Chapter 36: Shouzhe's counterattack |
Afterwards, aside from the gradual change in Wang Zong'an's bloodline, it seemed as if nothing had happened.
He still diligently completed the tasks of an ordinary disciple every day, practiced cultivation when it was time, and in his spare time, he bought up surplus "spirit mushrooms" and, with the help of his fifth aunt Wang Luoyi, concocted a simple mini ice crystal iron cold storage. He then rented a spirit bird flying carriage and took this mini cold storage full of spirit mushrooms on a trip to Ping'an Town.
The matter of the Longevity Tree spirit seed, after causing a stir for a while, eventually subsided due to the lack of evidence to prove who obtained the spirit seed.
For a long time thereafter, the ownership of the Longevity Tree spirit seed remained an unsolved mystery and even briefly topped the "Ten Great Unsolved Mysteries of the Purple Mansion Academy."
Until many years later...
But let's not talk about that for now.
Back to the present.
At this moment, the academy had gradually returned to calm. However, in the Southern Six Guards, due to a series of new strategies by the Qian Clan's business, the originally peaceful situation was disrupted, and undercurrents began to surge beneath the surface.
On this day.
In a side hall designated for receiving guests, the former chief steward of the Qian Clan's business, Qian Xue'an, who had a rather prosperous appearance, was bitterly complaining to Wang Shouzhe: "Little brother Shouzhe~ You tell me, I, Qian Xue'an, have worked so diligently for so many years, creating so much profit for the family. And what happened? That little brat in his twenties comes along and kicks me out with one foot. Alas~ It's hard to be a concubine-born child~ Especially when I'm just a direct-line concubine-born, anyone can disregard me, it's too humble~"
"Brother Qian, don't be upset." Wang Shouzhe smiled as he brewed a cup of spirit tea for him, "You've worked hard for the Qian Clan for decades. Take this opportunity to rest, go out and play, and relax. If you're short on funds, I have plenty here."
"That's enough, enough~" Qian Xue'an hurriedly half-rose, gesturing respectfully with the teacup towards Wang Shouzhe, "I previously bought a house in the Hundred Islands Guard, the scenery there is beautiful, and I can fish every day. Oh right, that fishing rod you got me, what's it called, the lure rod, it's really good, quite interesting."
After a pause, he sighed again: "Shouzhe, to tell you the truth, I, Old Qian, am just a bit unwilling. That kid, whose facial hair hasn't even fully grown, wants to control the business of the Southern Six Guards. Who knows if he'll make some foolish moves, haha~~ Your Wang Clan and the in-law alliance might..."
"Brother Qian, I, Shouzhe, only recognize you as the Qian Clan's business partner." Wang Shouzhe said casually with a smile, "Don't worry, you take your time to rest and recuperate, and take this opportunity to put more effort into cultivation. With your talent, you should at least strive for the Celestial Realm, right? There's still a long life ahead. Just a greenhorn, I'll take care of him for you, brother."
Qian Xue'an's bloodline talent was not bad, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to reach his current status as a direct-line concubine-born child.
With the "resources" he now controlled, there was still a chance for him to make a push for the Celestial Realm.
"With your words, I, Old Qian, am reassured." Qian Xue'an was overjoyed.
He had made a special trip to the Wang Clan for this very statement.
It was quite clear that Wang Shouzhe was someone who valued old friendships. The bond formed between the two in their humble beginnings played a decisive role at this moment.
"That Qian Xuerui probably hasn't experienced Shouzhe's prowess." Recalling that youngster Qian Xuerui, he couldn't help but sneer again, "In that case, I can 'make a scene' for him. As the saying goes, the higher you climb, the harder you fall. This time, the family's face might be lost by him."
After chatting a bit more and reminiscing about old times, Wang Shouzhe arranged for Qian Xue'an to stay in the guest tower.
Not long after, a middle-aged man with a dignified bearing, dressed in luxurious clothes, entered under the guidance of a maid.
He wore a jade crown on his head and had a rather extraordinary temperament and appearance, only slightly inferior to Wang Shouzhe.
Following him was a young man around eighteen or nineteen years old.
This young man had a restrained spirit and was not of ordinary cultivation. There was a slight resemblance between his brows and Wang Shouzhe's.
"Chen Xiuwu pays respects to Uncle."
The young man stepped forward first and respectfully saluted, his eyes seemingly filled with admiration and reverence for Wang Shouzhe.
These two men were naturally the current Clan Leader of the Donggang Chen Clan, Chen Fangjie, and the young Clan Leader, Chen Xiuwu.
After exchanging greetings, a maid came to replace the tea and fruits.
"Xiuwu, it seems you've been quite diligent in your recent cultivation, reaching the peak of the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm." Wang Shouzhe looked at Chen Xiuwu with approval and encouraged, "Keep up the good work and strive to step into the Lingtai Realm before the age of twenty-five."
"Thank you for the praise, Uncle." Chen Xiuwu was secretly thrilled to be complimented.
His uncle had always been his idol since childhood.
The current Chen Clan was no longer the Chen Clan of the past. Now, there were eight cultivators in the Lingtai Realm within the clan, including Wang Shouzhe's own sister Wang Luoyi and brother-in-law Chen Fangjie.
As the young Clan Leader of the Chen Clan, Chen Xiuwu had never lacked cultivation resources since childhood. His rate of advancement in cultivation was already stronger than that of the young Clan Leaders of many seventh-rank families.
"Shouzhe, regarding the Qian Clan's challenge, they intend to raise the commission for consigned goods from twenty percent directly to fifty percent. What do you think of this?" Chen Fangjie's "majestic" brows showed a trace of worry.
In Longzuo Commandery, the Purple Mansion Qian Clan was a colossal family. Their businesses spread throughout the entire commandery, deeply rooted with extensive connections. Even if the Chen Clan, Wang Clan, and other in-law families were tied together, they were far from comparable to the other side.
"Don't rush this matter. Let's wait for a few of our allied families to arrive and then discuss it together." Wang Shouzhe smiled indifferently, as if he already had a strategy in mind.
Seeing Wang Shouzhe's attitude, Chen Fangjie also relaxed a lot, temporarily setting aside his worries and chatting with Wang Shouzhe about family matters.
Chen Fangjie had been married to Wang Luoyi for many years and had already had three children. Besides their eldest son Chen Xiuwu, their eldest daughter was also fourteen years old, and they had a six-year-old son.
They were all currently in Wang Shouzhe's courtyard, accompanied by Liu Ruolan.
Wang Shouzhe had always kept his sister's boudoir for her so that she could bring the children back to the Wang Clan for a stay every year. However, it was not certain whether her brother-in-law Chen Fangjie would have as much free time.
The Chen Clan was in a period of rapid development, and as the current Clan Leader, Chen Fangjie had to handle all sorts of matters, naturally leaving him with little leisure time.
Wang Shouzhe had already arranged for someone to invite the relevant members of the Wang Clan's interest alliance, and as they chatted and waited, representatives from some of the allied families gradually entered the side hall.
Among them were the Clan Leader of the Gongsun Clan from Shanyang, Gongsun Yan; the Clan Leader of the Liu Clan from Shanyin, Liu Yuanhui; the Lingtai Realm "Elder" of the Lu Clan from Yingxiu, Lu Xiaoxiao; the family head of the Changning Xu Clan, Xu Anbang; the family head of the Celestial Lei Clan, Lei Yangyu; and the family head of the Jinsha Xu Clan, Xu Anze.
Because Wang Shouzhe was young and rapidly rising, many of the older generation in the in-law families had passed the position of family head to the younger generation, so they could have more common ground and interaction with Wang Shouzhe.
Although Lu Xiaoxiao of the Lu Clan was not the family head, she often represented the Lu Clan in communications and alliances with the Wang Clan due to her very close blood relationship with Wang Shouzhe as cousins.
All the families had marital ties with the Changning Wang Clan and formed an "implicitly" united front, creating an alliance.
However, at this moment, while everyone exchanged pleasantries, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.
Obviously, the Qian Clan's actions had put considerable pressure on the in-law alliance.
Lei Yangyu of the Lei Clan, who had the highest status, drank his spirit tea with an annoyed expression and said, "Shouzhe, what's that little brat Qian Xuerui? He dares to be arrogant on our turf, acting high and mighty. If it weren't for the Qian Clan backing him, I'd make sure he doesn't return!"
Xu Anbang, the family head of the Changning Xu Clan, also spoke with concern: "Shouzhe, our joint silk industry has always followed a low-price dumping strategy. Over the years, we've expanded the market significantly. If the Qian Clan raises the commission from twenty percent to fifty percent, our profits will become very thin."
"That's not even the worst part." Xu Anze, the family head of the Jinsha Xu Clan, said angrily, "I'm afraid some people are greedy and bite off more than they can chew. Today we reluctantly agree to a fifty percent commission, and in a few years, they'll raise it to sixty percent. Are we supposed to work hard on our industries only to end up working for the Qian Clan for nothing?"
"But gentlemen, if we don't agree to the Qian Clan, what can we do?" Gongsun Yan asked with a low voice, "We are slightly less dependent on the Qian Clan for cement and glass. But for the purchase and sale of grain seeds, silk, and various other materials, we need to rely on the Qian Clan's channels and connections. If we can't sell our goods, won't they pile up like mountains?"
Wang Shouzhe leisurely sipped his tea, not even batting an eyelid, and continued to listen to everyone's complaints.
"Cousin Shouzhe." Now in her thirties and a mature beauty, Lu Xiaoxiao spoke in a delicate voice, "No matter what decision you make, my Lu Clan will follow you."
With these words, everyone's gaze fell on the soul of the in-law alliance—Wang Shouzhe.
Wang Shouzhe had always been someone adept at creating miracles.
It was also because of him as the core that the in-law alliance had developed so smoothly over the years, prospering together.
This time, they also hoped that Wang Shouzhe could come up with a solution, use his connections to communicate with the Qian Clan's high-level executives, and return to the previous cooperation model.
"Actually, the Qian Clan has its own unique platform and sales channels." Wang Shouzhe said with a light smile, "Businessmen naturally seek profit, and it's not unreasonable for them to seek more benefits for themselves."
"Cousin, do you mean to compromise?" Disappointment flickered in Gongsun Yan's eyes.
But that was also inevitable; the Qian Clan was the mighty Purple Mansion Clan, who could stand against them?
"Compromising is not a big deal." Lu Xiaoxiao said, "Perhaps our in-law alliance will develop slower, but it's better than cutting off our financial path completely. While compromising, we can also explore new channels and gradually become independent from the Qian Clan."
Wang Shouzhe looked at Lu Xiaoxiao with approval.
Although his cousin was a pampered girl in her youth, as she grew older and gradually took on the family's responsibilities, her thinking became more mature.
Lu Xiaoxiao's words garnered the agreement of the other family heads in the in-law alliance.
To be honest, none of them had the capital or confidence to confront the Qian Clan head-on.
"I've also said that seeking profit is not unreasonable, after all, I, Wang Shouzhe, am also profit-driven. If it weren't for Old Qian standing in front, to be honest, I would have long stopped letting the Qian Clan earn that twenty percent commission." Wang Shouzhe's expression became more serious, "I believe you've all noticed. No matter which senior sister, it's all about the channel. No matter how good your product is, if the sales channel is monopolized by someone else, even the best product can't be sold."
"What Shouzhe means is..." Liu Yuanhui's eyes lit up, "Are you planning to go it alone without the Qian Clan? Great idea, that twenty percent the Qian Clan takes is a considerable amount of the revenue."
"Shouzhe, think twice~" Although Lei Yangyu was very eager earlier, he was after all the head of an old Celestial family and had a clearer understanding of the strength of the Purple Mansion Clan, "The Qian Clan's business spreads throughout Longzuo, and all the guard cities have excellent relations with them. Moreover, their transportation channels have been managed for hundreds of years, with advantages and intricacies we cannot learn. Besides, land transportation often passes through remote and desolate roads... you understand what I mean, right?"
To compete with the Qian Clan in the transportation industry, Lei Yangyu was not optimistic about everyone's chances. They did not have the ability to establish a business with a network that spread throughout Longzuo Commandery in a short time.
Lei Yangyu's words made everyone fall into thought.
The Qian Clan was so large and influential that a slight obstruction could greatly trouble the in-law alliance.
The most important thing was, to build a heavy-duty transportation channel like the Qian Clan's, the involved capital and manpower were enormous. How could they compete with the Qian Clan's hundreds of years of operation!
"Gentlemen, let's take a break from the meeting and try some spirit mushroom soup."
Wang Shouzhe did not directly answer these questions but put down his teacup and clapped his hands.
Shortly after, maids brought in steaming fresh spirit mushroom soup, which also contained some spirit-cured meat to enhance the flavor.
Although everyone was puzzled, they still began to drink the soup as instructed.
After the spirit mushroom soup went down, everyone immediately praised it: "Great soup, great spirit mushrooms. This is the best spirit mushroom I've ever eaten in my life, rich and delicious, and it instantly invigorates the blood and energy."
"If you like it, drink more. This is a special product from the Longevity Valley branch of the Purple Mansion Academy, only grown under that one Longevity Tree, and only available during the spirit tide." Wang Shouzhe said with a smile, "Zong'an specially picked and sent it back to honor us."
"Indeed, spirit mushrooms from under the Longevity Tree? No wonder they're so delicious and full of spiritual energy."
"So it was Zong'an who sent it back... The child is thoughtful."
"Wait a minute..." Xu Anbang said, "I've also heard of the spirit mushrooms from the academy's Longevity Valley. These mushrooms are exceptionally delicious, but once picked, they have a very short shelf life. Even if stored in an ice cellar, they can hardly last half a month. But these mushrooms are extremely fresh, as if they were just picked."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked and indeed found it to be true.
From Changning Guard to the Purple Mansion Academy, even if a Lingtai Realm cultivator rode a precious horse day and night, it would still take eight to ten days.
For a moment, everyone was full of curiosity.
Could it be that Shouzhe cultivated a new variety of spirit mushrooms? Could it pass for academy spirit mushrooms?
"These mushrooms are indeed from the academy, picked no more than three days ago, and have been preserved in an ice crystal iron cold storage, hence they are very fresh." Wang Shouzhe didn't keep them guessing and said with a smile, "Zong'an came up with a clever idea, using ice crystal iron to create a cold storage, and sent it back overnight using the academy's spirit bird flying carriage. This time, he sent back a large quantity, and later we'll all share some."
"This... I heard that renting the academy's flying carriage is extremely expensive..." Xu Anbang frowned, "Plus the ice crystal iron cold storage, these spirit mushrooms are quite valuable."
"Indeed, it's not cheap." Liu Yuanhui said, "I heard from Elder Xuanfu before, renting a flying carriage for a day costs ten academic credits, worth over a hundred Top Gold, and this round trip must have cost hundreds of Top Gold. Even Elder Xuanfu was reluctant to ride it in the past... she preferred to ride a horse back and forth. But now, Elder Xuanfu has ridden it twice."
Indeed, how easy is it to earn hundreds of Top Gold? When the Wang Clan was at its poorest, it was good enough to save a few hundred Top Gold extra in a year. The Liu Clan from Shanyin, although slightly wealthier, was also reluctant to spend.
"A round trip costing hundreds of Top Gold is indeed very expensive." Wang Shouzhe agreed, "But what if it only costs fifteen Top Gold to go to the commandery city? And no matter when you return, it also only costs fifteen Top Gold, would you take it?"
"Fifteen Top Gold to the commandery city? Seems like the flying carriage only needs to fly for a little over a day, right?" Gongsun Yan's eyes brightened, "Of course, I'll take it. I've long wanted to visit the commandery city, but it takes too long to go back and forth by horse-drawn carriage! Even riding a horse takes a lot of time, and it's too tiring to travel overnight."
"Shouzhe, do you mean..." Hope shone in everyone's eyes.
"I've calculated that the academy has about thirty or so spirit bird flying carriages. Because of the high price, most of the time they are idle." Wang Shouzhe quickly calculated, "Because of these spirit bird flying carriages, the academy loses about three hundred thousand Top Gold every year! We can rent them all and create an aerial cold chain transportation system!"