Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Seeing his troops suffer heavy losses and his son Gao Yanei captured by the Liangshan heroes, Gao Qiu was filled with anger and anxiety. Inside the camp, the generals hung their heads in dejection, and the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.

Gao Qiu paced back and forth, pondered for a moment, and then gritted his teeth and said, "Men, prepare to negotiate with Liangshan!"

These words caused a stir within the tent. A general cautiously said, "Grand Commandant, these Liangshan bandits have always opposed the imperial court; negotiations might be..."

Gao Qiu glared at the general and shouted, "If we don't negotiate, are you just going to watch my son die at their hands?"

Just then, Wang Zhiqiang stepped forward.

He was timid as a mouse, but at this moment he put on a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance.

"Grand Commandant, you mustn't!" Wang Zhiqiang shouted at the top of his lungs.

Gao Qiu frowned and glared at him: "What brilliant idea do you have?"

Wang Zhiqiang cleared his throat and said, "Grand Commandant, think about it. If you negotiate with Liangshan, wouldn't that be bowing down to these bandits? If word gets out, what will become of your reputation? What will become of the imperial court's authority?"

Gao Qiu was so angry that he cursed, "Nonsense! If I, the Grand Commandant, didn't save my own son, wouldn't I be a laughingstock!"

Wang Zhiqiang shrank back after being scolded, but he was still not giving up and continued, "Grand Commandant, you are an important official of the court. You cannot disregard the overall situation for the sake of a rebellious son!"

Gao Qiu, enraged, laughed: "You, Wang Zhiqiang, who usually lives off this Grand Commandant and freeloads, dare to say such things! How is my son a rebellious son?"

Wang Zhiqiang quickly smiled apologetically, "Grand Commandant, please calm down. That's not what I meant. It's just that the Liangshan bandits are cunning and treacherous. What if the negotiations turn out to be a trap? That would be terrible."

Gao Qiu snorted coldly: "Hmph, why would this Grand Commandant be afraid of their trap? Besides, what other choice do we have but to negotiate?"

Wang Zhiqiang's eyes darted around, and he said, "Grand Commandant, we can gather more troops and launch a strong attack on Liangshan to rescue the young master."

Gao Qiu kicked Wang Zhiqiang in the buttocks and cursed, "You make it sound so easy! It takes time to mobilize troops? What will happen to my son suffering on Liangshan during this time?"

Wang Zhiqiang was kicked and staggered, almost falling to the ground. He gave an embarrassed smile and said, "Grand Commandant, I was just thinking of you."

Gao Qiu pointed at Wang Zhiqiang's nose and cursed, "You useless piece of trash, all you do is spout empty words! This Grand Commandant has made up his mind, and we are ready to negotiate!"

Wang Zhiqiang shook his head helplessly, muttering, "Grand Commandant, you're being foolish..."

Hearing his mutterings, Gao Qiu launched into another tirade: "If you dare to utter another word, this Grand Commandant will chop you up first!"

Wang Zhiqiang was so frightened that he immediately shut his mouth and dared not say another word.

Gao Qiu took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and said to his generals, "Prepare for negotiations, and make sure my son is safe."

The generals obeyed and left, while Wang Zhiqiang slunk to the side, not daring to utter another word.

Gao Qiu looked out of the tent, secretly praying that the negotiations would go smoothly and that his son could be rescued.

However, what he didn't know was that Liangshan was also preparing for negotiations, and a negotiation full of twists and turns was about to begin...

Inside the Liangshan Hall of Righteous Gathering, everyone sat together, their expressions solemn, their eyes all focused on Wu Yong.

Zhao Tianming said anxiously, "Wu Xuejiu, this time we must make that old scoundrel Gao Qiu release Instructor Lin!"

Wu Yong nodded, his gaze firm, and said, "Manager Zhao, don't worry. I will not only make that old scoundrel Gao Qiu hand over Instructor Lin, but I will also make him return the restaurant to us and compensate for all the losses."

Wu Yong lightly waved his feather fan and began to elaborate on his detailed strategy: "Brothers, in this negotiation with Gao Qiu, we must proceed step by step and not be hasty or rash. First, we must take full advantage of Gao Qiu's eagerness to rescue his son, Gao Yanei. Gao Yanei is now in our hands, and this is our biggest bargaining chip."

"At the start of the negotiations, I will treat everyone with courtesy and create a seemingly peaceful atmosphere. But in my words, I will definitely imply to Gao Qiu that his son's life or death depends entirely on his attitude and decision." Wu Yong's eyes revealed shrewdness.

Lin Chong interjected, "What if Gao Qiu remains unmoved and insists on refusing to release them?"

Wu Yong smiled slightly and said, “Instructor Lin, don’t be anxious. If Gao Qiu is stubborn, I will make it clear to him that we have a bottom line. We will make it clear that Instructor Lin must be released immediately and without any damage. At the same time, the restaurant must be returned intact, and we must fully compensate Liangshan for the losses we have suffered as a result of this conflict, including the loss of materials and the casualties of our brothers.”

Wu Song frowned and asked, "Does the scholar have any plans regarding the amount of compensation and the specific materials to be provided?"

Wu Yong replied confidently, "I already have a plan. The amount of gold and silver as compensation is a given, enough to allow Liangshan to expand its military and stockpile provisions. In addition, we need him to provide a batch of fine weapons and warhorses to enhance our strength."

Song Jiang nodded, then asked, "What if Gao Qiu tries to bargain?"

Wu Yong gently waved his feather fan and said, "This is precisely the key point I wanted to make. If Gao Qiu tries to bargain, we must not give in easily. But we also cannot let the negotiations fall apart at once. I will use a roundabout tactic. For example, we can make a slight concession on the amount of compensation, but on the two core issues of releasing Instructor Lin and returning the restaurant, there is absolutely no room for negotiation."

"Furthermore, we must constantly observe Gao Qiu's expressions and reactions, and try to understand his psychology. If he shows hesitation or signs of compromise, we should strike while the iron is hot and apply further pressure. For example, we can imply that delaying may lead to unexpected consequences." A sharp glint flashed in Wu Yong's eyes.

"At the same time, we must also mention Gao Qiu's unjust act of sending troops to attack Liangshan during the negotiations. Let him understand that if this matter gets out, it will greatly damage his reputation in the court. In order to protect his reputation and position, he will have to carefully consider our demands," Wu Yong continued.

Li Kui shouted, "If that old scoundrel Gao Qiu acts tough, I, Tie Niu, won't care about anything else, I'll just rush up and chop him down!"

Wu Yong quickly stopped him, saying, "Brother Li, don't be impulsive. We must win with our wisdom and not act rashly. If Gao Qiu really doesn't care about his son's life and death and insists on refusing to agree to our conditions, then we will make a strong statement and prepare to teach Gao Yanei a lesson in front of him. But this is only a last resort and should not be used lightly unless absolutely necessary."

After hearing Wu Yong's strategy, everyone nodded in approval.

Wu Yong concluded, "In short, in this negotiation, we must take the initiative, be firm in our stance, and be flexible in our approach. We must make that old scoundrel Gao Qiu submit and achieve our goal."

Under Wu Yong's meticulous planning, the Liangshan heroes were full of confidence for the upcoming negotiations, determined to make Gao Qiu pay for his evil deeds.

After receiving the negotiation letter from Liangshan, Gao Qiu was furious, but for the safety of his son Gao Yanei, he had no choice but to lead a group of his confidants to Liangshan.

At the foot of Liangshan, Gao Qiu and his men had just arrived when they heard a loud shout: "Gao Qiu, you old thief, you've come here today, and I'm sure you won't leave alive!" The voice was deafening, making Gao Qiu and his men tremble.

The gates of Liangshan stronghold swung open, and a group of Liangshan heroes charged out in a majestic manner. Leading them was none other than Black Whirlwind Li Kui, who held two broad axes in his hands, his eyes wide with fury, looking like a ferocious demon.

Gao Qiu feigned composure and shouted, "How dare you, you audacious thief, be so disrespectful!"

Li Kui laughed loudly: "Gao Qiu, you've finally met your match!"

At this moment, Wu walked out slowly, waving a feather fan. He looked at Gao Qiu with a cold gaze and said, "Lord Gao Qiu, how have you been?"

Gao Qiu sneered: "Wu Yong, you bandits dare to threaten an official of the imperial court! What is your crime?"

Wu Yong smiled slightly: "Lord Gao Qiu, you are mistaken. If you hadn't forced us so hard, why would the heroes of Liangshan have resorted to such a desperate measure? We invited you here today simply to seek justice."

Gao Qiu's face darkened: "Justice? You bunch of rebels, what justice do you have to speak of!"

Wu Yong's expression changed, and he said sternly, "You old scoundrel Gao Qiu, you condone your son's evil deeds and oppression of the people. You have also repeatedly sent troops to attack my Liangshan, causing countless brothers to lose their families and lives. Today, we must settle this score properly!"

As Wu Yong spoke, the Liangshan heroes shouted in unison, their momentum shaking the heavens.

Gao Qiu was startled, but still stubbornly said, "Stop talking nonsense. I, the Grand Commandant, am acting on the orders of the imperial court."

Wu Yong smiled again and said, "So you're acting on the imperial decree? Well then, let the whole world see how you, this so-called official of the court, treat human life like dirt and how you oppress the loyal and virtuous!"

After saying this, Wu Yong waved his hand, and the Liangshan heroes behind him immediately assumed a fighting stance, with swords and spears standing tall and gleaming.

Gao Qiu's confidants were immediately terrified, their faces turning pale, and some even felt their legs go weak.

Seeing this, Gao Qiu couldn't help but feel a little flustered, but he still forced himself to say, "Wu Yong, don't do anything rash. If anything happens to me, the court will definitely not let you off the hook."

Wu Yong laughed loudly: "You old scoundrel Gao Qiu, even now you still dare to threaten us. Today's show of force is to let you know that Liangshan is not a place you can bully at will!"

Gao Qiu was speechless for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

Seeing Gao Qiu pale and sweating profusely, Wu Yong knew he had achieved his goal. He smiled slightly, gently waving his feather fan, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

"Lord Gao Qiu, I'm sure you've already got a sense of what's going on in this little scene." Wu Yong's voice was unhurried, yet every word clearly reached Gao Qiu's ears.

Gao Qiu's body trembled slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Wu Yong, don't be so smug. This Grand Commandant..."

Wu Yong interrupted him, saying, "Sir, please don't be so stubborn. We only want justice. If you are willing to negotiate with us sincerely, there may still be room for maneuver."

Gao Qiu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with both anger and fear.

Seeing that the time was right, Wu Yong waved his hand again and said, "Li Kui, brothers, please step back for now."

Li Kui glared at Gao Qiu and said reluctantly, "Hmph, are we just going to let this old man go like this?" But he still obeyed Wu Yong's order and led the group away slowly.

The Liangshan heroes put away their weapons in perfect unison. Although they retreated, their powerful aura still left Gao Qiu and his cronies shaken.

Gao Qiu watched the departing crowd, let out a long sigh of relief, but his body remained tense.

Wu Yong looked at Gao Qiu and said, "My lord, can we talk calmly now?"

Gao Qiu composed himself and said, "Fine, tell me, what do you want in return for my son's release?"

Wu Yong said calmly, "My lord, we don't ask for much. As long as you agree to the conditions we proposed before, that Instructor Lin return safely, the restaurant be returned, all losses be compensated, and that you guarantee that you will not launch any more unwarranted attacks on Liangshan, we will release Gao Yanei."

Gao Qiu frowned and fell into deep thought.

Wu Yong continued, "My lord, I hope you will make a decision soon. The longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for Gao Yanei."

After weighing his options carefully, Gao Qiu finally said, "Alright, I can agree to your conditions, but you must guarantee that my son will be unharmed."

Wu Yong smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir. As long as you keep your word, the heroes of Liangshan will certainly not break their promise."

At this moment, the atmosphere at Liangshan was still tense, and the negotiations had only just begun.