Chapter 49 The prologue begins

Today, Hua Man Lou reopened after renovation, allowing the girls to collectively display their talents, which is actually a disguised way of telling the guests.

Those girls are selling their skills but not their bodies. What talents do the girls have? And how much money do customers need to order these girls?

The price is clearly marked, which is the minimum price and also the price for one hour.

So the ancients were right when they said brothels were dens of debauchery. If you paid less than ten taels of silver, you would not be able to enter.

If you want the courtesan to accompany you drinking and singing, you can get four or five hundred taels a night.

Suddenly, Xiao Yimo looked at the guests downstairs, his eyes lit up: "Xiaojiu, Jiang family's patriarch Jiang Bosong is here. There are three people in total, the third master of the Jiang family, and his son."

Jiang Jiu said calmly, "Okay, you will go meet him later. You still have to join the Chamber of Commerce, but I don't know what kind of cat shit is in the Chamber of Commerce."

Just like in Xiang County, although everyone knew that the business belonged to Jiang Jiu, it was Xiao Yimo who took care of it externally. In modern times, Xiao Yimo would be considered a corporate public relations person.

Not long after, Xiao Yimo turned around and winked at Jiang Jiu, and Jiang Jiu stood up and came to his side.

Xiao Yimo asked quietly: "The head shopkeeper of Yiye Pianzhou is here too, Xiaojiu, do you want to go and take a look, or wait for them to come and see you..."

Jiang Jiu's identity was not hidden from his own people. Everyone except Nanny Qian, Xia Zhi, Xiao Yimo, Jiao Niang, and Chu Yu knew about it.

Now that she has got the ring, they have to create opportunities for Yiye Xiaozhou to recognize her as their master.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiu shook his head: "Not for now, I'll let Chu Yu find out about Yiye Pianzhou's situation first. After all, after so many years, those shopkeepers may not want me to show up."

Xiao Yimo patted Jiang Jiu's shoulder and said, "Three or four shopkeepers came, but they didn't come together. It seems that their relationship is not very good. Don't worry, I will let our own people serve these shopkeepers."

Xiao Yimo and Jiang Jiu were whispering to each other, while Gu Chengyan and Lu Yunyang were exchanging glances.

There were four people in the room at the time. If we created a WeChat group, there would probably be seven or eight people.

Xiao Yimo and Lu Yunyang.

Xiao Yimo and Gu Chengyan.

Gu Chengyan and Jiang Jiu.

Jiang Jiu and Lu Yunyang.

And so on and so forth.

Jiang Jiu and Xiao Yimo have arrangements, and so do Gu Chengyan and Lu Yunyang.

There is an invisible war between the merchants in Suzhou, and what balances them is the government and the ninth prince, Prince Qi.

Gu Chengyan reported to Lu Yunyang in a low voice: "Master, Prefect Xing wants to increase taxes to make up for the tax deficit last year. I heard that officials from the county and prefecture have also come in the past few days and they don't seem to be willing to do so. What do you think?"

Lu Yunyang glanced at the lobby. The prefect and governor of Suzhou were also there. There were also a few familiar faces, who should be officials from the counties and prefectures below. He saw the county magistrate of Jiang.

"It's not easy for ordinary people to grow food, but he, as a prefect, is only thinking about squandering money from the people. He is such a waste."

"Don't worry about him. When he collects the taxes, if there is public resentment, immediately demote him and send him to the capital. He likes to be a fence-sitter, so I will give him this opportunity. However, the fate of a fence-sitter is not good."

"I understand." Gu Chengyan knew that Lu Yunyang had long disliked Prefect Xing, but he had never taken action to deal with him before.

"I have secretly inquired and found out that every year the shopkeepers of Yiye Pianzhou would bribe Governor Xing with 1,000 taels of silver. In the past, the shopkeepers of Yiye Pianzhou would rather bend than yield..."

Lu Yunyang snorted coldly: "They founded the Chamber of Commerce, but in Sucheng, the president of the Chamber of Commerce was given to someone else. Naturally, they are not convinced. It's also because they are incompetent. It doesn't matter. Just wait and see. A small boat will change the world."

At this time, the shopkeepers of Yiye Pianzhou were still unaware of the news about their master and were still fighting for power.

The head shopkeeper of Yiye Pianzhou is an old man in his sixties named Cheng Jiarui. It is said that he has followed the founder of Yiye Pianzhou, Jiang Yuan, since he was a child and witnessed Yiye Pianzhou grow from a small shop to the richest businessman in Jiangnan.

Although he is old now, he is still smart and healthy, and is still the top manager.

Xiao Yimo pointed at Cheng Jiarui and said, "That's the head shopkeeper."

Jiang Jiu smacked his lips, rather disgusted: "He is already so old, but still so romantic. What is he doing outside if he is not at home enjoying his grandchildren... I heard that he has seven or eight concubines like Lu Yunyang?"

Xiao Yimo chuckled and glanced at Lu Yunyang: "Lu Yunyang is not as exaggerated as he said. He took a concubine because he had difficulty in having children. He has three daughters, but no son yet."

"However, his three daughters are also amazing. One is the head treasury manager in the capital, one is in Qiantang, and one is in Jinling."

Jiang Jiu raised the corner of his lips: "It's really amazing, they are all rich places."

Xiao Yimo added: "Although he is a playboy, he is still loyal to his master Yiye Pianzhou and has been sending people to secretly search for the whereabouts of the ring."

Jiang Jiu narrowed his eyes slightly: "After finding it, whether to kill or respect it is hard to say."

More and more guests came, the show was about to begin, and the seats in the lobby were full. Some of those who couldn't sit had to stand at the back.

Jiang Jiu took out the ring from his sleeve pocket and handed it to Xiao Yimo: "Tell Chu Yu to be careful and not to cause any conflict. If anyone asks, just say you picked it up."

Xiao Yimo took the ring and looked at it carefully: "What's so special about it? Why would the shopkeepers at Yiye Pianzhou recognize it at a glance?"

Jiang Jiu explained: "Hexagonal rings are rare. The six pictures on it correspond to six characters, which are hidden in two lines of poetry."

"Even if they get the ring, they won't recognize it if the six characters don't match."

Xiao Yimo: "Okay, let Chu Yu test them and see how they react."

"Today I have paid a large sum of money to hire the No. 1 assassin organization in Jianghu, Cang Jiu, to protect you and Chu Yu. I hope you are safe."

"What? You actually hired a killer? And the best killer in the world? How much money would that cost..." Jiang Jiu felt sorry for the money.

Xiao Yimo didn't care at all: "Their fees are not high. A third-class killer is fifty taels, a second-class killer is one hundred taels, and a first-class killer is only two hundred taels. How can you and Chu Yu's lives be calculated with money?"

"I hired a first-class assassin and two third-class assassins. Hehe, the total cost is only three hundred taels, which is already a good deal."

Jiang Jiu

He rolled his eyes at Xiao Yimo: "If nothing unexpected happens, the first-class killer will definitely protect Chu Yu. The one who protects me will be the third-class killer..."

Who knew that Xiao Yimo smiled awkwardly: "I really didn't send anyone to protect you. The two third-class soldiers were to protect the other girls in the building... and me. As for you, you have me to protect you, and you also have Lu Yunyang... He can't just take the money without doing any work..."

Jiang Jiu was speechless: "You, you still assigned him work, does he know about it?"

Xiao Yimo smiled cunningly: "Do I need to tell him this? If he encounters danger, won't he hide by himself? If he hides, won't he take you with him..."

Okay, okay, you really have a good plan.

Jiang Jiu was not used to him either: "The three hundred taels will be deducted from your dividend."