Chapter 4384 — A Straying Step onto the Third Floor
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Any sharp-eyed person could see this, and the Zhongshu Merchant Guild naturally knew it as well. So while the secular goods could still command attention, it had to transform itself swiftly into a mainstream top-tier guild—and even into a true colossus.
Though few were buying these heaven-and-earth treasures for the moment, the Zhongshu Merchant Guild still had to fill out its stocks—not merely fill them out, but outdo the other guilds in both quantity and quality. Only so could it truly plant its feet firmly and flourish for the long run.
What surprised Wei Zhao was that here on the second floor he actually saw several rare heaven-and-earth treasures that were seldom seen even in the Hong Merchant Guild. Clearly, though the Zhongshu Merchant Guild had risen overnight, its foundations were unquestionably deep—no ordinary guild could compare.
However matters developed from here, at this rate it was bound to claim a place for itself on Yunjie Island. It might not sit firmly at the top, but to rank among the top three was absolutely beyond doubt.
"This Zhongshu Merchant Guild really does come on strong—brimming with ambition." Wei Zhao smiled noncommittally, his gaze traveling back and forth over those few exceedingly rare heaven-and-earth treasures, though he showed no intent to buy.
Rare as these things were, they were not like supreme treasures such as Star Ink Milk or the Wandu Golden Core Fruit, which were useful to anyone. Their uses were rather narrow; barring certain special circumstances, they were of no use for the moment, and might never be of use in the future either.
Wei Zhao was only mildly interested, but beside him Qi Wenmo's eyes lit up at once at the sight of these things. As the young heir of the Qingtian Escort Agency, his breadth of experience was beyond the common run, and he could of course tell what was truly good.
"Attendant, bring that Heavenly Snow Vine down and let me have a look." Qi Wenmo at once beckoned an attendant over and pointed eagerly at one of the items. The secular wares on the first floor he would not buy, but for genuine good things like these, he would not stint however much spirit jade it took.
Wei Zhao smiled and wandered about on his own. He had meant to wait a little for Qi Wenmo, but seeing him deep in lively conversation with the attendant, he decided not to disturb him and turned to head up to the third floor.
Compared with the seething first floor, the second was already sparsely populated, but the third floor was almost utterly empty!
Wei Zhao looked around with some surprise and found that there were no display racks here at all, but rather one luxurious, elegantly appointed private room after another. It seemed to be a place set aside for people to talk and rest, where clients doing large-scale business would presumably negotiate with the Zhongshu Merchant Guild's managers. But why was there not a single person here, when business below was booming?
Wei Zhao could hardly be blamed for such conjecture—any normal person would think the same, since everything a merchant guild did was for the sake of trading with people. What Wei Zhao had not expected was that this Zhongshu Merchant Guild was somewhat different from the other great guilds he had seen.
Quiet as the second floor was, it at least had some customers. Yet the third floor had not a single guest, for one reason only: this place was not open to the public—entry by invitation alone!
Ordinarily, the stairway was always guarded, and those who frequented the Zhongshu Merchant Guild all knew the rule, so they generally did not come near, much less go up to the third floor on their own.
But these past few days, with the grand gathering of the Nanzhou Escort Agencies about to convene here, a great many outsiders had been drawn in, making the already bustling Zhongshu Merchant Guild's business all the more feverish. (To be continued..) R752