The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Meng Yi planned to rest here for a few days so that Xiao He's child Xiao Lu could recover.

One morning, the sun was shining brightly and the breeze was blowing gently.

Fan Wen led the two men to the inn's door, knocked gently, announced his arrival to the people inside, and asked to see Meng Yi. After receiving Meng Yi's permission, the accompanying guards took them upstairs.

At this time, Meng Yi was talking with Ying Bu in the room, and the topic revolved around some things he heard last time at "Fan's Trading Company".

When Fan Wen, Fan Li and Ying Zhao walked into the room, Meng Yi and Ying Bu looked closely and showed surprise on their faces.

Fan Li and the other two saluted Meng Yi in unison and called out respectfully, "Lieutenant."

Meng Yi and Ying Bu quickly stood up and went forward to help the three people up. Meng Yi asked with a smile, "Manager Fan, what brings you here? And Ying Zhao, I haven't seen you in these few months. You've grown into a handsome young man!"

Ying Zhao scratched his head a little embarrassedly, then walked over to Meng Yi and Ying Bu, and greeted them with a smile: "Lieutenant, big brother."

Meng Yi teased Ying Zhao jokingly: "Why is Ying Bu your elder brother, but I am not?"

After hearing this, Ying Zhao immediately replied, "Greetings, Brother Meng." His tone was full of sincerity and respect.

Meng Yi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. He said softly, "From what Shopkeeper Fan Wen said, you have always been very diligent and hardworking. Whether it's studying or martial arts, you are proficient in everything and never slack off!"

Yingzhao's face was filled with pride, and he responded with his head held high: "Of course! I will never let my two brothers down." His voice was full of determination and confidence.

Ying Bu's face was filled with joy as he laughed heartily, "Haha, good boy! Come on, come with me to the backyard. Let me personally test your skills."

As he spoke, Ying Bu had already walked towards the backyard. Knowing that Meng Yi, Fan Li, and Fan Wen still had important matters to discuss, he took the initiative to lead Ying Zhao away, leaving them enough space.

Fan Li turned to look at Fan Wen, smiled and said, "Second brother, you should go and take a look too."

After everyone left, only Meng Yi and Fan Li were left at the scene.

Fan Li wore a friendly smile and spoke sincerely, "A few days ago, my second brother sent someone on horseback to tell me that he had met Mr. Qin. It just so happened that Xiao Zhao heard about this and was eager to meet you brothers. So, I brought him here."

Meng Yi smiled back and politely invited, "Brother Fan, please sit down."

Then he was silent for a moment, and then asked solemnly: "I want to know, is Brother Fan worthy of our trust?" His eyes were honest and straightforward, as if he wanted to explore the true thoughts deep in Fan Li's heart through his expression and words.

Fan Li stood up abruptly, quickly reaching into his arms to fumble for something. He pulled out a token and said solemnly, "Lieutenant, please rest assured! We in the Fan family have always kept our word. This token is the order of the head of the Fan family. With it, you can withdraw half of the cash on all accounts at the 'Fan's Trading Company'."

Meng Yi didn't reach out to take the token. Instead, he smiled and said, "Brother Fan, please take a seat! Look, I'm already calling you Brother Fan, so why are you still calling me Sir?"

A smile appeared on Fan Li's face. "In that case, young general, if there is anything you need my help with, I will definitely lend a hand without hesitation."

Meng Yi was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating something important, before speaking. "Since that's the case, I won't hide it from Brother Fan anymore. Actually, I'm in urgent need of a large amount of funds to build a massive intelligence network and a freight channel for the Fan family, but I can't disclose the specifics yet."

After hearing this, Fan Li lowered his head and thought for a moment, then raised his head and said, "No problem, young general."

Then, the two of them discussed some relevant details in detail, finally reached a consensus, and finalized all the detailed arrangements.

Finally, Fan Li handed Meng Yi another token as a token of trust, indicating that the two parties had reached a cooperation intention.

Fan Li smiled slightly and spoke gently, "Young General, perhaps you don't quite understand the situation. Our 'Fan's Trading Company' carries goods all over the country, north and south, east and west. Therefore, to ensure smooth business operations, we have established six major trading companies under the headquarters! They are Guanzhong Trading Company, Shandong Trading Company, Huaibei Trading Company, Huainan Trading Company, Bashu Trading Company, and Nanyue Trading Company! And this token is the token of the headquarters! It can freely mobilize one-third of the money and supplies of any trading company!"

Meng Yi was secretly surprised after hearing this; he hadn't expected the token to be so important. However, he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he politely extended his hands, took the token from Fan Li, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Brother Fan, for your kindness. I will take good care of it. If you need it in the future, I will do my best to help you."

Fan Li waved his hand and said with a smile, "You're too polite, young general. We'll have to cooperate more in the future!"

After saying that, the two smiled at each other, then turned around and went downstairs together, heading towards the backyard.

Along the way, they chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere was harmonious. Soon, they arrived at the backyard. The quiet environment here, shaded by green trees, made people feel particularly peaceful.

Ying Bu and Ying Zhao exchanged blows, their clubs flashing and their fists whistling. Ying Zhao was agile and his club skills were fierce, like a dragon emerging from the sea, each blow carrying a deadly threat. Ying Bu, on the other hand, was steady as a mountain, his fists fierce, like a tiger descending from the mountains, each punch imbued with immense power.

Ying Zhao's staff was as swift as lightning, its force like a hurricane and a torrential downpour, dazzling the eyes. Ying Bu's fists were as powerful as a sledgehammer, their force like a landslide, forcing no one to underestimate them.

The fight between the two was extremely fierce. The air around them seemed to be shaken by their momentum, making bursts of whistling sounds.

In this thrilling fight, Ying Zhao displayed his superb skills and tenacious fighting spirit, going all out to prove his strength.

The two men stopped their moves, and Ying Bu praised with a smile on his face: "Not bad, not bad, Xiao Zhao, you've improved a lot!" He looked at Ying Zhao in front of him, his eyes full of admiration.

Meng Yi also smiled and agreed, "Yes, Xiao Zhao, if you practice more, you will be able to stand on your own in the future!" He patted Ying Zhao's shoulder gently to show his approval of him.

Hearing the praise from his two brothers, Yingzhao looked proud but humble, and said confidently: "Thank you for the praise from my two brothers. I am still far from achieving my goals. But, brothers, can I stay with you this time?" There was a hint of expectation in his eyes, and he longed to move forward with them.

However, Meng Yi shook his head and refused: "No, Xiao Zhao, you have a more important task." The smile on Ying Zhao's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of loss.

Seeing Ying Zhao so disappointed, Meng Yi felt a little sorry for him. He pulled Ying Zhao aside and said in a low voice, "Xiao Zhao, Mr. Fan and I have reached an important cooperation. His safety needs to be ensured for the next period of time. Therefore, you are needed to protect Mr. Fan in case of any accidents. At the same time, this is also a rare learning opportunity, you must seize it."

After hearing this, Ying Zhao's depressed mood gradually recovered. He nodded vigorously, patted his chest and assured, "Don't worry, Brother Meng, I will definitely not let you down!" His eyes were firm and determined.

Afterwards, Fan Li and the other two said goodbye to Ying Bu and Meng Yi and turned to leave.