Chapter 322: Coincidence

"This year's projected growth in operations exceeds twenty percent, with profits rising over ten percent. Major expenditures involve some low-efficiency investment projects, as well as tributes to the royal family. Oh, and the personnel expansion requested by the Head of the House, that too."

The Hongmei Merchant Guild, or rather the Sudar Merchant Guild, is a renowned large merchant guild in the City of Radiant Light and even throughout the entire kingdom.

It possesses numerous physical industries, but its main sources of operational revenue are the dispersed investments of various branch guilds; some operate certain licensed goods, while others focus primarily on financial services such as lending and investment.

As for exactly how wealthy it is, even the Head of the House probably cannot calculate it clearly, for although it is a member of the conservative old nobility, its business model is very much like that of the new nobility; its investments are not only dispersed but also physical, making them very difficult to investigate.

"Excellent, I have reviewed all your reports for this year; they are very good. The annual bonuses for everyone will be increased by ten percent. Transfer the meritorious personnel below to the guild headquarters. Maxil, Soren."

In a large conference room, facing the presidents and stewards of the various branch guilds one by one, Miss Shaliman spoke with confidence and ease.

Everyone on their faces showed joy; who does not like receiving money and promotions?

Unlike large conglomerates or major powers that hold year-end summaries, the Sudar Merchant Guild's annual summary is always relatively early.

On one hand, there are simply too many things requiring time for scheduling and adjustment; each guild needs time to present reports and report on personnel scheduling. On the other hand, as a great noble family, the Sudar family is very busy during the annual period.

Not to mention other things, just the scheduling of the "tributes" to the royal family is probably an astronomical number.

Those submitted to the national treasury are not merely material wealth; many weapons and equipment that cannot be bought with money, rare supplies from other countries, and so on, all become the kingdom's Consumables through this channel.

The scheduling of these things all requires time arrangements... so the year-end summary in the conventional sense is often particularly early; after obtaining sufficient budget, a new round of large-scale procurement and smuggling begins.

"... It really is exaggerated. Dai Niya trusts you quite a bit, doesn't she?"

This was the first time Li En accompanied Miss Shaliman to the annual meeting; he could only say the experience was quite terrible. His smile had gone numb, yet there were always people without eyes who came up to greet him voluntarily.

"Because we are sisters in private."

Miss Shaliman swirled the red wine in her hand, her smile like a flower, and spoke in a light tone.

However, the meaning in those words... Li En suspected there was something behind her words.

"She saved me; I trust her. Before I became the Head of the House, she actually used to call me 'big sister'."

This... is quite interesting. Then shouldn't you call me 'uncle'? No, wait, Lex has already run away, so why does this influence still exist!

"Uh, so you are a licensed merchant with an official background?"

Li En looked over; many strategic materials cannot be bought through normal channels, yet the Sudar Merchant Guild bought them at high prices in other countries, brought them back through branch offices. These things could not pass customs, obviously smuggling, and then passing through another layer of "donation," they became the kingdom's strategic reserves in the national treasury.

In a sense, it seems the Sudar family undertakes the duties of an "overseas state-owned enterprise," no wonder they operate so large.

"No, only a part of it. Some merchant guilds specialize in this; the specific operators are basically royal spies. I am one of them, but this part of the operation is separate from our main business."

Today, serious business was to be conducted, so naturally, the normal version of Miss Shaliman had come.

And these family secrets, she also happily shared with Li En, though it seemed there was always something behind her words.

"After all, even though we are sisters, what is mine is mine, and what is hers is hers. As long as she does not cross the line, we can remain sisters for a long time. What do you think?"

Miss Shaliman, having put down her wine glass, looked at Li En and smiled very sweetly.

She was not "Silly Shaliman"; some things still needed to be handled with caution.

Li En fell silent for a moment... it seemed that recently there were simply too many rumors about the High Knight and Her Highness the Princess, and Her Highness the Princess had made no move to deny them at all.

Even though Miss Shaliman could be counted as a half-informed party, the fiancé and the boss spreading scandalous rumors, with neither side denying them, implying tacit approval (Dai Niya was standing behind Li En's actions), was equivalent to a direct hit on her head... no wonder, during today's meeting, the presidents of the other branch guilds looked at the Head of the House with expressions that, besides respect, also contained some sympathy.

Perhaps, in the eyes of many, the engagement between Li En and Miss Shaliman had already become some kind of cover, and Miss Shaliman had become the suffering party raising a man for her boss.

"Don't joke... she is just a little girl who hasn't matured yet; how can she compare to you? You are truly magnificent today..."

Li En quickly changed the subject; he had been visiting Dai Niya quite frequently lately, after all, there were too many messy things on his hands.

Following his good girl, since she had suffered grievances, she needed to be coaxed; saying nice words doesn't cost money.

"Little girl?! You... you big pig trotter! I became an adult long ago; are you blind?!"

And the sudden voice from behind left Li En stunned.

Floating in on the small mirror spirit was Dai Niya's angry face.

She had just connected and heard bad words spoken about her, when clearly she was still busy with Li En's affairs.

"You..." Li En looked at Miss Shaliman with a subtle expression, but what he saw were bright eyes hiding a smile behind a fan.