The Furong Inn was packed with people, but there wasn't a single sound. Only the wind blew in from one row of windows and out from another row of windows, causing the clothes and hair to flutter.
Yang Fan sat cross-legged on the seat as though he was meditating. He was calm and composed.
When he noticed that the Dugu Clan's invitation wasn't so simple, Yang Fan began to make preparations and found the Hidden Sect.
In Yang Fan's opinion, this preparation was sufficient. Even if the Dugu Clan had other plans, it wasn't likely to be to use force against him. At most, they had other motives for befriending him. Just in case, it was enough to have the Hidden Sect's secret support. The fireworks that he brought along were only used as a communication tool with the Hidden Sect.
When he noticed that someone was following him, he sensed that there might be danger. However, his current target was still Dugu Yu.
The peddlers who were selling cakes by the banks of the Qu Chi were people sent by the Hidden Sect. When Yang Fan was buying the cakes, he originally wanted to tell them about his discovery so that they would be more vigilant. However, when the words reached the tip of his tongue, he suddenly thought of a problem. Hence, he changed his words.
The problem he thought of was: Shandong's aristocratic clans' foundation wasn't in Chang 'an. However, it was unknown why the Obvious Sect and the Hidden Sect chose Chang' an and the western regions as their footholds. No matter if it was Guanzhong or Longxi, they were all within the Guanlong Corporation's sphere of influence.
The Guanlong Corporation was like a centipede. Although it was weak now, it wasn't dead or stiff. Did they really not know that there was such a dragon sleeping soundly beside their bed? Or perhaps they knew but tolerated it?
If this wasn't the case, then there was only one explanation: the Obvious Sect or the Hidden Sect wasn't just a peripheral organization of the seven sects and five families. It was highly possible that the Guanlong Corporation was a part of it. At the very least, they had reached some kind of agreement. This was a compromise that the aristocratic clans had reached when facing the pressure from Wu Zetian's imperial authority.
If this was the case, as one of the important members of the Guanlong Corporation, the Dugu Clan, if they wanted to harm him for some special reason, would the Hidden Sect, which had countless connections with them, still be reliable? If he had to choose between Yang Fan and the Guanlong Corporation, who would the Hidden Sect choose?
Therefore, Yang Fan kept an eye out. He wasn't sure of the Hidden Sect's attitude and didn't dare to rely on the Hidden Sect's influence. He treated the Hidden Sect, who didn't know the inside story, as a mouthpiece. When Yang Fan bought the cakes, he gave three instructions to the Hidden Sect's spy:
"You can't handle this matter anymore!"
"I don't care what method you use, hurry up and inform Ma Qiao to bring his troops here!"
"Take action when you see my fireworks. Anyone who blocks my way will be killed without mercy!"
Fortunately, Yang Fan had this layer of scheming. The Hidden Sect might not have the intention to harm him, but if they discovered that the people in the Furong Inn were Old Grandfather Li, Old Grandfather Lu, and the Dugu Clan's Clan Head, it was hard to say if they would still have the courage to jump out and protect Yang Fan.
Their roots were aristocratic families. When their Sect Master saw these two old fellows, he had to stand obediently and act like filial sons and grandsons. What else could they do?
Now that Maqiao had arrived, the initiative was in Yang Fan's hands. Of course, Yang Fan was not in a hurry. He was a person, and the other party was a family. He was a hot-blooded man, and the other party was a cold-blooded politician who rolled around in the vanity fair all his life. When it came to holding back, who should be careful?
Yang Fan, who had been sitting cross-legged in the Furong Pavilion, suddenly smiled and said, "I can still control the situation for now. But I can't hide the fact that I've mobilized so many troops and horses. When the Commander of Chang 'an arrives, no one will be able to turn the situation around! "
This sentence was like a drop of cold water dripping into a pot of boiling oil, and the calm scene finally became restless.
Lu Zhongjia had no choice but to concede. He was arrogant, he was arrogant, he had no respect for anyone, and he viewed human lives as worthless. But what he couldn't let go of was his family, his glory, his authority, and his inheritance. If he was careless today, all of these might be lost in his hands. Now that he had encountered Yang Fan, a young man who didn't care about the consequences, he had no choice.
He couldn't wait to tear Yang Fan into pieces, but his rationality told him that he had to concede. Because Yang Fan could afford to gamble, but he couldn't! Lu Zhongjia took another glance at Li Mubai. He couldn't bring himself to lower his noble head and had no choice but to seek help from Li Mubai. After all, they had known each other for a lifetime. Even if they didn't get along, these matters could still be entrusted to each other.
Li Mubai sighed and said to Yang Fan in an old tone, "Lu Bin's descendant might be arrogant, but it is a fact that he has never lowered his head to anyone. Now that he is asking you to toast and apologize, it will be a lesson for him. Young Langjun, you are so mature, why do you have to go against him? "
Li Mubai continued, "Moreover, I will make this decision on behalf of the Lu family. I will grant you thousands of acres of fertile land as compensation. You can choose the land you want, whether it's paddy or dry land, it's all up to you. Or, I will give you ten percent of the shares of the Lianghuai Tongshi Salt Works, how about that? "
Dugu Yu couldn't help but gasp, "Thousands of acres of fertile land, with this alone, he can immediately become a tyrant. Even if his descendants are very prodigal, this amount of money is enough to protect the Yang family's wealth for generations. The Lianghuai Tongshi Salt Works is one of the three largest salt works in the Lianghuai region. I didn't expect this salt works to belong to the Lu family!
Ten percent of the shares? That is an endless stream of money. As long as the Lu family doesn't fall, as long as the Yang family doesn't have a prodigal son who is addicted to gambling, then the Yang family will be able to rely on this towering tree for as long as the Lu family continues to exist. "
Dugu Yu wasn't someone who didn't see the world, but even as the head of the Dugu family, this amount of wealth was still a shocking amount to him. This, was this just a sincere apology? A thousand-year-old aristocratic family, with a thousand years of accumulation, was indeed extraordinary. The Guanlong aristocratic family was just a group of military aristocratic families that rose to power during the rise of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Compared to this, they were practically a group of beggars.
Yang Fan didn't seem to hear it at all. He looked out the window and said nonchalantly, "With such a lineup, I'm afraid that the moment the troops move, someone will have already reported to the Luoyang prefecture. Liu Qiantian should be here soon. "
Chang 'an was the place where these aristocratic families were most active. This was because it wasn't under Wu Zetian's watch and was restricted everywhere. Moreover, it was the capital of the Zhou Dynasty and had the qualifications to be a political center. Moreover, this was the former capital of the Tang dynasty. Their gathering here also had the purpose of expressing their political leanings.
However, it was also because of these reasons that Wu Zetian valued Chang 'an no less than Luoyang. In fact, because Chang' an wasn't under her control all the time, she paid more attention to this place than Luoyang. Thus, how could she not have her trusted aides in Luoyang to monitor the movements of these aristocratic families?
Chang 'an Magistrate Liu Qiantian was one of Wu Zetian's trusted eyes and ears in Luoyang. If he were to arrive and sniff out something unusual with his sensitive nose, then …
Lu Zhongjia finally panicked. He anxiously looked at Li Mubai with a pleading gaze. Li Mubai gritted his teeth and said, "Forget it! This time, Jiannan, Qianzhong, and Lingnan are in chaos. The Emperor will definitely make a move soon, and there will be a large number of vacant official positions! As long as we let today's matter go, you can choose three people from your friends and relatives to report to me. Those who are talented can be given a civil position, and those who aren't talented can be given a military position. All of them will be at least of the ninth rank. How about it? "
Land was the foundation of a family and business, and the shares of the salt works were an endless source of money. Not only that, he could also be given three more official positions. It was not easy to become an official in the Tang dynasty, and even more difficult to be promoted. Many people spent their entire lives trying to become an official, and after becoming an official, it was even more difficult for them to be promoted.
Take Zhang Jianzhi for example. He was born in a prestigious family in Xiangyang, and he was a talented scholar. Yet, at the age of sixty, he was still a lowly ninth rank county magistrate. Now, as long as Yang Fan were to nominate someone, even if that person wasn't qualified to be an official, he would still be able to become one. Everyone present wanted to nod their heads for him.
In fact, when Li Mubai had put forward the first condition, if it had been someone else, they would have hurriedly nodded their head. But Yang Fan had not expressed his position, forcing the Lu family to increase the price layer by layer. Finally, the conditions were so generous that the Dugu siblings simply admired his fishing skills to the point of prostrating themselves in admiration.
But … Yang Fan just sat there, unmoved. Everyone was shocked. Just how big was his appetite?
Lu Binzhi was unable to restrain his anger as he said, "Yang Fan! Don't go too far! Even if you have millions of soldiers outside, do you believe that I won't give the order to kill you on the spot? "
Yang Fan said leisurely, "I believe you! But even if I die here, can you kill all my people? As long as one of my people walks out alive, you will have to bury the entire Lu Family with me! This is a risk that your Great Grandfather would not dare to take, Great Grandfather Li would not dare to take, and the Dugu Family would not dare to take! "
Lu Binzhi hissed, "I'll kill you right now!"
"Stop!"
Lu Zhongjia shouted as he turned to Yang Fan. Suppressing the hatred in his heart, he chuckled and said, "The younger generation will surpass us in time! The younger generation will surpass us in time! This old man really appreciates you now. How about this, you don't have to choose between the land and the shares. I'll give you all three conditions. Moreover, I've just bought a hundred young girls from Silla and Korea yesterday. Each and every one of them is charming. Little Langjun is a young hero. So, how can you not be accompanied by beautiful women? I'll give them all to you as an apology. How about it? "
Lu Zhongjia tossed his beard and laughed, "Don't be afraid that you won't be able to afford them. Wait until you have thousands of acres of fertile land and ten percent of the shares in the salt works. Then, you'll be able to afford ten times as many beauties."
Lu Zhongjia was laughing heartily, but his heart was already at its peak. It's just that he was shrewd enough, just listening to his hearty laughter, looking at his benevolent face, nobody could guess what he was thinking.
Land, wealth, official position, beauties … and the submission of a millennium-old family. Wine, women, avarice, and temperament. But … Yang Fan smiled faintly, just faintly, and said, "Grand Elder Lu's actions are enough to show his sincerity …"
Lu Zhongjia thought that he had agreed. So, he laughed even more heartily. Li Mubai and Dugu Yu also revealed relaxed smiles on their faces. Yes, wealth, fame, and beauties. A person could pursue everything in life. Moreover, the Lu Family was not to be trifled with. So, how could he not agree if he didn't agree to make a strong enemy?
Who would've thought that Yang Fan's tone would change? He sighed and continued, "But, this is not the explanation that this junior wants!"
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