Old Master Yao was not a living person.
In life, he must have been a high-level Alcohol Cultivator.
As for why he remained in the Mortal World after his death, that is a mystery.
"Seventh Master, let’s not talk about this for now. Boss Qin’s Technique has been lifted, and after eating a few bowls of rice, he just fell asleep," Yu Nan changed the subject, feeling more and more that Li Banfeng was no ordinary man.
Qin Xiaopang was soundly asleep, so Li Banfeng didn’t disturb him.
That night, Li Banfeng claimed to be sleeping in the side room with Qin Xiaopang, but in reality, he hid the key outside the courtyard and slept in his Portable Residence.
When Li Banfeng got up the next day, he checked his pocket watch; it was still early, not yet seven o’clock. He thought about going back to sleep but, feeling a bit thirsty, Li Banfeng came out to look for water when he suddenly saw twenty or thirty people standing in the courtyard with an air of murderous intent.
Li Banfeng initially thought that the Jiang Xiang Gang had come for revenge. However, upon closer inspection, this group included young and old, all armed with daggers, machetes, and iron rods—every kind of weapon.
These people were clerks from the Yu Family Cloth Store; Li Banfeng recognized a couple of them.
Yu Nan stood in the center of the crowd, wearing a gray hat and a gray vest, still biting on her dark red ladies’ smoke pipe, with a revolver tucked at her waist.
This was the first time Li Banfeng had seen such a thing. He wondered if Feng’s Grocery Store sold these items.
Li Banfeng approached to inquire about the situation, and Yu Nan replied, "Geng Zhiwei, the eldest son of the Geng Family Medicine Shop, has sent an invitation asking me to dine. He wants to lay things out on the table. I’m going with the brothers today to attend the banquet. If we can come to a satisfactory agreement, this matter will be settled today."
Li Banfeng looked at the crowd’s formation and couldn’t help but be surprised. "For a meal, do you need to bring so many people?"
Yu Nan, biting her smoke pipe, smiled slightly and said, "Clear weapons and clear reasons go hand in hand. Reasoning needs the support of weapons. Without some display of strength, there’s no basis for a conversation."
Li Banfeng heard the underlying message: if they could settle things peacefully, they would; if not, they would fight.
He looked again at the group of clerks. "Your cloth store’s clerks are quite unique—they don’t earn much, yet they really put their lives on the line for you."
Yu Nan looked rather proud. "They are my sworn brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. If I have a mouthful of food, I cannot let them starve. If I have a piece of clothing, I cannot let them freeze. If they are in trouble, I will shoulder it. If I am in trouble, they will stand by me."
Li Banfeng still didn’t understand their relationship. This was one of the reasons why he couldn’t find work in Puluo State.
The Yu Family Cloth Store was not just a shop; it was a gang personally managed by Yu Nan, and it could be referred to as the Yu Family Gang.
On regular days, Yu Nan was the shopkeeper, and the rest were clerks.
When danger arose, Yu Nan was the gang leader, and the others were her disciples.
A shop like this would never hire a stranger like Li Banfeng.
The Yu Family Gang was not powerful; the only standout was Yu Nan, a First Layer Smoke Cultivator.
But having a gang was better than not having one at all.
In the whole of Puluo State, from grand, thousand-gold deals to small transactions of two or three coins, gangs backed them. Even the steamed bun shop Qin Xiaopang frequented had the Bun Gang behind it.
For someone like Li Banfeng, who had no gang and worked alone, earning more meant taking on risky jobs like those in Kuwu Mountain.
Yu Nan cupped her fist in a salute. "Seventh Master, you and Boss Qin take good care of yourselves here. I’ll take my leave now."
Li Banfeng turned to Yu Nan. "Manager Yu, is it okay not to go?"
Yu Nan picked up her smoke pipe and took a deep drag. "I understand what Seventh Master is saying, and I know Geng Zhiwei may have ill intentions. If he tries to stab me in the back, I can avoid him. But now that he has openly sent an invitation, if I don’t go, it’s the same as taking down the Yu Family’s flag, and I will no longer be able to hold my head high in Medicine King Valley."
"You make a good point," Li Banfeng nodded. "So, is it okay not to go?"
Yu Nan let out a bitter laugh. "If it were just me cowering, it would be fine. But what about the dignity of all my brothers and sisters? Should they just throw it away?"
"Dignity must be preserved," Li Banfeng agreed with Yu Nan’s thinking. "So, is it okay not to go?"
Yu Nan pulled the cigarette from her pipe and tucked it into Li Banfeng’s mouth, saying, "Seventh Master, I must go today, whether I want to or not. That’s the way of the Jianghu."
After that, Yu Nan led her group of clerks out of the residence.
Today she did not constrain herself; two buttons on her vest had come undone, and it was unclear whether she had unfastened them or they had burst open.
Her trousers were somewhat loose, but the voluptuous curves of her hips, forming a delicate silhouette, still firmly captured the gaze of every man behind her.
"She speaks with authority," Li Banfeng murmured to himself as he watched Yu Nan’s retreating figure.
...
Yu Nan arrived at Spring View Tower with thirty-three attendants in tow.
Spring View Tower was the largest restaurant in Medicine King Valley, where more than twenty attendants from the Geng Family Medicine Shop had come down to meet them.
Seeing that the other party had fewer people than her own made Yu Nan feel somewhat relieved.
However, Geng Zhiwei’s absence in the welcoming party displeased Yu Nan.
But Yu Nan was also aware that in Geng Zhiwei’s eyes, they could never be equals, and that she was bound to endure some slights during today’s banquet.
Yu Nan strode into the restaurant, followed only by two bodyguards, as the Geng Family Medicine Shop’s Account Manager stepped forward and said, "Manager Yu, you can hand over your weapons to us."
Yu Nan recognized the Account Manager and replied with a smile, "As a weak woman, carrying a gun for self-defense should hardly scare Young Master Geng."
The Account Manager clicked his tongue. "Manager Yu, we’re here to settle matters today, not create trouble. You should know the rules of the Jianghu."
Yu Nan was indeed familiar with the rules of the Jianghu, but today she had to take the gun with her.
"The place was picked by your Young Master, and the time was chosen by him as well. He even arrived first. How do I know whether he’s carrying a weapon or not?"
The Account Manager frowned. "Manager Yu, we’re old acquaintances. There’s no need for such words. You are a First Layer Smoke Cultivator, whereas our Young Master has no cultivation level. If it really came down to a fight, we’d be at a disadvantage!"
Yu Nan gave a cold laugh. "This gun won’t leave my side. Otherwise, I won’t be going upstairs."
"Regarding this matter..." The Account Manager was in a predicament when suddenly a voice called out from upstairs, "Don’t make it hard for her. If Manager Yu wants to bring her handgun upstairs, then let her."
Geng Zhiwei had spoken.
The Account Manager said to Yu Nan, "Manager Yu, our Young Master has made a concession, so you can take your gun upstairs. But these two people with you..."
Yu Nan glanced at the two bodyguards behind her; both bodyguards handed their weapons to the other attendants.
Each party made concessions, not making it difficult for the other. In Yu Nan’s view, Geng Zhiwei was also someone who followed the rules.
On the second floor, a large hall with only one table was set; Geng Zhiwei had booked the entire Spring View Tower. Upon seeing Yu Nan ascend the stairs, Geng Zhiwei, who was eating watermelon, rose to greet her.
Two bodyguards stood next to Geng Zhiwei, as well as Jia Quansheng—the same Young Master Jia who had previously tried to extort a Snake-Patterned Pill from Qin Xiaopang; he was the catalyst for the whole affair.
In the current situation, Yu Nan was confident she could handle it.
"Manager Yu!"
"Master Geng!"
"Please!"
After they were seated and had exchanged a few pleasantries, Geng Zhiwei ordered someone to pour wine. "Manager Yu, drink this cup of wine, and we can put aside all past grievances."
Yu Nan knew things wouldn’t be that simple. Holding her cup, she said, "Master Geng, let’s get everything out in the open. You say to put grievances aside; what conditions are involved?"
There were two plates of watermelon on Geng Zhiwei’s table. He picked up another piece, took a bite, and said, "Personally, if it were just me, I’d let this go out of respect for Manager Yu. However, Rong Jin’an was one of ours at Geng Family Medicine Shop. He’s vanished—no sign of him alive, no body found. This concerns the Geng Family Medicine Shop’s reputation. With over a hundred people in our shop, your reputation alone isn’t enough to account for this. Furthermore, my brother Quansheng also suffered in this matter; several of his men were injured by that Fatty Qin. So, this isn’t just about me."
𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
The flashy Jia Quansheng also took a piece of watermelon, wiping his mouth. "Manager Yu, I also need to give an account to my men."
Yu Nan did not wish to give Jia Quansheng another glance; he was there just to flatter Geng Zhiwei.
"Young Master Geng, no need to beat around the bush. Just state your conditions directly."
Geng Zhiwei took another piece of watermelon, speaking as he ate. "Manager Yu is straightforward. I have three conditions. As long as you agree to them, the matter with Rong Jin’an and Qin Xiaopang will be completely settled!
"The first condition is that the Yu Family Cloth Store will still be under Manager Yu’s management, but you must give a fifty percent share to our Medicine Shop. I’m not asking for it for free. From now on, if your Yu Family Cloth Store encounters trouble, it’s the Geng Family’s trouble. Anyone who offends Manager Yu offends the Geng Family. Our Geng Family’s banner will henceforth fly over the storefront of the Yu Family Cloth Store. Manager Yu, what do you think?"
Yu Nan’s cheeks twitched. Geng Zhiwei’s intent to swallow the Yu Family Cloth Store was obvious.
This condition was hard to accept, but if she didn’t agree, Yu Nan’s cloth store wouldn’t survive in Medicine King Valley.
A fifty percent share was too much; it warranted further negotiation later.
Without committing, Yu Nan said, "Young Master Geng, please continue."
Geng Zhiwei smiled and put down his watermelon rind. "I’ll take that as a yes. Manager Yu, this whole affair has made me really admire you—your striking looks, and especially your spirited and decisive nature. I’d like to take you as my Sixth Mistress. If you agree, we can hold a wedding feast at Spring View Tower today, and you can enter the bridal chamber tonight. What do you think?"
Yu Nan clenched her teeth, her face turning green. "Continue."
"Alright, I’ll take that as a yes as well. For the third matter, due to the incident with Rong Jin’an, my family is somewhat irritated. I’m worried your life might be difficult later on. So how about this: after we get married today, you remove your clothes, and I’ll whip you in public. Once my family vents their anger, you won’t suffer any more grievances in the future. This is for your own good. How does that sound?"