chsdbacks Chapter 20: The deal is done, but has a wolf been brought into the house?
Chapter 20: The deal is done, but has a wolf been brought into the house?
back home.
Zhou Tong first told his father about Ji Chang's breakthrough and the cooperation. He had mentioned this to his father in a previous conversation, and his father was not surprised.
Of course, we'll have to wait for Ji Chang to come and discuss the specifics in detail.
Zhou Tong chatted briefly with his father before returning to his room.
The prescription has been deduced, and he can't wait to try it.
After some preparation, he carefully mixed the five kinds of powder together according to the proportions and dosages indicated on the panel. After confirming that the panel was correct, he took it with warm water.
Then he went to the courtyard, applied the Golden Jade Ointment to the key acupoints, and began his cultivation.
As he moved, his blood and qi surged, and the medicinal effects gradually dissipated.
Soon, Zhou Tong sensed the difference.
He felt waves of heat emanating from his lower abdomen, which combined with the heat generated by the Golden Jade Cream, constantly stimulating his muscles.
"As expected of a prescription that halved the progress, even without the panel's notification, I can clearly feel the increase in cultivation speed compared to before."
Zhou Tong murmured to himself, his eyes burning with desire.
……
Two days later, Ji Chang arrived as promised.
He changed into a brand-new indigo silk long gown, over which he wore a black satin mandarin jacket. His hair was neatly combed, and he carried a four-colored gift box. His expression was much more serious, less casual than he had been in the martial arts school, and more earnest in his serious business.
Zhou Tong and his family of three received him in the main hall.
Yao Wanru made a brief appearance before considerately withdrawing, leaving the men to discuss matters.
Zhou Tong steered the conversation, first chatting about things at the martial arts school, and then recounting some amusing anecdotes from his past.
Laughter filled the room, and the atmosphere was harmonious. After his father and Ji Chang became more familiar with each other, Zhou Tong also made an excuse to leave.
The two were going to discuss specific cooperation matters, which inevitably involved the distribution of profits. As the link between his father and Senior Brother Ji, his absence provided more room for maneuver.
About an hour later, the two finally finished talking.
Zhou Tong reappeared and, together with his father, saw Senior Brother Ji to the door. Only then did Zhou Tong inquire about the cooperation.
"Just as you said, this nephew Ji is indeed a straightforward person." The father smiled, clearly satisfied with Ji Chang.
The tone for cooperation was thus set.
However, business doesn't happen overnight.
Zhou Chengzong needed time to visit his old contacts one by one, reopen channels, and introduce Ji Chang to key figures.
Ji Changze needs to consolidate his newly broken-through realm and begin practicing the Bone Forging Technique of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School.
Both parties agreed to first complete the preliminary contact and preparation work, and then launch the first formal purchase of medicinal materials after the spring.
In the days that followed, Zhou Tong clearly sensed that the atmosphere at home was somewhat different.
Zhou Chengzong's social engagements increased again, but the melancholy between his brows was no longer that of the early days of the family division; instead, he exuded a familiar sharpness and vitality befitting a seasoned business veteran.
Ji Chang also frequently visited, sometimes to have a private conversation with Zhou Chengzong, and sometimes simply to chat with Zhou Tong.
Zhou Tong did not get too involved in the specific business matters.
He was clear about his position and his current priority—practicing martial arts.
Leave professional matters to professionals. The combination of the father and Ji Chang, one proficient in business and the other with martial prowess, is the ideal pairing of "one scholar and one warrior." He only needs to provide support when necessary.
However, there was one small incident that was quite interesting.
That day, Zhou Tong returned from the martial arts school. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw two exquisite brocade boxes on the rosewood tea table, along with several boxes of pastries.
Zhou Chengzong was sitting in the main seat looking at the account books. When he saw him come in, he raised his chin, pointed at the items, and said with a smile, "Liu Sen from Yixintang delivered these this afternoon."
Zhou Tong understood.
The gift box contained nothing more than tonics like ginseng and bird's nest, and the pastries were from established brands. The gift itself wasn't extravagant, but the gesture was quite elaborate.
"He's quite sensible," Zhou Tong said, sitting down next to his father.
"yes."
Zhou Chengzong picked up his teacup and sighed, "These people are masters of adapting to changing circumstances and judging situations. Seeing that Nephew Ji is frequently visiting, they know that our family is doing well again, so they are eager to resolve past grievances."
They said nice things, like "I'm sorry for offending you before," and "Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything in the future." Now, the house can finally have some peace and quiet for a while.
He looked at Zhou Tong, his eyes full of satisfaction: "Tong'er, this is all thanks to you. If it weren't for your rapid progress in martial arts and your friendship with a friend like Nephew Ji, our family would probably have suffered some humiliation."
Zhou Tong smiled and shook his head: "Father, Senior Brother Ji is willing to cooperate because he values your abilities. I just happened to be there."
He smiled, but his mind was perfectly clear.
It is certainly a good thing that Ji Chang's influence and the reputation of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School have intimidated local bullies like Yixintang.
But this is ultimately an external force.
Chaos is like a surging tide, its waves ever-changing.
The influence of others may be gathered because of profit, or it may dissipate because of influence.
The father's connections will be depleted, Ji Chang's future is uncertain, and the martial arts school's reputation is not a panacea.
True stability must ultimately be built upon one's own unshakeable strength.
Fortunately, with the help of the control panel, my martial arts skills are steadily improving step by step.
……
It was nearly dusk in the back garden of the Zhou family's old house.
Several old plum trees with gnarled branches, their tips already dotted with red buds, shivered in the chilly evening breeze.
Grandpa Zhou was wearing a thick, dark-colored satin cotton robe with floral patterns, over which he wore a fox fur vest. He was holding a pair of glossy walnuts in his hands as he strolled slowly along the path.
Uncle Zhong followed half a step behind, his waist slightly bent, maintaining a perfect distance from the old man—neither too far to be distant nor too close to be presumptuous.
The garden was very quiet, with only the regular, subtle rubbing of walnuts in the old man's hands and the almost inaudible rustling of the two people's footsteps on the pebbles.
Zhongbo glanced at the old master's expression, carefully choosing his tone, and said in a low voice as if it were a casual remark: "Master, some news has come from outside, about the second branch of the family."
The old man didn't even lift his eyelids, just grunted an "Mmm" through his nose as a response.
"It is said that Zhou Tong, the young master, recently introduced a senior brother in his martial arts school, surnamed Ji, who had just broken through to the Bone Forging stage, to the second young master."
Judging from the situation, Second Master is planning to partner with this martial arts master Ji to do some medicinal herb business. He's been visiting old acquaintances with people these past few days." Uncle Zhong's words were calm and devoid of emotion.
The old man paused almost imperceptibly as he strolled around, and the sound of walnuts rubbing together in his hand also stopped for a moment.
"Was it facilitated by Zhou Tong?"
The old man finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, carrying the indifference of someone who had long held a high position.
"That's what's being said outside, sir," Zhongbo replied.
The old man's nasolabial folds twitched almost imperceptibly, and his tone was indifferent:
"I heard you say before that that good-for-nothing brat actually broke through to the Body Refinement stage in three months. I thought he had finally figured it out..."
His gaze darkened slightly: "You've only been at the martial arts school for a few days? You've only known that senior brother at the Bone Forging Realm for a few months, and you dare to suggest going into business together?"
Uncle Zhong lowered his head and didn't reply; he knew the old man wasn't finished speaking.
"Second son, what a pity."
Sure enough, the old man turned his attention to Zhou Chengzong, his flat tone revealing disappointment:
"Over the years in the Chamber of Commerce, the perspective I developed has been fed with restlessness and impatience. As soon as we split up, we were eager to make a name for ourselves. When people are in a hurry, they only see a thin halo when they look at people and things."
He stopped and looked at the winter plum blossoms in the courtyard, a sharp glint flashing in his aged eyes:
"Zhou Tong may be good at walking his birds and watching plays, and making some friends, but does he have the ability to judge people? Does he think that just because someone is his senior brother, he can be trusted?"
The business partners he cultivated, even the second son dared to hastily form partnerships, it's really...
The wind in the garden seemed a bit colder, causing the plum branches to sway gently.
"Does the master mean that the man surnamed Ji has ulterior motives? That this move will invite trouble?"
Uncle Zhong narrowed his eyes slightly, bowed, and asked, "Master, should this old servant privately pass a message to the Second Young Master, to give him a heads-up?"
"The family has already split up, what's the point of reminding them?"
The old man's expression was indifferent. "Let him experience it firsthand. What good is a little business acumen in this chaotic world? Without force, you'll only be at the mercy of others."
His eyes were deep and unfathomable: "Perhaps only after this experience will he truly understand that firmly choosing to stand on the side of the strong is the only right path for his family to survive and even prosper in this chaotic world!"
Zhongbo quickly bowed: "Master has shown great foresight."
The old man was silent for a moment, then asked:
"By the way, have we finalized the terms and conditions of our cooperation with Hengtong Trading Company? At this crucial juncture, we can't afford even the slightest mistake."
"Reporting to you, sir, everything is settled. Mr. Wilson of the trading company is very satisfied with our terms," Uncle Zhong replied.
The old man nodded, narrowed his eyes, and instructed, "Send a message to all the managers and shopkeepers under the Chamber of Commerce."
If the second son ever comes knocking on our door, trying to use our old connections and channels, we must refuse him outright and not grant him any favors.
If our ship is to embark on a new path, we must distance ourselves from certain unrelated individuals.
"Yes, sir."
Zhongbo responded, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face, before he whispered:
"But... what if something really goes wrong and the second young master suffers a great loss? If our Zhou family just stands by and watches, and word gets out, it will probably damage the family's reputation..."
The old man smiled.
He slowly turned the walnut in his hand, and said casually:
"If something goes wrong, just make that guy surnamed Ji spit out whatever he's ingested, right? Consider it extra income."
Uncle Zhong was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized what was going on. His face immediately lit up with an admiring smile, and he bowed even lower.
"My lord is thoughtful and considerate, while I am foolish and dull. In this way, it is indeed the best of both worlds."
The old man stopped talking, turned around, and continued to stroll slowly along the path, looking just like a shaggy old jackal.
The pair of walnuts in my hand began to rub against each other rhythmically and dullly again, appearing particularly cold and hard in the quiet twilight courtyard.