138: Chapter 0138 Fellow Disciples

After knocking for a while, the Old Butler immediately came out to greet him.

"Oh, it is Official Luo Wenfeng? What brings you here..."

Official Luo Wenfeng was courteous, "I have come to see Lin Xiao."

"This... our General is currently eating." The Old Butler looked somewhat troubled.

"Eating? It is already past noon, and he is still not finished?"

"You may not know this, but we have several distinguished guests today, so the meal is proceeding a bit slowly," the Old Butler said.

Official Luo Wenfeng felt somewhat dejected. What kind of guests could be more important than their delegation from Prince Qing?

They had been here for so many days, and they had never been invited to a single meal!

He had thought the Zhenbei Army was just frugal, but now it seemed they simply did not value them enough!

Absurd!

"Since that is the case, I, Luo, shall return later..."

"Please take care, Official!"

The Old Butler did not try to keep him.

Upon hearing this, Official Luo Wenfeng felt even more uncomfortable, but he could not vent his frustration.

After returning to the inn, Official Luo Wenfeng felt that something was increasingly amiss the more he thought about it.

He hurriedly summoned a capable guard from his entourage and told him to go and find out who the Generals Mansion was hosting.

An hour later, the guard returned and revealed a piece of news that shocked Official Luo Wenfeng—

The guest at the Generals Mansion today was Diplomat Zhong Lang, a capable subordinate of the Western Qiang King!

"Diplomat Zhong Lang? It is him?!"

As a staff member for Prince Qing of the Western Border, Official Luo Wenfeng was all too familiar with that name!

"How could Lin Xiao end up with a Western Qiang official?"

Official Luo Wenfeng's expression turned grave. The direction this situation was taking made him feel that his previous assumptions might have all been wrong!

He did not even dare to tell the others in the delegation, otherwise, there would surely be panic.

After all, the Western Qiang invaded the borders of Liang Province every year and had clashed with the Qing Kings Army many times.

Logically speaking, how could Lin Xiao, a general who fought against the Northern Barbarians, be drinking and eating meat with the Western Qiang?

Isn't this a betrayal of the Great Gan!?

"No... precisely because he has to oppose Prince Bai and guard against the Northern Barbarians, he... must be on good terms with the Western Qiang even more!"

"If Lin Xiao wants to survive, he needs allies both inside and outside the Great Gan!"

Upon realizing this, Official Luo Wenfeng slapped his forehead in annoyance!

"How could I have overlooked that he also faces pressure from the Northern Barbarians!?"

"Since he has formed ties with the Western Qiang, naturally he would not dare to get too close to Prince Qing easily..."

"No wonder he has been delaying his decision these days; it turns out he was concerned about the Western Qiang?"

Official Luo Wenfeng was very satisfied with his "major discovery," which finally unraveled the mystery of the past few days.

He immediately summoned the members of the delegation and recounted his findings and speculations.

When the officials and wealthy merchants of the delegation heard this, they all wore bitter expressions.

"Official Luo Wenfeng, Prince Qing detests the Western Qiang deeply. What are we to do?"

"This Lin Xiao is truly formidable. How did he manage to hook up with the Western Qiang? The rise of the Zhenbei Army has only been a few months!"

"Not to mention, the westernmost part of Baishui Prefecture does indeed share a small border with the Western Qiang. They have likely opened up a trade route!"

"What are we to do? Even that Diplomat Zhong Lang is an honored guest of Lin Xiao; the Zhenbei Army must be deeply tied to the Western Qiang!"

"Prince Qing hates the Western Qiang the most. If we partner with Lin Xiao behind his back, we will be beheaded when we return..."

The group spoke one after another, full of regret, but their eyes intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Official Luo Wenfeng.

How could Official Luo Wenfeng not understand that these people were pressuring him!

Over the past few days in Baishui Prefecture, they had seen too many good things.

Public toilets, flush toilets, hot spring floor heating, heated brick beds... these things were unheard of and incredibly comfortable!

The common people of Baishui and Wu Mountain could place an order with "Northern Trade Alliance" whenever they had a need and hire a professional team to perform construction at their homes.

Buying all kinds of building materials at once, adopting what they called "one-stop service"!

If this model could be introduced to the Western Border, it would be just as profitable!

The goods sold by the Northern Trade Alliance were also selling like hotcakes!

In addition to soap and honeycomb coal, there was also the newly released Snow Skin Cream, which had gone crazy among the women.

It was said that many more products would be released one after another, and E Prefecture and Yu Prefecture in the Northern Border were already making contact.

These Northern Border nobles would rather offend Prince Bai than miss out on making money with the Northern Trade Alliance, which showed just how lucrative the profits were!

"It seems that even if I, Luo, object, you have already planned to make contact with the Northern Trade Alliance in private, haven't you?"

Official Luo Wenfeng smiled helplessly.

The representatives of several merchant firms smiled embarrassedly and did not dare to answer directly.

"Official Luo Wenfeng, if commerce prospers, tax revenue will naturally be high. Why would Prince Qing go against money?"

"We also want the people of the Western Border to have a warm winter. The Western Border is not wealthy to begin with, and the people are in dire need of cheap honeycomb coal..."

Official Luo Wenfeng sighed and remained silent for a while before saying: "It seems... I must go and see someone."

The members of the delegation looked at each other, guessing who Official Luo Wenfeng intended to see.

However, considering that Official Luo Wenfeng was a famous scholar of the Great Gan, the person he was meeting must have an extraordinary status...

That night.

Inside the residence of the Registrar of Baishui Prefecture.

The fat man Su Chang and the suddenly visiting Official Luo Wenfeng stared at each other.

"Senior Brother Luo, this is not in accordance with the rules of the Academy, is it?"

Su Chang curled his lips and said: "I am from the 'back door,' and you are from the 'front door.' We are one in the shadows and one in the light. You want me to help?"

"Junior Brother, this matter has nothing to do with the Academy; it is purely a matter of your private connections."

Official Luo Wenfeng said triumphantly: "I heard that your daughter... is a favorite of Lin Xiao. The vast Northern Trade Alliance is all managed by her."

Su Chang awkwardly wiped his nose: "Sigh, don't mention it. A daughter grown up is not meant to be kept; I cannot control her... She insists on being a concubine for someone."

"You cannot say it like that. The fact that your daughter can hold such power shows her status in the Lin Xiao's residence. This is not a treatment that an ordinary woman can have!"

Official Luo Wenfeng flattered him: "Junior Brother Su has raised a good daughter; I am envious!"

Su Chang sighed: "Since Senior Brother has spoken to this extent... I will talk to Su Wansha tomorrow and ask her to persuade Lin Xiao."

"Then many thanks, Junior Brother Su. If you can help Lin Xiao make up his mind to trade with the Western Border, I, your senior brother, will owe you a huge favor!" Official Luo Wenfeng cupped his hands.

"Senior Brother, you are too polite. I can only say... I will do my best!"

"That is enough..."

The two chatted about some interesting things from their time at the Academy, and then Su Chang saw him out.

When he returned to the study, Su Wansha was already waiting in the room, looking at him with a smile.

"Father, how was it? Was it as my husband predicted?"

Su Chang looked incredulous: "It's weird... How did Lin Xiao know that Official Luo Wenfeng was an inner disciple of the Academy? The world thinks he is a student of the Imperial Academy."

"I am not clear about that, but my husband has always had a keen eye. He must have seen details we didn't discover!"

Su Wansha looked proud and said with a smile: "Next, I have to trouble Father to go and 'tip off' Official Luo Wenfeng."

"Sigh... what a disaster."

Su Chang shook his head and smiled bitterly: "For the sake of you girl, I have really boarded your Lin Xiao's pirate ship..."