Chapter 176: The Goods Yard
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“Your Excellency, are we really not charging?” On River Heart Island, Junior Leopard was sitting in the camp of the navy’s new barrack leisurely drinking tea. Now that his cultivation had completely reached Level Four, his body had achieved the Bone-Forging Realm. This meant that his state had been completely stabilized.
The news that his cultivation reached Level Four was sent back to the Wu Family by the branch supervisor in the city. Thus, he was very relaxed these days, waiting for the response from the Wu Family. He was sure that the Wu Family would be happy to have such a young Outer Core Elder that had seized certain strength.
Yes, an Outer Core Elder!
There were two kinds of Elders in the Wu Family, the Outer Core Elders and the Inner Core Elders.
Different from the distinction of the Outer Core disciples and the Inner Core disciples, the two Elders were equal in position. The difference was that the Inner Core Elders took on duties in the Wu Family’s estate and were responsible for the affairs of the Wu Family, while the Outer Core Elders were outside the Wu Family, such as being an officer in the imperial court, owning certain estates or influential as a local bully, seldom meddling in the affairs of the Wu Family.
This situation existed not only in the Wu Family, but also in the well-known families and schools. In a sense, the Outer Core Elders were freer than the Inner Core Elders, but they had less say in the inner affairs than the Inner Core Elders.
However, the Outer Core Elders generally did not care about the say, because they had their own estates, influence and authority outside of the family. One would become an Outer Core Elder of the Wu Family if he was from the Wu Family, his martial arts skills were also learnt from the Wu Family or he wore the Wu’s brand, like the Wu Family to Tian Long Taoism. Besides, although these Outer Core Elders had their own estate and influence, they could not compare with the Wu Family and even relied on the Wu’s strength in many ways.
As a result, the Outer Core Elders of the Wu Family formed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Wu Family, which was the same principle as the Wu Family and Tian Long Taoism.
Generally speaking, once the cultivation of a Wu’s disciple reached Level Four, he would be automatically promoted to Elder and enjoy an Elder’s treatment. If he had no estate and influence outside, he would naturally become an Inner Core Elder, and the family would arrange duties and work for him. Of course, if he wanted to go out to have a try, the Wu Family would not stop him. But in general, a man whose cultivation reached Level Four was no longer young and free of ambition; he would prefer not to go out to fight. But, if he had an estate and influence outside, he would automatically become an Outer Core Elder. Likewise, if he wanted to be an Inner Core Elder, the Wu Family would also arrange everything for him. Though, in regards to his own estate, the Wu Family would not take care of it.
At the age of Junior Leopard, it was much unexpected to reach Level Four in cultivation. The disciples of the Wu Family were still learning techniques at this age and few of them came out. Even if someone came out, he would be with his teacher. As for their estates and influence, unless they came from small families with a good background, there was no problem.
Hence, Junior Leopard should be an Inner Core Elder of the Wu Family. Even if he was still Li Yuan’s personal guard, the Wu family would persuade Li Yuan to allow him to go back to the Wu Family, give him a well-paid job and let him practice securely. In this way, there would be an Inner Core Elder in the Wu Family that was inclined to be an expert of Level Seven. Lyu Yiyue was a case in point that was also a wizard in practice. He was just an ordinary Inner Core disciple of the Wu Family at first, but before the age of thirty, his cultivation broke through to Level Four by relying on his efforts instead of ancillary drugs, thus he became a key trainee of the Wu Family. Therefore, he was now the Wu’s present First Elder.
Compared with him, Junior Leopard was younger, better in aptitude and more promising.
However, things had changed now. Instead of Li Yuan’s personal guard, Junior Leopard was the Navy Commander in Jiang City. The grade was not high, but his authority was enough to interest the Wu Family.
Controlling River Heart Island meant controlling 60% of the water transport to Jiang City, which was equivalent to 40% of the water transport amounts of the whole Zhonghe Prefecture. What did it mean?
Zhonghe Prefecture was a county of Qianzhou that was situated in the central state of Jin. Though a bit remote, it was located in the center of the country. The place had been under the control of the Pei Family, one of the four major smelting families, but their control was not strong. If the Wu Family wanted to scale up and strengthen their own power, they must expand into the hinterland of Jin. This place of weak control was an excellent place to breakthrough. The presence of a man like Junior Leopard here was the equivalent of placing a nail in the realm of the Pei Family’s influence sphere, which was quite conducive to the development of the Wu Family. Therefore, the Wu Family would not call him back to be an Inner Core Elder at this time. Instead, they would do everything they could to strengthen his power in the Navy of Jiang City and extend his tenure as the Naval Commander.
Junior Leopard could see it very well and even Jiang Xiao knew it vaguely, so he followed Junior Leopard wholeheartedly, not to mention the old foxes of the Wu Family.
As Junior Leopard waited for the news leisurely, the new camp and port on River Heart Island was built in full swing. Everything went smoothly, but this morning, Zhu Ba rushed in and shouted loudly, “Commander, why don’t we take the money? Now that River Heart Island is in our hands and both the Narrow River Path and the Broken Dragon Beach are in our control too, it would be too nice to let those merchant ships pass by as they wish. You know, they had to pay money to pass River Heart Island before!”
Speaking of the merchant ships passing by Broken Dragon Beach, Zhu Ba looked distressed, as if they were not merchant ships, but ships of gold and silver.
“We’re the navy, not bandits! Our salary is from the imperial court. There’s no reason to charge a toll!” Junior Leopard simply replied, “what, you don’t have enough money?”
“No, I have enough money. Commander, you led us twice…”
“What are you saying? What’s twice?” Junior Leopard frowned discontentedly.
“Oh, oh, oh, I was wrong. It’s dispatching troops twice. I’ve got a lot of benefits. The money was enough, but looking at the ships on the river, I’m not happy!”
“What’s wrong with that? Or, you can be a water bandit!” Junior Leopard gave him a stern look, “look at you. You’re disheveled! You must have just got up from a prostitute’s belly and rushed here from the brothel. Thinking about money and women all day! Can’t you f*uking do something serious?”
Then, Junior Leopard suddenly smashed Zhu Ba with the teacup in his hand.
“Oh”
“Clicking!”
Zhu Ba ducked and avoided the teacup which fell to the ground. It shattered with no suspense and the tea spilt over the floor.
“Hee hee, Commander, I came here for something serious!”
“Nonsense! It must be the case of the Prunus Tower wanting to build a brothel on the island. Out of the question!” Junior Leopard knew Zhu Ba’s temper now. He fought bravely with good feats, but he was hot-tempered and moronic, daring to say anything. Two days ago he got drunk and ran here to speak for the Prunus Tower, a brothel in Jiang City. He said that the Prunus Tower wanted to open a brothel on River Heart Island, which made Junior Leopard so angry that he nearly kicked him to death.
Now the drill ground of the navy’s barracks was not finished yet, but he wanted to open a brothel. Who knew what he was thinking.
“No, no. Of course not!” Hearing what Junior Leopard said, Zhu Ba hastened to explain, “Oh, my Commander, I was drunk that day and was fooled by the prostitutes. I didn’t expect to say that. It’s serious this time!”
“Just say it. Don’t refer to the toll again!”
“Yes. Yes!” Zhu Ba nodded repeatedly, and came up to Junior Leopard, “Your Excellency, and look, how about we open a goods yard on River Heart Island?”
“A goods yard?” Junior Leopard raised his brows and looked at him with a faint smile, “that’s a good idea. There are a lot of merchant ships on Luo River. Although there are many ports in Jiang City, only a few have their own goods yards. As long as the flood season passes, the goods are piled up into mountains, and there’s no place to put them. If we open a goods yard on River Heart Island, it’s hard to avoid making money!”
“Yes, yes!” Seeing Junior Leopard agreed with him, Zhu Ba got excited and moved a little closer to Junior Leopard, “Commander, how about it? Let’s do it!”
“Do what?” Junior Leopard rolled his eyes, “is this your idea?”
“Yes, it is. Of course it’s my idea!” Then, Zhu Ba held his head up, “I thought of it first. Yesterday, I came out from the Prunus… er… When I passed a few docks, I saw piles of goods on the docks and the merchant ships on the river were stuffed full. So I thought if we were to build a goods yard here, we would probably make a lot of money!”
“It’s really your idea?” Junior Leopard was really surprised, and gave him some glances, “well, now that you think of it, it’s up to you. Anyway, now we occupy such a big place. Many spaces are standing idle!”
“OK, yes!” With the approval of Junior Leopard, Zhu Ba got excited and turned away at once.
“Wait!”
However, before taking a step, he was stopped by Junior Leopard, “what’s the rush? I’m not finished yet. Bring me Commander Wang and His Excellency Jiang!”
“Your Excellency, what’s up?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Just do it!” As Junior Leopard stared, Zhu Ba was quiet and left.
“This guy is a bit crass,” said Junior Leopard secretly, “but he has a lot of ideas!” Reaching for the teacup, he found that he had broken it, which made him shake his head with a wry smile.