Xuanqing Guard

Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Infiltration

Every institutional body in the Jingjiu Dynasty has its own "fat or lean," but the brokerage is the "biggest slab of fat" among all the big slabs of fat.

No business makes money faster, easier, or in greater amounts than the business of trading people.

Though nothing breeds like mice and insects, humans have a high survival rate—throw them into the Barbaric Land and they’ll spawn a whole new horde of barbarians. Not to mention, the Barbarian Race’s fertility sometimes surpasses even the Human Race.

And the brokerage is the only place in the Jingjiu Dynasty that is officially permitted to trade people. If anyone else tries? That’s a crime punishable by decapitation and extermination of the Three Barbarian Races.

The most lucrative, the fastest money-maker, and at the same time a monopoly. You can imagine the brokerage’s status in the Jingjiu Dynasty. Describing it as "dripping with fat" isn’t an exaggeration.

Generally, every major city has a brokerage branch, and each hub city manages all branches in its jurisdiction.

For example, Fengri City’s brokerage actually has four branch offices under it.

As the newly appointed Master Zhu Shou of Fengri City’s brokerage, his status is self-explanatory. In an instant, he’s gone from "just some official in Fengri City" to a local bigwig that even people in the Imperial City lavish with praise—"the big shot of Fengri City."

Sometimes, money equals power, equals "network," equals "omnipotence."

Of course, this "omnipotence" has boundaries and depends on the person, but for most, Zhu Shou is someone who has hands everywhere.

Zhu Shou is a lech; the women around him change frequently. At home, in the Public Office, even in his carriage, he’s attended by different women, and fooling around with women is his direct motivation for Cultivation and strengthening his body.

But no one knows that beneath Zhu Shou’s ostentatious appearance as Master of the brokerage, there’s another layer of black robe—his position as Small Banner Officer of Xuanqing Guard’s Black Banner Battalion isn’t fake.

So previously, whenever Zhu Shou met Shen Hao, he’d always speak casually, at most with a hint of fear and wariness, but now he’s strictly proper, positioning himself firmly as "the subordinate."

Still, under normal circumstances Shen Hao wouldn’t come looking for him in person—the two rarely met.

But this time, Shen Hao sent an invitation via Wang Jian, wanting to discuss something face-to-face. They ultimately found a secret spot set up by Flying Dragon for their meeting.

"Zhu Shou greets you, lord." Zhu Shou always felt the young man before him was growing more imposing—not sure if it was what people called "official authority." Anyway, Zhu Shou, barely thirty and a Junior Fifth-Grade Official, had never met anyone like this.

"Mm, busy lately? Heard you spend your nights with two or three women, must be exhausting, huh." Shen Hao handed Zhu Shou a cup of tea with a joke. The private life of Master Zhu was no secret among the upper-tier of Fengri City. What people envied wasn’t the number of women, but what Cultivation Technique he practiced that made him so resilient?

Zhu Shou laughed, "You’re joking, lord. With your Cultivation, let alone two, three or four girls at night would be easy for you. But may I ask what business brings you to me today?"

"Anyone you know in the slave trading caravan?"

"Sure. The shopkeeper of the southern ’Hongli’ Trading Company is an old colleague of mine, and we’ve always gotten along well. He made sure that after I took office, their caravans prioritized sending the top-grade slaves to Fengri City.

By the way, those two fox race kids your household just acquired are new arrivals from Hongli Trading Company a few days ago—they just haven’t been broken in yet."

Shen Hao nodded; quite a coincidence.

"Oh? Lord Zhu, so you’re that close with Hongli Trading Company’s shopkeeper? Can you spill some details about them?"

Zhu Shou didn’t know what Shen Hao was trying to figure out, but he nodded and explained, "Hongli Trading Company is backed by one of the Five Great Imperial Merchants—the ’Blade’ Merchant—and also has connections funneling money from some Local Government Offices and Military, though I don’t know who exactly."

The Five Great Imperial Merchants are: Blade, Red, Flower, Tea, Stele.

That much Shen Hao knew. It’s said the Five Great Imperial Merchants were actually set up by five royal family members, but who exactly runs which merchant is disputed with no fixed answer.

What’s certain is that the Five Great Imperial Merchants have been around for hundreds of years, if not longer.

"Can you sneak someone in?"

"Huh? Lord, this..."

"Don’t worry, it’s not about investigating these slave traders. The Barbarians have been acting strange lately—I want a low-profile way to send someone over for a look."

"Isn’t that overkill? The slave caravans rotate in and out monthly, just ask them." Zhu Shou’s heart trembled, worried his superior had some wild scheme brewing.

"Needs to go further southeast."

Zhu Shou fell silent. The Barbarian Territory doesn’t have Teleportation Arrays. Places that far aren’t even considered by the slave caravans—cost too high, out of the question. Shen Hao clearly meant the regions untouched by the usual slave caravans.

"Well... Lord, to be honest, it’s a tough job."

"I know it’s a headache. But it’s got to be done. So, Lord Zhu, I need you to put your back into this."

Zhu Shou saw the stance and knew there was no way he’d worm out of this errand.

He stared down at his tea, face twisted, brows knit. He’s never been one to wrack his brains, especially not on these kinds of details. But ever since he’d started following Shen Hao, he’d been forced to ponder all sorts of minutiae—like sneaking spies into Minister Bai Changqing’s circle, and now this.

Shen Hao knew what Zhu Shou was thinking, and reminded him, "You can claim you want some unusual slaves—like those Red-eyed Wolf Race or Long-toothed Elephant Race."

"Didn’t the Long-toothed Elephant Race die out?"

"Die out? They’ve got way more people now than the officials in your brokerage—no way they’ve been wiped out. With those excuses, should be doable, right?"

Zhu Shou thought for a moment, then nodded, "It’s worth a try, but I can’t say for sure it’ll work."

"Have some faith in yourself. If you need money or manpower, come to me. Your only job is to use Hongli Trading Company’s route to send the person over and bring back the intel I need. I’ll send someone to coordinate specifics, but you need to start prepping immediately—I want confirmation before the end of this month, got it?"

"This urgent?!" Zhu Shou was confused.

"Xuanqing Guard business is never ’taken slowly,’ especially this intelligence work you’re touching now—always a matter of throwing everything at it, finishing fast. Better get used to it."

What could Zhu Shou say? He’d already enjoyed the perks; if not for Xuanqing Guard’s help, he’d never have gotten the Master’s seat in Fengri City’s brokerage. Now he was one of them, and the fact Shen Hao even bothered explaining this much showed remarkable patience.

"Fine, I’ll get on it right away. But I need the money and the people up front."

"You’ll have it. Wang Jian will be in touch."