Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"It's not that I'm being unreasonable, but I want everyone here to understand that the reason we're sitting here renegotiating today is because the Zhu Clan is not what it used to be! To put it bluntly, it's your families that are begging the Zhu Clan to talk."
Zhu Xiaosuo crossed his arms and scanned the crowd with interest, then poured a drink for Zhuang Yun without saying another word.
"If you're asking for a favor, you need to show the right attitude. I don't need you to bow down, but at least recognize the situation. Am I clear?"
When it came to negotiations, Zhu Xiaosuo was in no hurry.
The Niu Clan was far more anxious than he was.
Inviting Zhou Bi today and using their connections meant they had to reach a conclusion.
When a backer steps in, it's not just to support their underlings but to gain benefits.
What are benefits?
The results at the negotiation table are the benefits.
If no agreement is reached, Niu Shilin would be in trouble.
Niu Shilin said:
"Master Zhu, we understand the reasoning. What's your plan? Lay it out for us."
"Friend Niu, you invited us, you hosted the banquet, and you brought up the topic. By all rights, you should propose a plan first. How can you call someone to negotiate and expect the other party to speak first?"
"You didn't agree to what they proposed before."
"Niu Daihao and Ma Weixin are young and inexperienced, I didn't take them seriously. What, does Master Niu want to follow the results of the last negotiation like them?"
Zhu Xiaosuo spoke bluntly.
Although Niu Daihao and Ma Weixin were considered juniors at the table, they were actually ten to twenty years older than Zhu Xiaosuo.
Calling them young was indeed a bit insulting.
Just as Niu Daihao was about to react, Niu Shilin held him back.
Niu Shilin realized that Zhu Xiaosuo had already grasped the Niu Clan's weakness in this negotiation.
That was the necessity of reaching a result.
At this moment, Zhu Xiaosuo's attitude was that as long as he didn't offend Zhou Bi, it didn't matter whether the negotiation succeeded or not.
If he could disrupt the meeting, all the better.
Zhou Bi was there to represent the Niu Clan's backer.
If no result was achieved, it would be the Niu Clan's problem.
If Zhu Xiaosuo really disrupted the negotiation, the Niu Clan would surely lose face in front of Zhou Bi.
Moreover, in future negotiations, their backer might not be as supportive.
Facing Zhuang Yun, they would be even more passive.
Therefore, Niu Shilin had to succeed in the negotiation.
Niu Shilin coldly stared at Zhu Xiaosuo, increasingly realizing that this twenty-year-old was not to be underestimated.
He felt the negotiation slipping out of his control.
"Fine, I'll speak first. The grain business goes to the Niu Clan, cloth to the Ma Clan, the Money House to the Yang Clan, and medicinal herbs to the Zhu Clan, these remain unchanged. Ironworking is split between the Niu and Ma Clans, transportation among the Ma, Niu, and Yang Clans, and the remaining brothels, teahouses, and inns go to the Zhu Clan, how about that?"
Zhuang Yun and Zhu Xiaosuo both breathed a sigh of relief.
The things they most wanted were offered by Niu Shilin as a concession.
Their minimum expectations were met.
But Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun were not about to agree just yet.
The first proposal from the Niu Clan gave them nearly seventy percent of the business in Mountain Chicken County, while the Zhu Clan only got about ten percent.
Moreover, the Niu Clan's initial offer was surely far from their bottom line.
Thus, Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun simultaneously put on stern faces.
Indicating their strong dissatisfaction.
"Master Niu, the only difference between your proposal and the last negotiation is that the remaining bits are now given to the Zhu Clan instead of being split among the four. Are you serious?"
Niu Shilin didn't expect Zhu Xiaosuo to accept this proposal.
"According to your logic, I've already given a plan. If you disagree, just propose yours."
"Let's not complicate the business in Mountain Chicken County with so many categories, let's look at it overall. In the future, the business in Mountain Chicken County will be divided as follows: the Zhu Clan gets forty percent, the Niu Clan forty percent, and the Ma and Yang Clans ten percent each. Let's divide it by this ratio."
"Impossible!"
Niu Daihao immediately retorted.
"Our Niu Clan's grain business alone accounts for over forty percent of Mountain Chicken County's business. With your division, do we have to give up some grain stores to the Zhu Clan?"
Ma Weixin also said:
"Hmph, you have quite the imagination. The cloth business already accounts for over ten percent of Mountain Chicken County's total business, and now you want us to give up a third of it to the Zhu Clan?"
Yang Linqiu and Yang Shuru remained silent.
Their business previously accounted for less than ten percent of Mountain Chicken County's total.
Zhu Xiaosuo's division didn't give them much reason to object.
Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"The logic is simple. You could dominate the grain and cloth business before because you were strong. Now you have to give it up because you've weakened. Do I really need to explain this to you two? You two should say less to avoid mistakes and let the heads of your families speak."
Ma Weixin and Niu Daihao couldn't make their point, so the elders had to step in.
Ma Baoying said:
"We absolutely cannot agree to your proposal. Master Zhu, I hope you'll reconsider and see if there's room for compromise."
Niu Shilin also said:
"Our three families have seven cultivators sharing sixty percent, while your Zhu Clan has two cultivators sharing forty percent, which is hard to justify."
Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"Wrong. Your three families originally only got thirty percent. It's because Elder Zhou is here that you have sixty percent. Do I really need to state that my godfather is a disciple of the Immortal Sect? Even if he failed to break through, he's still a disciple of the Immortal Sect."
Niu Shilin shook his head and said:
"Even so, our Niu Clan cannot accept this proposal, and neither will Elder Zhou."
Zhu Xiaosuo looked at Zhou Bi.
Zhou Bi remained silent, eyes closed, as if resting.
Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"Alright, let's talk one by one. Let's start with Master Niu. I'll be frank, your Niu Clan, wanting to take seventy percent of Mountain Chicken County's business like before, is impossible, and you need to acknowledge that. If you insist on seventy percent, then I'll have to leave."
Niu Shilin sighed.
"Sixty percent is the bottom line."
"You take sixty percent, the Yang and Ma Clans take at least twenty-five percent, leaving the Zhu Clan with only fifteen percent? Friend Niu, is your Niu Clan a Sect Elder or Sect Deacon, with three cultivators taking sixty percent? While my godfather, a disciple of the Immortal Sect, and I, who is about to take the first Immortal Sect examination, only get fifteen percent?"
Niu Shilin was a bit sullen:
"Master Zhu, you know that our Niu Clan's business isn't just for the Niu Clan."
Niu Shilin was almost saying outright that their Niu Clan had to give a large portion to their backer.
Zhu Xiaosuo laughed and said:
"Master Niu, you should also know that our Zhu Clan's business doesn't have much of the Zhu name either."
It's not just your Niu Clan that has to pay protection fees, our Zhu Clan is the same, don't use that to pressure me.
Zhu Xiaosuo extended five fingers.
"Fifty percent. Your Niu Clan can only take fifty percent. The original grain business, plus your Niu Clan's transportation in the eastern part of the county, just these businesses. Master Niu, you should know that my demand is not excessive."