Song Jianmin's words made Song Jianhao blush furiously.
The atmosphere became awkward again. Yang Jian smiled slightly, "Brother Hao, let's not bring up the past. We all know what's going on, and there's no point in saying it out loud."
"Yang Jian, don't listen to him. How about this: if your casino gets up and running, we'll be your long-term dealers. The main thing is we're not worried about being squeezed out."
Song Jianmin proposed his idea, which was the real reason for their visit today.
"No problem. However, those are all people from demolition projects, and they're all wealthy. With Li Jin's influence, we won't be running a small operation. Dealing requires a certain level of strength, so you guys should figure it out."
"Alright, we'll find a way to handle the capital. Just make sure there's a spot for us to deal."
"Of course. Let's eat first."
Yang Jian didn't want to discuss the matter further. He considered Song Jianmin a brother and had originally planned to bring him into the casino. However, with Song Jianhao in the picture, he couldn't say it yet to avoid affecting their brotherly relationship.
As for Song Jianhao, Yang Jian had no intention of cooperating with him. This man was too calculating, and cooperating with him would only lead to losses. He relied entirely on his smooth talk to get by in the outside world, lacking both literary and martial skills. If it weren't for Song Jianmin's constant support, he would have struggled to survive.
The meal eased the awkwardness. Song Jianhao didn't say another word and left shortly after eating a few bites, clearly displeased.
"Yang Jian, don't take it personally with my brother. Ever since he lost his car, his mindset has changed. He's desperate to make big money, but he knows nothing but gambling. His health is also poor, and he doesn't have the capital to deal. That's why he's become so temperamental and speaks without restraint."
Seeing his brother leave, Song Jianmin quickly explained.
Yang Jian smiled, "Jianmin, I only consider you a brother. I don't care about anyone else. If it's convenient for you, you can come and help me alone, with the same treatment as Liangliang and the others."
Song Jianmin shook his head, "No, I can't. If I leave, my brother's team will completely collapse. I promised my mom I'd help my brother get married. I also want to work with you, but not right now. I need to help him keep things afloat."
"But how will you deal without capital?"
"It's okay. I plan to mortgage my house and borrow some money from an investment company, then start over."
"Are you crazy? Do you know Old Wu? His family mortgaged their house to an investment company, and now they're almost living on the streets. Those so-called investment companies are actually loan sharks. How can you borrow their money?"
"It's fine, the interest rate I'm borrowing at is only two and a half percent. For two hundred thousand, the monthly interest is only five thousand. As long as we find a good venue, we can recoup the cost quickly. Even if not, we can still earn five thousand in interest."
Hearing Song Jianmin say this, Yang Jian was speechless and didn't know what to say.
Yu Feng also found it unbelievable, "Jianmin, what you're doing is indeed very dangerous. It would be much better to follow Yang Jian. His casino is basically a sure bet, and it can at least provide you with a stable income. While dealing for Emperor might bring in big money, the risk is equally high. There's really no need to take such a risk."
Song Jianmin shook his head, "Sister Feng, you don't understand. We come from a rural background, and neither of us brothers have any skills or background. I followed my brother right after leaving school. He introduced me to the casino world, and that's how I got married and started a family. Now he has an opportunity to get married, and I must do my best to help him and support Emperor Company."
Yang Jian patted his shoulder, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you further. If things go smoothly on my end, you can come and deal. You'll have priority."
"Yes, I'll come over as soon as I get the money. Your place is safer and fairer than anywhere else. I definitely won't miss this opportunity. If I can't make money here, it's purely bad luck."
"Alright, if you can't hold on, you're always welcome here."
Yang Jian gave him a reassurance, removing any worries from Song Jianmin's mind.
After dinner, Yu Feng and Song Jianmin left one after another.
Only then did Liangliang have the chance to report the situation to Yang Jian.
"Brother Jian, after discussing with Biao Biao, we've found eight people in total. We plan to head to Hancheng tomorrow morning. Do you think that's enough?"
"Eight people is about right. Let's get the venue set up first. If we need more people, we can add them later. What's their character like? Do they have any criminal records or drug abuse issues?"
"No, I've only recruited young people who have recently graduated from school, around eighteen or nineteen years old. Although they don't have much social experience, they are all sharp and daring. We'll need to assess them after we get there. We don't want any cowardly softies."
"Good, young people are malleable and easier to cultivate loyalty. We need to implement military-style management. Let Afeng teach them some combat techniques, train them daily, so that even if they can't fight ten men, they can at least protect themselves. We want to make a name for ourselves on Xunsi River with the fewest people."
Yang Jian didn't want to build a criminal organization, but he couldn't let them be bullied. At the very least, he needed to ensure the smooth operation of the casino and build a lean team. Even if they stopped running casinos in the future, they would still be elite soldiers if placed in enterprises.
"I understand what you mean. I'll go back and prepare. We'll leave tomorrow morning. Biao Biao said the casino venue has already been chosen and is currently being renovated. We'll go and sort out the accommodation."
"Has the ready-mix concrete plant been confirmed? Will the concrete supply stop when you leave?"
"No, before you arrived, I already spoke to Sister Feng about your brother-in-law's matter. She will personally speak to the ready-mix concrete plant to ensure unconditional supply. You can settle the payment whenever you have the money."
"That's good. I'll thank Sister Feng in person when I have time."
Yu Feng's promise once again relieved Yang Jian of a worry. The concrete needed for his brother-in-law's house was substantial, and he wasn't sure if he could earn enough money to settle the bill by the end of the year, not to mention other construction materials and labor costs.
Yang Jian's biggest concern now was the survival of the template factory. The casino was an unknown entity, and it wasn't certain if it would be profitable. It couldn't be considered a long-term career. As soon as he recovered, he needed to withdraw promptly, as running a casino was illegal, and getting caught would result in much harsher penalties than simple gambling or dealing.
The template factory, however, was what he truly wanted to operate long-term. It currently had unique advantages. As long as the quality of the templates was up to par, sales would not be a problem. If Li Jin cooperated and used some tactics, it might even be possible for all the construction sites in the Seventh Brigade to use his templates.
Since he had already entered Li Jin's circle, it was impossible to remain completely untainted. Once the casino was operational, the reputation of a "big boss" would spread to Chengguan and even Xinqiao. To overcome the current difficulties and for the development of the template factory, Yang Jian decided to go all out. This was a make-or-break moment.