After leaving the Lin residence, Manager Qian did not return directly to the prefectural city, but instead went into the most remote teahouse in Shangyang County.

Inside a private room on the second floor, Li Mobai was enjoying tea alone when Manager Qian pushed open the door and entered. He raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "How is it?"

Manager Qian sat down with a gloomy face, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"The Lin family is completely unyielding; they even rejected the proposal to open a branch together."

He sneered, "The daughter of a mere merchant dares to be so arrogant just because she has powerful backers!"

Li Mobai tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, lost in thought: "Is there anything unusual about her?"

“There was a guard surnamed Wang who was exceptionally skilled. I tested him a few times, and his sharp eyes showed that he was no ordinary servant.”

Manager Qian lowered his voice, "Also, there are unfamiliar faces coming in and out of her backyard. I suspect they are all Fourth Master's guards."

A glint of light flashed in Li Mobai's eyes: "Just as I thought."

He unfolded his folding fan and said slowly, "I have investigated Lin Yun's background."

She had a sworn enemy named Chen Yu, a local tyrant in Shangyang County who owned several shops and specialized in lending money at exorbitant interest rates.

If we're talking about underhanded tactics, this person is the most skilled.

"Chen Yu?" Manager Qian narrowed his eyes. "Can he handle Fourth Master's men?"

“A direct confrontation won’t work,” Li Mobai chuckled. “But Chen Yu is familiar with all sorts of people in this area. If we start with the raw materials…”

He paused meaningfully.

Manager Qian immediately understood: "You mean, cut off her supply?"

“Exactly.” Li Mobai closed his folding fan. “Yunxiang Pavilion’s rouge is based on flower materials. If the flower farmers suddenly break their contracts, no matter how capable she is, she will have no rice to cook.”

Then we'll reappear as her saviors, and wouldn't she have to submit?

Manager Qian clapped his hands and laughed: "Brilliant plan! However, this matter requires using someone else to do the dirty work, so as not to involve Eighth Master and Ninth Master."

“Chen Yu is that knife.” Li Mobai took out a letter from his sleeve, inside which were several silver notes.

“He already hates Lin Yun to the core, how could he not cooperate? Just offer him a small benefit and I'll go talk to him.”

After Manager Qian left, Li Mobai sat quietly alone in the private room of the teahouse for a while.

His fingertips gently traced the patterns on the folding fan, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "Lin Yun... since you don't know what's good for you, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

He got up and left the teahouse, heading straight to the gambling den Chen Yu frequented.

The gambling den was filled with smoke and chaos. Chen Yu was sitting at the gambling table, his face contorted with anger from losing money.

Li Mobai smiled slightly, walked to his side, and said softly, "Mr. Chen, may I have a word with you in private?"

Chen Yu glanced at him sideways, saw that it was a stranger, and waved his hand impatiently: "Get out of my way! Don't delay my chance to make a comeback!"

Li Mobai remained calm and took out a silver ingot from his sleeve, gently placing it on the table: "If Master Chen is willing to do me the honor, this silver is yours."

Chen Yu's eyes lit up, he grabbed the silver, grinned and said, "Oh, you're quite sensible. Alright, tell me, what do you want from me?"

The two arrived at a secluded spot in the backyard of the gambling den, and Li Mobai cut to the chase: "I've heard that Master Chen has some grudge against Lin Yun of Yunxiang Pavilion?"

Chen Yu's face darkened, and anger instantly ignited in his eyes: "That little bitch! Relying on her powerful backers, she has ruined my plans time and time again!"

The thugs I sent out had their legs broken by her guards before they even got close to her shop!

He gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, "I won't swallow this!"

Li Mobai smiled slightly, feigning sympathy: "I have also heard about Master Chen's plight."

To be honest, I am a merchant in the cosmetics industry in the south, and Lin Yun's Yunxiang Pavilion has taken away a lot of my business.

The purpose of our visit is to cooperate with Master Chen, cut off her supply of goods, and leave her with no way out.

Chen Yu narrowed his eyes, looking suspicious, and said, "You? A stranger from out of town, why do you think I'd believe you?"

Li Mobai took out a two-hundred-tael silver note from his pocket and handed it to Chen Yu: "This is a deposit. There will be a greater reward after the matter is completed. Besides, doesn't Master Chen want revenge?"

Chen Yu stared at the silver notes, a fleeting look of greed crossing his eyes.

He thought to himself, "Lin Yun has ruined my plans time and time again. Now that someone is offering me money, I can take this opportunity to bring her down."

"Why not?" He looked up at Li Mobai and grinned maliciously, "Fine! You tell me, how do we do it?"

Li Mobai lowered his voice: "Yunxiang Pavilion's rouge is based on floral materials. If her flower supply is cut off, her shop will have nothing to sell."

"Master Chen has extensive connections in Shangyang County. All I need to do is get those flower farmers to break their contracts, and I'll handle the rest."

Chen Yu slapped his thigh: "Easy! Those flower farmers are cowards. I can just scare them a few times and they won't dare to utter a sound!"

Li Mobai nodded: "That's very good. However, this matter needs to be resolved quickly, lest things get complicated."

Chen Yu snorted coldly: "Don't worry, I'll take my men to the flower field tomorrow and see who dares to disobey!"

The two hit it off immediately, and Li Mobai handed over another bag of silver. Chen Yu took it, weighed it in his hand, and smiled with satisfaction.

After leaving the gambling den, Chen Yu walked down the dimly lit street, his heart filled with surging hatred: "Lin Yun, you cut off my source of income, this time I'll make you bankrupt!"

He recalled how the thugs he had sent out had been crippled one by one, and his anger flared even more. "Wait until your shop goes bankrupt, then let's see how arrogant you can still be!"

Three days later, in a flower field on the outskirts of Shangyang County.

Before dawn, flower farmer Lao Zhao was awakened by a series of banging sounds on the door.

He put on his coat and opened the door, only to see Chen Yu standing in the courtyard with more than a dozen thugs, his face full of cold smiles that looked even more ferocious in the torchlight.

"Old Zhao, from this day forward, you're selling all your flower materials to me!"

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