Old Master Liu snorted with disdain.

"That’s because they’re poor!"

If they even skimp on women’s things, what else could it be but poverty? 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The concubine laughed joyfully.

"Master, in my eyes, you’re the Emperor!"

Old Master Liu wholeheartedly agreed with this.

"Here, in these remote mountains far from the Emperor, who else can control me?!"

"I am the Local Emperor here!"

The concubine was overjoyed upon hearing this, feeling that her future days were full of promise.

She immediately showered him with flattery.

Old Master Liu was so pleased that he felt completely relaxed.

What he didn’t know was... someone had already set their sights on him, and trouble was coming his way!

...

On this day.

Old Master Liu was wandering the streets of Yinshan City with a few dogheaded advisers.

The purpose was:

To see if they could find a few beautiful women to take home as concubines.

However, after strolling for half a day, they found nothing.

It made sense; in this barren land of the Northwest, finding a beauty would be difficult.

As he was about to head back home in low spirits,

a servant boy suddenly reported.

"Master, a caravan has arrived in the city, seemingly from the south!"

"There are over a hundred people in total, and they are heading towards the largest Longxing Inn in the city!"

Old Master Liu’s eyes immediately lit up.

"A caravan?"

Ha, a caravan from the south?

Truly, you avoid the path to heaven, yet you choose the gate to hell!

His eyes rolled around a few times as he ordered,

"Go! Keep a close watch on them and investigate on your own!"

"Yes!"

The servant boys quickly left.

After returning home,

Old Master Liu didn’t bother with beauties but mysteriously went to his study.

Soon, a carrier pigeon flew out from the study towards the Northwest.

To the Northwest of the Northwest is Western Xia.

...

A few months ago.

Suddenly, some people from Western Xia came to him, proposing a collaboration!

If successful, he would possess more silver than he could ever use in his lifetime!

Liu Shouwei had served most of his life as a Captain, and the salary of a Fifth Rank Official was just enough to support his family, with no surplus.

The Northwest was such a destitute place, with barely any resources to spare.

Having lived in poverty all his life, his heart was instantly moved.

He almost immediately agreed.

He later learned.

He only needed to ensure the goods were smoothly transported by water, and he would earn a commission of five thousand taels of silver for each shipment.

Five thousand taels of silver!

His entire annual salary was merely two to three hundred taels.

Now, transporting one shipment earns him five thousand taels.

The more Liu Shouwei thought about it, the more he felt he had struck it rich.

In the past few months.

The first thing he did with the silver was to get concubines.

Seducing women from brothels he used to frequent, teasing widows he met on the street, deceiving the pretty daughter of a poor old man from the south of the city, the tofu vendor’s wife from the west of the city.

Ignoring the filthy and reeking, coaxing and deceiving, he brought them all into his back courtyard.

He organized them according to their entry into the house, family background, and looks.

In just a few months, he managed to marry eighteen concubines.

Similarly, in just a few months.

Liu Shouwei’s ambitions grew, living a luxurious life he had never experienced before.

What a joy!

After sending off the carrier pigeon, Old Master Liu leisurely headed to the backyard.

To enjoy drinking and sleeping with his little beauties.

...

The next day, Old Master Liu received a reply from the other party.

The letter contained only two sentences.

"Seize the goods, eliminate all witnesses!"

"Once the goods are transported beyond the border, you will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver. Payment and goods are exchanged simultaneously!"

Liu Shouwei burned the letter in the candle flame.

He cursed under his breath, holding his belly.

"Those bastards from Western Xia, truly heartless and ruthless!"

However...

He patted his chubby belly.

"As long as the silver is in place, who cares if they’re ruthless?"

After muttering to himself, he hummed a little tune, lamenting.

"Consider yourselves unlucky!"

"I was just worrying about not having any opportunities, and here you come, delivering yourselves!"

"Ten thousand taels of silver! Enough for me to hold an official title for a lifetime!"

Such a good opportunity should not be wasted!

But...

There was a big problem! The other side has over a hundred people.

If they are seasoned travelers, that wouldn’t be easy to handle!

Although he had soldiers under his command,

committing murder and robbery in broad daylight would still cause too much commotion.

A cornered rabbit would still bite!

If things went wrong or if something big happened, his carefree days would be over, wouldn’t they?

After much pondering.

Old Master Liu finally thought of a perfect plan.

’Build a deceitful plan in the open while secretly plotting a coup in the dark!’

’Friendly on the surface, plotting with a hidden agenda, subtle like a needle in cotton.’

First, feign friendliness.

Once he gained their trust, he would seize the opportunity.

Attack them unprepared, plotting against them secretly!

After all, they weren’t locals.

If they disappeared for no reason, no one would notice!

By then, he could bury them in some desolate wilderness.

Once the goods were in hand, he could use a secret river to transport the wealth out.

Successfully obtaining ten thousand taels of silver!

The more Liu Shouwei thought about it, the more satisfied he became.

The fat on his face and belly jiggled with laughter!

The few dogheaded advisers nearby were equally delighted, prancing with joy.

Thinking that if the master got rich, they might also get a silver reward.

Thus, they eagerly rushed forward to offer their lousy ideas.

"Master, I have a good idea to approach the traders, guaranteed to hit the mark!"

"Master, my idea is the best!"

"Let’s use my idea, Master, it’s the simplest!"

They surged forward, eager to push everyone else out so that the master would listen to only them!

Liu Shouwei’s belly fat was almost being squeezed out, infuriating him, making his mustache twitch.

He impatiently shouted.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Everyone instantly became too scared to speak, not even daring to breathe loudly.

"What’s all this fuss? Once I rise to prominence, how can any of you be left out?"

"Such a disgraceful lot!"

Turning around, he sat on the soft couch in the study.

Calling over Xiao Hong, the singer from the brothel, to massage his shoulders and legs, leisurely sipping on a pot of tea.

"Come, one at a time!"

The dogheaded advisers, given the chance, approached one after another.

The first, shifty-eyed, stepped forward.

"Master, isn’t it simple?!"

"What do traveling merchants lack most? Women!"

"We’ll wait at Cuifang Tower, and when they arrive, you, Master, can ’accidentally’ encounter them!"

"Once the silver is spread around and the drinks are exchanged, it won’t be long before we’re buddy-buddy!"

Once we’re buddy-buddy, we’ll have a reason to approach them!

Then, we wait for the right moment, slip them some poison, and send them all to meet Yama, the King of Hell.

"No need for knives or guns, all done without a trace!"

Liu Shouwei nodded in approval.

"Not bad, not a bad idea!"

However...

He smacked the dogheaded military adviser on the head.

"Are you stupid?!"

"I, a dignified magistrate, how could I go to a place like a brothel?!"