480 Zhenhai City (1/2)

After sending Xiao He away, Ouyang Shuo met another person, Hefu.

After learning that Jade Buddha County had fallen, South Alliance not only removed him from his role as alliance leader, they even kicked him out. The current Hefu was truly a lonely person.

The only thing of value would be the control over Jade Buddha County.

After learning that Tianshuang County had fallen, Ouyang Shuo was eager to find another city in the center of Lingnan Province.

In the end, Ouyang Shuo had set his sights on Jade Buddha County. Apart from the fact that he needed it during the war, its harbor was another attractive factor.

Coincidentally, Jiaozhou Harbor was located between Beihai Harbor and Quanzhou Harbor, so it could act as a transit point for goods.

Be it merchant ships or warships, they could only carry a limited amount of freshwater and food. If they brought too much, it would affect the number of other goods they could carry.

Hence, during a routine naval journey, people would choose to stop at a few harbors along the way.

The position of Jiaozhou Harbor was special.

With Jiaozhou Harbor, Ouyang Shuo's plan to transport goods through the sea from Quanzhou could become a reality.

This was also the reason why Ouyang Shuo had ordered Zhao Kuo to not destroy the stone steele.

The bright sunlight shone into the courtyard, as the blooming flowers bloomed emitted a vibrant vilatality.

Hefu, who the guards escorted, was looking really down. His face now had a beard, and he looked defeated. He did not have the aura of a Lord or the prestige from before.

Maybe because he was not used to the light, but Hefu used his hand to shade his forehead, as he squinted his eyes.

Ouyang Shuo stood in the corridor. He looked at Hefu, who walked step by step towards him. If you lost, you became a prisoner. Today's outcome could serve as a lesson for others.

”Lord Hefu, I've long been looking for you!” Ouyang Shuo greeted.

When Hefu heard these words, he raised his head and looked at Ouyang Shuo, as his mouth turned into a self-deprecating smile. With a hoarse voice, he said, ”I am a fallen man. Lord Wuyi is joking!”

The man in front of him was the Lord that destroyed his dreams and ambitions.

Weirdly enough, the current Hefu did not feel any anger or regret. It was like all his moments had disappeared the moment he lost.

The man in front of him was of similar age, but he stood at the pinnacle of the game. There was also a moment that he himself was one step away from approaching such a position.

That small distance had resulted in the current difference between night and day.

This displayed the luck and misfortune of life.

Thinking about this point, Hefu felt more and more desperate. He only wanted to use the last of his chips to exchange for some money. Then, he would find an imperial city to seclude himself.

The two opponents stood facing one another, not saying anything.

”Please!”

In the end, Ouyang Shuo broke the silence and led Hefu into the reading room. Toward this person and such an opponent, Ouyang Shuo still held a great deal of respect for him.

Hefu did not mind, nodding his head and walking in. He sat on his own and said tiredly, ”Lord Wuyi, what terms do you have. Please state them!”

His voice contained a mix of his sense of failure and his exhaustion.

When Ouyang Shuo heard this, he knew that the words he had prepared would not come into play. He smiled slightly, ”Lord Hefu is frank. Since that's the case, I will not beat around the bush. I have twenty thousand gold here; hand over Jade Buddha County over to me.”

”Fifty thousand!”

This time, Hefu's voice was resolute.

Ouyang Shuo frowned; this was a bit of a ripoff. However, he had to admit that the actual value of the county was not twenty thousand.

But the problem was that the current Jade Buddha County was already in his hands. Ouyang Shuo was only buying the teleportation formation.

”Thirty thousand gold, no more bargaining. Lord Hefu, you should know that you do not have much bargaining room.” In the end, Ouyang Shuo decided to give in slightly and add in an extra ten thousand gold.

Thirty thousand gold was enough to let Hefu live as he wished. If he did a little business, he could easily become rich.

Silence, a long, long silence.

Hefu closed his mouth. He did not even speak a word, as he had a final internal struggle.

Even so, Ouyang Shuo's attitude remained unchanging. At this time, sympathy had left his body, and there was only coldness and rationality left.

A difference of twenty thousand gold was enough to let Shanhai City do many things.

In the financial profits of the 8th month, apart from the funds needed for the education and medical revolutions, Ouyang Shuo needed ten thousand gold to fund the Shanhai Guards.

Hence, the amount of money on hand was not enough for him to spend thoughtlessly.

He had already spent a considerable sum of money when he formed the Black Snake Guards. Now, to create the Shanhai Guards, which stood at a level higher, the amount of funds would naturally reach an even more terrifying number.

After all, to develop and maintain a bunch of spies was not an easy matter.

The Battle of Zhaoqing and the changes in Wulong County were enough to prove the value of intel. Ouyang Shuo's investment into the Black Snake Guards had not gone to waste; his investment had bore fruit.

Just as Ouyang Shuo started to feel a little impatient, Hefu finally let go.

”I agree!”