After Zhang Xuanning finished his work, he left the ranch and formally ordered Luo Shixin to pay him a visit.
Today, Zhang Xuanning's prestige is no less than that of the leaders of the four major clans. Immediately, Pegasus Ranch sent people to welcome him, and 500 riders were allowed to enter the ranch.
The person who greeted us was Shang Zhen, the butler of Pegasus Ranch. He was about fifty years old, with a straight nose, an attractive curved upper lip and a slightly upturned lower lip, showing that he had a strong personality and self-confidence.
Just from his every move, one could tell that this man's martial arts had reached the level of a first-rate master. No wonder Pegasus Ranch was still able to transcend the struggle. However, Luo Shixin sneered. If the two armies faced off, capturing and killing this man would be as easy as killing a dog's ear. After all, a general and a master were completely different things.
Moreover, even if it was a one-on-one fight, although they were at the same first-rate level, he was confident that he could kill this person within two quarters of an hour.
This kind of self-confidence is gained through repeated tempering and countless killings. The same power can play completely different roles under completely different skills, mentality and experience.
When they arrived at the inner castle, five hundred riders were accommodated, and fifty masters followed Luo Shixin into the inner castle and were welcomed into the main hall, which was composed of more than thirty houses of various types, surrounded by wind and fire walls, and was a brick and wood structure building complex.
The nine-curve corridor built along the house is full of beautiful gardens along the way. The houses near and far are arranged in an orderly manner among the trees, which is elegant and decent. The main buildings such as the hall use both the beam structure of the through-beam type and the beam structure of the raised beam type, with exquisitely carved beam eaves components and gorgeous and varied hangings in front of the corridor, which enhances the sense of depth. Against the background of the garden, it gives people a bright, transparent and deep feeling.
Right at the door, Shang Xiuxun, the owner of the venue, came to greet them.
But even so, Luo Shixin already felt very uncomfortable. In his opinion, Shang Xiuxun should have greeted him outside the pasture, and even more so outside the inner castle. But now he was only greeted outside the palace, which was extremely disrespectful.
Thinking of this, a cold light flashed across his eyes. Regardless of loyalty, just because Zhang Xuanning was his lord now, such treatment was equivalent to degrading him at the same time. However, he had also heard the conversation and knew that this woman had already been designated as the lord's concubine, so he did not get angry.
" The manager is here, and Xiuxun is sorry for not coming in person to welcome you, but it's the family rule and I have to do it. Please forgive me." Shang Xiuxun came down the steps at the door and said in a welcoming tone - Pegasus Ranch is a secluded place, so it cannot be too enthusiastic towards a single force.
When they arrived in front of them, their eyes lit up at the same time.
This is a beautiful girl. Different from the people you have seen, although she has a beautiful face, it is obvious that her skin is often exposed to the sun, so it has a wheat-colored color. But even so, she exudes a burning youth and an enviable health.
Her beautiful black hair cascaded down her sharp shoulders like two small waterfalls, and her beautiful eyes were deep and unfathomable, also showing that she was close to the realm of a first-class master.
She came in gracefully, bowed slightly, and then said generously: "Please come in, butler."
Zhang Xuanning said, "Miss Shang is really too polite."
Although the overall situation has been decided, being able to be more tender will still be quite beneficial for the future. Knowing that this is the time to show it, I looked around and said with a calm smile: "Miss Shang, why should you be so polite? I can see it directly. I see the arrangement of the rockery and strange stones in the yard, the clever arrangement of wintersweet, banana, wisteria, and osmanthus, all of which are like a three-dimensional picture standing in front of the window, which is endless to ponder. I know how smart you are, and it really opened my eyes."
"That's too much praise, General Manager." Shang Xiuxun showed a hint of sadness when she was praised. Although it was only a flash, she couldn't hide it from those who paid special attention to her. It was obvious that she was thinking of Lu Miaozi.
Shang Xiuxun led the way, but she looked them up and down from time to time. This was completely against the rules, but it made everyone feel that this woman remained innocent and straightforward.
Zhang Xuanning was only eighteen years old at this time. He was wearing a suit, a handsome young man, gentle as jade, but inadvertently, he had the temperament of insight into the world, grace and wisdom, and his every move showed an unfathomable and domineering bearing. When these two temperaments were blended together, there was only one feeling - radiant and heroic!
Suddenly, Shang Xiuxun felt that his voice, tone, and expression all had a kind of awe-inspiring charm, and she initially developed some good feelings for him.
After all, although she was in charge of the ranch, due to family rules, she could not go far away and could be said to be kept in seclusion. How could she have seen such a heroic and outstanding young man? After all, she was still a girl, and it was her nature to admire gentlemen.
Zhang Xuanning saw everything and knew that she had developed a liking for him at the first sight. Of course, there was no such thing as love at first sight in the world, at least he didn't quite believe it, but this was already a very good start.
They were welcomed into the main hall, where the general manager Shang Zhen and the four deacons Liang Zhi, Liu Zongdao, Tao Shusheng and Wu Zhaoru were all there to greet them. After a brief introduction, as it was already noon, they invited Zhang Xuanning and Luo Shixin to take their seats.
Zhang Xuanning glanced at everyone in the garden and realized that the four deacons were all second-rate masters. He sighed in his heart, but remembered that Tao Shusheng was a traitor who could be bribed, and he immediately had an idea.
Since others can bribe him, you can bribe him as well. This kind of villain is very beneficial to you.
But when he looked again, he saw a young man and was immediately surprised.
Seeing his attention, the young man stepped forward calmly: "Xu Ziling greets the incense master. It has been three years since we last met."
"I didn't expect that Ziling has really grown up since we parted in Yangzhou. I am so happy to see him. Did Ziling settle down here after leaving Yangzhou? I really miss him." Zhang Xuanning hurried forward, holding his hand and said, "Why, knowing that I was in Kuaiji City, why didn't you come to find me?"
"I dare not. Now the Xiangzhu is already the chief steward of a region, with great power and influence. How can I marry someone so high up as to be his?"
"You and I are brothers, why do you have to say such things? Ziling, where did you go after leaving Yangzhou? It will take me a long time to look for you!" As he spoke, Zhang Xuanning had already seen through his true colors. Compared with Xu Ziling, who was the same age as him, he had already revealed his unique demeanor. He was elegant and unrestrained, with a kind of awe-inspiring charm. His martial arts skills were also close to the first-rate level, only slightly less than his own. He really didn't know how he practiced.
He probably doesn't have the original secret of immortality, nor does he have a way to support fighting by fighting. However, he started learning martial arts much earlier than the original book, so he should have caught the last train, so it is not impossible.
Xu Ziling withdrew his hand and said indifferently: "I once met Madam Dongming, and later I learned that Kou Zhong had passed away, so I wandered around the country and then came here."
When he mentioned that Kou Zhong was gone, he showed a gloomy look and looked straight at Zhang Xuanning.
Zhang Xuanning also showed a sad look, and sighed, "I had high hopes for you and Kou Zhong back then, but Kou Zhong was unlucky and was killed by the Sui soldiers. It was really fate. However, if he knew about this, he would be happy to see you now."
If it was a lie, there must be clues, but Zhang Xuanning sighed and said it, as if he really believed that Kou Zhong was a brother to him, and that Kou Zhong died at the hands of the Sui soldiers.
"So your name is Xu Ziling, why did you give me the name Xu Jing yesterday?" Hearing this, Shang Xiuxun stared at them with a thoughtful look, and said with some dissatisfaction, paused, and then said: "So you know each other?"
"Well, when I was the incense master in the Bamboo Flower Gang, he and Kou Zhong were beggars, but they were talented, so they were accepted into my incense. Although we were superiors and subordinates, we were actually brothers. I haven't seen them for three years since I killed the Sui soldiers and fled. I didn't expect to see them now. I am really happy." Zhang Xuanning said with a smile.
Shang Zhen quickly asked everyone to take their seats, and arranged for Xu Ziling to sit next to Zhang Xuanning, and also said: "The world is in chaos, it is not easy for Ziling to travel around the country."
"Well, when the world is in chaos and order is destroyed, the first to suffer are always the common people. Let alone the rampant private minting of coins, which has caused great damage to the livelihoods of the common people. Originally, one thousand coins weighed two catties, but now one thousand privately minted coins weigh less than one catty. Even iron sheets and parchment are used as copper coins. The price of rice is now three times what it was five years ago. If this situation continues, I really don't know how it will end." Xu Ziling said dejectedly.
Luo Shixin then interrupted and said, "The world is in chaos, so we need a wise leader. As long as there is a wise leader who can unify the world, the abuses can be eliminated and peace can be achieved."
At this point, Shang Xiuxun did not comment or respond, but smiled faintly and said, "These important matters are not for us to talk about, everyone please take a seat!"
Zhang Xuanning knew that he couldn't act too hastily, so he smiled and toasted to celebrate, talked about some gossip, and asked some odd questions. Although Xu Ziling was relatively tight-lipped during the gossip, he knew that he had just come here yesterday and had only met Shang Xiuxun once.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This person's fate was incredible. If he had arrived a little later, perhaps he could have influenced Shang Xiuxun and changed the overall situation in the world.
This person may not be able to achieve great things on his own, but he may be able to achieve things for others.
Then he thought about the fact that he had met Madam Shan Meixian and Princess Shan Wanjing of the Dongming Sect first, and he didn't know what the impact would be. His heart tightened. He was not afraid of anything except this inexplicable little luck, because it was completely contrary to common sense.
But after weighing the pros and cons, he realized that this person was only a little bit away from the first-rate realm. If he wanted to kill him, with his luck, he might only help this person and create a small enemy for himself.
After all, at this time, no one in the world could know that Zhang Xuanning killed Kou Zhong personally, unless he was guilty and revealed his true colors. As long as he honestly treated him as his former brother and did not kill him nor take him too seriously, Xiaoqiang, who might be suspicious but missed their old friendship and was restrained by Wei Zhenzhen, would hardly become his real enemy.
Having made up his mind, he performed with ease, forcing everyone present to admit that he was indeed incredibly charming.
After three rounds of drinking, Zhang Xuanning said frankly: "I came here this time to buy horses from Miss Shang for use in the army. Although I have taken six counties and there are some horses in the six counties, most of them are inferior horses, and there are very few war horses. If they are used for transportation within the county, they are okay, but they are not enough for the battlefield."
Hearing this, Xu Ziling suddenly showed a hint of gloom.
Speaking of business, Shang Xiuxun sat upright, with a gleam in his eyes: "Master Manager wants to buy horses, of course, but it must be in accordance with the rules of our ranch, not in arrears, and there will be no discounts for no reason."
"Of course. I also know the rules. I will not let the owner of the farm be dragged into the vortex of war. I bought the horse from the owner with real money, so no one can say a word about the owner." Zhang Xuan stared at Shang Xiuxun and said seriously.
Although he had wanted to take her in for good, that would only happen after he became king in the future and his influence spread to the vicinity of the ranch. For now, it would be better for him to just buy the horse first. After all, he would get back the money he paid with interest in the future.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Xu Ziling.
Shang Xiuxun shrugged slightly, avoiding Zhang Xuanning's gaze, and laughed sweetly, like a blooming flower, and looked back to the front: "Since the steward has already recognized this, then we can naturally buy and sell. I wonder how much the steward wants to buy?"
As he spoke, Shang Xiuxun secretly hated himself.
Yesterday she met the liar Xu Ziling, and today she met Zhang Xuanning. Even she didn't understand why she was a little angry when she knew Xu Ziling used a pseudonym. At this time, she avoided Zhang Xuanning's gaze. Maybe she was too lonely! It's not a matter of how many people are around, but a matter of state of mind.
She was the only daughter of the previous owner and had been groomed to be the heir since she was young. The family rules were strict, and she had been governing her servants from a superior position as naturally as breathing. Any offense would be a serious crime.
This feeling seemed natural before, but in the past few years, it often made her feel regretful. She rarely saw outsiders on the ranch, and recently there were only these two exceptions. Just from the way they looked at her, she knew that they only regarded her as a woman.
This stirred ripples in her heart, something new and different.
However, if we compare them, Zhang Xuanning is still better. This is not a matter of personal appearance, experience, or demeanor, but also because a man has the calm and confident demeanor when he is in charge of millions of soldiers and civilians.
This kind of charm is something that women instinctively find difficult to match. It is an ancient desire for the strong, deeply engraved in the blood.
"Please tell me a price, Miss Shang."
"Yes, the price of a warhorse is fifty taels of silver. If the number reaches five hundred, it can be reduced to forty-five taels of silver per horse."
It's really expensive. Zhang Xuanning smiled bitterly in his heart, but his expression remained calm. After thinking for a while, he said slowly : "Then what will be the price if I buy 3,000 horses?"
Everyone present was stunned. There were no more than 30,000 horses in the entire ranch, but many of them were ponies and old horses. Only 10,000 were truly trained as war horses. To demand 3,000 at once was indeed a big business.
Shang Xiuxun was surprised, and after a pause, he said, "If it's three thousand, we can charge forty taels per horse, but according to the ranch rules, we can't default on payment, and we won't accept silver bills. We must exchange it with real gold and silver. Does the steward have that much silver?"
This is indeed very reasonable. Three thousand horses, even if each horse costs forty taels, that would be one hundred and twenty thousand taels of silver. With such a large amount of money, almost half of the county treasury would have been handed over, right?
Zhang Xuanning smiled and said, "Since I have proposed to buy, I will naturally have silver. I will go back today. Why don't you bring hundreds of horses with me, Miss Shang? Once we arrive in the county, we can trade naturally. I will not regret it for these hundreds of horses at this time, right? Once the transaction is successful, it will not be too late to wait for you to ship back the silver and then ship new horses. This way, everyone can rest assured."
"The manager's method is good, but the owner of the farm should be in charge of important matters, so I'd better let me transport the horses." The one who spoke was the manager Shang Zhen. It was the first transaction, and he was unwilling to let his owner fall into Zhang Xuanning's hands, otherwise he could threaten him and catch them all in one fell swoop.
"That's fine. However, there's another person who wants to go back with me this time." Zhang Xuanning nodded in agreement, paused, and then said with a smile: "Lu Miaozi was an old minister of my father and grandfather, and he will go back with me this time."
As soon as these words were spoken, Shang Xiuxun, who was originally smiling, suddenly turned pale, and the wine glass fell to the ground and broke into pieces.
"What's up, Miss Shang? Is there anything wrong?" Zhang Xuanning pretended to be surprised, but she was overjoyed in her heart. Humph, you girl, let's see what you can do? Others may not know, but don't I know that you actually think of him as your father? Maybe you even have a little Oedipus complex!
"It's okay. I'm just surprised how you knew that old man was at my ranch."
"My ancestor is Yang Su, and Lu Miaozi is naturally my retainer. What's the big deal about knowing the news?" Zhang Xuanning said leisurely.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's face changed.
Shang Xiuxun's delicate body trembled slightly. She looked at him intently for a long while before she said, "So the manager is Yang Su's grandson. I never thought that. This business is so big. I'd better bring the horses myself!"
Everyone was a little confused by her sudden change. Although the VIP was present and it was difficult to openly object, someone immediately said, "Owner, this is not good. We should think long-term."
Shang Xiuxun said unhappily: "This is a big deal, there's nothing wrong with it. Also, if you're worried, just send more people. I'm going this time anyway."
Zhang Xuanning laughed and said, "Since Miss Shang has made up her mind, let's set off this afternoon."
After that, he turned to Xu Ziling and said, "Ziling, are you willing to go back with me? We can meet many of my old brothers!"
Xu Ziling was silent for a moment before he said, "If that's the case, I'll follow too!"
Zhang Xuanning sneered in his heart.