Chapter 278: Beautiful Visitor

"Oh? What kind of business?" the woman behind the screen asked curiously.

Chen Xuan chuckled, not rushing to answer. "For a business discussion, both parties must naturally be sincere," he said. "My personal visit to the leader demonstrates ample sincerity. Yet, the leader remains out of sight even now. Doesn't that suggest a slight lack of sincerity on your part?"

A soft, melodious laugh came from behind the screen. "It's merely a habit I've developed over many years," she said. "I hope Chieftain Chen won't take offense."

As her voice faded, a radiant and captivating figure slowly emerged from behind the screen.

Chen Xuan's eyes immediately lit up. The woman before him was dressed in a fiery red outfit. Her short top revealed a flat, toned abdomen that was fair and alluring. Despite her seemingly delicate appearance, one's first thought was of her incredibly flexible waist, capable of movements that would be both graceful and powerful.

Her attire was not only short at the bottom, but the neckline was also cut extremely low. Her prominent breasts created a deep cleavage, drawing the eye instinctively, yet revealing nothing more. This tantalizing glimpse only intensified the desire to see more.

The only regrettable detail was the red veil covering most of her face, obscuring her features. Still, her beautiful large eyes hinted that the face beneath the veil would not disappoint. Chen Xuan mused that with such a superb figure, her face was almost irrelevant.

He also found it a bit odd. Logically, the leader of a smuggling gang, constantly exposed to the elements, should have a more tanned complexion. Yet, her skin was as fair as if she had bathed in milk, making her resemble a refined young lady rather than a gang leader. On second thought, the leader of the Giant Whale Gang was known to be mysterious and never appeared in public, so it was perfectly normal for her skin not to be tanned.

Noticing the fiery gaze in his eyes, the young woman in red remained unfazed. A seductive smile played on her lips. "Is this sufficient to demonstrate my sincerity?" she asked.

"More than enough, of course," Chen Xuan replied, thinking to himself, *If you lowered your clothes even more, your sincerity would be even greater.*

"So, Chieftain Chen, what business exactly do you wish to discuss with me?" the woman asked, her voice captivatingly soft. Combined with her alluring and flirtatious appearance, it was enough to make any man's mind reel.

"This woman is no less captivating than Qiuhonglei from the Immortal's Abode," Chen Xuan thought, swallowing hard. He yearned to press her beneath him and ravage her at once. However, the Giant Whale Gang had a formidable reputation, and he felt some apprehension. Unsure of her true strength, he dared not act rashly.

"My visit today is to discuss the matter of a partnership with the leader," Chen Xuan said, his gaze brazenly lingering on her shapely, perky buttocks. He secretly added in his mind, *I want to get into both of those.*

"What exactly do you mean by that, Chieftain Chen?" the woman asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"The private salt trade, of course. Does the Giant Whale Gang deal in other businesses?" Chen Xuan replied, leaning back comfortably in his seat, openly admiring the beauty before him. Doing business with such a beautiful woman was truly a delightful experience.

The woman frowned, her voice deepening. "For many years, Black Wind Fortress and the Giant Whale Gang have kept our businesses entirely separate. What exactly do you mean by this, Chieftain?" The private salt trade was incredibly lucrative, allowing for monopolization, so she naturally had no desire to share the profits.

"Leader, there's no need to worry. I'm not here to seize your gang's business; I wish to cooperate with your esteemed organization," Chen Xuan explained.

"How would this cooperation work?" the woman asked, puzzled.

Chen Xuan explained, "The business your gang conducts is, in some respects, even riskier than ours at Black Wind Fortress. Both the imperial court and Duke Mingyue are eager to suppress it. Yet, the salt you sell is in no way inferior to official salt; it's often even better. The fundamental reason for this distinction is your lack of official salt permits. Without them, the same salt becomes contraband."

"Can you possibly acquire salt permits?" the woman immediately grasped.

Chen Xuan smiled faintly. "Otherwise, why would I dare come to this island and trouble the leader?"

"Salt permits are tightly controlled by the imperial court, and there's a strict annual quota. How could you possibly..." Mid-sentence, the woman's eyes widened in realization. "I heard that Young Master Wang was arrested. I presume that was your doing, Chieftain?"

Chen Xuan looked somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect the leader, out here on this desolate island, to be so remarkably well-informed about city matters."

The woman smiled subtly. "There's no other way. In our line of work, if we weren't well-informed, we would have been dead countless times over."

Chen Xuan acknowledged her point. "Precisely. I have a way to obtain a batch of legitimate salt permits from the Wang family, and I wish to use these permits to invest in the private salt trade."

The woman pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That is indeed somewhat tempting. What percentage of shares do you intend to take, Chieftain Chen?"

Chen Xuan chuckled. "Since we're both so sincere, it should naturally be a fifty-fifty split. Neither of us will lose out."

The woman scoffed upon hearing this. "A fine idea, 'no one loses out.' Chieftain, you only need to provide a batch of salt permits and do nothing else. What's more, these permits are a 'cost-free' acquisition for you, yet you demand half the profits directly. Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Chen Xuan's smile faded. "Leader, your words are mistaken. The salt trade is inherently highly profitable. The main distinction between private and official salt lies solely in the presence or absence of salt permits. Now that I am providing you with a channel for legitimate status, how is asking for fifty percent excessive?"

"That's not how the accounts work," the woman stated gravely. "Our private salt sales and official salt distribution operate on entirely different paths. If you take half the profits out of nowhere, our final income might end up being less than what we get from direct smuggling. What would be the point of all our effort then?"

Chen Xuan shook his head. "Leader, don't underestimate my understanding of the market. Private salt sells for twenty to thirty *wen* per *jin*, whereas official salt typically fetches one hundred *wen* per *jin*, and sometimes even up to one hundred and fifty *wen*. There's a six- to seven-fold profit margin there. How could it be unprofitable?"

"Chieftain, you only understand half the situation," the woman explained. "While official salt does command a higher price, ordinary people simply cannot afford it and turn to buying our private salt instead. Therefore, the six- or seven-fold difference you mentioned is merely a theoretical value; it's practically unattainable, or rather, far from being achieved."

"Then what percentage does the leader deem appropriate?" Chen Xuan, who actually understood the nuances of the business, had only been deliberately asking for an exorbitant amount.

The woman remained silent for a moment, then parted her crimson lips to name a figure: "A maximum of ten percent of next year's profits."

"Ten percent?" Chen Xuan erupted in anger, abruptly rising from his chair. "Are you trying to dismiss me like a beggar? I came with sincerity, and for the leader to act this way is utterly outrageous."

An overwhelming aura radiated outwards. Outside, members of the Giant Whale Gang, hearing the commotion, moved to enter, but the woman signaled them to stay out.

After stopping her subordinates, the woman finally turned to him, calmly stating, "Chieftain Chen, please calm yourself and allow me to explain. Our current private salt smuggling operation doesn't actually need salt permits all that much, as they represent two entirely different paths. Of course, having permits can provide some security and reduce some business risks. However, the permits you offer are a one-time acquisition, and are not destined to last for many years."

"Furthermore, Chieftain, please don't assume we live comfortably. A significant portion of our income goes towards bribing various departments; otherwise, how could we have survived for so many years? The lion's share is taken by them, and we only receive a small fraction. So, offering you ten percent is already something we've managed to squeeze out with great difficulty."

A playful smile appeared on Chen Xuan's face. "I've long heard that the Giant Whale Gang has connections within the government. May I ask whose influence you're benefiting from?"

The woman's expression changed. "Chieftain, that question crosses a line."

Chen Xuan knew she wouldn't answer, so he chuckled. "Alright, then let's make it twenty percent. No less than that."

The woman shook her head. "Fifteen percent at most!"

Chen Xuan fell silent for a moment. "Alright, it's a deal!"

*Hmph, sooner or later I'll have you in my quarters. By then, I'll have both the money and the woman. Since it'll all be mine anyway, a little less now is fine.*

"A pleasant cooperation," the woman said with a slight smile, raising her teacup to indicate a toast with tea instead of wine.

Chen Xuan, being experienced, wasn't concerned about poison. He made a symbolic clink of cups with her from across the table, took a small sip, and then said, "We've been talking for so long, and I still don't know the leader's esteemed name."

The woman replied, "My surname is Guan."

"Guan..." Chen Xuan felt a flicker of annoyance, thinking, *This woman won't even give her full name. But I'll know it eventually.*

---

While the spoils were being divided on the island, in the city, Zu'an began searching everywhere for Chen Xuan's hiding place, using the roster provided by Jiang Luofu.

Ever since Zu'an handed over the 7.5 million taels of IOUs to Jiang Luofu, she had been planning to take over the Plum Blossom Gang's assets. With the academy's resources, investigating the gang's overt and covert properties wasn't difficult.

When Zu'an came to her, Jiang Luofu didn't hesitate. She directly handed him the compiled ledger, knowing he would eventually be responsible for taking over these assets, so there was no harm in letting him see it in advance.

As he looked at the densely packed list of properties and addresses in the ledger, Zu'an secretly marveled. Running a casino was truly that profitable.

Without delay, he took Jiao Shan and the other Chu family guards to search everywhere. Unfortunately, after searching for most of the night, they still found nothing.

"Could I have guessed wrong?" Zu'an felt a touch of dejection. He decided to return to the Chu manor for now. After all, he still had to treat Chu Chuyan that evening.

As soon as he returned to the Chu manor to report these matters, both Mr. and Mrs. Chu and Chu Chuyan were deeply worried, their brows furrowed. Clearly, the current situation was their greatest concern. If Wang Yuanlong couldn't be saved, leading to a rupture between the Wang and Chu families, that would indeed be a significant problem.

Just then, Cheng Shouping rushed over excitedly, his face beaming. "Young Master Zu'an, Young Master Zu'an, someone is asking for you outside."

"Who is it?" Zu'an asked, curious. Who would come looking for him so late, and make this fellow so excited?

Cheng Shouping opened his mouth, but then, noticing Chu Zhongtian and the others nearby, quickly swallowed his words. "This humble one dares not say."

"What's there not to say? When did you learn to be so evasive?" Qin Wanru said impatiently. She still remembered this household servant, who had caused her no end of trouble by arranging concubines for her husband back then.

Cheng Shouping thought about the injuries from his last beating, which hadn't fully healed yet. But, with the Master, Madam, and Young Mistress all staring at him, he dared not prolong the suspense. "It's Miss Qiu," he answered.

"Which Miss Qiu?" Chu Zhongtian paused, not immediately understanding.

Cheng Shouping said with a triumphant air, "Who else in the entire Bright Moon City could it be but Qiuhonglei from the Immortal's Abode?" He knew that countless men visited her residence and rarely even caught a glimpse of her. Now, she was actively seeking out the young master in the middle of the night, filling him with a sense of shared pride.

---

This is the only chapter for today. I'm very low on energy due to lack of sleep and truly cannot write anymore. My apologies.