The Second Volume of Misty Valley Chapter 11: The Initial Occupation of Yicheng Must Raise Prices

  Nanhua City, Xishan Pavilion

  Deep in the layers of buildings, there is a spacious courtyard, with carved railings and jade pillars, artificial hills and jade pools, blending with the surrounding scenery to form a picturesque landscape.

  In the center of the courtyard, under the osmanthus tree, there is a small white jade table, with four jade stone stools placed in front of it.

  On the desk, a delicate purple sand pot was placed, but now, the tea in the pot had gone cold, the water in the cup had been drained to the bottom, and the maid had long since been sent away. So, no one refilled the cup, nor did anyone refill the water.

  "Third Master, Yicheng is too important to us, it's our vital source of wealth, we can't just lose it like that!"

  "I still underestimated Xiao Shi San!!" The Third Young Master let out a soft sigh, this third young master was tall and handsome, with a good complexion, he looked to be five or six years older than Wang Guan Lan, wearing a white auspicious cloud brocade robe, his tone was deep and serious, "Zi Han, you've had contact with him, what's your impression of him?!"

  "How strange!" Hou Zihansaid after a moment of deliberation, making a judgment.

  "Weird? This feeling is beyond my expectation, why do I have such a feeling?"

  "He's too confident, his confidence is desperate. People like him are either extremely ignorant or have an unexpected trump card that others can't think of. I tend to the latter, but he doesn't give people that feeling, so I find it very strange!"

  "Trump card? He is now a Formation Master, as the only Formation Master of our generation, his status is no longer below ours. So, he has reason to be confident!" The Third Young Master shook his head, "However, he should also be clear that this can only put him on the same starting line as us four, but compared to the power we have accumulated over the years, he is too weak and doesn't have the capital to confront us. He shouldn't be so confident!"

  "Perhaps he thought that as long as he revealed his identity as a formation master, the Wang Manor would not allow anyone to touch him?!" This time, it was Wang Guanchao who spoke. Because of his past conflicts with Wang Guanlan, these days had been very difficult for him in the manor. In the end, he chose to completely turn against the Third Young Master, and towards Wang Guanlan, he naturally harbored a deep hatred.

  "He won't be so naive, the identity of a Formation Master only represents potential and possibility. Even if the Wang Fu wants to protect him, the scope of protection is limited to his life alone, just keeping him from dying, nothing more. As for other things, they are not within the Wang Fu's protection!"

  "Perhaps he doesn't know!"

  "It's unlikely, I see him with a confident look on his face, and it doesn't seem like the kind of confidence that comes from having someone backing him up!" Hou Zihanshakes his head, "So I think he's very suspicious, making me feel uneasy in my heart!"

  "Marquis Hou, you must have been intimidated by Wang Guanlan, right?!" Wang Guantao's words were sarcastic. Although he had completely turned to the Third Young Master, his position was still very awkward. The Third Young Master's faction had been operating for many years and could be said to be a well-oiled machine, with each person having their own fixed position and interests. If it were an ordinary person who had defected to the Third Young Master, it would have been easy to arrange something for them. But Wang Guantao was different - even if he lost power within the manor, he was still the Third Young Master's biological brother, the heir of the Wang Manor, and naturally held a position far superior to that of ordinary people. This made things difficult to arrange.

  Similarly, in Wang Guanchao's eyes, he would not look at those inconspicuous positions. If he couldn't get a sufficient position, it would be unworthy of his natural identity. Among all the people around the third son, the one he most wanted to replace was Hou Zihan.

  Perhaps Hou Zihanchen is not the second person under San Shizishou, but he is definitely a heavyweight figure. Not only is he one of the financial controllers of San Shizi, but he also has the identity of Biao Shaoye. He wants to be like this now. The events that took place in Yicheng gave him an opportunity to replace Hou Zihanchen, and of course, he needs to seize it with his heart.

  Hou Zihan glanced at Wang Guanchao, seemingly understanding his intentions, but didn't get angry, only smiled faintly.

  "So it seems that Shiyan is confident in his abilities. In that case, Zihan willingly steps down and yields to a better person!"

  "Zi Han..." The third son's expression changed, and he was about to speak, but saw Hou Zi Han slightly shaking his head. He bowed and said, "Zi Han is incompetent and ashamed of the trust placed in him by the young master. A serious mistake occurred in Yicheng, and I should be punished!" After finishing speaking, he retreated backwards.

  "Alas!!" Looking at Hou Zihans back, San Shizi just sighed and didnt stop him, instead shifting his gaze to Wang Guantao, "Fourteenth brother, judging from your tone, it seems you already have a way to deal with him?!"

  "It's just an idea!" Upon hearing the Third Son's inquiry, Wang Guantao instantly put on a flattering smile and leaned in close to the Third Son, whispering.

  ………………………

  ………

  "Yi Cheng, it seems that I've succeeded!" Pushing open the window, gazing at the sparse starry sky, Wang Guanlan took a deep breath. Hou Zichan had left, three out of ten shopkeepers chose to leave, and the remaining seven all stayed behind. However, how many would ultimately stay, even Wang Guanlan himself couldn't be certain.

  The house was unlit, the incense that had been placed there had already burned halfway, a small red spark did not show any signs of spreading or extinguishing.

  The faint moonlight shines in from the window and merges with the wisps of clear smoke in the house, giving off an even more refreshing and cool atmosphere.

  The furnishings in the house are very simple, with an eight-immortal table placed in the center, surrounded by four chairs. Against the wall is a wooden bed, next to which is a desk. All of these items are old, except for the bedding on the bed, which is new. The entire room can be said to be very simply furnished, much more so than the number one house in the Tianzi Courtyard of the Swan Goose Pavilion.

  But Wang Guanlan felt very relaxed and comfortable.

  Because everything here belongs to him.

  It is his private property.

  Since coming to this strange world, Wang Guanlan has never had a day as carefree and comfortable as today.

  Even in the Ning Wang Fu, where he didn't know about the existence of the Secret Array Mirror World at first, he had a feeling of living under someone else's roof. In the Wuyin Gorge, it was even more precarious, with death lurking around every corner, and no way to die in peace. It wasn't until now, in this city of Yi, that he finally had a legitimate identity, status, and property, and only then did he gradually calm down, relax, and let out a sigh of relief.

  Of course, this sense of relief and security is only psychological. In reality, he still has many things to do. To truly grasp the city of Yi and become its master, it's not enough to just drive out the original ruler. He must also effectively establish his own rule. Only then can Yi City completely belong to him.

  When he put great pressure on the original rulers of Yicheng, drove them away, and faced the problem of how to truly take possession of Yicheng and make it profitable for him, this was his greatest concern.

  As for Yicheng, he didn't know much about it except that it was rich in phoenix tail grass. He could say that he knew nothing about it. After a few days of understanding, he found that he had underestimated the value and status of Yicheng too much.

  Or rather, it underestimates the value and status of pampas grass.

  Originally, Yicheng was just a remote small county town with little business and few people. It was secluded, backward, and had nothing to do.

  Until the Daqin Wang family forever settled in the southwest, the situation changed. For 600 years, relying on the relationship with Fengweicao, this place gradually developed into a prosperous county town, and Fengweicao was the only industry in this county town.

  Phoenix tail grass, Wang Guanlan's previous understanding of it was a kind of mediocre herb, but now he realizes that its value far exceeds his imagination. To put it metaphorically, the position of phoenix tail grass in various elixirs is like the position of salt in various foods.

  Each time it is used in small quantities, but it cannot be less, the most critical thing is that throughout the three southwestern states, only this place seems to be suitable for the survival of pampas grass, which means that for 600 years, all the pampas grass in the three southwestern states has been supplied by Yicheng.

  The southwest three states, precisely because of the continuous supply of Fengwei grass from Yicheng, is why the prices of various elixirs and medicinal pills can remain stable. Six hundred years ago, before the founding of Daqi, in these southwest three states, the prices of various elixirs were ten times what they are now, because at that time, Fengwei grass had to be transported from a thousand miles away.

  Things have become subtle from now on.

  The position of Yicheng has become subtle, and the environment where Wang Guanlan is located has also become subtle.

  "Monopoly business is indispensable, and the annual net profit is only 500,000 taels. Is Lao San a pig?!"

  Wang Guanlan couldn't help but look down on San Shizi's abilities after figuring out the situation with Fengweicao.

  "The price of phoenix tail grass is being suppressed too low, it needs to be raised. Those damned merchants, one catty for three mace of silver, they actually dare to open at this price, and Hou Zichan actually dares to accept it. Damn it, have their brains been flooded? Thinking of the accounts he had seen before, Wang Guanlan felt his heart bleeding. All those were money, all were silver. In Wang Guanlan's eyes, looking at those account books was like watching countless taels of snowflake silver flowing out from between his fingers like water, making one's heart ache."

  "It's necessary to raise the price, but how to do it is a problem that requires some thought!" Wang Guanlan was thinking to himself. Indeed, the current price of Fengwei grass was too low and needed to be raised. However, this price had been maintained for many years, and it wasn't Hou Zihans responsibility. Since the great harvest of Yicheng Fengwei grass fifty years ago, the price had never gone up again. Moreover, the price of Fengwei grass affected almost all martial artists in the three southwestern states, so if it were to rebound, his own situation would be worrying.

  "Never mind, I don't want to think about it for now. With an annual net profit of 400,000 taels, after paying 100,000 taels to the Wang Manor, there are still 300,000 taels left, which is enough for me to use. Besides, I'm not interested in competing for that throne. Once I fully grasp Yicheng, I'll find an excuse to raise prices!" After thinking about it, Wang Guanlan completely put aside the matter of the phoenix tail grass. As the newly appointed manager of Yicheng, there were a thousand things to attend to, and he needed to sort out his thoughts.