Chapter 645

Liang Qu takes Su Guishan's waist token and heads straight for the third large ship.

The path is unobstructed, and he successfully retrieves the Two-Life Flower from the treasure box.

Trading small for big.

Delightful.

Su Guishan looks at the remaining squid eggs and comes before the Sea Monk, holding them up: "Monk, Diamond Squid eggs, do you have any left?"

The Sea Monk apologizes: "A few days ago, when I went to the Frog tribe's territory, I let the Frog King exchange for all of them. There is no stock for now. If the guest needs them, I will definitely bring more next time."

"No matter."

Su Guishan feels a sense of regret.

They really have become the last few.

Dawn.

The morning mist dissipates, and white frost covers the earth.

The commoners stretch their legs, exhaling hot air as they look around. On the fourth day of water-land trade, seeing the massive sea demons again is still shocking.

Pfft!

The finless porpoise sprays water, knocking aside the giant salamander that was snatching food, and swallows the fat fish fed by the river officials.

Xu Yuelong urges Liang Qu.

"Ashui, go ask again if the sea merchants can stabilize to once a year? This year's preparations were too rushed and not handled thoroughly. If they come again next year, the supplies we prepare will definitely be more than this year."

He doesn't dare hope for twice a year, but once a year, Xu Yuelong feels it can roughly be fought for.

The most critical thing about trade is stability; there must never be uncertainty for a year or two.

Humans are different from demons; they don't lack commodity circulation paths, so why would they specifically save and wait for an elusive sea merchant?

Liang Qu thinks for a moment: "Commander, should we lease water beasts?"

"Lease water beasts? What water beasts?"

Liang Qu points to the water spiders.

"This beast is called a water spider, skilled at weaving air bubbles underwater. A large spirit monster water spider can weave an air bubble of nearly half an acre for people to move in, and it extracts air from the water to sustain it for half a month; demon beasts last even longer. And the powerful ones can cover an area of two to three acres."

"With the help of this water beast, our River-Lake Office will have great convenience in carrying out underwater work in the future. Not to mention the long term, the construction of the water island will definitely be greatly accelerated!"

Ever since seeing the water spiders, Liang Qu has had ideas.

However, this item is not a rigid necessity; it is in preparation for revealing the waterway in the future, being conferred as General Ape, and transporting supplies.

Not to mention the time of revelation, it's not even certain if there's a schedule.

The essence of the water marsh is already tight.

Controlling and cultivating it himself.

Too much of a loss.

Better to put it on credit.

Put it on the River-Lake Office's account and let the River-Lake Office raise them.

They can even build a bathhouse; they won't lack the rations for one or two spirit monsters or even demon beasts.

Xu Yuelong ponders: "Sounds quite good. Can they be leased?"

"Give it a try. How would we know if we don't try? We lease them for half a year, sign a contract. In this way, the sea merchants might have intended to come once a year, but for the sake of renewing the contract, they might compromise, and eventually, it will be changed to twice a year."

"Heh, you kid, your brain is sharp!"

Xu Yuelong's eyes flash, and he immediately pulls over Ran Zhongshi, and the three discuss it together.

"Sounds quite useful, and the account is easier to report than the bathhouse."

Ran Zhongshi affirms.

"Let's go, let's go."

The three run to the Sea Monk to negotiate.

"What does the guest need?"

Seeing Liang Qu, the Sea Monk can't help but stretch out its tentacles and pat his head.

Not far away.

Wei Lin's brows are tightly locked. Seeing that no one is paying attention, he quietly takes a boat and approaches the sea merchants.

"Lease water spiders?"

The Sea Monk hesitates.

Having been a merchant for so long, this is the first time it has heard of leasing water beasts, and it finds it quite novel.

"Monk, rest assured, the leased water beasts will be fed and housed within the prefecture office. They won't be overly restricted on a daily basis, and their treatment will be equal to that of the finless porpoises. We will definitely not treat them poorly." Ran Zhongshi explains the treatment of the finless porpoises.

"Sounds good, I'll go ask."

The Sea Monk swims away.

A while later.

"There are water spiders willing. How long do you intend to lease them for?"

Liang Qu is delighted: "Lease for half a year! In the future, when the sea merchants come every half year, it will be just right to renew the contract!"

"Half a year? Isn't that too short..."

The four-day revenue of Pingyang Prefecture.

It is no worse than the demon beasts of a water territory, a bumper harvest.

The Sea Monk has already decided to increase the number of times it comes to the Jianghuai Great Marsh in the future, but coming once every half year also means the preparation time for demon beasts will be reduced...

Seeing the Sea Monk hesitate without flatly refusing, Liang Qu strikes while the iron is hot.

"Monk, to tell you the truth, our prefecture's preparations this year were not sufficient. When next summer comes, the trading volume will definitely be even greater!"

After speaking, he looks back.

Xu Yuelong grits his teeth: "Triple it! The trading volume will triple compared to this year! Eight times!"

"What's eight times? Quadruple it, sixteen times!"

"?"

The three look back.

"Wei Lin?"

Xu Yuelong's brows furrow deeply.

Wei Lin is dressed in red, the small boat beneath his feet moving without wind. He steps forward and bows: "Monk, I am the Chief Commander of the River-Lake Office. I will make the decision: when we come here next summer, the trading volume will definitely be sixteen times!"

"Sixteen times? Where will you get so much cargo?"

Xu Yuelong questions.

This year's preparations were not in time, only mobilizing the surrounding prefectures. Next year, adding the Southern Zhili, and even beyond the Southern Zhili, it will definitely be different. Achieving eight times is not too difficult, and even ten times is not impossible.

But sixteen times...

Everyone participated today, and everyone has merit.

Therefore, the Prince of Yue and other prefectures all supported it vigorously with the mindset of supporting losses, acting with convenience, emptying their family foundations, and even exchanging for things they didn't need at all. It absolutely cannot be compared with normal trade volume.

Wei Lin's expression is indifferent: "Don't trouble yourself, Deputy Commander Xu. I, Wei, say it, and I will do it!"

The son of a bitch is here to steal the credit!

Xu Yuelong doubles it back.

"Seventeen times! I will memorialize the Holy Emperor, starting from this year, we will prepare for next year!"

Bringing in the sea merchants is indeed the primary merit.

But whoever can increase the frequency to once a year, or even once every half year, is also a great merit!

Many treasures don't have such a long storage time; increasing the frequency undoubtedly improves efficiency!

"Eighteen times!"

Wei Lin stares at Xu Yuelong, following closely without falling behind.

"Guests, please don't argue. Half a year is half a year. It's not good to hurt the harmony."

The Sea Monk senses the gunpowder smell in the middle and waves its tentacles to mediate.

Many people sense the killing intent and cast their gazes over, seeing this strange scene like a bidding war at an auction.

It's just that both sides are fighting for merit, great merit.

"Chief Commander Wei is generous!"

"Deputy Commander Xu is mighty!"

"Don't be afraid, go for him!"

"The Demon Suppression Division is the strong backing of the River-Lake Office!"

Sui Hongyan and others, thinking the more chaos the better, lean over the ship railing, whistling and inciting.

"Nineteen!"

"Twenty!"

Seeing Xu Yuelong about to add more, Ran Zhongshi hurriedly stops him, fearing his boss will lose his head.

Can't add more.

Really can't add more.

Rashly doubling it, if it can't be realized, it won't be good for anyone.

The next moment.

"Then let it be given to Chief Commander Wei."

The words are spoken.

Ran Zhongshi and Liang Qu feel a secret sense of relief.

Approaching twenty times is simply too exaggerated. To fulfill it, there would have to be a massive hemorrhage, requiring both sides' grandfather-generation figures to use many connections to complete it. Consuming favors to gain merit—weighing the two, it's hard to say if it's profitable.

The cold wind hits their faces, blowing away the irritability.

The gunpowder smell gradually dissipates.

Xu Yuelong's anger wasn't actually that great; he just wanted to put pressure on Wei Lin.

The primary merit had already been earned. It wouldn't be good to not concede some to Wei Lin, but giving it away for nothing made him feel uncomfortable. That's why he spoke twice and stopped hurriedly, lest he really reach a number that couldn't be achieved and end up with a hot potato in his hands.

"Guests are truly polite. Twenty is too much. Sixteen, let's go with what was said at the beginning."

The Sea Monk continues to mediate, gently offering a step down.

Unexpectedly, Wei Lin doesn't appreciate it.

"A real man keeps his word. Monk, you don't need to worry. Since I said twenty, it is twenty."

"Then let it be once in the summer. From now on, as long as there is ten times, I will come twice a year."

(End of chapter)