Besides, these three families are far too arrogant, openly causing trouble on his territory and even daring to scheme against him. Although noble families are respected in chaotic times, they still have their own territories, and overstepping those boundaries is always a breach of the law. Therefore, he really wanted to know what excuse the three families would use to persuade him.

Meanwhile, the three people who were preparing to visit also heard the rumors.

In the private room of the restaurant, the three men were furious, none of them in the mood to eat. They had initially suspected each other and subtly probed each other a few times, but ultimately decided it was unlikely. After discussing the matter, they set off together and did not separate during the journey.

"Who is so despicable as to cause trouble at this critical juncture? Whether it's true or not, it's not good for us." Wang Wenjue was so angry that he straightened the table, causing the tea to spill.

"It's strange, our trip to Ye County was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, so how did the news get leaked?" Han Shikuan looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.

“Now is not the time to dwell on this. The Jiang family must have heard about it. What we need to do now is figure out how to avoid the rumors and persuade the Jiang family.” Song Yu sighed. He felt that they had overlooked something, but his mind was a mess and he couldn’t grasp the key point.

"How do you explain this? The rumors are very bad for us. The Jiang family isn't stupid; they wouldn't agree so easily. Even if they did agree, they'd probably take the opportunity to make demands." After his initial anger subsided, Wang Wenjue realized that Jiang Mian wasn't someone to be trifled with.

"We still need to try our best to explain that we sincerely invite the Jiang family to join us and promise that the benefits will be distributed fairly after the matter is completed. If he feels uneasy about a verbal agreement, it is also feasible for us to write a document to bind each other."

After calming down, Han Shih-kuan thought for a moment and then expressed his opinion.

"Don't mind us, at this point even if we had a hundred mouths, we couldn't explain it clearly. Only a valid treaty document can be convincing."

“Okay, I agree.” Wang Wenjue nodded. Anyway, they hadn’t gotten anything yet. If the Jiang family could take the mountain, what was wrong with dividing it equally?

Seeing their agreeable attitude, Song Yu sneered inwardly. Fools, if only things were that simple.

"Alas, I'm afraid this negotiation will be fraught with difficulties."

The next day, when the three of them arrived with generous gifts, they only saw one of the Jiang family's stewards waiting at the door.

The three exchanged a glance, feeling displeased, but said nothing at that moment.

It's obvious that they were unhappy about the rumors and gave you the cold shoulder.

Following the butler into the living room, Jiang Mian stood up from his chair only after he had stepped inside. "Welcome, honored guest! I am so sorry for not greeting you properly!"

"Brother Jiang, you're too kind. Our visit was rather impolite, and we would be at ease if you didn't take offense." Song Yu clasped his hands in a fist and smiled gently.

"Haha... Brother Jiang, I'm really sorry for being so forward." Han Shikuan and the other man clasped their hands in greeting and exchanged a few polite words. Because of the rumors, the three of them always felt a little lacking in confidence.

Jiang Mian looked at the three of them, invited them to sit down, and waited for the butler to serve tea before politely asking a question.

"Gentlemen, have you come from afar to participate in the barter trade in Ye County? Our county has been busy with this matter these days, and we have not had a moment to rest. Please forgive us if there has been any inadequacy in our hospitality."

The three men's expressions shifted slightly as they listened to Jiang Mian's tone. They felt uncomfortable; they treated Jiang Mian like a brother, yet he was putting on airs.

They're all from prominent families; who doesn't know who?