Chapter 731

A water bird landed on the mast, preening its feathers.

The trade map was drawn by the Sea Shopkeeper's own tentacles; it was three zhang long and wide, a full hundred square meters, simply a giant screen.

Liang Qu had never seen such a large map.

It was as if he had taken over a rolled-up, super-large sheepskin carpet, shook it vigorously to drain the water, and then used its hydrophobic properties to lay it flat on the river surface, spreading it out evenly.

The Sea Shopkeeper extended its tentacles.

Liang Qu understood, stood upon it, and rose to observe.

The entire map was dominated by the azure water body that met the eye, with "March, September, organize and prepare goods" written in the center; this place must be the base camp for the Octopus King and the ocean Twenty Jiaoren.

The two demon king clans jointly led the trade, sharing the same breath and branches.

Therefore, apart from the octopus clan, the ocean Twenty Jiaoren were the most numerous in the merchant fleet.

The remaining continents were scattered around the edges; more than a third of the color blocks in the west were pale yellow, with a winding curve outlined in gold and silver dual-colored lines in the middle being particularly eye-catching.

No need to ask.

The Huai River, Yellow Sand, and E River, three great rivers spanning east and west.

The Huai River was the largest, so it was marked with the most unique gold thread, and the entire Jianghuai Great Marsh was a brilliant golden yellow; judging by the scale, it could completely be viewed as a regional golden sea.

"No wonder the demon kings in the sea would come."

Liang Qu recalled the origins of the North Fish and East Snake.

All sea goods.

Only the toad was a native lake demon.

Everyone fights for a treasure land.

As the "Golden Sea," the Sea Shopkeeper hid four "small characters" in the Jianghuai Great Marsh, located in the southeast, west, and north for "Snake, Frog, Turtle, Fish," and on the south bank, there was an extra "Little Water."

In addition, on the land in the west that included gold and silver, it was previously marked as Great Great Qian (war), but now three strokes had been crossed out and changed to Great Shun (peace), with "Twice a year, beginning of the year, mid-year" noted in small characters beside it.

Above the Great Shun territory was written Northern Court, with the E River winding through it, marked simply as "Cold, August."

Downward...

"Shopkeeper, are you not going to the Southern Frontier?"

Liang Qu scanned the map and noticed the difference.

The entire Southern Frontier was blank; crossing the "Lower Dragon Bay" of the sea-land bridgehead, there were basically no markings, let alone dates.

The Sea Shopkeeper held its head, complaining quite a bit.

"The Lu-Cang River in the Southern Frontier is too muggy, and the great demon water beasts are quite xenophobic, and there are many poisonous insects in the river. I went twice before, and the water beasts with weak cultivation bases would vomit and have diarrhea, passing small red Gu insects.

Even the powerful ones would be hit if they were not careful. Every time, just treating the illness would require a lot of medicine, so all trade was moved to the estuary, no longer entering the river. The demon beasts in need will go there themselves when the day comes."

Strange.

Parasites becoming spirits!

Liang Qu gained another layer of understanding of the ferocity of the Southern Frontier's Gu insects, and then his gaze fell back to the Northern Court.

Sea merchants going to the E River to trade could mostly meet the only remaining E River Dragon King in the world; he realized there might be an opportunity to perform a great service there.

"Shopkeeper, will you go to the Northern Court in August?"

"No, no." The Sea Shopkeeper waved its tentacles and patted Liang Qu's head, "Information about guests cannot be disclosed. Little Water wouldn't want to be sold out one day and get caught, right?"

Before the words were out, the intention was seen through first; Liang Qu didn't feel embarrassed.

Open your eyes, open your mouth, perform a service.

He pointed to the blue sea in the south of the map.

"What about the sea? The merchant fleet routes in the sea don't seem to be many?"

In the ocean dominated by azure, Liang Qu only saw a handful of two or three demon kings, such as the Horned Shark King, Sea Tooth King, and Ray King.

Just hearing the names made them feel like three powerful characters; they were all outlined with silver thin lines, dyed into a sphere of influence, marked for winter and spring.

But as the base camp, how could the trade planning in the ocean be less than that on land?

"Trade in the sea is mostly handled by another sister; now I am specifically responsible for the several great rivers and lakes on land."

"Sister? Shopkeeper's sister?"

"The Great King's second wife. Previously, the trade of the entire rivers, lakes, and seas was mostly handled by me personally. Now, just being responsible for the river part is much easier. Without Little Water pulling business, I'm actually quite idle."

Liang Qu was stunned.

Two wives.

The Octopus Great King enjoys the blessings of a harmonious family?

Quite good at enjoying life.

Today was truly an eye-opener; I just don't know if the Sea Shopkeeper is really relaxed...

In the Jianghuai Great Marsh, before Liang Qu took the lead for the Sea Shopkeeper, he heard from Long Long Eying that sea merchants only came once every two or three years. He didn't know the situation of other rivers, but it should be about the same.

Then logically, the remaining time should all be spent in the base camp, but the Sea Shopkeeper previously said it didn't stay much by the Octopus King's side, which was quite contradictory.

Alas, others don't talk about their private affairs, and outsiders shouldn't ask.

"Registrar Li!"

Liang Qu turned in a direction and waved to Li Li Shoufu on the shore.

It's rare to get an ocean sphere of influence map, and even more so to have information on individual demon kings.

Record it well.

He had Registrar Li Li Shoufu bring a piece of beast skin white paper, sat high on the Sea Shopkeeper's tentacles, and buried his head in copying the map.

The setting sun fell, and the tentacle tips drooped.

The orange-yellow slanting sun spread out, and Liang Qu seemed to be sitting on an arched bridge, writing and drawing with paper and pen.

The Sea Shopkeeper held Liang Qu with one tentacle, while the other seven worked non-stop to process the goods.

Night fell.

"Many thanks, Shopkeeper!" Liang Qu blew the ink dry and rolled up the map.

"A small matter." The Sea Shopkeeper gently sent Liang Qu ashore, "Little Water, keep it in mind, remember to introduce more demon kings."

"Other demon kings..."

Two large treasure fish entered his stomach in succession.

He personally harvested more than 16,000 units of water-ze essence, and the other water beasts also gained quite a bit from eating the scraps.

Liang Qu tasted the benefits of being an intermediary for the first time and immediately thought of General Peng Ze.

This old fellow's strength was unclear, but he certainly carried many treasures, a whole mountain of treasures, only he was worried all day that others would covet his things, engaging in "closing the country," and without the old toad, one couldn't even find him. The only force he cultivated was a group of monkeys that cleaned up for him.

The Sea Shopkeeper was keen: "Little Water, do you have a demon in mind?"

"I'll try."

Coldness touched his face.

"Waiting for good news~"

June 27th.

The large-scale transactions between the imperial court and the sea merchants were seven or eight-tenths complete; the remaining coordination and classification belonged to the finishing work, which he could handle, but the transaction process had not yet ended.

Seven days, one solar cycle.

The news from the Tianbo Chamber of Commerce had been brewing long enough, and many grandmasters from other regions brought their families to taste the "seafood."

The goods brought by the sea merchants had basically changed their style, from water-based to land-based, but the things from the imperial court were not inferior either. Because many treasures circulated internally, without the sea merchants as a transfer station, outsiders couldn't buy them at all.

Many a little makes a mickle.

"Retail" outside of large-scale wholesale rose strongly, and even the raw materials of the sea merchants took a turn, and after being made by alchemists, they were transformed back into "commodities."

Midnight.

Peng Ze.

"Yo, General Yuan, haven't seen you in half a year, the old general has a new look."

Liang Qu and the old toad rode the fat catfish for a tour.

On Shou Mountain, the monkeys cheered and jumped, rushing to pick melons and fruits.

Long time no see, General Yuan had changed his appearance greatly; the "algae forest" under his belly was all gone, flat and smooth, and the "rocky dead skin" on his limbs and tail had disappeared without a trace, dark and shiny.

Washed clean, he really had a bit of the dragon turtle's ferocity and dominance.

"Nothing happens without a reason." The old turtle snorted disdainfully, "What are you looking for me for? Don't tell me you're here to raise the price?"

"Old general, don't judge others by yourself..."

Liang Qu took the watermelon brought by the monkeys, twisted it open with his bare hands, slapped the black seeds away with one palm, shared half with the old toad, and briefly talked about the sea merchants.

"Not doing it!"

General Yuan was crisp and decisive.

"The way of trade is broad, connecting the have and have-nots, weighing the urgent and the slow, levying the expensive and the cheap, making the far and near convenient, its benefits are endless. Old general, why refuse flatly? Why not listen to what the benefits are first?"

General Yuan was contemptuous.

"There are many principles, but you kid being so diligent and attentive, there must be a kickback to eat!"

(End of chapter)