The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

While Shen Lian was on the phone, his phone kept ringing. He didn't answer any of them.

After receiving notifications from several platforms, Shen Lian put down his phone, ignoring its continuous ringing. He opened a Red Bull to rest, then took out a cigarette and lit it. He stood up and walked to the window to look at the scenery outside.

Shen Lian simply turned off his phone and went downstairs for a stroll. He hadn't had a proper shopping trip in the months he'd been in Shanghai.

Shen Lian wandered aimlessly, looking around. When he was poor, he wanted to buy everything, but now that he had money, he was suddenly at a loss for what to buy. Mainly because there were many things he'd bought over a hundred years ago that he wouldn't have dared to use!

After browsing around for a while, I only picked up some drinks and bought some fruit.

Two hours had passed, it was about time. Shen Lian turned his phone back on, and sure enough, a call came in immediately.

"Hey, are you guys fucking annoying?! I called you so many times my phone died and shut down." Before the other party could speak, Shen Lian yelled into the phone.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shen! I'm the business manager of Ma Xia Financial. Regarding your debt, we can offer you the most favorable solution: waiver of all penalty interest and a 30% discount on the principal. This is our maximum offer, something most people can't even get..."

"Okay, I understand! I'll think about it and then decide. I need to take this call first."

"Hey, over there?"

"Mr. Shen, I am the business manager of 360 Degrees. Regarding your outstanding payment, if you can settle it in full today, we can offer you a reduction or waiver..."

"Wait, which company are you from?"

"We're 360 ​​degrees, aren't we?"

"Oh! So you called my wife and threatened to sue me, freeze my assets, and even send people to my house just because I was one day late? You called all my family and friends non-stop, right?"

"Mr. Shen, I'm sorry. Those were done by the debt collection department, and I don't know anything about it."

"I don't care if you're clear about it or not. Since you've already done this, don't blame me. I'm temporarily suspending the loan payments. I'm going to find a lawyer to talk to you about your theft of my personal information and harassment of my family!"

Shen Lian hung up the phone again before the other party could speak.

After rambling on for a while, Shen Lian turned off his phone again. It was already noon, so he went downstairs for lunch.

I was originally planning to go to a buffet, but then I thought better of it; it wouldn't be fun going alone. I just grabbed a couple of small dishes from the hole-in-the-wall restaurant next door and made do with that.

After lunch, Shen Lian still didn't turn on his computer, letting the bullets fly for a while. He went straight to bed for a nap.

Shen Lian slept until 3 p.m. before getting up. He washed his face with cold water and turned on his phone to receive a barrage of messages.

In the end, Shen Lian accepted the conditions offered by the various platforms. The main reason was that he was too busy at the moment. Otherwise, he really wanted to play with them for ten days or half a month and let these bastards taste what it was like to be chased for debts every day.

"Brother Shen, everything's ready. Where would you like it delivered to?" Luo Zhongchun called as it was getting dark.

"Just bring it over here! I live upstairs from Sister Shanshan."

Soon, two large Jinbei vans stopped downstairs at Shen Lian's place!

"Heh! I didn't realize you had so much influence. How much did you manage to get?" Shen Lian said, taking the cigarette Luo Zhongchun offered him.

"Hehe! Not much, fifty cases of Hongtashan cigarettes and thirty cases of Hongmei cigarettes."

Shen Lian nodded, signaling everyone to move the goods upstairs. Two young men got off the car behind, and together with Luo Zhongchun and his companion, the four of them hurriedly carried boxes upstairs.

Shen Lian lived on the second floor and finished moving in less than ten minutes. Under the tense gaze of the others, Shen Lian casually checked a few boxes and found nothing wrong with them.

"Okay, great! I'll transfer the money to you right away." Shen Lian didn't say much and immediately transferred all the money.

After getting the money, Luo Zhongchun and the others insisted on treating Shen Lian to drinks. Left with no choice, Shen Lian went downstairs with them.

Luo Zhongchun found a Sichuan restaurant, and luckily Shen Lian could handle spicy food. They drank for more than two hours before Shen Lian finally staggered home.

After taking a shower, Shen Lian still couldn't sleep. He had to work through the night to break the cigarettes down into individual sticks, keeping him busy until the wee hours.

Sigh! Making money isn't easy! Shen Lian was drenched in sweat as he finished unpacking and repacking the cigarettes.

After taking another shower, Shen Lian went straight to sleep.

The next morning, Shen Lian dressed formally and left home with his suitcase.

"Hey, Shen Lian, you bastard, are you going on a long trip?" Bai Shanshan shouted.

"Yes! I might have to go on a business trip for a while this time. I'll miss you, Shanshan. You can't look for anyone else, wait for me!"

"Get lost! Your brother Wang will beat you to death later," Bai Shanshan said with a laugh.

Shen Lian laughed heartily and strode forward. After turning two alleys, Shen Lian disappeared in a deserted place.

. . . . . .

At the entrance of the General's Mansion, Shen Lian alighted from the carriage. Shen Xiaohu immediately came to greet him.

"Master, you are back!"

"Hmm! Little Tiger, why are you guarding the door today? Hurry up and have someone move the things inside." Shen Lian nodded.

"I reckon the young master will be back today. I've been waiting at the door since early this morning. Hehe! What kind of goods are these, young master?"

"You're smart, kid! You'll understand these things later." Shen Lian didn't want to say anything more. Soon all the cigarettes were moved to Shen Lian's room.

When I get back, I'll definitely go see the old man first.

"Dad, how have you been feeling these past few days?"

"Same as always, don't worry! Did your trip to the provincial capital go smoothly?" Shen Hu said with a smile when he saw his son return. His son was becoming more and more sensible, which improved his mood considerably. And with a better mood, his illness naturally improved as well.

"Dad, this is medicine I bought from a Western doctor. Take a few pills with each meal and see how it works. If it works well, I'll ask him for more."

Shen Lian took out several glass bottles, each containing painkillers, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs.

"Good, good, good!"

The father and son chatted for a while longer, then the old man urged Shen Lian to go to the capital. Shen Lian had no choice but to agree to set off in three days.

"Uncle Fu, how did things go with what I asked you to do?" After returning to his room, Shen Lian washed his face, took a couple of sips of tea from Yue'er, and then called Uncle Fu over.

"Young Master, the caravan that went to Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan to purchase tobacco leaves, as you instructed, set off two days ago," Uncle Fu nodded and said.

"Yes! Uncle Fu, you must personally oversee this matter and treat it as the most important thing. Tell them not to be afraid to spend money and to try to buy back as much good tobacco as possible. If necessary, you can make an agreement with the tobacco farmers to pre-order their tobacco leaves," Shen Lian said seriously.

In later generations, the profits and taxes from a single tobacco bureau could equal a nation's military expenditure. But in this era, cigarettes don't even exist yet. Shen Lian is counting on it to make a fortune.