Lord of the Desert

Chapter 540 Investment
Two years had passed, and the person before me had not changed in appearance, only in temperament, which had become more reserved and profound.

But what was he like when he arrogantly declared on the rooftop that he was "unparalleled in the world"?
"You really have grown a beard..."

Shen Tiexin uttered the first sentence in a daze.

These words left a lingering impression, leaving Hong Fan momentarily at a loss for words. She herself realized her mistake after speaking, and a blush rose to her cheeks.

Shen Tiexin's skin was as white as snow, which made the rosy clouds stand out even more.

The private room is already the best in the restaurant.

The furniture is made of high-quality mahogany, with brass candlesticks and celadon tableware; the paint on the walls and floors is thick and intact, and although it is old, it still has a luster and is well maintained.

"Sit down."

Shen Tiexin awkwardly smoothed his hair and sat back down.

"This tavern is rather simple; um, would you like something to eat?"

She asked tentatively.

As the beloved daughter of the Shen family, Shen Tiexin has never treated anyone with sincerity. Lacking emotional intelligence, she is still not good at pleasing others.

Between the two, a round table was filled with all kinds of fruits and pastries. The quality of the products was top-notch, far exceeding that of Congyun Pavilion. They must have been brought over from the Shen residence by Lingxi early that morning.

Now, a whole day has passed, and the food remains untouched, only slightly spoiled from being left out in the sweltering heat for too long. Most of the guests at Congyun Pavilion cannot afford ice, so this private room is not equipped with an ice box.

Hong Fan symbolically picked up a piece of Lieyu Su and put it in his mouth.

Its color is pure and delicate, its outer shell is thin and crisp, and its interior is soft. Although the sweetness is light, it is exceptionally long-lasting and pleasant.

The Shen residence was indeed very elegant in its usual style.

“I heard from Qu Luoyi that you have been diligently practicing martial arts these past two years and have even gone to Tianpeng Mountain to exchange skills.”

He disliked awkward atmospheres and took the initiative to start a conversation.

"Yes."

Shen Tiexin nodded slightly and also picked up a piece of pastry.

Her hands were slender and delicate, with no calluses or dead skin on her fingertips and the base of her thumb, which made the rough and mottled outer skin of the Lieyu Su stand out in contrast.

Unlike lower-level martial arts, martial artists in "Ice Soul Manual" fight using internal energy rather than physical strength, and do not need to endure the torment of weapons and fists.

"Whether I put in the effort or not, I still can't compare to you."

Shen Tiexin took a small bite of the Lieyu Crisp, leaving a faint blush of rouge on her teeth.

"But it should be enough for the peers of the various families in the upper city."

As she said this, she slightly raised her head, a fleeting hint of her usual disdain passing through her.

"In just two years, you've progressed from the Inner Vision Realm all the way to the Three Meridians of the Body. Your cultivation speed is truly astonishing, which shows how focused and dedicated you are."

Hong Fan praised him, speaking from experience.

"It's one thing to treat others this way, but you're the one who tries to coax people like this?"

Shen Tiexin had a pastry in his mouth, and his eyes were curved like crescent moons.

“I asked before, and Qu Luoyi took twenty-three months to go from the beginner level to the complete mastery level; Shen Yubo only took two and a half years. If we’re talking about speed, you were only at the inner vision level when your destiny star entered its position, and you were already at the complete mastery level eleven months later.”

This left Hong Fan somewhat speechless.

Shen Tiexin’s words are certainly true, but this is not the way to compare things.

Not to mention that Hong Fan himself received the Dragon Soul Fruit, the White Dew Pill, and the Life Star's vitality during that year, Qu Luoyi and Shen Yubo were both genuine geniuses with talents that could be considered top-notch in the Nine Provinces. How could they be described with a word like "only"?

It can only be said that God has given too much to a few people, making it difficult for them to understand the hardships of ordinary people.

"However, it wasn't entirely focused. I've heard a lot about what happened during your two years in Shenjing."

Shen Tiexin swallowed the jade pastry, and as her mouth watered, she suddenly realized that her stomach was empty and she hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day. Seeing that Hong Fan didn't show any aloofness, she felt a great weight lifted from her heart, and her hunger became even more unbearable. She simply took a small plate of pastries and placed it in front of her.

"I originally wanted to go to your battle with Yi She, but I was afraid of being presumptuous, and I also knew that I wouldn't be able to help much if I went, so I gave up in the end."

In the blink of an eye, Shen Tiexin finished off the entire plate of pastries, one after another.

"It's called a battle for the top spot, but it's really just about innate skills and arena tricks. You can watch it or not."

Hong Fan modestly said, glancing at the mechanical clock in the corner of the room—this clock was the latest model from the Imperial Workshop last year, probably the most valuable item in the private room.

This was almost a direct indication, finally letting Shen Tiexin see his intention to leave—Lingxi had already mentioned that Hong Fan had arranged a dinner party tonight.

There are actually two things I wanted to discuss with you today.

She quickly got to the point.

"The first thing is about Hong Sheng of Tiannanxing."

“He’s an old man who’s been traveling all the way from Tiannan. Before you went to Shenjing, he was in charge of supplying goods to the outskirts of Xijing. At the beginning of this year, I ran into him bringing his eldest son to visit Shen Wendu at my house. The carriage he was using was a 2012 model from Junchihang.”

Shen Tiexin frowned slightly, her face displaying a competence rarely seen in daughters of prominent families.

As for Shen Wendu, she was another direct descendant of the Shen family. After she devoted herself to martial arts, she took over the director position of the Shen family in Tiannanxing.

“As you know, the standard annual salary for a second-level manager in the guild is 200 guan. Even with subsidies and bonuses, it won’t exceed 330 guan at most. It’s not that they definitely can’t afford a 32-guan car, but it’s a bit of a stretch. At the time, I thought Hong Sheng was just too vain. I had my guards investigate, but I didn’t expect that not only did he buy a new car, but his son Hong Zhang also bought a mansion in the southern part of Xijing last August, which was worth 1,800 guan.”

Miss Shen gritted her teeth at the thought of the number 1,800.

Having said that, Hong Fan already had a plan in mind.

Hong Sheng was his distant cousin. He had previously been in charge of managing a rice shop owned by the Hong family in Jinhai City. Later, as the family business grew, he was transferred to Tiannanxing with Hong Fu, where he was in charge of the supply and distribution of goods in the main markets outside Xijing. He was making a considerable amount of money.

"Thank you, Ms. Shen. I will inform Hong Fu immediately and give the board of directors an explanation."

Hong Fan replied solemnly.

He had always known the saying that "too much clarity leaves no fish," but it seemed that Hong Sheng had embezzled a considerable amount—two or three thousand strings of cash would be enough to form a cavalry squad of fully-fledged martial artists.

"There's a second thing."

Shen Tiexin gave Lingxi, who had been waiting by his side, a look; the latter took out a thick stack of brand-new silver notes from her purse.

Two hundred banknotes, each weighing one hundred taels, totaling two hundred banknotes and twenty thousand taels in total, with the official seal of Bestway Bank clearly stamped on them.

"I spoke with Qian Jianzao a while ago, and I heard that you spent a lot of money setting up the new army..."

Hong Fan's expression darkened slightly upon hearing this, and he was about to refuse when he was interrupted.

"This isn't the clan's money, it's mine!"

Shen Tie said confidently.

Twenty thousand strings of cash, his own?
Hong Fan couldn't understand how a young girl without any personal assets could accumulate such a large sum of money. He could only say that the wealth of a top-tier family and the affection that the Celestial Ancestor showed to his descendants were beyond imagination.

But that still wasn't the reason he accepted it.

Hong Fan had no improper thoughts about Shen Tiexin, nor would he do anything to exploit her favor for his own benefit.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I cannot..."

As Hong Fan spoke, he stood up, only to see ice crystals forming on the door, instantly sealing the crack shut.

“Hong Fan, don’t be in a hurry. I never said this money was given to you for free.”

Shen Tiexin said anxiously.

“Now I have some ideas about the business. Fengsui City is adjacent to the northwestern border of Liangzhou, only separated by more than two hundred miles of cold plains and mountains. In the past, both He and Liangzhou were considered bitter and cold places, with scarce resources and little mutual support. But now Liangzhou is booming, and the situation is completely different. Whether it is their mountain delicacies, furs, spiritual medicines, or giant spirit cores coming over, or our steel, firearms, and machinery going over, there are huge profits to be made!”

(End of this chapter)