Chapter 914: Buy-Sell Agreements Do Not Invalidate Leases

A voice from outside the crowd commanded, "Stop!"

The tone was level, but everyone felt a jolt and instinctively straightened up.

The guards parted, creating an opening, and He Lingchuan and Clerk Yang walked through.

"What's going on?" Clerk Yang demanded. "All this noise and scuffling – what kind of behavior is this?"

A guard immediately responded, "The person surnamed Lei came here to cause trouble..."

"I'm causing trouble?" The woman's eyes widened. She pointed at everyone's noses and exclaimed, "You're clearly bullying honest people, and you dare say I'm causing trouble?"

"Everyone, step aside, step aside." He Lingchuan beckoned to the woman. "You, come up and explain yourself."

The young woman was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with wheat-colored skin, delicate willow-shaped eyebrows, and piercing eyes.

She was quite tall and not as fair-skinned as girls from the inland regions. Her hair was tied into a thick braid that wound around the back of her head, giving her a heroic appearance.

The guards looked at Clerk Yang. Seeing him nod and wave his hand, they finally moved aside.

As the woman jumped onto the pier, Clerk Yang spoke first, "Lei Ni, your father and I have already settled on the compensation, and it has been paid. From now on, everything on this island belongs to Young Master He. If you cause any more trouble, I'll have no choice but to send you to the county jail for a few days to clear your head."

"Settled? That was fraud!" Lei Ni scoffed. "You tricked my father into signing an agreement while I was away. Fifty taels as compensation—how dare you even mention it?"

She pointed at the buildings on the shore. "We renovated this supply station three years ago; it cost us far more than fifty taels!"

Fifty taels in compensation? He Lingchuan's eyebrow twitched.

To quickly receive the remaining forty thousand taels from the agreement, Lu Qing'an wouldn't be stingy about a hundred or two hundred taels in liquidated damages.

He Lingchuan believed the Lu family certainly knew what was more important. Furthermore, judging by Lu Qing'an's lifestyle and expenses, he met the standards of a first- or second-tier noble family; this amount of money would be trivial to him.

So why did the tenant on Suoding Island only receive fifty taels? He Lingchuan glanced at Clerk Yang and understood.

If this account were to be traced further up, the numbers likely wouldn't add up.

"That was then," He Lingchuan's amused gaze made Clerk Yang's heart pound slightly, and his tone softened. "Do not argue in front of our distinguished guest. Come to the county office tomorrow to discuss it."

"Let's clarify it now." He wanted to calm things down, but Lei Ni wouldn't fall for it. With He Lingchuan present, she needed to press her advantage. Once this opportunity passed, there would be no second chances; the authorities had plenty of ways to deal with 'troublemakers.'

"Either let us continue leasing the supply station, or give us more compensation!" She looked at He Lingchuan and asked again, "Will this money come from you, or from the Bailie people?"

"The Bailie people pay..." He Lingchuan chuckled. "How do you know I'm not Bailie?"

Lei Ni let out a snort of laughter, revealing a pair of small, white canine teeth. "How could I not know? From Bailie to Blade Harbor, it's widely rumored that the Yangshan Archipelago was bought by a big fool."

Clerk Yang's face changed color. "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"A fool?" He Lingchuan pointed at his own nose. "Are you talking about me?"

"Did you buy the Yangshan Archipelago?"

"Yes."

"Then it's you. Congratulations, you're famous around here; even the local pirates are talking about it!" Lei Ni spoke quickly. "Before you spent a fortune buying an island, didn't you think to gather some information first? If the Yangshan Archipelago was so good, why would it be your turn to get a bargain?"

As soon as the word "pirates" slipped out, Clerk Yang shot a glance at a few guards, signaling that she shouldn't be allowed to disrupt things any further. The guards immediately stepped forward to pull Lei Ni away.

Just as their shoulders moved, Qiu Hu stepped sideways two paces, partially blocking Lei Ni. "Let her finish!"

His face and tone were calm, but his gaze was menacing. When the guards met his eyes, they felt a chill and found themselves unable to move forward.

He Lingchuan had already said, "Do you have any more information you can share with me?"

Lei Ni curled her lip. "Haven't you already signed the agreement with Bailie? It's too late to ask now that it's signed."

He Lingchuan smiled. "Your father and Clerk Yang also have a lease termination agreement. Why don't you acknowledge that?"

Lei Ni was momentarily speechless.

Clerk Yang's face was clouded with frustration. He Lingchuan had won a point for him, but he wasn't happy at all. "Young Master He, this person surnamed Lei is no good. They collude with pirates, which is why Suoding Island is spared from pirate attacks, but passing ships suffer greatly. The Lei father and daughter are full of lies; you absolutely cannot trust them!"

Lei Ni raised a delicate eyebrow, her words sharp and unyielding. "Yang Lun, you're spouting nonsense in broad daylight. Aren't you afraid of ghosts knocking on your door at midnight? Come on, tell me, how much of my compensation did you really swallow?"

He Lingchuan was slightly surprised; this young woman seemed abrasive, but her mind was clear as day.

Just as Clerk Yang was about to retort, He Lingchuan immediately interrupted him. "If you know they're colluding with pirates, why hasn't Bailie arrested them for investigation? Why haven't they reclaimed the leasehold of Suoding Island?"

Clerk Yang: "..."

Lei Ni said gleefully, "Exactly! You're quite quick-witted for a young master."

He Lingchuan, disinclined to argue further with Clerk Yang, promptly added, "All right, both islands have been returned and inspected. We should head back to the harbor. Isn't Old Man Lu still waiting for me? If we wait until dark to return, who knows what other complications might arise."

Hearing this, Clerk Yang's heart clenched. What was Young Master He implying?

He Lingchuan didn't even look at him, addressing only Lei Ni, "How about this: I'll ask, and you answer. If your answers are truthful, I will let you renew the lease for the supply station on Suoding Island."

"Really?" Lei Ni was overjoyed, but then her eyes darted. "How much is the rent?"

"What was the rent you originally paid to Bailie?"

Lei Ni was displeased. "You're the new island lord, why are you referring to the old terms?"

Clerk Yang, meanwhile, quoted a figure from the side.

"That exact amount, but you'll pay half of it from now on." He Lingchuan waited until her eyes lit up before adding, "And you will also give me one and a half tenths of your profits, but this payment will only begin two years from now. Any future expansion or renovation of the supply station will also be at my discretion; if the area expands, you will pay rent according to the actual leased space."

Lei Ni's expression dimmed. She clearly had deep reservations about his vision and aesthetic, but considering the two-year tax-free period, it was still a very good deal. Bailie used to collect twice as much as He Lingchuan proposed. So, she reluctantly agreed, "That works too."

"Standing around and chatting is boring," He Lingchuan said, pointing to the pleasure boat. "I'm heading back to Blade Harbor. You can tell me on the way."

Then he turned to Clerk Yang, "She's coming back to the harbor with us, no problem, right?"

This was not a question; it was a statement.

Clerk Yang's mouth felt a bit bitter. "I... I'm afraid she might act wildly and harm you."

What if this woman starts talking nonsense once she's on the boat?

He Lingchuan gestured to the guards behind him. "With so many strong men here, you can't protect me?"

With that, he smiled at Lei Ni and said, "Miss Lei, please come aboard."

With the final payment yet to be received, He Lingchuan was the client. As it was the last step, Clerk Yang naturally had to try his best to meet his requests.

Lei Ni looked at He Lingchuan, then at the pleasure boat, knowing she was in no position to say "no."

She poked Qiu Hu's shoulder. "Big guy, move aside."

*Hmph*, it was like poking an iron plate.

This fellow was six feet tall, but his presence felt six *zhang* tall. Standing firmly rooted, he somehow managed to block the entire pier.

Only then did Qiu Hu step back two paces, allowing her to pass. He then walked to the water's edge and re-tied the rope of her small boat to the pleasure boat.

The pleasure boat soon set off, carrying dozens of people and towing Lei Ni's small boat as it sailed towards Blade Harbor.

The sea breeze had shifted at noon, so the return journey was downwind, and the boat moved swiftly.

Once on deck, He Lingchuan pointed to the snacks and tea on the low table. "Miss Lei, help yourself to whatever you like. Old Man Lu is treating."

The food and drinks on the pleasure boat were, of course, provided by Bailie.

Lei Ni thought, *When in Rome, do as the Romans do.* Besides, she was a bit hungry after rowing her boat for most of the day to get back to the island. She simply sat down and reached for a piece of almond-walnut cake.

Delicious! The cake was delicate, and the nutty flavor was exceptionally rich.

He Lingchuan personally brewed her a cup of tea. She picked it up, drank it in one gulp, and then rinsed her mouth.

These rich people were truly wasteful, leaving a whole table of snacks untouched. She noticed that the pastry shells of two sugar rolls were a bit hard, so she quickly appeased them with her own stomach.

As she was happily eating, she inadvertently turned her head and saw the burly man staring directly at her.

His gaze wasn't fierce, but it was somewhat piercing.

Only then did Lei Ni realize that it wasn't just the burly man; everyone around her was watching her.

Her hand slowed as she reached for a snack.

As if sensing her discomfort, Qiu Hu withdrew his gaze and turned his back, standing by the ship's rail.

"What do you want to ask me?" He Lingchuan had been sitting with his legs crossed, smiling but saying nothing. Lei Ni waited and waited, eventually deciding to bring it up herself.

"How many people are in your family?"

The question was so irrelevant that Lei Ni paused before answering, "Two, my father and I. My mother passed away from illness a few years ago."

"With so many livelihoods available in Blade Harbor, why did you specifically choose to open a supply station in the Yangshan Archipelago?"

Very few people did this kind of work; there were only two supply stations in the entire vast archipelago. It was such a niche business that ordinary people wouldn't even conceive of it.

Lei Ni twirled the teacup in her hand. "My father lost money in all his other businesses, but he was stubborn and still wanted to do business. We didn't have much money left, and after looking around, only the rent on Suoding Island was cheap. Unexpectedly, he saw some improvement after working there for two years, so we renovated the supply station. Then..." She glanced at Clerk Yang, "you all arrived."

"Was the supply station's business good?"

"Not bad," Lei Ni instinctively glanced at the sea, where her small boat was still floating behind the pleasure boat. "Enough to keep us both fed and clothed, with a small surplus."

He Lingchuan pointed towards Suoding Island. "There's another supply station there; are they your competitors?"

"Yes!" Lei Ni frowned. "Did they also sign an agreement and leave?"

Clerk Yang replied, "They did. They were very straightforward, signing and leaving on the same day."

Lei Ni was eating malt candy and almost choked when she heard him say that.

"You saw what a mess their place was, Young Master He, didn't you? Of course, they were desperate to get out with a little money!"