Chapter 213: Who Doesn't Have Some Connections?

Seeing the Dongjiang Gang crowd's faces twisted in frustration as if they'd just eaten shit, Shen Tang kept a calm expression while her heart danced with joy.

Before Lu Xingzhou returned, this would have clearly been a troublesome upheaval; yet the moment he came back, appearing to do nothing at all, the situation turned utterly simple.

In fact, Lu Xingzhou also felt that scheming for the Tianxing Sword Sect was simpler than helping the Yanluo Hall. Because power struggles were never merely a contest of raw strength; external connections with other factions were an extremely critical factor, and in this regard, the most powerful aid was the imperial court's hammer.

This point was never useful when they were in the Demonic Path; it was always the opponents who used it. In the Tianxing Sword Sect, it could be wielded with great comfort.

Whether Gu Zhanting originally acted out of guilt toward his daughter or due to the National Master's interference, that decree of "support," even if it was just empty words, could be twisted into countless tricks.

Zhang Rongzhi took the main seat while the Shi uncle and nephew sat dejectedly below; the other elders and such had all left, taking with them the crowd of Dongjiang Gang elites downstairs. The private room finally felt like a place for normal conversation.

Zhang Rongzhi said calmly, "Having multiple parties in the same industry is originally an extremely normal situation. Just as in Xiazhou, there are not a hundred but at least eighty families doing the medicinal herb business; fierce competition is quite normal, and it can promote a race for better drug effects and quality, driving down prices to benefit the people. Sect Master Shen understands righteousness, knowing her own escort business might conflict with the Dongjiang Gang, so she wishes to discuss an industry standard to ensure harmonious competition and mutual benefit."

Shi Tielong was suffocating with frustration; anyone could speak flowery words, but the fact was the Dongjiang Gang had previously held a monopoly in the commandery, and now, for no apparent reason, they were being forced to share a slice of the pie. Who would be happy about that? Why?

Of course, from another perspective, why should you monopolize it? Why shouldn't others do it? In the end, it still comes down to strength deciding the matter.

Lu Xingzhou said leisurely, "No one has ever stipulated that only a certain party is allowed to do something while forbidding others; there is no such logic. The imperial court and the people are even happier to see mutual competition, producing better and cheaper choices. I am quite puzzled: the Dongjiang Gang has been in this trade for so long, so logically they should be confident they do it better than anyone, that whoever enters this trade should be suppressed. Why are they so nervous..."

That goes without saying; who doesn't want a monopoly?

But since the words had reached this point, Shi Tielong could only say, "Who said our gang fears the challenge? We came to this banquet precisely to see what your sect has to say."

Lu Xingzhou smiled, "In the presence of the Commandery Governor, we naturally wish to form an industry consensus like the medicinal herb trade in Xiazhou, avoiding vicious competition. For instance, the Xiazhou consensus is that everyone's herbs or pills must speak through efficacy and price. We won't even mention what the laws forbid, like burning someone's herb garden or secretly poisoning others' herbs; there are also some things not mentioned in the laws that we must set our own rules for... for example, no malicious price wars that kill a thousand enemies while costing ourselves eight hundred; that benefits no one, does it?"

Shi Tielong said coldly, "According to Elder Lu's opinion, how should we establish rules for this trade?"

"Naturally, we must speak through transportation efficiency and safety."

Shi Tielong's forehead veins jumped; the transportation trade was not like pills, where a preliminary comparison result could be reached on the very same day. For this kind of trade, if everyone took on jobs separately and compared who was safer and more convenient, it might even require waiting for one or two accidents to occur before verification could be made. By then, what time would it be? Would their Dongjiang Gang's business simply be halved in the meantime, leaving them unable to do anything?

Moreover, even if a comparison was finally made, it would still be just that; who could truly suppress whom?

Zhang Rongzhi stroked his beard, saying, "This official shares this sentiment; you may deliberate and finalize the detailed rules yourselves."

"Deliberate your mother..." Shi Tielong said angrily, "Comparing efficiency and safety, how long will it take to produce a result?"

Lu Xingzhou looked at him, his gaze feigning shock: "Is there anything wrong with having no result? Does Sect Leader Shi not want to do business in harmony, but only wishes to suppress us?"

"You..."

Lu Xingzhou interrupted, "If you want a quick result, that is also very simple."

Shi Tielong swallowed the words he wanted to say and said coldly, "What brilliant insight does Elder Lu have now?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled, "To quickly verify who is safer and more efficient is actually very simple. This trade, besides testing experience, more intuitively tests the strength of the accompanying guards, doesn't it?"

"So?"

"So we can publicly set up a fighting arena and let victory or defeat speak. Who is strong and who is weak, the people of Xiazhou can distinguish at a glance; isn't that the most intuitive?"

Shi Tielong's heart stirred, and he said calmly, "Traveling the world with escorts speaks not only of one's own strength but also of the support of friends outside."

"That is reasonable, but how can this be verified?"

"If we hold a martial arts tournament, each side may also invite external aid."

Shen Tang couldn't help but interject, "Sect Leader Shi has quite the plan."

Shi Tielong rolled his eyes, "Is Sect Master Shen afraid?"

Shen Tang feigned anger, "Then there must be a number."

Shi Tielong said leisurely, "Since we are comparing our respective strengths, too few people would not show the sect's capability. How about each side sends ten people?"

He calculated clearly: the Tianxing Sword Sect, including Shen Tang herself, currently had only four people of third grade or above. Even if all four were defeated by them, it would still be six to four.

In fact, what Shi Tielong wanted was to completely shut out the Tianxing Sword Sect; then, forget about the escort industry, they could trample the entire Tianxing Sword Sect's reputation into the mud, and they would never be able to compete with the Dongjiang Gang for the number one power again in their lives.

Shen Tang was so angry her chest heaved, "Sect Leader Shi has quite the scheme!"

Shi Tielong said leisurely, "The proposal was made by your sect's Elder Lu; it is only natural for this seat to propose a number of people."

Lu Xingzhou, his face flushed with suppressed anger, slammed the table, "Ten it is, do I fear you?!" Zhang Rongzhi said, "Have all of you deliberated clearly? Once the arena is set and the whole commandery hears of it, there is no turning back."

The young man and woman slammed the table together, "It's settled then; do we fear him?!"

Then, as if remembering something, Shen Tang, her face flushed, said, "If there aren't enough candidates, can one person fight in multiple rounds?"

Shi Tielong, holding back his laughter, said, "Of course."

Zhang Rongzhi sighed, wearing an expression of regret as if watching young people act too impulsively, "Since that is the case, this official will act as a witness. You may invite external aid yourselves; in three days, the Great Martial Arena in the city will open the arena."

Shi Tielong, suppressing his joy, led his group away, while the young man and woman also left in indignation.

Seeing that the opening had Shi Tielong frustrated, but in the end he obtained an unexpected result, one could only say the young man and woman were too impulsive; how could people of this age accomplish great undertakings?

Little did they know that as soon as the two returned to Danxia Mountain, they both "pfft" and bent over laughing.

Shen Tang held her stomach, pointing at Lu Xingzhou, "I didn't expect you to be quite the actor."

Lu Xingzhou laughed, "If I weren't a good enough actor, how could I have deceived my Princess?"

"Pfft~" Shen Tang glanced around secretly; no one was there, "So you admit you deceived me?"

Lu Xingzhou pushed her wheelchair up the mountain leisurely, "Deceived you of what? I haven't even deceived you into giving me your body yet."

Shen Tang said angrily, "You only think of that!"

Lu Xingzhou smiled, "Acting is acting, but don't capsize the boat. At the very least, I wouldn't have the heart to ask Mr. Ye to fight all ten for us; she would slap me to death. She serves only as an anchor; at the very least, she fears no second grade."

"I won't let other women fight on my behalf to bring me glory!" Shen Tang humphed, "It's just second grade; do you really think I'm afraid?"

Lu Xingzhou's eyes held some deep meaning.

This battle might not only attract second grade experts.

"What did you say? Shen Tang and Lu Xingzhou have lost their minds, truly daring to decide the outcome on an arena?" In another courtyard in the city, True Person Xuanhe of the Lingyun Sect looked at Shi Tielong before him with both shock and joy, "Is this not some trap?"

Shi Tielong smiled, "With the Commandery Governor present, even if there is a trap, it won't be on the arena itself. I think it's just that the young people couldn't withstand the provocation."

"Good, good, good." True Person Xuanhe stood up abruptly, "I will notify the Sect Master immediately and see if Chunshan Pavilion can send some people; the Prince of Jin will certainly be very interested. They think it will be at most a third-grade contest, hehe..."

A-nuo, licking a skewer of candied haws, hopped and skipped into a seemingly ordinary residential house.

Inside, several men were lifting stone locks to strengthen their bodies; seeing A-nuo, they were all startled, nearly dropping the stone locks to the ground, "Ghost Child Lord, why have you come..."

"Don't call me that name; it's too shameful!" A-nuo almost wanted to cry, "Where is Ying Shuang? Tell him to come here."

Ying Shuang rushed out of the house: "Little mistress, now that the county seat has moved, our main force has relocated here—what are your orders?"

An Nuo said: "Send someone to notify the Blood Refining Sect. A strong expert from Chunshan Pavilion will arrive in Xiazhou within three days—either Second Rank or First Rank. If you can't intercept them on the way here, you can certainly set an ambush on their return journey."

Ying Shuang's eyes widened: "How did this matter here get tied to Chunshan Pavilion and the Blood Refining Sect?"

"That's none of your concern," An Nuo grinned. "Every sect has enemies, right? We're a new force, pitifully unable to secure allies—helping them find some foes can't be wrong, can it?"

Ying Shuang: "..."

An Nuo bit into a hawthorn berry: "Oh, by the way, I heard the Dianü Hehuan Sect and Canglan Sect had deep grudges from long ago—I wonder if they'd be interested in Canglan Sect's Second Rank furnace vessel? Too bad it's old already..."

Ying Shuang: "..."

"Be careful—not a word about us. If they wander off on their own and run into enemies, it has nothing to do with our honest, business-oriented sect... Who's to blame if they keep running around with enemies on their heels?" An Nuo strolled back, lazily licking her candied hawthorn skewer: "Which sect doesn't have connections?"

Ying Shuang twitched his mouth—actually, this wasn't Judge's connection network at all.

After so many years of orthodox-martial conflict, which sect doesn't have enemies?... Precisely because Judge understands these martial sects' grudges so well—he's helping eliminate their rivals, and when the Blood Refining Sect and Dianü Hehuan Sect realize it, they might even owe Lu Xingzhou a favor...

(End of Chapter)