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Chapter 1389: Zhao Ji, who was deceived,

It’s not Zhao Ji’s fault that Lou Qingqiang was shocked. It was mainly because the 12,000 taels of gold that Zhou Chen mentioned was really shocking.

The Central Plains now is not a unified country. There are nine countries in total. Wu State is the richest and most powerful country, but its annual fiscal revenue is only a few million taels of silver. For those small countries, ten thousand taels of gold are equivalent to one-tenth of the country's annual income.

Zhao Ji had been the head of Liudao Hall for several months and had been making money like crazy, but he was still far from earning ten thousand taels of gold. That was why he was shocked when he heard Zhou Chen say that he could help him earn ten thousand taels of gold.

He is different from Ning Yuanzhou. Ning Yuanzhou became the hall master for the country and the people, but he just wanted power, status and wealth.

Therefore, the lethality of Zhou Chen's words about ten thousand taels of gold was greater than anything he had said before.

But he quickly came to his senses and said sarcastically, "You are just a policeman, and you can earn 10,000 taels of gold. Do you think I am a fool?"

Zhou Chen thought, you look like a fool, and judging from your actions in the plot, you are just a fool.

"Lord Zhao is wise and brave, and I admire him very much. That's why I took great pains to ask Xu Jun to pass on a message. Because I'm still young, I don't want to waste my whole life in this dark prison. I also want to achieve success and fame, and sleep with beautiful women, but I am humble and insignificant. After thinking about it, I think the only person who can help me in this world is you, Lord Zhao. As long as Lord Zhao can save me, I will follow your lead and serve you wholeheartedly."

Now his martial arts skills have only reached the first level of Yangzhou Man. In this low-level martial arts world, he can't even get out of this prison, so he can only lie with his eyes open to fool Zhao Ji.

As the saying goes, flattery never wears out, and Zhao Ji is a man who likes to show off and fawn on his superiors and fawn on his subordinates. These words made him change his attitude towards Zhou Chen a little.

"Anyone can say nice things, but 10,000 taels of gold is not something you can just talk about. Tell me how you want to earn 10,000 taels of gold. If you don't say it well, it will not be as simple as being thrown into jail. I will take your life."

The temptation of ten thousand taels of gold was too great. Even if he didn't believe it in his heart, what if? What if Zhou Chen really had some way? He had to give him a chance to speak.

Zhou Chen had expected Zhao Ji to have this reaction. At the beginning of the plot, Zhao Ji even snatched other people's birthday gifts. How could such a greedy person with no bottom line resist the temptation of 10,000 taels of gold?

"Master Zhao, what business do you think is the most profitable in this world?"

Zhao Ji thought for a moment and said, "Private salt?"

Zhou Chen asked Lou Qingqiang again: "What do you think, Captain Lou?"

Lou Qingqiang didn't expect Zhou Chen to ask him this question. After hesitating for a moment, he gave his answer.

"Iron ore? Iron ore is in short supply. Whether it's for making weapons or other things, the demand is huge."

Zhou Chen smiled: "Lord Zhao and Captain Lou are not wrong. Private salt trafficking and iron ore are indeed the two most profitable businesses at the moment, but I don't want to talk about these two, because even our Liudao Hall cannot control these two businesses."

Zhao Ji and Lou Qingqiang both nodded. If they could control these two businesses, why would they need to think of other ways to make money?

"Stop talking nonsense and speak quickly." Zhao Ji asked impatiently.

Zhou Chen suddenly showed a cold smile and said word by word: "I think the most profitable business is."

"Conquer the entire family and exterminate the entire clan!"

"?"

Zhao Ji and Lou Qingqiang both widened their eyes, as if they couldn't believe what they heard.

"Confiscate the property and exterminate the clan? Are you treating confiscation and extermination of the clan as a business?"

Even Zhao Ji, who was greedy by nature, was shocked by what Zhou Chen said. When did confiscating property and exterminating a clan have anything to do with business?
"Why not? Doing other businesses requires costs, but raiding a house does not require costs. Is there anything in the world that can make more money than doing business without any costs?"

Zhao Ji and Lou Qingqiang's brains froze for a moment; they were completely unable to follow Zhou Chen's train of thought.

"Wait, explain it more clearly. How can we make money by confiscating a family's property and exterminating a clan? Even if we can get money by confiscating a family's property and exterminating a clan, we can't just confiscate a family's property for no reason, right?"

"This is about our Liudao Hall. Our Liudao Hall is the imperial court's guard and violence agency. We have the right to monitor court officials and have the responsibility of investigation and espionage. That's why I said that we should rebuild the Senluo Hall first. The new Senluo Hall can not only spy on enemy intelligence, but also target domestic officials at all levels. We are directly responsible to Prime Minister Zhang and His Majesty. Who is a corrupt official and who is a loyal minister? Isn't it up to Lord Zhao to decide?"

"As for confiscating the property and exterminating the clan, that's even simpler. Liudaotang will be responsible for the investigation. When the time comes, if the property is really confiscated, the higher-ups will definitely hand it over to Liudaotang. By that time, Lord Zhao should understand what I mean, right?"

Lou Qingqiang's cold face turned into astonishment, and his tone became stammering.

"If, if our Liudaotang is really responsible for confiscating the property, then the profit..."

He didn't say anything else, but Zhao Ji naturally understood what he meant. If they really came to search the house, it would be up to them to decide how much they seized.

It’s a no-cost business. It’s really a no-cost business.

Zhou Chen added fuel to the fire: "By then, let alone 10,000 taels of gold, if things go on like this, 20,000 taels, 50,000 taels, or even 100,000 taels of gold is not impossible."

Zhao Ji's breathing became heavier. Ten thousand taels were not enough, so he needed one hundred thousand taels. But if he thought about it carefully, if what Zhou Chen said came true, it might not be impossible.

At this moment, he seemed to see countless glittering gold shining in his eyes.

He had no idea that he had been fooled by Zhou Chen, but he was such a greedy person. With such huge benefits in front of him, his thinking ability had begun to decline sharply.

"However, Lord Zhao, all of this requires rebuilding the Senluo Palace first. Although it is a business with no capital, intelligence is the most important thing. Without intelligence and evidence, everything is nonsense."

Although Zhao Ji was stupid, he was not a complete fool, so he naturally understood what Zhou Chen meant.

"Are you really capable of rebuilding Senluo Palace?"

Because he put Ning Yuanzhou into prison and exiled him, the once thriving Senluo Palace quickly fell apart. If they want to rebuild it now, it cannot be said to be starting from scratch, but it is not much different.

He had great doubts about Zhou Chen's abilities.

Zhou Chen said confidently: "Half a year, Lord Zhao, give me half a year. If I can't rebuild Senluo Palace within half a year, you can take my head."

Half a year, he knew that Zhao Ji could not wait for half a year, it would not be long before Zhao Ji would be at the end of his rope, once Zhao Ji died, everything would be in vain, and no one would be able to do anything to him at that time.

Therefore, everything he said to Zhao Ji was just a lie from beginning to end, just to get himself out of prison and buy time for himself.

Liudaotang has great power and abundant resources. Zhou Chen’s ultimate goal is to use the resources of Liudaotang to achieve his own goals.

Zhao Ji pondered for a moment and waved to Zhou Chen.

"I will consider what you said. You can go back first."

Zhou Chen didn't say anything else. The fact that Zhao Ji didn't refuse him in person meant that he was more than just moved. He believed that he wouldn't have to wait long.

After Zhou Chen left, Zhao Ji suddenly asked Lou Qingqiang: "Do you think what he said can be realized?"

Lou Qingqiang thought for a moment and replied, "Actually, what he said makes some sense. Confiscating property is indeed a no-cost business. It's just that it's not that easy to arrange everything. And I doubt whether he has the ability to do so. It's not that easy to rebuild Senluo Palace."

"I have this suspicion, but he is betting his life on it. If he fails, I can kill him at any time."

"Your Excellency means to let him try?"

"Since his life is in my hands, why not let him try, right?"

"Your Excellency is right. I am just worried whether there is any fraud involved."

"Ha, are you thinking about whether he was sent by Ning Yuanzhou? There is no such possibility. You and I both know who Ning Yuanzhou is. The fact that he can talk about confiscating property and exterminating the clan shows that this person is not the same kind of person as Ning Yuanzhou. But think about it, it's normal. Not everyone is as stubborn and self-righteous as Ning Yuanzhou. In the end, being an official is all for wealth and fame."

Zhao Ji's face was full of sneers, which were both a mockery of Ning Yuanzhou and a sarcasm towards Zhou Chen.

"But there's no rush. Let's leave him alone for two days first."

Zhao Ji was not in a hurry, and Zhou Chen was not in a hurry either. The bait had been put out and the fish had been hooked. It was just the last step.

He was confident that he could control Zhao Ji. Zhao Ji had many weaknesses, greed was one of them, and the other was fear of Prime Minister Zhang. Based on these two points, he was not worried at all that Zhao Ji would not agree.

Two days later, Zhou Chen finally got the answer.

"Master Zhou, please come in. Master Xu is waiting outside."

The person who came to pick Zhou Chen up from prison was Xu Jun, but Xu Jun did not come in. It was the prison boss Lao He who took him out.

Zhou Chen stood up slowly, and Lao He immediately asked someone to help remove the shackles on Zhou Chen's hands and feet.

After stretching his arms and legs, Zhou Chen bowed to Lao He and said, "Thank you very much."

Old He showed his yellow teeth and smiled harmlessly: "Master Zhou, I am sorry for offending you these days. Please forgive me, Master. I will not bear grudges."

Zhou Chen said calmly: "Everyone is doing their job. I am not so petty as to do this."

Old He smiled even brighter: "Thank you, sir."

He was secretly glad in his heart that he did not offend Zhou Chen and helped Zhou Chen to pass the message. Otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous. He was just a small jailer, how could he compare to the adults in Liudaotang.

Zhou Chen followed the prison boss and walked out. Just as he passed by a cell, a scream suddenly came from the cell.

"Zhou Chen, save me."

A humanoid creature bumped into the pillar of the cell, startling several people.

Zhou Chen turned around and was stunned.

I saw the man in the cell stretching out his hands, his handsome face full of resentment. This man was actually wearing white clothes. How could he be clean and tidy in a dirty cell? How could it be simple?

The point is, Zhou Chen knew him.

The Six Paths Hall, the Three Good Paths Tiqi, and the Asura Path Commandant, at thirteen.

"Captain Yu, why are you here?"

Although Zhao Ji suppressed the Senluo Palace led by Ning Yuanzhou and implicated many people, they were basically all members of the Senluo Palace.

But Yu Shisan is different. Yu Shisan is the Tiqi of Sanshan Dao and the captain of Ashura Dao. Even though he has a good relationship with Ning Yuanzhou, Zhao Ji will never touch him.

Hearing Zhou Chen's question, Yu Shisan struck a coquettish pose and sighed, "Alas, it's all because I'm too charming."

"speak English."

"Minister Liu's daughter wanted to elope with me, but I was a playboy, a playboy, how could I agree? Then I was sold, so I came here."

When talking about this matter, Yu Shisan was not ashamed at all. Instead, he was very proud of it, as if he was waiting for someone to praise his romantic and suave character.

Zhou Chen remembered that Yu Shisan was in a prison cell at the beginning of the plot because he was caught for eloping with Minister Liu's daughter.

He didn't believe that Yu Shisan would elope, so what Yu Shisan said should be the truth. It was the woman who wanted to elope, but he didn't agree, and then he was caught. This made sense.

"Don't talk about this. How did you get out? Help me, brother, and I'll think of a way."

Yu Shisan has a very good relationship with Ning Yuanzhou, so he knows a lot of people in Senluo Palace, and has a good relationship with Zhou Chen as well.

Zhou Chen said: "Okay, give me one hundred taels of gold and I will help you find a solution."

Yu Shisan immediately rolled his eyes. His family used to be well off, but they had fallen into poverty a long time ago. Where would he get a hundred taels of gold?

"Let alone a hundred taels of gold, I don't even have a single gold ingot."

"no way."

"No, we are good brothers. Money is just a thing outside of our body. Brotherhood is the real thing. Save me and I will take you to have fun."

"If I could save you, would I have been locked up for so long?"

Zhou Chen felt that it was safest for this guy to stay here for now. It was impossible to save him. After all, this time when he went out, he would openly join Zhao Ji. If he rescued Yu Shisan, he would inevitably get into trouble.

"Hey, hey, Zhou Chen, do you have the heart to leave me here alone? Hey, don't go, don't go..."

Yu Shisan’s screams could not stop Zhou Chen from leaving, and he disappeared from Yu Shisan’s sight in the blink of an eye.

"I don't know what this guy did, but he actually went out. You wait for me. When I get out, you'll be in trouble."

Zhou Chen met Xu Jun outside the prison, and Xu Jun looked at him in amazement.

"Of course, Zhou Chen, how did you convince the hall master to actually let you out?"

"I guess it's not just about letting me out, right?"

Xu Jun snorted and said, "Let's go back to Liudao Hall. The hall master is waiting to see you."

On the way to Liudaotang, Zhou Chen had already changed his clothes and was riding a horse, looking at the surrounding scenery.

This is the capital of Wu State and also the most prosperous city in the south of the Yangtze River. There are few cities in the Central Plains that can match it.

"Zhou Chen, since you're already out, what about my twenty taels of gold?" Xu Jun asked threateningly.

Zhou Chen replied calmly: "Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who would burn bridges after crossing them. When I return, I will give you the twenty taels of gold in full."

Xu Jun's expression changed slightly: "You hid the gold at home?"

Zhou Chen knew what Xu Jun meant as soon as he heard it, and said, "Don't worry, no one can find the gold except me."

Xu Jun's expression became very unnatural, because after talking with Zhou Chen, he deliberately sneaked into Zhou Chen's house to look for gold, but unfortunately, after searching through boxes and cabinets and digging deep into the ground, he didn't find any gold, not even a piece of silver.

(End of this chapter)