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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 199 Treasure Alliance
The general seemed to sense the heavy atmosphere but casually remarked, "I never intended to leave. However, if that girl wants to see me, she can come find me."
"Oh! I just remembered, if it's that girl, she might be a great fit for our Azure Smoke Pavilion."
Indeed, with Yin Ruoxue's ethereal demeanor and her mastery of the arts, it was possible she could become the next Courtesan of Azure Smoke Pavilion.
However, the general's attitude left Lian Yun feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"If you truly mean that, General, I will let her know you're here once I return to Huaxia."
Although there were restrictions in Yin Yang City that prevented certain information from leaking outside, some things were permissible. For instance, Lian Yun could mention to Yin Ruoxue that the general was in Chang'an City without violating the rules. It was likely that Yin Ruoxue would understand the general was in Chang'an.
But perhaps as Le Yan had thought, after meeting the general, Lian Yun already intended to take this 'sister' away. However, since the general showed no desire to leave and seemed quite happy at Azure Pavilion, Lian Yun wouldn't push the matter.
"Well then! It would be best if you could bring her over yourself."
"Leaving might not even be possible; returning is out of the question," Lan Ruoxuan said with a hint of sarcasm as she led the way.
But the general immediately took offense and exclaimed, "Hey, Old Lan, that's where you're wrong! This is my brother we're talking about; as long as he wants to, there's nothing he can't do."
It was unclear whether the general intended to praise Lian's People or simply enjoyed their quiet laughter. Regardless, his eyes reflected a sense of satisfaction.
Though they had never directly asked, knowing the Leader's intentions brought them a deeper sense of belonging and security.
Lian Rong no longer opposed her continuing to cling to Lian Yun's back.
Exiting the Azure Smoke Pavilion, the group of five made their way directly across the square. They encountered many people heading towards the Treasure Trade. As soon as the older generation spotted Lan Ruoxuan, they immediately turned to leave or urged those around them, saying, "Quick, go home and get money—bring as much as you can."
The older folks hurried along, eager to reach the Treasure Alliance before Lian Yun and the others.
In contrast, the younger crowd primarily focused on watching Meng Yixuan. Many confident individuals approached to greet Lan Ruoxuan and Azure Drift with polite nods, but when it came to Meng Yixuan, their enthusiasm surged. Several even tossed their heads back and adjusted their clothing, seemingly trying to showcase their own charm.
Among them, many shot hostile glares at Lian Yun, staring either for a few moments or continuously.
A beauty that brings disaster—an unwarranted calamity.
However, Lian Yun seemed somewhat accustomed to this and didn’t pay much attention.
As the five walked about halfway, they spotted a plump middle-aged man with a cheerful demeanor approaching them. Before he got too close, he bowed and said, "Qian Duoduo greets the Blue Pavilion Master, Azure Pavilion Master, Dream Girl, Leader, and this young gentleman. It is truly a stroke of luck to meet you all today."
If it had been in the past, the general might have retorted sharply. However, given the good relationship between Azure Pavilion and Treasure Alliance, he refrained from any banter. Meng Yixuan returned the greeting with a slight bow while Azure Drift smiled gently. "Shopkeeper Qian is being too polite. Our two families have always been on good terms; there’s no need for such formality."
"Indeed, indeed! Etiquette cannot be neglected. I have yet to congratulate the Blue Pavilion Master on escaping from hardship; I am truly sorry. May I ask—today—"
"Shopkeeper Qian," Meng Yixuan interjected, "today is my sister's performance!"
"Quick! Notify the Four Great Cities! Today, Blue Pavilion Master will personally play the zither; we are increasing seating by three thousand!"
Qian Duoduo instantly turned around and shouted loudly before returning with a beaming smile. "What an honor! It is indeed a stroke of luck! Please allow me to lead you all forward."
Although the two families had a good relationship, Qian Duoduo's rapid change in demeanor still drew some disdain from the general. "Then you can go—"
"No way! No way! How could I leave before hearing Blue Pavilion Master's zither? That’s not allowed!"
It seemed that Qian Duoduo, the Keeper, was quite familiar with the general's temperament.
Lian Yun found it somewhat amusing, yet once again felt puzzled.
The general, visibly displeased, said, "The Treasure Alliance, while not distinguishing between humans and spirits, only conducts business with the people of Huaxia and spirits. Although we may face exclusion from the Eight Great Cities, our strength in Huaxia is formidable."
By the end of his statement, the general's tone was filled with pride.
This also made Lian Yun realize that Qian Duoduo's so-called Four Great Cities referred specifically to Huaxia's Four Great Cities.
Moreover, the Treasure Alliance had firmly positioned itself to only trade with the people of Huaxia or Spirits. As a result, while they might lose business from the Eight Great Cities, they would gain the support of all forces within Huaxia, rendering them unafraid of oppression from the Eight Great Cities.
Additionally, this arrangement actually provided various factions in Huaxia with some benefits.
For instance, if the Treasure Alliance possessed goods that were unavailable in the other Eight Great Cities, certain factions in Huaxia could purchase these items and then sell them at a high price to individuals from the Eight Great Cities.
This could hardly be considered treason; rather, exchanging items of low value for those of higher value would enhance the strength of the Four Great Cities of Huaxia.
This represented a mutually beneficial relationship between the Treasure Alliance and many factions in Huaxia.
In this way, the leader of the Treasure Alliance could be seen as exceptionally astute.
"According to the rules set by our leader, if the Blue Pavilion Master personally takes the stage, all proceeds will go entirely to Azure Pavilion, and the Treasure Alliance will take nothing," Qian Duoduo said with a mix of sorrow and joy.
"That's fine. Later, you can present your Treasure Mirror to those two fellows for review," said the general.
"Alright, I'll take care of it right away," Qian Duoduo replied eagerly. He seemed so excited that he almost wanted to leave Lian Yun and the others behind to fetch something immediately. However, he ultimately restrained himself and walked forward at a measured pace.
Beneath the magnificent Eighteen-Story Palace, several people had come to greet them. However, Qian Duoduo politely led Lian Yun and the others to a luxurious suite on the third floor before instructing a clever young woman to attend to them and then took her leave.
Lan Ruoxuan entered a room by herself to rest.
Azure Drift guided Lian Yun and the others away from Lan Ruoxuan's room, then turned to Lian Yun with a smile and said, "Feel free to look around and take what you like. At Azure Pavilion, we may not have much, but we certainly have beauty and wealth in abundance."
With wealth not being an issue, given Azure Pavilion's favor with the general, it was clear that the general also lacked for nothing. Thus, she didn't even glance at the so-called Treasure Mirror. Instead, she leaned against Lian Yun's back, idly gnawing on a chicken leg.
Lian Yun, however, took the Treasure Mirror and began to examine it seriously.
Having heard that Treasure Alliance was the foremost Merchant Alliance in Yin Yang City, he wanted to broaden his horizons even if he didn't need any material possessions.
Turning page by page with careful attention, he soon came across an item and looked up to ask, "How many Soul Sword Cores do you have at Treasure Alliance?"
"The ordinary Soul Sword Cores? If Young Master Dan requires them, we at Treasure Alliance can certainly procure as many as needed," the young woman replied with a professional smile.
Lian Yun frowned slightly; this implied that Soul Materials were not particularly rare but would require considerable time to prepare. After pondering for a moment, he said, "I need them now. How many can you provide?"
(End of Chapter)
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