Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

Yu Wanran smiled and said, "The dragon head hangs at the bow, and the water surrounds it from all sides. People sit in the cabin, and the helmsman controls the world's wealth! I have come here because of your reputation, hoping to meet the helmsman."

As he spoke, he took out a ten-tael silver ingot, placed it on the counter, and pushed it to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper's scrutinizing gaze softened considerably, and his smile became genuine. After putting away the silver, he gestured, "Please wait in the inner room, young lady. I'll go and fetch our leader right away!"

After speaking, he called the waiter to lead Yu Wanran and her entourage to a private room to serve tea.

Wangyou stood motionless behind Yu Wanran, like a still wooden pole. She let Yu Wanran calmly sip her tea without uttering a sound.

Yu Wanran really liked the idea of ​​forgetting worries.

If it were Yan Qing, she definitely wouldn't be able to hold back her questions right now. She would be nagging her, asking where this place was, why she came here, and why her master knew about the Green Gang and was familiar with their code.

Yu Wanran is not a talkative person, and Yanqing often gives her a headache.

Half an incense stick later, Xiang Gang, the leader of the Green Gang branch, rushed over.

He was given the position of leader because his father fought alongside the gang leader and unfortunately sacrificed himself to protect him. Out of gratitude and to win people's hearts, the gang leader gave him the position despite opposition.

But after two years in office, he achieved nothing. He didn't create any value for the branch or the Green Gang brothers. Now, his position isn't so secure.

Some people were secretly plotting to have the gang leader remove him from his position as branch leader. Xiang Gang was quite anxious, so as soon as he heard about a business opportunity, he rushed over. He just hoped it was a big deal!

Upon entering, he saw a young couple, but he paid them no mind. Many wealthy and powerful women and their daughters sought out the Green Gang through various channels, commissioning them to do shady things.

Such people are the most desirable "fat sheep" for the Green Gang. They earn a sum of money by completing the commission, and afterwards, they can extort a large sum of money from the person based on their identity and background.

On Xiang Gang's rugged face, a smile that he thought was kind appeared on his face as he prepared to greet the distinguished guest.

"To the Helmsman!"

Yu Wanran stood up and smiled slightly: "I have long admired your name. I am honored to have come to visit you today. I hope you will not find it an intrusion, Master Xiang."

Xiang Gang found it a bit strange. Was he really that famous? With his youthful appearance, many people who came to discuss business mistook the person following him for the leader. So now he didn't want to bring any followers.

This girl was a complete stranger, yet she recognized him at a glance; she was poised and confident.

Xiang Gang couldn't help but feel a slight fondness for Yu Wanran. Moreover, the more he looked at her, the more inexplicably familiar she seemed. The feeling was quite strange, even though he was certain he had never seen her before.

Suppressing the strange feeling in his heart, Xiang Gang waved for Yu Wanran to sit down, a roguish smile on his face.

"Young lady, you've gone to great lengths to find out about the secrets of our Green Gang branch, even using coded language that's not publicly known. You must have something to ask for. Let's stop beating around the bush and just say it!"

He needs to hear the details before deciding whether a deal is possible.

Xiang Gang is a greedy man.

However, a gentleman loves money, but he acquires it in a proper way. This was the character Yu Wanran knew about the other person. Therefore, her first thought was of this person who had followed her for many years.

Like Zhong Yeliu, he was someone she never doubted.

Of course, this person's temperament later on was far from being as carefree as it is now. Something must have happened in between, causing Xiang Gang to become a serious, gloomy person when the two met again.

Yu Wanran reminisced about the past, and after Xiang Gang was seated, she got straight to the point: "Helmsman Xiang, are you interested in maritime trade?"

One sentence made Xiang Gang's eyes widen like copper bells.

"Maritime...trade?"

Who doesn't know that maritime trade can make a lot of money? But this word should never come out of a young girl's mouth.

If it weren't for the fact that the other party was extremely familiar with his own Green Gang and was also young, Xiang Gang would almost suspect that the other party was deliberately trying to cause trouble!

"Who wouldn't want to get involved in the golden trade routes at sea?"

Xiang Gang spoke with a mocking sneer.

"The problem is that many merchants sold everything they owned and risked their lives to build ships and go to sea, only to return empty-handed! If they were lucky, they could bring back some cargo from nearby; if they were unlucky, they would perish at sea!"

I've heard that pirates are rampant in the outer seas. Even if the Green Gang members are a bunch of reckless bastards, wouldn't they be rendered limp and lifeless by the water once they get to the sea?

Unless the imperial court supports the construction of warships and experienced sailors familiar with the routes guide them, it might be possible to sail out to sea and explore neighboring countries.

Xiang Gang realized he was thinking too far ahead.

The other party is just a young girl, most likely a rich girl who is restless and has no ability to interfere in maritime trade routes!

Even though the Green Gang controlled the river shipping, they didn't dare to expand outwards easily.

Upon reflection, Xiang Gang's expression darkened. He'd thought the person who came was someone he could discuss business with, but it turned out they were just playing him?

Yu Wanran knew that the other party would not easily trust her on their first meeting, so she tried her best to show her sincerity.

"Master Xiang, my master traveled extensively in his youth, even sailing overseas. He taught me a great deal about the seas, and I also have some navigational charts. If the Green Gang intends to expand overseas, we can join forces!"

She casually took out a one-hundred-tael silver note and placed it on the table.

Xiang Gang took it in his hand and looked at it, and his expression immediately softened!

A woman who is so generous would certainly not make up a story to amuse him just to give him a hundred taels of silver.

Sailors have always been easy to recruit, but navigators familiar with sea routes are hard to find. If Yu Wanran truly understands the sea routes, then she is exactly the kind of talent the Green Gang craves!

However, he knew nothing about this matter and could not distinguish between genuine and fake Yu Wanran, so he dared not agree rashly.

"What is your esteemed name, young lady? May I ask how I should address you?"

Yu Wanran gave her real name and the name of the inn where she was currently staying. Xiang Gang nodded in response: "If Miss Yu is interested in cooperating, please wait at the inn for the next couple of days. I, Xiang Gang, will pay you a visit!"

He needed to find a knowledgeable person to assess whether Yu Wanran was capable of taking on the leadership role before daring to proceed to the next step. Although the Green Gang members were desperate criminals, they were unwilling to throw their lives away in vain.

He believed Yu Wanran understood the gravity of the situation. No one dared to mess with the Green Gang!

Yu Wanran inquired about the fees for various Green Gang services, and, satisfied, rose to take her leave. She grinned as she saw Xiang Gang, who had received a hundred taels of silver as a tip without doing anything, to the door.

He secretly thought that if he had a few more rich and foolish people like this, he would be happy to let them listen to the other party make up stories.

The protection money he's collected in the last ten days or so hasn't even reached one hundred taels! The gang leader and those stubborn old fogies all think he's not doing a good job at this branch!

"Husband!"

The two were in a pleasant mood and were about to raise their hands to say goodbye when a clear, slightly coquettish female voice rang out, startling them.

Looking back, they saw a young woman with rosy lips and white teeth standing in the shop with her two young children, staring at them with unfriendly eyes. The other shopkeepers and customers present were all secretly exchanging glances, their faces full of gossip.

It seemed as if they were witnessing a scene of carnage.