Jing Shu fell silent as she processed his words. If the wealth wasn't hers, then she wondered whose it could possibly be.
"The wealth I earned came from the government during peaceful times," Qian Duoduo said slowly, his voice reflecting the gravity of the situation. "If I don't do something now to help reduce the impact of future disasters, the state can take it all back anytime once the threat of national collapse looms. When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. If the common people at the bottom all die out, do you really think I, Qian Duoduo, the richest man, can still enjoy my peaceful life here in Shiyuan like it's some paradise on earth?
I only started expanding this facility so aggressively after learning that the coming disasters would get worse and worse. The fatter this sheep grows, the more I can survive after being sheared when the higher-ups eventually come for me. As long as they only take the wool instead of the whole sheep, I can still live."
He paused for a moment, then gave her a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Think about it. If Shiyuan grows strong enough to withstand the next big disaster, don't you think I will still be the richest man, still the Master of Shiyuan? To keep living comfortably up here, I can't let everyone below die out.
That's why I have been developing so aggressively. It's a matter of self-preservation."
"So, after realizing what might happen, he was actually trying to save himself?" Jing Shu found that logic surprisingly similar to her own decision to open the Red Nematode Breeding and Processing Factory.
Except his ending had been tragic in the timeline she remembered. He had probably gotten taken down halfway through his ambitious plans when Wu City could no longer hold out against the pressure.
But wait... in her past life, hadn't people said Qian Duoduo's downfall was because he and the Tyrant couldn't reach an agreement? The Tyrant had demanded all his supplies, and when he refused to hand them over, tragedy struck.
Yet, from today's conversation, he clearly wasn't some arrogant fool who lacked foresight. He knew exactly what he was doing and what was at stake.
"Then… if the kind of disaster you mentioned hits in three months, and the higher-ups decide to 'butcher' Shiyuan, what would you do?" she asked, her eyes fixed on him.
Qian Duoduo thought for a moment, the walnut clicking in his hand. "Naturally, I would cooperate fully and open Shiyuan to the public."
"And what if they want more than just Shiyuan? What if they demand all your supplies?" Jing Shu probed carefully. Shiyuan was only a part of his vast assets. He still had plenty of materials stockpiled elsewhere in various locations. If the Tyrant in her past life hadn't just wanted Shiyuan but everything the man owned... and if those supplies could have saved more people...
His eyes narrowed, a determined light gleaming within the dark pupils.
"That won't be easy," he said firmly. "I have worked all my life for my wife and daughters. They have lived in luxury for half their lives, and there's no going back for them now. I don't want to end up like Puyi, having everything only to lose it all later. Living in misery after that… what is the point?"
I have also got my personal feelings to consider. My selflessness exists because I'm selfish."
Puyi Aisin-Gioro, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, had once owned the entire nation, only to die as a commoner. After spending half his life in prison, he had returned to the Forbidden City, which was his former home, and had to buy a ticket just to enter.
Jing Shu went quiet again. In her previous life, she had owned almost nothing and had grown used to scraping by during the ten long years of the apocalypse. In this life, with her Cube Space and all its treasures, she had tasted every rare delicacy in the world. If she lost everything now, if her space vanished and she had to go back to eating the bitter red nematodes and maggots… would she be able to accept it?
Would she give up all her resources just to save others?
Maybe that was exactly the point where Qian Duoduo and the Tyrant had clashed back then.
No outsider could know the full truth behind that old event. Maybe there had been other reasons as well. Still, no matter what the cause, she thought this lifetime had to change. Otherwise, who knew, maybe the Tyrant's "butchering" would reach her next.
"Everyone has heard about what happened with Lao Jin," Qian Duoduo sighed, the sound echoing in the room. "You saved his life but only asked for a convenient government post in return. It was a smart move. Not only does he owe you big, but so does everyone in our circle. That old guy can't die. If he does, everything falls apart."
She raised an eyebrow at him. Honestly, she hadn't thought that far ahead at the time. She had just wanted a life-saving favor to keep in her pocket for a rainy day. As long as she didn't cash it in, no one would dare touch her before the Tyrant took power. She hadn't expected to gain a whole circle of connections out of it.
"I also heard you bought some land and started a factory," he said, rolling the walnut between his palms. "But when I found out it was a Red Nematode Breeding Factory, I was honestly surprised. Jing Shu, you are a smart woman. Since you dared to go public with it, you must have been sure of your footing. But you had better be careful too. The formula behind it is the most important thing."
His intelligence network really was impressive to know so much.
Jing Shu smiled wryly. "To tell you the truth, I don't plan to keep red nematode breeding a secret. I would love to make it public, so China would never lack food again, and everyone could live safely. Unfortunately, it can't be replicated. That's actually why I came to you today—to discuss cooperation."
"Oh?" He leaned forward, looking intrigued. "Let's hear it."
The conference room filled with the occasional clink of teacup lids and his occasional exclamation of approval. Jing Shu did most of the talking as she explained her ideas, while he mostly listened, only asking questions when something puzzled him before falling back into a thoughtful silence.
"No problem with the kind of stones you mentioned," he finally said after a long pause. "Xishan is short on everything but that. I will ship them to the Banana Community at cost, but you will have to find your own builders. As for the land for your Red Nematode Breeding Factory, I will send over some stone as you asked. The really large slabs might be harder to get, but I will have Butler Cai handle it. You will get a result in a couple of days."
Her heart leaped with relief. Finally, she was seeing progress on her mudslide defense project for Year Four. Once the stones arrived, construction could begin. She didn't have much time left.
Qian Duoduo finally pulled out a cigar, taking a slow puff that filled the air. Smoke curled around him in thick wreaths as he spoke again.
"As for cooperating on your red nematode business, I think it's necessary. Your idea is solid, though some details still need work. But you're right, Shiyuan shouldn't be seen working too closely with the breeding factory. We will handle it discreetly. Butler Cai will take charge behind the scenes, while publicly, Shiyuan will just act as a buyer."
That was about as good an arrangement as it could get.
His expression eased as the deal was struck. "With your red nematode feed, Shiyuan's poultry production can finally ramp up. It will cut my costs and losses massively. I will stockpile more food and resources and be much better prepared for the worsening conditions. Jing Shu, you have really helped me out this time! Tell you what, I will give you an extra one percent of monthly dividends."
"One percent just like that? What a tycoon. Reckless generosity"—but Jing Shu liked it.
"As for our cooperation," he continued, "we will stick to your plan. You will supply red nematode feed, and I will provide energy materials. Both sides will grow fast, and we must get Wu City back on its feet as soon as possible."
===
Puyi Aisin-Gioro is most famously known as Puyi (溥仪), and Aisin-Gioro was the name of the imperial clan of the Qing Dynasty.
Here are the key facts about him:
He was the last Emperor of China and the final ruler of the Qing Dynasty.
His reign names were Xuantong (宣统) as the Emperor of China, and he was later made the puppet ruler of Manchukuo by the Japanese during World War II.
His life was dramatic. He was installed as emperor as a small child, abdicated as a boy after the 1911 Revolution, was briefly restored, and then was later used as a figurehead by the Japanese in Manchuria.
After World War II, he was captured by the Soviets and later handed over to the People's Republic of China, where he was "re-educated" in a prison camp. He was eventually pardoned and lived out his later years as an ordinary citizen in Beijing. He famously wrote an autobiography and worked as a gardener.