Three Kingdoms, Myth

Chen Xi looked at the stack of property deeds in his hand. As expected, after making a full circle, they ended up back in his hands to deal with. What could he say? These people had thick skin and a good sense of self-awareness. They all knew that whoever handled this matter would bring them the most profit.

"Zizhong, let's go check out the scene!" Chen Xi waved the stack of deeds in his hand, the rustling sound making Mi Zhu worry that these fragile papers might tear—each one represented a lot of money!

When it came to admitting mistakes after the tax revenue soared, Mi Zhu was the first to come forward without hesitation. Although he was visibly shaken at the time, he didn't waste a moment before admitting his error, completely unconcerned about saving face.

Was this due to Mi Zhu's admirable loyalty, or was it just the nature of merchants to instinctively pursue profit? Chen Xi's new tax system was undoubtedly beneficial for Mi Zhu. Not only did it strengthen Liu Bei, but it also made Mi Zhu wealthier, solidified his future in government, and further secured his position as the leader of the merchant guild. Even though Mi Zhu rarely made appearances, fewer and fewer people dared to challenge his authority after this.

As Chen Xi stepped out of the door, those waiting for information had already prepared themselves. Never underestimate the power of these wealthy merchants. Since Chen Xi hadn't intentionally blocked the news, they all knew that North First Street was about to be sold.

As for where, when, and how the sale would happen, Chen Xi hadn't sent out a single invitation, so these merchants in Fenggao were taking it very seriously. By now, everyone had come to accept that Chen Xi didn't follow conventional rules.

"Zizhong, what do you think would happen if I just set up a stall here and sold the deeds on the street?" Chen Xi asked with a grin, watching the quick-moving spies.

Mi Zhu remained silent. He had learned not to express any opinions to Chen Xi. Since Chen Xi never followed the rules, there was no telling what he might do—he could very well step down from the carriage and set up a stall.

"Alright, enough jokes. Head to Manxiang Lou," Chen Xi said, instructing the driver to change course, and the carriage turned toward Manxiang Lou.

"Zichuan, isn't this inappropriate? If we sell the deeds at Manxiang Lou, what will Lady Zhang and Lady Gan think?" Mi Zhu finally spoke up. If he didn't, Chen Xi might really bring the carriage there.

"Don't worry. Manxiang Lou has been cleaned up. The woman there is quite sensible," Chen Xi said with a smile. After he gave them a notice two days ago, they had completely overhauled the place within a day. The speed at which they acted made even Chen Xi feel a bit embarrassed.

"But it used to be a brothel!" Mi Zhu said with a wry smile. Chen Xi truly never played by the rules.

"So what? North First Street used to be a wasteland. Really, let's go. You don't say anything, I don't say anything, and which merchant would dare bring it up? Do you think Lady Zhang cares that it was a brothel? And does Lady Gan even know?" Chen Xi shrugged indifferently. Whoever dared to bring it up would be out of the game.

Mi Zhu sighed. He was sure that the tea house Manxiang Lou had become was definitely part of Chen Xi's scheme. He finally understood that Chen Xi's favorite pastime was placing idle pieces on the board. When these pieces would be used? Only Chen Xi knew! It wasn't something a normal person would do.

"Fine, I'll tell you the truth. The brothel madam there turned out to be quite savvy. Remember I mentioned I wanted to add a cultural atmosphere to Fenggao by bringing in scholars from Yuzhou? She was so cooperative that I didn't mind giving her a chance," Chen Xi explained with a chuckle. Should he admit that the woman acted so quickly and obediently that he felt bad about driving her away? With just a subtle hint, she had replaced everyone overnight.

"This..." Mi Zhu was at a loss for words but could only nod silently. Whether he fully understood or not was another matter.

The brothel madam at Manxiang Lou had acted so sensibly that Chen Xi didn't know what else to say. She was too sensible, too decisive, without any hesitation. Because of that, Chen Xi decided to protect her business. He might have disrupted her livelihood, but he couldn't just leave her without a way to make a living. By letting her operate in that prime location, all the merchants in Fenggao would have to show her some respect.

As for what she would do next, Chen Xi already had ideas. With the lack of entertainment in their society, whether she organized storytelling or plays, it would have great potential. Honestly, Chen Xi leaned towards plays, given that Manxiang Lou had plenty of women—putting together a few theater troupes shouldn't be hard.

Perhaps one or two famous actresses might even emerge from it, which would be far better than their previous line of work. Plus, it would contribute to the cultural atmosphere. And if someone hit it off and took things further, well, that was their business. Maybe Manxiang Lou needed a few branches after all...

As for anyone trying to force something, Chen Xi figured that, in any era, such things happened. But if they did, they'd better think twice—no one in Fenggao would dare cause trouble there. Chen Xi felt that even if Cao Mengde showed up to make trouble, he could handle it.

The news of Chen Xi entering Manxiang Lou quickly spread to the desks of various merchants, just as a report reached Zhang's residence.

"Sister, why don't we go together?" Zhang said, handing a paper invitation to Lady Gan. As someone with special privileges, she had already secured an invitation, even though the location was still blank—Chen Xi probably hadn't decided yet.

Lady Gan had grown more confident lately and no longer felt as intimidated by Zhang as she once did. She accepted the invitation with a smile, then refilled Zhang's tea. "Sister, do remember to call me when it's time. Without my husband's approval, it wouldn't be proper for me to leave the house."

Zhang smiled at this. Lady Gan's background still showed in her manners, despite her growing confidence. The fact that she had an invitation meant that Liu Bei had already approved. Simply asking for his permission would yield the answer she wanted. However, asking Zhang to take her out would be seen as improper in the eyes of a noble household!

Zhang observed Lady Gan, who was cautiously sipping tea.

Zhang was curious why Chen Xi would take special care of a woman who was practically a decorative figure. Was he simply bored? Zhang was the first not to believe that. Chen Xi, in her eyes, had already become a near-demonic figure. No matter how idle he might be, he wouldn't forget to strategize. There was no way he'd do something unnecessary without a reason.