A leisurely life in the world of cultivation

Chapter 53 New Ideas
"This tea...it's excellent, truly wonderful."

"I can't believe it!" Manager Zheng exclaimed, took another sip, and closed his eyes to enjoy it.

Li Weizhou drank simple jasmine tea. After Manager Zheng opened his eyes, Li Weizhou asked, "Old Manager, is there something you need today?"

Shopkeeper Zheng smiled and said, "I have something to ask you. I apologize for coming so abruptly. This is just a small gift; I hope you won't find it offensive, Young Master Li."

When Li Weizhou saw him take out a brocade box from his sleeve, the corner of his mouth twitched. It turned out to be the gold jewelry he had sold.

Seemingly noticing his expression, Manager Zheng laughed heartily, put away the brocade box, and said, "You've got the wrong one, this is the right one."

Previously, it was taken from the left sleeve pocket, but this time it was taken from the right sleeve pocket. It was still a brocade box, but inside were three gold ingots, each engraved with auspicious and lucky characters.

Thirty taels of gold, what a generous sum!
Li Weizhou remained calm and asked with a smile, "What important matter does the old shopkeeper want to ask that you are so generous? I'm afraid what I know isn't that valuable."

Manager Zheng laughed and said, "Straightforward and frank, indeed a hero. Actually, what I want to know is very simple: after you took over Zhou's Silver Shop, why didn't you open for business? Instead, you had Manager Tao and his staff go around buying jewelry?"

Li Weizhou smiled and said, "I like it."

"..."

Manager Zheng gave a thumbs up and said, "Good! It's good that you like it. Only when you like something can you make a name for yourself. It seems that the gold and silver jewelry from Qimeng Pavilion and Zuixiang Pavilion is made by you, young master?"

With so many clues converging, the answer is indeed obvious.

Li Weizhou replied noncommittally, "Does the old shopkeeper also want to cooperate?"

Manager Zheng nodded repeatedly and said, "Of course!"

Li Weizhou smiled and said, "Although I am closer to Miss Mengjun and Sister Biwu, business is business, so I will pay them the same price as you."

Manager Zheng waved his hands and laughed, "Third Young Master, that's not how business is done. Whether it's Yimeng Pavilion or Zuixiang Tower, the prices they set are all driven by spite. Our young master and that big foreign merchant are at odds, which is why they've inflated the prices so much, far exceeding the actual value of the jewelry."

Li Weizhou didn't refute anything, and asked, "So, how does Manager Zheng plan to cooperate?"

Manager Zheng held up three fingers and said, "Shenglong Money House is willing to offer 30,000 taels of silver or 3,000 taels of gold for the secret formula for refining gold that you possess, young master. Young master, 3,000 taels of gold, is that a fair price?"

It's fair, absolutely fair. If we calculate it based on the price of 785 grams per gram on Earth, it would be 87.84 million yuan.

The problem is, even if Li Weizhou wanted to sell, he couldn't. He had no way to sell the various refining equipment, nor could he provide electricity, so it was all for nothing.

So he could only regretfully say, "It's not that I'm unwilling to sell, but I simply can't do it, and I have no say in the matter."

Upon hearing this, Manager Zheng's pupils visibly contracted, unable to make a decision... He then slowly smiled and said, "Is that so? Then... then our Shenglong Money Shop hopes to purchase all the gold and silver ornaments from Baibaolou! However, the price will certainly not be as inflated as that night."

Li Weizhou reasoned, "The old manager surely understands that your young master and the Hu merchants aren't just raising prices out of spite. The gold available today can't be refined cleanly, hence its reddish hue. But the gold from Baibaolou is truly pure gold! Such gold, once it appears in the capital, will be of extraordinary significance. It will undoubtedly be highly sought after in the wealthy regions of Jiangnan, and even in the Eastern Hu royal court."

So this price isn't high. Old shopkeeper, to be honest, I've already given Miss Mengjun a set, which should soon reach the Jiangyou merchant guild. Then… oh, I forgot to ask, who's the powerful figure behind Shenglong Money Shop?"

Manager Zheng's expression changed several times. After staring at Li Weizhou for a long time, he slowly said, "Yuanjian Mountain."

Li Weizhou said regretfully, "I should have thought of that."

Yuanjian Mountain is one of the eight sects that are opposite to the Prince of Jin's Mansion, and it is the sect of Fatty Qi Zhenkun.

Only such a powerful force could establish so many money shops in the northern lands, where the atmosphere of bandits was so prevalent.

After feeling annoyed, Li Weizhou asked in confusion, "Qi Zhenkun didn't say that last time. That guy is really something."

"..."

Manager Zheng's face began to tense up. He knew that Qi Zhenkun had met him last time and had even instructed him to buy spices from Li Weizhou.

However, according to Li Weizhou, the two seemed to be so familiar that they were almost best friends.

Seeing his dignified appearance, Li Weizhou laughed and said, "I really didn't try to curry favor with him. Yuanjian Mountain and the Prince of Jin's Mansion, although powerful, can't openly do anything to me, can they?"

Manager Zheng thought he had misheard. What kind of talk was that?

Neither Yuanjian Mountain nor the Prince of Jin's Mansion need to intervene. They can simply assign a minor figure to arrest Li Weizhou on charges of colluding with bandits. What do you mean by "cannot do anything to him"?
Li Weizhou made no attempt to hide anything, raising his hand to reveal a black plaque inscribed with the four seal characters "Zhi Tie Si Li" (执铁司隶).

Manager Zheng, who had already started to perk up, frowned again...

The cooperation has not yet been reached. Due to completely unexpected circumstances, Manager Zheng needs to go back and discuss it with his superiors again.

However, according to him, there shouldn't be any major problems, and it will be resolved soon.

Although the Jiangyou Merchants Group is not Shenglong Bank's mortal enemy, it is a major merchant group in the southern region. If they were to come to the north and interfere, Shenglong Bank and even Yuanjian Mountain would lose all face.

Li Weizhou was in a very good mood. Making a lot of money was secondary. The key thing was that he would no longer be protected by just two brothel girls, but also by Yuan Jianshan!
Whether others believe it or not, he believed it anyway.

Moreover, Yuanjian Mountain only has one disciple traveling outside each generation, and he even calls that disciple Fatty... Perfectly closed!
With no more customers, Li Weizhou had time to organize his day's earnings.

First of all, the feedback effect of blood from different levels is really significant.

Previously, it was all blood from pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, and humans, with no significant differences.

But this time, the blood of an old man broke through so many acupoints in a row, a whole major hurdle!
This feeling is so exciting!

If only there were more top-tier opponents for him to defeat...

Hehe, but Li Weizhou didn't take this idea seriously.

If you stand by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. If Qian Jintang had been more cautious, things might not be like this today.

Therefore, developing step by step is a good approach.

However, once we get to Earth, we can try killing some powerful animals; pigs are still a bit too weak...

What's the most powerful creature on Earth again? A blue whale? A shark?

Let's try taking down a few later...

Today's experience has truly opened up new avenues of thought for Li Weizhou...

Secondly, he also wants to experience the feeling of having immense strength!

Two or three hundred pounds of solid wood furniture was no longer a problem for Li Weizhou. Even the stone pillars on the original training ground of Fu Family Village were no challenge for him, and he could easily handle them.

After juggling two 100-pound stone locks for half an hour, Li Weizhou lay on the snow-covered ground, his breath turning into white mist, but he was in an exceptionally good mood.

Power and wealth are meaningless, and even stunning beauties are just so-so...

Only the feeling of becoming stronger and possessing great power can be so captivating.

This is only the lower three levels; he'll definitely have no problem reaching the middle three levels.

I just don't know if I'll have a chance to break through the three upper barriers and experience what it means to leap over the dragon gate!
In fact, Li Weizhou knew a little about the power of the Martial Sect. The Claymore mine was America's proudest infantry mine, and its detonation by the detonator was extremely powerful.

Despite the sudden burst of power from such a weapon, Qian Jintang was still able to draw his broadsword from his back and use it to block the attack...

If it weren't for the simultaneous explosion of hundreds of marbles and the massive C4 detonation causing a violent shockwave, Qian Jintang might have actually escaped alive.

Tsk tsk tsk, if he had the skills of this old bastard, how impressive he would be on the other side of Earth.

If you don't become a chief or king in Africa, you're not doing justice to your skills!

Li Weizhou got up, brushed the snow off his clothes, and, satisfied, closed the gate and returned to the city.

It's getting dark; we can't be too reckless.

Actually, if Li Changning, the fourth son of the Li family, hadn't been so smug about living off his wife, allowing him to benefit as well and obtain a title of Iron Commissioner, he wouldn't have been able to do so so easily.

If that's the case, the only option is to carefully and slowly monetize the resources of both realms and develop them in seclusion.

Fortunately, we were lucky, and we are also grateful to our "parents" whom we've never met...

……

(End of this chapter)