130: Discussing with Jiang Qingwan

That was the Head of the Wang Family's Third Madam, Jiang Qingwan; when she was introduced at the banquet a few days ago, he had even shared a drink with her.

At this moment.

She held a document in her arms, her posture light and graceful. The silver hairpin at her temple trembled slightly with her steps, much like the reeds swaying in the wind by the banks of the Northern Frontier river, exuding a unique charm.

As this elegant and moving silhouette slowly disappeared at the end of the corridor, Situ Jun finally withdrew his puzzled gaze, though he wondered to himself: why had this Third Madam appeared at this time?

As the night deepened and all sounds fell silent, the entire Northern Frontier City Lords Mansion was immersed in tranquility.

Situ Jun was reviewing documents in his study when the candlelight on the desk suddenly flickered violently, as if stirred by an invisible wind.

He instinctively looked up and saw Jiang Qingwan standing gracefully at the door. The soft moonlight bathed her, outlining a hazy silhouette that made her look like a Fairy descending to the mortal world.

"Lord City Lord, my Wang Family intends to open a Spirit Stone Exchange Chamber in the south of the city. Sister Su asked me to come to you, hoping that Lord City Lord could grant us this convenience."

Her voice was soft and melodious, like the song of a Nightingale, breaking the silence of the night.

She gently placed the document on the desk. Her sleeve brushed past the candlestick, and a faint scent of Agarwood mixed with the aroma of ink wafted into Situ Jun's nose, making him feel refreshed.

Jiang Qingwan's appearance was exquisitely beautiful, like a blooming flower in spring, vivid and charming yet not lacking in elegance and nobility.

Her figure was graceful, and every movement exuded elegance and confidence. Especially when she lightly brushed back her long hair and gave Situ Jun a faint smile, it was as if the whole world instantly brightened, making it impossible to look away.

Situ Jun withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, smiled slightly, and said warmly:

"Please have a seat, Madam. It is truly admirable that you are still working so hard for the Wang Family's affairs at such a late hour!"

Jiang Qingwan moved with lotus-like steps and slowly sat down, a calm smile playing on her lips as she said:

"I have some friendship with Sister Su, so I came to visit her under the cover of darkness to catch up and ask for some advice. Sister Su said that you would surely approve this matter, so I took the liberty of coming. I hope I haven't disturbed you, City Lord Situ."

Situ Jun closed the document, looked up, and smiled:

"Madam, you joke. However, the Wang Family is indeed a prominent clan in the Northern Frontier. Your strength is formidable, and your business map is constantly expanding, which is truly impressive."

Jiang Qingwan gave a charming laugh, the sound crisp and pleasant like a silver bell, and said:

"No matter how prominent a clan is, we still have to rely on Lord City Lord's care to have a meal, don't we?"

As she spoke, she rose and gave a slight bow. A faint floral fragrance drifted out, lingering around Situ Jun's nose.

Situ Jun's nose twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but laugh at himself:

"Look at me, I'm so busy I've become disoriented. I completely forgot to serve tea to Madam."

With that, he stood up and approached Jiang Qingwan. He took out an exquisite tea set and precious spirit tea from his Storage Pouch, skillfully pouring her a cup of cool tea.

"There are usually no servants attending to this study, so please make do with this, Madam. This spirit tea is from my private collection, and the taste is quite good."

He smiled after finishing, his gaze lingering briefly on Jiang Qingwan's beautiful face.

Being closer, that faint floral fragrance became even more intense, as if carrying a hint of sweetness that swirled around his nose.

Jiang Qingwan performed a curtsy and said softly:

" Thank you, Lord City Lord.， I don't know this document..."

Situ Jun returned to his seat and said unhurriedly:

"There's no problem with the content of the document. It's just that a Family as large as the Wang Family shouldn't have let Madam work so hard. Tomorrow, I must have a good talk with the Head of the Wang Family and tell him to cherish Madam more."

Jiang Qingwan smiled awkwardly, thinking to herself that if anyone else in the Wang Family could have handled this matter, why would she have bothered to come here in the dead of night?

At the meeting held by the City Lord that day, the Head of the Wang Family had offended City Lord Situ in front of all the families in the city. Now, if the Wang Family wanted to open their chamber peacefully, they had to rely on Situ Jun's nod of approval.

Situ Jun picked up his teacup and took a small sip, his eyes falling on the document as thoughts raced through his mind.

The Wang Family's proposal to open a Spirit Stone Exchange Chamber during this sensitive period surely had a deeper meaning.

Jiang Qingwan had come in person, and while her words seemed respectful, the look that occasionally flickered in her eyes carried a different connotation.

"Madam, opening this chamber involves many things. Does the Wang Family have a detailed plan?"

Situ Jun put down his teacup and looked up at Jiang Qingwan, his expression concerned yet not lacking the authority of a City Lord.

Jiang Qingwan moved with lotus-like steps, approached a few steps closer, and leaned over slightly, pointing to several places on the document. Her voice was soft but clear and organized:

"Lord City Lord, please look. We plan to introduce rare spiritual Materials from surrounding cities to complement the existing resources in Northern Frontier City. This will inevitably attract surrounding Cultivators to spend in Northern Frontier City, increasing the tax revenue for the Northern Frontier City Lords Mansion while also driving the trade and exchange of Spirit Stones. Furthermore, the chamber will hold regular large-scale Auctions, inviting Cultivators from all over, which will surely take Northern Frontier City's income to the next level."

As she spoke, she observed Situ Jun's reaction out of the corner of her eye.

Situ Jun nodded slightly and mused for a moment:

"The idea is quite good. However, the situation in Northern Frontier City is currently unstable. Has the Wang Family considered the security issues after the chamber opens?"

Jiang Qingwan smiled brightly, her chest heaving slightly, and said confidently:

"Rest assured, Lord City Lord. The Wang Family has its own Guard squad that can surely keep the chamber safe. If the City Lord is still uneasy, my Wang Family is willing to pay double to hire Guards from the City Lords Estate."

Situ Jun looked up at Jiang Qingwan, his expression calm yet inscrutable.

His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, creating a rhythmic sound that broke the brief silence.

"Madam's idea is good, but the opening of a Spirit Stone Exchange Chamber will cause a large number of high-cultivation groups to flood into Northern Frontier City. This will compress the living space of the ordinary people of Northern Frontier, which is unfavorable for the city's commercial layout and the livelihoods of the people. As the City Lord, I must consider this carefully. Moreover, the current situation in Northern Frontier City is turbulent, with undercurrents surging among various factions. A slight oversight could lead to great chaos."

Situ Jun spoke slowly, his tone steady as he continued:

"The Wang Family's move must have been carefully considered, but I wonder if there is any other deeper meaning behind this chamber?"

Jiang Qingwan's heart tightened, but she maintained a gentle smile on her face.

She moved with lotus-like steps, stood by the window, and lightly lifted the curtain, looking out at the bright moon hanging high in the sky, as if organizing her thoughts.

"Lord City Lord, you are overthinking. The Wang Family merely wants to use this chamber to seek some benefits for the people of Northern Frontier City and to find a new path for the Wang Family."

Jiang Qingwan turned around and looked at Situ Jun with a sincere gaze:

"In these times, doing business is already difficult, and with the situation in Northern Frontier City, it's even more like walking on thin ice. The Wang Family also hopes to do some business peacefully under Lord City Lord's protection. As for Cultivators flooding into Northern Frontier and squeezing the living environment of the people, I believe Lord City Lord will resolve that appropriately. Even without our chamber, the development of Northern Frontier City will inevitably cause more Cultivators to travel here."

Situ Jun nodded slightly, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

He naturally would not easily believe Jiang Qingwan's rhetoric. As a prominent clan in Northern Frontier, the Wang Family had always been ambitious. Proposing to open a chamber during this sensitive period definitely hid an ulterior motive.