Castle of Black Iron

After getting off the airship, Zhang Tie looked at the surroundings and found that this airport was not large. It was more like a private airport...

The airport was surrounded by mountains which were covered with green trees and colorful blossoms, revealing a strong sense of spring. Some delicate buildings and courtyards were looming in the woods not far away.

They were outside the city.

A black sedan was waiting for Zhang Tie at the entrance of the airship base while the driver and a round-face middle-aged man were standing there with solemn looks.

”Elder Mushen, I’m Zhang Cheng, the CEO of Jinwu Business Group in Yingzhou Province!”

Before Zhang Tie opened his mouth, that middle-aged man had introduced himself.

Zhang Tie nodded. He didn’t see this man before. However, now that his surname was also Zhang and was a CEO of Jinwu Business Group in Yingzhou Province, he probably originated from Huaiyuan Palace.

Being conservative or feudal, according to the facts in the past almost 1,000 years from the Catastrophe to the present, those of the same clan would be more reliable than outsiders. Therefore, many key positions in Jinwu Business Group or all the major clans in Taixia Country were taken by their own clan members. The so-called professional managers (professional CEOs) were usually cultured by the large clans and business groups themselves. Those with greater abilities would have a broader channel promotion while those with poorer abilities would not be wasted either.

Given that Zhang Cheng was shrewd and cunning in his eyes, Zhang Tie knew that Zhang Cheng should be a professional CEO of Jinwu Business Group.

”Where are we?”

”We’re in the branch of Jinwu Business Group outside Yingzhou Province. The hotel has been arranged. As Elder Mushen must be fatigued by such a long journey, you’d better take a rest today. I will send your visiting notice to Fan Mansion tonight so that Fan family could make preparations for that. Elder Mushen could pay a visit to Fan Mansion tomorrow!” Zhang Cheng briefed the schedule and details of Zhang Tie in Yingzhou Province.

Zhang Tie directly walked to a door of the sedan while the driver in uniform pulled open the door for him. Zhang Tie sat on the back seat while Zhang Cheng sat in the co-pilot seat.

With a slight quiver, the sedan had driven out of the airport...

The highway outside the residence of the branch of Jinwu Business Group was spacious and plain. The middle and both sides of the two-way six-lane highway were fixed with green belts. As it was outside the city, there were not too many cars on the road. Zhang Tie could see a wide area of farmlands, villages and towns outside those green belts. Most of the houses in the villages and towns here were tidy and beautiful being featured by independent small courtyards. Given this point, Zhang Tie knew that the economic development level and living standard of Yingzhou Province as an upper province were far greater than that of Youzhou Province which had just promoted to a lower province.

Zhang Tie had been to a lot of places in Waii Subcontinent; especially after he disguised as Gorath when he almost traveled across the entire Waii Subcontinent. To be honest, none of the rural areas and towns outside cities in Waii Subcontinent could match that of here.

After hundreds of years of peaceful development, a place could make a shocking achievement; especially Hua people were diligent, wise and creative. Therefore, the prosperity of many places across big provinces and upper provinces in Taixia Country had been out of the imagination of many people coming from subcontinents.

Just like how Zhang Tie was shocked by the prosperity of Haozhou Province last month when he was still in the airship.

”It’s a nice place!” Zhang Tie watched the scenery outside the window as he chatted with Zhang Cheng. Zhang Tie never put on airs in front of these commoners. Therefore, Zhang Cheng felt that he was an easygoing man.

”Huaiyuan City is even better!” Zhang Cheng immediately turned around and replied to Zhang Tie, leaving half of his butt on the seat.

Although Elder Mushen was genial, his subordinate had to keep etiquette in mind at all times.

”It’s said that Huaiyuan City is also a Class A city?”

”Yup!” Zhang Cheng replied with a bit of pride, ”Yingzhou Province has 137 Class A cities; Huaiyuan City is one of them. Over these years, with the reputation of Huaiyuan Palace, Jinwu Business Group would win the trust of others at the fastest speed in case of a lot of troubles as long as we told them that Huaiyuan City and Jinwu Business Group belonged to our Zhang Clan!”

Zhang Cheng’s words implied the significance of ”domestic influence” and ”the influence of a Class A city” in Taixia Country.

People were usually identified by face. As for large business groups, the city being affiliated to their clan was their face.

After hearing Zhang Cheng’s words, Zhang Tie longed for taking a look at Huaiyuan City at once. ’I remember that Huaiyuan City is only over 2,000 miles away from Fuhai City. After handling the affairs in Fuhai City, I could take a look over there on the way back. It won’t take me too much time.’

At the beginning, Lord Huaiyuan was forced to leave Taixia Country; however, Lord Huaiyuan’s posterity dreamed about coming back everyday. Huaiyuan City was a nail that Huaiyuan Palace had firmly knocked in Taixia Country.

”Does Jinwu Business Group have a good business this year?”

”After clan head took the position of the provincial governor of Youzhou Province, the business of Jinwu Business Group and Long Wind Business Group has grown much better!” Zhang Cheng said implicitly.

This should be another face of Jinwu Business Group, which could hardly be described. Besides bringing profits to both parties, the so-called business had a greater function, namely, striking up an acquaintance with someone. Many business groups in Taixia Country expected to scrape acquaintance with the business group of the provincial governor of a province. Even though such a relationship and influence was useless for the time being, nobody could ensure that they would not use it in the future. This point remained unchanged from the ancient times to the present and from the barren lands in Taixia Country to the Western Continent. The background of the ruling class would never be underestimated no matter where it was.

Zhang Tie revealed a smile and became silent...

Zhang Cheng still wanted to say something; however, after finding that Zhang Tie became silent, he swallowed his words.

”What do you want to say?” Zhang Tie asked.

”The Gobbling Party has a great influence in Yingzhou Province. Besides Huaiyuan City, they have established Morality Associations in all the other 136 Class A cities. Although Fuhai City is not a Class A city, it also has a Morality Association. The Morality Associations of the Gobbling Party could communicate with each other through remote-sensing crystals. They’re well-informed. Many members of major clans in Yingzhou Province have joined the Morality Associations. The greater part of commoners has joined them too. Many commoners even voluntarily donated money and goods to the Morality Associations. Morality Associations have a very deep foundation in Yingzhou Province. The resentment between Elder Mushen and the Gobbling Party has long been known by the Gobbling Party here. Previously, the Morality Associations in Youzhou Province were destroyed and the power of the Gobbling Party was almost eliminated across Youzhou Province. Therefore, the Morality Associations in Yingzhou Province were terrified for quite a while. Some of them even urged to submit memorials to Xuanyuan Hill. Elder Mushen, you’d better watch out those backbones of the Gobbling Party in the Morality Associations in Yingzhou Province. They might cause you troubles!”

After hearing these words, Zhang Tie’s face turned solemn. To be honest, when in Youzhou Province, he had not sensed the influence of the Gobbling Party and the Morality Associations among commoners; however, the situation reversed in Yingzhou Province.

The deep influence of the Gobbling Party in Taixia Country was really terrifying.

After hearing Zhang Cheng’s words, Zhang Tie’s heart raced.

However, after thinking about it for short while, Zhang Tie became reassured. ’As those guys have just lost an around-the-clock imperial supervisor, how will they dare to cause me trouble when I’m not an official anymore?’

’If so, don’t blame me for my ruthlessness!’

...

Of course, Jinwu Business Group arranged the best hotel for Zhang Tie.

The hotel was called Landscape Viewing. Right in the coastal area being not far from Fuhai City, it had beautiful scenery in the surroundings.

In Waii Subcontinent, most of the prosperous lands and deluxe hotels were in cities being protected by the high city walls. However, in Taixia Country, out of confidence or having not been baptized by the battle flames for hundreds of years, some places outside city walls were even more prosperous than that within the city walls due to rapid development before the expansion of the cities.

It indicated a terrifying high cost if these prosperous lands were included in the city walls. Additionally, it was a very tricky problem in urban planning. Therefore, such a phenomenon gradually came into being.

Zhang Tie’s suite was on an artificial hillside. It was Heavens No. 7 suite. The Heavens suites in the hotels of Taixia Country were similar to presidential suites in other continents. Zhang Tie’s suite covered over 3,000 square meters, which was matched with all the facilities and functions. The furnishings in the suite was extremely luxurious. This suite contained 3 swimming pools, large or small. Two outsides on the balcony and the hillside where he could enjoy the seascape, one indoors where was linked to the main bedroom.

The price of this suite was 24 gold coins a day. Of course, this was a very high price for commoners; however, it was nothing for Jinwu Business Group and Zhang Tie.

Actually, Zhang Tie did not have a strict requirement on daily goods. However, he was really fascinated by the seascape and the surrounding environment. Therefore, he just lived in here.

Zhang Cheng even arranged one exclusive vehicle and two bodyguards of the business group for Zhang Tie. After Zhang Tie settled down, Zhang Cheng sent a visiting card of Zhang Tie to Fan Mansion in Fuhai City...

Almost the moment Zhang Cheng left, an uninvited guest had arrived...