Chapter 641: Chapter Six Hundred Thirty-Seven: Dividend
Red Cloud Mountain, Nanping Peak
After the Ji n’s caravan had handed over the spiritual grass to the Xiao Family, Ji Xuanyuan led the team to leave the area of Xiling. After all, Longzhou was under the influence of Martial Saint Mountain, and with the changes in the wind and clouds under the sky, each of the secluded sects and sacred ces had sent out disciples. To minimize their exposure, they did not want to stay in Longzhou for too long.
The Xiao family, who had sent a fleet to fetch the Ji n’s spiritual medicine back to Red Cloud Mountain, had not established any contact with the Tang n in North Mountain, but instead started packing up their belongings, seemingly ready to flee.
The reason for Mi Jin’s gloomy expression was that he finally understood why Xiao Jinlin, despite seeing the Tang n’s signs of defeat, was also reluctant to help the Mi n.
From the very beginning, this old fox had never nned to align himself with any outside forces. He maintained neutrality in order to reap the greatest benefits from this war!
Beimang is mostlyposed of mountains and swamps, a fertile ground for spiritual medicine and precious herbs, so it wasn’t surprising that the Ji n would negotiate a trade with the Tang n in exchange for these resources.
However, he could never have imagined that the trade figures between the Ji n of Beimang and the Tang n of Xiling would have been sorge. It was sorge that even he, the head of the Mi n, felt a surge of envy.
To load tworge transport ships with spiritual medicine and precious herbs, the Ji n must have got more than enough benefits from their treasure vault to justify such a substantial investment.
And now, the biggest slice of profit in Xiling was going to be swallowed by this silent old fox. It’s no wonder that the usually impassive Mi Jin was a bit flustered.
The carriage was prepared quickly. Mi Jin, apanied by a few Martial Ancestor guards, soon arrived at the border of Red Cloud Mountain andnded on Nanping Peak.<div>
Wind Media had ryed the news to Mi Bufu ahead of time, so Xiao Jinlin, along with his eldest son Xiao Zheng and second son Xiao Qi, was waiting at the top of Nanping Peak for the arrival of Mi Jin, the head of the Mi n.
Unveiling the tent, the smiling Mi Jin stepped down from his carriage and called out to Xiao Jinlin from afar, “Leader Xiao really lives up to his reputation. The whole three million spiritual herbs, a sight to behold!”
Xiao Jinlin’s eyes were full ofughter. He stepped forward to greet Mi Jin, helping him by his arm and said with a smile, “n Leader Mi is too kind. My humble Xiao n is weak and dares not to get involved in the war between the Tang and Mi ns. We just want to take some spiritual grass elsewhere and start our own cultivation. We didn’t mean to make n Leader Miugh with our humbleness.”
“The Tang and Mi ns are fighting to the death, and yet n Leader Xiao seizes everything without lifting a finger. Today, no matter what, I must have a few drinks with n Leader Xiao!”
“n Leader Mi’s visit is just in time. To share a drink with the future ruler of Lingjiang is my honor.”
“n Leader Xiao, please!”
“n Leader Mi, please.”
With arms linked, Mi Jin and Xiao Jinlin walked jovially into the camp of the Xiao n. Everyone inside was packing, creating a busy scene.
Every member of the Xiao n had a warm smile on their face. Although the n was relocating, which was a major event with unpredictable fate, the n members were as happy as if they were going on a pic.
The two men walked in this atmosphere. Every confrontational n member greeted Xiao Jinlin with a bow. Mi Jin could see that the members of the Xiao n truly cherished their n leader.
They walked through the camp to Xiao Jinlin’s tent and sat down. But when Mi Jin saw the situation inside the tent, he could only sigh bitterly. Even the sand table had been removed from therge tent, and the huge map of Longzhou was rolled up and thrown to the side along with other odds and ends. There were still some people cleaning the tent.
“All of you, leave.” Xiao Jinlin ordered the servants in the tent, then turned to Mi Jin and the others and said, “Forgive my meager hospitality. Please, take a seat.”
At this time, there were only a few chairs left in the empty tent. Mi Jin did not rush to sit down, and said to Xiao Jinlin, “It seems, brother Xiao, that your mind is made up.”
“Will one allow others to sleep soundly beside their couch? We all know what the Mi n’s united army ns to do after they wipe out the Tang n. Although Xiling is the ancestralnd of the Xiao n, it is no longer a ce of fortune for our family. We have no choice but to leave.” Xiao Jinlin did not evade and replied lightly.
If Xiao Jinlin had said half a month, or even ten days earlier that he wanted to leave, Mi Jin would not feel any fluctuations in his heart. He might even feel a sense of schadenfreude. But at this moment, he was extremely unwilling.
The war hadsted till now, not to mention the Martial Ancestors who had died, the Mi n alone had consumed several hundreds of thousands of spiritual medicines and precious herbs, not to mention the spiritual armor and Xuanji Jade.
Such arge deficit had almost wiped out the foundation of the Mi n that had been umted over the past fifty years. As the head of the Mi n, he could not shirk his responsibility. The Mi n was in urgent need of a significant benefit to make up for this deficit.
Originally, this deficit was supposed to be made up by piging from the surroundingrge cities, but now there was a better target to ask for reparations.
With a smile, Mi Jin said to Xiao Jinlin, “Since n Leader Xiao wants to leave, I also have no right to stop you. However, the Tang n was beaten down by thebined forces of various tribes in South Ridge. It’s somewhat unjust for n Leader Xiao to swallow all the spiritual grass from the trade between the Tang n and the Ji n of Beimang.”<div>
Since Xiao Jinlin decided to leave, Mi Jin did not pretend to bepassionate and pointed out the purpose of his visit.
What n Leader Mi meant was very clear. You may leave, but don’t think about taking all the spiritual medicine and precious herbs with you!
But he underestimated Xiao Jinlin’s thick-skinned nature. Hearing Mi Jin’s allegations, Xiao Jinlin was instantly taken aback, “What traded spiritual grass?”
Ignoring the suddenly grim expression on Mi Jin’s face, Xiao Jinlinughed and exined, “If n Leader Mi is referring to the precious medicine on that ship, that’s the reward of a business venture undertaken by my son Xiao Zheng and the Ji n of Beimang. It has nothing to do with the Tang n. If you don’t believe it, n Leader Mi can invite the head of the Tang n to confront us and see to whom these spiritual medicines and precious herbs actually belong—the Tang n or my Xiao n.”<div>
Goddamn reward! Hearing Xiao Jinlin’s exnation, Mi Jin wanted to roar with frustration. In just over a year of trade expeditions, Xiao Zheng had already returned, and in that year and a half, he had made such a huge profit—it was utterly ridiculous!
Could it be that they had annihted a n with several Martial Ancestors and this was their spoil of war? This was aplete farce!
Xiao Jinlin’s exnation was clearly to evade responsibility, and it made Mi Jin even more certain that these spiritual herbs were indeed the subject of the trade between the Tang n and the Ji n. But now that the Tang n had met with misfortune, they handed them over to the neutral Xiao n for safekeeping.
It even crossed Mi Jin’s mind that Xiao Jinlin might have known about these spiritual herbs from the very beginning, which was why he had remained neutral during the outbreak of war.
Taking advantage of his son Xiao Zheng’s good rtionship with the Ji n, they put on a y of deception and toys with everyone’s fate!
“So, n Leader Xiao, are you saying you won’t leave behind a single herb?” Mi Jin’s chillughter made those who heard it shudder although he was using respectful titles.
Xiao Jinlin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he replied without any emotion, “These are the gains from the Xiao n’s trade and the foundation of our future. Not a single one can be missed!”