Chapter 72: Mu Chunze and Wu Jinyan Were Cut by the Clan Head Until Even Their Heels Were Gone

The newly risen eastern dawn, Clear Brook Market in the early morning.

Yulou took two sets of donkey meat sandwiches, then brought Wang Yuan to the Grand Cargo Market.

As a representative of the factions under the Red Lantern Sect banner that had innovated its model and played it for all it was worth, the fact that the Grand Cargo Market could be taken over by the Red Lantern Sect actually surprised Yulou quite a bit.

He had imagined it being seized by people, seized by all sorts of people — never imagined the Red Lantern Sect would pay money to take it over.

This matter was actually quite interesting; at least two points could be seen from it.

First, within the Red Lantern Sect there exists a proactive drive to expand.

Second, the Red Lantern Sect is still relatively fair toward the factions within its own system.

As for how much influence Master Mangxiang's Golden Core had in this, that's hard to say — no one can calculate it.

"Why did we come so early?" Wang Yuan asked, bleary-eyed.

Yulou opened the shop's main door; golden light spread across the floor. He lifted his foot and stepped into the contract trading exchange for war supplies that he himself had founded.

Mm, the name was Grand Cargo Market, but what it actually ran was contract trading.

"Do you know why the Grand Cargo Market was taken over by the Red Lantern Sect?"

As for this younger brother, Yulou had always valued him highly.

The two of them were already close, and Wang Yuan's talent wasn't bad either — in the future he could become one of his greatest right-hand men.

If Wang Yuan's father Wang Rongwen could successfully reach Foundation Establishment, then Yulou's future standing within the Wang clan would be worth talking about.

The next clan head would certainly have nothing to do with Wang Yulou, but in the future, a large share of the Wang clan's voice would definitely be in Yulou's hands.

"Because it earns a lot of spirit stones?"

Yulou shook his head.

"Heh, does the Red Lantern Sect lack our measly spirit stones?

The Grand Cargo Market's profits aren't even the highest in Clear Brook Market.

And market towns like Clear Brook Market — the Red Lantern Sect has over a dozen of them!

Not to mention the output from the merchant houses and sect spiritual materials the Red Lantern Sect itself runs — when you add it up, the Grand Cargo Market is nothing more than half a hair on a nine-ox beast.

What's half a hair?

It doesn't even count as a single hair!"

Now it was Wang Yuan's turn to be unhappy. Following Wang Yulou in Clear Brook Market to drum up revenue, he too had been worked like a beast of burden; the success of the Grand Cargo Market and the Hundred Treasures Pavilion had Wang Yuan's sweat in it.

Big brother, you're impressive, sure, but saying the Grand Cargo Market we built together doesn't even count as a single hair — isn't that a bit much?

"It shouldn't be that bad. From its founding to now, our Grand Cargo Market has earned nearly twenty thousand spirit stones.

Big brother, that's not a small sum — enough to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill of slightly lesser quality."

Not long ago, the ghost market in Clear Brook Market had put out three fire-attribute substandard Foundation Establishment Pills. Good lord, loose cultivators drove the price up to eighteen thousand spirit stones per pill.

Wang Yuan's face flushed and his heart raced; he used to think that in this life he would surely achieve Foundation Establishment.

But now, seeing the price of Foundation Establishment resources skyrocket, how could his heart not panic?

Still, this also firmed up his resolve — he must cling tight to big brother's thigh!

"Hahaha, yes, we haven't earned little, but the Red Lantern Sect doesn't lack spirit stones — what it lacks is resources.

The most valuable thing about the Grand Cargo Market, or rather what the sect values most about it, is its business object — or rather, its business model.

This thing is something entirely new that the entire Red Lantern Sect, top to bottom, has never come into contact with, and it also has the value of smoothing out the impact of price fluctuations on goods-sales profits.

Therefore, we could wait for the sect's favor, and that's why today we have the arrival of an elder from the sect's Market Elder Hall."

Yulou's explanation was relatively plain and easy to understand; Wang Yuan got it, but he was even more astonished.

"You mean, this shop is the only one of its kind in the entire Red Lantern Sect?"

"Of course not — the nearby market towns all have similar ones now. Once we earned spirit stones, others saw it and learned.

But we were the first — that much is beyond doubt.

Alright, enough on that. Let's go over the script: you'll play the elder from the Market Elder Hall, and I'll introduce the Grand Cargo Market's business model to you."

Yulou had come so early precisely to prepare in advance, so that when the Red Lantern Sect people arrived, he could properly introduce things to them.

Yulou was a member of the Wang clan of Anbei; the Wang clan was a vassal of the Red Lantern Sect, and the Market Elder Hall was a core hall under the Red Lantern Sect's banner.

Preparing well for a report was part of upward management in the workplace. It might look like formalism, but the prevalence of formalism has its own objective value.

The Red Lantern Sect's purpose in absorbing the Grand Cargo Market was simple: to take in the Grand Cargo Market's contract futures trading model, thereby creating greater value for the sect.

As long as Yulou handled this report well, if he developed within the Red Lantern Sect's system in the future, this would count as a good bond — who knows, it might come in handy someday.

By nearly noon, Bai Lu had already stood guard at the Grand Cargo Market's entrance for half the day.

In order to give Yulou a little time to mentally prepare before the sect's Foundation Establishment cultivator arrived, she had stared at the road outside all morning.

Details don't necessarily decide success or failure, but when details are done well, they always add a few percent to the odds — this is beyond doubt.

When it came to details, the Wang clan had never lacked them, and Wang Yulou even less so.

It looks like a small matter, but the principles of doing things hidden within small matters are the true Excellent Technique needed to achieve great things.

This is called entering the game with one's own body, forging ahead through trials.

"They're here!" Bai Lu called out. Yulou hurriedly set down the account book he had checked four times beside the counter.

At the same time, he stepped out from behind the counter to stand before the standing signboard in front of it.

On the signboard was a simple line-chart table showing the Grand Cargo Market's revenue and profits over the past few years.

"Fellow Daoist Liang Zhuo, Yulou was sent to Clear Brook Market to learn the trade at a young age — a youth raised among market towns is naturally more interested in the ways of business.

Hence he founded the Grand Cargo Market, which can be considered a small, insignificant result, and by good fortune it caught the sect's eye." Wang Xianmao said modestly.

Zhou Liang Zhuo thought to himself: this isn't catching the sect's eye — this is your Master Mangxiang line being far too greedy at the table!

The Sect Head was pushed up by you people, and now you recklessly issue Sect Head tokens, funneling resources to your Wang clan... forget it, none of my business.

Anyway, a couple days ago you sent disciples to sweep up the order contracts — already swept up a big batch; in the future you'll definitely earn plenty.

That is enough; the Wang family eats the meat, and I, Zhou Liangzhuo, get a sip of soup—let no one speak ill of the other.

One can only say the clan leader understands concealment too well; he is humble, yet Zhou Liangzhuo actually believed him, which perfectly suited Wang Xianmao's wishes.

Yulou is indeed a true Qilin, but a true Qilin must often be hidden well and not show its brilliance too openly.

After all, a tree with too many branches falls easily; that which is too rigid breaks easily.

"Hmm? This arrangement is quite interesting. Xianmao, Master Mangxiang must be respected; your Wang family is good, very good."

Upon entering the door of the Great Da Da Da Huofang, Zhou Liangzhuo of the Zhou family was first startled by the longevity tablet of Master Mangxiang inside.

He hurriedly bowed three times before speaking in a yin-yang manner.

"Hahaha, the teachings of the Ancestor are naturally something our Wang family dares not forget; this is Yulou.

Yulou, come forward and pay respects to Senior Zhou Liangzhuo."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Yulou was about to begin his explanation.

But Zhou Liangzhuo instead waved his hand, saying amidst Yulou's puzzled gaze.

"No need to say so much; the Sect Master's order, the Merchant Workshop Elder Hall will naturally obey. That is all; you may leave.

As for the subsequent operation of this shop, we will arrange for someone to come over ourselves."

Yulou and Wang Yuan exchanged glances; Wang Yuan's heart even felt somewhat resentful, but he did not show it.

Wang Xianmao understood Zhou Liangzhuo's thoughts and invited him, saying.

"Very well, then Daoist Liangzhuo, shall we go directly to eat?

Chunze told me you were coming, so I specifically had the family send over a new donkey."

"Your kindness is hard to refuse, but I truly have matters to attend to; a furnace of pills is still being refined, and I must return to the Sect immediately."

Seeing that Zhou Liangzhuo was so disrespectful, Wang Xianmao naturally ceased to insist on his staying.

Only after this Foundation Establishment senior left did Wang Yuan let out a long sigh.

He knew his elder brother had prepared thoroughly, but no one expected that none of the preparations would be put to use.

"It seems you are somewhat bewildered?"

Wang Xianmao was actually very calm, even having the leisure to joke with his own juniors.

"Is this how all major families' cultivators in the Sect behave?" Yulou asked thoughtfully.

He felt that Zhou Liangzhuo was somewhat immature; this was not a matter of posture, but of being too domineering.

Compared to this person, Jiang Baobian and Mu Chunze seemed much better.

"These people... ha, they are protected too well. Since you prepared so much today, tell it to me, the clan leader."

The clan leader looked with a smile at the two young Qilins of the family; Yulou was a true Qilin, and Wang Yuan counted as a half-Qilin.

"Never mind, but I do not expect the Great Da Da Da Huofang, under the Sect's management, to outperform its peers in the nearby markets."

Yulou understood the clan leader's meaning; the clan leader did not want the family's children to feel disappointed, but he and Wang Yuan were no longer children.

Of course, in the clan leader's eyes, most of the family are children, which is also correct.

"Let us not speak of those; let them ruin it if they wish. As for what comes next, do you have any new business plans?"

The children had grown up and did not wish to be close to him; the old clan leader felt slightly disappointed, but soon adjusted himself.

"The achievements Yulou has made in these years are actually the transformation of the family's long-term accumulation.

The Hundred Treasures Pavilion is a transformation of material wealth; the Great Da Da Da Huofang is a transformation of reputation and fame.

At the same time, we were fortunately able to catch the disappearance of Wo Long Workshop and the impact brought by the war, thus achieving so much success.

This kind of transformation has actually already reached its limit; being able to continue for so long relies entirely on the war between Miao Feng Mountain and Gu Shen Zong.

Therefore, as for other new business plans, Yulou indeed has none.

In the future, as long as the Hundred Treasures Pavilion organizes the Qing Xi Fang Talisman Master Competition well and builds up its fame, business will naturally remain good for a long time."

Wang Xianmao thought for a moment and asked.

"You have found three Qi Refining cultivators to serve as judges; the participating talisman makers may not be convinced. How about I, Daoist Chunze, and Daoist Jinyan serve as judges together? What do you think?"

The clan leader's words were indeed reasonable, but Yulou also had his own considerations.

"Clan leader, I spent six hundred spirit stones to invite Hong Mei, Uncle Rongsheng, and Zhou Yingxi to serve as judges.

If I were to invite Senior Chunze and Senior Jinyan, the cost of the competition would be high; including the rewards for the winners, the total expense would be too great."

Accounting is the core part of organizational work; as the organizer of the competition, Yulou must be meticulous in his calculations.

"Hmph, that dog Mu Chunze! Our Wang family invested heavily in the horse racing track, and the Great Da Da Da Huofang is also run well.

These shops have brought many new customers to Qing Xi Fang; as the guarding cultivator, even if he takes not a single spirit stone, he should come to repay your contribution to Qing Xi Fang.

As for Daoist Jinyan, my invitation should not be refused by him; therefore, this time you change to three Foundation Establishment cultivators as judges, and you will not spend a single spirit stone."

Bargaining is the Wang family's specialty.

Amidst Yulou's shock, the clan leader showed him what the ceiling of bargaining looks like.

This time, Mu Chunze and Wu Jinyan were bargained down by the clan leader until not even their heels remained.

To be precise, they received not even a single hair's worth of remuneration!