139: Chapter 139

Listening to Pei Qingyun's analysis, Cui Ruiyuan's expression became extremely unsightly.

Without a Grandmaster, the predicament the Cui Clan faced was even more severe than he had imagined.

Initially, he thought that as long as Pei Qingyun made an appearance to break the alliance between the two families, the Cui Clan's crisis could be temporarily averted.

Now, it seemed that was simply impossible.

At this moment, he couldn't help but doubt whether this third-party force was actually the Gale Pirates.

In fact, the reason Cui Ruiyuan believed it wasn't the Gale Pirates wasn't just because of the passage fees.

As the head of the Cui Clan, he naturally wouldn't be so naive as to think the Gale Pirates would keep their word.

Within the Gale Pirates, the Cui Clan had actually planted a mole, and this mole was different from a typical inside agent.

He was the Seventh Leader of the Gale Pirates.

It was precisely because of this Seventh Leader's existence that Cui Ruiyuan spoke this way.

This was a secret belonging to the Cui Clan; naturally, he couldn't speak of it casually.

The reason he came to seek help from Pei Qingyun was, first, because he didn't believe the Cui Clan's crisis was this serious; second, because of Pei Qingyun's strength as a Grandmaster; and third, because the Wuyang Pei Clan was located in Jinhuai Prefecture, far from Heyuan Prefecture.

If the Wuyang Pei Clan wanted to extend their reach into Heyuan Prefecture, the local forces there wouldn't allow it.

After all, the fat meat that was the Cui Clan was too tempting.

If the plea for help failed and instead invited a wolf into the house, wouldn't he regret it beyond measure?

It could be said that if the Wuyang Pei Clan failed to meet even a single requirement, Cui Ruiyuan wouldn't have come here.

If it wasn't the Gale Pirates, he really couldn't think of any other force involved.

Among the forces in Deep Water Harbor, besides these three, the strongest others were only ordinary third-rate families.

Families of that level would never dare to cross the Cui Clan. Could it be a force from outside Deep Water Harbor?

But if it was the Gale Pirates, it meant...

Thinking of the consequences, cold sweat broke out on Cui Ruiyuan's forehead.

With a face full of sincerity, Cui Ruiyuan asked respectfully, "Grandmaster Pei's words are like a sudden enlightenment. I didn't consider this matter thoroughly. However, Grandmaster Pei, is there a way to resolve this?"

Pei Qingyun just gave Cui Ruiyuan a deep look and didn't elaborate further. "There is naturally a way to resolve it. It's even possible to settle it once and for all. It just depends on whether Head Cui has the determination."

He left it at that.

Pei Qingyun believed Cui Ruiyuan was a smart man.

Given the relationship between the two families, calling it an in-law relationship was the nice way to put it. To put it bluntly, the two families only had one direct lineage intermarriage.

Between them, there was no entanglement of interests.

Since they weren't a community of shared interests, it was naturally impossible to expect Pei Qingyun to take action for free.

Trying to get something for nothing, and from a Grandmaster at that.

Not even in dreams would there be such a beautiful fantasy.

If Cui Ruiyuan couldn't even see this clearly, then he could only see him out.

It would serve the Cui Clan right to decline under Cui Ruiyuan's hands.

Fortunately, Pei Qingyun hadn't misjudged him.

In the next moment, the expression on Cui Ruiyuan's face became serious. He looked Pei Qingyun straight in the eye and said with utmost sincerity, "Grandmaster Pei, please feel free to state any requirements you have. As long as it can free my Cui Clan from this predicament, I will do my absolute best to fulfill them."

Pei Qingyun smiled and held up two fingers. "I want twenty percent of the future annual revenue from Deep Water Harbor."

Hearing this, Cui Ruiyuan's expression instantly froze.

He had expected Pei Qingyun's demands wouldn't be low, even if it were several hundred thousand taels of silver. As long as it got them out of the current mess, he would have grit his teeth and agreed.

Twenty percent of future annual revenue completely exceeded his imagination.

In his view, this was an outrageous demand.

He never expected Pei Qingyun's appetite to be so large.

Twenty percent of future revenue would be at least two hundred thousand taels a year. If calculated over ten years, it would be a staggering figure.

Not to mention, given the Pei Clan's current development trend, they wouldn't decline for at least thirty years.

By then, it would be impossible for his Cui Clan to default on the debt.

Thirty years would be six million taels.

Even if he could agree, the Elders of the Cui Clan wouldn't possibly agree.

After all, he was only the head of the Cui Clan, not its Grandmaster.

A decision that so clearly damaged the Cui Clan's interests...

He couldn't make it a one-man rule.

But he couldn't criticize Pei Qingyun to his face, so he could only say tactfully, "Grandmaster Pei, could you perhaps change the condition? I, Cui Ruiyuan, am sincerely asking for your help."

"Head Cui might think my condition is a bit harsh, or even think I'm taking advantage of your misfortune. Has Head Cui ever thought that since I proposed this condition, I naturally have my considerations? There's no need for Head Cui to rush to answer me."

"After you return to Heyuan Prefecture and think it over, then give me an answer." After saying this, Pei Qingyun gave a signaling look to Pei Tianrong nearby.

Pei Tianrong immediately understood; this was a gesture to see the guest out.

Without waiting for Cui Ruiyuan to speak, Pei Tianrong found a random excuse and escorted Cui Ruiyuan out of the ancestral house.

After seeing Cui Ruiyuan off, Pei Tianrong returned to the ancestral house.

In fact, he didn't quite understand Pei Qingyun's approach either.

Pei Qingyun's condition was purely taking advantage of someone in trouble.

Unless pushed to a dead end, if someone were to propose this condition to the Pei Clan, he wouldn't agree to it either.

In his view, it would have been enough to just squeeze a lump sum out of the Cui Clan.

Pei Tianrong asked, "Old Ancestor, do you think the Cui Clan will agree to your condition?"

"No, the Cui Clan hasn't reached a dead end yet." Pei Qingyun smiled and didn't explain.

Pei Tianrong was puzzled. "Since the Cui Clan won't agree, then why did you propose this condition? Could it be that you don't want to get involved in this mess and said it on purpose?"

Pei Qingyun said, "Of course not. Tianrong, how do you think the Cui Clan's predicament should be solved?"

Hearing this, Pei Tianrong was actually a bit stumped.

If it were in the territory of Wuyang City and a force dared to defy the Pei Clan, there would naturally be ten thousand ways to handle it.

But in Heyuan Prefecture, setting aside whether Pei Qingyun could do it, even if he could, he wouldn't do it that way.

Arbitrarily wiping out a Great Family from another prefecture is something even second-rate families wouldn't dare to do.

Otherwise, wouldn't the Great Jing Dynasty be in total chaos?

Not to mention, the Cui Clan hasn't even found the mastermind behind the scenes.

Their words to him were all vague and evasive.

Without sufficient benefits, Pei Qingyun didn't want to spend too much effort on this.

Besides, he also intended to have a hand in the port.

...

After leaving the ancestral house, Cui Ruiyuan returned to his lodgings, his mind in a chaotic mess.

The reason the Cui Clan had a gap between generations of Grandmasters wasn't that there was no one in the Cui Clan with the talent to advance to Grandmaster.

It was because the last Grandmaster of the Cui Clan had a relapse of an old injury and died too early.

In another five to ten years, the Cui Clan was confident they could produce a new Grandmaster.

But would the other Great Families and the forces coveting the Cui Clan give them that much time?