Chapter 162: Has Gao Qiqiang Made a Move?

"I know we are currently the Ancient Jade Gang, an independent jade guild aiming to grow from the ground up. In all of this, didn't you ever plan to lean on some influential figures and climb a bit higher?"

"Are we really expected to carve out an empire step by step relying solely on a few brothers like us?"

"Look at how Old Ghost Shi just rolled in, and we had to temporarily shut down our shop right away... When all is said and done, it's because our strength isn't enough! If we had a powerful backer behind us—" Chen Laobao stopped mid-sentence.

Lu Yier, standing nearby, chimed in, "Having a powerful backer is useless. Old Ghost Shi will swallow up the entire market in his first sweep, and only then will he negotiate with those who have backers to decide whose turn it is to be eliminated in the second round!"

Hearing this, Chen Laobao nodded and said, "That's true as well... Old Ghost Shi's style has always been to negotiate while he slaughters!"

I understood what Chen Laobao was getting at, and slowly said, "Chen Laobao, why don't you talk about the Six Great Families? We do need to look into what you've been saying!"

Seeing that I was serious, a trace of anticipation flashed in Chen Laobao's eyes as he began, "Although the Six Great Families each have their own distinct strengths, they all possess deep roots within the jade industry. Let me introduce them to you one by one."

"First is the Lin family, headed by Lin Jianguo. Their family is famous for producing and selling high-end jade artifacts, particularly excelling in carving with first-class craftsmanship. The Lin family enjoys a stellar reputation in the industry, and many socialites are willing to pay top dollar for their work. Consequently, their market positioning has always remained high-end, yielding relatively generous profits."

"Next is the Zhao family, headed by Zhao Houde. The Zhao family primarily deals in the wholesale and retail of jade, boasting immense strength especially in the procurement of raw jade materials. Their distribution channels span across the country, and they even maintain direct cooperative relationships with multiple mining regions, allowing them to acquire top-quality raw materials at low prices with a clear competitive advantage."

"Then there is the Ma family, headed by Ma Weilai. The Ma family stands out in jade processing, focusing mainly on antique jade and scholarly trinkets. Ma Weilai himself is an archaeologist who is often away from the family, traveling all over the world. Over the years, many impressive artifacts have been repatriated internationally, and he has spearheaded those efforts."

"There is also the Zhu family, headed by Zhu Tianming. The Zhu family excels in jade collection and investment. Their sharp insight into the market has allowed them to accumulate considerable wealth within the industry. Their unique vision for jade investments often enables them to position themselves ahead of others before anyone even notices, reaping handsome rewards. Their family only handles large-scale wholesale transactions and rarely appears in public."

"Following them is the Mu family, headed by Mu Yu. This is rather peculiar... Although it's said the Mu family operates in the jade industry, it actually has little to do with the jade itself. The Mu family possesses extensive experience in the cleaning and maintenance of jade, providing professional services. With the public's growing awareness of jade preservation, the Mu family's business has steadily expanded, becoming a force in the industry that cannot be ignored."

"Finally, there is the Hu family, headed by Hu Yuanzheng. The Hu family focuses primarily on the cultural dissemination of jade, dedicated to cultivating lantern-holders everywhere and spreading jade culture to a broader audience. They frequently host various events and invite experts to give lectures, sparking the interest of many young people in jade."

At this point, Chen Laobao looked at me and said, "Gang Leader, taking you for instance, once a typical market lantern-holder assumes office, they invariably pay a visit to the Hu family."

I smiled and asked, "Are any of these families closely tied to one another?"

Chen Laobao nodded and said, "The Mu family and the Zhu family are families of old acquaintances... The Hu family and the Ma family do not get along... The rest mostly keep to themselves."

After listening to Chen Laobao's introduction, I gained a clearer understanding of the Six Great Families.

"Their respective characteristics and operational models have formed a delicate balance; in this market, no one is willing to easily yield ground. Yet over many years, a habit has formed whereby they basically avoid proactively conflicting with one another!"

"Each of these families has its own unique traits, but if Gao Qiqiang's influence in Jinghai were to collapse, and he tried to rebuild an empire taking advantage of this opportunity, they would undoubtedly react. No major family is willing to have its market devoured. Laobao, you know the local families well. If you were Gao Qiqiang, which family would you target first?" I continued, "Can you imagine?"

After some thought, Chen Laobao replied, "It should be the Zhao family, Zhao Houde!"

"Because rumors have been rampant lately that Gao Qiqiang went abroad to look for jade mines. If he wants to break into our local market, the very first person he would have to face head-on is obviously Zhao Houde!"

I nodded, pondering silently to myself. Chen Laobao's analysis was spot on; the Zhao family's advantage in raw jade materials would undoubtedly be Gao Qiqiang's primary target. However, relying on this alone might not necessarily shake the entire market.

"Laobao, how do you think the Zhao family will respond?"

Chen Laobao frowned slightly, "The Zhao family has always been steady; they will quickly organize their people and find ways to stabilize the market. Of course, most importantly, they will block the source. After all, Zhao Houde controls quite a few channels and resources and won't easily let Gao Qiqiang muscle in on this business."

Just as we reached this point in our conversation, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

It was Chen Laobao's underling, Lang Gao, nicknamed Little Wolf.

He walked up to Chen Laobao and whispered something in his ear.

Chen Laobao nodded repeatedly. After Lang Gao finished speaking and took his leave, Chen Laobao's expression suddenly turned grave.

He looked at all of us.

He wore an expression as if he had much more to say.

Pan Ximi grew so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheek, blurting out, "Come on, Laobao, what on earth is going on? Spill it!"

Chen Laobao looked back at me and said solemnly, "Gang Leader, the news we just received is that Zhao Houde is dead!"

This single statement landed like a thunderclap, sending a shudder through the heart of everyone present.

Chen Laobao's face instantly turned pale, and he then turned to us with a heavy expression, as if realizing the gravity of the situation. An oppressive atmosphere instantly filled the room; everyone held their breath, unable to believe this sudden news.

"How was Zhao Houde's health usually?"

I said slowly, quietly turning over the future trajectory of the situation in my mind.

Chen Laobao replied, "Once a man passes middle age, who doesn't have a few ailments? But... this is just too much of a coincidence!"

"What coincidence? Do we even need to ask? It must have been a conspiracy between Zhao Dezhu and Gao Qiqiang!" Lu Yier declared, "That's my take on the Zhao family!"

"Zhao Dezhu?" I looked at Chen Laobao.

Chen Laobao nodded. "Yes, he's Zhao Houde's younger brother... Over the years, there have been many divisions between the two brothers. Yier thinking this way isn't entirely baseless!"

By this point, the conversation was growing heavier and heavier.

Pan Ximi snorted and said, "In my view, fortresses are always breached from within. Gao Qiqiang suddenly went abroad, and right after, Zhao Houde drops dead... Let me tell you, this Zhao Dezhu doesn't have what it takes to hold things together!"