Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 109

Chapter 109: "General... I have a type..."

Xiang Yu sneered, placing his hand on her shoulder and forcing her to sit down. He sat on the table and leaned in, whispering a threat. "I know how hard it is to run such a place and not get a large cut of the profits... I also know that you are running a shady operation, and let me guess, you are cooking your books without the owner’s knowledge." The world was different but the formula was the same.

The madam stiffened but laughed nervously. "You shouldn’t say things you don’t know about, young miss."

Xiang Yu’s eyes narrowed. "I know enough. The only reason I am not shutting down your entire operation is because of that roasted duck my girls loved so much and that I don’t have enough time to deal with you. Now, how much?" He was giving her the impression that he would let this go, but just like the monk who now had termites in his temple, he would get his revenge.

Speaking of that matter, after being made to kneel in the sun, this demon king sent his minions, Lian and Mei, to attract termites at the temple as revenge. The head monk probably knew who did it, but what evidence did he have?

While waiting for her response the intricate blue and white porcelain cat on the table drew his attention. He toyed with the delicate figurine, his fingers tracing its smooth curves as he watched the madam with a calm, yet piercing gaze. The madam, a stout woman with a nervous twitch, eyed the porcelain cat with caution, her hands wringing her handkerchief.

"Does the owner of this establishment know that you force people who don’t want to be here to work and keep them off the books to pocket their earnings?" he said. His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it carried a weight that made the madam’s heart race.

The madam’s eyes darted to the cat, then back to her. She swallowed hard, her mind racing. "You have a good thing going on here," Xiang Yu continued his fingers now gently rubbing the head of the porcelain cat. "Why ruin it all for an inexperienced host? He isn’t worth the trouble."

The madam’s face twisted in displeasure. She thought of Baihe, who had somehow spilt these secrets. But how could he know? He was new here. It had to be someone else who had betrayed her. "Fine," she said hurriedly, her voice trembling. "I want two thousand five hundred silver coins."

Xiang Yu’s eyes narrowed. He knew he couldn’t put monetary value on a human life but he didn’t expect her to be this greedy. His tone cold he said, "But I know you got Baihe for almost nothing." He tossed the porcelain cat into the air, catching it deftly, but making it look as if he might drop it. The madam lunged forward, her hands outstretched, a cry escaping her lips.

"Careful," Xiang Yu said, his voice mocking. "What is it worth?"

The madam’s face was pale. "Five hundred silver coins," she said, her voice barely a whisper.