young; all were married and had children of their own.

He wasn’t sure if his relationship with Lans could be passed on to his children; he’d been pondering this lately.

A friend of his had died—of natural causes, though painfully, not peacefully at all.

Attending his friend’s funeral gave him new feelings: his generation was dying.

One day, he too would die; though he often avoided this thought, avoidance was useless.

He had to think of his children—whether his bond with Lans would extend to them.

Without Lans’s support, they’d struggle to find new paths in Jincheng; right now, he hoped one of his children would step forward and go to Xiang Yalan with him, to work for Lans.

Both sons remained silent; even his only daughter said nothing—they all wanted to stay.

Roger felt disappointed. “Think about it carefully before I leave.”

“What others give you is always theirs; when they stop giving, you get nothing.”

“Only what’s yours truly belongs to you completely—no matter what others decide, it won’t change what you hold.”

All three children nodded; whether they truly listened, he could not decide for them.

On Monday of the second week of July, the Guofang Force appointed a new Admiral as commander of the Jincheng Naval Base; Admiral Miles was reassigned, though his new post was not stated.

Seeing the news, Lans guessed he had reached some agreement with Congress.

Replacing the naval commander made no difference to Jincheng.

(End of Chapter)