Undying Life

Chapter 169: Chapter 169: The Gentleman

Zhongshan stood quietly to the side, while Princess Qian You looked at him with keen interest, a demeanor of profound admiration evident in her expression. Of course, this admiration wasn't of romantic nature but rather the kind of admiration for talent, a thirst for wisdom, the demeanor one has when encountering a great sage.

However, for Zhongshan, this moment was also an opportunity. He wanted to understand the Great Luo Dynasty, to understand it openly and unrestrictedly. Relying solely on his fifth-rank official position was far from enough; Zhongshan needed a big tree, one that could shield him from the wind and rain.

Princess Qian You was precisely such a big tree, and Zhongshan chose her, naturally intending for this big tree to offer him full protection. So, let his talents shine! The old fox's sense of smell was extremely sensitive; Zhongshan's would only be sharper. He needed to act decisively and showcase his abilities.

After Zhongshan had done everything, he stood aside because he believed his goal had been achieved. In front of Princess Qian You, he was already a "great sage," and what needed to be done now was to be "subdued."

Ah Er and Shui Tianya looked at the rice paper over and over again.

"It's real, this is correct," Shui Tianya exclaimed, wide-eyed, a look of incredulity on his face.

It should be noted that the prices of goods throughout Wushuang City had already been standardized, thanks to decades or even centuries of price adjustments. They had been uniformly established. Moreover, most of the goods here were quite common. You could absolutely find everything in several stores.

"What's real and correct?" Princess Qian You asked.

"It's all here, some of the exchanges are correct, I remember it vividly, but I can't remember all of them, just a part of them. However, judging from this situation, they should all be correct. If that's the case, then..." Shui Tianya's expression turned to one of shock.

"And then what?" Princess Qian You asked.

"We've sent people to study the market in Wushuang City. The prices in Wushuang City's market can't change anymore; they're already very uniform, and it's impossible to squeeze out any more profits. But if this list from Zhongshan comes out, the Ascension Pill will instantly become the Infant Transformation Pill. It's too miraculous," Shui Tianya exclaimed.

Zhongshan's expression remained unchanged. What others found miraculous was merely his realm of expertise. You've sent people to study it? That's because you don't understand commerce. How can your lackeys compare to me in my field?

Zhongshan remained calm and composed, waiting for the ultimate "truth to come to light," but Princess Qian You was already certain.

Approaching Zhongshan, her previous smile suddenly disappeared. Facing Zhongshan, she placed her hands in front of her and bowed respectfully to him.

"Mr. Zhongshan, I've been rude just now," Princess Qian You bowed respectfully to Zhongshan.

Seeing this scene, Zhongshan couldn't help but secretly admire Princess Qian You's prowess. With her esteemed status, bowing to an insignificant figure like himself was undoubtedly a tremendous gesture.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have been deeply moved. A princess, that's a princess, and moreover, a princess of the Great Luo Dynasty. How noble a person she was, yet she was now bowing to you?

Princess Qian You's sincerity was evident; she aimed to win over Zhongshan with sincerity, wanting him to serve her wholeheartedly. It was evident that Princess Qian You was also a master of power politics. Gathering people's hearts, she didn't care about virtual fame and loss but cared about actual gain and loss. This was what made a person successful. A person who truly understood the bigger picture. What harm was there in bowing? He didn't lose anything, but what he gained was enormous.

However, the person Princess Qian You bowed to was different from others. Zhongshan, who was Zhongshan? This scene seemed like something straight out of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which I watched a lot of on Earth when I was younger. Back then on Earth, people casually critiqued national leaders, and as a figure of authority myself, I couldn't be moved by a mere bow, could I?

Watching Princess Qian You bow respectfully, Zhongshan couldn't help but think to himself: Just bow if you want to. I bowed to you just now, and now you're bowing to me. Huh, why does it feel so awkward? If we bow to each other again, will we end up as husband and wife?

However, on the surface, Zhongshan still pretended to be pleasantly surprised.

"Princess, you're being too serious. I'm not worthy of such reverence," Zhongshan immediately tried to console Princess Qian You, with a look of 'apprehension' on his face.

"No, sir, you're worthy. If Qian You can get Mr.'s help, it'll be like how the Great Yu Dynasty relied on Yi Yan. Even if in dire straits, Qian You will still be able to hold her own," Princess Qian You sincerely said.

"Princess need not be so formal, Zhongshan will do everything he can to assist you," Zhongshan immediately responded, very much in line with the usual rhetoric. Anyway, they were all clichés from TV shows watched in his youth, no need to ponder, just say it.

"Alright, with Mr.'s word, Qian You can rest assured. In the future, whenever Mr. needs anything, Qian You will do her utmost to help," Princess Qian You smiled.

"Thank you, Princess. Also, Princess, you don't need to call me 'Mr.' in the future, just call me 'Zhongshan'. I'm still not used to it," Zhongshan said after some thought.

Seeing Zhongshan, Princess Qian You's eyes flickered, as if she had thought of something. She smiled slightly and said, "Okay, I won't call you 'Mr.' in public anymore, but the promise I made to you still stands."

"Thank you, Princess," Zhongshan nodded.

Ah Er and Shui Tianya looked at this scene with astonishment, utterly shocked because they had never seen the princess in such a manner before.

Seeing their expressions, Princess Qian You furrowed her brows and said, "Forget everything you just saw. Zhongshan is still my subordinate, a third-grade guardian."

"Yes," the two nodded. Although they were still somewhat puzzled, they had to comply with the princess's orders.

Watching from the side, Zhongshan understood Princess Qian You's intentions. She wanted to keep him as her hidden talent, or rather, hide him away and use him without letting others know. In other words, it was called "concealing one's abilities."

However, Zhongshan had no intention of stepping into the limelight for now. The interpersonal network in the Great Luo Dynasty hadn't been fully established yet. Once he was announced as Princess Qian You's strategist, he would definitely become a target of public criticism. It was better for him to remain hidden for now. Everything should be taken slowly.

"Sir, do you have a place to stay for the time being? Why not stay here?" Princess Qian You suggested.

"Sure, that's fine," Zhongshan nodded.

"By the way, both of us are members of the Seven Star Hall Alliance. Sir, do you practice the 'Thunder Purgatory Pure Yang Technique'?" Princess Qian You asked, recalling the scene on Fangshan Mountain where she saw Zhongshan in action.

"That's correct," Zhongshan nodded.

"It just so happens that I have a few Thunder Flowers here. Hmm, I'll also need to make some modifications to my residence to create a Thunder Stone training room for you. I'll have someone engrave the Thunder Formation later," Princess Qian You said.

"Thank you," Zhongshan said sincerely this time.

Thunder Stone? That was an extremely precious material, and there hadn't been much of it on the market before. The inventory was limited, yet it was now being used to build houses. All of this was to cater to his cultivation direction. It seemed that being Princess Qian You's strategist also had great convenience.

Seeing Zhongshan's gratitude, Princess Qian You smiled faintly.

At this moment, outside the main hall, Ah Da rushed in excitedly, holding a golden pill in his hand. The Infant Transformation Pill.

"Princess, Princess, it's changed. The Ascension Pill has turned into the Infant Transformation Pill," Ah Da exclaimed excitedly.

"Sir, both questions have been solved. Qian You is very grateful," Princess Qian You smiled.

Zhongshan nodded and smiled, not too proud, as both questions happened to be within his grasp and were not too difficult to solve.

"If we follow Zhongshan's method, won't we be able to quickly convert a large quantity of Ascension Pills into Infant Transformation Pills?" Shui Tianya suddenly exclaimed with excitement.

With this method, the poor would become wealthy in no time.

"Not possible," Zhongshan shook his head.

"Huh?" Everyone looked at Zhongshan with confusion.

"Some of the quantities of the goods I listed are not very large. Once they are exchanged, it's easy to change the market's perception of the prices of those goods. This could easily cause a major market upheaval. While it might work for a few pills, if the quantity is large, it could cause the current market system to collapse, making it impossible to exchange them later," Zhongshan explained.

Upon hearing Zhongshan's explanation, Ah Da and Ah Er didn't quite understand, but Shui Tianya and Princess Qian You immediately nodded in understanding.

"Sir, your timing couldn't be better. Qian You currently has a major matter at hand and would like your advice," Princess Qian You said.

"Oh?" Zhongshan looked at Princess Qian You in confusion.

"It's like this. We've signed an agreement with the Great Yu Dynasty, declaring a truce between the two dynasties. This achievement is considered a great merit for the ruler of Wushuang City on the battlefield's edge. With such merits, coupled with previous political achievements, the ruler of Wushuang City will soon be promoted. At that time, when heading to the capital, a new ruler will need to be selected for Wushuang City," Princess Qian You explained.

Listening to Princess Qian You, Zhongshan furrowed his brows slightly, as if he had already grasped something.

"And the new ruler will be selected from among the four major city lords of Wushuang City," Princess Qian You continued.

"The four major city lords? Lord Shui?" Zhongshan looked at Shui Tianya.

"That's right, it's me. Among the four major city lords, I am one of them. While the lords of the Eastern and Western cities support the lord of the Northern city together, the competition for the position of city lord is mainly between me and Lord Mo Baili of the Northern city," Shui Tianya explained.

"Uh, I'm not familiar with Wushuang City, and I don't know about this competition mechanism. How am I supposed to make a decision?" Zhongshan shook his head. How do I put this? I'm not Doraemon; I can't just say "ah" in times of difficulty and pull out a magical treasure from my pocket to solve everything.

"Sir, don't worry. We still have a year until the final decision is made. We have a year to prepare. As for how to compete and how to become the city lord, I will explain everything step by step. By then, Sir will surely be fully aware of everything," Princess Qian You said.

Zhongshan nodded. Indeed, if one wants to understand the system of the Great Luo Dynasty, starting from one thing would be the quickest. The more complicated the matter, the sooner he could grasp what he needed.