Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1061: The considerations of rapid growth

Wu Long and his companions were guided to an administrative office located at the rear of the establishment. There, they settled in for a discussion while Gong Liwei attended to the injured worker.

The proprietor of the Beastscale Trading House, who introduced himself as Liu Ban, along with his wife and daughter whom they had previously encountered, offered an apologetic smile. "My sincerest apologies for the unpleasant scene you witnessed," he expressed. "And thank you all for your assistance... for everything." He then glanced towards the worker, who, despite the severity of his injuries, appeared significantly improved and nearing full recovery.

"We are more than happy to have been of help," Sui Luxiao responded with a smile. "Besides, we were not entirely uninvolved in the circumstances that led to this."

"Ah, yes... you mentioned seeking a meeting..." the owner replied somewhat distractedly, turning his gaze back to her.

At that very moment, Gong Liwei concluded her treatment of the young worker. He profusely thanked her, and she simply offered a smile, providing him with a few precautionary instructions for the coming days before rejoining the conversation. The room was now occupied only by Wu Long’s trio and the owner’s family. The owner seemed preoccupied with his worker's well-being and his somewhat flustered departure from the room, continuing to voice his gratitude as the door swung shut.

Now that they were alone, however...

"Indeed, we represent the Soaring Feather Trading Company," Sui Luxiao stated. She was not deceived by the owner of the Beastscale Trading Company's feigned distraction; she recognized his attempt to cautiously gather information while appearing innocuous, knowing he perceived her as a peer in the trade.

"Trading Company..." Owner Liu's eyes narrowed. He accurately assessed that his act of confusion had been seen through and that Sui Luxiao was disinclined to engage in a prolonged game of probing. Instead, she had initiated the conversation directly. He abandoned his pretense, revealing a sharp and observant demeanor.

"We have an offer for you," Sui Luxiao confirmed, her smile widening.

"You do not appear to be mere peddlers or transporters advertising wares..." Owner Liu's expression turned cautious. His usual visitors were of that sort, and there was little for other types of merchants to discuss with the owner of a Trading House like his. He sensed that Sui Luxiao was a merchant of a different caliber, the kind who would typically have no interest in his establishment.

A silent understanding passed between them: while Liu Ban was genuinely thankful for their intervention, it held no bearing on this business discussion. Their help had earned them goodwill, but nothing more. He was prepared to offer fair compensation for their assistance, if necessary, separate from this meeting.

"You are correct. We propose a broader offer of general cooperation. We intend to expand into Emerald Falls City but do not wish to establish our own branch here," Sui Luxiao explained. "Therefore, we are seeking local partners."

"To be perfectly honest," Liu Ban leaned forward slightly, clasping his hands together in a manner resembling a closed gate, "Since you are here, you must have researched us. You know that we specialize in Demonic Beast Hunting gear and supplies, with long-standing partnerships that span generations. For all other goods, we collaborate with the Thousand Treasures Hall."

"Yes, setting aside the former, let us discuss the latter first," Sui Luxiao opened her right palm, as if presenting something to Liu Ban, her expression radiating confidence. "We can certainly offer superior terms compared to the Thousand Treasures Hall. However, your interest lies elsewhere. Indeed, we aim to compete with them through you, thus we do not fear incurring their displeasure and will naturally provide you with our protection against any retribution they might pursue."

"That is a rather audacious claim," Owner Liu remarked, maintaining his posture.

"Naturally. But we would not make such a statement if we lacked the capability to uphold it," Wu Long interjected, shifting Liu Ban's attention for the first time. "I apologize for the delay in introducing myself; my name is Wu Long."

"Ah! I knew it! It’s the handsome young man often seen with the Ninth Prince that everyone was gossiping about not long ago!" the owner's daughter exclaimed, thrilled that her guess was correct. Her outburst drew the momentary attention of everyone in the room, causing her to pause slightly, her face flushing.

"I... understand... you have a close connection with the 9th Prince..." Owner Liu's demeanor shifted slightly, as this was his first encounter with anyone even distantly linked to the Imperial Royalty, let alone a confidant of a prince vying for the throne, even if that prince was the notorious Wei Yuanjie.

His posture adjusted subtly, his interlocked fingers parting slightly before fingertips met, molding his hands into a contemplative shape.

"And Princess Wei Zhenhui, along with General Chen," Wu Long said with a smile and a nod. This elicited gasps from the mother and daughter behind the owner. The princess possessed a remarkably strong and positive reputation among the capital's populace, especially the women, largely due to Wu Long's machinations.

Liu Ban, however, focused more on the latter name. Chen Hui had only received his General rank late last night; it hadn't been publicized yet, so this revelation caught him by surprise.

Yet, the casual and assured manner in which Wu Long spoke suggested this was no mere bluff. If it were a bluff, it would be easily disproven, potentially damaging future negotiations.

And if it were true, it implied two significant points.

Firstly, Wu Long's relationship was so intimate that he could learn of such a major development practically as it unfolded, preceding the entire city.

Secondly, the Princess might not be as vulnerable to the foreign prince's marriage proposal as rumored, given that her chosen confidant now possessed sufficient political leverage to resist.

This certainly altered the strategic considerations for the Thousand Treasures Hall. Even if the princess didn't secure the throne, her accumulated influence guaranteed her a high-ranking position within the Imperial Family following the succession conflict. And if she emerged victorious...

His hands separated, one resting on his knee, the other cupping his chin as he adopted a pondering expression.

"That still leaves the matter of cooperation. Even if you present better terms, and it represents a significant opportunity for our Trading House to ascend, if you intend to contend with the Thousand Treasures Hall, our modest establishment lacks the necessary space and personnel for such extensive trade," Liu Ban stated, his hand lifting from his chin to make an open-palmed gesture of helplessness, laced with a hint of regret. He recognized the immense potential. However, he also had to be candid and realistic about their capacity to fulfill such an agreement.

"We will assist you in expanding in a stable and measured fashion," Sui Luxiao rejoined the discussion, her hands clasped palm-to-palm, fingers closely aligned and folded at the sides. "While we won't establish a new branch here, our interest in providing the Thousand Treasures Hall with a formidable rival means we will undoubtedly invest. Naturally, we would require certain assurances from your end to safeguard our investment."

Gong Liwei, who had remained silent until now, added her voice after Sui Luxiao spoke, perceiving the hesitation in Liu Ban's eyes. "While caution regarding sudden, forceful expansion is understandable..."

As she spoke, the small Vessel of Life pot she hadn't put away settled into her hands. A tiny green sapling emerged, rapidly sprouting numerous branches. The main trunk, though still slender and green, grew disproportionately tall. As heavy foliage began to blanket the branches, which now extended too far outwards, forming an umbrella-like canopy over Gong Liwei's head, the entire plant appeared to teeter precariously, on the brink of snapping in half or splitting at the trunk's apex.

"...that is only if the growth isn't properly balanced. If, instead, we apply rapid expansion to the construction of a solid foundation..."

The trunk abruptly thickened, gaining robustness while the branching growth slightly decelerated. Then, a complete miniature tree, vibrant and sturdy, brimming with life, bloomed with flowers, eliciting admiration from the owner's wife and daughter.

"...we can achieve remarkable results in a concise timeframe without compromising stability."

"But our foundation 'is' the issue. Our specialization lies in..." Liu Ban chuckled, understanding that to these individuals, continuing the trade of Demonic Beast Hunting gear and supplies might seem imprudent, given its unattractive market standing in the capital. This was simply because the trade and passion for it had been ingrained in their family for generations.

However, Sui Luxiao's eyes gleamed, as if she had anticipated this very point. "Indeed, but what if we could make Demonic Beast Hunting a somewhat more profitable venture here?"

"We would be delighted to, but our ancestors endeavored to do so for countless millennia without success," the owner's daughter replied, shaking her head with a look of melancholy.

"Indeed, but your lineage has never held any particular favor with the Imperial Family," Wu Long remarked with a chuckle.

"You mean to suggest...", Liu Ban’s eyes widened simultaneously in surprise and understanding, a keen glint of excitement appearing within them.

"Precisely, through Her Highness, we can advocate for the transformation of the Imperial Army’s Demonic Beast eradication efforts into a system employing local hunters. This would ensure the continuous and sustained safety of the continent’s citizens from Demonic Beasts," Sui Luxiao nodded, affirming Liu Ban’s astute deduction.

"The Imperial Army’s Demonic Beast exterminations are notoriously inefficient and deeply unpopular. They incur greater expenses than merely engaging hunters, invariably result in casualties among the soldiers, and are conducted with the sole aim of clearing out Demonic Beasts. Consequently, the soldiers often lack the specialized experience required to hunt without damaging valuable ingredients, leading to significant material waste. Furthermore, they wait for Demonic Beasts to amass, perpetuating damage before any action is taken. To cap it all off, their operations frequently inflict damage upon the lands and properties nearly as severe as that caused by the Demonic Beasts themselves," Wu Long elaborated.

He continued, observing, "The sole rationale for their continuation is to provide some activity for the largely quiescent Imperial Army, to project the Imperial Family’s authority through large-scale Demonic Beast purges as a demonstration of their protective actions for the populace, and to afford the noble houses, whose descendants occupy the excessively numerous high-ranking positions within the Imperial Army, a basis for indirect competition through the accomplishments of those descendants."

"This implies that the Imperial Family will not readily embrace such a change, and numerous nobles will likely oppose reforming these raids, even if proposed by the Princess with her considerable popularity," Liu Ban sighed, a note of resignation in his voice.

"Precisely. Such proposals are not evaluated on their intrinsic merits but are instead decided by the power and influence of their proponents and antagonists. However, the Princess’s influence is poised for a significant increase. Moreover, one should never underestimate the impact of external pressure. We can secure victory by preemptively leaking the Princess’s preparations for this proposal to the public before its official announcement. This will compel the other princes to publicly endorse the proposal, as they cannot afford to grant the Princess such a substantial surge in popularity for being perceived as the sole champion of the people. Consequently, the nobles supporting them will be obligated to acquiesce," Wu Long confirmed with a nod.

"But the fundamental issue remains: these raids serve as a public display of the Imperial Family’s authority and their commitment to protecting its citizens...", Owner Liu grasped the strategy’s brilliance but recognized the main obstacle wasn't the nobles—it was the Emperor himself.

Wu Long perceived the crux of Liu Ban’s concern and responded directly, "The Emperor will seize this opportunity to diminish the influence of nobles within the Imperial Army. This provides him with a perfect pretext to ’reform the army ranks,’ which can be interpreted as pruning the superfluous high-ranking positions disproportionately filled by noble descendants. After all, there are always alternative avenues to showcase the might and authority of the Imperial Family. This is already effectively achieved through more ceremonial means—parades, Imperial Tournaments for the military, and similar periodic events. These are far more popular with the public and serve the same purpose."

Liu Ban swallowed hard, unable to contain his mounting excitement at the unfolding prospect. Seizing the moment, Sui Luxiao declared, "This brings us to a crucial question: can our establishment capture the rapidly expanding market for Demonic Beast hunting gear and supplies?"

Her hand, adorned with the Spatial Ring, moved gracefully over the table, causing a vast assortment of diverse goods to materialize upon its surface. "And we shall achieve this with products of superior quality."

The eyes of the Liu family members—a lineage of generational merchants specializing in goods for Demonic Beast hunters—sparkled with newfound zeal, a wave of goosebumps prickling their skin.

"M-may I?", Liu Ban’s hand had already shot out impulsively, but it froze mid-air as he politely, almost apologetically, inquired.

"Naturally. In fact, if you place your trust in them, feel free to summon the individual responsible for your own hunter team, as well as the store’s floor managers and any other necessary personnel," Wu Long replied with a warm smile and a nod.

Owner Liu wasted no time, producing several paper communication talismans. Meanwhile, his wife and daughter began eagerly selecting and examining the displayed goods, much to the delight of Sui Luxiao, who was clearly satisfied with the observable effect.

Soon, Owner Liu’s son, currently overseeing the hunting team, arrived along with several members of branch families. A few accountants also joined them, alongside an older man who appeared to be a branch family member and a younger one who seemed to be the sole individual present not related by blood.

A swift, almost imperceptible exchange of glances between the younger accountant and the proprietor's daughter did not escape Wu Long's notice, prompting an inward chuckle at their misguided belief in their subtlety. They seemed unaware that their clandestine communication was quite apparent to those around them.

While Sui Luxiao responded to inquiries, a lively discussion erupted concerning the merchandise crafted from Wu Long's expertise, knowledge honed by the blessings of Luo Mingyu and her esteemed Divine Enlightenment Palace.

The attending accountants rapidly reviewed the pricing structure. They found the costs surprisingly reasonable given the exceptional quality, although naturally marked higher than commonplace items.

"The prices will see a slight reduction in due time," Sui Luxiao then commented. She elaborated that as the Trading Company's reach extended to new territories, procuring essential components where they were most cost-effective and plentiful would become feasible, thereby minimizing transportation expenses for goods sold locally. "Furthermore, the range of products available will broaden."

By this juncture, the Liu Family had fully committed to the proposed collaboration, embracing the prospect of significant future expansion despite the challenges.

A review of more general aspects led them to the crucial topic of security, specifically safeguarding against potential disturbances originating from the Thousand Treasures Hall. This naturally brought to mind the recent altercation outside the establishment, causing the expressions of the young accountant and the owner's daughter to cloud over.

With the partnership between the Beastscale Trading House and the Soaring Feather Trading Company effectively secured, extracting information regarding the family's difficulties proved straightforward. As anticipated, the core issue involved a dispute with a prominent noble lineage.