Chapter 62: Boss Yu, What Do You Think?

Old Mr. Yao was not from the human world.This old gentleman was likely a high-level wine cultivator during his lifetime. As for why he remained in the mortal realm after his death, no one knew.

"Master Seven, let's not discuss this any further for now. Boss Qin's magical art has been lifted; he ate a few bowls of rice and just fell asleep." Yu Nan changed the subject, increasingly feeling that Li Banfeng was not as simple as he seemed.

Little Fatty Qin was sleeping soundly, so Li Banfeng didn't disturb him. That night, Li Banfeng claimed he slept in the side room with Little Fatty Qin. In reality, he hid the key outside the courtyard and slept in his Portable Abode.

The next day, Li Banfeng woke up and checked his pocket watch. It was still early, not yet seven. He had intended to go back to sleep, but feeling a bit parched, he came out to find some water. Suddenly, he saw twenty or thirty people standing menacingly in the courtyard.

Li Banfeng initially thought it was the Jiangxiang Gang coming for revenge. However, upon closer inspection, he saw people of all ages—young, strong, old, and weak—and they were fully equipped with all sorts of weapons, including daggers, cleavers, and iron rods. These were employees of the Yu Family Cloth Shop; Li Banfeng even recognized two of them.

What was going on?

Yu Nan stood in the center, wearing a gray fedora and a gray vest, still clenching that dark red lady's tobacco pipe in her mouth, with a revolver tucked into her waistband.

Guns in Puluo Prefecture? This was the first time Li Banfeng had seen one. He wondered if Feng Ji's General Store sold such items.

Li Banfeng stepped forward to inquire about the situation. Yu Nan replied, "Young Master Geng Zhiwei of the Geng Family Pharmacy sent an invitation, asking me to dinner. He wants to settle things. I'm bringing my men to the banquet today. As long as we reach a proper agreement, this matter will be concluded today."

So, there's actually room for negotiation? Is this the way of the Jianghu?

Li Banfeng looked at the imposing formation of the crowd, surprised. "For a meal, you don't need to bring so many people, do you?"

Yu Nan, biting her pipe, smiled faintly. "When reasoning openly, even if you have the truth on your side, you still need weapons. Without a show of force, you have no leverage to speak."

Li Banfeng understood the underlying meaning: negotiate if possible, fight if not. He then looked at the employees. "Your cloth shop's employees are quite special. They don't earn much, yet they're truly risking their lives for you."

Yu Nan looked quite proud. "They are my sworn brothers and sisters, my flesh and blood. As long as I have food, they won't go hungry. As long as I have clothes, they won't freeze. If they face difficulties, I'll bear them; if I face difficulties, they'll help me shoulder them."

Li Banfeng still didn't understand their relationship. This was one of the reasons he couldn't find work in Puluo Prefecture. The Yu Family Cloth Shop was not merely a store; it was also a gang personally run by Yu Nan, which could be called the Yu Family Gang. On weekdays, when conducting business, Yu Nan was the shopkeeper, and everyone else was considered an employee. In times of crisis, Yu Nan was the gang leader, and the others were her disciples. How could such a shop possibly hire a stranger like Li Banfeng?

The Yu Family Gang was not strong; its only significant asset was Yu Nan herself, a first-level smoke cultivator. Still, having a gang was better than having none. Throughout Puluo Prefecture, from big businesses worth thousands of gold to small transactions of a few coppers, there was a gang providing support. Even the steamed bun shop Little Fatty frequently visited had a Steamed Bun Gang behind it. For someone like Li Banfeng, who had no gang affiliation and worked alone, earning more money meant seeking out life-threatening work, such as that found in Bitter Mist Mountain.

Yu Nan clasped her hands in a salute. "Master Seven, please stay here with Boss Qin and rest well to recover from your injuries. I'll take my leave now."

Li Banfeng turned to Yu Nan and asked, "Shopkeeper Yu, is it possible not to go?"

Yu Nan picked up her pipe and took a deep puff. "I understand what Master Seven means. I also know Geng Zhiwei might have ill intentions. If he were to harm me secretly, I could avoid him. But since he publicly extended an invitation, if I don't go, it would be like tearing down the Yu family's flag. From now on, I wouldn't be able to hold my head high in Yaowang Ditch."

"You have a point," Li Banfeng nodded. "So, is it possible not to go?"

Yu Nan gave a bitter smile. "It would be one thing if I alone backed down, but what about the reputation of all my people?"

"Reputation is important," Li Banfeng agreed with Yu Nan. "So, is it possible not to go?"

Yu Nan pulled the cigarette from her pipe and put it into Li Banfeng's mouth. "Master Seven, I must go today, no matter what. This is the Jianghu."

With that, Yu Nan led her group of employees out of the residence. Today, she seemed less restrained. Two buttons on her vest were loose; it was unclear if she had unbuttoned them or if they had burst open. Her trousers were relatively loose, yet the voluptuous curves of her figure still firmly captured the gaze of every man behind her.

"She certainly has a strong presence when she speaks," Li Banfeng mumbled to himself, watching Yu Nan's retreating figure. "What exactly is the Jianghu?"

***

Yu Nan, accompanied by thirty-three employees, arrived at Wangchun Tower. Wangchun Tower was the largest restaurant in Yaowang Ditch. Over twenty employees from the Geng Family Pharmacy were waiting downstairs to greet them. Seeing that the other party had fewer people than her own, Yu Nan felt a bit more at ease. However, Geng Zhiwei did not come out to greet her personally, which displeased Yu Nan somewhat. Nonetheless, Yu Nan knew that in Geng Zhiwei's eyes, they could not be equals, and she was bound to face some humiliation at today's banquet. A little humiliation was fine; the crucial thing was to get a resolution.

Yu Nan strode up to the restaurant, with only two guards following her. The accountant from the Geng Family Pharmacy stepped forward and said, "Shopkeeper Yu, please hand over your weapons!"

Yu Nan recognized the accountant and said with a smile, "As a weak woman, carrying a gun for self-defense shouldn't scare Young Master Geng too much."

The accountant clicked his tongue. "Shopkeeper Yu, we are here to settle matters, not to cause trouble. You should know the rules of the Jianghu."

Yu Nan was indeed familiar with the rules of the Jianghu, but today, she had to keep this gun. "Your young master chose the location and the time, and he even arrived first. How would I know if he's carrying any weapons?"

The accountant frowned. "Shopkeeper Yu, we're old acquaintances; there's no point in saying that. You are a first-level smoke cultivator, while our young master has no cultivation. If it comes to a fight, we'll be at a disadvantage!"

Yu Nan gave a cold laugh. "I will not part with this gun, or I won't go upstairs."

"Look, about this..." The accountant was in a difficult position when he suddenly heard someone calling from upstairs: "Don't make it difficult for her. If Shopkeeper Yu wants to bring a pistol upstairs, let her."

It was Geng Zhiwei.

The accountant said to Yu Nan, "Shopkeeper Yu, our young master has conceded. You can bring your pistol upstairs, but your two escorts..."

Yu Nan looked at the two guards behind her, who then handed their weapons to the other employees. Both sides conceded a step, making things easier for each other. In Yu Nan's view, Geng Zhiwei was also a man who followed the rules.

Upon reaching the second floor, Yu Nan saw a single table set in the spacious hall. Geng Zhiwei had booked the entire Wangchun Tower. Seeing Yu Nan come upstairs, Geng Zhiwei, who was eating watermelon, stood up to greet her. Two guards also stood beside Geng Zhiwei, along with Jia Quansheng, the Young Master Jia who had tried to extort the Snake Spot Pellet from Little Fatty Qin. He was the root cause of the entire incident. As for the current situation, Yu Nan was confident she could handle it.

"Shopkeeper Yu!"

"Young Master Geng!"

"Please!"

Both parties sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries. Geng Zhiwei had someone pour wine. "Shopkeeper Yu, drink this wine, and we can put our past grievances aside."

Yu Nan knew it wouldn't be that simple. Holding her wine cup, she said, "Young Master Geng, let's speak plainly. When you say put grievances aside, what are your conditions?"

There were two plates of watermelon on Geng Zhiwei's table. Geng Zhiwei picked up another slice and took a bite. "If it were just me, out of respect for Shopkeeper Yu, this matter would be settled. But Rong Jinan is a member of the Geng Family Pharmacy, and he just disappeared without a trace. This matter concerns the Geng Family Pharmacy's reputation, and with a hundred or so people in the pharmacy, from top to bottom, I'm afraid it wouldn't be easy to explain away just out of respect for Shopkeeper Yu. Furthermore, my brother Quansheng also suffered losses in this matter; several of his men were injured by that Fatty Qin. So, this isn't just my personal affair."

Jia Quansheng, with his slicked-back hair and powdered face, ate a slice of watermelon and wiped his mouth. "Shopkeeper Yu, I also need to provide an explanation to my subordinates."

Yu Nan didn't want to give Jia Quansheng another glance; he was merely there to flatter Geng Zhiwei. "Young Master Geng, there's no need to beat around the bush. Just state your conditions directly."

Geng Zhiwei picked up another slice of watermelon and said while eating, "Shopkeeper Yu is straightforward. I have three conditions. As long as you agree, the matters concerning Rong Jinan and Little Fatty Qin will be completely written off!

"First, the Yu Family Cloth Shop will still be managed by you, Shopkeeper Yu, but you must give our pharmacy a fifty percent share. We won't take it for nothing. If anything happens to your Yu Family Cloth Shop in the future, it will be our Geng family's concern. Anyone who provokes you, Shopkeeper Yu, will be provoking our Geng family. Our Geng family's flag will henceforth be planted at the front entrance of your Yu Family Cloth Shop. Shopkeeper Yu, what do you think?"

Yu Nan's cheek twitched. Geng Zhiwei was clearly trying to annex the Yu Family Cloth Shop. This condition was difficult to accept, but if she didn't agree, her cloth shop couldn't continue operating in Yaowang Ditch. A fifty percent share was too much. She would negotiate it later. Yu Nan did not express her stance. "Young Master Geng, please continue."

Geng Zhiwei smiled, put down the watermelon rind, and said, "I'll take that as a 'yes'. Shopkeeper Yu, after this incident, I truly admire you as a person. I like your beautiful appearance, and especially your straightforward nature in dealing with grievances. I intend to marry you as my sixth concubine. If you agree, we'll hold the wedding banquet right here at Wangchun Tower and enter the bridal chamber tonight. What do you think?"

Yu Nan gritted her teeth, her face repeatedly paling. "Continue."

"Alright, I'll take that as a 'yes' too. The third matter: regarding Rong Jinan's disappearance, my family is a bit angry, and I'm worried you'll have a difficult time in the future. How about this: after we perform the ceremony today, you take off your clothes, and I'll whip you publicly. My family will get their anger out, and you won't suffer any grievances later. I'm doing this for your own good. What do you think?"