Chapter 29: Chapter 29 – Bai Meirong.

The Collaborative Combine was even more successful than Xiulan had anticipated. Within a few weeks every independent farmer for miles had signed an exclusive sale agreement with the Combine. The Combines stores were gradually filling with grain and other staples of the Kingdom’s food supply.

The interior might be lacking in Qi, but it made up the majority of the arable land. The coasts were Qi rich but too volatile to make for good farmland. The rains tended to be brief and driving instead of the more placid seasonal rains for the interior. 

In addition, the Combine started to offer reduced prices on specialised seeds for the population to grow such as fruit trees and nuts. The Kingdom did not have an abundance of these kinds of food and most ‘luxury’ products were imported from the mainland.

When practiced, the Combine cultivation method, as Xiulan had taken to calling it, also could be used to promote the quality and abundance of farmed goods. It had seemed imprudent to publicly call it the Stunted Bud Method. By buying produce and selling seeds that would one day have to be sold back to her, Xiulan had created a vicious cycle of growth.

The average cultivation level of the region was also rising. The natural qi deficiency of the interior had not been overcome but the widespread use of Zheng Ling’s qi gathering pills was seeing a rise in the number of cultivators that did not have to cut off their future with low efficiency alternatives.

Xiulan and her lovers had reached a slowing of their cultivation. They had all been vigorous in their ‘training’ but even for dual cultivation some ambient qi in the environment was helpful to promote training speed.

Xiulan was also finding that she was increasingly bored with administration! Buying and selling goods was tolerable as she could directly make money from that. However, the endless bureaucracy involved in running operation of this size was killing her.

Xiulan had been actively looking for a CEO of some kind that she could hand off all her work to.

That is what led her here sitting in her office interviewing candidates. She had asked all of her lovers if they fancied the job, but they all had their own businesses to run. Yen Wen was fulling involved in organising and recruiting new guards for Xiulan’s ever growing commercial operation. Zheng Ling’s medical practice was now housed in the Combine, and she had an almost endless stream of sick people to see.

Her Heaven grade acupuncture technique also ensured that the wealthy families of the Gorge came to her with any ailments that where beyond the skills of the Bai Clan.

Fu Jinjing was still working out of her small workshop. Increasingly she was working on commissions for wealthier clients who wanted a custom weapon or piece of armour made.  

Xiulan had interviewed many different people for the position but to be honest not many well educated people applied. In the Blue Crane Kingdom, most Clans kept their skills internal and not many educated people were produced amongst the average population.

The last candidate to be shown into her office surprised Xiulan when she introduced herself as, “Bai Meirong I have heard so much about your Combine.”

“Bai,” questioned Xiulan, “as in the Bai clan of Temple Gorge.”

Bai Meirong blushed and answered, “yes. Although I am nobody important in the clan.”

Xiulan appraised her to make sure:

Bai Meirong – No cultivation. Clear spring spiritual roots (suppressed, poison). Worth 10 gold coins. Recommendation that the host take in this capable woman as a lover.

Xiulan blinked. This was interesting. Bai Meirong was a beautiful woman. She was the quintessential young lady of a cultivation family. She sat with perfect posture and had a dazzling smile. The most striking detail however was the streak of white in her black hair.

Xiulan could not deny that she wanted this woman but without knowing more about her she dared not let her close. She could be a Bai plant to get her to let her guard down and uncover her secrets.

“Miss Bai,” Xiulan probed, “I am sure that you are aware that the Bai Clan has not been a friend of mine during my time in the city.”

Bai Meirong winced, “actually I did not know that. The clan does not include me in their discussions. I am only the daughter of a concubine after all.” That last comment was made with heavy bitterness.

Xiulan was about to dig deeper when one of the twins faded out from the background and whispered in her ear, “the Bai Clan has sent some men to the front of the Combine and demand that we return Miss Bai.”

Bai Meirong could not hear the message, but she jumped in surprise at the appearance of a cultivator out of nowhere.

Xiulan smiled and said in a tone that Bai Meirong could hear, “what do they mean return her I have not taken Miss Bai against her will.”

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Bai Meirong paled and stood up, “I am sorry Miss Long I came here without the Patriarch’s consent. I assumed that they would not care but now that I know there are differences between you and the Clan…”

Xiulan cut her off, “sit down Miss Bai. There are somethings I want to clarify.”

Xiulan spoke to the twin at her shoulder, she really needed to find out their names, but Yanlin had just called them the twins, “Find Zheng Ling and have her come here I want her to examine Miss Bai. Also hold off the Bai Clan at the gate for now I have more to discuss with miss Bai.”

Xiulan turned to Bai Meirong and handed her a sheet of all the transactions she had made since she had received the system. She had left the source for the purchased cultivation methods and techniques vague.

“This,” said Xiulan, “is a log of all of my commercial activity. I want you to examine it and tell me what you think.”

Bai Meirong seemed nervous but spent several minuets looking it over. Zheng Ling entered, and Xiulan indicated that she should check Bai Meirong.

The two women went about their tasks and after awhile Zheng Ling sighed, “such a pity.”

Bai Meirong looked up from her work and said, “huh? What is a pity.”

After looking to Xiulan for the go-ahead Zheng Ling pursed her lips, “you have been poisoned since birth. Your cultivation talent is quite impressive.”

“What?” exclaimed a flabbergasted Bai Meirong.

“Can she be cured,” asked Xiulan.

Zheng Ling blushed but replied, “she can if I give her some herbs and you give her an infusion of Qi. In the same way… that you cured my suppressed cultivation.”

Xiulan smiled at her lover sharing the pleasurable memory.

Bai Meirong was still in a state of shock so Xiulan addressed her, “the poison can be cured then but first I have to see if you are worth the effort Miss Bai. Someone in your Clan clearly has a grudge against you and I doubt they would let go of such a pretty young woman easily. You are a potential marriage alliance after all. So, what do you make of those transactions I handed to you?”

Bai Meirong absently said, “Well you are clearly a reckless spender. You can make money very easily, but you spend massive amounts just as easily and lose money in the process. For example, it says here that you took out an incredibly high interest loan just to buy a bow and cultivation method. I think that overall, you have great ideas but lack the discipline to really administrate any business empire. The Combine for example is storing everything so inefficiently…”

Meirong snapped out of her daze and paled when she realized how blunt she was being. “aah I mean I am sorry Miss Long I did not mean to insult you, I just… I just…” Her voice petered out.

Xiulan laughed and moved around her desk to hug the woman, “That is exactly what I think too Miss Bai. It seems that you are worth my time. You have the job as long as you are willing to go against your clan. This might be the final straw to open conflict between us.”

Bai Meirong hesitated. Xiulan sighed, “I understand family is family. How about this I can cure your poison and send you back to them. If they are worth staying loyal to then they should be overjoyed at your cured condition. However, I suspect that their true colours will make themselves apparent. My door is always open if you want to jump ship.”

Bai Meirong teared up, “Thank you Miss Long. I will pay you back no matter what. I am sure my family will appreciate it too I can change their minds about you I am sure of it. They are all very kind to me so I am sure that it was not them who poisoned me it must be a mistake.”

Xiulan tutted at the woman’s naivety, but she would have to let Bai Meirong learn the truth herself. “Now Miss Meirong the cure is going to be a bit… intimate.”

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