Mountain and River Festival 251. The Strategy of Master Qingchen

"Is King Zhennan confident that he can deal with Murong Xiong?" Xu Qingchen said this lightly, but to King Zhennan's ears it had a completely different meaning.

Jianghu masters may not seem to have an impact on the overall situation, but masters of Murong Xiong's level cannot help but make people jealous. No matter how much he has the upper hand, if he fights you to the death and takes your life, there are few people in this world who can resist him. The higher the position, the more people cherish their lives. King Zhennan naturally does not want to let go of such a huge threat to himself.

He wanted to unify the world and wipe out Mo Liufang's descendants, but if he died at the hands of a gangster, he would lose everything.

"Master Qingchen persuaded Ling Tiehan to take action... By the way, Ling Tiehan has a close relationship with both Master Qingchen and Prince Ding." Prince Zhennan said in a deep voice.

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and said, "Friendship is friendship, and transaction is transaction. I will not hide the fact from you, my lord. I came here just on the way from Nanzhao, and I did not bring many people from the northwest with me. But I can persuade the head of Ling Pavilion to take action, and naturally I can persuade the Yanwang Pavilion to let me dispatch. This time... I am afraid that the Yanwang Pavilion will have to contribute the most, so it is not too much for you to give up 10% of the benefits."

King Zhennan was speechless. The 10% profit that Xu Qingchen mentioned so casually was worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of silver taels to him. Looking at the young man in white sitting in front of him with a smile, King Zhennan once again felt like there was something stuck in his chest that he couldn't spit out or swallow.

"I don't understand why Master Qingchen wants to attack the Murong family. Speaking of which... the existence of the Murong family is not without benefits to the northwest, right?" King Zhennan asked. As long as the Murong family exists, the economy of the northwest will never catch up with that of the Great Chu. Compared with the hundreds of schools of thought in the Great Chu, the situation of the Xiling Murong family being the only one in power has existed for too long.

Xu Qingchen took a sip of tea and sighed softly, "I did think about cooperating with the Murong family, but unfortunately... some people are too ignorant of current affairs. Now the Murong family can become a hidden danger to Xiling, and it may become a hidden danger to Dingwang Mansion in the future." The King of Zhennan was silent for a while, and said respectfully, "I understand, I will do as Master Qingchen said. If there is anything you need me to do, Master Qingchen can send someone to tell Tengfeng."

Lei Tengfeng understood that his father wanted to let him handle the matter, so he nodded and bowed to Xu Qingchen, saying, "Please give me more guidance, Master Qingchen." Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and said, "Your Highness, you are too polite."

Not long after the Zhennan King and his son left, Ling Tiehan came in from the half-open window, looked at Xu Qingchen and said with a smile: "It's rare that Master Qingchen actually thinks of me. It's worth my efforts to make friends with you. If I could have more friends like you, I wouldn't have to worry about the livelihood of those idiots at home."

Xu Qingchen raised his eyes and smiled, saying, "So, Master Lingge agreed?" Ling Tiehan nodded and said, "Of course I agree. Why wouldn't I agree to such a good thing? This deal will allow Yanwangge to stay closed for three to five years. But... you are much more generous this time. I thought you would split it in half with Lei Zhenting even if you didn't want to take the lead."

Xu Qingchen said: "Xi Ling is the territory of the King of Zhennan after all. If you push too hard, you will end up with nothing. It's good enough to get 30% without doing anything. If you get more, you will easily be hated."

Ling Tiehan frowned and said, "You have helped Lei Zhenting this time. He has been thinking about taking action against the Murong family for a long time. Aren't you afraid that he will make things difficult for you after he recovers? Xiling's treasury is not rich. Once he recovers, I am afraid that even the millions of soldiers in Prince Ding's Palace will not be able to withstand it."

No matter how brave and good at fighting, the Dingwang Mansion cannot avoid the disadvantages of being too small and poor. It is sandwiched between three major countries. It cannot attack the richest country, Da Chu, and it is not very useful to conquer Beirong in the north. Moreover, the ethnic groups outside the Great Wall are not comparable to the literati of Da Chu. , and Xiling is eyeing it covetously. Although the governance of the northwest has been good in recent years, in the eyes of most people, the future is worrying.

Xu Qingchen elegantly used the lid of the cup to gently wipe away the tea residue floating on the water, and chuckled softly, "Many things are easy to destroy, but it is extremely difficult to rebuild. If Lei Zhenting thinks that Xiling's business can be revived as long as the Murong family goes bankrupt, he will be disappointed. Although he can get a large amount of military funds. But at least... in the next three to five years, Xiling will only be poorer than before."

If the Murong family is shaken, the entire economy of Xiling will be shaken. No matter how talented and gifted a master is, he will not be able to save them in three to five years. Moreover, the powerful and wealthy in this era generally do not take businessmen seriously unless they are poor, and those who are proficient in finance are naturally even fewer. If the King of Zhennan thinks that everything will go smoothly without the Murong family, it can only mean that he has never studied economics.

It seems that occasionally listening to Li'er's chat is quite beneficial. At least sometimes she puts forward some views that even a smart and wise man like Qingchen has never thought of. Thinking of the woman who used to talk freely in the study room with a confident and happy face, Xu Qingchen also showed a faint smile on his face.

Ling Tiehan was silent for a long while, then he sighed and said, "I thought you were plotting against the Murong family, but now it seems you are plotting against Lei Zhenting." Yes, even though the Murong family is known as the richest family, no one has ever calculated how much wealth the Ding Wangfu has. Even if it is not as good as the Murong family, it can still support hundreds of thousands of Mohist troops under the suppression of the Da Chu royal family for generations. With such wealth, I am afraid that they may not really covet the gold and silver of the Murong family. When encountering such an opponent, Lei Zhenting can only blame himself.

"You guys have too many thoughts in your heads. I am too lazy to think about these. Just send someone to tell me when you are going to take action." Ling Tiehan whispered. What he pursued all his life was the ultimate in martial arts. He had no interest in the martial arts world or the court. Even if it was the Yanwang Pavilion, it was more of a responsibility. Therefore, he was naturally not very interested in Xu Qingchen's twists and turns, which made his head hurt just by listening to them. Xu Qingchen agreed with a smile, and watched Ling Tiehan leave through the window. The room returned to silence.

Since Xu Qingchen left the Murong family that day, he has never replied to any news from the Murong family. The rankings of the new round of martial arts competitions at the martial arts conference have also been announced, but this time it is obviously a bit embarrassing. The reason is that one of the four great masters of the last two sessions is still alive. Although only two of them attended the martial arts conference, they did not fight on the stage. Therefore, the young masters of this session cannot directly occupy the title of the number one master. In the end, the martial arts conference that was originally advertised to be so grand ended a bit hastily.

The Murong family had been patiently waiting for Xu Qingchen's reply a few days ago. Moreover, Xu Qingchen did not leave Ancheng after the martial arts conference, so it was normal for Master Qingchen to need some time to consider such a major matter as marriage. But gradually, the Murong family realized that something was wrong.

There was no movement in places a little further away, but news had come from places closer to Ancheng that businesses everywhere seemed to be starting to have problems. Not only was the Xiling royal family involved, but there was also the presence of Da Chu or the Dingwang Mansion. The head of the Murong family thought of the white-clothed figure in the Murong family hall with a light smile and a calm demeanor, and his face became even uglier.

This was just the beginning. When the Murong family found that their businesses in Da Chu, Nanzhao and the Northwest were all in trouble, and their shops were either bankrupt or forced to close, and some were even directly confiscated, the head of the Murong family truly understood how powerful that handsome man was.

"What the hell! Is that Xu guy crazy?!" In the Murong family's study, Murong Xiong was furious when he saw the news reported by his nephew. Murong Mingyan stood behind her grandfather, tears already streaming down her face. She never thought that Xu Qingchen would actually take action against the Murong family just to avoid marrying her. Murong Xiong angrily said, "Pass the order down! I want the Ding Palace to never be able to buy even a piece of iron ore in the northwest again!"

The head of the Murong family gave a bitter smile and said, "According to the news just received, there are iron mines in the northwest, and... Prince Ding's Mansion is now not only doing business with the surrounding countries, but also with the countries in the far western regions. The northwest has already attacked our shop before the martial arts conference even started. I'm afraid... Xu's intentions are ill-intentioned." Murong Xiong was so angry that he gasped, "How much did the Murong family lose?"

The head of the Murong family said: "All the industries outside Xiling are gone."

The Murong family's roots are in Xiling. Although they have other places, they are not enough to really affect the other party's economy, so there is no need to worry about it. I am afraid that if the Murong family's business fails, those merchants in the country will still raise a toast to celebrate. "Xiling has also suffered serious losses. Not only is the King of Zhennan and the official uniform suppressing us, but many private merchants have also begun to attack us."

The Murong family monopolized most of the business in Xiling, so naturally they had countless enemies. Murong Xiong sneered and said, "Since they want to fight us, why not let them see how rich the Murong family is!" The Murong family's wealth is not just in the business outside? Even the real gold and silver accumulated over hundreds of years is enough to kill those who oppose them.

The head of the Murong family hesitated and said, "Uncle, I'm afraid this is not appropriate. Wouldn't it give the King of Zhennan a legitimate reason to interfere?" If the merchants quarreled too much and affected ordinary people, the King of Zhennan would directly lead the army to destroy the Murong family and no one would say anything. Murong Xiong couldn't help but frown. He had practiced martial arts since he was a child. He was not proficient in either politics or business.

As the two were frowning and thinking hard, a servant came to report, "Master, there is a young master Ren Qining outside who wants to see you." Master Murong frowned and said, "Ren Qining? Who is that?" Murong Xiong had some impression of him and said, "The one who won the first place in the competition. His martial arts qualifications are not bad. It's a pity that he is a little young. If he was ten years older, he might be better than Ling Tiehan and Lei Zhenting." Master Murong was not interested in Ren Qining's martial arts. Even Murong Xiong, who had a high level of cultivation, was helpless in the face of the current deadlock of the Murong family. "What does he want?"

The servant reported: "Master Ren said that he can help the master resolve the current impasse."

The head of the Murong family was startled and turned to look at Murong Xiong. Murong Xiong narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Please let him in."

Not far outside the Murong family's house, on a large lush tree, two people were sitting leisurely on the branches, looking at the gate of the Murong family's house not far away.

"Ali, what do you think Ren Qining wants to do by coming to the Murong family at this time?" Mo Xiuyao asked curiously.

Ye Li shook her head. She was not a deity, so how could she know so much? Mo Xiuyao sighed and said, "We clearly agreed to go out and have fun, but why do I feel more tired than usual?"

Ye Li leaned in his arms and said with a smile: "Isn't that the one who doesn't know martial arts? Although there are secret guards to protect you, you also know how powerful Murong Xiong is. What's the use of being smart and extraordinary if he suddenly turns against you?"

If Xu Qingchen and Murong Xiong were to face each other and were determined to kill him, it would be useless for Xu Qingchen to be the smartest man in the world. In the face of absolute strength, any scheme would be useless.

Mo Xiuyao sighed, looked down at Ye Li and said, "Ah Li is right. Now that Ren Qining has come in, we really can't leave." The odds of the King of Zhennan and Ling Tiehan joining forces to deal with Murong Xiong are actually 50-50. If Ren Qining, whose origins are unknown, is added, it's hard to say what will happen. Mo Xiuyao doesn't care about others or the Murong family, but at least they must ensure that Xu Qingchen is safe. "I'll go in and take a look."

Ye Li grabbed Mo Xiuyao and said, "Murong Xiong is much better than you in martial arts, so don't take risks." Mo Xiuyao looked at her with a smile and gently brushed the hair away from her ears, saying, "Don't worry. Even if I'm discovered and can't beat him, can't I run away?" Ye Li frowned, stared at him closely and said, "Be careful."

Mo Xiuyao nodded, let go of Ye Li, and walked silently around the large number of guards in front of the door and went into the Murong family.

At this moment in the study, Ren Qining was looking at the three people in front of him with a smile, leisurely fanning himself with the folding fan in his hand, looking so suave and elegant.

"Who are you, sir, and what are you doing here?" The head of the Murong family looked coldly at the gentle and smiling scholar-like man in front of him. He knew very well in his heart that this man was different from a true scholar like Young Master Qingchen. This man's martial arts skills were ranked first among the newcomers in the martial arts world.

Ren Qining smiled and said, "My last name is Ren, Ren Qining. I have met the head of the Murong family, Senior Murong." Murong Xiong snorted coldly, and Ren Qining suddenly felt a shock in his heart, and his blood rushed up, and he almost fell to the ground. While he was amazed at Murong Xiong's deep inner strength, Ren Qining looked calm and composed, and smiled and praised, "Senior Murong is indeed a senior master, and I admire him very much."

Murong Xiong sneered. How could he not hear that Ren Qining was reminding him that he was using his martial arts to bully the younger generation? "Mr. Ren, didn't you come to the Murong family at this time to praise an old man like me?"

Ren Qining smiled, glanced at Murong Mingyan beside him, and said with a smile: "To be honest, I am here to propose to Miss Murong."

"Propose marriage?!" The three people in the study were all stunned. Murong Xiong was the first to react and sneered, "Why do you think I will marry Mingyan to you?" Ren Qining tapped his palm carelessly with his folding fan and said slowly, "Now...besides me, is there anyone else willing to marry Miss Murong?"

"How dare you!" Murong Xiong shouted angrily.

Ren Qining was not afraid at all, and smiled: "Senior Murong, please do not be angry. Although what I said is unpleasant to hear, Senior Murong cannot deny that this is the truth. The Murong family is rich and powerful, and naturally there are not many people who are qualified to marry Miss Murong. Senior Murong must have understood Master Qingchen's attitude these days, and I'm afraid that Master Ling is also on the side of Master Qingchen. Or...Does the head of the Murong family intend to marry Miss Murong to Da Chu?"

With Murong Mingyan's status, she would be a concubine at most after entering the palace. Not to mention the pressure from the noble concubine and the queen. The Chu Kingdom is not short of money, so the importance of the Murong family in the eyes of the King of Chu is questionable. By then, I'm afraid that the Murong family will lose not only the wife but also the army. The Murong family will lose not only their only daughter but also their huge family business.

"Are you qualified to marry Mingyan?" Murong Xiong stared at him coldly.

Ren Qining smiled and said, "Although I am not as rich as the Murong family, I still have some skills and family background." Murong Xiong sneered. No one in the martial arts world had ever heard of the name Ren Qining, and there was no powerful family with the surname Ren. How dare an unknown kid be so arrogant. Seeing Murong Xiong's contemptuous look, Ren Qining did not get angry. He smiled and said, "Senior Murong, why don't you teach me a few moves?"

Before Murong Xiong could mock Ren Qining for overestimating his own abilities, Ren Qining waved his sleeves and a strong wind attacked the Murong family head beside him. The Murong family head had not practiced martial arts, and was so shocked by this sudden change that he had no time to dodge. Murong Mingyan, who was standing next to him, gritted her teeth and took out a dagger from her sleeve and stabbed Ren Qining. Ren Qining smiled slightly, and with her fingers flying, she easily snatched the dagger from Murong Mingyan's hand.

This move is indeed exquisite, but if Ling Tiehan, Mo Xiuyao and other young masters were present, they might not be able to see anything. But Murong Xiong is different. He was already the best master in the world fifty years ago. He has seen much more than Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan. Murong Xiong's face changed, staring at Ren Qining and said, "Amazing Finger! Who are you to the Lin family?"

Ren Qining bowed slightly and said with a smile, "My surname is Lin, and my given name is Yuan. My grandfather's surname was Lin and his given name was Fuqin. I'm sure you have heard of him."

"You are Lin Yuan?! This is impossible... Lin Yuan is not..." The Murong family's business is all over the world, and the sources of information are naturally all over the world. Murong Xiong has noticed Lin Yuan a long time ago. It can even be said that he noticed it earlier than Mo Xiuyao. However, the reason why he noticed Lin Yuan was different from Mo Xiuyao and others.

Mo Xiuyao and even the world noticed that Lin Yuan was an orphan of the previous dynasty, while Murong Xiong noticed that he had a grandfather named Lin Fuqin. Lin Fuqin was now little known in the martial arts world or the court, but Murong Xiong remembered that he was a top master like himself. However, Lin Fuqin had never really made a name for himself in the martial arts world. Sometimes Murong Xiong even doubted whether he could have won the title of the world's number one master if Lin Fuqin had also wanted to compete for the title of master.

Ren Qining's brows flashed with disdain, "Tan Jizhi? He is just a nobody. Who is he?"