Chapter 357: The Opportunity for the Shi Gate Chamber of Commerce

Did he still want to settle the matter? He let out a heavy breath, turned his head, and said, "A-Jin, you go."

The guard behind him immediately turned and went downstairs to the Bei Song Pharmacy.

During this time, He Lingchuan didn't say much to Gan Sanye Gan, asking the shopkeeper for the best wine and drinking by himself.

He put on the airs he used to have in Heishuicheng; Gan Sanye Gan tried to speak several times but was interrupted, so he could only sit down and endure his anger.

This time it took a long while; it was two sticks of incense before the guard returned.

"Is it done?"

"Done." The guard whispered a few words in Gan Sanye Gan's ear. The hunting dog had died, and the hunter had extorted a large sum of money from them.

By this time, Gan Sanye Gan's patience was basically exhausted, and he said in a deep voice, "Young Master He, can we talk now?"

He Lingchuan asked him an unrelated question: "What's the deal with the evil ghosts on the long-tusked pig?"

"What evil ghosts?" Gan Sanye Gan was dissatisfied. "Slandering people shouldn't be done like this."

He Lingchuan looked at his expression; it seemed he really didn't know. "Why did you raise this long-tusked pig as a hunting pet? Others use hunting dogs, and some train golden leopards."

A hunting pet is a partner that helps with hunting.

Come to think of it, the commoners filling the streets didn't seem to be able to see the ghost faces on the long-tusked pig.

Why was it that only he, He Lingchuan, could see them at a glance?

"I picked it up as a cub while hunting in the mountains once; seeing it looked good, I just raised it." Gan Sanye Gan didn't know why he was asking these things. "What's the fun in raising the same hunting pet as everyone else?" Being different was his pursuit. A white wild boar was rare enough.

"Was there any change a few months ago?"

"What do you mean?" Full of these inexplicable questions, Gan Sanye Gan was displeased. "Let's finish the serious business first."

He Lingchuan was delighted: "So, Gan Sanye Gan is already the person in charge of the Gan family?"

Gan Sanye Gan said vaguely: "I suppose so." This kid's way of speaking was truly unpleasant.

He Lingchuan glanced at Steward Zhao, who gave a polite, forced smile.

"Fine, let's talk about serious business." He Lingchuan sat upright and cleared his throat. "I've decided to find another merchant group to go to Ling Xu City; I won't trouble the Gan Family Chamber of Commerce. That's it."

The audience was stunned. Gan Sanye Gan couldn't hold back anymore and slammed a fist on the table: "Are you playing with me?"

Steward Zhao had forcibly dragged him over, repeatedly urging him to use kind words; he had endured his anger and been ordered around, only to get this result?

"Yes, your attitude is bad." He Lingchuan said with a smile. "I'm not satisfied."

Who let him be the client? He hadn't made Gan Sanye Gan kneel and call him daddy, only because he felt this child was unfilial.

"You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit." Gan Sanye Gan's face turned red. "Grab him, search for the passage token!"

Steward Zhao gave an "Ouch": "Gan Sanye, you mustn't!" But he didn't even raise his hand.

The guards behind hesitated, and Gan Sanye Gan roared: "Go! This brat killed my eldest brother to seize the passage token, and he dares to come here to swindle and bluff; I have reason and evidence to arrest him and send him to the authorities!"

The restaurant was noisy, and onlookers had already gathered downstairs. Gan Sanye Gan wasn't stupid; he immediately amplified his volume so the crowd downstairs could have a good gossip.

The center of the street indeed exploded with a "buzz," but not because Gan Sanye Gan wanted to make an arrest, but because he had personally revealed the news of his eldest brother's death! Eldest Master Gan was dead! The pillar of the Gan Family Chamber of Commerce had snapped.

This news was like adding a drop of water to hot oil, and it began to spread wildly with a boom.

Gan Sanye Gan upstairs was still unaware, and He Lingchuan reminded him: "They can't beat me." After saying this, three flying knives shot out in a 'pin' shape, nailing into the pillar behind Gan Sanye Gan with a few thuds.

One by his neck, one above his head, and one by his temple.

Gan Sanye Gan was terrified, carefully shrinking back, standing up and retreating two steps before saying: "This is the Gan family's territory; without my nod, you won't be able to leave Wu Ze County, and no inn or lodge will dare to take you in!"

He Lingchuan smiled: "Wait and see."

After Gan Sanye Gan finished his threat, he turned and stomped downstairs again.

Steward Zhao bowed to He Lingchuan, apologized, and followed Gan Sanye Gan.

He Lingchuan summoned the waiter to add a pot of wine, acting as if nothing had happened.

Seeing this Gan Sanye Gan, he felt like he was seeing his former self.

When his former self ran rampant in Heishuicheng, his backer was much tougher than Gan Sanye Gan's. On the contrary, Steward Zhao, who was all smiles, had clearly dug a pit for Gan Sanye Gan to jump into.

When Steward Zhao introduced He Lingchuan, he only said the Spider Queen gave the passage token to this young man, but didn't mention his past of killing mountain bandits, nor did he mention that the caravan being able to leave the swamp relied entirely on the conditions he negotiated with the Spider Queen. From these two points, He Lingchuan had not only avenged Master Gan but was also the savior of the entire caravan.

Gan Sanye Gan naturally assumed that He Lingchuan had just come out to intercept the spoils and rob them while they were in trouble.

But who could he blame for that? If it were Master Gan, he would never have been so easily deceived.

Steward Zhao had indeed figured out Gan Sanye Gan's temperament.

The spider on his body also jumped back onto He Lingchuan's table, indicating the mission was complete.

He Lingchuan tapped the table: "How about running another errand for me? I think that Gan Sanye Gan is going to make trouble." He had the most say in how dandies thought. If they couldn't win in the open, they would mostly play dirty in the dark.

After all, being a guest in a foreign land alone, if he punched someone, he had to guard against a kick in return.

The spider wiped its big eyes, and He Lingchuan felt its dissatisfaction:

Why no reward for working?

Give, of course, give.

He Lingchuan immediately had the waiter bring over a fresh fish.

This fish could still jump out of the water, which didn't hinder the spider from eating it. He Lingchuan watched as this little thing lay on the fish and injected poison; after a while, the fish stopped moving.

Only then was it the eyeball spider's meal time.

After eating and drinking its fill, it slipped away contentedly.

Not long after, someone else came upstairs.

He Lingchuan recognized at a glance that this was the "Second-in-Command" he had glimpsed through the eyeball spider.

There were few guests on the second floor; the Second-in-Command scanned the whole place, immediately locked onto He Lingchuan, and rushed toward him.

"May I ask, are you Young Master He?"

He Lingchuan said lightly: "And you are?"

"My surname is Shi, from the Shi Gate Chamber of Commerce." The Second-in-Command smiled. "I have something to ask Young Master He; can we sit down and talk?"

He Lingchuan made a "please" gesture.

Coincidentally, the Second-in-Command sat in Gan Sanye Gan's previous seat. When he sat down, his gaze swept across He Lingchuan's waist, his movements paused slightly, but he quickly sat down.

"We have a close friendship with President Gan; hearing that he unfortunately met with misfortune, we came to pay our respects." The Second-in-Command shook his head sadly. "The Gan family was just at its peak; sigh, things are unpredictable."

Hearing this, He Lingchuan understood why he had only come now; it turned out he had gone to pay respects at the Gan mansion first; there was no problem with etiquette.

He deliberately asked: "Has Old Madam Mao woken up?"

"Woken up, and also taken medicine; I heard she fainted from crying twice before, and now she is being served by Second Master Gan, whose eyes are also swollen from crying. Old Madam Mao is overcome with grief, and we only saw her once."

He answered fluently, with details, clearly having really been there.

"Second-in-Command is thoughtful." He Lingchuan gave him a boost, deliberately sighing. "I've sat here dryly for over an hour and haven't had the chance to step into the Gan mansion."

Why He Lingchuan was sitting here and why the Second-in-Command had come, both sides were actually very clear.

The Second-in-Command didn't pretend to be surprised anymore; although this youth was only seventeen or eighteen, he wasn't as impatient as his peers, otherwise he could have directly said, "Are you also here for the passage token?"

So he got straight to the point: "I heard Young Master He is looking for a reliable merchant group to go to the Demon Kingdom capital?"

"Yes. I've been in the county for less than two hours; Mr. Shi's news is truly well-informed."

"Then I'll shamelessly recommend myself." The Second-in-Command smiled. "Our Shi Gate Chamber of Commerce has operated this route from Wu Ze to Ling Xu City, the capital of Beijia, for nineteen years. Except for the first year, which coincided with the Demon Kingdom's internal strife, the following eighteen years have been smooth, with no loss of personnel. Among all the merchant groups in Wu Ze County, this is also a unique record."

He Lingchuan smiled slightly: "I'm not just looking for an escort; the merchant group needs to have the convenience of handling customs and affairs. If I have matters, the merchant group must cooperate with me; this must be made clear. Also, I will pay the salary only after reaching Ling Xu City."

"What is your purpose in going to Ling Xu City?"

"Sightseeing."

The Second-in-Command smiled; this youth was stalling with such insincerity. "How much danger is there?"

"No danger, just going to check on some things."

"Not to find trouble for someone?"

"No such intention." He Lingchuan smiled. "I'm also someone who fears trouble."

The Second-in-Command pondered.

He didn't know much about this youth, but the Demon Nest Swamp passage token was in the other party's hands; the opportunity must not be missed.

Even if he escorted him and let him use the Shi Gate Chamber of Commerce's name to move around, how much danger could there be? Besides, merchant groups often sent guests on long journeys; who would get to the bottom of it? Without taking risks, how could there be gains?

"No problem, it's settled." The Second-in-Command laughed heartily. "I'm going on this trip too."

"Oh?" He Lingchuan smiled. "Aren't you afraid I'll default on the payment?"

Both sides were clear that the "salary" he spoke of didn't refer to silver money.

The Second-in-Command gave an "Ah": "The distinguished guests of Song Yang Prefecture are all people of status; how could they default on the payment of a small merchant group like ours?"

Actually, they would. Big shots might not necessarily not default on small payments.

He Lingchuan's gaze moved down to his waist: "How did you see it?"

"The style and texture of the scabbard at Young Master He's waist are special; it is used exclusively for first-class distinguished guests gifted by Song Yang Prefecture." The Second-in-Command's gaze also landed on the scabbard. "Young Master He's precious blade must be extraordinary; I wonder which master's hand it came from?"

"Li Fubo." After Li Fubo finished planting the Floating Life Blade for He Lingchuan, he casually sent over a scabbard and never said it was a symbol of a distinguished guest's status. He hadn't expected this scabbard to save him a lot of talk thousands of miles away.

The Second-in-Command was moved: "It was actually the Chief Master Craftsman of the Middle Furnace of Song Yang Prefecture who personally forged it?"

He was so surprised that He Lingchuan had to be humble: "Master Li just happened to have time those few months."

The Second-in-Command wouldn't take this seriously; if anyone could invite him, why would Li Fubo have time? Not to mention Young Master He said it was "a few months"; Master Li Fubo had forged this one blade for him for several months!

Oh, did I actually not beg for votes this month? Then let's have a fierce tiger-landing-style request for monthly votes!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 358 =====