I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1181 - Chapter 1181 Chapter 475 Chaochang First

Chapter 1181: Chapter 475: Chaochang First Chapter 1181: Chapter 475: Chaochang First In the cold rainy night, what could be warmer than listening to the rain and sipping hot soup?

If there is something, it must be that the one sharing the drink with you is someone you love.

On a rainy night under the narrow eaves, by the candlelight with hot soup, if Tang Luo had to choose the most beautiful day within the past six months, he would just need to stretch this moment to a full twelve hours.

But life is not a game one can simply decide on their own.

Even the most turbulent emotions will gradually subside during the long wait for the soup to cook, and Sister Xiu’er, having regained her composure, felt not only a touch of warmth and sweetness but was also considering if there was a more suitable, worry-free method that would satisfy both of them.

“Actually, gathering intelligence as Wind Media is not as dangerous as warriors fighting,” she said softly.

The beauty sitting across from him bowed her head slightly, her slender, fair fingers pinching the spoon and stirring slowly in the bowl of soup, and spoke gently, “Right now, the development momentum in Longxi is excellent. Just on the docks of the south bank of Chaochang, there are several ships heading to Jiejiang City every day.”

Tang Luo, catching the deeper meaning in her words, nearly choked on the hot soup. After swallowing the soup with difficulty, he looked up to see Yun Xiu with shy eyes.

“But…” the beauty said, “your considerations also make sense. Longxi is not like Chaochang; I have no connections there, and heading over rashly is not wise. So, what do you think about this idea?”

“I could first ask Chaochang’s Wind Media to search for Yun Piaopiao’s whereabouts in the Lingjiang Seven Cities, and then set off when there’s accurate information?”

Clearly, the young lady had thoroughly thought over the method of operation while cooking the soup, and faced with such a feasible plan, Tang Luo really found no angle to object and could only nod in agreement, “That would be acceptable. By then, my injuries should have improved from their current state, and we can go together!”

“Mm!”

Seeing Yun Xiu’s small joy, Tang Luo felt a bit heartache and had to continue drinking his soup in silence.

The death of Yun Piaopiao was known only to a handful of core members of the Tang Clan at the time, and after the battle involving Tang Mi, all of them now hold high positions in various cities, so there was no chance of a leak.

The information regarding Yun Piaopiao’s final whereabouts that Wind Media likely collected was due to her marriage to a representative of a branch of the Tang Clan… oh no, now the city council speaker of Andong City, Tang Cunfu.

Investigating the family situation of such a person, just relying on Chaochang’s Wind Media would be like sending sheep to the wolf, with one after another getting lost; with this thought in mind, for a long time to come, Yun Xiu should not leave Chaochang, which is good news, at least.

If there was a way to keep Yun Xiu busy, perhaps she could put the matter out of her mind.

“Do you still remember talking about sending some disciples to Master Chen as a gift?” he asked.

“Of course, I remember,” she replied.

“These days, I’ve learned a bit about the agencies in Chaochang, but haven’t found a way to get involved. Do you have any ideas?”

“How do you want to get involved?” Once the topic shifted to the affairs of merchants, Yun Xiu’s eyes lit up. To her, the question that bewildered Tang Luo seemed light as an ordinary game.

“Any involvement would do. Right now, I haven’t even figured out the approach,” Tang Luo humbly confessed. “The powers behind the agencies in South City are complex and intertwined, with some agencies having as few as three or five accountants and others as many as a dozen. Almost all the notable families in the Upper City District have a stake in the agencies, which really gives me a headache.”

He initially just wanted to identify the hidden backers of the agencies, but as he dug deeper, he uncovered more entangled issues, which also revealed to Tang Luo the complexity of the city of Chaochang.

Partnership, partnership, partnership. Everywhere he looked, all the “big” business deals weren’t the work of just one or two families, but several, or even dozens, working together.

Whether it was partnership within the same village, similar trades, or across different industries, as long as there was profit to be made, these families of Chaochang would quickly form alliances.

He thought that dominating the agencies would mean dealing with a few Upper City District families, but the current intelligence suggested that conquering Chaochang’s agencies through force was out of the question. Thus, Tang Luo wanted to consult Yun Xiu on how to break in.

After all, if he was to purchase in large quantities from them as a client, it would truly be treating himself as a gullible fool.

The Righteous Business Group had gone to great lengths to support just one Marshal Star Pavilion, and he did not want to add any more burden on the diligent Cui Dayou, especially considering that meeting the needs of so many Marshal Stars was already a tremendous expense.

Given the current situation, as the strength of these Marshal Stars grew, the resource gap would become even larger. It might eventually reach a point where the Righteous Business Group alone might not be able to sustain them.

“Actually, there are many ways to get involved with Chaochang’s agencies,” Yun Xiu said, tilting her head, her expression somewhat puzzled. “Which aspect are you looking to get involved in?”

“I can choose?” Tang Luo asked with some surprise. He had only brought it up as a tentative probe to keep Yun Xiu busy, but now it seemed he had found a source of enlightenment.

“Not everything is up for choice,” she explained.

Yun Xiu shook her head, “The agency business is something that grew with the tacit approval of the Xiang Family. Many of the profit-sharing elements are outsourced, which led to so many intricate connections between families. But at the end of the day, human trafficking is a simple business.”

“The profit margins of the agency have been so high in the past few years only because of the constant floods in Longjiang disrupting lives, leaving refugees everywhere. Once people’s lives stabilize in a few years, there won’t be much growth,” she added.

After describing the current situation of Chaochang’s agencies, Yun Xiu continued, “If you want to be involved, the simplest method is to apply to become a Slave Hunter Team. With a ship and proof of experience, you can affiliate with the agency. That counts as involvement, right?”

“Hmm… It does sound like a way to get involved, but it’s not convenient for what I have in mind. Are there any other methods?” Tang Luo paused and then inquired of Yun Xiu, “For example, how to become the largest agency in Chaochang within three years?”

“That might be a bit difficult,” she replied.

“So there’s a possibility?” Tang Luo’s eyes sparkled as he pressed on, “What would it take to move from a Slave Hunter Team to the first agency in three years?”

“Reputation, power, and enough investment,” Yun Xiu thought and then explained, “You certainly can’t achieve it from nothing, but if you can consolidate existing resources, it’s possible to become the largest within three years.”

“???”

Yun Xiu made it sound straightforward, but Tang Luo was utterly confused, “With our current resources, there isn’t much room for consolidation, right…?”

“That’s why you need to invest,” Yun Xiu chided. “Of course, we don’t have the resources now, but if you could buy several small to mid-sized agencies and merge them, wouldn’t you then have the largest agency in Chaochang?”