Assassination Attempt

To recruit.

Xu Yuan had indeed considered similar ideas.

Since meeting him, he had been quite impressed by the Young Master Wang's demeanor, manner of speaking, and the methods he used to handle various business affairs along the way, especially his "assessment" of the overall Great Yan trade market.

This is a very visionary person.

Having received modern, systematic training in management, his insights in some areas surpass those of others.

However, as the two traveled north, Xu Yuan's thoughts gradually faded away.

Because the chambers of commerce managed by this Young Master Wang were all quite large, although not as large as the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce in those prefectures, they were still among the top ten.

This Young Master Wang once said that his father was an official in the imperial court. Since he was involved in the system, a family of this caliber would most likely have already taken sides.

He didn't need to recruit people to side with the Prime Minister's Estate, and he simply couldn't recruit people to side with the royal family, given their size and influence.

Therefore, Xu Yuan's idea of recruiting changed to befriending him and waiting for an opportunity to act.

Since this identity is fake anyway, he'll give the other person a chance in case they can't make it in the future, even if he has to prepare a boat.

Unexpectedly, this kid was waiting for him here.

The jade fell silently.

Looking at the jade tablet on the table, Xu Yuan's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly.

He also had one of these in his Sumeru Ring, but it wasn't made of jade; it was made of purple iron crystal, but it also had a dragon tattooed on it and the number three written on it.

The Third Prince, Li Yunqing.

The dancers on stage continued their graceful movements, while melodious music emanated from behind the stage.

Li Yunqing smiled and stared at him, then said softly:

"Brother Zhou, I hope you can help me compile the Commerce Canon."

Xu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then a strange look appeared in his eyes:

"A business manual?"

The Third Prince sighed deeply.

"Brother Zhou, although Father Emperor values commerce and industry, his management methods are still largely based on conventions, and there are very few relevant documents and ancient books. I wish to share Father Emperor's burdens, but I lack talented people. In the past month, I have observed your words and speech, and I believe you have already developed a profound understanding."

"."

After hearing this, Xu Yuan remained expressionless and did not respond.

Today, with the flourishing of commerce and trade, various near-modern marketing and management methods have been developed imperceptibly. However, due to the lack of information and the tendency to cherish and pass down knowledge in a narrow lineage, many shopkeepers either take their life's accumulated experience directly to their graves or simply pass it on to their sons, who then fail to live up to the skill level, leading to the extinction of the lineage.

In other words, no one has yet systematically organized this knowledge.

But judging from the tone of their words, it seems the other party is already doing this.

Very interesting.

The problem is that Xu Yuan had previously told those things to the Third Prince in order to establish his authority and make it easier to recruit him in the future.

As a result now

Xu Yuan coughed lightly and shook his head:

"Zhou Chen is not up to the task."

The Third Prince sighed, composed himself, and said solemnly:

"The way of commerce is the path to national prosperity. Nowadays, books on commerce are scarce, and everyone cherishes this knowledge like their own worthless broom. Talented people have no books to learn from."

"Brother Zhou, if you could compile your knowledge into a book, your work would be included in future imperial examinations, ranking alongside the Four Books and Five Classics. This would be a monumental achievement for generations to come, a feat worthy of a sage!"

The merits of a sage

Hearing these words, Xu Yuan felt a little strange.

This Third Prince is quite shrewd. Before he even agreed, he started making empty promises, and these promises were grand promises of a saintly figure whose merits would last for generations.

If he hadn't learned the art of making empty promises, he might have actually believed it.

However, what the Third Prince wanted to do was somewhat unexpected.

Only with books can people learn.

The Third Prince wanted to establish a complete system for cultivating business talent for the royal family, and to steadily produce various types of business professionals.

Seeing that Xu Yuan remained silent, the Third Prince sighed:

"Brother Zhou, you don't need to consider my status; you can refuse or agree as you please."

As he spoke, he gently tapped the jade pendant belonging to the imperial family on the table with his slender fingers.

Xu Yuan composed himself and controlled his expression:

"Third Prince's Palace."

Li Yunqing waved his hand and said in a very nonchalant manner:

"Brother Zhou and I hit it off immediately. You're a year older than me, so call me 'Little Brother' or 'Junqing '."

"Junqing!"

"..." The Third Prince.

The Third Prince maintained his elegant smile and nodded.

Xu Yuan ran his fingers along the rim of the porcelain teacup, his eyes lowered, and said:

"Junqing, have you considered my family background when you recruit me like this?"

Upon hearing this Third Prince narrowed his eyes, chuckled, and leaned back in his chair.

"Since Brother Zhou is so frank, then I won't beat around the bush either. Although Brother Zhou is very talented in business, I imagine his family's influence isn't that great."

"Oh? How so?" Xu Yuan continued to stroke the teacup.

The Third Prince stacked his armor first:

"Brother Zhou, I don't mean any offense by what I'm about to say."

"Mm." Xu Yuan nodded.

The Third Prince raised three fingers:

There are three points.

"First of all, Brother Zhou, you are only at the sixth rank of cultivation at the age of thirty. This cultivation level is a bit low. Unless you are born with a useless body like Young Master Xu, the core disciples of the Aristocratic Clan families can build up their cultivation level with the help of pills and resources. They should be at least at the fifth rank."

As he spoke, the Third Prince glanced at Xu Yuan and withdrew one finger.

Xu Yuan listened without saying a word.

Seeing this, the Third Prince continued:

"Secondly, I also wield some power in the Imperial Shadow Guard, but I have never heard of Brother Zhou in the Imperial Capital. Given Brother Zhou's age and talent, I would not be unfamiliar with the Aristocratic Clan Aristocratic Clan. If he were, he would be a suppressed concubine."

"Third, if Brother Zhou's Lineage is truly so powerful that even I can't recruit them, you shouldn't be traveling without a single attendant. Even the sons of third-rank ministers in the imperial court usually have at least a third-rank Grandmaster accompanying them."

Having said that, he withdrew all three fingers.

At that moment, the effeminate man came over with a plate of breakfast, such as meat porridge, and gently placed the dishes on the table.

Xu Yuan took a bowl of Demon Beast meat porridge, blew on it, and looked up at the Third Prince, asking:

"So Junqing had already thought it through."

In the Great Yan Dynasty, the first and second ranks were mostly honorary positions, while the third rank represented the pinnacle of real power. After all, even the Prime Minister was only a second-rank official in the Great Yan.

The powerful officials at the level of Vice Minister and Minister in each department were basically loyal to the cause, but below them, there was more of a power struggle between them.

There are countless people who side with the other party because they feel neglected.

The Third Prince remained noncommittal, then took out a bottle of fine wine from his Sumeru Ring and poured a cup for each of them.

"If my elder brother knew about Brother Zhou's matter, he would surely be very happy."

"."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan silently rolled his eyes.

He's just making empty promises again.

"Imperial elder brother" likely refers to the Crown Prince.

The empty promise of lasting merit won't do; this time, let's achieve the merit of supporting a leader.

The Third Prince's skill at making empty promises is truly masterful; he never discusses any actual benefits whatsoever.

Be quiet for a while.

Xu Yuan took a small sip of the meat porridge, wiped his lips with a handkerchief, and spoke softly:

"Junqing, what if my father's teacher was Lord Xu?"

The Third Prince did not hesitate at all, as if he had already considered it:

"Lord Xu is a pillar of our Great Yan Kingdom, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to the country and its people."

But halfway through his sentence, he paused, emphasizing each word:

"But Brother Zhou, you should know that Lord Xu is also doing this for the sake of our Great Yan Dynasty, and he is too busy with official duties to see you."

Xu Yuan smiled and shook his head, about to speak, when he heard the effeminate man beside him say in a soft voice:

"My master is an open-minded man, as you should have seen on your journey, Young Master Zhou. He can't say about salary or official rank, but as long as you come, he won't be any worse off than me, his servant."

"How should this gentleman be addressed?"

Upon hearing this Xu Yuan glanced sideways at the effeminate man.

If he didn't remember, this should be the first time he had ever seen a live eunuch.

At first glance, seeing the other person's effeminate appearance, I didn't think of him as a eunuch, because Si Ziyu, who is so effeminate, is actually...

Seemingly relieved that he no longer needed to pretend, the effeminate man rolled his eyes and said with a smile:

"Oh my, Young Master Zhou, you certainly know how to speak. I dare not accept the title of 'Eunuch,' I am merely a convict serving my master. However, my surname is Hou."

"Then thank you very much for the reminder, Eunuch Hou."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly, then changed the subject and shook his head:

"However, this matter still needs to be discussed further. My father's position in the Prime Minister's Estate is still quite respectable, and he has no intention of changing allegiance for the time being."

As the words fell,

silence.

The Third Prince's smile remained unchanged, but a hint of contemplation appeared in his eyes. Meanwhile, Eunuch Hou's smile took on a cold tinge as his fingers rested lightly on the hilt of his sword.

Xu Yuan saw it, but ignored it, continuing to stare at the smiling Third Prince opposite him.

"It seems that Junqing has other plans for me?"

The Third Prince shrugged and said with a smile:

"If someone as talented as Brother Zhou were given a prominent position under Lord Xu, I'm afraid we'd see another Hua Hong emerge, or rather, quite a few Hua Hong."

Xu Yuan remained calm and took a sip of wine:

"Junqing really thinks highly of me. If it weren't for the fact that my father truly cannot betray the Prime Minister's Estate, I would really like to go and explore with you."

The Third Prince tapped the table:

"Betrayal is just a matter of adding more weight to a business deal."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly:

"You can't afford this price Junqing."

The Third Prince sighed:

"Loyalty? Lord Xu is indeed a remarkable man."

After a brief silence, the Third Prince picked up his chopsticks and pointed to the delicacies on the table:

"Brother Zhou, this meal is my last act of hospitality to you."

"A last meal before execution?" Xu Yuan didn't mince words.

From an opposing standpoint, if it can be eliminated, then it should naturally be eliminated.

If he could, he would also like to get rid of the Third Prince.

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince on the opposite side burst out laughing, his voice casual and relaxed:

"You jest. I will write a letter to Lord Xu after today to express my appreciation for Brother Zhou's great talent."

"."

Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed.

The Third Prince rolled up his sleeves, poured himself some wine, and started eating.

"Don't look at me like that. Lord Xu is doing this for the sake of Great Yan. Getting rid of someone like you would also be a loss for Great Yan."

"We are friends, not enemies."

He paused for a moment,

The Third Prince seemed to remember something and suddenly looked up and said:

"Oh, and remember to pay me back once you've gained power."

"."

Xu Yuan smiled upon hearing this, and said while picking up some food:

"Huh? What money?"

The Third Prince hissed, his chopsticks pausing slightly.

"No, Zhou Chen, Zhou Chen you forgotten the money you spent on the trip? Since you're not coming with me, you naturally have to pay it back."

"Isn't this a treat?"

"Making money is really not easy these days."

"I'll owe you for now, we'll talk about it later."

"Suit yourself, but my money earns interest."

"It doesn't matter." Xu Yuan chuckled.

"Tsk"

After a satisfying meal, watching Xu Yuan's departing figure, Li Yunqing reclined on a chair behind the screen, picking his teeth with a jade pick.

After Xu Yuan disappeared through the doorway, Eunuch Hou asked in a low voice:

"Your Highness, are we really going to let this person go?"

"We are friends with Lord Xu, not enemies."

Li Yunqing remarked with a sigh, "The Prime Minister's Estate's residence is truly fortunate; they have all sorts of talented people."

After a moment of silence, Eunuch Hou said in a low voice:

"But their Prime Minister's Estate is now affecting His Majesty's throne, and it seems that His Highness the Crown Prince is also involved."

"Eunuch Hou."

Li Yunqing interrupted, his tone slightly harsher, glancing at his close attendant beside him:

Don't make me say it a third time.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Hou immediately knelt down:

"It was my fault for talking too much."

"Alright, get up."

Li Yunqing stood up and stretched. "Whether Lord Xu believes my Third Prince's letter or not is unknown. He might even treat it as a practice piece. Why worry so much?"

As he spoke, he walked upstairs.

After stepping out from behind the screen and taking only a few steps, Li Yunqing suddenly heard footsteps coming from the entrance of the Perching Phoenix Pavilion main hall.

Then, Xu Yuan's familiar voice drifted over from afar:

"Young Master Wang, a friend of yours is looking for you."

Young Master Wang

Li Yunqing was taken aback upon hearing this.

Why did Zhou Chen return after leaving, and why, having already revealed his identity, is he still being addressed Young Master Wang?

Just as he was wondering, Li Yunqing looked towards the entrance of the Perching Phoenix Pavilion and saw six men in brocade robes following Xu Yuan into the main hall and constantly moving closer to him.

As Xu Yuan walked, he smiled and addressed the six men in brocade robes around him, saying with a cheerful tone:

"Yes, that one in the white robe is Young Master Wang. This is the first time I've met him at the Perching Phoenix Pavilion."

Li Yunqing's eyes swept over the faces of the men in brocade robes. Finding them all unfamiliar, he probed with his Will Soul, only to discover that he couldn't quite see through their auras despite his cultivation level.

The aura was eerie, yet familiar.

After a moment's thought, Li Yunqing remembered where this sense of familiarity came from.

During this trip, I made a big deal with those Wokou along the southeastern coast, and the attendants around the so-called "Daimyo" had that kind of aura.

Tsk, all they did was swindle six million taels of silver from him to fill the national treasury, and they actually went to the trouble of sending assassins.

While he was pondering, Eunuch Hou had already blocked his way, and Xu Yuan had begun to quietly retreat, while the men in brocade robes reached into their robes:

"Young Master Wang, this is my master's money."

But the man in the brocade robe hadn't finished speaking.

A sharp shout resounded throughout the hall:

"You bastard, let go of my brother! Come at me if you have a problem!"

Xu Yuan paused in his steps.

Xu Yuan glanced sideways at the several men in brocade robes around him.

Several men in brocade robes also glanced at him.

Celestial music began to play.

Xu Yuan activated the Blood Origin Heart-Fall Technique, drew his iron sword from his waist, and prepared to fight.

Li Yunqing, while pulling on Eunuch Hou's sleeve, shouted loudly:

"Eunuch Hou, go help my brother, don't worry about me! Brother, you go first."

Void-Stepping Slash.

"." Li Yunqing.