Chapter 920: Threatened by Manager Jin (2/2)

“Han Yunxi and the Head Elder are going to buy two properties. I have ways to get some of the money, at least 250 million or more. Combined with my savings, it’s enough to clear your debts,” Uncle Cheng said.

“Why should I believe you?” Manager Jin retorted.

“You don’t have to believe me, but if you find Han Yunxi now, I’ll get no benefits and...neither will you!” Uncle Cheng said icily.

After some hesitation, Manager Jin released him. He wasn’t afraid of the man running away, so he decided to trust him this once. “Alright. Clear the debt first, and we’ll talk about the indenture agreement later!”

Uncle Cheng nodded, but his eyes flashed with ice. Once he got the three little pageboys back, how could he ever spare Manager Jin? Is he sick of living, behaving like this on Myriad Merchant Hall’s turf?

--

Han Yunxi made up four hours of lost sleep before she got out of bed and washed her face to freshen up. Then she set off immediately. Uncle Cheng and the estate owner, Jia Dai, had arranged to meet at South Jue Garden. It would take them less than two hours to arrive. They entered through a side gate and switched to sedan chairs that took them a long distance before reaching a courtyard. Inside was a very imposing looking building, and Jia Dai was standing there in attendance to wait for them.

He was a man of about 50 years with a white beard akin to a goat’s. Dressed in dark, unassuming robes, he nevertheless carried the air of someone important.

“Master Jia, this is my master, Lady Han,” Uncle Cheng introduced Han Yunxi. The head elder was playing the role of her attendant.

Jia Dai smiled slightly and bowed with his hands clasped. After exchanging amenities, he invited them upstairs. But as thy settled down at the tea table, Jia Dai used two fingers to represent his legs and made a small bowing gesture.[1] Then he said, “Lady Han, this coarse tea is hardly attentive enough to my guests, I ask that you forgive me.”

“Master Jia is too polite,” Han Yunxi replied politely, showing that she understood him full well.

After a few cups of tea, Uncle Cheng began to speak. “Master Jia, my master’s agreed to the price you mentioned last time. I don’t know if today--”

“Aiya, that price…” Master Jia interrupted, “Aye, I won’t hide it from you, but you’ve come a step too late.”

“What’s the matter?” Han Yunxi feigned anxiety, while the head elder was truly panicking.

“Someone came by this morning with a deposit of gold. I’ll tell you this now, that was an extremely heroic buyer--he offered 600 million at the outset to buy both gardens,” Jia Dai chuckled.

“600 million?” the head elder couldn’t help but cry out.

Uncle Cheng kept shooting Jia Dai looks until the man finally looked his way and stomped on his foot beneath the table. Uncle Cheng immediately understood what was going on. Jia Dai must be sounding out Han Yunxi by raising the price first. Now he knew what to do too.

“Master Jia,” he cried, “That’s dishonest of you! We agreed on 500 million.”

“Master Cheng, I reminded you last time that someone already had their eyes on my properties. You didn’t leave a deposit, so you can’t blame me!” Jia Dai said self-assuredly.

The head elder looked anxiously towards Han Yunxi. Only East Origin Hall could pay the likes of 600 million right off the bad. If they were so decisive, it meant that these two properties were really worth something! Suppose East Origin Hall really opened up gambling houses here? Then everything would be as Uncle Cheng predicted and Myriad Merchant Hall could forget all about the casino business from now on.

“Master Jia, how much of a deposit did that buyer leave?” Han Yunxi asked.

Jia Dai raised a single finger. Without a doubt, it represented 100 million. A big sale like this wouldn’t just settle for a simple 10 million deposit.

“A hundred million…” Han Yunxi said thoughtfully, before muttering to the head elder, “What do you think?”

The head elder hesitated. Before, they’d only guessed that East Origin Hall was the buyer, but now it had turned into reality. He had to reevaluate the worth of these two properties. But the price really was too high and went beyond his expectations. As he remained mute, Uncle Cheng hastily pulled him aside and tried to coax him into the deal. Running out of ideas, he could only bring up Ning Cheng to pressure the man again.

Uncle Cheng’s original goal was to vex Han Yunxi and put obstacles in her way. If Han Yunxi couldn’t find another location, he didn’t mind giving up the extra income from this location, either. But now that Manager Jin was threatening him, he had to get the money to repay the other man’s debts. Otherwise, his life was forfeit.

After a round of coaxing, the head elder was finally convinced. Of course, he would still defer to Han Yunxi’s views first. In a low voice, he said, “Princess, everything will be as you say.”

Han Yunxi glanced at Uncle Cheng with a faint glimmer in her eyes. She said, “Master Jia, we’ll offer 700 million, so think it over! Even after paying reparations, you’ll still earn more with our offer.”

1. Bowing with the fingers - this is a reference to a famous Chinese story about an emperor who took his retainer out to tea and poured him a cup to drink. Because they were traveling incognito, the retainer couldn’t bow in person to express his thanks, so he used his fingers instead. You can read a blurb about the story here and here.