Courtyard House: Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) Traded for an Aircraft Carrier, the Whole Count

The staircase leading to the basement is hidden behind the storage room in the first-floor kitchen; it is narrow and dark.

Lou Bancheng carried a kerosene lamp in his hand and walked ahead, the flickering light stretching and distorting their shadows. The air was filled with a musty and dusty smell, and the wooden stairs creaked with every step.

Jiang Chen followed behind, his steps steady.

"Sir, watch your step." Lou Bancheng turned around and gave a fawning reminder, his voice echoing in the enclosed space.

Jiang Chen ignored his fawning attitude and instead looked at the deep passageway, suddenly speaking, "Lou Bancheng, do you know why I didn't just kill you all and take the stuff?"

Lou Bancheng, who was walking ahead, suddenly stiffened, almost dropping the lamp he was holding. He stopped, turned around, and looked at Jiang Chen with a pale face, stammering, "Sir...sir is compassionate..."

"mercy?"

Jiang Chen seemed to have heard a joke, a mocking smile curving his lips. "In this cannibalistic world, compassion is the most useless thing."

He stepped down a flight of stairs, closing in on Lou Bancheng, his voice echoing in the narrow space: "I'm not killing you because you still have value. This wealth, if left in the country, is a scourge, a death warrant. But if it reaches Hong Kong, if it reaches overseas, it will be a sharp sword, a seed."

Lou Bancheng swallowed hard, seemingly sensing a hidden meaning: "What you mean, sir, is..."

"I will keep these things for you for the time being."

Jiang Chen revealed his true colors, stating his final price: "This isn't just money to buy your lives; it's also my 'start-up capital' for your Lou family. I'll arrange for you to be sent to Hong Kong. Once there, I'll provide this money to you in installments as capital for your comeback."

Lou Bancheng's eyes lit up. He had originally thought he would have to leave with nothing, but he didn't expect to have "start-up capital"?

But Jiang Chen's next words sent a chill down his spine.

"However, the rules need to be changed."

Jiang Chen stared into Lou Bancheng's eyes and said, word by word, "In future business dealings, whether it's manufacturing or trade in Hong Kong, I will contribute technology, capital, and security, holding a 51% stake and absolute control and decision-making power. Your Lou family will be responsible for the specific operations, holding 49%."

"Furthermore, I will provide you with some formulas and technologies that are ahead of their time, such as special medicines and new materials. As long as you are obedient, this 49% profit will be enough to make your Lou family ten times more prosperous than it is now."

This is a completely unfair contract term.

Not only did he take away all of Jiang Chen's existing savings, but he also intends to permanently bleed the Lou family dry, turning them into his servants.

"This..." Lou Bancheng hesitated. As a capitalist, his instinctive calculations made him feel that the conditions were too harsh. 51% of the shares meant that the Lou family would become just a senior manager, and the real boss would be this young man in front of him.

"What? Feeling cheated?"

Jiang Chen snorted coldly, his eyes instantly turning dangerous. "Lou Bancheng, you're a smart man. Without me, your whole family would be corpses tomorrow, and this money would have been confiscated anyway. Now I've spared your lives and given you a 49% chance. You should be able to do the math."

"And..." Jiang Chen leaned close to Lou Bancheng's ear and whispered, "You think things will be peaceful once you get to Hong Kong? Without strong military support, you're just a piece of meat in the eyes of the gangs and triads there. Only I can guarantee you a foothold there."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lou Bancheng's head, instantly sobering him up.

Yes, what's the point of shares if you're dead? Besides, if the miraculous methods Jiang Chen just demonstrated can really provide protection over there, then 49%... doesn't seem so unacceptable.

Moreover, that "technology ahead of its time"...

"I agree! I agree!" Lou Bancheng gritted his teeth and nodded heavily. "From now on, the Lou family will follow your lead! As long as we can live, we're willing to do anything for you, even if it means serving you like a slave, let alone a 51% chance!"

Just as the two reached an agreement, Jiang Chen keenly noticed that a slight breathing sound in the shadows at the stairwell had become rapid.

He turned his head slightly and caught a glimpse of the hem of a plain-colored nightgown out of the corner of his eye.

It's Lou Xiao'e.

She had been hiding behind and eavesdropping.

At this moment, Lou Xiao'e leaned against the cold wall, her heart pounding. She listened as the man, in that domineering and unquestionable tone, planned out the future of the Lou family, even analyzing the situation in Hong Kong with great clarity.

This intense sense of control, this courage to carve out a path to survival in dire circumstances, instilled in her an unprecedented sense of dread.

In comparison, Xu Damao, who only knows how to use sweet words and pushes her out to take the blame whenever something happens, is simply a coward and a piece of trash!

"Is this what a real man is...?" Lou Xiao'e looked at Jiang Chen's broad back, and her originally fearful eyes suddenly showed a strange look and curiosity.

This man not only seized the Lou family's wealth, but also seemed to force his way into her already barren and desolate heart at this moment.

[Ding! Detected that Lou Xiao'e, an important plot character, has developed feelings of "dependence" and "admiration".]

[The system has automatically generated an intangible contract... The contract has been reached.]

Jiang Chen listened to the system's prompt and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Excellent, the seeds of both the business and emotional storylines have been sown at this moment.

"Let's go, let me see the depth of your Lou family's resources."

Jiang Chen turned around and gestured for Lou Bancheng to continue leading the way.

The two reached the top of the stairs, where a heavy black iron door stood before them, secured by a complex German-made mechanical lock. Lou Bancheng, his hands trembling, pulled a brass key from his inner pocket, inserted it into the lock, turned it three times, then turned it one full turn to the left.

"Click".

A crisp metallic click.

Lou Bancheng pushed open the heavy iron door with force.

"Squeak—"

As the iron gate slowly opened, a musty, dusty smell wafted out. Lou Bancheng raised his kerosene lamp and shone it inside.

The next second, golden light pierced the darkness, almost blinding Jiang Chen.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally, and even though he had seen countless grand scenes in his previous life, Jiang Chen's breath still caught in his throat for a moment when he saw the scene before him.

In this basement room, which was about twenty square meters in size, the walls were piled with neat wooden crates. Some of the crate lids were open, revealing rows of gold bars inside, which gleamed with a captivating yet sinister luster under the light.

On the other side, on the display shelf, there were various jade cabbages, high-quality rubies and sapphires, and several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings carefully wrapped in oil paper.

This is the true value of the nickname "Lou Half-City".

This is the sum of wealth accumulated by capitalists in the old era through half a century of frenzied plunder.

Now, they all share the surname Jiang.

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes, gazing at the mountain of wealth before him. The thrill of soon possessing endless resources made his blood boil. With this money, his interdimensional trading system would take off completely. The industrial mother machines on the blueprints and the futuristic technologies in the mall would no longer be unattainable dreams.

He slowly walked into the vault, his fingers gently tracing the cold, heavy gold bar, feeling its real texture. A cruel yet satisfied smile curved his lips.

"Is this the culmination of half a century? Not bad."

"From today onwards, they have new owners."