Chapter 2098: Finally Passed the Test

He complimented Xin Yi again without changing expression.

But isn't that exactly what a qualified persuader, a qualified negotiator, must do — work both sides well?

One sometimes suffers grievances from both ends, but as long as cooperation can be reached, it is all worth it.

Xin Yi laughed loudly, patted his shoulder, deeply moved: "We share the same plight, alas!"

The ones they each had to persuade were both stubborn old men.

The meal was eaten, the matters discussed, half the quiet morning already gone; He Lingchuan tactfully stopped disturbing him and returned the remaining time to Xin Yi.

After he left, Xin Yi sat in the courtyard for half a day until the sun slanted west, then rose, drank a few mouthfuls of clear water to moisten his throat, and went back inside.

His work, too, was enormously arduous.

He shut doors and windows tight, set up the barrier, then used hot water to sprout the Sapindus mukorossi figurine.

Only when the Sapindus mukorossi figurine formed an old face did a hoarse aged voice sound:

"Two communications within two days — what urgent matter this time?"

"The Tiger Wing General under Zhong Shengguang is truly a talent, mind exceptionally agile, vision remarkably broad; he not only has the ability to govern troops, but would likely also be a fine hand at administering policy." Xin Yi did not stint on praise.

"Never seen you praise anyone so." The Sapindus mukorossi figurine said, "What are you scheming? Hmph, surely you don't want to lure him over to play house with you?"

"He enjoys Zhong Shengguang's deep trust, showing that in his current rank he serves Panlongcheng wholeheartedly, and gets along harmoniously with his superior. Look — he is precisely the talent we need." Xin Yi did not deny it either, "A roc cannot stay long in a chicken coop. Panlongcheng is truly too small; he has no room to stretch his wings here. Though loyal to Panlongcheng, a figure of such talent and strategy will not remain long confined to so small a place. I think perhaps he can join my plan."

He asked further: "Right, how is our plan progressing? Is Tongshan willing to join?"

Tongshan is a long-established sect located in Liaoyuan, nine hundred li west of Bailie, guarding the advantage of mountains and rivers.

"Settled, Tongshan has joined." The Sapindus mukorossi figurine said, "However, the rise of the Shahe Xin clan has already drawn Between Between Between Beijia's attention. We received word that the court council of Lingxu City has mentioned your Xin clan twice already. If the Xin clan continues to be active, Between Between Between Beijia may well let the vassal demon states or powers around Shahe move to suppress you, inviting unwarranted attention. Therefore, our plan had best be advanced."

"The Shahe Xin clan rises, surrounding powers are not dead men — how could they fail to notice? This was long within our expectations. To accomplish such an earth-shaking great deed, it cannot be done merely by deceiving heaven and crossing the sea." Xin Yi shook his head, "Preparations are still insufficient at present, and I keep gaining new insights observing in Panlongcheng; I cannot advance the timeline."

"Just afraid of long nights breeding many dreams." The Sapindus mukorossi figurine snorted, "How did Between Between Between Beijia's demon race rise? Back when it first showed a sprout, we could have eradicated it, but you few took your leisurely time, thinking it could not become a major scourge. And the result?"

"Judge the matter on its merits, and speak of the present." Xin Yi displeased, "I asked you long ago — if you have a better plan to resist Between Between Between Beijia and the Heavenly Demons, put it forward quickly."

The Sapindus mukorossi figurine fell silent.

After a good while, it asked: "What business do you actually have today? Surely not just idle chat about this Tiger Wing General?"

Nearly led astray, failed to return to the main thread.

"No, I want to talk to you about Panlongcheng's tribute offerings."

The Sapindus mukorossi figurine asked him: "Has Zhong Shengguang changed his mind?"

"You summon all the elders first." Xin Yi said solemnly, "The Tiger Wing General proposed a brand-new plan to me, and I think it's good."

The Sapindus mukorossi figurine made no sound.

Roughly a quarter-hour later, it raised its head again:

"Three elders have arrived for now. Speak your plan."

He Lingchuan went to the government office again, and reported to Zhong Shengguang the content he had negotiated with Xin Yi.

As expected, he suffered a thorough scolding.

The conditions he threw to Xin Yi exceeded what had originally been discussed with Zhong Shengguang.

But negotiating with the strong is like this — one must be flexible and adaptable, seize the moment and act accordingly; moreover he knew very well where Zhong Shengguang's insisted bottom line lay.

He Lingchuan expended twice the effort again, brought out that previous set of arguments once more, enlightened with reason, moved with righteousness,

and only then managed to persuade Zhong Shengguang.

On matters of principle, Zhong Shengguang was indeed far more rigid than even Xin Yi.

In the evening, he went to accompany Master Sun for a meal, and drank three or four times the water during the banquet.

This whole day down, he truly spoke until mouth dry and tongue parched.

Today Master Sun was at rest; hearing him finish, he grew curious: "Right, if Ling Mountain's investment only profits the first few years and then they stop, what then?"

The fatty fish head and body eaten clean, the lean dry fish tail may not necessarily be eaten.

"Rest assured, it won't happen. Human hearts are greedy, immortals are no exception. Once they actually taste the dividends of the next few years, they'll think better to let it keep growing — anyway this money has no better place to go." He Lingchuan smiled, "Money comes from where, returns to where. People are all like this — succeed where you succeed, fail where you fail; profit where you profit, die where you die!"

"Even immortals and Ling Mountain you calculate — your nerve is quite large." Speaking this line, Sun Fuling was smiling quite radiantly.

Over the following days, Xin Yi often secluded himself, absent from several meetings.

The guard soldiers on duty reported to He Lingchuan that Mr. Xin several times walked out of the guest residence, each time wearing a stony face.

With his depth of character, he still couldn't control his facial expression — showing how great the fire in his heart was.

It seems Xin Yi did not exaggerate; persuading those old fossils of Ling Mountain was a difficulty several times greater than He Lingchuan persuading Zhong Shengguang.

But Xin Yi succeeded in the end.

He Lingchuan also did not know exactly how he talked Ling Mountain around, but twenty days later the two sides reached a new agreement.

On the basis of what He Lingchuan and Xin Yi had originally negotiated, both sides also each yielded a step, each leaving the other a bit of room.

Negotiation is negotiation — it cannot end with both sides feeling they lost out, otherwise the agreement is doomed not to last.

Three days after the agreement was reached, Panlongcheng launched a second round of negotiations, this time with Bai Sha Bay.

Panlongcheng first secured Ling Mountain behind it; Bai Sha Bay did not continue making trouble, and very readily reopened to Panlongcheng.

Because the closure deadline had not yet arrived, the new agreement opened access, so the Maohe trade route in fact never experienced a single day of obstruction, and remained passable throughout.

Thus the impact of this "closure crisis" was minimized to the lowest. Whether Panlongcheng, the traveling merchants, or even Bai Sha Bay itself, all heaved a long sigh of relief.

After this, the planning and construction of Panlongcheng's territory accelerated another notch, because Ling Mountain, at Xin Yi's persuasion,

actually adopted He Lingchuan's proposal, injecting a large sum of funds into Panlongcheng in several batches, front and back.

While lightening its own burden, Panlongcheng also secured funds from Ling Mountain, to invest in its own construction.