https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-283-Purple-Qi-Ascending-Dragon-Scripture-Level-3/13031128/
Chapter 282: A Big Deal
Chapter 282: A Big Deal
2017-09-25
Lu HaiKong didn't doubt Ye Junru's identity, at least not outwardly.
He could sense a mysterious aura, or perhaps a power, emanating from her, a force that was distinct from internal energy. If Lu HaiKong's guess was correct, Ye Junru was likely a Taoist practitioner.
Aside from the Five Pecks of Rice Taoists in Shu and a few other mysterious beings akin to semi-immortals, the Yellow Turban Sect was the only other Taoist sect he knew of. So, the identity of the woman before him was likely genuine.
Understanding this situation, Lu HaiKong put on his professional demeanor.
This woman, who claimed to be from the Yellow Turbans in Youzhou, was clearly representing a powerful force. Since establishing his mountain fortress, Lu HaiKong had only received visitors from Wang Hao's side, and this was only the second time another faction had come to call. Naturally, he had to treat this matter with utmost seriousness.
Once Lu HaiKong assumed his professional attitude, his entire demeanor became more meticulous and reserved. Combined with Ye Junru's straightforward proposal to establish diplomatic, or more accurately, trade relations with the fortress, and their initial request to purchase five thousand horses and two thousand cattle, Lu HaiKong's eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and caution.
The sheer scale of this transaction was impressive, with a combined total of seven thousand cattle and horses worth nearly five million in value. If Lu HaiKong agreed to the deal, he stood to gain three to four million in gold, almost matching the trading volume of the Qiang Yin Clan for two months.
However, Lu HaiKong didn't show any outward reaction. Some people were like this, completely different in their professional and personal lives. Under someone's guidance, Lu HaiKong had become meticulous and reserved in his professional state, and he had a certain depth to his character.
The two didn't linger outside the fortress for long. Lu HaiKong led Ye Junru and her companions directly towards the center of the fortress.
The three women couldn't help but express varying degrees of astonishment at the sights along the way, especially the Ye sisters. Although they had some knowledge of the fortress's basic situation before their arrival, they had never personally entered the fortress, and their understanding of the internal workings of the fortress was limited to the word "fortress" itself.
They had expected a narrow, impoverished place, perhaps slightly poorer than the average city, with the locals enslaved and living a miserable life. Yet, what they witnessed was quite the opposite.
It was already dusk when they arrived, and many of the working locals had finished their shifts. The fortress bustled with activity as groups of workers returned, their faces filled with satisfaction. Seeing the workers, they all subconsciously stopped and looked at Lu HaiKong, the chieftain, with eyes full of reverence.
Such respect was something they had only witnessed from one person within the territory.
Although they had entered through the fortress's main gate and were heading towards the Assembly Hall, there was no need to pass through the Commercial Street. However, Lu HaiKong intentionally took them on a detour through the bustling Commercial Street to showcase the fortress's most prosperous area.
The masked woman had been here before, or perhaps she had visited the fortress previously. In the three months since her last visit, the fortress had become much more vibrant, with a significant increase in population and the presence of patrol-like figures resembling police on the Commercial Street.
After a brief tour with the three of them, Lu HaiKong brought them to the Assembly Hall and arranged for their accommodations for the night. He then discreetly separated himself from them.
"I can't believe this guy's fort is actually quite impressive," Ye Mei commented, setting her large Guandao aside and leaning out the window. "I just saw all sorts of delicious food on the Commercial Street, like meat buns, steamed buns, and scallion pancakes. I'm drooling just thinking about it..."
Ye Mei's mouth watered as she spoke of food, and she turned to the masked person, "Why don't we go get something to eat? It's not that far from here to the Commercial Street anyway."
"It's best not to," the masked person replied with a huff. "I can sense that 'Elite' level battalion we saw earlier is still outside our room. That stingy man doesn't trust us at all; he's treating us like prisoners under surveillance. If you dare to go out now, you might end up as meat buns by tonight!"
"It's a normal precaution," Ye Junru said gently, seemingly unbothered by the Elite Guard's surveillance. "This situation is actually advantageous for us. Their fort remains in a semi-closed, or even fully closed state, aside from trade. This means the fort has a sense of isolation or defense towards the outside world, and vice versa. The environment is one of solitary existence, oh, I mean the grand environment is solitary."
"Even though this fort has established trade relations with many noble families, they are still noble families. They can't be relied upon. No matter how many benefits they receive, it's the same."
"So, the chances of the fort forming an alliance with us are very high. Rest assured, our mission here is already accomplished the moment we met the chieftain. Now, we just need to wait patiently."
This woman was sharp and insightful, quickly deducing the fort's overall situation from the clues before her.
Indeed, Lu HaiKong's fort was in a state of isolation. Although the Strong Yin Clan and even the Dingxiang Clan had established mutually beneficial trade relations with the bandits, this relationship was not solid. One reason was the bandits' social status.
In the 619th chapter, a book, a bar, a look, and a mistake!
Lu HaiKong, being a bandit, held a status that contrasted with mainstream society. He existed on the fringes, even as an outcast, a weak force that could be eradicated at any moment in the eyes of the noble families.
Despite their current prosperity, if they were to offend someone with a powerful background, that person could easily uproot them with a single word.
Therefore, the noble families' attitude towards the bandits was always one of readiness to abandon Lu HaiKong. Ye Junru believed that Lu HaiKong must be very troubled by this and lacked a sense of security.
However, Lu HaiKong wasn't bothered by this at all. He had ways to deal with the noble families' issues; all he lacked was time.
(End of Chapter)
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