When Leyu sat down, a slight ripple spread across the Silver Blood Sea of Consciousness in the conference hall.
Leaning back against the chair, hands placed on the table, with a glance upward, the entirety of the Silver Blood Association was laid bare.
"The view is indeed much broader. No wonder you only gave it up after I threw a fit." Leyu said leisurely.
To the side, Ting Wanjian chuckled lightly, "That’s what the President said."
Facing Leyu’s aggressive demeanor, Ting Wanjian yielded the position without hesitation, like a submissive wife, uttering no harsh words, seemingly fully conceding.
But, as they say, the quietly biting dog doesn’t bark, and a national brand doesn’t need advertising.
Throwing a fit is instinct; holding it back is a skill.
A stubborn old fox like Ting Gu raises no simple offspring.
Like Jing Zhengtang, the ultimate pure white lotus, seems to be the only SSR in Xuanzhu County.
Faced with the affluent and armed Ting Family, Leyu dared not relax at all.
Or rather, from the moment he sat down, he lost the privilege to while away his days mingling with Qing Lan until dawn.
In the dark forest of the Silver Blood Association, he must either lead others to devour others, or be devoured himself, or... devour others.
"Silver Blood Meeting, begin."
"First agenda, military funding for the stationed Linhai Army." Leyu said, "I won’t bother with empty talk. The 500 Linhai soldiers outside are urging us to gather military funds quickly. If need be, they can assist us—but I believe none of us wish for their help, right?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The so-called ’assist’, naturally meant taking action to seize, which everyone understood.
"Currently, the main Heyang Army is stationed at the Wolves’ Prison dockyard. Xuanzhu County cannot oppose these 500 Linhai soldiers with just the Patrol Execution Guard and a small part of the Heyang Army. The only solution is to seal the city, but I believe none of us are keen on sealing it, right?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Due to land resource scarcity and manpower reasons, most of the Silver Blood Association’s eighty-eight commerce members have industries in Half City and outside the county—plantations, mines, factories, and family workshops...
Now Half City is gone. Once the city is sealed, it’s equivalent to several trade routes being cut off, and the lords here would have to tighten their belts this year.
Instead of visiting Xiangxue Sea three times a week, they might have to reduce it to once for health renewal.
This is not sealing the city; it’s stealing their money!
"To appease these 500 Linhai soldiers, we undoubtedly must provide certain resources to have them camp peacefully outside the county. There’s no issue with that, right?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"These past few days, the Jing Family has been responsible for their board and lodging, so I’ll see it through to the end, ensuring their support until they leave, so our Silver Blood Association can avoid the threat of gunfire!"
"Such generosity from the President!"
"Worthy of the President!"
"Young and capable, truly young and capable!"
"It’s only proper since I’m the President after all." Leyu shifted the tone: "Therefore, there’s no need for you all to worry about supplying materials. Just provide the funds, the invoice will be sent to each of you shortly. It’s not much, but please settle it promptly."
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Weren’t you supposed to host it?
Why are you suddenly launching a group collection?
Someone’s eyes shifted, feigned concern, and said, "President, due to this year’s downturn, some business associations lack sufficient cash. Could we discuss the possibility of deferred payment?"
Although in the Silver Blood Sea of Consciousness, everyone must make decisions with a public spirit for the ’Silver Blood Association’, private interests can be hidden within the public spirit.
And this Silver Blood member wasn’t wrong either, as many business associations have assets in goods and real estate with limited cash flow, even if they go to Xiangxue Sea on credit.
However, once they leave the conference hall and regain clarity, at least eighty-seven out of eighty-eight commerce members would claim ’poor cash flow’—would the President not trust them? They’d repay when they have money, drawn notes and signed pledges if necessary.
They’re not truly unwilling, but if dragged out for years, amidst looming chaos, currency values set to drop, by the time they repay, they wouldn’t suffer much loss.
Additionally, with Jing Family and Ting Family at loggerheads, there’s a chance that the winds might change, and the Jing Family might not last years.
"Of course, I am not some villain, I will surely empathize with you," Leyu waved: "As is well known, my Jing Family also has pawnshops. If cash is insufficient, you can bring goods and jewelry to the pawnshop, I guarantee a fair price."
Even under the sea’s canopy, everyone’s public spirit was turning rotten—who didn’t know that the Jing Family’s pawnshop was as black as their mine? Even gamblers wouldn’t sell their children to you in desperation!
"Obviously, if someone truly refuses to pay, I can do nothing," Leyu sighed: "I can only provide a list of non-paying business associations to the Linhai Army, explaining why their supply quality has declined."
"However, I can’t guarantee they won’t cause any trouble due to poor food."
Aren’t you just openly threatening to cause trouble without payment?
"And this incident might also affect trade between Chenfeng and Dongyang..." Leyu said with a worried expression: "Blue General was quite welcoming of our Dongyang Commerce Association setting up in Chenfeng..."
Leyu’s words were the last straw.
Currently, the Silver Blood Association faces overproduction of many goods, dealing solely with Scandinavia is inadequate for their sales, and the mess in Skyrim, plus capital merchants in Yanjing competing for the market...
However, Chenfeng District is different!
Chenfeng District has stabilized, and having just undergone revolutionary upheaval, it’s a perfect outlet market with restoration in full swing!
More importantly, if Silver Blood merchants could secure Blue Flame’s endorsement, establishing factories and acquiring land in Chenfeng, it would be a lucrative venture indeed!
At present, the Dongyang District pie has been divided to crumbs, class solidification is at its peak: not only vertically but horizontally as well, the five mega commerce members have been unable to expand, and everyone’s pie hasn’t changed for years.
This is why Leyu’s establishment of ’Youth Daily’ earned Jing Qingfu’s high regard—it was like conjuring a pie from nothing! This ability alone surpassed many commerce presidents!
The current threats and future interests—Leyu played both the stick and the carrot, and with this comprehensive initiation by the new President, the capital machinery quickly reached a conclusion.
"Seventy in favor, passed."
Leyu smiled, "Then, on to the second agenda item."
"The military aid Blue Flame requested... or to put it plainly, war reparations."
"The current situation is akin to supporting a lover like Heyang Army that can’t match a robber like the Linhai Army, and we need to give enough money to that robber to persuade them not to infringe on our Silver Blood Association."
"Of course, if we provide enough money, we might switch alliances to Linhai Army, gaining a stronger protector."
Leyu chuckled, "In that regard, our Silver Blood Association isn’t all that different from Xiangxue Sea."
In the Sea of Consciousness, thoughts clashed, moods shifted.
Everyone knew the main course for today was being served.
As for Leyu’s insolence, everyone brushed it off with a smile—as long as you can lead everyone to make money, they’d pool funds to buy Xiangxue Sea and offer it to you.
"I believe everyone knows Blue Flame’s demands," Leyu said plainly, "Originally his demand for military funding was extremely huge, plus after we attempted assassination, and to protect the negotiating team during transit, he added a bit more—"
Luo Zhen, Quan Xin, and others looked embarrassed.
Waves surged within the Sea of Consciousness, merchants were very pragmatic: since they didn’t save our lives, why should we suffer their mistakes?
The Silver Blood Association holds a strong bond internally, except when it comes to money.
However, Leyu safeguarded the top ten commerce members and what’s done is done, leaving them powerless to intervene. Would Blue Flame ask for your surname before swinging his blade?
It doesn’t matter if you rename yourself Blue, if you have the cash, you’ll die all the same.
"According to former President Ting Gu’s allocation method, the amount is unsuitable; this figure demands the Silver Blood Association pour all efforts to gather the funds, so my first proposal is—"
Leyu clasped his hands together, and calmly announced:
"All commerce members must hand over 80% of their liquid assets."