Chapter Seventeen: Let's Make Money Together

The bandit leader of Tiger Head Mountain was named Huang Sifai, but fate had granted him neither talent nor wealth. At this moment, he was holding his wife close in one arm while raising a cup of wine with the other and draining it in one gulp.

“Hmm, this truly is fine wine. Did you really brew it yourself?” Huang Sifai eyed Jiang Chen with suspicion.

“Absolutely. I swear it’s genuine, not a trick. The Moonlight White is my own creation. If you find it lacking, I’ll have a few jars sent up next time, enough to let your brothers drink their fill.”

Huang Sifai squinted, his restless hand wandering up and down his wife’s waist.

“For the sake of your wine, I’ll pardon your trespass today. Go back.”

Jiang Chen replied, “Master, I’ve come to discuss business with you. The negotiation hasn’t even begun; how can I leave now?”

“Business?” Huang Sifai suddenly slapped the table, and the bandits around him erupted into laughter.

This fellow wanted to do business with bandits? Did he not realize that their trade required no capital?

Ridicule echoed from every corner. None took Jiang Chen’s words seriously; in fact, they found them utterly ridiculous.

“My bandit brothers, do you still remember the man beside me? I sent him to deliver a message to you, and you robbed cargo worth a thousand taels because of it, didn’t you?”

At this, Huang Sifai’s smile vanished, and the faces of the surrounding rogues darkened with anger.

“So it was you who came up with that rotten idea! I thought it was a thousand taels of silver, but after all our trouble, we ended up with worthless herbs.”

“That’s right! Those wooden crates filled with herbs were big and heavy—we spent half the day hauling them up the mountain. Was this your idea of a joke?”

Seeing the bandits grow agitated, seemingly ready to settle accounts with Jiang Chen, Gu Jun stepped forward with unwavering loyalty to shield him, prepared for the worst.

“This looks bad. If a fight breaks out, I’ll cover your escape with my life,” Gu Jun said, his words firm and resolute, giving a strong sense of reassurance.

---

“What about yourself?” Jiang Chen asked.

Gu Jun hesitated, surprised that Jiang Chen would worry about his safety in such a situation.

With passionate resolve, he replied, “My life isn’t worth much—if I die, so be it. But you must not die!”

Faced with dire straits and danger, Gu Jun’s dormant courage awakened, revealing a side few had ever seen. Though everyone deemed him a cripple, Jiang Chen thought differently. He knew Gu Jun must have lived a tumultuous life, carefully concealed from the world.

“Things haven’t reached that point yet. Don’t rush to escape,” Jiang Chen said, smiling easily. Despite his youth, his calm composure was impressive.

Gu Jun nodded deeply.

“Silence!” Jiang Chen suddenly shouted. “What are you all squabbling about? Huang Sifai, let me ask you: the cargo was worth a thousand taels—did I deceive you?”

Huang Sifai was startled by the direct address, and before he could react, Jiang Chen pressed on.

“These herbs are rare and precious, hard to find locally. You find them useless because you don’t know how to do business. In my hands, they’ll turn a thousand taels into two thousand, then four thousand, then eight thousand!”

“Tell me, with such an opportunity for profit, would you let it slip away?”

Jiang Chen’s tone was full of disappointment, shaking the room. The muscular but simple-minded bandits glanced at each other, unsure whether to believe him.

“You dare shout at me like that? Even after sharing your wine, I’ll still cut you down!” Huang Sifai finally recovered. His followers never dared call him by name, but Jiang Chen had done so, undermining his authority. He had to teach Jiang Chen a lesson, but before he could act, Jiang Chen struck first.

“Hand the cargo over to me. I’ll sell it and share the profits with you—thirty percent for you, seventy for me! You’d better understand: I can help you make real money, far better than your sporadic raids.”

“This is a one-time offer. If you don’t agree, just pretend I never asked.”

---

Jiang Chen’s words sent another uproar through the bandits.

Huang Sifai pondered, then asked, “How can I trust you? Who says you’re not cheating me?”

“I knew you’d ask. This time, I’ll take only one crate and sell those herbs for double their value. When I return, I’ll bring your share. You’ll see then whether I’m lying.”

“Fine, I’ll trust you this once.”

“But I don’t like your tone. You’d better watch yourself.”

Jiang Chen was unfazed. “We’re partners—there’s no hierarchy. I’ll speak as I please, and you’ll have to accept it.”

“After all, no one turns away silver, right?”

This time, Huang Sifai didn’t get angry, but laughed heartily. He found Jiang Chen intriguing—perhaps he could really bring him a windfall. Those useless herbs were of no value anyway; he might as well give Jiang Chen a chance.

With the deal struck, Gu Jun was utterly astonished. Jiang Chen was truly doing business with bandits, negotiating as equals with their leader—a rare sight.

As the two prepared to leave, Huang Sifai suddenly called out, “Wait! You said seventy-thirty—who gets seventy, who gets thirty?”

“Of course I get seventy, you get thirty. You lot sit on the mountain and do nothing, and still get thirty percent—how could you not be satisfied?”

Huang Sifai was about to object, but a trusted aide whispered, “Let him try first, Master. Who knows if he’ll succeed? If he does, won’t we have the final say?”

Delighted, Huang Sifai clapped and agreed, “I’ll await your good news on Tiger Head Mountain—don’t disappoint me!”

“Very well. If I need you, I’ll send Gu Jun to contact you.”