Chapter 911: Landlord's Kindness

The air was thick with excitement as passersby gathered. Lu Qiuwei and his companions immediately brought out platters of sweets and pastries, inviting everyone to help themselves. With beaming smiles, they loudly announced, "Our young master signed a contract with Mr. Lu today to purchase the Yangshan Archipelago! From now on, it will be a place for dining, drinking, and entertainment. Everyone is welcome to come and support us!"

The sweets and pastries, exquisite and delicate, came from Qu City's most renowned confectionery, looking particularly appealing on the platters. Both adults and children eagerly grabbed a few, making the scene bustling and lively.

After his initial surprise, Lu Qing'an felt both irritated and amused.

The man named He pulled such a stunt, exposing their transaction in broad daylight. Was he afraid the Lu family would default on their payment later, and so he wanted the elders from ten streets to bear witness?

Did he think he was clever?

If he were truly shrewd, he wouldn't exert his effort now. Instead, he would have conducted proper research before buying the island, potentially saving tens of thousands of taels of wasted money. At the very least, he would have thoroughly reviewed the agreement to avoid leaving any loopholes.

What good were these petty tricks?

With everyone craning their necks to watch him, Lu Qing'an had no choice but to smile and wave, maintaining his composure.

This confirmed He Lingchuan’s announcement: the Lu family had indeed sold the Yangshan Archipelago to Young Master He, and it was Mr. Lu Qing’an himself who had come to the yamen to sign the contract.

He Lingchuan himself also took out a platter to offer pastries. The children grabbed sweets openly, but the adults lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze.

The older residents of Bailie all knew that the Yangshan Archipelago was not a good place. It was immoral of the Lu family to sell it to an uninformed outsider.

However, Mr. Lu was right there, and his subordinates were in the crowd, ears perked and eyes sharp, ready to pounce on anyone who might let something slip. Therefore, the locals dared not offer any warnings to He Lingchuan; they simply grabbed the sweets and pastries and turned to leave.

A few brazen individuals even offered him a "Congratulations, congratulations."

Eventually, Lu Qing'an grew impatient and said with a smile to He Lingchuan, "Young Master He, the restaurant is just around the corner ahead."

"Oh, excellent!" He Lingchuan then put down the platter, clapped his hands, and declared, "Let's go, Mr. Lu and I won't stop until we're thoroughly drunk!"

The restaurant Lu Qing'an chose to host such a significant client was, of course, of the highest caliber.

There were mountain delicacies and seafood, along with flavors that blended both, such as Linglong Pavilion's signature dish, which resembled "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall." It also required steaming for over four hours but had a much lighter taste and could be dipped in shredded ginger and red vinegar. He Lingchuan ate it with boundless praise.

Lu Qing'an, who was about to pocket eighty thousand taels of silver from him, naturally didn't mind spending a small sum on the meal. He also wanted to sound out He Lingchuan and figure out his true background.

As He Lingchuan ate heartily, effectively spending more of Lu Qing'an's money, he fashioned himself into a nobleman from Fu Nation, claiming his family also conducted business with Beijia and was the exclusive supplier of several in-demand commodities.

He had indeed traveled through Fu Nation and journeyed for a thousand *li* with the second-in-command of the Stone Gate Chamber of Commerce. He had absorbed a good deal of information about Fu Nation's customs and business practices, which he now used to impress Lu Qing'an.

There were too many small nations and powers on the fringes of the great ocean. Bailie knew very little about inland countries like Fu Nation, which had no coastline. After Blade Port was "leased" by Qing Nation, Bailie lost its most important maritime gateway, further reducing its communication with distant lands.

Lu Qing'an attempted to ask a few questions.

When it came to dining, drinking, and entertainment, He Lingchuan answered without hesitation.

However, when the topic turned to business operations, he began to falter and stammer, perfectly fitting the Lu family's assessment of him.

Fortunately, the fine wine helped to elevate the mood, and as host and guest drank together, the atmosphere grew lively, masking any potential awkwardness.

Lu Qing'an gradually came to view He Lingchuan as a second-generation rich idler who had been expelled from his family, someone with plenty of money but no business sense.

The crucial thing was that he still had a lot of money.

He then asked He Lingchuan, "Young Master He is now the island lord. How do you plan to utilize the Yangshan Archipelago?"

He Lingchuan ate a piece of creamy fish lip, then grabbed his wine glass and drained it. "This is delicious, mellow, soft, and glutinous. What is it?"

"This dish is made specifically from the lips of a sturgeon, prepared with fresh milk. Only a few pieces can be taken from each fish, making it a rare delicacy."

"Rare" meant expensive.

"You people by the sea really know how to eat. I've certainly come to the right place."

Lu Qing'an shook his head. "Sturgeon live deep in freshwater lakes two hundred *li* north of here; they are not sea fish. They are quite far from us."

Otherwise, if they lived by the sea and ate from the sea, how could the ingredients be considered rare?

Just this single dish cost two taels of silver.

Seeing that his esteemed guest's conversation revolved entirely around the food, Lu Qing'an had no choice but to turn and instruct the restaurant to prepare another plate of fish lips, this time using a different cooking method.

He Lingchuan then slowly remarked, "Ah, the Yangshan Archipelago. I see its land is fertile, so both estates and farmlands can be developed there. If the coastal islands are properly renovated, the shipping lanes will naturally bring me endless streams of visitors!"

So, he bought the island just to farm? He's surely going to lose every penny!

Lu Qing'an secretly chuckled, then added, "Young Master He, if you need anything at all, just say the word. We will do our best as hosts!"

He Lingchuan, however, took the polite remark seriously, slamming his hand on the table. "Excellent, Mr. Lu, you're truly generous! There will be massive construction on the island, and I'll need top-quality materials and highly skilled artisans!"

Up to this point, he was still unfamiliar with the place. To procure the right materials and labor, he genuinely needed assistance from locals.

Lu Qing'an clapped his hands. "A small matter! I can certainly arrange all of these for you. Bailie is renowned for its skilled craftsmen; whatever kind of buildings or palaces you desire, they can construct them for you."

The largest timber merchant in the area belonged to the Lu family.

He Lingchuan immediately raised his glass to him. "Is that settled, then? In that case, please trouble Mr. Lu to find me three hundred artisans first!"

"...It's a small matter."

The two men toasted each other again, then enjoyed the spinning dance of the beautiful courtesans.

The next morning, Lu Qing'an woke up still feeling a bit groggy.

Despite possessing cultivation, he still felt parched and needed to drink several glasses of honey water before he began to feel better.

That young man named He certainly could hold his liquor!

He himself had gotten a bit hazy later on and thought he had even thumped his chest at He, but he couldn't recall what he had promised.

Never mind, drunken jokes don't count for anything.

He composed himself and summoned someone to give instructions: "For the next ten days, secretly establish defenses at both the yamen and the Lu Mansion. If anyone comes to provoke trouble, strictly control and arrest them immediately! When my family members go out, they must also have attendants for protection."

Sooner or later, the man named He would discover the truth about the Yangshan Archipelago. When that happened, he would either try to return the island and cancel the contract, or he would come looking for trouble at the Lu Mansion.

What wouldn't a lawless scion of a noble family do?

Otherwise, why would he have been expelled by his family and sent thousands of *li* away?

Lu Qing'an gave these orders, and his subordinates naturally followed them.

However, after several days of being on high alert, Qu City remained calm and peaceful.

He Lingchuan neither stormed their doors, directly accusing them of being swindlers, nor arranged for people to blockade the entrance of the Lu Mansion.