Chapter 56: The Generous Guide

Chen Luozi, holding a lantern, looked around and readily agreed to Shopkeeper She's proposal.

The unskinned one just lost its head; overall it is a complete wolf skin, very suitable for making a jacket.

But the skinned one's back waist has a large cut, which somewhat affects its appearance.

After Chen Luozi finished looking, Shopkeeper She also lit a lantern and examined the skinned wolf skin.

At a glance, they were also very satisfied.

"Chen Xiaoyou's cut is superb; a wolf should be killed like this, preserving the whole head to fetch a good price. I'm not being stingy, this skin is one tael of silver," Shopkeeper She praised repeatedly, immediately offering a high price of one tael of silver.

Chen Wuji was very satisfied with the price, but Chen Luozi was not; he raised his voice and shouted, "You clueless fool, you sell such a fine skin for just one tael? I, as an uncle, have already offered twelve hundred wen."

"One tael is already generous!" Shopkeeper She said, "You uncle and nephew have your familial bond; if you had money you'd gladly help your nephew, but I speak as a merchant in business."

"Stop the nonsense; the pot isn't big, but the reasoning is plenty," Chen Luozi flicked his arm, spewing coarse words, "I have no money; I offered this for my nephew, that's a fair price. I won't cheat him, and he shouldn't cheat me."

Shopkeeper She was speechless, "I'll add fifty wen, how about that?"

"Twelve hundred wen, you such a big shopkeeper, why are you so stingy, I think you're still not in a hurry," Chen Luozi shouted.

With him stirring up trouble here, Chen Wuji had no room to speak at all, calmly observing.

"One thousand one hundred wen, even my courier fee can't cover that, gentlemen, please be reasonable, that's enough," Shopkeeper She could no longer endure; he truly had no time to linger here, running business at night was no different from hopping blindly on the King of Hell's blade.

Seeing this, Chen Wuji said, "Twelve hundred wen, I'll show you something good."

"Really?" Shopkeeper She's eyes brightened, immediately hammered the decision, "Deal!"

Chen Wuji took the dog badger off the back waist.

In the dim night, the sharp, sly‑eyed Shopkeeper She didn't notice that Chen Wuji was also carrying something else.

"Dog badger, what a fine thing!" Shopkeeper She clamped the dog badger's neck, instantly delighted beyond sight, "This little creature is well‑fatted, look at the sheen of its fur—already glossy. The fur's luster suggests plenty of oil, youngster, this also one tael, how about it?"

"Add one hundred wen," Chen Wuji said.

Shopkeeper She instantly wilted, "Youngster, business isn't negotiated like that; I've already taken a loss on the wolf skin. The dog badger's fur is valuable, but it's small, and you can't get much badger oil from it."

Chen Wuji said nothing, just stared at Shopkeeper She.

This was another thing he didn't know how much to price, yet he knew badger oil was in high demand, especially among the Northern Caravan, a speck the size of a fingernail fetching dozens of wen.

The item is remarkably effective for treating frostbite; in Shu Di it may be ordinary in price, but shipping it north would surely double, likely beyond what ordinary families could afford.

"Alright, alright, add one hundred wen!" Shopkeeper She compromised, shaking his head like an abacus bead, "Doing business with you old Chen family, I'm both fond of and annoyed by you; this price is truly hard."

Chen Wuji said, "Shopkeeper She, you know whether my price is hard or not. We both have to earn a bit, otherwise this trade can't last, right? I wagered Half a Life to earn these two taels of silver."

"But I truly am at a loss, yet I'm willing to lose a bit and forge a good bond with Chen Xiaoyou; in the future, if you have good stuff, you must come to me first, youngster, let's make a Long-term Livelihood," Shopkeeper She said, shaking his head.

He said that, and Chen Wuji didn't believe a single word.

A true big boss outwardly treats money like dirt, yet internally calculates more clearly than anyone, playing one scheme after another, practicing the Way of Game Theory.

The small boss constantly claims he doesn't make money, but where does his huge fortune come from if he doesn't earn it?

He thought the words before speaking, but even if not true they must spin in his mind a few rounds, then look carefully with his eyes to confirm; a biased hearing, what lies before the eyes is surely a Deep Pit.

Shopkeeper She muttered about being ruined, called the workers to take the wolf skin and dog badger, then, by lantern light, handed Chen Wuji the silver money.

Two thousand three hundred wen.

Chen Wuji's trip today also earned a decent profit.

Money and goods settled, Shopkeeper She ran faster than a dog, dragging the workers and hurried away.

"Wuji, take me into the mountains another day, I suddenly realize hunting with you seems more profitable than hunting on the Official Road. We took such a huge risk for one gamble, yet it can't match a single trip you make into the mountains. Damn, the Laborers are jealous," Chen Luozi shouted.

"No problem," Chen Wuji said with a smile, reaching out his hand to Chen Luozi, "Twelve hundred wen."

Chen Luozi was stunned, his eyes widened to circles, "That's the Laborers' price for you; you scoundrel kid, you don't even recognize your own six relatives!"

Chen Bushi's eyelids drooped, "You just found out?"

"One tael, I owe it!" Chen Luozi shouted.

He didn't even mention that just last night he had lent Chen Wuji three taels of silver.

Chen Wuji smiled, "This skin is a gift to Jiu Shu, no charge."

"Not as a pixiu, but as a gift to the Wealth Child?" Chen Luozi laughed and cursed, "One tael."

"No!" Chen Wuji shook his head.

"Unless something unexpected happens, I should soon gather that sum, and the days ahead will be better. However, don't think about that money this month; I have other plans, first…"

"Give it to me, give it to me, the skin to me, I'll know Wuji is filial!" Chen Luozi's expression instantly changed, cheerfully snatching the wolf from Chen Wuji's shoulder.

"I'll skin this myself; after I'm done, I'll deliver the meat to you tomorrow."

"Aren't you all meeting the caravan later?" Chen Wuji asked.

"No rush now, we'll talk tomorrow morning," Chen Luozi said with a mysterious smile.

That smile made Chen Wuji feel there was definitely something hidden.

These two guides, could they be steering people into a ditch?

Chen Bushi shook his head, sighed, and scolded Chen Luozi, "It's only one skin; having Wuji skin it for you doesn't make a difference, what urgency do you claim?"

"It's a Red Wolf! Female!" Chen Luozi emphasized.

"You don't understand mountain matters; in any case, just listen to me."

Chen Bushi didn't understand, but Chen Wuji did.

"Red Wolves have stronger retaliation?" he asked.

Chen Luozi froze for a moment, then slapped himself, "Damn, I shouldn't say this in front of a hunter. Red Wolves indeed have higher retaliation, and more importantly, the Red Wolves on this mountain are likely from the same pack. Like our Chen clan, fewer of us makes us a bit more united."

"Moreover, a she‑wolf's status in the pack is generally higher; once she's hunted, the pack will likely go into a frenzy of revenge. Wolves hold grudges far more fiercely than people."

Chen Wuji rubbed his forehead, "What kind of guide is this? Clearly they're planning to lead people to their deaths."