Tomb raiding: Intercepting Yin Xinyue and building a family of immortals

At noon, Su Chen arrived in Changsha City in a carriage with Yin Xinyue and the others.

After entering the city gate, the carriage headed straight for the antique shop.

"Mr. Su, it's been a while since I've seen you."

Su Chen is now a VIP customer of their antique shop, so the shopkeeper dared not neglect him and warmly welcomed him into the shop.

"Xiao Tian!"

Su Chen looked at Su Yitian behind him and said, "Bring the items over for the shopkeeper to inspect."

"Okay, Brother Chen."

Su Yitian walked to the carriage outside the door and took out several large boxes from the carriage.

You can tell at a glance that there are many treasures inside.

"This……"

The shopkeeper was taken aback.

It seems Mr. Su has acquired quite a few fine items recently.

Now they're being delivered by the box.

"A gold cup with handles?"

The shopkeeper took out a precious item and examined it carefully, muttering to himself, "This piece was made by hammering and welding. It has an open mouth, an arched belly, a flat bottom, and crescent-shaped ears on the rim. It's obviously an antique."

"Worth at least 200 yuan!"

"A gilded silver saucer, with a rim engraved with scrolling foliage patterns—such rich detail is rare in the world, worth at least 300 silver dollars."

"A blue and white porcelain jar with a peony scroll design? I can't believe there are such things. It consists of five layers of patterns, covering the entire piece. The main and secondary patterns are closely integrated. Only the official kilns could achieve this level of craftsmanship. It must have been made in Jingdezhen."

"Mr. Su, you've really struck gold this time! This porcelain piece is worth at least 1000 silver dollars!"

"..."

The shopkeeper spent nearly half an hour counting the treasures in the boxes before finally managing to find them.

"A total value of 16,000 silver dollars!"

The shopkeeper quoted a price.

"Eighteen thousand silver dollars!"

"make a deal!"

The shopkeeper personally went to fetch forty-five yellow croakers.

Yellow croaker is another name for gold bars. It is divided into large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker. Large yellow croaker weighs 10 taels (1 catty is 16 taels), which is 312.5 grams, while small yellow croaker weighs 1 tael, which is 31.25 grams.

At the exchange rate at that time, one large yellow croaker was equivalent to ten small yellow croakers, which was equivalent to four hundred silver dollars.

Eighteen thousand silver dollars are too heavy and take up too much space; gold bars are much more convenient.

While no one was paying attention, Su Chen stored the gold bars in the system space.

Compared to silver dollars, gold bars are the real hard currency and also retain their value better than silver dollars.

In a few years, a small yellow croaker could be exchanged for sixty or even eighty silver dollars.

As the economy collapsed, the value of small yellow croakers soared, reaching a peak where a single fish could be exchanged for nearly 130 silver dollars.

After selling all the artifacts he had, Su Chen left the antique shop.

After Su Chen left, the shopkeeper also left quickly and found Aunt Huo.

"Miss, Mr. Su is here again."

The shopkeeper said, "He's brought out quite a few artifacts this time, and he's been much more composed than before."

In such a short time, earth-shattering changes have taken place.

The shopkeeper felt a little uneasy.

Aunt Huo nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

Recalling Su Chen's first time making a transaction at the antique shop, he still exuded a bit of naivety.

At the time, Su Chen knew nothing and the Blood Jade Cicada she brought could only be sold for two hundred silver dollars. She had to ask the shopkeeper to double the price to four hundred silver dollars.

At that time, she also reminded Su Chen that the funerary objects she brought should be washed to remove the earthy smell, so as not to cause any problems.

Su Chen is now capable of handling things on his own.

"This person is not to be underestimated; he may very well be aiming for the Nine Gates."

Aunt Huo sighed.

That's normal. The capable rise and the mediocre fall. If he couldn't defeat Su Chen, it's not impossible for him to be expelled from the Nine Gates and then replaced by the Su family as the new members of the Nine Gates.

"When Mr. Su comes in the future, be more hospitable when you entertain him, and don't upset him," Aunt Huo reminded him. "If there are any problems that you can't resolve, notify me immediately so I can handle them."

Regardless of whether Su Chen can become a new member of the Nine Gates, it's always good to be on good terms with him.

Moreover, Aunt Huo also owed Su Chen a favor.

"Understood, miss."

The shopkeeper nodded.

……

Meanwhile, Su Chen led Yin Xinyue and the others to the Xie family's brokerage shop again.

Upon recognizing him as an acquaintance, the brokerage manager immediately rose to greet Su Chen.

He was still wearing the same long robe and mandarin jacket he had worn last time, and he was wearing glasses. He cupped his hands in greeting to Su Chen, "Mr. Su!"

“Buy land!”

Su Chen didn't stand on ceremony and directly stated his purpose.

"Okay, wait a moment."

The brokerage firm manager brought out a map and spread it out on the table. "Mr. Su, which piece of land have you taken a fancy to?"

Su Chen pointed to the location of Su Family Village on the map and drew a circle with his fingertip, "Buy all this land."

Unbeknownst to him, Su Chen was also constantly expanding the Su family's sphere of influence.

"There's quite a lot of land here."

The broker was taken aback.

Last time they bought nearly a thousand acres of land, and this time, judging from their posture, they're going to buy another thousand acres.

The brokerage manager did a rough calculation: "There are 200 mu of paddy fields, 300 mu of dry land, 200 mu of sandy fields, and 500 mu of mountain land, totaling 1,200 mu."

Paddy fields cost thirty silver dollars per mu, dry land cost ten silver dollars per mu, sandy fields cost five silver dollars per mu, and mountainous land cost three silver dollars per mu.

Based on this price, it would cost more than 11,500 silver dollars.

"How about I round it down to eleven thousand silver dollars?"

"That's what the brokerage manager said."

"Then let's sign the contract."

Su Chen nodded.

Such a large business is beyond what a brokerage manager like him could handle.

After agreeing on the price, the brokerage firm invited Master Xie Yuanlong, who was dressed in a black silk robe and exuded an air of authority.

This is the second time we've met.

The patriarch of the Xie family readily signed the document and pressed his fingerprint on it.

The Xie family controls one-fifth of the farmland near Changsha City.

Another one-fifth were sold on their behalf.

This is a real tycoon.

After paying, Su Chen bowed to the Xie family patriarch.

"Brother Su, you can come to the Xie family more often and chat with my good-for-nothing son. Just consider it as a way of making friends."

The Xie family patriarch invited Su Chen to be his guest.

"Next time definitely!"

Su Chen's main purpose in coming to Changsha City this time was to accompany Yin Xinyue, and incidentally sell some artifacts and purchase land.

After finishing these tasks, I can then peacefully spend time with my wife.

"Xiao Tian, ​​you guys can wander around and buy whatever you like. You don't have to follow me around all the time."

Su Chen gave instructions.

"Okay, Brother Chen."

Su Yitian scratched his head dejectedly.

He felt a little embarrassed to be a third wheel next to Su Chen.

So Su Yitian decided to go for a walk by himself.

Next, it was time for Su Chen and Yin Xinyue to enjoy some time alone. He took his wife to the theater where Er Yuehong was performing, hoping to catch a performance by the Second Master.

Among the nine families, the most powerful are the Zhang family and the Hong family, to which Er Yuehong belongs, both possessing remarkable heritage and skills.