I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1103 - Chapter 1103 Chapter Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven The

Chapter 1103: Chapter Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven: The Merchant Seeks Profit Chapter 1103: Chapter Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven: The Merchant Seeks Profit Duan Longjie was not only a master of the Evil King Palace but also the legitimate successor of his family line, and the biological brother of Duan Longcheng.

If this were not the case, why would the Young Palace Master of the Evil King Palace condescend to come to Chaochang?

“When a lion fights a rabbit, it uses all its might. Either endure in silence and wait for the right moment, or if you decide to strike, you must have a well-thought-out plan to attack its vital points with the speed of lightning, rendering it incapable of covering its ears. Even if you can’t secure victory in one battle, you must inflict severe damage to its Primary Qi!”

This time Duan Longcheng personally came to Chaochang, not only to rescue his brother but also to teach his eldest son a lesson.

“If you cannot overpower an enemy, then you must learn to outwit them. For a scion of a noble family, nothing carries more weight than striking at his family’s foundation.”

“What do you mean, Father?”

“I will make the Longxi Alliance obediently send Long Jie back!”

…

Disguised as Chunhua, Sister Xiu’er successfully infiltrated the Xiang Residence, and even Sister Juan, who oversaw the maids, did not notice anything amiss.

Through subtle probing and questioning, she confirmed that the esteemed guest of the Xiang Residence was indeed their target.

It seemed like Xiang Ange intentionally gave Duan Longcheng and his son the cold shoulder, sending only his son Xiang Loulan to entertain them. He kept making excuses of being busy for not meeting them personally.

One would have thought this negotiation would be a case of mutual affection, but now it appeared that Xiang Ange was harboring some concerns.

Such disregard should have infuriated the ranking powerhouse, yet Duan Longcheng showed great patience, settling in at the Xiang Residence as if he was determined to wait until Xiang Ange finished his work and gave a firm answer.

To go to such lengths showed the sincerity of the Evil King Palace, and Xiang Loulan, as the host for their guests, over the past few days had gotten on famously with Duan Longshu, as if regretting not having met earlier.

As usual, a banquet was prepared for the two men. After accompanying them, Xiang Loulan went to his father Xiang Ange’s study. The Xiang Family patriarch had always declined meetings citing pressing business but now he was calmly resting with his eyes closed.

“Father.”

After bowing to Xiang Ange, Xiang Loulan rose and asked, “Has there been any news from over there?”

“Getting anxious?”

Xiang Ange opened his eyes and with a smile that was not a smile, he asked, “What did the Evil King Palace promise?”

With his thoughts laid bare, Xiang Loulan’s face stiffened. He clasped his hands and said, “Nothing gets past Father. Duan Longshu did indeed offer favorable terms, but that is not why your son is anxious.”

“Oh?”

“Father, I believe the Young Palace Master was absolutely right.”

Xiang Loulan walked to the right wall of the study, pointing at the map of Longzhou, and said, “For a power to rise, it must satisfy two basic conditions: vast territories and a large population!”

“Now that the Longxi Alliance possesses the Lingjiang Seven Cities and has gathered over ten million refugees, within twenty years, they will become a huge army of martial warriors, inevitably becoming a major threat to our clan!”

“Go on.”

Xiang Ange remained composed, speaking indifferently.

“Then there’s the matter of terrain!”

Xiang Loulan pointed to the entrance of the South Sea where it bordered Lingjiang and said, “The Longxi Alliance, which occupies the Lingjiang Seven Cities, will surely target north-south expansion next. To the north of Lingjiang lies a desolate plain. After entering Longjiang and heading east, one reaches the heart of Longzhou, while heading north leads to the barren Chengzhou. Therefore, they can only expand southward!”

Tracing a circle over the southern plains of Longzhou with her finger, Xiang Loulan earnestly continued, “Nanji, Yancang, Mubai, Chaochang–these must be their four options, and among them, the most likely target for the Longxi Alliance is our Chaochang!”

“Why?”

Xiang Ange asked with a smile brimming his face.

“Because the Tang Clan’s naval prowess is astonishing. Whether it’s their small and medium-sized fleets or their large passenger ships, they have all reached the pinnacle of craftsmanship, especially those two Wancheng Treasure Ships, which are Divine Ships capable of crossing the Endless Sea. In recent years, the prosperity of the Longxi Alliance is closely related to trade involving these two treasure ships. If they take over Chaochang, they will own the largest port in the South Sea. If I were the helmsman of the Tang Clan, my next move would definitely be to take charge of Chaochang!”

“These past one or two years, trade between the Lingjiang Seven Cities and Chaochang has grown increasingly frequent, and the people of Chaochang’s acceptance of the Lingjiang Seven Cities has also been on the rise. If one day the Tang Clan’s fleet decides to take over Chaochang, I wouldn’t find it surprising at all!”

Xiang Loulan pointed to the mouth of the South Sea, then turned and earnestly told Xiang Ange, “Instead of waiting for the Tang Clan to be fully prepared and take over Chaochang, we should strike first and gain the upper hand with the help of Evil King Palace!”

“Strike first and gain the upper hand?” Xiang Ange’s smile grew thicker, “What’s the plan?”

The current discussion was clearly not born out of Xiang Loulan’s own thoughts. Xiang Ange knew his son well enough to realize that, although Xiang Loulan was somewhat clever, he lacked the capacity to explore the world at large, not to mention the audacity to treat lands as mere pieces on a chessboard.

Thus, it was evident that Xiang Loulan was merely a messenger, and a significant portion of these ideas stemmed from the influence of Duan Longcheng.

And he just wanted to see to what extent his son could be affected.

Xiang Loulan, apparently failing to grasp the deeper meaning in Xiang Ange’s expression, thought he had convinced Xiang Ange and grew even more enthusiastic, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Next comes breaking their alliances, then their armed forces, and lastly, attacking their cities. The Longxi Alliance now holds the Lingjiang Seven Cities and has just been through the battle of Xiling, with its military might at its peak. A direct confrontation would not be the act of the wise!”

“Therefore, the best course of action is to attack them where the Xiang Family excels!”

Xiang Ange pointed to Da Lin and Chuanyuan, then said to Xiang Ange, “Longjiang’s change of course flooded 70% of the farmland in the Lingjiang region. If we don’t take in those refugees, relying on the terraced basins of the seven cities might meet the clan’s needs. But to sustain the refugees, we depend entirely on grain imports from Chuanyuan and Da Lin.”

“Isn’t father on very good terms with the Ye Family of the Commerce Alliance in Da Lin? Let them cut off the Longxi Alliance’s grain supply, and Lingjiang will descend into chaos on its own!”

Xiang Loulan grew more excited as he spoke, “Once the Longxi Alliance’s grain imports are cut off, those starving refugees will cause chaos in the Lingjiang Seven Cities. If the Tang Clan suppresses them, they can no longer lay claim to benevolent righteousness for eternity; if the Tang Clan ignores them, it will lead to disillusionment and disloyalty within the Longxi Alliance. A clan that has lost the heart of the people has nothing to fear!”

“Brilliant,” Xiang Ange clapped lightly in praise, “Such a fine tale. We could implement it right away if we can solve one small problem!”

“What problem?”

“How should your father convince Master Ye to give up an annual income of several hundred million in gold?”

Xiang Ange said indifferently.

These blunt words stunned Xiang Loulan, “Isn’t father very close to Master Ye?”

“The friendship of merchants is nothing but profit,” Xiang Ange said with an unexpressive face. “If there is profit to be had, he is your Uncle Ye. If it hits the bone, he’s as good as a stranger.”

Xiang Loulan, feeling an unusual sense of commanding influence, couldn’t believe what he heard from his father Xiang Ange, “Can the goodwill between the Ye Family and the Xiang Family really not compare to a mere few hundred million in gold?”