Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 862 - 541: Settlement

Chapter 862: Chapter 541: Settlement

Generally, Hua Hong would be nested in a pawnshop named Chang’an to handle official duties, but recently, he had been staying in the Tian’an Commerce Assembly.

At the grand banquet, the high-ranking officials of the Prime Minister’s Mansion and various aides had outlined the development plans for the next three years. As the president of the Tian’an Commerce Assembly, Hua Hong needed to spend these days meeting various people to coordinate industries and implement those development plans.

Therefore, after arriving at the nineteenth floor with Xiao Bai, Xu Yuan did not directly go to see Hua Hong but first went to a nearby lounge.

Through the formation deployed by the Tian’an Commerce Assembly, it was sensed that Hua Hong was currently meeting with several state government-level shopkeepers, probably arranging work; it would be best not to disturb him.

The soul key opened the way, unhindered.

Although Old Man Hua was quite stingy, everything inside the Tian’an Commerce Assembly was made of luxurious and valuable materials.

The lounge was more than ten zhang in size; the interior was furnished with pavilions, stools, elegant kiosks, soft couches, and tea tables all made of gold-threaded paulownia wood, all of the highest quality.

As soon as he entered the room, Xu Yuan casually chose a soft couch to recline and rest, while Bai Muxi followed Xu Yuan but did not sit down; instead, she knelt beside his feet, gently lifted her jade hands and began to take off his shoes.

Feeling the touch at his feet, Xu Yuan looked somewhat surprised at the kneeling, enticing figure of Xiao Bai.

In Dayan Territory, most wealthy families were attended to by servants for dressing and grooming upon waking up and before going to bed.

Do not ask why they do not do it themselves; it’s about the "ceremonial feeling," as in some farming families, it’s also the women who attended to the men when they returned home.

However, as he was never allowed to enter the inner courtyard of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, neither in his past life nor in this one, Xu Yuan had never really adapted to being served by others.

He wanted to speak up to refuse, but after a thought, Xu Yuan simply half-closed his eyes and silently consented.

But a few moments later, Xu Yuan opened his eyes again, staring at the boots that still securely clad his feet for several breaths, a hint of amusement rising in his heart.

Fussing for several breaths and not even unfastening the bootstraps...

There’s beauty akin to a man who can’t unclasp a bra.

"....."

Aware of his gaze, Xiao Bai honestly withdrew her hands and looked eagerly towards Xu Yuan.

Xiao Bai’s movements were actually practiced, having evidently crammed on being a maid prior to this, but the problem was that Xu Yuan’s boots were no ordinary items.

To meet the demands of combat, a cultivator’s boots, both in terms of materials and the way they fastened, were incredibly complex, not to mention these were custom-made by the Geometry Institute.

With this in mind, Xu Yuan waved his hand:

"Forget it, don’t bother taking them off; it’ll be troublesome to put them on again later."

A purple veil fluttered in the wind, and Bai Muxi bit the corner of her lips.

In her master’s life, she appeared too late, and a person’s heart is only so big, able to hold only a few.

Yet all the women beside the master were assertive; she hoped to wedge a place in his heart with silent and meticulous kindness, but now...

Despite feeling frustrated, once Xu Yuan spoke, Bai Muxi had no choice but to give up, nodding dejectedly. She then swayed over to the side room and took a fragrant fruit back from the Formation Patterned ice chest.

Formation Patterned ice chests were not rare commodities; they had been common in wealthy households for over a decade.

Many nobles liked to have one in their reception rooms, using it to chill fragrant citruses, vegetables, alcoholic beverages, and sweetened teas for guests.

Returning to kneel beside the soft couch, she took out the citrus fruit plate and poured a cup of purplish-red beverage, Bai Muxi intended to feed him, but as she started, Xu Yuan immediately reached out and grabbed her slender wrist, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness:

"Where did you learn all this?"

Bai Muxi blinked and carefully watched the man’s expression. Seeing that he was not angry, she softly said:

"From the ritual texts in the mansion..."

Xu Yuan sat up from the couch, took the wine cup from Xiao Bai’s hand, drank it in one gulp, and said,

"I knew it was like this, that move of yours just now would have spilled the wine on me. Authentic knowledge cannot be learned from books alone. Find some time to see Lou Ji, let her teach you."

At the mention of the name Lou Ji, Bai Muxi’s eyes visibly flashed with fear.

She was somewhat afraid to meet Lou Ji alone.

Although she was always bullied, Bai Muxi was not afraid of the Princess or the Saintess, but she truly feared this sister of the young master.

Because she actually wanted to kill her.

With her eyelids drooping, Bai Muxi replied softly,

"Okay...."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with a bit of amusement.

There was no fragrance of tea drifting over.

Xu Yuan was very clear about Lou Ji’s attitude toward Xiao Bai, so he thought Xiao Bai would use this opportunity to showcase her tea-making skills.

But it seemed she knew her limits.

As he was thinking this, Xu Yuan suddenly looked up towards the entrance of the hall.

The next moment,

"Knock, knock, knock—"

The door was knocked, and then without waiting for Xu Yuan’s permission, an elderly man in a luxurious robe with red trim and black base walked straight in.

His sharp gaze swept over Xu Yuan and Bai Muxi, causing Hua Hong’s brows to wrinkle unconsciously.

Due to the problem of the Earth Palace Remnants, the core high-ranking officials at the Prime Minister’s Mansion were mostly in favor of executing Bai Muxi, the Earth Palace’s Si Ming, immediately.

Although this attitude was forcibly suppressed by Xu Yinhe, emotions were definitely still present.

However, upon seeing that Xu Yuan had brought her here, Hua Hong had a rough idea of the causes and consequences and walked slowly towards the couch, his demeanor stern, his every gesture and movement exuded an intangible superior air:

"What are you doing bringing her here?"

His voice was somewhat cold and displeased, carrying an inherent authority.

Previously, in front of Xu Yuan, this old man had always acted like a miserly and shameless scrooge, showing none of the dignity of the president of the Tian’an Commerce Assembly.

This was the first time Xu Yuan saw Hua Hong in this demeanor, and he instinctively sat up straight, feeling the kind of nervousness one might feel when facing a high school headteacher, while Xiao Bai next to him hung her head even lower.

"...."

A moment of silence,

Xu Yuan then reacted, chuckled lightly, crossed his legs, and quirked back,

"Old man, what are you making a fuss about?"

"...."

Their gazes met, neither yielding an inch.

Hua Hong stared at Xu Yuan for a few moments, then silently sighed in his heart.

He really couldn’t intimidate this young man.

With a light snort, the aura of being the President of the Tian’an Commerce Assembly around Hua Hong dissipated, returning him to that miserly old man, though his eyes remained stern:

"I’ve never understood why Xu Yinhè insisted on retaining those remnants from ten thousand years ago, but now it seems it was because of you."

The words were soft, but Bai Muxi shivered when she heard them.

The words were directed at the young master, but they were also meant for her.

With a subtle glance at the young master beside her, Xu Yuan leaned on the couch, swinging his crossed legs and said with a light laugh,

"In this world, what gains come without risk?"

"As long as you break it down, those risks can essentially be ignored."

"..."

"Ahem... What I mean is maximizing the benefits, think about it, old man..."

"Don’t give me that bull, old man."

Hua Hong sat down across from Xu Yuan, waved his hand to interrupt, and stared intently with aged but spirited eyes, speaking earnestly,

"Changtian, I don’t have the right to dictate what you should do, but I hope when all of us old men are gone, you’ll be capable of handling the consequences of your choices now."

Indeed.

This old man had seen right through the transaction between him and Bai Muxi.

Thinking this, Xu Yuan smiled nonchalantly and said softly,

"You don’t need to worry about this, old man."

"Oh?"

"Xiao Bai’s clan can hardly be ranked among the external relatives."

"....." Hua Hong

His eyelids twitched, and Hua Hong opened his mouth, wanting to start scolding, but gave up, pressed his brow, and said,

"Do what you will. If you came here for something, just say it. I’ve been very busy lately, and have other matters to handle soon."

Following the flow of the conversation, Xu Yuan smiled, raising his hand to Bai Muxi’s fragile shoulder,

"I’ve already mentioned it just now, regarding her people, I need the Tian’an Commerce Assembly to help find a location to settle them..."

"Impossible," Hua Hong refused without a second thought.

"Old Man Hua, this is my father..."

"Your father would never agree."

"You should know, he gave me full responsibility for this matter."

"Full responsibility doesn’t mean he won’t have the Tian’an Commerce Assembly contribute manpower."

"Tsk, you can go to the Prime Minister’s Mansion and ask him."

"I will go there tonight."

"..." Xu Yuan fell silent.

"...." Hua Hong looked at him as though he were an idiot.

Familiar with too many instances of using misinformation to profit enormously from nothing, this young man actually thought he could pull one over on him.

The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

Bai Muxi knelt on the floor, her eyelids cast down, but her hands tightly clutched her skirt.

The outcome of this conversation between the young master and the old man would decide the future of her people.

Amidst Bai Muxi’s tension, Xu Yuan suddenly let out a light sigh.

This old man was too shrewd; using his father’s influence wasn’t fooling him at all.

It was the first day of thinking of Qing.

With a hint of helplessness, Xu Yuan said softly,

"Very well, then let’s handle this officially.

"The necessary funds will be my own responsibility, but I need to borrow the name of the Tian’an Commerce Assembly for this, can we do that?"

Hua Hong paused for a moment, then nodded slightly,

"We can."

"First, we need a settlement."

"Constructing a city to accommodate hundreds of thousands isn’t a small amount of silver."

Hua Hong spoke as a reminder, then seemed to think of something and said with a light laugh, "Even if you put all of the eight million taels of silver that you gave to Xinyao into it, it wouldn’t be enough."

"That... we can figure out a way ourselves."

Bai Muxi suddenly interjected at this point, her bright eyes looking cautiously at Hua Hong, "We don’t need anything else, we can gather wood and quarry stone ourselves..."

"Did I allow you to speak?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her, and Bai Muxi immediately fell silent.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan said gently,

"The city for the Earth Palace Remnants will be built according to the standards of a Dayan county town."

"That’s quite a big deal, that..."

Hua Hong chuckled, stroking his white beard, "If we use the policy of land reclamation, we wouldn’t need to buy land, but, Changtian, do you have the silver?"

If his Sumeru Ring hadn’t been raided by that old woman Lou Ji, the war supplies worth nearly ten million taels of silver could have been barely enough for the initial construction materials, but now it was definitely insufficient.

However, facing the old man’s amused gaze, Xu Yuan calmly took out a map from his Sumeru Ring, saying softly,

"When did I say I wanted to build the settlement with a land reclamation order? I don’t care for such remote and backward places."

Hua Hong frowned slightly upon hearing this,

"You want to buy land? Even if you utilize relations with the Prime Minister’s Mansion without the need for bribery, the expenses for the land wouldn’t be small."

"Hehe."

With a low chuckle, Xu Yuan carefully spread out the entire map on the tea table, pointing with his slender index finger at a location, and said with a smile,

"Did you forget? Huizhou County was destroyed, wasn’t it?

"This place, located at the junction of two states and the gateway to Jingji, the Imperial Court cannot neglect it. When I was reading the memorial in the study room earlier, the Court had already prepared to allocate funds for reconstruction. Although the initial allocation from the Ministry of Revenue isn’t much, it should suffice."

Saying this, Xu Yuan smiled slightly,

"Old Man Hua, it shouldn’t be difficult for the Tian’an Commerce Assembly to take on the entire reconstruction project of the city, should it?"