...
That night.
Wang Shouzhe's carriage returned to the main residence once, where he wrote several letters and entrusted them to be dispatched by various household generals.
He promptly reminded the families with whom he had closer ties, to avoid any potential resentment they might feel towards the Wang Family for not suffering during the disaster. Even if they had already discovered signs of the insect disaster, it wouldn't hurt for the Wang Family to show goodwill.
Apart from this, Wang Shouzhe took only two household generals and rode out overnight. After reaching Dingpu Ferry, they secretly crossed Anjiang on the family fishing boat and sped all the way to Changning Guard City, arriving just as dawn was breaking.
The city walls of Changning City were formidable and shimmering under the sunlight.
The city wall was over ten feet high, entirely constructed from solid black stone bricks. On the battlements were stationed soldiers fully equipped with armor and crossbows. Every few dozen feet, there was also a huge bed crossbow installed for defense.
Though Changning Guard City was classified merely as a county-level city, it appeared more imposing and majestic than many renowned cities on Earth.
It couldn't be helped; this world was not like ancient Huaxia. In the perilous regions of the Outer Domain, numerous powerful demon beasts and fierce creatures roamed. In case of a beast tide, the high walls and sturdy cities were humanity's only barriers.
Ping'an Town also had walls, but they paled significantly in comparison to those of the Guard City.
The horses of Wang Shouzhe and his two companions came to a slow stop before the city gate. They dismounted and joined the early risers entering the city. At this time, those entering early were mostly farmers, small vendors, and craftsmen, essentially civilians.
At the sight of Wang Shouzhe and the household generals, elegantly dressed and leading tall horses, they instinctively stepped aside in a show of reverence.
In the Daqian Kingdom, Black Tortoise Clans were the privileged class; even the most destitute of the small clans could not be compared to the commoners.
At the East City Gate.
Two fully armored soldiers approached and examined Wang Shouzhe's family token. They then respectfully invited him to enter the city.
After entering the city, Wang Shouzhe didn't linger and led his horse directly to [Qiaan's Trading Company]. Qiaan's Trading Company's business spanned throughout Longzuo County, known for its formidable standing and excellent reputation. The Insecticide Powder crafted by the Purple Mansion Academy was managed by Qiaan's Trading Company.
This alone brought Qiaan's Trading Company considerable wealth, let alone their many other ventures beyond the Insecticide Powder.
Presenting the Wang Family's token, the household generals remained on guard outside while Wang Shouzhe was led by a doorman into a side hall of the trading company to wait. A maidservant served tea and fruits before retreating.
Wang Shouzhe drank his tea calmly, surveying the surroundings. Even though it was just a side hall of a trading company's branch, it was lavishly decorated. Various precious woods formed screens and furniture, and casually placed antique objets d'art each had considerable value.
With Wang Shouzhe's relatively "shallow" knowledge, he could still discern the value of the decorations in this side hall. It amounted to several hundred to a thousand Qian Gold, showcasing the immense financial power of Qiaan's Trading Company, truly worthy of being one of Longzuo's dominant noble families.
As a transmigrator, Wang Shouzhe naturally understood the psychological tactics employed by Qiaan's Trading Company.
After waiting for approximately a quarter of an hour.
A plump middle-aged man with a face full of friendly smiles entered: "The Patriarch of the Ping'an Wang Family visiting personally, I failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive me, please forgive me."
Wang Shouzhe squinted his eyes—the seemingly casual pleasantry from the other party contained significant information.
He had only been the clan leader for scarcely two or three days, and the current circumstances of the waning Ping'an Wang Family meant that even a change in leadership wouldn't catch much attention. Yet, Qiaan's Trading Company not only noticed but also confirmed his identity within a quarter of an hour.
Truly, this was one of the commercial giants dominating Longzuo; their information-gathering ability was immensely strong. Furthermore, the person seemed to possess the surname Qian and an extraordinary demeanor, likely being a member of Qiaan's bloodline.
"Not at all, not at all. I came here on my own accord; it's my great fortune to have the steward personally receive me." Wang Shouzhe responded tactfully and modestly. This person surnamed Qian was, of course, not the shopkeeper.
Given the immense size of Qiaan's Trading Company, even the shopkeeper of the Changning Branch was a significant figure, unlikely to personally receive a declining family's Qi Refining Realm clan leader.
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, they both took their seats.
Upon sitting down, they didn't immediately get to the main point. The steward and Wang Shouzhe made conversation spanning from Ancestor Zhou Xuan to Ancestor Longyan, then to his accomplishments in passing the initial test of the Purple Mansion Academy, demonstrating the steward's comprehensive preparation.
Given that Wang Shouzhe's plans were substantial on this trip, he naturally couldn't appear at a disadvantage, accompanying the steward in idle chatter and inadvertently revealing a superior level of logical and critical thinking compared to the locals of the mystical world.
"What a pity, what a pity. With your knowledge, Younger Brother Shouzhe, if you participated in the retest for the Purple Mansion Academy, becoming an Academy disciple would be a certainty." The steward casually showed greater esteem for Wang Shouzhe, both admiring and lamenting, "The Purple Mansion Academy places emphasis not only on cultivation talent but also values the vision and perspective of its students. I believe that in your hands, the Wang Family will eventually return to its peak, and perhaps even progress further."
"Brother Qian, please don't tease me." Wang Shouzhe shook his head with a bitter smile, "We of the Ping'an Wang Family seek only to live safely and peacefully, nothing more."
In their courteous exchange, the two had already begun addressing each other as brothers.
"You're too modest. By the way, Younger Brother Shouzhe, you rushed here overnight to Qiaan's Trading Company. Is there some significant business you wish to conduct?" After some chitchat, the steward eventually couldn't suppress his curiosity, steering the conversation to the main topic.
Hearing this, Wang Shouzhe gently placed down his teacup, a composed look in his eyes: "Speaking of it, I truly need Brother Qian's assistance. I need five thousand bags of Insecticide Powder."
Upon hearing this, the steward's hand trembled slightly, looking at Wang Shouzhe in disbelief, and after quite some time, he suppressed his dissatisfaction and said, "Younger Brother Shouzhe, are you perhaps making fun of me?"
"Why would Brother Qian say so?" Wang Shouzhe replied with composure, "The grand Qiaan's Trading Company couldn't possibly be lacking merely five thousand bags of Insecticide Powder, right?"
"Brother, do you know how substantial an order of five thousand bags of Insecticide Powder is? Each bag of Insecticide Powder weighs about a hundred pounds, diluted, it can be used for a hundred acres of fertile land. Five thousand bags enough for five hundred thousand acres." The steward said, frowning, "Our Changning Guard and all the towns under its jurisdiction combined don't even amount to about one and a half million acres of fertile land."
"I know." Wang Shouzhe's expression remained unchanged, his gaze intensely serious.
The steward's expression gradually became more bemused: "Brother, you're not joking?"
"Naturally, I am not joking," Wang Shouzhe said, "Even if we, the Ping'an Wang Family, are just a Ninth-Grade Lower-Rank Noble Family, we aren't so unaware of our limitations."
"Very well, Brother, this is indeed a colossal surprise; I'll take this deal." The steward responded with an expression of joy, "However, the Changning Branch of Qiaan's Trading Company only has two thousand bags in stock; the remaining three thousand bags must be transferred from other branches, and that will take at least ten days."
"Why not?" said the steward, with genuine enthusiasm, "In past years, the stock would be at the very limit by the year's end. This time, the situation with the raw materials used in the Insecticide Powder is more complex. Since the price is good, only a few families are willing to buy in advance. So, this winter, the supply of this batch of Insecticide Powder might... you know, the larger the family, the more well-informed they are."
Heh heh~ Wang Shouzhe smiled to himself after devising a plan, saying, "Since that's the case." He paused before continuing, "I'm planning something significant here, so I mustn't appear cowardly. I'll engage him in casual conversation, subtly showing an edge that's a bit sharper than the local natives."
Two-thirds full of tea, Wang Shouzhe suddenly paused before gracefully placing his cup. "Brother Qian might not even yet understand what's behind the concept of a 'futures contract.'" he said, looking at the steward with a serene expression.
""