Chapter 248: Shareholding (II)

The four people were pulled by Wang Yanzhang and headed straight south.

On the way, Niu Zhiqian and the other three had no idea what Wang Yanzhang and the others were up to and could only laugh dryly. They reluctantly followed the group out of Nanxun Gate and headed towards Xiao's villa in the gentle autumn breeze.

Since ancient times, all famous and big cities, especially those where capitals are located, have always been rich in the north and rich in the east, poor in the south and humble in the west.

This was vividly demonstrated in the two capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang, where the division between the city and the market was extremely strict during the Tang Dynasty. Now Chang'an has been burned down, but the pattern of Luoyang remains. You can see that the north and south cities of Luoyang are separated by the Luo River. The Purple Palace is located in the northwest Mangshan Mountain, so the entire north city market is mostly where dignitaries and government warehouses are located. The south facing the Luo River is more of a place for ordinary urban residents and economic activities. Even the south city across the Luo River is almost a slum, which is a world of difference.

Although Bianjing did not have a strict market system and the entire city was much smaller than Chang'an and Luoyang, it was still facing south, with the inner city in the north. The imperial city, various government offices, warehouses, military camps of guards and other important places were also located in the north city.

The outer city is located in the south, and is mostly inhabited by ordinary residents and sloppy streets and alleys. The layout is not sophisticated, and the government does not interfere much. The poor are indeed limited to the south city.

Therefore, people like Niu Zhiqian, descendants of military families, who usually indulge in debauchery, would not come to South City. It's not only because the quality level of South City is several levels lower than that of North City, but also because South City is a mixed crowd, with people from all walks of life, hooligans, gangs like the Cao Gang, the Xuanming Sect, etc. There are also many desperadoes hiding among them. It would be a shame to put on a show of arrogance here and be slaughtered by some random people passing by.

So as they watched Wang Yanzhang lead them all the way south, their faces turned ugly, and they had no expectations for the so-called "fighting show". Cuju was not something new, and they were tired of playing it. Xiao Yan, the outsider, might be a good fighter, but when it came to planning industries, he was probably just a novice.

With this in mind, although the four of them remained silent all the way, they were already somewhat indifferent in their hearts and just wanted to get away from Wang Yanzhang as quickly as possible.

But what was even more surprising was that the closer one got to the Xiao family's villa after walking for several miles from Nanxun Gate, the more lively it became, with a lot of people and noise.

The farmhands sitting nearby, the vendors in the nearby market, and the boatmen along the Cai River all seemed to have gathered here. Not only was there a surge of enthusiasm, but the occasional cheers were so loud that they shook the whole place.

Even at the gate of the manor, there were many luxurious carriages parked, and some servants and maids were carrying the items their masters needed from the carriages to the manor one by one.

It was not until they went inside that they suddenly understood.

This large manor named Xiao's Villa is actually twice the size of an ordinary wealthy family's villa. It has a wine shop, inn, bathhouse, restaurant... everything you can think of, and all of them are equipped with the wine flag of Anle Pavilion. It is clearly a complete and enlarged version of Anle Pavilion!
In other words, it is simply a holiday resort or tourist villa!
Niu Zhiqian and his four companions followed Wang Yanzhang and his companions inside. They were dazzled by the bluestone paths that passed through various buildings. There were flower beds on the side of the road, and even farmhands were planting trees. They were simply making the final additions and finishing touches to the manor that had not yet been fully expanded.

And on these small roads and main roads, there were groups of people coming and going from time to time, and judging from their appearance, many of them were actually imperial guards who were hanging out outside!
These people were either excited or frustrated, talking about guessing the ball, the odds, how the youth team had doubled their capital, etc. They were very excited.

The four of them were already confused, and subconsciously looked at Wang Yanzhang, but the latter just grinned.

You have to know that even for Cuju or sumo wrestling, although there are more or less crowds of people at every game and it looks crowded, in fact most people are just there to watch the fun. Only a few people actually place bets, and those who do place bets only have a little capital, which is just a way for the dealer to fill their teeth. Few people really take it seriously and forget about it after watching the fun. I am afraid they can't even tell who is playing Cuju.

But the men here, those crowding in an open area in the front, with their focused and gritting their teeth, how could they be watching Cuju?
Even if there was a young lady posing coquettishly there, she wouldn't look so obsessed!
……

Seeing that several people were already very interested in looking from afar along the way, and changed their silence on the road, and couldn't help but want to ask, Wang Yanzhang did not explain, but led the few people into the venue surrounded by thousands of people, and then arranged seats for them in the stands.

"Haha, brothers, please sit here and watch the next game."

He Guangtu, who was quite smart, looked around and saw that the stands that surrounded half of the stadium were not crowded, but almost full. The heat and the smell of sweat could not be stopped.

However, the owner of this place seemed to have thought of this a long time ago. He had built a private room made of bamboo and wood on a high place behind the stands. Although it has not been completely completed, it seems to be in use. There are many people walking up and down the stairs. It is obviously to provide shade and isolate the smell for some big customers.

He glanced around, his eyes suddenly narrowed, and then he tugged at the sleeve of Niu Zhiqian next to him: "Brother Niu, take a look, is that a palace servant from Prince Ying's mansion..."

"What King Ying?" Unexpectedly, Niu Zhiqian, who had just watched for half a quarter of an hour, did not turn his head. His eyes were only focused on the red and blue teams fighting in the field with great interest, and his face was excited: "Eat dog intestines, brother He, this fighting game is more interesting than the fucking Cuju! It's strange, how come there is no news at all?"

He Guangtu opened his mouth to speak, but after watching for a while, he was instantly immersed in it. He was too lazy to think about it and his eyes were fixed on the scene without moving.

Next to him, seeing that the four people had been attracted, Wang Yanzhang squinted and smiled, then nodded to Han Yanhui in the distance.

The latter chuckled while holding a fan, waved to call a bad guy, asked where Xiao Yan was, and then went up to the attic on the third or fourth floor.

……

The attic was very spacious, with rows of rooms with windows on both sides and extended platforms, just like an ordinary tavern, and it was obviously built at a high price. Not only were there drinks, but you could also have a panoramic view of the entire stadium, with a wide field of vision. There was even a special arrangement for placing ice cubes indoors for cooling, but now it was autumn, so it was not necessary.

In the No. 1 room, Xiao Yan was wearing a tattered shirt, with his hands lightly resting on the window, staring quietly at the two teams fighting below, his eyes deep and he was lost in thought without saying a word.

Behind the curtain behind him, Ji Ruxue, wearing a horse-faced long skirt, just sat there quietly.

Beside her was the gentle-looking Miao Chengtian, who was drinking tea, covering his mouth with his hand and telling a joke.

The girl is only a little over a month old, but she seems to have grown a lot. Her cold and aloof temperament has become even more extraordinary, but she has also become more calm. While talking to the person in front of her, she smiles from time to time and nods in agreement.

However, the person in front of her was not Miao Chengtian, but the so-called Princess Ying, Zhang Zhenniang. She brought palace maids with her, but they were all sent back to the outer room. That was why He Guangtu was able to recognize a few palace servants in the Ying Palace just now by chance at a glance.

At this moment, Zhang Zhenniang was giggling at Miao Chengtian's words. She looked quite pleased with herself, as if she was immersed in them and could not extricate herself.

"Mrs. Miao is truly a talented lady. If the steward of the palace had not been an old man who had followed me for many years, I would really like to invite Mrs. Miao to the palace..."

"And Miss Xue'er is also a real little beauty. She is so well-behaved even before she opens her face. I like her every time I see her. No wonder the Champion wants to keep her by his side at all times."

After saying that, she glanced at Xiao Yan outside the curtain and smiled, thinking that she was extremely charming: "I just don't know if the Champion Marquis would be willing to do me a favor if I ask for these two beauties."

Ji Ruxue's face was calm, but her heart was full of anger. If she hadn't received Miao Chengtian's instructions in advance and hadn't matured a lot, she would have shown her jealous mood on her face. Miao Chengtian covered his mouth and smiled. Just as he was about to excuse Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan's faint laughter came from behind: "The princess is a big shot. She can't get what she wants. Even in my market, the princess can take away anything she likes, but..."

He smiled and said, "I am a vulgar man. I don't like anything except money and beauty. I love Xue'er and Miao Niangzi so much. I can only say sorry for this."

Ji Ruxue was still a little shy in front of others. She covered her mouth and coughed awkwardly, then glanced at Xiao Yan out of the corner of her eye.

Even Miao Chengtian, who was usually gentle and generous, knew that Xiao Yan's words were just a polite remark, but she was subconsciously moved. Although she was still talking and laughing, her jade neck uncontrollably turned an imperceptible blush, so she could only pull her collar calmly.

Among the three girls, only Zhang Zhenniang felt jealous and annoyed, but she couldn't get angry, and there was no reason to get angry, so she could only laugh: "It's really not good to take someone's love away..."

Xiao Yan smiled casually, but heard someone knocking on the door outside. He just calmly asked Ji Ruxue and Miao Chengtian to accompany Zhang Zhenniang, and then said goodbye and left.

------

The one waiting outside the door was naturally Han Yanhui. Wang Yanzhang and Yu Zhong were all watching the game below with those sons of military families.

"Mr. Han, what do you think?"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly as he led Han Yanhui into another room and personally made a cup of tea for the latter.

"Thank you, my lord." The two had known each other for more than a year. Han Yanhui was not polite. He just smiled and took the tea. He sat on the platform outside with Xiao Yan to watch the game and said, "My lord, this plan is feasible. The family backgrounds of these four people in the Imperial Guards are connected. They already have a foundation in the Imperial Guards. Even the Emperor of Hell cannot easily move them. Moreover, these four people are indeed not valued in their families. If the lord promises them so much, he is not afraid that they will not be motivated."

Han Yanhui held the teacup and smiled slowly: "When the time comes, these four young masters with great ambitions but little talent will end up like this. As long as they can gain great benefits, I am afraid that even if their families interfere, they will definitely not be willing to give up easily. Not to mention the families of these four people, just the dispatch of the four people in the imperial army is indeed worth giving up, not to mention that if these four young masters gain great benefits, their families behind them will have to pinch their noses and have interests involved with the lord...

From the perspective of my subordinates, as long as the Lord manages this football market properly, it is possible to earn millions of Guan every year. With such huge profits, they will bite their teeth and get on board."

Xiao Yan laughed calmly.

The reason for inviting these four, who could almost be called the dandies of the imperial court, was certainly not because of their talents. They did not have any talents worthy of esteem. The purpose was simply to use them to pry open the several imperial guards behind them.

Xiao Yan had specially investigated Niu Zhiqian and the other four. These people had great ambitions but little talent, and they had done nothing. They were well-known figures in the outside world, but they had no say in their own families. In this situation, of course, they felt a little aggrieved.

After all, even if they are playboys, they want to have their own say at home. This can be seen from the fact that they were assigned to serve in the imperial guards. Otherwise, they would really become useless.

But they themselves have no ability, so how can they have a say? They are all around 30 years old, but they can only endure the scolding of their elders and the ridicule of their brothers.

At this time, if Xiao Yan stood up and allowed them to bring hundreds of thousands of guan of benefits to their families every year with their own abilities, how could they not be happy? How could they not stand up straight and speak at home from then on? At that time, whether these people would still listen to the words of their elders was not something they could know at the moment.

After all, it’s impossible for the dignified champion Hou Xiaoyan to harm them for no reason, right?

Xiao Yan's goal was to make these generals have a strong interest in his own interests. In the past, these people wanted to win over the Guide Army and let the Guide Army do as they pleased, but now it's the other way around. Xiao Yan wants them to have to protect the interests of the Guide Army before they can get their own benefits.

After dragging these generals to their doom, no matter how capable the Ghost King or the Underworld Emperor were, they would not dare to easily touch this huge group in a short period of time. After all, the Imperial Guards were the backbone of the entire Daliang's control of the situation. Even Zhu Wen could not move lightly, and he even had to hold his nose and spend most of the country's finances every year to support and maintain this group.

"Daliang..."

Xiao Yan crossed his legs and leaned back on the recliner specially built on this platform, smiling expressionlessly: "This prosperous situation looks like a raging fire, flowers blooming, and there seems to be a trend of unifying the world. However, it is just a golden and jade appearance, with rotten cotton inside. The emperor seems to be able to rely on his prestige to rule the world, but he is old and confused, unable to suppress the party struggles in the court, and has to use his adopted son to check and balance his biological son, but he still fails at the last moment, and he is completely unaware.

The imperial guards are intricately connected, either because the Dark Emperor has interfered, or because the generals do not know who to be loyal to. The Dark Emperor appears to be weak on the surface, but it is just a false illusion to paralyze Zhu Wen and secretly manipulate officials so that those who know the truth dare not speak out. The court has become so corrupt. The old generals have died, and there is no successor. How ridiculous is it for a Li Yazi to claim to be invincible in Hedong?"

Han Yanhui put down his teacup, clasped his hands and listened respectfully.

Xiao Yan chuckled and said, "Daliang is in decline, and all it needs is a major defeat. A few idiots are fighting among themselves, so how can Jin not take advantage of this?"

Han Yanhui stroked his beard and nodded, agreeing deeply with it.

In fact, if it weren't for Xiao Yan, even if Zhu Wen had made up his mind to attack Qi or advance north to Hebei last year, he would have failed. Even in the original historical process, Jin and Liang would have fought a fierce battle in Hebei Boxiang a year later in order to compete for the Heshuo area.

In that battle, Daliang's guards and personal troops were all mobilized, almost the entire country's strength, but they were defeated by Li Cunxu in one battle and the elite imperial guards were also wiped out. As a result, the country was severely damaged and had to abandon the entire area north of Weizhou, which led to a direct reversal of the situation between Liang and Jin, with Jin becoming strong and Liang weak.

In the second year after the Battle of Boxiang, Zhu Wen died at the hands of Emperor Ming, which meant that he lost all his dignity.

Internal strife has always been the backbone of the collapse of the dam.

However, this time, it is still unknown who will win.

Xiao Yanxu pondered for a long time, then stood up, holding the jade belt given by the empress around his waist. He looked at the entire court with indifference in his eyes and expressionless on his face.

Starting from this small football market, within two years, the foundation of this big beam will be in his hands.

He had no intention of fighting for the so-called, boring, inexplicable destiny.

But he can bring destiny.

(End of this chapter)