“Jewellery business?”
Leaving Tianya Pavilion, thinking about the money-losing plan Liu Shichao had revealed, a glint flashed in Li Feng’s eyes.
The jewellery business, while not a guaranteed windfall, was highly profitable. With a reliable source and funds, it was nearly impossible to lose money. How could Li Quan and the others expect him to go broke by having Liu Shichao start a jewellery company?
Digging deeper, Li Feng discovered the real trap lay in the supply chain.
The safest way to source jewellery was to buy rough gems from raw material suppliers for processing. But according to Liu Shichao’s information, they planned to buy raw stones and cut them themselves.
This reminded Li Feng of stone gambling.
Stone gambling was a high-stakes game: one cut could lead to riches, another to ruin. Without skill, it was easy to lose everything. Not just a billion, even ten billion could vanish quickly.
Did Liu Shichao know stone gambling? Clearly not. Even with an expert, profit wasn’t guaranteed. Moreover, Li Quan and the others’ goal was to make him lose everything, leaving him unable to repay Tiantian Loans’ 1.5 billion, so his Xiangfeng Investment shares would no longer be his.
However, Li Feng had the backing of the Yanjing Li family’s Li Group. Let alone 1.5 billion, they could easily provide 15 billion. But the others had planned ahead, ensuring he couldn’t turn to the Li family for funds. The contract stipulated that if the billion was lost, Tiantian Loans could claim his Xiangfeng shares.
Li Feng hadn’t read the contract; Liu Shichao had told him this. It seemed Liu Shichao was now willingly working for him.
“Hmph, clever plan,” Li Feng snorted coldly. He was curious about who wanted his shares. Brother Peng from Emperor Pavilion? Or someone from the Black Stone Gang? Brother Peng was unlikely, as he wanted Li Feng dead.
The Black Stone Gang, then?
Li Feng shook his head. The Black Stone Gang had some influence in Tianhai City, but outside it, they were nothing. As the eldest son of the Yanjing Li family, no underground group would risk annihilation to target him unless they were insane.
As for Li Quan, Li Feng never considered him. Though not a direct Li family descendant, Li Quan had no use for the shares. His goal was status, to become the Li family heir.
The only explanation was someone behind the scenes, unknown even to Liu Shichao.
“Hmph, whoever it is, they’ll pay,” Li Feng muttered.
“Master Wen.”
In a room, Wang Xiong stood before an old man, respectfully saying, “Master Wen, the matter is settled, though there was a small hiccup.”
“Oh, what hiccup?” The old man was Yu Wen, the Black Stone Gang’s boss, known as Master Wen. Dressed in a Tang suit, he toyed with a jade ruyi sceptre.
“Li Feng borrowed 1.5 billion,” Wang Xiong replied promptly, hiding nothing. He knew nothing could be concealed from Master Wen in the Black Stone Gang, and no tricks could be played before him.
“You agreed?” Master Wen’s expression remained calm, unsurprised.
“Yes, Master Wen. Here’s the share certificate for Li Feng’s Xiangfeng Investment Company,” Wang Xiong said, presenting the document.
Master Wen glanced at it, nodded, “Well done. You may leave.”
“Yes,” Wang Xiong sighed in relief. The pressure before Master Wen was immense, and he didn’t want to linger.
“The task you gave me is done. Where’s my reward?” Master Wen said, looking at a small door nearby.
“Think I’d break my word?” A young man in purple robes stepped out, chuckling.
Master Wen snorted, “This isn’t like last time. Li Feng is the eldest son of the Li family, a direct heir.”
“So what?” The purple-robed youth sat before Master Wen, smiling. “Just a Li family failure. Is the great Master Wen scared?”
“Indeed, I’m scared. The Li family is a thousand-year-old clan. My Black Stone Gang is just a small force. Facing them is like an egg against a rock,” Master Wen admitted calmly.
“The Li family?” The youth sneered disdainfully. “You think they’d mobilise for Li Feng? You overestimate yourself.”
A flash of anger crossed Master Wen’s face. Though the youth’s words stung, he knew they were true. A gang like his wasn’t worth the Li family’s attention. Li Feng was their least promising member; if not for his parents’ prominence and his grandfather being the family head, killing him wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow.
“If Li Feng’s so useless, why do you want his shares?” Master Wen asked, puzzled. At their level, wealth was just numbers. Xiangfeng’s shares, while valuable, shouldn’t matter to them.
“You don’t need to know,” the youth said coldly. “Master Wen, some things aren’t for you to pry into. Just do what we tell you.”
Master Wen felt a mix of shame and anger, his face darkening, his gaze icy as he looked at the youth.
“No need to get mad, Master Wen. Some things even I don’t know. That level of conflict is beyond your understanding,” the youth said with a smile, unfazed by Master Wen’s reaction.
“Where’s my reward?” Master Wen, a regional powerhouse, felt uneasy despite knowing the youth spoke the truth.
“Rest assured, Master Wen, we keep our word. Your hundred-year vermilion fruit is here,” the youth said, placing a small box on the tea table.
Master Wen’s eyes burned with desire. A hundred-year vermilion fruit was a treasure he desperately needed.
“Master Wen, I want full ownership of Xiangfeng’s shares within a month. No problem, right?” the youth asked.
“A month is enough, but…” Master Wen said gravely.
“What, more demands?” The youth’s face darkened, displeased at Master Wen’s greed.
“Another force is involved, also after Li Feng’s Xiangfeng shares,” Master Wen said.
“Li Quan? A small fry, ignore him,” the youth frowned, thinking Master Wen meant Li Quan, annoyed at the fuss. Was this Black Stone Gang’s titan so incompetent?
“No, Emperor Pavilion,” Master Wen shook his head, a glint in his eyes.
The youth’s expression shifted, a strange light in his eyes. “Emperor Pavilion? Unexpected. Master Wen, leave this to us.”
