Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Whoever Comes Will Be Received (Three More Celebrating Alliance Master Yuan Ming)

Lang Zhen was startled by the reward, too, as the price offered by Feng Jun was indeed not low.

Back in his days at the Escort Agency, he could earn several dozen silver dollars a month, but he was a martial master and had a great reputation among the junior martial masters.

So he said with a smile, “You two got a bargain, I’m following the Divine Doctor, and I don’t even get a salary… Perform well and don’t disgrace me.”

“You can rest assured, Brother Wolf,” the Deng Family Brothers answered in unison.

The reason they came was actually to incite Lang Zhen to pick a good fight with someone surnamed Yun, and they were willing to help with all their might— Deng Yifu had been swindled so badly that neither brother could swallow their pride.

But after Elder Deng found out, he severely scolded his two sons, because he knew all too well Lang Zhen’s pride.

He pointed out a clear path: The master who can make Lone Wolf willingly serve must be a person of formidable strength; you’d better go and serve him, too.

After negotiating the reward, the Deng Family Brothers did not even return home and directly followed the carriage.

Deng Lao Er still hadn’t given up and tried to coax Feng Jun into dealing with the Hall of Heroes.

That was when Lang Zhen spoke up, “Lao Er, think bigger. If you only fuss about these little things, your room for growth will be limited.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Lao Er didn’t dare say anything else. While they both called Lang Zhen ‘Brother Wolf,’ in reality, this was only because they basked in Deng Yifu’s presence; otherwise, they would have had to call him Lord Wolf.

Nonetheless, he still felt a bit resentful, thinking if this Divine Doctor was really so formidable, shouldn’t he have already suppressed the Hall of Heroes with a backhand?

Of course, this minor grumbling didn’t affect the grand scheme as the four of them joined forces and headed to Zhige County.

Zhige County was over three hundred li from Xiyin City, and it took them three days to get there and settle in the county town.

The county town wasn’t too small, two li long and more than one li wide, with just over ten thousand inhabitants.

Fortunately, Deng Yifu actually had an acquaintance there who ran a dried goods shop, and the Deng Family Brothers also knew that person.

Having an acquaintance to help arrange things made it much easier. Zhige County had its share of idle fellows, but the four of them had four horses and a carriage; the Deng Family Brothers looked tough enough to deter provocation, and Lang Zhen exuded a murderous aura.

In any case, nobody was foolish enough to target them.

When the owner of the dried goods shop heard they wanted to purchase exquisite stones from the mountain, he confidently assured them, saying these stones aren’t worth much money, I’ll help you arrange it, you just wait here in town.

However, Feng Jun made it clear that they wanted to take a look at the foot of Mount Zhige and make purchases locally.

The dried goods shop owner was a bit unhappy, thinking they were worried he’d make a profit from the arrangements. But since Elder Deng had formed a bond with him, even going as far as to humble himself to make the association, and had treated him well, the owner had to follow the arrangements of the Deng Family Brothers despite his dissatisfaction.

Feng Jun and company spent half a day traveling to the foot of Mount Zhige, where they rented two thatched cottages near the foot of the mountain to stay in.

The thatched cottages were close to the main road, but the nearest village was about a li away.

These cottages used to house people who looked after the crops, but nearby fields were destroyed by a mudslide and could not be reclaimed. The cottages were abandoned and later became a resting place for villagers when they went hunting or foraging in the mountains.

The rent was not very expensive, thirty copper coins a month. In fact, if other villagers hadn’t been precluded from using the place after they moved in, the rent would have been even cheaper.

While they were tidying up the rooms, the shopkeeper of the dried goods shop arrived with two men, who were Village Heads from the two nearby villages.

To purchase exquisite stones, they definitely needed to go through some channels.

The two Village Heads, one an old man and the other a young man, said with a smile that there were many people looking to buy such stones, and many households in our village also had quite a few; why not come and take a look?

This guy had been a Village Head for a long time and had indeed met many stone collectors; his views on Jade were not as pessimistic as Lang Zhen’s, and he was rather keen on making a big ask.

Feng Jun rejected the request without hesitation. “lam here to buy stones, that much is true,” he said, “but I will not come to your door to buy them. If you wish to sell, you can bring them here, and I will give an appraisal. If it’s not suitable, you can even take them back.”

His attitude seemed a bit aloof, but he believed it was a question of whoever came to whom.

If he actively went to their homes to buy, it would indicate that he had the need, which would not be conducive to bargaining. If people brought their stones to him for purchase, he would have much greater autonomy over the pricing.

As soon as the old man heard this, he knew things were going south and signaled the young Village Head with his eyes.

This young Village Head had only been in office for half a year and was eager to make a difference.

He was very interested in opening up a source of income for his fellow villagers, and after some discussions with the older Village Head, he expressed dissatisfaction, “Stones are so heavy; it’s hard work to move them around. If you give a low price, people will still have to carry them back.¹¹

Exactly, that’s the idea! Feng Jun had already calculated this; even if the price was a bit lower, some people would still sell to avoid the hassle of moving them back and forth.

As for the notion that he was taking advantage of the poor villagers, don’t be ridiculous. Their jade, if not used to weigh down pickled vegetables, was aiding in sinking corpses. Without Feng, the idea of fetching a high price for this jade was as likely as waiting for pigs to fly.

At least his arrival had certainly sped up the process of raising the stone’s value.

So, in response to the young Village Head’s complaints, he very bluntly retorted, “I haven’t even started buying stones yet, and here you are complaining. When the time comes to negotiate a fair price, you’ll find it even harder to talk, won’t you?”

The young Village Head had indeed harbored such thoughts. Seeing them exposed, he didn’t take offense; instead, he threatened out loud, “If you want to buy stones, you’d best not harbor any thoughts of bidding low. Otherwise, no one will sell to you. Let’s see how you manage then!”

“If no one sells to me, then I’ll just go pick them up myself,” Feng Jun answered nonchalantly. “There are plenty of good stones in these mountains. Do you think I brought enough money to buy them all?”

The young Village Head was left speechless. Unfortunately, he truly lacked bargaining power.

He then cast a pleading glance toward the elder Village Head, only to see him pretending not to notice while whispering with the dried fruit shop’s Shopkeeper. The young man couldn’t help but snort in his heart, “Sly old fox!”

Truth be told, the elder Village Head did have some tricks up his sleeve. The two Village Heads left together, but after their departure, the dried fruit shop’s Shopkeeper spoke up. He said that the old man had privately agreed to promote and recommend to the villagers, but only if he got an additional twenty percent cut.

The Deng Family Brothers were stunned, “Is there really such a Village Head who isn’t afraid of being scolded behind his back?”

Lang Zhen merely sneered coldly. Even the Village Head of Small Lake Village wasn’t so innocent.

As for Feng Jun, he was somewhat immune to this. Thanks to the internet, he had heard of too many such scheming tactics. The current situation hadn’t exceeded his imagination.

Therefore, he shook his head and said lightly, “I won’t give him a single copper coin. If he doesn’t want to promote, that’s up to him.”

The Shopkeeper became anxious upon hearing this, “Divine Doctor, with his help, you could save a lot of trouble.”

“I am well aware of that,” Feng Jun replied with a dismissive wave, cutting him off, “Even if it doesn’t save much trouble, at least it could prevent him from causing trouble… Some people are more than capable of messing things up than contributing.”

“Exactly, that’s the truth,” the Shopkeeper slapped his thigh forcefully, “That’s a brilliant point, very insightful!”

However, in the next moment, he was dumbfounded, “Divine Doctor, if you know what’s important, why won’t you agree?”

“Because I despise such people,” Feng Jun responded at a leisurely pace, “I have seen too many of such fellows in the past. I simply had no control over them. Now that it’s my turn to decide, of course, I’ll follow my own inclinations.”

The Shopkeeper was torn between laughter and tears, “But this is… really quite capricious, don’t you think?”

“At worst, I’ll end up with fewer stones,” Feng Jun spoke nonchalantly, “It’s my own money I’m spending. When others spend their earnings, they can afford to be willful. Can’t I be a bit capricious with my own spending?”

The Shopkeeper was left at a loss for words and finally shook his head with a wry smile, “Oh to be young.”

The cost of Feng Jun’s willfulness was that they stayed in the thatched cottage for two days with not a single person coming to sell stones.

The Deng Family Brothers supported Feng Jun’s decision and even went to the riverbank personally to pick stones.

As for Lang Zhen, he consumed a Meridian Opening Pill and meditated in the cottage to heal his injuries.

It turned out to be an excellent place for cultivation. The mountains were lush, the waters clear, and the surroundings pleasant. There were no residents nearby, providing both tranquility and an excellent vantage point for keeping watch.

With no one coming to sell stones for two consecutive days, Feng Jun felt somewhat downhearted, and the Deng Family Brothers, after spending an afternoon out, failed to find any suitable stones, which made him even less cheerful.

But he couldn’t show it. After all, it was his idea, and he didn’t want to affect the Deng Family Brothers’ morale.

Altogether, the feeling was quite torturous. He had made up his mind that once he acquired a batch of jade, he would return to the real world for a proper indulgence. This plane was simply too primitive. It lacked even the simplest of entertainments.

Yet now he was at the foot of Mount Zhige, with money in hand. It was as if he had walked 99.99 li of a too li journey.

Just like those activities people love to do, he was just a shudder away from completion, yet it felt like he was mired in the same predicament as the national soccer team that just wouldn’t shoot. Wasn’t this just tormenting?

It was a suitable place for cultivation, and he wanted to practice the Tai Chi Breathing Technique. But with Lang Zhen currently recovering, the Deng Family Brothers unfamiliar with the jade market, and frequently disappearing, he couldn’t entrust the task to them.

That very night, a heavy rain with thunderstorms began, with lightning and thunder rolling continuously.

The next day, the sky remained overcast, poised to release a downpour at any moment.

The Deng Family Brothers were still keen to go and gather stones, but Feng Jun stopped them. What a joke, the riverbanks at this moment could be struck with a flood at any second. Who would be accountable for an accident?

The brothers were unconvinced, feeling their martial skills and agility would allow them to escape a flood if needed.

However, there was no choice. Feng Jun was the boss; the one paying their wages, so no matter how much they disagreed, they had to hold back their complaints.

(Third update, celebrating Sovereign Yuan Ming. These three updates are all extra releases. There will be more updates today. The book is newly listed, and your legit subscription is welcome. Summoning the baseline votes.)