Chapter 200: Negotiation

This fellow's smile is a bit perverted.

Is he playing Dracula here...

I have to say, this Liu Zhao's aura is indeed a bit sinister. Perhaps it's from staying in prison for too long; even his appearance and temperament have changed. He belongs to that type of person who easily makes others feel fearful on the surface.

But Wang Yang's state of mind has always been steady. He glanced at Liu Zhao and also smiled strangely:

"You're happy already? We've barely started. I'm a pretty good person. Stay with me for a while, Commandant, and generally, you'll find yourself getting happier the longer we're together. If one day you're not happy, then you'll have to find the reason yourself..."

"Together?"

"It means getting along."

Liu Zhao stared at Wang Yang, his tone sincere: "Young Master is indeed interesting."

Wang Yang also looked back at Liu Zhao: "Someone who can call others interesting is not that uninteresting themselves."

Liu Zhao's gaze condensed, as if trying to see through Wang Yang: "Since Young Master is so interesting, you must be very flexible, right?"

When someone wants to use questions to pry into your thoughts, and you don't want them to, the best way is not to answer directly, but to throw the question back.

So Wang Yang asked in return: "How so?"

Liu Zhao said: "Stubbornness is boring, rigidity is boring, and staying the same is also boring. Only by having change and having flexibility can one be interesting."

Wang Yang immediately asked: "Can the law also be flexible?"

Liu Zhao thought for a while before answering with a solemn expression:

"Sometimes, the law must also be flexible. Although I am unwilling, I have no choice but to do so."

After speaking, he didn't know what he was thinking of; his gaze became distant, and he sighed:

"Everything between heaven and earth, including people, is changing. The only thing that perhaps cannot change is the very act of 'change' itself."

Wang Yang said: "There is great truth in your words, Commandant. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the *Classic of Changes* says that 'Change' has three meanings: first, simplicity; second, transformation; third, immutability. Therefore, that which is immutable is change itself. That which does not change is change."

Liu Zhao pondered for a moment and nodded:

"Talking to Young Master is truly eye-opening. The immutable is change, the unchanging is change. Well said! Since Young Master thinks so thoroughly, I won't beat around the bush. I heard Young Master has two retainers; I would like to buy them from you. The price can be higher than the market rate. How about it?"

Wang Yang feigned surprise:

"Ah? Buy my retainers? Commandant, you want to buy my retainers? You're not joking, are you? Who comes up and asks to buy someone else's retainers right away?"

"Whether I am joking or not, Young Master knows best. With your intelligence, you must have already known my intent, so I won't hide it. I hope Young Master can also be frank with me."

"Alright, then tell me, Commandant, what do you want my two retainers for?"

Wang Yang knew that Liu Zhao would likely not say, but he still had to ask. Asking is natural; not asking is unnatural. Not asking would make him seem deep in schemes and easily increase Liu Zhao's vigilance.

Only by asking first can things proceed logically, while also paving the way for the subsequent tug-of-war.

Liu Zhao said indifferently: "I took a liking to them."

Wang Yang raised an eyebrow: "Took a liking to them? That reason isn't enough."

"How is it not enough? If Young Master takes a liking to an object, you spend money to buy it. Do you need a reason?"

"But people are not objects."

"People are sometimes inferior to objects... Since Young Master is so flexible, why must you get to the bottom of it? If you don't ask, then the favor I owe you will be even greater."

"I still have to ask..."

Hearing Wang Yang say this, Liu Zhao's expression became increasingly stern.

Wang Yang continued: "No matter how big the favor, I still have to ask the price. If you want me to be a sucker without even asking the price, then I won't do it."

Liu Zhao smiled: "Young Master is straightforward. To speak plainly, I will offer ten thousand coins for each of those two people. I hope Young Master will part with them."

What Wang Yang wants to know most now is the other party's purpose for capturing Wang Yi, but since Liu Zhao won't say, he must change his way of asking. A way to approach his bottom line for negotiation without making Liu Zhao suspicious.

Once this bottom line is figured out, the purpose for wanting Wang Yi won't be far off.

But Liu Zhao is clearly on guard. Offering only ten thousand coins at the start means he won't easily reveal his bottom line. If Wang Yang wants to achieve his goal, he will have to put in some effort.

Furthermore, if he can provoke Liu Zhao and add some fire to him while achieving his goal, it will be even more beneficial for Wang Yang's subsequent plans.

Wang Yang chuckled: "I ate at the Fragrant Snow Pavilion a few days ago, and a single meal cost ten thousand coins."

Yes,

He is bluffing.

The Fragrant Snow Pavilion does have a "Ten Thousand Coin Meal," which uses the allusion of the Western Jin high official He Ceng, who "spent ten thousand coins a day on food, yet still said there was nowhere to put his chopsticks." The Fragrant Snow Pavilion's meaning is that as long as you spend ten thousand coins, they will ensure you can always use your chopsticks, and you won't encounter a situation like Grand Tutor He's "nowhere to put chopsticks."

I heard this "set meal" is six dishes, one soup, and one snack, but the specific dishes are random and depend on the quality of the fresh ingredients purchased that day; they are different every day.

Wang Yang was tempted to go try it that day, but later thought, ten thousand coins for only eight dishes? That's pure exploitation! So he didn't go. Instead, he had Song Sao prepare ingredients like lamb, chicken wings, pork kidneys, eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, and steamed bun slices, skewered them for barbecue, set up an iron plate, and added a dish of charcoal-grilled pork large intestine. It was incredibly satisfying. Isn't eating grilled leeks better than being exploited?

The matter of the "Ten Thousand Coin Meal" was thrown to the back of his mind.

Speaking of which, it's shameful to say, except for that "White Snow Red Jade Dragon Beard Roll" that Xie Xinghan had someone else make, Wang Yang hasn't properly eaten the food at Fragrant Snow Pavilion yet. However, it doesn't hinder him from acting cool to bluff Liu Zhao. Anyway, in other people's eyes, isn't it normal for a noble young master to go to the Fragrant Snow Pavilion?

Hearing Wang Yang say this, Liu Zhao said: "Then how about twenty thousand coins?"

Wang Yang mastered the rhythm, established his persona, shook his fan, and smiled without speaking.

Liu Zhao frowned: "Thirty thousand?"

Wang Yang combed his sideburns, looking distracted.

Liu Zhao's voice was serious: "Forty thousand for both, eighty thousand in total. No more."

Wang Yang said sternly: "Commandant, I had to turn down the Prince's reward of one hundred thousand coins to get these two retainers."

"But as far as I know, the one hundred thousand coins were issued to you at the time."

Wang Yang was righteous: "That was what I deserved for winning the academic debate. Later, I helped the Prince, stabilized grain prices, and that was when the Prince bestowed the retainers upon me. Speaking of which, isn't helping the Prince stabilize grain prices worth one hundred thousand?"

Liu Zhao's eyes narrowed slightly: "I am negotiating with Young Master with sincerity."

Wang Yang said innocently: "I am also negotiating the price with you with sincerity, Commandant."

"Where is Young Master's sincerity?"

"Where is the Commandant's sincerity?"

"I will not pursue Young Master for the Liu Cheng case."

"That's because you can't pursue it."

"I invite Young Master to a banquet."

"I brought roast duck."

The two were originally speaking very fast, one sentence after another, but Liu Zhao was stunned by Wang Yang's last sentence, "I brought roast duck," which was spoken with such conviction. Looking at Wang Yang, he started to laugh bit by bit:

"Interesting, interesting. Talking to Young Master Wang outside of prison is truly extremely interesting. I cherish such an opportunity."

"Is it that interesting? Sigh, Commandant, it seems you are indeed busy with official business; your amateur life is not very rich!" Wang Yang shook his head and sighed.

Liu Zhao stared at Wang Yang: "So, Young Master Wang does not intend to make friends with me?"

"Who said that? I want to be friends with the Commandant, but I also have my pride! We just met and haven't said a few words, and you want me to sell my retainers?" Wang Yang shook his head, "It's a bit embarrassing."

"If A uses a horse to exchange for a chicken from B, would B feel embarrassed?"

"What if B likes that chicken very much and thinks one horse is not enough to exchange for it?"

Liu Zhao was silent for a moment and said: "B might not like the chicken, but heard that a chicken can be exchanged for a horse, so he became greedy."

Wang Yang immediately spoke up for him: "Then I must say a fair word for B. B doesn't steal or rob; what's wrong with being a little greedy?"

Liu Zhao nodded slightly: "That also makes sense. Then why doesn't Young Master name a price, and I'll listen."

Wang Yang chuckled: "What price should I name? Have you heard of bidding, Commandant? I'll set a base price now, starting at one hundred thousand. You call out higher, and I'll listen."

Liu Zhao's lips twitched, but he maintained a steady expression.

"One hundred twenty thousand." Liu Zhao gave a price.

Wang Yang didn't hesitate and said directly: "Rejected."

"One hundred thirty thousand."

"Rejected."

"One hundred fifty thousand."

This time Wang Yang didn't even make a sound, just shook his finger.

Even though Liu Zhao usually had excellent self-control, he was provoked by Wang Yang and became angry, his gaze turning cold:

"I now feel that chatting with Young Master outside of prison may not always be interesting."

"When you aren't talking about money, Commandant, it's interesting here and interesting there. Once money is mentioned, it becomes uninteresting again. Commandant..." Wang Yang looked at Liu Zhao and slowly shook his head:

"Your vision... is not very good..." ===== CHAPTER 201 =====