Chapter 311: Having A Guest (2/2)

Zhou Bao used Golden Flame Mirror to open the passageway of the Blacktail Plain. But he was not a good Samaritan. The Blacktail Plain was broad and there lived a kind of evil beast that had been tamed by him. He would not turn all the Blacktail Plain into passageways. In fact, he just opened a straight passageway that led to his territory from Dragon-pressing River. All goods from the Dragon-pressing River could reach his territory through this passageway. As for other lords whose territories bordered on Blacktail Plain, they were not so lucky. Zhou Bao also opened passageways for them, but these passageways all led to Zhou Bao's territory directly. If they wanted goods, they would pass Zhou Bao's territory. It was the same case like what they did on River Heart Island in those days. Navy of Jiang City was quite familiar with these things.

At the beginning, Jiang Xiao and Zhu Ba had not encountered any difficulty. As time went by, more and more people realized the importance of the Blacktail Plain and the value of the transfer station in the boundary of Zhou Bao's territory and the Blacktail Plain. Businessmen saw great business opportunities and swarmed there. During that period, Jiang Xiao was extremely busy.

He was too busy to treat all these comers. Frankly speaking, Zhou Bao's territory was a wasteland without any facility. The transfer station merely was a broad prairie without any population. Jiang Xiao originally wanted to build a huge warehouse and a crucial point just like what they did on the River Heart Island. But they had forgotten that this was not River Heart Island and the market they faced was not a small Jiang City. It was the whole northwest region of Dragon-pressing River. Though there were no people here, business opportunities were created. Never belittled shrewd businessmen.

Shortly after, temporary camps were built up in the broad prairie to store goods. More and more people came to visit Zhou Bao.

Of course, not everyone was qualified to meet Zhou Bao. Most of them came here to visit Jiang Xiao. They all knew that he was the butler of Zhou Bao and the upstart of the northwest region.

Jiang Xiao became the most famous celebrity in the whole northwest region now. He was busy welcoming and sending guests all day long. His life now was better than that of the time when he was a Captain of the navy.

He clearly knew that thanks to Zhou Bao, he could gain this prestige and status. Without what Zhou Bao had done, as a soldier, he would never be respected by those arrogant senior officials.

Hence, he became more prudent and did not make decisions on most of the things. When Zhou Bao came back, he was startled by the one-feet-thick documents piled on the table.

”Jiang Xiao, what do you mean? I just come back, and you mean to let me handle so many things now. Are you serious?”

”Oh, no, your Excellency. These things are quite important. I can't make decisions on them without your permission. So I have to leave them to you.”

”I told you that no matter how important they are, you can handle them properly. Don't bother me with these things. If you're too busy to do it, you can recruit some people to help you. If there are really important things, you can just tell me. Don't put so many things in front of me, I have no mood to see them!”

”Yes, Your Excellency. I understand!” Jiang Xiao smiled bitterly. ”Your Excellency, even if you don't want to look at these official documents, there are other things need you to do. You've opened the passageway of the Blacktail Plain, our territory has become the core of the northwest region now. I don't have enough men to help me and can't handle most of the things. Besides...”

”If you need men, you can recruit some. As long as there are enough people, everything can be handled. Don't tell me these things particularly!” Zhou Bao stared at him. ”Jiang Xiao, I've told you. You can do things boldly. Don't care about me. I've no idea to spend energy on these things!”

”Your Excellency, except these documents, a lot of people came to visit you during your closed-door training. I declined most of them, but some of them had special identities. I'm afraid you need to meet them.”

”Special identities? Okay, tell me now!”

...

…

Many people wanted to visit Zhou Bao, but only a few of them were qualified.

Zhou Bao wore three hats. Firstly, he had the rank of nobility given by the Great Jin. From this aspect, most people that Jiang Xiao had met were eligible to meet him. Secondly, he used to be known as a Level Seven expert. But now, he was a Level Eight expert and nearly had Level Nine combat capability. However, others did not know this. Only half of these people could see him from this aspect. Thirdly, he was the spokesperson cultivated by Tian Long Taoism in the northwest region!

Adding these three identities together, only two comers were qualified to let him welcome them in person. One was Yun Peng, vice chairman of Prosperous Chamber of Commerce of Great Jin. The other was Nie Wushang, the imperial envoy.

The name 'Prosperous Chamber of Commerce' was vulgar and popular. But it had existed for over 10 thousand years. It was one of the three biggest chambers of commerce in Great Jin and even the whole Central Plains. It was supported by countless well-known families and mysterious schools. It seemed ordinary. However, if it took any action, it would be more powerful than the Great Jin which was founded only several hundred years ago. If we took Zhou Bao's Anyuan Store as an ant, Prosperous Chamber of Commerce was no more an elephant but a blue whale. It could easily eliminate Anyuan Store if it wanted. Likewise, it could help Anyuan Store prosper readily.

No one knew who was the chairman of Prosperous Chamber of Commerce. Yun Peng was the person in charge of it publicly. He had high status, so Jiang Xiao listed him as one of the must-see people of Zhou Bao. The other one called Nie Wushang was the imperial envoy who represented the imperial court. After all, Zhou Bao was one of Great Jin people. Surely, he should not be slighted.

After hearing the analysis of Jiang Xiao, Zhou Bao thought for a while and asked, ”Where is Yun Peng? I'll visit him now. As for Nie Wushang, he has waited so long, it's nothing to let him wait two more days!”

”All right. I'll invite vice chairman Yun Peng right now!”

”No, no, no. I'll come to meet him personally!” Zhou Bao waved his hands. Now that he was going to meet Yun Peng, he should be polite and considerate. Otherwise, he would rather not do it.

Yun Peng and Nie Wushang were arranged to live in the best yard. Jiang Xiao felt lucky, for Yun Peng's yard was far from that of Nie Wushang. Otherwise, it would humiliate the imperial court if Zhou Bao met Yun Peng personally but left Nie Wushang alone.

Yun Peng looked not that old. He was in his forties and at the prime of his life. He was a Level Five expert whose cultivation was not weak. He would be a famous person even in Jianghu. But as vice chairman of Prosperous Chamber of Commerce, he was too weak, especially when he stood beside a Level Eight expert.

A Level Eight expert!

When did experts become worthless and all come to his territory?

Prosperous Chamber of Commerce was so generous to let a Level Eight expert to be his bodyguard!

The expression of Level Eight expert, Fu Yi, changed when he saw Zhou Bao. He knew that Zhou Bao was a Level Seven expert and had a Pure Yang Celestial Device. He had trapped other Level Nine experts with Wang She. Thus Fu Yi had already thought highly of Zhou Bao. But after seeing Zhou Bao, Fu Yi found that he had underestimated Zhou Bao.

Because he could not know Zhou Bao's real cultivation.

Zhou Bao had completely covered his spirit. He looked like an ordinary teenager, who was about 17 or 18 years old. Nevertheless, his eyes showed maturity that could not fit his age.

”Zhou Bao, pay my respect to chairman Yun!”

Zhou Bao cupped one hand in the other after entering the door, wearing a faint smile.

”Haha, I've heard that Yunzhou Zhou Bao is the No.1 talented teenager of Great Jin. Meeting you in person today, I finally know that you well deserve your reputation!”

Yun Peng laughed loud and welcomed him. ”Several days ago, I came here to visit Excellency Zhou. But I heard that you were doing closed-door training. I didn't dare to bother you. Now you've exited the training, and I guess your cultivation must be more profound.”

”Chairman Yun, you must be joking. I'm so audacious and aggressive during practice that my basis isn't stable. Thus I need to do closed-door training to stabilize it. Don't mock me, chairman Yun.”

The two were as cunning as foxes. After the conventional greeting, they began to sit down and got down to the topic.

Zhou Bao had received over 10 years' education and thus knew something about economics. He would not do stupid things like building customs post to levy on goods that were written in the books. In fact, as a bleak place without any independent industry and product, the most important thing was to use free tax to attract businessmen, people, and business.

Therefore, they had an agreeable conversation. In fact, they did not have that many things to discuss. Yun Peng's subordinates and supervisors had already discussed details with Jiang Xiao. In order to show respect to Yun Peng and Prosperous Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Bao visited him personally. They were here to go through the motions and sign their names. It was somewhat like the signing ceremony of later ages.

So, they said some beautiful words before making dirty jokes and sending gifts to each other. Then, they began to eat and drink. They had not discussed anything serious, but only made agreements on the cooperation of Anyuan Store and Prosperous Chamber of Commerce and the openness of northwest market.

Zhou Bao directly went home for a rest after meeting Yun Peng. He tended to visit imperial envoy two days later.

But little did he expect that Nie Wushang came to visit him early in the next morning. Apparently, he knew that Zhou Bao had met Yun Peng yesterday.

Since he had come, Zhou Bao had to meet him, because he didn't want to give others the excuse to gossip. Hence, he treated Nie Wushang respectfully.