socalfunplaces Chapter 590 Xu Tianran Wants to Be the Mastermind Behind the Scenes
Chapter 590 Xu Tianran Wants to Be the Mastermind Behind the Scenes
Chapter 590 Xu Tianran Wants to Be the Mastermind Behind the Scenes
"Zhang Peng, you have a good understanding. Why don't you come to the Hall of Offerings and I'll help you register your name so you can better serve His Majesty?" Xue Chen looked at Zhang Peng with admiration on her face.
Xu Tianran's gentle smile became even more genuine; Zhang Peng's words had truly touched his heart.
Seeing Xue Chen and the Emperor's smiles, Zhang Peng calmly put away a small piece of paper tucked between his palms.
"The boss's words are really effective. Just a few words have dispelled a lot of their suspicions. It seems I haven't dealt with people normally for many years. I need to learn a few tricks from the boss," Zhang Peng thought to himself.
As early as when Xu Tianran arrived at the second level, Ye Nanxiao informed Zhang Peng through soul communication and told Zhang Peng to memorize his instructions.
The purpose was to exploit Xu Tianran's suspicions.
The Aodu Chamber of Commerce now includes not only rogue cultivators and soul masters from outside the world, but also henchmen from the underworld and worshippers from the Holy Spirit Cult, making it a truly mixed bag.
Once some conflicts and contradictions arise, they will trigger a series of chain reactions.
In Xu Tianran's eyes, most rogue Soul Masters would mingle in the underworld or in gambling dens run by various forces. Although their skills and abilities had passed the Mingde Hall's level assessment, this only indicated their Soul Master level. In other aspects, they were far inferior to Soul Masters who had received formal training in Soul Guidance techniques.
This also resulted in these rogue cultivators having little skill but a big temper, and being disliked by the Soul Masters of the formal organizations.
"Thank you for your hard work, Orange," Xu Tianran suddenly said.
To manage so many rogue cultivators as soul masters, one can only use incentives to motivate them, and also guard against the possibility of these rogue cultivators rebelling or colluding with the enemy.
In this way, it was truly remarkable that Ju Zi was able to allow Li Yuanren to maintain firm control over the Aodu Chamber of Commerce.
"Uh, as a subject, it is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens." Ju Zi was momentarily stunned by Xu Tianran's sudden words, but still subconsciously knelt down on one knee to express her gratitude.
After realizing what was happening, Ju Zi realized that Xu Tianran might have been thinking about something, just like the word Ye Nanxiao had used: "filling in the blanks".
"President Li, Mu Shiyi, I'll be counting on you to continue assisting Ju Zi in the future." Xu Tianran raised his glass to Li Yuanren and Ye Nanxiao, using tea instead of wine.
"I am terrified!"
Li Yuanren quickly feigned a look of panic, and Ye Nanxiao smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
"What's this guy imagining?" Ye Nanxiao looked at Xu Tianran, who suddenly burst into laughter. Although he didn't understand, it seemed that he had achieved his goal.
In Xu Tianran's mind, the Aodu Chamber of Commerce had become an oil drum filled with gasoline, its exterior rusted and ready to leak at any moment, and the spark was in his own hand.
However, what Xu Tianran didn't know was that the rogue soul masters recruited by the Aodu Chamber of Commerce had already been firmly attracted by Ye Nanxiao's various rules and benefits, and their sense of belonging to the Aodu Chamber of Commerce was skyrocketing. Many soul masters even brought their families to the Aodu Chamber of Commerce's living area.
The reason they became independent cultivators is because other organizations or sects did not accept them or value them. Now that they finally have a place that values and respects them, they naturally want to protect their "home" from the bottom of their hearts.
The Aodu Chamber of Commerce sheltered them and did not oppress them like other sects or organizations, nor did it implement a cruel system of allocating resources based on status. They felt that only someone with a mental problem would think about leaving.
Xu Tianran, who only had a brief understanding of the Aodu Chamber of Commerce, would not know these things, nor would he want to know them.
He only needs obedient tools.
The Aodu Chamber of Commerce, which has contributed a great deal of resources and money to him, is now a qualified tool in his mind.
At this moment, Li Yuanren only felt admiration for his boss. Working for his boss was great; even the emperor himself raised a toast to him.
"Boss, you're amazing! Even that old bastard An Litong never got to enjoy this treatment!! Hehehe!"
Having spent many years in the Aodu Chamber of Commerce and even become its president, he naturally noticed that the previously tense atmosphere had dissipated, as if some kind of crisis had been resolved by his boss.
I can finally breathe freely!
Faced with Xue Chen's teasing, Zhang Peng smiled slightly, narrowing his eyes, and said, "I finally found a quiet place, and you, you scoundrel, can't even see me doing well?"
He could be friends with many titled Douluo, but it was just a title.
Xue Chen sneered, "I'm trying to give you an opportunity, you ungrateful wretch."
Xu Tianran took a small sip of tea, raised his hand, and Xue Chen immediately quieted down, letting out a cold snort as he emptied his cup of tea in one gulp.
"Old Zhang is very thoughtful. Whether you are in charge of the Aodu Chamber of Commerce or in the palace, it's the same. Besides, the Aodu Building is not far from the palace," Xu Tianran said with a smile, his smile revealing sincerity.
He had already secretly investigated and found out that there were many gangs within the Holy Spirit Cult, and that a lone wolf like Zhang Peng was a high-level enforcer, which he coveted.
He allowed the Holy Spirit Cult to enter Mingdu and even permitted Xie Feng to enter the imperial court, all in an attempt to gain the Holy Spirit Cult's support. Otherwise, he would not have agreed to the Holy Spirit Cult's cruel conditions.
He knew in his heart that the Holy Spirit Church's agreement to cooperate with him was only a temporary one.
The purpose is to take advantage of the opportunity to hide in the shadow of the Sun and Moon Empire and continuously harvest vengeful spirits to strengthen oneself. In time, this will turn against the Sun and Moon Empire, which is something Xu Tianran is unwilling to see.
No emperor would allow a powerful sect that only outwardly obeys him to grow bigger and bigger.
After investigating the factionalism within the Holy Spirit Cult, Xu Tianran immediately had an idea: he wanted the power of the Holy Spirit Cult, not the Holy Spirit Cult itself.
"What a pleasant surprise today!"
Xu Tianran glanced at Ye Nanxiao, who was sitting next to Li Yuanren, a few more times. His eyes flashed with admiration, and he asked directly, "Mu Shiyi, I heard that you have been in Mingdu for quite some time now. Are you interested in coming under my command? I can provide you with all the cultivation resources."
Ye Nanxiao glanced at Xu Tianran, then at Ju Zi. Does this guy want everyone he sees?
"Your Majesty, this is not fair of you. I don't have many capable people under my command, and you've taken another one away. I'm left with no one," Orange said helplessly, putting down her teacup.
"Why don't you send someone to replace him, Your Majesty? Chairman Li alone can't handle it all. I also have many things to do."
Orange neither refused nor agreed to this.
Xu Tianran leaned back in his chair and asked with a smile, "It was my oversight."
"Your Majesty could indeed send someone over so I can teach them. Once I've finished teaching them, I can go to Your Majesty's place." Ye Nanxiao pointed at Zhang Peng. "The first thing I'll do is learn how to prepare Zhang Lao's daily cultivation supplies."
"Supplies? Isn't this old man a bloodsucker? Why doesn't he just catch a few soul beasts?" Xue Chen said dismissively.
Zhang Peng smiled, said nothing, and silently brewed tea.
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Xu Tianran also looked at Ye Nanxiao, his eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.
Zhang Peng's image as an evil soul master is that he needs to consume blood to cultivate, a fact that has long been known in the Title Douluo circle, and has even been confirmed by the Dragon God Douluo himself.
"Soul beasts? The Sun Moon Empire has quite a few soul beasts, but not many. Moreover, most of them gather in mining areas, which are military-controlled zones. Do you dare to go there?" Ye Nanxiao glanced at Xue Chen, his expression seemingly saying, "Are you stupid?"
Xue Chen's face immediately darkened, but he did not retaliate because Xu Tianran was present.
"That's right. So how did you prepare such a large amount of blood for Elder Zhang? It can't be from the common people and refugees of my Sun Moon Empire who are randomly robbed." Xu Tianran narrowed his eyes, and although he was smiling, an imperial aura suddenly rose up.
To outsiders, he was still the aloof and devoted Emperor Sun and Moon, wholeheartedly serving his country.
Orange lowered her eyes, holding her teacup in silence, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes.
What happened in the small border town of the Sun and Moon Empire could not be kept from her, the commander of the Protector of the Nation.
Shadow Mouse reported to her everything the Holy Spirit Cult had done, leaving nothing out.
Even the commanders of several major legions knew about this.
"Your Majesty, although I need to consume blood to cultivate, I still have principles and will not harm ordinary people," Zhang Peng said with a smile, though there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
Xue Chen's actions were tantamount to picking at his wounds in front of him.
Ye Nanxiao touched the jade storage stone at his waist, took out a document that was half a finger thick, and placed it on the table. "Your Majesty, please take a look. These are all the permits for the livestock farms established by the Aodu Chamber of Commerce in the western suburbs. They have all been reviewed by the government, and this matter has also been reported to Lord Ju Zi."
"A livestock farm? You've got quite an idea." Xu Tianran glanced at the document on top, which bore the bright red official seal of the Ming Dynasty government.
"Ordinary livestock? Looks like Zhang Peng, your treatment isn't that great either. How about I catch a few soul beasts for you to eat some more sometime?" Xue Chen sneered.
"If my request involves capturing a soul beast, it might give His Majesty a headache. If a Title Douluo were to appear in a military restricted area, you, the intelligence chief, would have a real problem." Zhang Peng looked at Xue Chen expressionlessly.
"If all the court officials were as reasonable as Elder Zhang, I would have a much easier time!" Xu Tianran raised his teacup and toasted Zhang Peng.
Most of the livestock farms are businesses established by ordinary people, and Soul Masters look down on them. Even the soldiers of the Soul Master Corps are unwilling to do such dirty and tiring work.
After finishing his third cup of tea, Xu Tianran left the Aodu Building and returned to the palace.
"Dark Five, you and Dark Four go to the Aodu Building to assist the Commander," Xu Tianran ordered.
Dark Five and Dark Four immediately accepted the order and set off for the Aodu Building once again.
"Your Majesty, should we continue the investigation into the Aodu Chamber of Commerce?" Xue Chen's voice came from behind Xu Tianran.
"It's not necessary for the time being, but Zhang Peng is there. I don't know if the Holy Spirit Cult did this on purpose. If not, that would be best." Xu Tianran's face was mostly hidden in shadow.
He was happy to see the three giants of the Mingdu underworld return to their previous state, fighting and restraining each other.
He, on the other hand, played the role of the fisherman behind the scenes.
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(End of this chapter)