Honey, you didn't really drugged me, did you?-Chapter 598 - 183 Yelu: Nan Batian, you are on the path to certain death! (It’s the beginning of the month, please vote for monthly tickets!)

"What?"

Slam!

Liu Laoguai slammed the table and rose to his feet, his eyes bulging like brass bells showing flashes of anger, and his palm emanating flames, a sure sign of uncontrolled Gang Qi.

"He, Nan Batian, dares to!"

Liu Laoguai roared furiously, "He’s utterly audacious!"

"Ah, Old Brother Liu, calm down, have a drink, I’m just passing on the news, why are you getting mad?"

"Come on, have a drink."

Chen Jie pulled Liu Laoguai to sit down, trying to soothe his temper while also lifting his cup to invite Liu Laoguai to drink.

Liu Laoguai lifted his cup but then set it down again, looking at Chen Jie, "Jiu Si, is everything you said true?"

Chen Jie replied, "Would I lie to you, brother? This news is absolutely certain. If you send someone to blockade the docks now, or ask the big merchants in town, you will surely get an answer. Such matters are easy to investigate."

Upon hearing this, Liu Laoguai was thoroughly unable to keep drinking. He looked at Chen Jie and said, "This Nan Batian is outrageous! He has sealed off the Mianshui River, not allowing a single boat to descend, and then he dispatches his own cargo ships to transport goods for these big merchants, charging exorbitant freight fees. Has he no shame?"

Chen Jie, hearing this, chuckled, "I think Guild Leader Nan might be driven to this out of desperation. After all, the Mulan people are blockading his door demanding money, and neither iron mines nor salt works are profitable. Over a thousand people in his gang need governing; without money, it’s difficult for him too."

"So, it’s difficult for him, but it’s easy for me? My Guild Cao also has a thousand people to look after, there’s eating, drinking, defecating, weddings, funerals, all require money. Only he needs money, my days are also tough to get through."

"This transport business was originally the main source for my Guild Cao. Now it has turned around, and he has become the main transporter on the Mianshui River. He has stolen so many clients from me this time. No, this can’t be left unresolved; I must settle accounts with him."

Chen Jie said, "Old Brother Liu, calm down. What accounts are you going to settle with him? He’s just making some unscrupulous money, and he’s not secretly transporting arms for the Zoroastrian Sect. Even if you report him, Lord Yelu can’t do anything about it!"

"Ah, right, if that old man is sneaking around running the Cao Yun, could he also be surreptitiously helping the Zoroastrian Sect transport arms? He, he has a problem!"

Liu Laoguai tapped his finger on the table as he spoke.

Chen Jie, with a puzzled look, said, "This, no, can it be?"

"How could it not be? Jiu Si, you’re just too naive. No wonder Nan Batian always likes to set you up. I think that’s exactly what’s happening."

Having said this, Liu Laoguai stood up. Chen Jie asked, "Old Brother Liu, where are you going? We haven’t even eaten yet!"

"Next time, I’ll treat you. I need to hurry to the docks now!"

Saying this, Liu Laoguai hurriedly left. Watching his disappearing back, Chen Jie said helplessly, "Well, that’s a waste of a good meal. Xiao Hu, Si Xi, Ah Tun, Gouzi, come over, it’s time to eat, have a few drinks with me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hu, Si Xi, the two remaining members of the Twelve Guards, Chen Zhu, and the recently recovered Chen Gou were called over.

Chen Jie said to Cuiju behind him, "Bring fresh bowls and chopsticks."

"Yes, my lord."

Cuiju immediately went to carry out the task, and Chen Jie, holding his cup of wine, drank with the four men.

Xiao Hu said, "Jiu Si, with Liu Laoguai gone, Nan Batian’s business is going to be tough."

Chen Jiusi replied, "Ah, Nan Batian also has it tough enough as it is, finally making some money, only to be reported. Poor thing. Come on, eat, the dishes are untouched."

Indeed, Liu Laoguai hadn’t touched the food, only drinking two sips of liquor and eating a single peanut before being ignited by a word from Chen Jiusi and leaving to gather his brothers.

And then all that remained of the good meal was left for those at the table: pork knuckles, roast chicken, big carp, river shrimp, crabs, large shells—all now belonged to those at the table.

So, inviting Liu Laoguai for a meal had only cost one peanut and a cup of wine.

Liu Laoguai rushed out the door and then found his strategist, Bai Mosheng, fuming, "Nan Batian is such a scoundrel, if it weren’t for Jiu Si informing me..."

Bai Mosheng, observing the angry Liu Laoguai, pondered for a moment. The gang leader had been used as a pawn by Chen Jiusi.

Yet this was indeed a big deal. Nan Batian’s actions had truly shaken the very foundation of Guild Cao. Unlike the Fishing Guild, whose foundation wasn’t the fishermen or fishing,

Guild Cao’s foundation indeed included the Cao Yun, which accounted for about two and a half percent of the guild’s total annual income, roughly equal to the annual output value of the iron mines.

Thus, it also counted as a pillar industry for Guild Cao. Now with Nan Batian pulling such a move, stealing many of their regular big customers, it was tantamount to thieving!

If they didn’t react, the future of Cao Yun might just be lost to Nan Batian’s pilfering. How could Guild Cao cope? Were the lads of Guild Cao supposed to subsist on air?

Chen Jiusi dared to use the gang leader so blatantly as a pawn, evidently unafraid of his purpose being seen.

Well, what was there to fear? Even knowing his motives, I would have to help devise plans. Could I just watch Nan Batian grow stronger? Chen Jiusi had factored me into his calculations as well. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Bai Mosheng closed his Black Wood Fan and tapped it gently in his hand a couple of times, "Gang Leader, you take people to seal off Nan Batian’s docks first. I will take people to find those big merchants in town. Having been swindled out of such a large sum of money, they surely won’t suffer in silence. Once we’ve gathered evidence from both sides, we’ll go straight to Yelu Mansion and report Nan Batian."

"Good, I’ll go right away."

...

Liu Laoguai ignited his men and set out for the docks.

At this moment, at the Fishing Guild docks, Qin Ying was directing Fishing Guild Disciples to load the ships. This was already the third batch of goods; the previous two batches of eight cargo ships had long since departed, some even a full day’s journey ahead.