Chapter 249 - 146: Profound Plain True Fire
He wore an expression of profound anguish.
After the Seven Nations Ticket Shop was established, the revenue of his Celestial Treasure House had skyrocketed. In good months, it even doubled, a veritable river of gold. The Taichang Trading Company was doing just as well.
Nearly seventy percent of the Spirit Stones that Independent Cultivators borrowed from the Seven Nations Ticket Shop ended up back in their pockets.
With such immense profits, these two Great Trading Houses had long considered the Seven Nations Ticket Shop their private domain. When the time came to include other trading companies in the payment system, the two of them had tried everything in their power to stop it.
But it was beneficial to all directors and shareholders, so the two Great Trading Houses were powerless to prevent it.
But now, to have other trading companies take over the management of the branch offices... The two of them believed this policy was detrimental to the interests of all shareholders. Even if Yang Jing didn’t side with them, they could surely lobby the other directors to overturn it.
The only problem was that the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion held five votes, which made lobbying somewhat difficult.
What Power did those other trading companies have? They were hardly worthy of competing with the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower.
Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed.
"Such a thing is happening? Do you two have any evidence of these trading companies collaborating with Tribulation Cultivators? I will be sure to handle this matter with the utmost severity and bring these black sheep to justice!"
The two Shopkeepers exchanged a glance.
Zhang Boxiong took out a Jade Scroll.
"We are, of course, duty-bound to help maintain order in the Northern Domain. We have already gathered a great deal of evidence."
These trading companies had been discreet, but how could they possibly hide their activities from industry titans like the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower?
A flicker of triumph flashed in their eyes. ’Hmph, how could the Northern Domain possibly establish the Seven Nations Ticket Shop without our two Great Trading Houses? If Yang Jing tries to stall or make excuses because of the Spirit Stones he accepted, we’ll take this matter to the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion, and then to the Six Great Sects!’
Yang Jing called Iron Head in and handed him the Jade Scroll.
"Take this Jade Scroll to Meng Sima. Request his orders and be sure to handle this matter with the utmost severity!"
Iron Head accepted the Jade Scroll and bowed solemnly. Dealing with Demon Cultivators and Tribulation Cultivators was different from dealing with trading companies. For the first two, no order was needed, but one had to be much more cautious with the latter.
Li Xishan stroked his beard in satisfaction, sighing to himself. ’Yang Jing really knows how to handle things. He took the gift, and now he’s getting things done.’
After Iron Head left, Yang Jing nonchalantly took a sip of his tea before speaking.
"However, the idea that the branch offices of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop will be handed over to other trading companies is a complete rumor."
The triumphant expressions on Li Xishan’s and Zhang Boxiong’s faces froze. By now, Iron Head was long gone, and they couldn’t just storm out to chase him down and take back the Jade Scroll without a complete loss of decorum.
Snitching on one’s peers to the Official Family was a major taboo in any line of business.
It would have been worth it if it was to fight for the right to operate the branch offices of the Seven Kingdoms Bank, but now it turned out that wasn’t even the case. Their reputations in the business world were about to be ruined.
The two of them felt as if they were sitting on pins and needles.
"This rumor was likely started by those other trading companies to sow confusion in their bid for the branch management rights." Yang Jing shook his head with a sigh. "I never thought that you two seniors would also be deceived."
"However, regarding the branch offices throughout the Seven Kingdoms, the Seven Nations Ticket Shop does indeed have other plans."
"What!"
The expressions of Li Xishan and Zhang Boxiong immediately turned grim.
"This is between you and me; do not let it spread." Yang Jing said with a grave expression, "The board of directors has decided that the Seven Nations Ticket Shop will begin operating its main branches independently. Even the management rights for the smaller branches will be gradually reclaimed."
Upon hearing this, the two men could barely control their auras, and the spiritual pressure of Golden Core Cultivators erupted from them.
"What!"
"How is that possible?!"
Li Xishan shot to his feet.
Their entire futures were tied to the Seven Nations Ticket Shop.
"This is just casting us aside after we’ve served our purpose!"
Zhang Boxiong roared in fury.
Yang Jing felt their astonishing spiritual pressure and was inwardly startled. ’There truly is a vast chasm between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core.’
"Senior Brother!"
Yang Jingxu activated her Magical Artifact. Its faint Spiritual Light flickered like a candle in the wind as she struggled into the study and shouted at the two Golden Core Cultivators.
"This is the territory of the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion!"
Li Xishan and Zhang Boxiong, though still seething, retracted their auras. Seeing Yang Jing remain perfectly at ease under their combined pressure, they were inwardly stunned.
They had released their might partly out of genuine rage and partly to intimidate Yang Jing, but they never expected it to have no effect at all.
This Secretary Yang was truly the most outstanding genius of his generation on the Western Continent.
Yang Jing waved his hand, gesturing for Yang Jingxu to stand down.
"It’s alright, Junior Sister. Our two seniors were just a bit agitated."
Before long, Zuoqiu Feng and An Gongyu appeared in the study, glaring at Li Xishan and Zhang Boxiong with hostile expressions. Both were battle-hardened veterans who had even slain fellow Cultivators of their own rank. The killing intent in their gazes instantly caused Li Xishan and Zhang Boxiong to break out in a cold sweat.
Before entering the study, Yang Jingxu had secretly activated a Communication Talisman to notify the two Golden Core Cultivators.
Li Xishan and Zhang Boxiong had to exhaust every flattering word they knew to appease these two "killer stars."
By the time the three of them were seated again, the two shopkeepers’ imposing manner had deflated. Yang Jing was only at Foundation Establishment, but behind him stood all the Royal Families and Golden Core Clans of the Northern Domain, not to mention the behemoth that was the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.
Before, they could have united all the other trading companies to negotiate and fight for the right to manage the branch offices.
But now, the very companies they had just sold out would never cooperate with them.
"The young are truly to be feared! Truly to be feared!"
Li Xishan was seething with resentment.
At such a young age, Yang Jing could already turn the clouds with one hand and summon the rain with the other, manipulating politics to such a degree. He was probably the one who started the rumor about the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s branch offices being handed over to other companies.
The thought of the Profound Plain True Fire he had just given away felt like a needle pricking Li Xishan’s heart. He wanted to get the Jade Box back, only to find that Yang Jing had already quietly put the True Fire away.
"Shopkeeper Li, please don’t say that. You make it sound as if I’m the mastermind behind all this." Yang Jing said with an innocent look. "This is what Meng Sima told me. Perhaps it was Canyuan True Monarch’s intention."
Zhang Boxiong looked half-convinced, half-skeptical.
"I also put in a good word for the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower with the Sima."
Yang Jing picked up his cup and took a sip of Spirit Tea.
"There’s a rumor going around that the Seven Nations Ticket Shop is about to issue new shares. That part, at least, isn’t a rumor. This junior suggested to Meng Sima that since the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower will no longer be involved in operations, and considering their past contributions, the two Great Trading Houses should be allowed to purchase shares in the Seven Nations Ticket Shop."
The two trading companies had enormous influence in the branches of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop. If they were also allowed to hold shares, they would become too powerful to control. That was why the Taichang Trading Company and the Celestial Treasure Tower were prohibited from buying shares during the initial offering.
Yang Jing didn’t want to completely alienate these two trans-continental Great Trading Houses, so after delivering the slap, he immediately offered a sweet date.
"What did Meng Sima say?"
Li Xishan asked urgently.
"Meng Sima said he needs to consider all factors before making a decision. However, this junior is seventy percent certain that the Sima will agree to it," Yang Jing said, looking at the two of them.
In reality, when the two had discussed the construction of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s branch offices, Meng Sima, worried about overly offending the two trans-continental trading houses, had already agreed to let them purchase shares. He had instructed Yang Jing to privately sound out the two Great Trading Houses to prevent any trouble when the shares went on sale.
"Seventy percent isn’t enough! It has to be one hundred percent!"
Li Xishan said, "After losing the right to operate the branches of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop, gaining the right to own shares could be considered making up for the loss in another way. If I can spin this correctly within the Celestial Treasure Tower, I might even be able to turn this into a merit."
"If you two can guarantee a smooth and stable handover of the Seven Nations Ticket Shop’s branches, then the probability will naturally become one hundred and ten percent."
Yang Jing said after taking a sip of Spirit Tea.