Chapter 623: Mutual Probing

Fang Canran laughed, "This dreamland actually exists in a small town ninety miles northwest of Lingxu City, and there should still be two or three thousand residents to this day, so it won't perish in a short time. The mountains and rivers there are beautiful, the folk customs are simple, and the women are gentle and beautiful; Young Master He can experience it carefully in the dream." He Lingchuan was moved: "Thank you, Mr. Fang, this is exactly what I urgently need right now!"

The Nightmare placed in Panlong City was howling all day long, and he had to find a nest for this guy.

But Fang Canran seemed to be laughing a bit strangely? And then He Lingchuan had to pay the bill.

Dun Garden mainly operated in rare treasures and was one of the largest treasure merchants in Lingxu City. It held regular auctions to build and maintain its brand. For unusual treasures like Dreamland, as long as there was demand from buyers, Dun Garden would find a way to find them.

Of course, one price for one item, it certainly wasn't low.

This small town Dreamland ate up 9,600 taels of silver from him.

Eight thousand of which was the purchase price, to be paid to the seller; Dun Garden also wanted to collect another twenty percent commission, which was 1,600 taels.

Don't look at Fang Canran laughing reservedly; he wasn't polite at all when collecting money.

He Lingchuan also felt a secret pain; spending nearly 10,000 taels of silver (nearly 10 million copper coins) to buy a toy, this truly confirmed his reputation as a playboy back then.

Of course, he laughed nonchalantly on the surface: "General Manager Fang is a busy man; it's rare for me to catch you once, how about staying at Pianxiang Shanzhuang for a simple meal tonight?"

He just mentioned it casually, not expecting Fang Canran to agree readily: "That couldn't be better; I have already heard that the honey wine at Pianxiang Shanzhuang is delicious, and even Grand Commander Fan Third is coveting it."

This guy's news was truly well-informed. "Small matter, plenty of it."

Of course, it wasn't dark yet, and it wasn't time to drink. Fang Canran picked up the teacup and started another topic: "Young Master He is a young talent; are you truly from Fu Nation?"

"Hmm, this background of mine is not worth mentioning."

"Heroes don't ask about their background; Lingxu City has plenty of talents from small countries and remote places, and now they all have a seat in the court." Fang Canran waved his hand, "Look, my ancestors were not locals of Lingxu City either, just arrived a few decades earlier than Young Master He."

"Lingxu City has stood for nearly six hundred years; for people like you and me, arriving a few decades earlier or later has no dividends; it all depends on one's own hard work." He Lingchuan laughed, "I don't know where General Manager Fang's ancestral home is?"

"My ancestors drifted without a fixed home, but I heard that they lived in Tabu earliest, which is now near the southern border of Red Yan; I don't know if Young Master He has any impression?"

He Lingchuan made a sound of "yo": "Yes, too much! Then Mr. Fang's ancestral home is Red Yan, and we have a lot of fate."

Tabu was the intersection of Red Yan's south and the Twilight Plains, where Fu Shanyue had a conflict with Zhong Sunmou. He Lingchuan's big-horned rock sheep was also ambushed by Mai Xuewen's (Xi Yunhe's) men there and nearly taken away by the snail toad.

The reason He Lingchuan was surprised was because he knew that Tabu belonged to the former Yuan Nation before the establishment of Red Yan! Strictly speaking, it was part of the Twilight Plains. It was just that after the Yuan Nation fell and Red Yan was established, the Monster Emperor divided it into Red Yan's territory.

So the civilians born here, although the land under their feet was once the land of the Yuan Nation, they were all legitimate Red Yan citizens, not the untouchables of the Twilight Plains!

The implications of this made He Lingchuan's mind turn.

Was the other party specifically pointing this out to him, why? Fang Canran smiled: "Yes, the first time I saw Young Master He, I felt a connection."

"For this sentence, I should drink a big cup." He Lingchuan rubbed his hands, "Forget it, don't wait for dinner. Let's go drink in the lake first, how about it?"

"Good!"

So the two strolled toward the back mountain; the fierce tiger that was originally dozing on the big tree outside the courtyard opened its eyes and made a "pulu" sound.

This was Jiao Yu asking if it should follow, and He Lingchuan waved his hand at it: "You sleep, Fang brother and I are going to drink on the boat."

The pleasure boat space was too small, and after the two sat in, the tiger couldn't stretch out inside.

Hearing this, the fierce tiger put its big head back on the tree branch, hung its four legs, closed its eyes, and continued to snore.

Fang Canran walked and said: "The ancient trees in the Prince's garden are all treasures, older than the trees in Dun Garden."

"The previous owner of Pianxiang Garden was also brilliant, right?"

"Not bad. Twenty years ago, the Chunyu family married off their daughter and held a banquet at this Pianxiang Shanzhuang. At that time, my uncle brought me here to deliver goods, and I still remember that the place was full of guests and the scene was extremely lively. Now—" Fang Canran sighed, "Now that it has changed owners, it is much quieter."

"One look from the Emperor, and two hundred years of prosperity and wealth all become smoke and clouds." The Chunyu family stood on the wrong side and had their home confiscated, "This is truly a flowing family, an iron-clad Lingxu City."

Fang Canran and he looked at each other, both laughing loudly: "Who says it isn't?"

In the laughter, it seemed there were different meanings.

The two walked along the newly repaired pier to the boat, and the attendant had already arranged the wine and dishes, bowed, and retreated.

He Lingchuan personally rowed the boat and drove the pleasure boat to the center of the lake.

There was wind today, so the boat drifted with the shallow waves, which had a unique interest.

The blue lake rippled, autumn light flickered, and Fang Canran praised: "Your scenery on the lake is good."

The osmanthus honey wine had been warmed in a red clay stove, and He Lingchuan filled Fang Canran's cup to seven percent: "Rumor has it that General Golden Horn is easy to see, but Great General Manager Fang is hard to invite."

Fang Canran was deeply trusted by General Golden Horn and managed a huge industry. It was said that there were seventh-rank officials in front of the Prime Minister's door, and Fang Canran had his own power; he was usually busy, so accepting an invitation to a banquet was called giving face.

"Young Master He doesn't know that you are already red-hot in Lingxu City? I heard that even this pleasure boat was personally delivered by Ke Old Fifth, so why shouldn't I make a trip?" Fang Canran toasted with him, "In Lingxu City now, the Red Yan Crown Prince is the number one topic of discussion, and Young Master He is number two."

Oh? Was he already so famous in Lingxu City? He Lingchuan pointed to the shore with his chopsticks: "Don't feel any benefits, only all kinds of inconveniences."

They walked all the way, and there were tails watching them behind.

Fang Canran also felt it and looked back at the figures on the shore: "Is that the Heart-Unity Guard?"

"Yes. I come and go, and they have to follow, even following outside the latrine; it's very troublesome."

"People who can make the Heart-Unity Guard guard the latrine don't exceed ten in the whole Lingxu City." Fang Canran laughed, "Young Master He should be proud. You should know that the ladies and famous socialites of various families are also inquiring about you; this is a good thing."

"What good thing?" He Lingchuan picked up a piece of old vinegar peanuts. This was the cook's unique skill; besides honey and vinegar, he didn't know what else she put in, but it was sour without being pungent, sweet without being greasy, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, especially good for drinking. "Can I have a romantic encounter?"

"Maybe." Fang Canran gave him a look that all men understood.

He Lingchuan laughed and swallowed a mouthful of wine.

Fang Canran asked him again: "After the Longevity Pill case is over, where will Young Master He go?"

This was the first outsider in Lingxu City to ask about his whereabouts, and He Lingchuan's expression moved: "My original intention was to come to Lingxu City to gain some knowledge, but I didn't expect to get involved in such a storm. I don't know if I can retreat completely, so I haven't dared to think about the future."

"General Golden Horn is thirsty for talent and has also heard of Young Master He's name. If you are interested, I can pull strings and recommend you."

He Lingchuan was surprised: "I don't understand business, I only know how to cause trouble; I'm afraid I can't make money for General Golden Horn."

"Every profession has its own specialty." Fang Canran said, "With Young Master He's high popularity now, others envy it in their dreams; it would be a pity not to dig into it properly."

He Lingchuan shook his wine glass slightly: "Is General Manager Fang saying that I should wait for a price to sell, or choose a good master to perch on?"

"Does Young Master He have other ambitions?" Fang Canran said warmly, "Looking at the talents from all directions who have come to Lingxu City to fight hard over the past few hundred years, they have only done so to sell their literary and martial arts to the Emperor's family." Or, selling them to princes and nobles is also a noble way out.

Does this young man in front of him have any qualifications to be vulgar? He Lingchuan laughed loudly: "My fortune is shallow, I'm afraid I can't afford the wealth of Lingxu City."

"If Young Master He's fortune is shallow, how could you move and maneuver between these great families and still be at ease?" Fang Canran raised the corner of his mouth, "If it were an ordinary person, they would have been dragged into the vortex long ago, life or death unknown."

"Vortex?" He Lingchuan sighed, "I offended Fan Second Commander, and as a result, Ke Fifth Young Master sent me such a large pleasure boat, becoming the focus of the whole scene that day, and the Fan brothers happened to see it at Pianxiang Shanzhuang that day. Sigh, isn't this putting me on the fire to roast?"

"These two sides have some grudges, but as long as the Fan brothers are unhappy, the Ke family will do it. I guess the Ke family probably calculated that the Fan brothers would appear at Pianxiang Shanzhuang that day, so they did it on purpose." Fang Canran couldn't help laughing, "Young Master He just happened to meet it and was caught in the middle, otherwise they would find other things to fight each other."

He drank a mouthful of wine: "I remember one year, Fan Grand Commander took a fancy to a pair of arm guards at Dun Garden, which were just right for Fan Third to use. As a result, the Ke family saw it, hey, here comes the opportunity, and immediately went to bid up the price. The arm guards that started at 9,000 were pushed directly to 150,000!"

"Fan Commander didn't get it?" He Lingchuan had fought a fierce battle with the violent bear at Baishajuan and didn't remember it wearing any arm guards; having said that, if it had worn them, that knife might not have been able to chop its forearm. "He doesn't look like he lacks money."

"Fan Old First saw that the Ke family was so energetic, so he had to give up." Fang Canran shook his head, "In terms of strength, the Ke family is not as good as the Fan family; but in terms of wealth... whoever wants to compete with the Ke family in financial resources in Lingxu City has to think carefully."

"Wealth does not exceed the Ke family, it is well-deserved." He Lingchuan shook his head, "I heard that the Ke family has been favored by heaven for more than a hundred years; who doesn't envy them?"

Fang Canran smiled: "Dun Garden and the Ke family have always had business dealings. The Ke family is indeed not very concerned about silver when purchasing treasures. However, the quantity of goods that the Ke family has ordered from me for a long time has decreased significantly in the last ten years."

"Oh?" He Lingchuan was surprised, "May I ask what kind of goods?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 624 =====