Longevity Reward Redemption: The Immortal Clan Starts with Farmers

29: The Chen family bought land and partnered with the immortal officials.”I dare not accept the title of ’Master’. Lord Immortal Official may just call me by my name!”

Chen Changsheng hurriedly cupped his hands, putting on no airs at all as he walked into the pavilion where Baili Ce was.

”Hehe, the Head of the Chen Family certainly deserves to be called ’Master’. Your family grows tea and brews wine; you’re considered a prominent and wealthy household in the county!”

Chen Changsheng hurriedly cupped his hands, wanting to explain, but Baili Ce gave a light chuckle and waved his hand to stop him.

”No need to panic. I am not a corrupt official who specializes in fleecing wealthy merchants. Since you don’t like me calling you ’Master’, I shall call you the Head of the Chen Family!”

”The Head of the Chen Family is a busy man. I wonder what business brings you to see a leisurely Immortal Official like me?”

Chen Changsheng was secretly amazed. This Immortal Official appeared calm on the surface, but secretly knew everything. What a shrewd person!

[Remember this site’s domain name, read Taiwan novels on twkan.com]

He first exposed Chen Changsheng’s background and then gave him a way out. He looked all smiles, but he was actually warning Chen Changsheng that he knew his secrets.

Chen Changsheng expected that Baili Ce must have guessed his intention. It would be difficult to acquire these eight hundred mu of land without spending a large sum of money.

”Reporting to your Lordship, I heard earlier that the yamen intends to auction those eight hundred mu of land belonging to Liu Jiang. I have some assets and would like to inquire about the cost of purchasing these lands.”

Chen Changsheng did not dare to hide anything. The best way to deal with a shrewd person was sincerity; by speaking the truth, the other party would be less suspicious.

”The Head of the Chen Family is indeed straightforward. Since you are so direct, I won’t beat around the bush either.”

”Those eight hundred mu of Liu Jiang’s land have a fixed price of twenty-five thousand taels of silver.”

”You should know that at market price, one mu of land is worth at least forty taels of silver. By handling this myself, I’ve saved the Head of the Chen Family seven thousand taels!”

Baili Ce said with a smile. He looked at Chen Changsheng’s reaction with great interest, calculating his own plans.

”To be honest, my Lord, the price is indeed cheap, but my Chen Family lacks the financial strength and truly cannot afford it!”

Chen Changsheng gave a bitter smile. His family only had five thousand taels of silver left. He originally had the idea of buying the land on credit and paying it back slowly.

But encountering such a shrewd Immortal Official, he abandoned that thought. After all, shrewd people have large appetites.

”Haha, the Head of the Chen Family must be joking. Just from your family’s wine brewing alone, you can earn two to three thousand taels of silver a month. Add your family’s tea to that, and if you were to sell it freely, I estimate it wouldn’t be hard to earn over ten thousand taels of silver a month!”

A cold sweat broke out on Chen Changsheng’s forehead. He hadn’t expected Baili Ce to have investigated his background so thoroughly. Was he plotting to take over his business?

Just as Chen Changsheng was becoming suspicious, a sharp light flickered in Baili Ce’s eyes, and he suddenly said with a smile:

”I have a way. As long as Lord Chen agrees, I can give these eight hundred mu of land to the Head of the Chen Family for free!”

Chen Changsheng’s heart sank. He knew Baili Ce was about to reveal his true intentions, so he became even more cautious.

”I wonder what the Immortal Official’s method is?”

Baili Ce walked up to Chen Changsheng with a smile and stared at him, saying cheerfully:

”I greatly admire the Head of the Chen Family’s ability. I believe the Chen Family’s business will surely get better and better. I plan to use these eight hundred mu of land as an investment. I wonder how many shares the Head of the Chen Family is willing to give?”

Chen Changsheng’s mind relaxed; at least it wasn’t outright robbery. However, he secretly marveled at Baili Ce in his heart.

This person was indeed exceptionally capable, almost completely having him in his grasp.

He was investing with land, which was a transaction, but how many shares to give him was a difficult problem thrown back to Chen Changsheng.

Too many or too few would both be inappropriate. Moreover, if the profits became too large, it was inevitable that the other party might develop ill intentions again.

However, giving Baili Ce shares also had some benefits. At the very least, the Chen Family’s business would have a powerful backing.

With a Cultivator—and one who held power at that—tied to their chariot, the Chen Family’s development could be said to be unimpeded!

”Since your Lordship deigns to join us, I am willing to take the tea-growing and wine-brewing business and give fifty percent to the Lord Immortal Official!”

Chen Changsheng secretly gritted his teeth, making a painful decision to cut his losses. But he did not regret it because, in his heart, the price of a Cultivator was worth this much!

”Good! The Head of the Chen Family is indeed generous!”

A sharp light flashed in Baili Ce’s eyes as he glanced at Chen Changsheng in surprise. He hadn’t expected the other party to be so generous.

As an outside Cultivator without a background, he instinctively wanted to find a source of wealth to seek his own cultivation resources.

He had originally only thought of asking for twenty percent, just enough to have a steady stream of income. After all, by using the land as an investment, he was essentially getting something for nothing. He hadn’t expected Chen Changsheng to offer half directly.

This Chen Changsheng was quite a character among Mortals. In the future, he would have to look after his family’s business a bit more!

”Then it’s a deal. The Head of the Chen Family just needs to follow me to collect the land deeds!”

Baili Ce now found Chen Changsheng extremely pleasing to the eye and spoke to him with a smile.

Chen Changsheng nodded obediently and followed behind Baili Ce, appearing calm on the surface.

In reality, Chen Changsheng was weighing the pros and cons of this matter.

It seemed like the Chen Family was losing out by giving up half the profits, but with Baili Ce as a backer, it would eliminate most troubles.

The most dangerous thing was if Baili Ce became greedy and, instead of accepting the Chen Family’s tribute, directly seized their entire business. However, that would surely be many years later. Baili Ce had just confiscated two hundred thousand taels of illicit silver from Liu Jiang, so he certainly wasn’t short of money now!

Years later, who would be relying on whom was still uncertain!

With the help of the Clan Fortune Treasure Trove, it was likely that after many years, the Chen Family would have transformed from a Martial Arts Clan into a true Cultivation Clan!

Therefore, using half the business profits in exchange for an early-stage backer and years of peaceful development time, Chen Changsheng felt this deal was not a loss but very much worth it!

The two left the garden in the backyard and went to the yamen in front. Baili Ce summoned someone to bring the land deeds, and both he and Chen Changsheng signed their names on them.

”Head of the Chen Family, I’ve given the land to you. I hope you manage it well!”

Baili Ce smiled as he handed the land deeds to Chen Changsheng. As for the matter of his investment in the Chen Family’s business, he felt there was no need to put it on paper.

As a Cultivator, would he fear a Mortal breaking a contract?

”Rest assured, Lord Baili. Starting from next month, on the tenth of every month, I will deliver the dividends to your residence!”

Baili Ce nodded with satisfaction and, surprisingly, regardless of the gap in status, personally escorted Chen Changsheng out of the yamen!

Such a gesture caused many in the yamen to suspect that Baili Ce was the Chen Family’s backer.

Holding the land deeds, Chen Changsheng returned to Kaoshan Village. Regardless of what the future held, by reaching a cooperation with Baili Ce, the Chen Family had now entered the fast lane of development!

”Chuanwen, take this land deed and go to the Liu Family to collect the land. It’s time to collect some interest on our years of grievances with the Liu Family!”

Chen Changsheng walked into the Courtyard House and immediately called over Chuanwen, who was calculating accounts with a ledger. Staring at the Liu Family’s residence at the foot of the mountain, he spoke in a deep tone!