In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Aside from a few peaches of immortality and lingzhi mushrooms, the sheepskin package in Zhang Xiaoshan's hand contained mostly the essence of animals.

After all, Zhang Xiaoshan simply didn't have time to search for plant-based treasures, while those creatures were obvious targets.

Zhang Xiaoshan doesn't know how often he comes, so naturally he'll take as much as he can this time.

This is the predation of apex predators!

····

"Finally home!"

It was already three or four in the morning when Zhang Xiaoshan returned to the carriage.

Therefore, he did not disturb the women's rest, but instead cleaned up the spoils of the day.

A fist-sized snake gallbladder is soaked in strong liquor; a rare, thousand-year-old fire lingzhi mushroom is displayed in a sandalwood box; the hide of the cloud antelope requires saltpeter for processing, and its two pairs of foot-long horns are a deep blue, seemingly incredibly sharp—truly rare and precious natural treasures…

It wasn't until the sun was just rising in the morning that Zhang Xiaoshan finally managed to finish what he was doing.

"Young master, you're finally back!"

No see in one day, like every three autumns.

Moreover, the women were worried about being separated for two nights and a day.

Seeing Zhang Xiaoshan return unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, my strength is nothing more than that of the Valley of Villains."

Moreover, let's not forget that Mad Lion Iron Warrior, one of the Ten Villains, is also a protector of the Zhang Family Merchant Guild. Before being trained by the Zhang Family, he was merely a top-tier expert and nothing to fear.

"Hmm~hmm~"

Suddenly, Zhang Xiaoshan's legs started to tug, as the little iron-eating beast had woken up and was hungry.

And here, its closest companion is Zhang Xiaoshan, who brought it here before.

To ensure it gets enough nutrition, it used to eat meat when it was hungry, but there isn't even any bamboo here.

"This little guy is an iron-eating beast that I brought from Kunlun Mountain."

"It seems hungry. Piaoxu, go catch some prey nearby and roast it for it."

"Yes, son!"

After Liu Sheng Piaoxu left, the women's eyes lit up when they saw the teddy bear Zhang Xiaoshan had brought.

This isn't the ugly black color of a grizzly bear cub. The iron-eating beast has distinct black and white markings, and its chubby, furry appearance makes it incredibly endearing and adorable if you haven't seen an adult iron-eating beast.

But this thing is an iron-eating beast, a real wild panda.

"Oh right, we're going to a nearby town to rest for a while. I still have some tender tea buds that need to be processed."

When Zhang Xiaoshan returned, he saw a quiet town near the carriage. If the carriage moved slowly, it would take one or two hours to travel there.

He now has a batch of fresh, tender buds picked from thousand-year-old tea trees.

Time was limited, and he didn't have much with him, only a small bag.

However, he doesn't drink tea often; saving two or three ounces is enough for him!

The rest can be left to Zhang Yuan to handle.

"And these, I picked from a thousand-year-old peach tree. I can't say whether they have the same effects as the Jade Peaches of the Palace of Bliss, but they are definitely good stuff. Try them!"

"Peony!"

These peaches are all from thousand-year-old peach trees. While they may not enhance one's abilities or cleanse one's marrow, they are certainly rich in nutrients.

"What beautiful fur! This is..."

"The hides of the clouded antelope, it's a pity there are only two, let's make them into hand guards."

"Ok!"

After inspecting the spoils, even the women couldn't believe that Zhang Xiaoshan had brought so many treasures.

The gallbladder of a thousand-year-old python is far more potent than that of a Bodhi serpent; the "red crest" of several cranes—these are the red-crowned "fleshy growths" on the heads of the crested cranes, exquisitely crafted jade pieces; the tiger penises of three giant tigers…

That purple jade bamboo, in particular, is extremely rare.

Its texture is like jade, comparable to diamond, and it can also be made into two jade flutes, one large and one small.

How could everyone not be shocked by such a harvest?

They continued on their journey, wasting a day, but then continued on their way.

At the same time, news of the Golden-Faced Buddha's appearance in Xingxiu Sea quickly spread throughout the entire Central Plains.

The discovery of two powerful protectors within the restaurant caused a stir among the older generation of martial arts practitioners, based on the descriptions given by the patrons.

Because they vaguely knew who the mysterious old couple were.

Even such a powerful figure was no match for the Golden-Faced Buddha, who could only defeat him with a single palm strike. This shows that the Golden-Faced Buddha's strength had reached an unimaginable level.

As for the purpose of going to the Valley of Villains, everyone was puzzled and did not understand its meaning.

Because there were no signs of forced entry into the Valley of Villains, nor was there anyone the Golden-Faced Buddha wanted to kill; otherwise, they believed that slaughtering the entire Valley of Villains would be as easy as the Golden-Faced Buddha lifting a foot.

But the appearance of the golden-faced Buddha was by no means accidental.

After the Golden-Faced Buddha disappeared again, everyone turned their attention to Zhang Xiaoshan.

Inside the carriage, Zhang Xiaoshan, who had just returned from celebrating a birthday, did not leave the carriage for even a moment. The fact that he was also frying tea in the town put many forces at ease.

After all, the Zhang family and the Golden-Faced Buddha were too closely connected, and the Golden-Faced Buddha even used the Pure Yang Finger technique in the restaurant.

This made them even more confused.

But without a doubt, they are not to be trifled with, and the fact that the Golden-Faced Buddha used it directly in front of everyone proves that his origins are legitimate.

Chapter 306 Unexpected Guest Approaching the End of the Year

"Since you're here, why don't you show yourself, my friend?"

While petting the iron-eating beast, Zhang Xiaoshan turned the roasting rabbit, the golden oil sizzling and dripping, and an extremely rich aroma filled the air.

Inside the fire were several clods of mud, which were the legendary beggar's chicken, also known as the rich and noble chicken.

As for the women, just now Liu Sheng Piaoxu caught a rare musk deer...

At this moment, with the help of Hongxiao and Jiangxue, Huang Rong was processing venison, preparing to stir-fry it.

"Have you ignored the fact that you arrived at an inopportune time and disturbed your meal, young master?"

Suddenly, a figure dressed in a long robe emerged from the forest. He was broad-shouldered and burly, with a seemingly kind face but a sharp, piercing glint in his eyes.

"Another friend, having followed me all day, why hide?"

"Rumors say that Young Master Zhang's skills are amazing, and seeing them today, I can confirm that they are indeed true."

Having his true form exposed by Zhang Xiaoshan, the man no longer concealed himself.

Dressed in a red Dharma robe, holding a spinning Dharma wheel in one hand and a Tang straight knife at his waist in the other, he had a bit of the air of a Blood Droplet.

But this is not a flying guillotine, but a sorcerer of the Wu Tang Empire, similar to a high-ranking monk of Tibetan Buddhism, who is extremely mysterious in the Wu Tang Empire.

The two exchanged a glance and realized that this was no coincidence.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan's calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if he had anticipated their arrival.

"Iron-Blooded Marquis! Imperial Preceptor of the Martial Tang Dynasty!"

Both of you are of high status, and it is fate that you can meet in this desolate place today.

"Floating catkins, let's enjoy the tea!"

Hongxiao had already brought two carpets, making room for the two of them to sit down.

Distinguished guests cannot simply stand.

At this moment, the two of them didn't stand on ceremony. Looking at Zhang Xiaoshan, who was petting a cat and barbecuing, with Huang Rong stir-frying something next to him, they couldn't help but look at Zhang Xiaoshan with envy.

This is the true life of an immortal, carefree and unrestrained.

"Distinguished guests, please!"

Aromatic tea is a rare treat, especially when enjoyed outdoors.

"How did you know it was us, young master?"

“The Zhang family has its own intelligence, and Zhang’s visit to offer birthday wishes was actually a preordained event for all of you to attend.”

Hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's confidence, the two exchanged a glance, secretly shocked.

Zhang Xiaoshan then explained:

"Later this week, we ordered a lot of things from the Zhang family and shipped them out through the black market."

Let alone the cooperation between the Zhang family and the Later Zhou dynasty, it would be truly strange if you weren't curious about those extremely secretive matters.

Therefore, from the very beginning, Zhang had anticipated that the two of them would come.

It's a very simple set: bearings, diamond wire, springs...

The items were very simple. The two of them looked at them, fiddled with them casually, and didn't understand why.

After all, it's not related to my major, and in an era where all other professions are considered inferior and only studying is considered superior.

Undoubtedly, these bizarre and outlandish techniques are simply not worth considering.

It wasn't until Zhang Xiaoshan used his own carriage as an example that the two realized he was trying to sell something.

But this thing seems to have some tricks up its sleeve.

Examples include the labor-saving properties of bearings, the sharpness of diamond wire, and the cushioning effect of springs...

"These things may seem simple, but their importance is self-evident."

Therefore, the prices are not cheap. Each single-row roller bearing costs one gold coin, with a maximum of one hundred thousand; this diamond wire sells for a thousand gold coins per foot to the Duan family of Dali, but as Han Chinese, the Zhang family won't ask for too much, one hundred gold coins per foot, with a maximum of one hundred feet; these pulleys also have different prices for large, medium, and small sizes...

"The Zhang family had this all planned out long ago!"

Zhu Wushi looked at the items and understood that the Zhang family wanted to use them to open up the market in Wu Tang and Hou Zhou.

As for the Ming Dynasty, it had long been thoroughly infiltrated by the Zhang family.

However, these two empires are different. One is controlled by powerful families, and the other has a strict system, requiring the Zhang family to qualify for entry.

He couldn't see the value of these things, but the items that he would deliberately purchase from the Zhang family the following week were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.

Even if it really is just carriage parts as Zhang Xiaoshan described, it's still a worthwhile investment.

After all, speed is everything!

For example, if the red-coated cannons on the border of the Ming Dynasty could increase their movement speed, this alone would bring great convenience to the nine passes.

"Indeed, these things seem simple, but in reality, without a certain amount of time, it would be difficult for you to mass-produce them."

In comparison, purchasing from the Zhang family is the best option!

Diamond wire, on the other hand, requires Dragon Balls to make. It's made by crushing diamonds and solidifying them into alloy silkworm silk. This stuff can cut anything—jade, metal…”

"The Zhang family sold these to the four great empires. Aren't you afraid that the Great Zhao Empire will cause trouble for your Zhang family?"

"These are all civilian products; how you use them is up to you."

For example, springs and bearings are carriage parts in the Zhang family; diamond wire is used for cutting raw stones, but the truly crucial components are only consumed within the four great empires.

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's strange change of heart, the two nodded.

Upon closer examination, these items do indeed serve that purpose, and they are not prohibited items.

As for why they were able to open up the market, it's mainly because the products could reduce a lot of friction. For example, with horse-drawn carriages being the mainstream mode of transportation, installing these wheels and axles on a carriage would greatly improve work efficiency, even if it only reduced the effort by one-tenth.

Moreover, this not only saves one-tenth of the power, but also includes components like springs, making it a choice for luxury carriages.

"Yes, prepare one copy for the Empire, all at the highest possible limit!"

After securing the two purchase orders, Zhang Xiaoshan nodded in approval.

And these are just the appetizers; the long-range vision system includes upgradeable binoculars; steamships are now in mass production; and even train blueprints are under construction...

However, these things will only be brought out when the Zhang family needs to make a real decision.

The Central Plains need unification, and the Zhang family's vision is not limited to the legitimacy of the four great empires.