At Xu o'clock the next day, Jiang Beiran was cooking braised pork ribs on the hillside. He looked up and saw Luo Wenzhou coming to him, saluting and shouting.
"Master, my disciple is back."
Nodding, Jiang Beiran asked: "Have you eaten?"
"have eaten."
"How was the investigation?"
Hearing this, Luo Wenzhou cupped his hands and replied, "Disciple learned that there are four relatively large family forces in Jiyuan Town."
Nodding, Jiang Beiran stood up and said, "Let's go and talk inside."
Sitting in the temporary large tent, Luo Wenzhou spread a piece of paper on the wooden table and said: "Sipan County has a total of eighteen counties. Jiyuan Town is within the jurisdiction of Yunan County and is located in the entire Sipan County.
The central area is connected in all directions and has a prosperous economy. It is known as the Sipan thoroughfare."
"Jiyuan Town has a total population of about 180,000. For such a large town, there are quite a lot of big families entrenched here. Among them, the most famous are four big families. Master, the Ye family you want me to check is one of them. Ranking
third."
Jiang Beiran couldn't help but raise his eyebrows after hearing this.
‘Only third?’
He thought he could have a relationship with Lu Yinlong. He was the kind of person who would rule the roost in a mere town, but who knew he was just a mistress...
'The water in Jiyuan Town is really deep...'
He picked up Shi Zhouchun from the table and poured himself a glass.
Seeing the master extending the wine bottle towards him, Luo Wenzhou quickly picked up a cup with both hands and caught it.
After filling up the wine glass in Luo Wenzhou's hand, Jiang Beiran smiled and said, "Try it."
Making a toast gesture towards his master, Luo Wenzhou drank the Shizhouchun in the cup in one gulp.
"Master's wine is always so unique. This taste...is it made from millet and sorghum?"
"Hahaha, your tongue is still so sharp. How do you like the taste?"
"It's soft in the mouth, sweet in the mouth, and has a lingering aroma after drinking. It's very similar to the Fenjiu you gave me last time."
"Yes, let's have another drink." Jiang Beiran was just about to get the jug when Luo Wenzhou grabbed it first and said, "I should be the one to toast Master."
"That's fine." Jiang Beiran said and drank all the Shizhouchun in the cup.
Seeing the smile on his senior brother's face, Wu Qingce silently wrote this down in his mind.
'It turns out that senior brother likes to be praised like this. No wonder senior brother only stared at me when I said it was delicious.
After having two drinks with Luo Wenzhou, Jiang Beiran breathed out a breath of alcohol and said, "Tell me about all the four major families in Jiyuan Town."
"Yes." Luo Wenzhou, who sat up straight again, replied: "The largest family in Jiyuan Town is the Hong family. The family is attached to the largest sect in Sipan County, the Sifang Sect. But how close is the relationship between the Hong family and the Sifang Sect?
The disciple has not inquired about the Tao yet."
'Sifang Sect...'
In this world without the Internet, even Jiang Beiran, the demon sect in Fengzhou, doesn't know everything, let alone Lanzhou, which he has never been to.
However, Luo Wenzhou quickly continued: "This Sifang Sect is the largest righteous sect in Sipan County. Its leader is a powerful man in the Xuanhuang Realm. Its sphere of influence covers three counties including Sipan County."
'As expected, we are brothers in distress...'
Both are the territory of the Sheng Kingdom, and the overall strength of the Lanzhou Middle Sect is not much different from that of Fengzhou. The sect with Emperor Xuan in charge has already been called the top sect and is the absolute leader.
'The second largest family in Jiyuan Town is the Shao family, and the force behind it is the Full Moon Sect, which is the largest demon sect in Sipan County, but...'
"But what?"
"The Full Moon Sect seems to be very popular among local people, and some people even take the initiative to send their children to become believers."
'It seems that the Demon Cult here... doesn't play by the rules.'
"Well, the leader of the Full Moon Sect is also a Xuan Emperor?"
"Yes." Luo Wenzhou nodded, "But although the Full Moon Sect is entrenched in Sipan County like the Sifang Sect, it doesn't seem to have had much conflict. The same is true for the Hong family and the Shao family. They have their own jurisdictions.
The scope and division are very clear.”
"Next is the Ye family. The Ye family is not attached to any sect, but the head of the family is a powerful man at the Xuanwang level, so he still has some say in Jiyuan Town."
'I see……'
Hearing the word Xuan Wang, Jiang Beiran suddenly understood why the relationship between Lu Yinlong and the Ye family had weakened, and their strengths were no longer equal. This is realistic enough...
But if you think about it carefully, a family with a declining family is indeed very consistent with the protagonist's origin.
"The last big family is the Liu family. It is not attached to any sect and has no power behind it. The reason why it is ranked high is because the second daughter of the head of the Liu family married into the palace and became a relative of the emperor.
"
"Oh ~ the emperor's father-in-law." Jiang Beiran nodded understandingly.
But it's quite sad to think about it. As the emperor's father-in-law, logically speaking, he should be able to walk sideways in Jiyuan Town, but in the end, he can only be ranked fourth.
'It's no wonder that the emperor has his own thoughts. It's too miserable. Anyone who is a cultivator doesn't take him seriously at all.'
"Very good, so have you heard about the current situation of the Ye family?"
"I've heard some information. The Ye family has not been doing too well recently. The whole town is spreading rumors..." After Luo Wenzhou finished speaking, he glanced at Jiang Beiran before continuing: "Everyone is spreading rumors that their engagement was annulled by the Gui Xin Sect.
, it can be said that it has become a laughing stock.”
‘Passed so fast!?’
Jiang Beiran couldn't help but be stunned after hearing this. The Ye family would definitely not tell anyone about breaking off the engagement. As far as Jiang Beiran knew about Gui Xin Sect, Lu Qingyin came back after making the three-year agreement. It should be
It was impossible to talk about it everywhere, so why did everyone know about it so quickly?
Wu Qingce, who was behind Jiang Beiran, was stunned for a moment when he heard the words "Gui Xin Sect". At the same time, he also understood why his senior brother suddenly came to Lanzhou.
'Senior brother, are you here to break off the engagement? But why...'
Jiang Beiran, who felt that someone was causing trouble, continued to ask: "Is there anything else?"
"Others... I haven't heard much about it yet."
"Okay, then I will give you two more days to get to know the members of the Ye family, especially Ye Fan, who was annulled, and find out what he has been doing recently."
"Yes." After Luo Wenzhou said this, he left the tent.
'It's vigorous and resolute, not bad, not bad.'
Filling himself another glass of wine, Jiang Beiran looked at Wu Qingce and said, "Are you wondering why I came here to break off the engagement?"
"Yes." Wu Qingce replied honestly.
"Have you figured out anything?"
"This...I can't guess, but I know that senior brother must have come here for an important reason."
Standing up and knocking Wu Qingce's forehead hard, Jiang Beiran sighed: "After following me for so long, I have learned nothing else but this kind of nonsense that is said but not said. I will give you a night to think about it. I will listen to you tomorrow.
answer."
"Ah? I..." Wu Qingce was about to say that he couldn't do it, when he saw his senior brother's sharp eyes, "Yes! I will definitely figure it out."
Nodding with satisfaction, Jiang Beiran walked out of the tent and looked at Jiyuan Town under the hillside, thinking about the next steps.
At this moment, in Jiyuan Town, Gu Qinghuan, who had been observing for a day, found that the inn business was the best in this well-connected town, so after careful selection, he came to a crowded inn.
"Objective! Do you want to stay in the hotel or stay in the hotel? Our inn has the best Qingchun wine in the town. I guarantee you will want to drink it again after drinking it once!"
Smiling towards the waiter, Lu Qinghuan raised his head and glanced at the sign hanging in front of the restaurant.
The so-called recruiting flag, also known as the wine flag, has a main function similar to the star rating of a star-rated hotel.
Generally, the store name will be written on the sign, and it may be hung above the store, hung in front of the roof, or simply set up a separate lookout pole. Anyway, the purpose is to be conspicuous.
This Chunlai Inn has another lookout pole, but there is not just one flag hanging on it, but five wine flags, which means it is a "five-star" inn.
Generally speaking, an inn with one flag is a snack bar, an inn with two flags is a more formal restaurant with a menu, and the specifications can be raised at once, and an inn with three flags is an inn where you can stay in addition to eating.
The four flags come with a bathhouse, where there are dedicated people to help you take a bath.
As for the five highest flags, it means that everything in it is of the highest standard. It can be said that there is nothing he can't do except what you can't think of.
Such a high-end inn, but the business was so poor. Gu Qinghuan, knowing that he had found his goal, slowly walked in under the guidance of the waiter.
After walking into the inn and looking at the menu handed over by the waiter, Lu Qinghuan said without even looking at it: "Bring over your most expensive wine and dishes."
After hearing this, the waiter was immediately shocked and bowed repeatedly: "Okay, please wait a moment!"
After a while, all kinds of good wine and food were served on Gu Qinghuan's table.
"Master, it's all here, you can use it as you please." The waiter said and stepped aside.
After Gu Qinghuan poured himself a few drinks, he saw a middle-aged man in a black mandarin walking towards him, with an attentive smile on his face.
"A distinguished guest is coming to your door, but you are welcome from afar. I am the manager of this inn, and my surname is Luo."
"It turns out to be shopkeeper Luo. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you." Gu Qinghuan said with cupped hands.
After returning the gift to Gu Qinghuan, shopkeeper Luo picked up the wine glass and said, "Thank you for coming, I would like to propose a toast to you."
After finishing speaking, he drank all the wine in the glass. Seeing that Gu Qinghuan had no intention of driving him away, shopkeeper Luo said more urgently: "Guest, are you the first time you have come back to our inn?"
"Well, your inn looks good."
"Guest, you are very discerning. I have spent a lot of money to renovate my store inside and out. If you are interested in it later, I will show you around."
Picking up a piece of roast goose and putting it into his mouth, Gu Qing said with a smile: "The shopkeeper is so enthusiastic, but you need my help with anything."
"Hi, as a guest, shouldn't I be warm to you? I don't have anything to ask you for help. I just want you to be satisfied with your guests. I will bring more friends next time. I promise to entertain you well.
, so if you feel something is missing from the key, just ask!”
Seeing that things were developing as he expected, Gu Qinghuan put down his chopsticks and said, "Shopkeeper Luo, is he short of business?"
Seeing that Gu Qinghua spoke so directly, Shopkeeper Luo no longer restrained himself and said directly: "It's too short. As you can see, our guests, I really spent a lot of money to decorate this store. I thought that Jiyuan Town would go south and north."
There are so many wealthy businessmen here, there will always be people who want to live better, who knows... Well, as you can see, my business is really going to run out of business."
After hearing this, Gu Qinghuan laughed and said, "I can help you with this, but you have to agree to a condition."
"Guest, if you really have a way to improve the business of the small shop, don't mention one condition, but a hundred."
"Okay." Gu Qinghuan nodded, took out a cloth bag from his arms and placed it on the table, "Boss, your idea is very good, but I have already seen it. There are inns in this town that are better decorated than yours.
Quite a few homes.”
"Yes..." Shopkeeper Luo nodded, "And some of them are time-honored. I thought that their business was so good, but they often couldn't book a private room at night, so I thought of opening another one to recruit those who couldn't get in.
The guests come to my place."
"Then have you ever wondered why they would rather queue up in those inns than come to you?"
"Here... I ask for your advice, my guest." Shopkeeper Luo cupped his hands towards Lu Qinghuan.
"That's because those inns have become a symbol of status. Only by going to those inns to eat can wealthy businessmen reflect their nobility. So if you want to attract customers from those inns to come here, you must use some strange tricks."
Hearing what Gu Qinghuan said so clearly and eloquently, the boss knew that he really had met an expert, so he quickly bowed to the end and said, "Please teach me, sir."
Nodding, Gu Qinghuan pointed to the baggage he just took out and said: "There are fifty seeds of red flame grass in it. This is a strange flower. When it grows, it will beat like a flame and can be refined into a second-grade elixir.
.”
"Second-grade elixir!" Shopkeeper Luo's eyes widened when he heard this. Although he is just an ordinary person, he has heard a lot about cultivators, and this elixir is one of them. The legendary second-grade elixir
The medicine was enough for the mysterious person to fight for it. He had never even thought about a treasure of this level.
‘Guest, who are you…’
"Don't worry about this. I see there is an open space next to your inn. Is that yours?"
"Hey! It's mine, it's mine. I thought if the business was good, I would build a separate restaurant next to it...who knows."
"Well, then I will plant a Red Flame Grass in the open space tomorrow. You can send someone to spread the word, just say it is next to our store."
"Okay, I understand." Shopkeeper Luo nodded quickly.
"When you have invited the customers, you tell them that there is an open space next to our store specifically for planting red fire grass for customers. You can leave a wooden sign in front of the red fire grass, and the customer's name and the date of planting will be engraved on it. And this red fire grass
The price of flame grass... can be set as high as possible."
Shopkeeper Luo understood Gu Qinghuan's intention as soon as he heard this. The best thing about these wealthy businessmen is their face. Rare things like Red Flame Grass are definitely worth their money, and the trick of writing their names in front is simply amazing! Doesn't that mean it's the same as any wealthy businessman?
If you don’t come to plant grass, you will lose face!