"Impossible!"
Arloja and Ablonja trembled and exclaimed at the same time. Perhaps realizing that they had lost their composure, Aloyo hurriedly explained.
"Gongzi, it's not that we don't want to sell, but we won't be able to excavate that much in an entire year."
The Hyderabad ore was extremely tough, which meant that it was buried in an extremely harsh environment, making it extremely difficult to excavate.
The Hyderabad ore wasn't an ordinary ore that could be found on the streets, and its output wasn't high. Even if they gathered all the resources from all the regions, they wouldn't be able to produce five thousand jun of ore in an entire year.
"Then how much ore can Hyderabad produce in a year?"
Wang Chong placed his outstretched hand behind his back and asked with a smile. He naturally knew that the output of Hyderabad's ore wasn't that high.
He was trying to figure out the true output of Hyderabad's ore so that he could decide how much he needed.
"Three thousand jun! That's the highest output we can estimate right now. And we'll only be able to reach it by the end of the year. If we want to reach the level you speak of, we'll have to increase our manpower and increase the output. "
Aloyo said seriously.
"Hehe, then why don't we increase the output? In the High Priest's plan, he should have added more manpower and increased production, right? "
Wang Chong said.
"But even so. That's a matter for next year. We won't be able to gather that much this year. "
Aloyo said gravely.
The price of 1000 gold taels per jun was really too high, it was too tempting. Moreover, it would be beneficial to Sindhu as well. But more importantly, Wang Chong's demand was too high, and Sindhu simply couldn't produce five thousand jun.
"Then we should be able to reach a thousand jun, right?"
Wang Chong said with a smile. This was his true goal.
If he was just talking to the two monks, he wouldn't have to go through so much trouble. But he was talking to the High Priest of Sindhu, and the one who could make the decision was the Sindhu High Priest that Wang Chong had never met before.
The two monks were just his eyes and ears, so he naturally had to play some tricks.
"This … should be barely enough."
After a moment of silence, Aloyo finally nodded.
"However, it should take at least two more months. Two months later, I should be able to gather the number you mentioned. "
Aloyo had been to the mines of Sindhu and was very familiar with the situation there. Wang Chong's one thousand jun of ore was basically the limit of Sindhu's output this year. After selling a thousand jun to Wang Chong, there wouldn't be much left for the year.
After all, it was only a few months away from the end of the year.
"… Besides, I can't make the decision on this matter. We still have to ask the High Priest. "
Arroyo said. In the end, as expected, Aloyo indicated that the final decision was still in the hands of the high priest.
"Of course! Great monk, please tell the High Priest that as long as he agrees to my conditions, I can pay a million taels of gold in advance! "
As Wang Chong spoke, he threw out his final bomb.
There will always be brave men with great rewards!
Arloja and Aloyo walked out of the gate of the Wang family in a trance. Wang Chong smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the shocked expressions on their faces and their dejected backs.
A million and twenty thousand taels!
This was more than ten times more than the previous transaction. Just ninety thousand taels of gold was enough to make Sindhu go wild with joy.
Now, it was a million taels of gold. To the famished Sindhu, this was an irresistible temptation.
Wang Chong knew that his plan would definitely succeed.
Even Arloja and Aloyo would do their best to persuade the Sindhu High Priest for the sake of Sindhu's interests.
"Gongzi, isn't this really worth it? A million taels of gold isn't a small sum! "
Old Eagle said as he watched the backs of the two monks depart.
Since he was going to follow Wang Chong and the Wang Clan, he needed to understand his own clan. He also had some understanding of the Hyderabad ore.
But a million taels of gold was truly too much.
"Gold is just a type of metal. You'll understand in the future. "
Wang Chong chuckled, not bothering to explain.
Zhang Shouzhi was helping to construct the Lion City in the southwest; Li Zhuxin was looking after Zhang Munian in Jiaozhi; Solitary Wolf would represent him to negotiate with Zhang Wentuo; and as for the Sindhu High Priest … Even though Wang Chong had never met the High Priest before, he was confident that the massive sum of a million taels of gold would be enough to move the High Priest.
The Arabs still hadn't grasped the forging technique for WuZi Steel, so it would be a waste even if they obtained the Hyderabad ore. Regardless of whether it was in terms of technology or wealth, they were no match for him.
Everything was on the right track.
He had finally accomplished something that he had never dared to imagine in his previous life. Once he was done with this matter, he would be able to return to the Kunwu Training Camp and focus on his martial arts.
"Right now, there's only that matter left! … "
Wang Chong said to himself, a figure flitting through his mind.
The reason why he was heading down the mountain this time was because Protector-General Zhangchou Jianqiong was entering the city. On the other hand, there was another matter that Wang Chong had on his mind that he wanted to investigate.
It wasn't convenient for Wang Chong to do this while he was in the Kunwu Training Camp. However, with the backing of the Wang Clan, it should be much easier for him to investigate this matter.
"The Eagle, how's the progress on the person I asked you to investigate? Is there any news? "
Wang Chong's voice was much softer than before.
"Ah!"
The Eagle subconsciously exclaimed. As if awakened from a dream, a serious expression appeared on his face. This was a request that Wang Chong had made after killing King Sosurim.
Ever since he, Solitary Eagle, Steel Arms, and the others had sworn an oath to follow Wang Chong, this was the first time Wang Chong had asked him for a favor. Thus, The Eagle viewed this matter with great importance.
"Gongzi, I've asked my friends in the Bureau of Military Personnel and Bureau of Punishments to investigate that student from the Kunwu Training Camp, and they have a rough idea of his background. Gongzi's intuition isn't wrong. There's indeed something wrong with the information he left behind.
"Also, we've checked the place gongzi mentioned. Even though we don't know what's going on, we can tell that this matter has something to do with Duke of Liu. "
"Duke of Liu?"
Wang Chong was taken aback. He only knew that there was more to the matter than met the eye, but he didn't think that it would implicate someone of Duke of Liu's level.
"Are you certain?"
Wang Chong asked hesitantly.
"Un. Not only so, I also discovered something that might interest gongzi. Gongzi probably isn't aware of it, but not too long after you left the Kunwu Training Camp, that person left as well. "
The Eagle said. The more he looked into the matter, the more interested he became in that person.
After following Wang Chong, the Eagle gradually realized that no matter how ordinary Wang Chong's arrangements might seem, they weren't as simple as they seemed.
"Oh?"
A glint flashed across Wang Chong's eyes. Back then, he was so focused on dealing with the Goguryeons and King Sosurim that he didn't notice this matter.
"You mean to say that he's following me? Or is it just an accident, a coincidence? "
"I've looked into it, and even though he left the Kunwu Training Camp together with gongzi, he doesn't seem to have any interaction with gongzi in the capital. It's likely to be a coincidence. "
The Eagle said. Even if Wang Chong hadn't asked about this matter, he would have told him anyway. Even though it hadn't been long since he took over that young man's matter, the Eagle was already interested in the matter that Wang Chong had arranged for him.
"On top of that, that young man is extremely alert. It isn't easy to find him amidst the complicated architecture of the capital. However, after sending a few nightingales to patrol the surroundings of the Duke of Liu Residence, I did discover something interesting. Hehe, the Duke of Liu Residence hasn't been peaceful recently. A masked fellow has been loitering around the residence late at night, seemingly intent on doing something. "
At the end, the Eagle couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh?"
Hearing the bizarre laughter of the Eagle, Wang Chong fell into deep thought.
"You mean to say that …"
"Gongzi, you'll know once you take a look."
The Eagle smiled.
…
There were many dukes in the Tang dynasty, and these dukes came from all over the world. The reasons for their conferment varied as well, and it was extremely complicated. Some were conferred their titles due to their outstanding contributions in the war; some were conferred their titles due to their high prestige; some were conferred their titles due to their contributions to the emperor; some were conferred their titles due to their meritorious service to the emperor, saving a certain emperor in a certain era, or having in-laws with the royal family …
In any case, the Tang dynasty had conferred quite a few dukes in the past two hundred years. Of which, a portion of them enjoyed the patronage of their fathers and bore the title of duke, but they were already in name only.
They no longer possessed the ability to discuss politics with the emperor, but the royal court still favored them, granting them the salary and treatment of a duke.
The Duke of Liu was such an existence.
Moreover, the dukes were divided into different ranks according to their different rights. The Duke of Liu enjoyed the lowest tier of salary, a county-level salary.
The Duke of Liu had inherited the title for three generations, and his existence had become extremely inconspicuous.
Basically, no one in the royal court would pay attention to him unless there was something special going on.
Four towering walls stood tall, forming a circle. Surrounding the walls were tall and lush maple trees. Behind the high walls was a luxurious, tall and straight mansion.
This was the Duke of Liu Residence.
In the dead of the night, the forest was silent, save for the occasional chirping of birds. In the darkness, the two rows of red lanterns hanging by the entrance of the Duke of Liu Residence were exceptionally eye-catching.
"The Eagle, are you sure that he will come tonight?"
In the forest, Wang Chong, who was hidden in the canopy, asked The Eagle. The duo had been waiting here for quite some time now, but they didn't see anything.
"Hehe, gongzi, don't worry. I've observed him, and he comes around this time every day. He should be done scouting the area over the past few days, and it's about time for him to make a move. "
The Eagle chuckled.
Qiu! Qiu!
Just as they were speaking, a chirping sound suddenly sounded above their heads. A small bird the size of a wicker basket leaped happily above their heads.
"It's here!"
Upon seeing this ordinary bird, The Eagle's heart leaped in joy, and it suddenly chirped softly.
"Hu!"
Almost at the same time, a gust of wind blew, and a masked figure suddenly appeared. It was the person whom The Eagle spoke of.
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