I Cultivate in a Government Office

Xiao Liang nodded in deep agreement. "Brother Wang has a point. The salary and merits from the City Defense Bureau are enough for basic cultivation and daily expenses, but if you want to advance further—get some quality pills, talisman materials, or buy property for your family—it’s barely enough to get by. The prices of in-demand cultivation resources have been inflated to an absurd degree, and often, you can’t find them even if you have the money."

Wang Ren refilled their cups and added, "This is actually tied to Wanxuan’s current economic landscape. The big shots in the Cabinet and the Joint Conference have always wanted to promote a single, unified national market, but that’s far easier said than done."

He took a more macroscopic view of the problem. "Wanxuan is simply too large. Each province, city, and even county has formed its own relatively independent economic micro-cycle due to its natural resources, geographical location, and historical context."

"The provincial government has to provide for its Cultivators and the basic livelihood of its people. The municipal government has to maintain its operations and develop its own specialities. When you get down to the county level, they’re just scrambling with limited resources, trying to be self-sufficient while also fulfilling the tax and resource quotas handed down from above."

"The leadership wants to reform, to break down these barriers and allow resources to flow more smoothly. But any change would inevitably tread on the interests of countless local powers. More critically, if a complete integration were to happen, the populations and Cultivators from resource-poor, industrially backward provinces and regions would undoubtedly flock to the wealthy areas in search of better opportunities."

"At that point, the poor would get poorer and the rich would get richer, exacerbating the regional imbalance. Things could easily spiral into chaos. That’s why, despite all the talk of reform for so many years, it’s always been a lot of thunder but very little rain—they can only make minor tweaks within the current system."

Yang Wenqing rarely paid attention to such matters, but hearing Wang Ren’s analysis immediately brought something to mind. He remembered aid policies from that other world in his memory, policies that funneled money earned in some provinces back to others, creating a new cycle. Of course, that wasn’t something he was about to say out loud.

Wang Jianchao slapped his thigh after listening. "Exactly! So we can’t just sit around and wait. The leadership has its problems, and we have our own connections. We’re all in pretty good positions now, with a bit of power and access to information. Why don’t we start something ourselves? Maybe a trading company to deal in bulk commodities?"

His proposal cast a sudden silence over the private room. Then, the eyes of the other three men, everyone except Wang Ren, lit up with excitement. Wang Ren obviously had a powerful family backing him and wasn’t short on funds for the time being, but he didn’t object. After all, no one would turn down more money.

"A trading company?"

Xiao Liang grew thoughtful. "East City is the main hub for external trade, with plenty of markets. The Public Security Office there oversees the entry and exit of bulk goods, like grain, basic medicinal herbs, and common metallic spirit materials. The profit margins on those aren’t outrageous, but demand is steady. If we deal in high volumes, the income could be substantial."

Wang Ren mused, "My Comprehensive Division coordinates the county’s industry and commerce. I have access to policies on industry access, license approvals, and tax breaks. If we operate legitimately and can secure a few perks, or get an early read on policy changes, we’ll have a head start."

As Yang Wenqing listened, his own mind was racing with calculations.

His position as the Deputy Head of the Major Case Team seemed unrelated to business, but it was far from it. He wielded the deterrent power of ’compliance reviews,’ which could provide a protective layer for their business. Furthermore, he could issue special permits to travel to the villages and towns of neighboring counties to procure goods.

The four of them dove deeper into the discussion, and the afternoon slipped away amidst the clinking of glasses and their enthusiastic planning. It was their day off before starting their new posts, so there was no need to watch the clock.

Finally, a preliminary plan began to take shape:

They decided to establish a trading company called the ’Four Seas Trading Company.’ The shares would be secretly and equally divided among the four of them, but on paper, they would be held by trusted family servants or distant relatives acting as proxies. They also clearly defined each person’s role.

Wang Jianchao would use his position as the chief of the Xiaoqiao Town Public Security Office, along with his potential future influence, to establish acquisition points and preliminary processing workshops in Xiaoqiao Town and its surrounding areas. He would be responsible for gathering local specialty goods, promoting the development of the local manor economy, and even considering a joint venture to build a large-scale Spirit Plant Manor.

Xiao Liang would leverage his role at the East City Public Security Office, using his knowledge of and oversight over the warehousing and transportation in East City’s commercial districts, to manage the company’s storage, coordinate logistics, and connect with external buyers.

Wang Ren would use his position in the Comprehensive Division to handle the trading company’s official licenses, paperwork, and tax matters. He would also leverage his network within the Civil Affairs Bureau, and if needed, could get the company into the procurement bidding for some small projects from the Civil Affairs Bureau and the City Defense Bureau.

Yang Wenqing, for his part, would provide critical access and security. He would issue the special permits allowing the trading company to travel to remote villages for bulk procurement, effectively bypassing local trade barriers and inspections. Furthermore, he would need to coordinate his Clan’s power to develop the Yang Family Village into a stable source of goods and a sales terminal.

"Wenqing, are there other places like your Yang Family Village? Reliable places?" Wang Jianchao asked. "If we can open up channels to a few more villages like that, our supply of goods will be much richer, and we can bring our costs down."

Yang Wenqing thought for a moment before replying, "The Yang family is a major Clan in Sanhe Town, and we have dealings with the Clans in several neighboring towns. When I get the chance, I can go back and discuss it with the clan elders."

The reason Wang Jianchao had only asked Yang Wenqing was simple. Among the other three, only Wang Ren came from a family of any standing; both Wang Jianchao and Xiao Liang had been commoners. However, while Wang Ren’s family was large, it couldn’t be leveraged for their purposes. Yang Wenqing was the complete opposite.