Hectic Days

“……” Mentally flogging Su Jinxuan's corpse once more, Xu Yuan reined in his wavering composure, swatted Lou Ji's hand away, and spoke calmly. "I need you to investigate two sects." Rubbing the back of her hand, Lou Ji smiled and asked, "Which two?" Xu Yuan answered softly, "The Shenji Sect and the Wanyao Sect." Lou Ji arched an eyebrow, her voice tinged with mild curiosity. "Aren't those two sects fairly well-behaved?" Xu Yuan lowered his voice. "During my travels, I encountered a few opportunities and heard some things, but nothing is confirmed. I need them checked out first." Lou Ji pondered for a moment, asking no further questions before readily agreeing. "Fine. Big Sister will arrange people as soon as we finish here." Seeing this, Xu Yuan offered a faint smile. In Cangyuan, one of those two sects was conducting pharmacology experiments on a pit of ten thousand corpses—ripe for the plucking—while the other had discovered an important secret realm. Furthermore, both of their mountain gates happened to lie along the route he had traveled earlier. At that moment, Lou Ji spoke again, her voice as gentle as before. "Is there anything else?" Xu Yuan looked up. "Aren't those two matters enough?" Lou Ji's pretty eyes flickered, her brow gradually furrowing. But just as she opened her mouth to offer a word of advice, Xu Yuan continued unhurriedly: "Over the next two years, clues and intelligence will be of utmost importance. If necessary, we will even need to stir up internal strife within certain sects or trigger conflicts of interest between rival sects. All of that requires your Black Scale Guards, sister. So fifteen million taels isn't actually that much." “……” Lou Ji fell silent for several seconds. With a sigh, she stood up and murmured, "Still, Changtian, how do you plan to answer to the others?" Of the entire compensation sum, only twenty million taels could be skimmed. If Lou Ji alone took eighty percent while all the other factions had to split the remaining twenty, wouldn't they tear Xu Yuan to pieces? Xu Yuan smiled, pointing toward the contract on the red thornwood table. "Didn't you read the agreement?" Lou Ji glanced at it and nodded. "I read it. What about it?" Xu Yuan picked up the document. "This only outlines the conditions under which our Chancellor's Manor assists the Wanxiang Sect with troop training. Of course, beyond the black-and-white clauses, there are off-the-record matters, such as handing over the evidence in our possession to them." Lou Ji's eyes flashed. "You plan to use that to squeeze them?" Demanding more once a concession was made would only lead to a second concession, but the Wanxiang Sect would never submit to endless extortion. Xu Yuan shook his head in refutation. "We can't use that as leverage. If something goes wrong, the Wanxiang Sect might decide on mutual destruction. It's best we avoid that right now, as the losses would be far too heavy." Things had gone smoothly so far because the Wanxiang Sect had been caught off guard, their true elite were holed up within their mountain gate, and their war beasts had not yet been transferred from elsewhere. Forty thousand Black Scale soldiers could certainly wipe out the Wanxiang Sect, but their own losses would be immense as well. Yuan Hao had said that even in the best-case scenario, over ten thousand soldiers would perish. Lou Ji pondered for a moment, then asked, "Then what do you intend to do, Changtian?" Xu Yuan pointed to the viscous green slime coating the city walls. "Xinyao said this spirit-blocking slime requires a specialized solvent to remove. Otherwise, they'll have to scrap the array patterns along with the materials. A city-protecting array like this must be outrageously expensive; the Wanxiang Sect won't be willing to discard it. "The Wanxiang Sect's warehouses in the East City are all in our hands, and carting away the goods inside would be a massive headache. "As for the captured defensive siege engines on the battlements, keeping them yields little benefit for us. The maintenance molds the Wanxiang Sect uses differ from our Chancellor's Manor, making retrofitting costs far too high." At this point, Xu Yuan tapped the desk and grinned. "What's more, if possible, I hope to station troops here in Wanxiang City to safeguard the interests of our merchant guild." With that, Xu Yuan looked up to meet Lou Ji's alluring gaze. "All of these things can be negotiated for money. We should still be able to squeeze a few million more out of the Wanxiang Sect's hands. After all, these sects are far wealthier than we imagine." A smile gradually blossomed in Lou Ji's eyes. "Changtian, are you... preparing to jack up the price on the spot?" Xu Yuan's voice carried a hint of amusement. "How could this be called jacking up the price? You saw the contract we signed, didn't you? None of these matters were promised on paper, nor did I agree to them verbally. "Besides, even if we didn't play these cards, the Wanxiang Sect would certainly do the same to us. For instance, whether they pay in banknotes or silver bullion, and if bullion, what the purity of the silver will be; whether the long-term and temporary laborers in their shops and herb gardens stay or leave; and the details regarding the handover of business properties. There's far too much maneuvering room in the minutiae. "Sister, the real negotiations have only just begun." Xu Yuan stretched his limbs, stood up, and looked out into the distance with a sigh. "From here on out, I'm afraid we're going to be swamped." The day after the agreement was signed, a flock of flying demonic beasts touched down in Wanxiang's East City, carrying the shopkeepers sent by Hua Hong to negotiate the finer details. Yet even with these capable hands around, matters unfolded just as Xu Yuan had predicted: over the following days, he was so busy that he barely had time to sleep. He wished he could split every fifteen minutes into two. He was either reviewing the latest reports on silver and property transfers, or bickering back and forth with the Wanxiang Sect Master and the Grand Elder. Occasionally, the Black Scale Army would even stir up violent incidents inside the city. Even after falling asleep at night, he would be awakened to find time to receive confidential emissaries sent by high-ranking officials from the Chancellor's Manor demanding their share of the funds. Xu Yuan truly found it hard to imagine how Xu Yinhe had managed to cultivate while simultaneously handling such a chaotic mountain of administrative affairs back in the day. All day long, clamoring voices buzzed in his ears, leaving him not a single moment of peace. He wanted to delegate authority to subordinates, but unfortunately, he had no familiar, trustworthy people on hand. Let Lou Ji handle it? Forget it. That auntie spent every day lounging with her legs crossed, enjoying the show from the sidelines. Xu Xinyao wanted to help and certainly possessed the capability, but her approach was too gentle, and there was always the risk of exposing her identity. As for the big block of ice... Well, better to stick to talking about Xu Xinyao. Yet another morning arrived. Inside the elegant bedchamber, Xu Yuan wore a white sleeping robe, his eyes lowered as he sipped invigorating tea while listening to the reports of several shopkeepers standing before him. Once the group finally departed, he slowly raised his eyes toward the only middle-aged man still standing to the side, exhaustion evident in his gaze. "What were they just talking about?" Bai Zhao—no, Bai Jingtian now—pondered briefly before summarizing simply, "A great many merchants at the Yunhua Bank handed over yesterday have arrived demanding withdrawals, and the sums are very large." "Can you handle it?" Xu Yuan asked wearily. Bai Jingtian's eyes narrowed slightly. Cupping his hands, he dropped to his knees. "This Bai is willing to shoulder the young master's burdens." Xu Yuan paid no mind to his kneeling, merely waving a tired hand. "If you can handle it, then go. Someone will accompany and protect you. If you do well, there are still matters regarding the merchant guild this afternoon." Bai Jingtian clenched his fists tightly. He recognized this as an opportunity—a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. Kowtowing heavily, Bai Jingtian stood, took two steps back, turned, and strode briskly away. "Understood." Watching the man's departing back, Xu Yuan let out a long sigh. "I hope he doesn't disappoint me..." "Indeed," Lou Ji said, reclining on her side atop the bed nearby with a beaming smile. "If he disappoints you, Changtian, it only means your eye for people is nothing special after all~" Xu Yuan glanced sideways at her. "Sister, couldn't you help me out a bit?" Lou Ji pursed her lips in a smile. "Didn't Big Sister give you a massage last night?" Xu Yuan tapped the stack of paperwork before him. "I mean with these affairs." Lou Ji giggled. "Big Sister is an examiner; I cannot enter the arena myself~" Xu Yuan rolled his eyes, ignoring her, and returned to inspecting the documents delivered to his desk. Seeing this, Lou Ji seemed to recall something and remarked with a light chuckle, "Still, Big Sister did bring someone over who can comfort you." Having grown accustomed to this vixen sister's teasing over the past few days, Xu Yuan didn't pause his reading in the slightest. "A courtesan from a brothel?" "Well... if you'd like, Changtian, Big Sister can arrange it." Lou Ji turned over to lie on her stomach upon the mattress, resting her chin on her hands. "Though that's not who it is this time~" "Then who?" Xu Yuan asked offhandedly without much concern, "Su Jinxuan? Come to think of it, there hasn't been any news of her for a while." "It's Ran Qingmo." "What?" The movement of Xu Yuan's hands came to an abrupt halt. Lou Ji did not answer immediately. Without the slightest rush, she reached out and pulled the quilt over herself. Xu Yuan stared in bewilderment at her actions. Only then did Lou Ji slowly extend a pale, slender arm, pointing toward the doorway. "There."