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

Turning back to look at the graceful and beautiful Liu Sheng Piaoxu, over the years, the women's martial arts skills have successively entered the ninth level, and they have long since reached the realm of eternal youth.

With Zhang Xiaoshan's joint cultivation, the Zhang family now has three more Grandmasters.

The Orchid sisters and Master Mingchen!

The Hu sisters were implanted with demonic seeds by Zhang Xiaoshan, and they entered the realm of demonic immortals three years ago...

Master Mingchen, with his solid foundation and profound understanding of the highest realm of Buddhism, reached the level of a great Buddhist master a year ago.

Besides the benefits of joint practice, Master Mingchen did not use the initiation of the Living Buddha's relics, but rather realized the supreme state of Buddhism on his own.

Besides the women, there was also Ghost Yama who had reached the Grandmaster realm!

Whether it's the ninth move of the Dragon Slaying Saber Technique or the Tathagata Palm, it was only natural for Ghost Yama to reach the Grandmaster realm.

"The Net has sent a message: The Dragon Emperor invites you, young master, to the Xianyang Palace for a discussion!"

"Heading to Xianyang Palace?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoshan frowned.

Since returning to the East China Sea, even though Zhang Xiaoshan frequently went out, and even with the opening of the Imperial Restaurant, he had not seen the Dragon Emperor once again.

He never expected the Dragon Emperor to suddenly want to see him; it must be something more.

However, he was not worried about his own safety or the Dragon Emperor's schemes, but understood that the Dragon Emperor would not see him unless he had a compelling reason to do so.

"Fine, I'll set off in three days!"

Since it was inevitable, Zhang Xiaoshan naturally wouldn't back down.

Over the years, the Zhang family has established a presence across China, and their business empire has entered a new period of expansion.

At the end of this period of expansion, the interests of the empire will undoubtedly be affected.

Even now, in version 2.0, there are still too many eyes within the empire eyeing the Zhang family, this lucrative prize.

With a super open-pit coal mine in Shanxi, a rare salt mine in Guanzhong, and a gold mine in Sichuan, the Zhang family's annual profits from just these three mines exceed one million gold.

In addition, there were the Zhang family's own businesses in glassmaking, soap making, and restaurants.

Even if they didn't know how much the Zhang family had earned, they knew it was definitely no less than five million taels of gold, given the ten-year tax exemption.

And this doesn't even include the donated toll fees, the newly built super mall and restaurant, the Zhang family's transit point and huge workshop on Yizhou Island...

The sheer size of the Zhang family's wealth has caused many to forget how terrifying they truly were.

When faced with profit, many people become blinded by greed.

Chapter 621 The Ba Family's Predicament Returns to Xianyang

"What a magnificent and luxurious super mall."

Upon entering the new Empire State Building, aside from the basic decoration of glazed tile walls and celadon flooring, each shop was initially designed in a classical Chinese style, exuding elegance and artistic conception.

A huge glass wall in front allows a clear view of the goods inside from the pedestrian street outside.

The only two exceptions are that Zhang Jiayun and Ba Jia had already chosen their own shops and decorated them in their own style.

Especially the prime locations, because each floor is in the same position, are even connected from top to bottom.

The central area is a pedestrian street, designed entirely according to the standards of later shopping malls.

The only drawback is the lack of an incandescent bulb for illumination.

Even when burning brighter whale oil wax, it still appears somewhat dim.

After all, Baizhang Pedestrian Street is fine during the day, but at night, it gives Zhang Xiaoshan a gloomy and terrifying feeling.

If one is not particularly tolerant, it truly feels like wandering through a ghost town, so Zhang Xiaoshan had to find another way.

Since we can't change the fireworks, we can only try to fix the lampshade.

Therefore, the top floor of the pedestrian street is set up in a peculiar way. You can't see any candlelight when you look up, but it is as bright as day, and then the light shines down by reflection.

Inside the shop, a few rounds of bright lamps are enough.

"Auntie, this is the transaction record for the past month!"

Ba Family Shop.

At this time, the person in charge of the Ba family business was the successor of the Ba family, Ba Zhu'er, who obtained the cinnabar from cinnabar and also the beauty of pearls and jade.19

With a delicate face like a peach blossom, she possessed both the heroic spirit of a woman and the graceful elegance of a young lady from a wealthy family.

Wearing a crimson long dress made of top-quality Shu brocade, which accentuated her slender and graceful figure, with pearls and jade and embroidered sachets adorning her delicate waist, and gold hairpins and tassels swaying in her voluminous hair, she radiated the splendor of a princess in a golden age.

At this time, Ba Qing was already over sixty years old and his strength was failing him.

Bajur, who was over thirty, was not only intelligent from a young age, but also had a great talent for business.

Therefore, the Ba family business gradually passed from the older generation to the younger generation.

"Indeed, this investment was the right one!"

The Super Mall opened two years ago. At that time, Ba Jia not only recouped his investment in the store, but also made hundreds of thousands of gold coins in profit every year for the past two years!

As a top-tier merchant family second only to the Zhang family, the Ba family's goods were sourced from Sichuan and Chongqing, including Shu brocade, wild mushrooms, and Gong fans...

They were extremely popular with the wealthy families in Xianyang, not to mention the potential profits.

"A net profit of 50,000 gold this month?"

Ba Qing looked at his niece and smiled with satisfaction.

Although the Ba family provided the platform, they had already reached the pinnacle of commerce by this time.

Without the Zhang family's strength, don't even think about advancing any further.

Therefore, stable profit growth and maintaining the status quo are extremely suitable for the current Ba family.

However, Ba Qing then seemed to remember something, and his expression immediately darkened.

The Ba family's fortune originated from the three widows of their previous generation;

By the time of Baju'er's generation, she was another widow; it seemed that the women of the Ba family were destined to be widows.

Even though the Later Zhou Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty were not places with strict etiquette, gossip about them still circulated among the common people, and their reputation as widowers spread in private.

After all, since the Ba family operates in the public eye, such discussions are inevitable.

"aunt?"

Baju'er observed Ba Qing's expression, which shifted from joy to gloom in an instant, and knew that Ba Qing was troubled.

"Pearl, if possible, remarry after your aunt dies!"

Ba Qing is guarding a huge 'chastity arch' and there's no way she could get married.

But Bajur was different. Thirty years old was still young in her eyes. They had to struggle back then, but Bajur didn't have to.

Even though the Ba family takes pride in this 'chastity arch'.

But the older Ba Qing got, the clearer his understanding became, which is why he made such 'rebellious' remarks.

We can't ruin the lives of future generations for the sake of this honor.

"aunt!"

Baju'er was shocked, never expecting that Ba Qing wanted her to remarry.

It should be understood that for the widows of the Ba family, starting with the chastity archway of "Widow Qing," it has already represented a kind of honor.

Remarrying would undoubtedly ruin the family's reputation, and the Ba family's honor would be lost.

"The Ba family is just an ordinary family. Even if the Ba family loses this honor, the descendants will still have plenty to eat and drink."

If you meet a good person, I don't want you to follow in our footsteps.

Moreover, the Ba family is now a piece of fat meat. Our Ba family doesn't have the strength of the Zhang family to hold onto such a large fortune; sooner or later, we'll become a threat!

"Auntie means?"

The beginning was fine, but Ba Qing's words later made Ba Zhu'er's heart tremble.

It was precisely because she was extremely intelligent that she understood the meaning behind Ba Qing's words and realized that the Ba family was now in a precarious situation.

"My aunt doesn't know how many more years she has to live."

But once their aunt leaves, they won't have any more reservations!

Hiss...

Even Baju'er felt a chill in her heart and her mind trembled violently at this moment.

If that's the case, wouldn't the Ba family be in an extremely dangerous situation?

Thinking of this, even though Baju'er was already capable of handling things on her own, she was still confused and lost her composure. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes looked at Ba Qing with hope in them.

"Don't have any hope. The Zhang family has already served as a cautionary tale."

However, the Zhang family's strength was too terrifying. They escaped unscathed several times, and they were ruthless in their actions. They wiped out the Cai family and the Wu clan. Even the Dragon Emperor of the Empire treated them with courtesy.

But the Ba family were merely fish on their chopping board.

Upon hearing this, Ba Zhu understood Ba Qing's meaning and couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly.

Even the powerful Zhang family couldn't avoid it, let alone the Ba family.

Once Ba Qing dies and his ties with the imperial family are severed, those powerful imperial families will naturally have no more scruples.

"Does Aunt mean to give up those businesses?"

"Hesitation will only lead to disaster. Once they make their move, they will leave the Ba family no way out!"

Upon hearing this, Baju'er turned deathly pale.

You have to understand that the Ba family's businesses are now enormous; who wouldn't be willing to give them up like this?

However, the Ba family also lacked the strength to protect these assets.

"It's a pity that my aunt was short-sighted and didn't acquire a ten percent share of the Imperial Mall. Otherwise, the Ba family wouldn't be in such a sorry state."

"Does Aunt mean she wants to rely on the Zhang family?"

Upon hearing that the Imperial Mall would offer a ten percent share, with no shops but only management rights, even Ba Qing back then didn't hesitate much.

They invested two million gold coins, not to throw it away.

However, as the empire developed and the Ba family gained prominence in Xianyang, Ba Qing gradually realized the danger posed by the Ba family.

Unfortunately, the Zhang family had already completed their financing!

"The Ba family may want to seek refuge with the Zhang family, but the Zhang family may not even look at the Ba family."

My aunt will personally go to the Zhang family to discuss the matter. Perhaps, out of consideration for the Ba family's orphaned children and widowed mother, she will help the Ba family through their difficulties in the future.

Pearl, your aunt is telling you this not so that you will worry about the family. As long as your aunt is still here, those demons and monsters will not make a move.

"Now that my aunt is gone, all those rules and regulations don't need to be followed anymore!"

Baju nodded upon hearing this.

Ba Qing is the face of the Ba family. If the face is gone, whether she continues to uphold the legacy of that face or starts a new life is up to her.

However, as a woman of the Ba family, Baju'er has high standards.

···

"Greetings, young master!"

At this time, Zhang's Grand Restaurant.

The head manager in charge of the Zhang family's business was a stunningly beautiful woman named Su Chan, whom Zhang Xiaoshan had transferred from Jiangnan.

Like Manager Feng, he came from a scholarly family that had fallen on hard times. From a young age, he was proficient in poetry and prose, and excelled in all the arts, including music, chess, and painting. Moreover, he also had a great talent for business and was originally the head manager of a branch of the Zhang family in Jiangnan.

With her elegant and serene temperament, stunning beauty, and graceful, willow-like figure, she could be considered the ideal woman for most young men.

However, Xianyang is teeming with experts and has a complex web of powerful families.

Therefore, to be on the safe side, Zhang Xiaoshan implanted a demonic seed in his body.

Not only does it possess a touch of allure amidst its refined elegance, but the power boost and telepathic abilities granted by the demonic seed also allow Zhang Xiaoshan to sense any betrayal or unexpected events that might occur to the other party.

However, with absolute control over the demonic seed, Zhang Xiaoshan was not worried about betrayal from the locals.