Chapter 5: Buying Enlightenment Once

With these words, the whole room fell silent!

Doing business was one thing.

Chen Aman thought to himself that even if he had to puff up his old face to go find that rascal Wuanhou, he could still borrow a few thousand taels of silver.

But what in the world was opening a brothel?

Was that something a decent person would do?

At that moment, he deeply suspected that this kid wanted to use the excuse of opening a brothel to get closer to success.

Seeing Chen Aman remain silent.

Chen Zhian spoke confidently, "Opening a brothel is a brilliant business idea that came to me after much thought late into the night. It has great potential!

I've done some research. There are over a hundred brothels in Chang'an, and about twenty prominent courtesans, it's a scene of fierce competition. But..."

Chen Zhian ran his chopsticks over the dishes on the table, picked up a drunken shrimp, and said enthusiastically, "But they lack uniqueness. Their performances are all the same.

Even the most renowned courtesan, Li Lanqing, only relies on the title of 'Chang'an's number one beauty' to make easy money.

Another issue is that the threshold for brothels is too low.

While accepting all customers might make some hard-earned money, it can't attract those self-proclaimed literati.

You know, in this world, those who speak the loudest and have the most money in their pockets are always the practitioners and scholars!"

Chen Zhian reached out into thin air, and exclaimed passionately, "And what we're going to do is catch them all in one fell swoop!"

Chen Aman was speechless.

Looking at the confident and outspoken eldest son holding his chopsticks, he felt as if he was emitting an unprecedented radiance.

With great spirit and determination.

At this moment, he couldn't help but sink into contemplation: "Could it be that my Chen family's true talent lies in opening a brothel?

How can I face my ancestors?

How can I face my mother?"

"Well then, how do you plan to catch them all in one fell swoop?"

Chen Zhibai, who had been silent while reading, looked up from his book with interest and asked.

"That's simple!"

Chen Zhian took a bite of drunken shrimp, and smilingly said, "To catch them all, you first need to catch their eyes, then capture their stomachs, and finally seize their hearts!

As for the specific operation, it involves many complex details, which I won't go into detail about.

But as long as you give me six thousand... no, eight thousand taels of silver, I can give you a never-ending source of wealth!"

Chen Zhibai didn't object, continuing to read with his head down. Now Chen Zhian could see the book he was holding, titled "The Scroll of the Heavenly Way"!

Chen Zhian had never heard of this book.

He could only secretly keep it in mind and guess that he might steal a glance at it when he had the chance.

After half a day of contact, he now had a fifty percent certainty that this elder brother was not a simple character.

This only further strengthened Chen Zhian's determination to open a brothel.

Nothing else, it was about making money to survive!

With two guys who were likely destined for greatness right under his nose, a misstep could bring about a catastrophe. How could he not be anxious?

He had also considered activities like those of the time travelers, such as dealing in arms, glass blowing, making soap...

But alas, he was a liberal arts student in his previous life and knew none of these.

And the original owner of this life, apart from having an exceptional talent for visiting brothels, was worthless in other professions.

After much thought.

He felt that the only business he could do was indeed to open a brothel.

With a career, he would have a legitimate reason to stay away and make money quietly, practicing until invincible before reemerging.

Loved whoever he wanted.

Anyway, he would never return to the Chen Luohou Mansion.

Chen Aman remained silent for a long time, his expression changing constantly.

Looking at his spirited son, he could only reluctantly agree in the end.

Then, he made another request, insisting that he must personally go to the Marquis of Xibo's mansion this afternoon to propose marriage!

It wasn't that Chen Aman was in a hurry.

He was genuinely afraid that one day, news of his stupid son opening a brothel outside would reach the ears of the old lady of the Marquis of Xibo's mansion.

By then, even if Old Li was good at persuading, it would probably be difficult to smooth things over easily.

With the promise obtained, Chen Zhian felt a huge weight lifted from his heart and naturally agreed.

In this day and age, there were countless daughters-in-law to choose from. He was already of marriageable age, so arranging a marriage wasn't a big deal.

Moreover, Miss Xining from Xining County was exceptionally beautiful, with a cold and stubborn temperament, which he secretly favored.

If it weren't for the fact that the original owner had forced himself on her in broad daylight, causing a city-wide uproar and tarnishing her reputation, marrying Li Xining would probably be nothing more than wishful thinking.

....

After chatting for a while, Chen Zhian politely declined Chen Zhidong's invitation to visit her courtyard to see her treasures and returned to the inner courtyard alone.

Chen Zhidong, mischievous yet insightful about the original owner's background, preferred to avoid unnecessary contact. Besides, he had more important treasures to attend to. Who had time to look at little girls' treasures?

As soon as he entered the inner courtyard, two lackeys rushed over, one grabbing his thigh and kneeling on the ground, wailing miserably.

If one didn't know better, they might think their father had died!

These two were his top henchmen, Chen Zheng and Chen Yi.

Chen Zhian kicked them away, heading straight for the attic.

Pushing the door open, Chen Zhian rummaged through the room, searching every nook and cranny, but couldn't find the two tattered books anywhere.

"Where could they be?"

None of the places he remembered possibly hiding them had any trace of the books.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him, and he looked under the bed.

Sure enough!

The two books were piled together, used as a makeshift bed support by the original owner...

Lifting the bed, Chen Zhian carefully held the two worn-out books in his hands, calling out to the system in his mind.

The worthlessness of his elder brother would be revealed by just one tremble.

A red light swept by.

Then, the emotionless voice of the system sounded, "The 'Scroll of Martial Arts' is valued at ninety-nine thousand elemental stones. The 'Sword Scripture' is valued at seventy-seven thousand elemental stones. Host, would you like to trade?"

In the Great Wilderness world, one elemental stone was equivalent to five hundred taels of silver. According to the system's valuation, these two tattered books were worth nearly a billion taels.

Thinking these two books could fetch more money than the Tang Dynasty's tax revenue for two years!

If he had only been fifty percent certain before, the possibility of Chen Zhibai and Chen Zhiming being hidden big shots had skyrocketed to ninety-nine percent...

The remaining one percent was to save face for the damn heavens.

Who would have thought that the most inconspicuous among the eighteen princes, the Chen Luohou Mansion, which was privately mocked as a den of incompetence, actually hid such monstrous treasures?

Confirmed, the clown was me!

As the younger brother favored destiny, his chance of death was only slightly lower than that of his poor father, Chen Aman.

The word "danger" flashed incessantly in his mind.

"Host may choose to exchange, would you like to trade?"

Just as Chen Zhian's mind was filled with thoughts of impending doom, the emotionless voice of the system sounded again.

Vaguely,

Chen Zhian felt as if the system, this crafty merchant, was somewhat looking forward to something.

"Not selling, forget it, it's impossible!"

Coldly shutting off the system panel, Chen Zhian opened the 'Scroll of Martial Arts'.

He began to decipher it word by word.

How could he casually sell such a likely scripture of cultivation?

Unless more money was added!

Two hours later...

Chen Zhian raised his head, his brow furrowed, his hair as messy as before.

It was still the same.

This tattered book...

He couldn't understand it!

He recognized every word, but he just couldn't grasp their meaning.

"I am worthless!"

Sighing self-deprecatingly, Chen Zhian quietly gathered many small trinkets from the room, mustering the courage in his heart to call out, "System, buy enlightenment once!"

As the words fell,

Another red light swept by.

The ornaments on the table disappeared.

"Transaction successful, enlightenment once, you may choose the first scroll of the remaining pages!"

"Heh, you shrewd merchant!"

These items had been cherished by the original owner for many years. If they were to be sold, they could fetch at least twelve hundred taels of silver, yet the system wiped away the remainder.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on these things.

Chen Zhian opened the 'Scroll of Martial Arts'.

The scenery before his eyes instantly changed, and his consciousness was drawn into a void space.

Bewildered, he opened his eyes.

He found himself transformed into a soldier covered in blood, amidst a battlefield.

He was unarmed, but as he charged with the army, his qi, and blood surged within him, transforming into an endless torrent like a sea boiling...

With just one punch!

He directly crushed an oncoming ferocious beast into a mist of blood.

Gradually, there were no allies around him, only enemies in all directions.

Countless broken bodies piled up like mountains.

Chen Zhian stepped on the corpses, walking step by step toward the city wall. As he looked around, the land was shattered, and corpses littered the field.

He looked up, letting out a mournful roar, and extended his final punch toward the tide of ferocious beasts rushing towards him!