Chapter 127: The Stronghold

Luo Lijun stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Open up, it's me."

"It's Luo San. Wait a moment, I'll open it right away." There were a few creaks from inside, followed by the sound of a wooden bolt being slid back. The paint-peeled gate creaked open. Inside stood several sturdy men of varying heights and dressed in a mix of fine and worn-out clothes; she even spotted one wearing a patched garment.

"Luo San, you finally made it. Come, let's go take a look at the new stock we just brought in. If we sell it after the New Year, it’s bound to be a hit." The man who spoke had dark skin and bright, alert eyes; his manner of speaking and conduct suggested a straightforward and capable person.

Luo Lijun did not respond to him but turned back to look behind him. Only then did the seven men see Zhong Yuxiu standing beside Yan Rushan—a petite and exquisite young girl, bright-eyed and white-toothed, her radiant smile making her exceptionally captivating.

"This... who is she?" The seven men were stunned.

"This is our sister-in-law, the boss's partner. Just address her as sister-in-law. Wipe those expressions off your faces—don't look like you've never seen the world before." Cao Zheng stepped past them to the front, playfully gesturing for them to compose their shocked expressions.

"My partner, her surname is Zhong." Yan Rushan took Zhong Yuxiu by the hand and led her to Luo Lijun’s side before introducing her to everyone.

Zhong Yuxiu greeted them with a smile, "Hello everyone, my name is Zhong Yuxiu, and I am Yan Rushan's partner. It is a pleasure to meet you all; please excuse any lapses in etiquette."

"Not at all, not at all." One man quickly shook his head, not daring to accept such a formal apology. "Since you are Boss Yan's partner, you are one of our own. Come in first, let's close the gate before we talk."

"Alright."

As they entered the courtyard, the gate was shut tight. The group curiously sized her up, yet no one dared to speak out of turn. Their relationship with Yan Rushan hadn't reached the point of prying; they were essentially business partners.

They all knew that Luo San, Yan Da, Wu Er, Cheng Si, Cao Liu, and Lin Wu hadn't even shared their real names with them. Their initial meeting had been a matter of coincidence, but later, they found these men to be of good character and generous in their dealings. Their demeanor and air of sophistication were vastly different from those of common folk, suggesting they were from families of some status.

Since everyone was making their way in the world, no one probed too deeply. The same held true now.

These men had not been together from the start; many were recruited individually by Luo Lijun, Yan Rushan, Wu Chao, Cheng Minglang, Cao Zheng, and Lin Kai. These six served as the backbone for the rest. Having worked under them for over half a year, every business venture they touched had been highly profitable. Whenever there was danger, they were always able to steer clear of it in advance. Their influence was so vast that even just trailing behind them was enough to reap a fortune.

"Everyone, please come inside."

The group entered the main hall, where an eight-immortal table stood in the center, and the surrounding walls were piled high with goods. Large and small bundles, either covered in oilcloth or wrapped in black fabric, were strewn about in the corners.

"Sit." Yan Rushan took his seat at the head of the table and pulled Zhong Yuxiu down beside him. Only then did he have the mind to ask, "The sewing machines, watches, and electrical appliances we discussed—have they arrived?"

Someone stepped forward and said, "Yes, they have all arrived."

"Then we will sell them after the New Year. We can open for business after the fifth day of the Lunar New Year."

"Understood, we will make the preparations in advance."

Yan Rushan nodded and waved his hand, "You all go ahead with your work. We’ll talk here for a while and lock the gate when we leave."

The seven men bade them farewell one after another. Luo Lijun and the others saw them out and returned. The courtyard suddenly fell quiet. Cao Zheng went to inspect the goods, while Lin Kai and Cheng Minglang sat at the table. Luo Lijun shot a glance at Cao Zheng.

"What are you checking for?"

"I'm checking the quality of these goods. This is a long-term business, and eighty percent of our customers are regulars. We can't afford to put defective items into their hands; that would destroy our credibility." He examined every bag and oilcloth with great care and attention.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled. People nowadays were truly sincere; unlike future generations, where everything was fake and quality was ignored as long as there was money to be made.

"With that kind of character, there’s no doubt the business will grow."

"Indeed, that’s Cao Liu’s best trait—he’s very diligent," Yan Rushan said, knowing his brothers' strengths well. "When we brought in our first batch of goods, he wasn't at ease and insisted on going to inspect them personally and overseeing the transport. He did that three times before he finally stopped coming along."

Zhong Yuxiu smiled brightly, looking at Cao Zheng, "That is excellent. In business, one must never lose integrity. If you want to grow and improve your livelihood in the future, you will certainly need him to act as the gatekeeper."

"Sister-in-law is too kind." Cao Zheng’s eyes crinkled with a smile, looking as if he were delighted to have received her approval.

"You're welcome; it is well-deserved." Zhong Yuxiu added. The others burst into laughter, especially Cao Zheng, who, as the subject of the praise, laughed more heartily than the rest.

Yan Rushan narrowed his eyes slightly and cast a sidelong glance at Cao Zheng. Cao Zheng grinned in a conciliatory manner and quickly turned back to continue inspecting the goods.

Lin Kai said, "Boss, there are still quite a few things in the warehouse. Why don't you take sister-in-law to see them? If there is anything she likes, just take it. In the future, if sister-in-law wants anything, just let us know, and we'll have it delivered to you."

"Then thank you all, but the money must still be paid. It's not good business practice to run at a loss." She was not the type of person who liked to take advantage of others.

"Don't worry, sister-in-law. We'll just deduct it from Da Shan's share; we certainly won't lose money." Luo Lijun’s tone was relaxed and teasing. With the amount of stock they had, they didn't care about the small items Zhong Yuxiu might take. The others felt the same, though they kept it to themselves.

Zhong Yuxiu turned to look at Yan Rushan, "Are you all always this generous?"

"Certainly not! Whether we're generous or not depends on the person, doesn't it? You're different. You and the boss are a sure thing; talking about money between family is just being overly formal." Luo Lijun was all smiles, his words filled with suggestive teasing.

Zhong Yuxiu felt her ears burning. She looked up, only to find Yan Rushan staring at her. Their eyes met, and her cheeks flushed. She coughed lightly and looked away.

"Well then, let's go check out your warehouse."

"Alright." Yan Rushan held her hand, his demeanor patient and gentle. He led her out of the main hall and toward the back. Though the siheyuan courtyard appeared small and inconspicuous, it held more than met the eye.

A massive cellar had been dug beneath the courtyard, large enough to be called a basement. When the door opened, the air inside was thin. At a glance, it was filled with goods of all sizes; aside from a few narrow walkways, there was no room to set foot.

Yan Rushan introduced the items to her one by one, each row containing a different category of goods. Everything from food and drink to clothing and daily necessities was fully stocked. After seeing the basement, they went to check the warehouses above ground, which were just as well-stocked.

There was everything from food to apparel, a full range of fabrics—cotton, Dacron, dresses... there were even textiles from overseas.