Chapter Five: Prosperity Achieved

“What?”

Boss Luo and Kang Yu, along with the others, were all taken aback.

Not to mention Kang Yu, who already disliked Xue Chengqian, even Boss Luo felt a surge of anger.

“Boy, do you know what you’re saying? No one has ever dared to refuse me, Luo Fang, to my face!”

This was no longer about whether this kid, Xue Chengqian, refused to help fight against that toothy hag—it was a matter of Boss Luo’s own dignity!

But Kang Yu sneered in anger, “Boss, I think this kid isn’t tough at all. If he dares to go against that toothy hag, it’s probably because he’s foolish.”

“What’s the point of bringing in a character like this? You really miscalculated this time.”

Xue Chengqian remained calm and composed.

“I’m only saying that I don’t want to recklessly risk my life fighting that toothy hag’s gang, but that doesn’t mean I’m rejecting Boss Luo’s kindness.”

“If Boss Luo intends to protect me, no matter how slow-witted I might be, I can still understand that kindness.”

Luo Fang’s anger subsided a little, but he still frowned.

“Boy, what exactly do you mean?”

Kang Yu spat in hatred, “I think he’s just playing tricks and trying to deceive us.”

Xue Chengqian waved his hand dismissively, his demeanor unruffled, as if completely unfazed by Luo Fang’s fury.

“I know your background, Boss Luo. Those gathered around you aren’t just former border army households, but also defeated soldiers from the border army who have no army to join and can only blend in with the displaced.”

“So, tell me, are you really lacking people willing to risk their lives fighting that toothy hag?”

Kang Yu snapped angrily, “You’d better understand this first! It’s not that Boss Luo lacks people willing to fight to the death against that toothy hag, but that we’re giving you an opportunity! If you don’t dare to fight desperately, why should Boss Luo protect you?”

Xue Chengqian ignored her entirely and locked eyes with Luo Fang directly.

“In terms of ruthlessness and bravery among your men, Boss Luo, you even have old soldiers from the border, but when facing that toothy hag, they can only stand helplessly…”

“If Boss Luo doesn’t lack men willing to fight to the death, then compared to that toothy hag, what are you really lacking?”

Luo Fang paused his play with the short blade, and even hot-tempered Kang Yu was momentarily stunned.

The fact that Xue Chengqian could ask such a question showed he was no fool.

Looking at his current attitude, Luo Fang found himself both incredulous and compelled to ask.

“That toothy hag has all kinds of crooked tricks in her head, with connections and wealth to buy off followers. Are you saying, boy, that you have a solution to this?”

Luo Fang was indeed not intimidated by the toothy hag, but he had to admit that such a scoundrel had managed to gain a foothold among the displaced, and he himself found it difficult to strike against her and swallow their territory, which greatly vexed him.

He had hoped to recruit someone daring and fierce as a subordinate, but judging by Xue Chengqian’s tone and manner, it seemed he might offer an even greater surprise.

Xue Chengqian took a deep breath.

Now, he could only rely on the “trump card” he had pondered over for a long time to win Boss Luo’s attention.

Just being a “hired hand” under Luo Fang wouldn’t be enough to change the peril facing his sister and himself.

As he had said before, he was willing to fight desperately against the toothy hag, but if something happened to him, Luo Fang would never care for his sister without cause.

In the end, his sister’s fate would be no better than falling into the toothy hag’s hands.

He had to make Luo Fang understand that he was worth investing in.

“The border was breached; countless displaced gathered outside Wangjiang City. Every day, the number of bones tossed into the dried-up river is unknown.”

“Does the Wangjiang City guard not know that when displaced gather, it breeds trouble, and when bones pile up, disease breaks out?”

“I have a method to make earthen bricks, using simple means to build ten thousand houses outside the city. This can help Boss Luo gain huge profit while providing shelter for the displaced.”

Greed and skepticism gleamed in Luo Fang and Kang Yu’s eyes.

“If I’m not mistaken, Boss Luo, you should have ways to contact the powerful inside Wangjiang City. This move could also increase your prestige within the city, right?”

Luo Fang snapped decisively, “Words are cheap!”

“If you say you can make earthen bricks with simple methods, then show me right now!”

Kang Yu nodded heavily, fully supporting her leader’s view.

Xue Chengqian smiled faintly, “What’s the difficulty? I’ve already found suitable clay near Wangjiang City. Boss Luo can bring carts, have people dig and transport the soil, build a simple stone kiln, then fire the bricks with a mixture of straw ash and river sand.”

Hearing that the materials Xue Chengqian requested were indeed easy to obtain, Luo Fang nodded.

“Kang Yu, gather some brothers here. Let’s do exactly as Brother Xue says and see what kind of bricks we can make.”

Luo Fang’s heart was skeptical; he couldn’t believe a reckless young man like Xue Chengqian could know how to make such a useful thing.

But what unsettled him was that, with his experience, he couldn’t tell if what Xue Chengqian said was true or not. He could only let him try first.

Xue Chengqian recited the method for firing earthen bricks from memory and methodically directed Luo Fang’s men to build a simple stone kiln.

Within half a day, they actually produced the bricks he described.

Luo Fang and Kang Yu stared dumbfounded at the neatly formed bricks.

Xue Chengqian had already prepared wet clay on the side, and in no time, he built a low “brick wall” with the rudimentary bricks.

“This is just a sample for now. Normally, after firing, the bricks need to be cured with wet water and then dried to stabilize.”

“After that, each layer is coated thickly with straw ash clay. Once dry, it becomes a sturdy wall.”

“Indeed, indeed. What we have plenty of here is manpower. Using this to build houses could be done in an instant!”

Luo Fang felt his breathing grow heavy.

All the materials Xue Chengqian used were the cheapest and easiest to obtain.

For the thousands of displaced outside Wangjiang City, this was a lifesaving treasure that could help them survive the harsh winter!

Moreover, as Xue Chengqian said, Luo Fang had connections and knew the movements of the city’s powerful figures.

They kept the city gates closed, watching the displaced outside perish, but this was a helpless act.

There was no way they would allow the displaced in, but if there was a way to provide them simple shelter to survive the winter, saving thousands of lives, they would be tempted.

That meant this seemingly simple method of firing earthen bricks could bring Luo Fang countless benefits.

No matter how cunning or dirty the toothy hag’s schemes, she could not compete with Luo Fang’s financial power.

He seemed to see that in the near future, not only would no one among the displaced challenge him, but even the city’s powerful would treat him with great respect.

“Good kid! From today on, you’re one of us under Luo Fang! We share blessings together and face hardships together!”