Chapter 7: The Art of the Hostile Takeover
Li Wei'an sat in the cramped, sweaty barracks of the Iron Vanguard Guild, eating a bowl of plain congeal. To anyone passing by, he looked like a man who had hit rock bottom.
In reality, he was a shark waiting for the blood to hit the water.
"Master!" Old Chen sprinted in, nearly tripping over a mercenary's sharpening stone. "It happened! Master Zhou's lenders didn't just knock—they broke down the doors! He's been burning through his capital so fast to 'beat' our prices that he missed the payment deadline on his high-interest loans!"
Wei'an didn't look up from his porridge. "And?"
"And the Magistrate has ordered a fire sale of his assets to cover the debt! His central shops, his two secondary residences, and his main warehouse are all on the block for pennies on the silver!"
Wei'an finally set down his spoon and stood up. He smoothed out his white robes, which were surprisingly clean for a man living in a mercenary camp.
"The 1,000 silvers I 'borrowed' from my dear wife," Wei'an murmured, a sharp glint in his eyes. "And the liquid silver from selling the Li Mansion... it's time to spend it."
The "Bankrupt" Buyer
At the city auction, the atmosphere was grim. Master Zhou sat on a bench, his face a ghostly white, watching his family's legacy be torn apart by vultures.
"The Zhou Main Residence and three shopfronts!" the bailiff shouted. "Starting bid: 1,500 silvers!"
The crowd was silent. It was a high price for a city in a slump.
"1,501 silvers," a voice called out from the back.
The crowd parted. Li Wei'an walked forward, looking remarkably relaxed for a "homeless" man.
"You?!" Zhou shrieked, jumping to his feet. "You're living in a slum! You're bankrupt! Where did you get that money?!"
"I'm a merchant, Zhou," Wei'an said, leaning in close so only the broken man could hear. "I sold my house to buy yours. It's called an upgrade. You should try it sometime, though I suppose you'll be trying out the local bridge tonight."
By the time the sun reached its peak, Wei'an had signed the deeds. He didn't just stop there. He used his remaining funds to send his wagons back into the countryside. Not for grain this time, but for transportation.
While the city's trade was in chaos, Wei'an turned his caravans into a "Ride-Share" service for peasants and small-time peddlers, charging a handful of coppers for a safe trip into the city. It was quick, dirty cash, and it kept his horses moving.
The "Reporting" Session
Wei'an marched straight to the Shen Estate, bypassing the servants and heading for Shen Yao's private study. He found her looking over a map, her brow furrowed in frustration.
"I have news," Wei'an announced, dropping a stack of legal deeds onto her mahogany desk.
Shen Yao stared at the papers. Her eyes widened. She flipped through them—Zhou's house, Zhou's shops, Zhou's warehouse.
"You... you bought them?" she whispered, looking up at him. "I thought you were losing! My informants said you were living in a barracks and eating watery rice!"
"I was," Wei'an grinned, leaning against the doorframe. "It was terrible for my skin, but great for my margins. Zhou was buying high and selling low just to spite me. I let him. I waited for him to drown in his own debt, and then I used your 1,000 silvers to buy the rope they used to hang him."
Shen Yao sat back, stunned. "You used my loan... to buy out your rival's entire life."
"Technically, I bought it for us," Wei'an corrected, winking. "Consider it a dowry. Now, we have the shops. We have the storage. And my 'useless' wagons are making three silvers an hour running taxi services for cabbage farmers."
Shen Yao let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. For the first time, she didn't look at him like a "passable" puppet. She looked at him like a dangerous weapon.
"You're a monster, Li Wei'an."
"I prefer the term 'Aggressive Asset Manager,' dear wife."
The Shadow on the Road
The victory was sweet, but it didn't last long.
"There's a problem," Shen Yao said, her voice turning serious as she pointed to the map. "You've secured the shops, but Master Zhou was failing for another reason he didn't tell you. His supply lines from the Capital have been hit three times this week."
Wei'an's smile faded. "Bandits?"
"Worse. Commander Sang."
Shen Yao tapped a spot on the road leading into Jianghe City. "He's a former Imperial commander who was framed for a crime he didn't commit. He went mad with rage, gathered 150 of his old veterans, and they've turned into a rogue army. They aren't just stealing; they're 'taxing' every caravan. Zhou's middlemen refused to come anymore because of him."
Wei'an looked at the map. His 25 mercenaries were good, but 150 Imperial veterans? That wasn't a trade war. That was a slaughter.
"So the road is closed," Wei'an muttered, his merchant-brain already looking for a loophole.
"Unless someone can negotiate with a madman," Shen Yao said.
Wei'an looked at the deed for his new warehouse. It was empty. It would stay empty if he couldn't get goods in.
"Well," Wei'an sighed, adjusting his robes. "I suppose I'll have to see if Commander Sang accepts 'birdseed' as a peace offering."
Next Chapter Hook:
Wei'an has to deal with his first night in the Shen House (the comedy of the "Living Arrangement") before heading out to face the Rogue Commander. Meanwhile, the city's nobility starts to realize that the "Useless Son-in-Law" is actually a financial piranha.