Chapter 238: Hearing a Word from You

"Sigh." He Lingchuan sighed. "Yes, it's said it will be extended by a few more days." Originally expected to take ten days, now it had to be extended. Good things take time.

"This is a good thing." Li Qingge said solemnly. "Li Fubo has studied weapon refining for twenty-one years; even he misjudged it, which just shows the complexity of the saber's nature. The harder it is to refine, the greater the finished product's power. If such a treasure were in my hands, I would wish it could take a few more days."

"Patience will be rewarded." She also drank a sip of tea. "However, after Li Fubo mentioned it, I became very curious. I wonder if I could visit the mansion to take a look?"

"Naturally, you can." He Lingchuan didn't even think. "You are most welcome."

"I'm going on a long journey; how about seven days from now?"

She actually wanted to set a date? He Lingchuan had no objections: "Alright, I will certainly wait for you."

Li Qingge smiled slightly: "I hope you won't have something else come up then, Young Master."

It seemed she understood perfectly. He Lingchuan chuckled, mocking himself: "How could that be? Even if it were an emergency, I'd have to cancel it." Then he switched the topic: "How long does the Marquis plan to stay here?"

"Once the business here is on the right track, I have to head north."

"North?" He Lingchuan was slightly surprised. "Do you mean Xunzhou?"

"The Beijia Nation."

She was actually going to the northern demon nation? "Can one travel through the northern nation?"

"Of course!" Li Qingge's laughter was soft and melodious, making one's heart tingle. "Businessmen have roads leading to all four seas; besides, how many sects are confined to just one country?"

He Lingchuan thought to himself, with such borderless travel, wouldn't the Emperor be suspicious? However, he did know that very few sects were loyal to only one country; the more prosperous they were, the more their disciples were spread across the four seas.

It was said that the predecessors of the sects were the ancient immortal clans; back then, there were no countries. They were high above, independent of worldly affairs. The current sects also inherited this tradition; countries didn't make rigid demands on them, but instead sought to win over the talents they cultivated.

Usually, that was the case—usually.

Thinking of this, He Lingchuan felt even more that Songyang Prefecture was bizarre. Li Qingge, who traveled to the northern demon nation, was safe and sound, while her ex-husband had been framed with the crime of treason.

"Marquis, aren't you afraid that Dunyu will become a frontline battlefield by opening a shop here at this time?" Merchants longed for stability above all else.

Only when the world is at peace can business last long.

"I have the art of physiognomy, so I have confidence in the He family." Li Qingge leaned back lazily, pressing two fingers against her cheek, supporting her head. A casual movement, yet full of grace. "Besides, it's not just my Songyang Prefecture; doesn't the Zhu family also want to squeeze into Dunyu?"

Although He Chunhua had helped Zhu Xiyan find her long-lost granddaughter, the Zhu family was too enthusiastic toward this General Coordinator He, almost granting every request. Li Qingge had lived in Shi Huan for a long time, tasting the warmth and coldness of human relationships, and knew exactly what kind of character these noble families had.

If there were no benefits or sweetness, would the Zhu family be so "grateful" to He Chunhua? Would high-ranking noble families be short of girls? Xiazhou was rich in products but had always been controlled by the four great families; the Li family was even the main branch of Minister Li, and others couldn't easily intervene. By taking advantage of the new General Coordinator taking office, outside forces could possibly break the ice and enter the game.

Songyang Prefecture had always upheld the philosophy of multi-point layout; such an opportunity shouldn't be missed.

"The art of physiognomy?" He Lingchuan became interested. "Then in your view, Marquis, what will happen to my old man in the future, and what about me?"

"As for General Coordinator He, he will be unimaginably noble in the future." Li Qingge's apricot eyes flickered over, as if wanting to see through him. "As for Young Master He..."

She intentionally kept him in suspense, and He Lingchuan cooperated: "What about me?"

"You must tell me your birth date and time."

One's birth date and time should not be told to outsiders; some curse-masters used this to harm people. He Lingchuan reported it without blinking.

He had Yuan coins and an official status, so he had Yuan power to protect his body; what was there to fear? A hundred evils could not invade!

Hmm, he intentionally reported the last two characters wrong.

Li Qingge pinched her fingers to calculate, then looked at him carefully, staring without blinking.

Her gaze was soft and beautiful, naturally carrying a rippling effect. He Lingchuan let her stare, unable to help but lose focus.

Li Qingge's fingers were slender, her nails trimmed very neatly, not grown long. He Lingchuan guessed this was because she often had to practice martial arts and refine weapons.

He inexplicably thought of Sun Fuling; it seemed this neighbor's fingers were also very beautiful, especially when she held a brush. She didn't grow her nails long either; was it because she lived alone and had to do housework?

She seemed to have said she would go see his newly acquired shop, but she hadn't appeared yet.

Shops, sigh. He Lingchuan felt that although he only lived in a small wooden hut of less than fifteen square meters in his dream, it was more spacious than in reality.

At least in his dreams, he wasn't short of money.

"What are you thinking about?" Someone seemed to ask him.

He Lingchuan answered offhandedly: "Short of money."

"Pfft," a soft chuckle came from ahead. He Lingchuan came back to his senses and only then noticed Li Qingge pursing her lips.

"Uh, what did I say?" He was a bit embarrassed. "Apologies, I was distracted."

When others were distracted looking at her, it was usually because they were captivated by her beauty, but this Young Master He was thinking about being short of money. Li Qingge didn't know how many twists and turns his brain had taken.

"I see that Young Master He will certainly face disaster within three years." She said something shocking. "And it will be a great catastrophe."

"... Marquis, if you went to the street to set up a stall to tell fortunes like this, I'm afraid you'd easily invite disaster yourself."

Li Qingge cleared her throat: "However, as long as you pass this hurdle, the future will be boundless."

This routine sounded too familiar. "Is your fortune-telling accurate?"

"Perhaps." Li Qingge laughed herself. "I can calculate five out of ten."

He Lingchuan rubbed his nose: "Then I still have a forty or fifty percent chance of escaping a disaster; thinking about it makes me feel quite relieved." It didn't matter; he didn't know whose birth date he had reported, but it was ninety percent likely not to be his.

Li Qingge coughed lightly: "What did you say just now, short of money?"

The topic circled back. He Lingchuan gave a bitter smile: "Can you pretend you didn't hear that?"

"What's strange about being short of money?" Li Qingge crossed her fingers. "The rich kids I know are all glorious in front of others, but six or seven out of ten are short of money all year round. If all expenses need to be supported by the family, this is the norm."

This couldn't be answered. He Lingchuan had been a wealthy young master for so long, and for the first time, he felt that eating, drinking, and using his family's resources was a bit unrighteous?

The most critical point was that He Chunhua implemented a rationing system for the two sons' pocket money and couldn't spend it recklessly.

He Lingchuan straightened his face: "Did they come to you to complain?"

"They would come to Songyang Prefecture to pawn some good things; after all, we have a good reputation, know our goods, keep secrets, and don't press the price to death; we are much better than ordinary pawnshops." Li Qingge said slowly, "I know a young master from the capital whose family is very prominent, but he has pawned his ancestral Heavenly Silk Garment at Songyang Prefecture four times, and redeemed it when he had money."

Some high-ranking noble families only looked glorious on the outside.

Such was the national situation of Great Yuan; subjects could hardly protect themselves.

She leaned forward slightly and asked He Lingchuan: "If Young Master He is tight on funds, does he need Songyang Prefecture's help?"

He Lingchuan waved his hand immediately: "No need."

He didn't owe any debts; he just hadn't found a source of wealth. Moreover, he was deeply wary of the woman in front of him.

If he owed her money, there probably wouldn't be any good fruit to eat later.

Li Qingge didn't force it: "No matter, Young Master He is in the game and doesn't know that this game can be broken with a backhand."

Broken with a backhand? He liked hearing this; he liked doing things without difficulty. He Lingchuan immediately sat upright: "Please teach me, Marquis."

"The wealthy young masters in the capital are only glorious in front of others because they cannot manage the family or make decisions, so the money they get is limited."

He Lingchuan nodded; how was this different from him? "But it is even more because the capital and Shi Huan have been peaceful for too long; the profitable businesses and channels have long been controlled by others, and these latecomers have no chance." She smiled. "I ask Young Master He, do you have confidence in Xiazhou and General Coordinator He resisting the Xunzhou army?"

"That's a must." They were all family; he and He Chunhua were grasshoppers on the same rope. Besides, he could still look forward to his old man's methods.

"Then there are great opportunities all over the city right now." Li Qingge pointed to the east. "For example, the shop next to the Songyang Prefecture branch, the owner is also anxious to sell. I compared the two shops back and forth before choosing the one with the lower price. Now that it's an extraordinary time, Young Master He just needs to go over and press the price; the shop can be pocketed easily. If it's inconvenient for you, I'll ask Steward Zhao to go; I guarantee it can be bought."

She said softly: "I've asked people to inquire; these prime shops on the main street used to ask for at least six or seven hundred taels, and those in good locations with large storefronts could reach over a thousand taels. Now, they can be bought for sixty or seventy percent of the price. If the owner is anxious for money, half price is possible."

"What are they anxious about?" He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "Want to run?"

"Yes. Seeing that Xiazhou is about to become a frontline, they want to leave before the Royal Court announces the relocation restriction order." Li Qingge clearly had some understanding of the situation in Dunyu. "A few days ago, even the Zhan family began to withdraw to the south; ordinary nobles and commoners are even more shaken. I'll say something unpleasant: although General Coordinator He has taken office, everyone's confidence is still unstable."

He Lingchuan came by carriage today, passing through less prosperous streets and alleys, and also noticed that shops were closing one after another, and some commoners were rolling up their bedding and carrying their children, clearly about to flee from famine.

The thunder of war was getting louder and closer; although the government was doing its best to suppress it, the panic was spreading throughout the city through word of mouth.

Confidence is more important than gold; when people's hearts are unstable, Dunyu's real estate naturally drops in price.

Moreover, for many years, the Yuan Court would issue relocation restriction orders in border areas, prohibiting border residents from moving to the interior. Xiazhou was originally not a frontline, so people didn't have this concern, but as the Xunzhou army moved south step by step, Xiazhou would soon become a place of strategic importance, and the Yuan Court might designate it as a border area.

By then, it would be too late to escape.

"Young Master He must still have some spare money, right? If it's not enough, you can borrow some from me."

"I have it."

"Collecting things from these people is much easier than before. Crisis, crisis; if there is no danger, how can there be an opportunity?" Li Qingge smiled. "Let's go deeper. General Coordinator He is a new official, unfamiliar with the place, and the situation in Xiazhou is extremely complex. The people he relies on and trusts most right now are his own family."

If there are no accidents, it will be updated at 12:00 noon every day.

(End of chapter)