Break the Deadlock

In Blue Poplar Village, Ma Wu was trying to persuade Chu Er.

"Sell the Bai Le Men to Monkey Qiu while there's still time."

After waiting for so long, and finally seeing Ma Wu, all I got was this sentence.

Chu Huaiyuan lost control on the spot and rushed forward to fight with Ma Wu, shouting, "The Bai Le Men is mine! Why should I give it to him! Why!"

Ma Wu shoved Chu Er aside and shouted, "If you want to throw a tantrum, go home and do it. Don't come here looking for trouble!"

"Why?" Chu Er wailed. "I poured so much effort into taking over the Bai Le Men, why can he just leave with a single sentence? Doesn't the contract in black and white count?"

Ma Wu straightened his clothes, which had been torn by Chu Er, and calmed himself down, saying, "When I was down on my luck, you nearly killed me. I haven't even settled the score with you for that yet. Logically, I shouldn't have said a word to you."

But this matter has dragged me into it. I'm just giving you a heads-up: while Monkey Qiu doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, offer him a reasonable price and sell the Bai Le Men.

When Lu Dongliang was in charge, he entrusted most of the business to Monkey Qiu. Calm down and think about it carefully, how ruthless is Monkey Qiu? You might be courting death, but don't drag me into this again!

Chu Er shook his head and said, "I don't believe you. Where's your friend? Where's that Li Qi? He's got guts. Let him see me!"

Ma Wu sat on the sofa, picked up his wine glass, and took a big gulp.

He also wanted to know where Li Banfeng was. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated, and he wanted Li Banfeng to give him some advice.

Ma Wu repeatedly stated to the newspaper that he and Chu Er had no special relationship, but the newspaper ignored him completely, and every day there were news reports, all about his fabricated past with Chu Er.

Chu Er glared at Ma Wu, his voice hoarse, and said, "If I can't protect the Bai Le Men, you won't have an easy time either. We'll die together!"

Ma Wu glared at Chu Er and said, "I'll ask you one more time, did you have them write all those news articles in the newspapers?"

Chu Er raised an eyebrow. "It's me! What's wrong? Don't want to be associated with me? Fine! Give me a good idea, and I'll make sure the newspaper office is quiet tomorrow!"

Ma Wu frowned as he looked at Chu Er, feeling that things weren't so simple.

Zuo Wugang is an indecisive person, but as a Big Support, he won't make mistakes in his basic skills.

Since arriving in Blue Poplar Village, Chu Er has not left the village because she is worried that Monkey Qiu might do something underhanded. Occasionally, she sends Yang Yanzheng out, but only to Green Water City to gather information.

She didn't even dare to leave Blue Poplar Village, yet the newspaper kept circling around her. Isn't that a bit strange?

Moreover, as far as Ma Wu knew, Chu Er's economic situation was extremely dire after he took over the Bai Le Men.

In this situation, how much value can he still create for the newspaper, and why should the newspaper still listen to her orders?

I always feel like there's a hand behind the scenes, pushing things along.

The newspaper belongs to Ling Miaowen. If this is the Ling family's idea, what is his purpose in doing so?

In order to incite conflict between the Lu Family, the Chu family, and the Ma family?

We need to calm this down as soon as possible.

Ma Wu was still thinking about how to persuade Chu Er when he suddenly saw Big Support Zuo Wugang walk into the house with a nervous expression, "Fifth Young Master, Monkey Qiu is here."

"Who was sent?" Ma Wu immediately got up from the sofa.

"He came in person."

With Zuo Wugang's combat strength and experience, there are not many people he fears, but Monkey Qiu is one of them.

Upon hearing this, Chu Er immediately stood up. "His arrival is timely; it's a good opportunity to settle things with him!"

Ma Wu shouted, "Second Miss, this is my territory, after all. You should at least give me some face. When you see Steward Qiu, speak to him properly!"

Yang Yanzheng also chimed in, "Miss, please listen to the Fifth Young Master's advice."

Chu Er didn't say anything more, Ma Wu personally went out and invited Monkey Qiu in.

Monkey Qiu didn't come alone; Lu Yuanshan was with him.

After everyone was seated, without even exchanging pleasantries, Chu Er glared at Monkey Qiu and said, "Steward Qiu, get to the point. I don't want to beat around the bush with you. Do you want my life? Come and take it if you dare!"

Upon hearing this, Wen Hongyan prepared herself for a fight.

Seeing this, Zuo Wugang awaited Ma Junyang's orders.

Yang Yanzheng pulled Chu Er aside, hoping she would calm down.

Lu Yuanshan chuckled dryly, then turned to Ma Wu: "Jun Yang, control your woman. How can you speak so rudely in front of your elders?"

Ma Wu took a deep breath and said, "Brother Shan, this isn't my woman. There are many misunderstandings here. We need to talk this out slowly..."

Chu Er shouted, "Enough! Qiu Zhiheng, what exactly do you want from me?"

Monkey Qiu said calmly, "I want to buy the Bai Le Men."

Chu Er slammed his fist on the table. "Not for sale!"

Lu Yuanshan frowned and said, "Crazy woman, can't you speak properly?"

Ma Wu pressed his palm down, signaling both sides to calm down. "Uncle Qiu, since you say you want to buy, shouldn't we also talk about the price?"

Qiu Zhiheng nodded and said, "It's alright. At least we have someone reasonable. Five hundred thousand silver dollars, do you think that's a suitable amount?"

Chu Er gritted his teeth and said, "Five hundred thousand? Are you kidding me? Lu Dongjun sold the Bai Le Men to me for eight hundred thousand silver dollars, and you're offering to cut it in half right off the bat? Why should I sell it to you?"

Ma Wu said to Qiu Zhiheng, "Uncle Qiu, this price is really inappropriate. Bai Le Men is the flagship store of Green Water City..."

"Buy half." Qiu Zhiheng looked at Ma Wu with a smile, and Ma Wu was stunned.

Chu Er roared angrily, "I won't sell it for even half! I'll fight you..."

Ma Wu glanced at Chu Huaiyuan felt blood rush to her head, congeal near her neck, and choke her.

Blood Surge Technique?

That shouldn't be the case; Ma Wu is only at the first level of cultivation.

Monkey Qiu was quite surprised. "Jun Yang, your cultivation has improved."

Ma Wu laughed and said, "Uncle Qiu, please forgive my foolishness. My cultivation is not high enough to use the Blood Surge Technique. What I used just now was the Inspiration Technique."

Monkey Qiu was a seventh-level Joy Cultivator and a fellow disciple of Ma Wu. After careful observation, he realized that Ma Wu was indeed using Inspiration Technique.

The Inspiration Technique is a low-level technique, but it is similar in principle to the Blood Surge Technique. Being able to use the Inspiration Technique to achieve the effect of the Blood Surge Technique proves that he has excellent talent in the Joy Cultivator, which has indeed impressed Monkey Qiu.

Taking advantage of Chu Er's inability to speak, Ma Wu quickly chimed in. "Uncle Qiu means that the Bai Le Men is jointly operated by the Lu Family and the Chu family?"

Monkey Qiu nodded.

Ma Wu never dreamed that the seemingly irreparable situation would be resolved in this way.

Lu Yuanshan looked at Chu Er: "Huai Yuan, Uncle Qiu has given you plenty of face, shouldn't you be satisfied?"

Yang Yanzheng, standing nearby, repeatedly urged, "Miss, let's settle on this."

Chu Er swallowed hard for a long time before he could catch his breath.

Her mind cleared up considerably, and her tone changed. "Uncle Qiu, let's get this straight, does the Bai Le Men belong to the Chu family or the Lu family?"

This is a crucial question: if the shares can be split in two, who will have the management rights?

Qiu Zhiheng said, "Since you're surnamed Chu and Lu, and considering you've managed the business quite diligently, I'll temporarily hand over the management rights to you. With Jun Yang's help, the Bai Le Men shouldn't lose money. However, if the losses exceed 20%, you'll have to relinquish the management rights. Do you agree?"

Although Chu Er was fierce, she wasn't stupid. Since Monkey Qiu had made such a big concession, she naturally wouldn't continue to act like a tantrum. She immediately signed a contract and settled the matter.

Ma Wu breathed a sigh of relief and said to everyone, "Uncle Qiu, if you don't mind, please stay at Dream Spring Garden for the night. Tonight, I will host a dance party to show my hospitality."

Monkey Qiu nodded and said, "Alright, I was just thinking of staying one night, and I'll talk business with Jun Yang again tomorrow."

The heart that had just settled down immediately jumped back into suspense.

What business does Monkey Qiu want to discuss with Ma Wu?

Ma Wu is a smart man, so naturally he could figure it out.

Even if the Liu and Si Family in the middle are all removed, Blue Poplar Village will ultimately still be Lu Family territory.

Ma Wu is running this business, so he has to give the Lu Family a Bonus Money. The exact amount will depend on how we discuss it tomorrow.

Monkey Qiu revealed the matter first, giving Ma Wu ample time to prepare. From all perspectives, Monkey Qiu's actions were flawless.

Now it depends on Ma Wu's sincerity.

How much should the Bonus Money be?

Split in half?

Is Monkey Qiu satisfied?

No matter how much more you give, Ma Wu won't accept it.

Brother Li, where did you go?

We'll have to wait until you get back to discuss this.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the dance party began. Lu Yuanshan asked Chu Er to dance, but Chu Er was not interested. Her heart was already flying to the Bai Le Men.

Ma Wu made careful preparations, inviting the most beautiful and skilled dancers from Blue Poplar Village to take turns dancing with him.

Monkey Qiu is Joy Cultivator, and in principle, he should gladly accept such hospitality.

But he didn't seem to be in much interest, sitting alone in a corner drinking. Helpless, Ma Wu had no choice but to bring the dancers to dance one song after another to keep the party atmosphere going.

Halfway through the ball, Little Chuanzi changed the music, and in the midst of the commotion, she chose "When Will You Return?"

Ma Wu glared at Chuanzi. This piece of music had a special meaning, signifying that the ball was about to end.

"Beautiful flowers don't bloom forever, beautiful scenes don't last forever. Sorrow piles up on my brow, tears fall on my longing sash. After tonight's farewell, When Will You Return..."

The music started, but it was too late to stop it. Ma Wu looked embarrassed, but then he saw that Monkey Qiu had changed his position.

He moved from one corner to another.

There was a special guest there, dressed in a black suit and wearing a top hat with the brim pulled low, through which one could vaguely see the thick beard on his chin.

Li Qi!

Ma Wu was surprised to see Li Banfeng return, and he didn't even know when Li Banfeng had entered the dance hall.

Monkey Qiu knows.

He had already noticed it the moment Li Banfeng entered the room.

After sitting in silence for a moment, Monkey Qiu asked, "Young brother, how have you been?"

He recognized Li Banfeng.

He is a seventh-level Joy Cultivator, which can, to some extent, mitigate the talent of those House Cultivators and are often overlooked.

Most importantly, he had not only seen Li Banfeng's photos, but also Li Banfeng himself. Although he could not see Li Banfeng's face, he had not forgotten Li Banfeng's figure.

Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "I'm fine. How's Brother Qiu doing lately?"

"Not good," Qiu Zhiheng sighed. "Ever since I looked for you in Green Water City, troubles have been endless."

"Are you here to see me today too?" Li Banfeng thought that Monkey Qiu was here because of Red Lotus.

Monkey Qiu paused for a moment and then said, "I guess so."

Li Banfeng put his hand into his pocket and grasped the key.

Monkey Qiu continued, "I came to find you about Blue Poplar Village. This is still part of the Lu Family's territory, and they will eventually have to give us some of their future Bonus Money."

Li Banfeng remained seated and replied in a low voice, "Ma Wu and I are just trying to make a living here. How much we get depends on Brother Qiu's decision."

Begging for food...

Qiu Zhiheng remembered asking Li Banfeng for food on the train.

That matter is over, and the debt of gratitude has been repaid. Qiu Zhiheng doesn't need to dwell on it.

It wasn't until the music was coming to an end that Qiu Zhiheng spoke, "If it's still just the two of you running the business, then sending a small token of your appreciation to the Lu Family at the end of each year would be sufficient."

But the Ma family cannot take over Blue Poplar Village; the Lu Family's banner still stands there, otherwise things would be different.

Qiu Zhiheng made concessions again.

Li Banfeng took off his top hat, placed it in front of his chest, and bowed to Qiu Zhiheng.

This is to express gratitude to Qiu Zhiheng.

Qiu Zhiheng smiled, put on his top hat, and left the dance floor.

That evening, Qiu Zhiheng and Lu Yuanshan left Blue Poplar Village.

Ma Wu was terrified. He thought Qiu Zhiheng had recognized Li Banfeng and would take action against Li Banfeng, since Lu Dongliang had been trying to capture Li Banfeng.

If that's the case, Ma Wu will risk his life and his entire fortune to fight Monkey Qiu to the bitter end and resolutely protect Li Banfeng.

Unexpectedly, Qiu Zhiheng left just like that, not only without hurting Li Banfeng, but also by settling the matter of Blue Poplar Village.

All I need is to express my gratitude at the end of the year?

How could Monkey Qiu be so tolerant?

Ma Wu was overjoyed. "Brother Li, do you and Qiu Zhiheng have some connection?"

Li Banfeng did not answer.

We have a friendship, but it won't go that far.

The matter on the train had been forgotten, and neither party owed the other anything. Monkey Qiu's leniency puzzled Li Banfeng.

On the carriage, Lu Yuanshan asked Qiu Zhiheng, "Uncle Qiu, aren't we being too lenient with them? I think we should take at least 60% of the Bai Le Men and at least 30% of the Bonus Money from Blue Poplar Village."

Monkey Qiu shook his head slightly and handed a newspaper to Lu Yuanshan.

This is today's evening paper. The headline is "Lu Chu Showdown: Who Can Carry the Reputation of Green Water City?"

The second edition also contains a news item. "When a tiger falls into the plains, the Ma family seizes the opportunity to take over Blue Poplar Village. Will the Lu Family be willing to suffer humiliation?"

Similar news appears every day, Lu Yuanshan didn't find anything special about it.

Monkey Qiu said, "Even you don't think it's special anymore, and the whole of Pro State doesn't think it's anything special either. Tomorrow he'll send another message saying that the Lu Family has fallen out with the Ma family and the Chu family, and everyone will think it's only natural."

Lu Yuanshan didn't take it seriously. "That's how newspapers are. Let them write whatever they want; it's not true anyway."

Monkey Qiu shook his head and said, "If we don't handle this properly tonight, it might become a reality. If Chu Huaiyuan and Ma Junyang die at our hands, we might start a war with the Chu and Ma families tomorrow."

Although these two are considered outcasts of the Chu and Ma families, they ultimately concern the reputation of their respective Lineage. With someone stirring things up, things could easily spiral out of control.

Lu Yuanshan reread the newspaper and realized the seriousness of the problem. "The 'stirring up trouble' Uncle Qiu mentioned, is it the Ling family?"

Monkey Qiu's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Lu Dongjun caused quite a stir in Sea Eat Ridge, but now he's vanished without a trace, while the Ling family has reaped a huge business deal."

They made a fortune in Sea Eat Ridge, and now they're eyeing Green Water City. Today the Lu Family and the Ma family are at odds, tomorrow the Lu Family and the Chu family are at war, and the day after tomorrow the Lu Family is fighting amongst themselves. In their newspaper, it seems the Lu Family is planning to conquer the entire Pro State.

The income from Bai Le Men and Blue Poplar Village can be temporarily relinquished, but the situation must not be allowed to be controlled by the Ling family.

Yuanshan, I remember you used to run a newspaper too.

Lu Yuanshan nodded. "I ran it for a while and made a lot of money, but my dad said it was a waste of my potential. I also made movies, but my dad didn't approve of them either, so it all came to nothing."

"Keep the newspaper running and set up the film studio. We can't let the Ling family do big things in silence all the time. Let's expose their secrets too."

Lu Yuanshan smiled; this was something he was willing to do.

Three days later, the Bai Le Men reopened, and Chu Huaiyuan and Ma Wu held a Singing and Dancing Competition to select the twelve best Song Queen of the year.

He Jiaqing sat on the hospital bed, his face ashen.

Monkey Qiu broke the deadlock.

He broke the schemes at Bai Le Men Blue Poplar Village!

You really underestimated him!

PS: Even He Jiaqing can make mistakes.