Chapter 314

Chun Qin pulled at the corner of her mouth and said, "This is indeed her own weakness—what about the flaw in her cultivation technique?"

Master Xuanmiao: "That's a different price."

Chun Qin gritted her teeth and said, "We're willing to pay more."

Master Xuanmiao: "I won't sell."

Chun Qin: …

Sometimes she truly wanted to flip the table and back out.

Master Xuanmiao lifted her eyes, cold and clear, and placed her sword on her knee, her fingers lightly tapping the scabbard.

Chun Qin forced a smile and said, "Master Xuanmiao, our Qianxi Pavilion also deals in exclusive information purchases—do you have any information you wish to buy outright?"

"Yes," Master Xuanmiao said, "Pan Sanzhu of Anren County, Raozhou. Erase this matter. I don't care how you do it—no information leaving Qianxi Pavilion may link her to Pan Yun."

Chun Qin immediately said, "Ten thousand taels!"

Master Xuanmiao looked at her with a half-smile. "Is that how Qianxi Pavilion sets its prices?"

Chun Qin smiled. "Master Xuanmiao, Pan Yun is the youngest to break through the First Marquis, the youngest to enter the Dao—more talented than you were, even more than Zhang Liuzhen of Long Hushan. Blocking her information for ten thousand taels is cheap."

Master Xuanmiao: "Merely blocking it isn't worth that much."

Chun Qin's eyes darted. "Then what does the master intend?"

"I want you to tell the outside world these are two different people—that the Pan Sanzhu of Anren County is impersonating Pan Yun, framing Mount Sanqing, and provoking conflict between Mount Sanqing and Long Hushan."

Chun Qin: "Qianxi Pavilion doesn't sell false information."

Master Xuanmiao: "I'm not asking you to lie. I know you can tell the truth and let them deduce the effect I want."

She leaned forward, fixing her gaze on Chun Qin. "You've done this sort of thing many times before—shouldn't be hard, right?"

Chun Qin felt awkward, her eyes shifting away guiltily. "That only works on the clever."

"Then sell this information only to the clever," Master Xuanmiao said sternly. "Chun Qin, one piece of information for another—you're profiting greatly. Outside, dozens of martial artists are still waiting, hand outstretched for your money bags."

Chun Qin's heart pounded, and under her gaze, she nodded. "Master Xuanmiao speaks wisely."

Master Xuanmiao tapped the table. "Write the contract."

Chun Qin lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and said to the scribe, "I'll do it."

The scribe immediately vacated the seat for her.

Chun Qin wrote two copies of the contract, signed them, and handed them to Master Xuanmiao.

Master Xuanmiao took them, glanced over them, raised an eyebrow at her, then after a pause, accepted them and signed with her seal.

Chun Qin gave a slight nod to the messenger, who left and returned shortly with a box.

Chun Qin opened the box, glanced inside, closed it, and handed it to Master Xuanmiao with a smile. "Master Xuanmiao, past offenses were unintentional—please forgive us."

Master Xuanmiao took the box and handed it casually to Tao Ji. "I never hold grudges."

Chun Qin's lip twitched—this was a lie even her own parents wouldn't believe.

Seeing Master Xuanmiao about to leave, Chun Qin hurriedly called out, "Please, Master Xuanmiao, one more piece of advice—how is your junior sister's temperament? Like yours, or like Tao Ji Daozhang's?"

Master Xuanmiao frowned. "She's like neither me nor him."

Chun Qin quickly said, "Perhaps I should rephrase—does Pan Yun resemble Tao Ji Daozhang more, or Wang Guanzhu more?"

Master Xuanmiao's expression softened. "She resembles my eldest brother."

Tao Ji opened his mouth, then whispered, "She resembles both my eldest brother and Master Xuanmiao."

The guess confirmed, Chun Qin felt relief in her choice—both Master Xuanmiao and Wang Feiyin were protective and held grudges.

Pan Yun, so young yet already breaking through the First Marquis—such a genius must be arrogant, and arrogance combined with grudge-holding and protectiveness—if she learned Qianxi Pavilion had traded her information and colluded with Master Xuanmiao, she'd bring trouble upon them.

Better to cultivate good relations now.

If she knew Qianxi Pavilion had sold most of her information, sourced from Master Xuanmiao, and paid dearly for it—wouldn't she spare Qianxi Pavilion?

Chun Qin warmly escorted Master Xuanmiao out of Qianxi Pavilion, waving a silk handkerchief at the door. "Master, come again soon~~"

Her voice was sugary, making Tao Ji shudder.

Chun Qin shot him a glare and muttered, "Country bumpkin…"

Country bumpkin Tao Ji closely followed Master Xuanmiao, opened the box, saw it contained a stack of high-denomination silver notes, and was stunned. "Wasn't this an exchange of information? Why did they pay extra?"

Tao Ji frowned. "They didn't want to do this deal? Thought the price was too low?"

"No," Master Xuanmiao said. "They didn't want to offend the junior sister—they agreed."

Tao Ji: "…They haven't even met the junior sister yet—why are they afraid of her?"

Master Xuanmiao glanced at him. "The youngest to enter the Dao is arguably the top figure in the martial world. You yourself confirmed she's as grudge-holding and protective as me and my eldest brother—do you think Qianxi Pavilion dares offend her?"

Tao Ji: …

He quickly defended himself. "I, shimei, I didn't mean it that way—I meant she's like you and my eldest brother: heavy-hearted, decisive—I didn't say you hold grudges…"

Master Xuanmiao: "No need to explain—I know. But because of what you said, Chun Qin paid willingly."

Tao Ji: … He really didn't mean it, truly—Heaven, someone help him. Master Xuanmiao: "Let's go to Changzhou. See a patient, settle the final payment, then visit Old Liu. This round trip will cover next year's temple expenses—I wonder how much my eldest brother spent on the junior sister's artifacts."

Tao Ji: "Wang Tiezhu always charges fairly, and my eldest brother has ties with him—it shouldn't be much, right?"

Master Xuanmiao glanced at him. "Three feet of divine wood were cut from the storage, and meteorite was taken. With the craftsmanship and auxiliary materials needed for those, how cheap could it possibly be?"

Tao Ji suddenly felt the weight of supporting a household.

He looked up at the sun. "Good—the sun hasn't set yet. We can still cover more ground."

The master and disciple quickened their pace, moving straight toward Changzhou without stopping.

Meanwhile, Pan Yun and the others had just driven the ox cart back to the Mountain God Temple and, with two laborers, carried the grain into the storage room.

Pan Yun was now terrifyingly strong—she carried each sack of grain in one hand as easily as if they were two vegetables, leaving the villagers working in the temple stunned.

Wang Cong stacked his sack on top and turned to look at Pan Yun striding out. He grabbed Miaohe and asked, "Was your trip to the county not smooth? Why does Little Uncle look so displeased?"

Miaohe: "Going there was fine. Coming back wasn't—no one robbed us."

Wang Cong: "... Fifth junior sister, did you get it backwards?"

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"Not backwards. Little Uncle wanted to lure someone into robbing her, but no one took the bait."

Wang Cong pointed at the grain on the ox cart and asked, "You lure them with these?"

Miaohe glanced around, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, "No, with money."

Wang Cong looked at her.

Miaohe leaned even closer, whispering even softer: "We exchanged silver notes for two sacks of copper coins. Little Uncle carries them around ostentatiously to lure people."

Wang Cong immediately asked sharply, "What's the silver rate today?"

Miaohe stared at him in surprise. "Big Brother, how do you know today's silver rate is twelve hundred wen?"

Wang Cong tapped her forehead. "Little Uncle isn't the type to take a loss. If the silver rate weren't high, she'd never bother exchanging silver for copper coins. If you're going to lure people, wouldn't it be more effective to casually drop a few large silver notes for someone to pick up—or parade around with two silver ingots?"

Miaohe had never thought of such methods. She thought her big brother was incredibly clever.

Wang Cong, having grasped the key point, said at once: "I'm leaving tomorrow. You two take care of the Mountain God Temple matter."

Miaohe: "Aren't you coming back tomorrow?"

Wang Cong: "I'm going far away."

"It's almost New Year—why go so far?"

Wang Cong stayed silent. Why? Of course, to make money!

On making money, Wang Cong was a professional—he was far more professional than Pan Yun.

He decided to leave early tomorrow. His caravan companions should also get moving.

Pan Yun, gloomy, picked up the last two sacks of grain and stacked them in the storage shed, sighing.

Wang Cong passed by her. "Little Uncle, don't worry. When I return in a few days, I'll make up the shortfall. How many silver notes do you have on you? Why not lend them to me as capital?"

Pan Yun: "You're going to speculate in silver?"

"Speculate?" Wang Cong said. "I have a way to exchange silver ingots for more copper coins."

Pan Yun patted his shoulder. "Big Nephew, even though I bought a batch of copper coins, that doesn't mean I approve of this behavior—especially since you're not just risking all your own money, but also trying to borrow mine."

"Miaohe knows to keep two-thirds of her money and only use twenty taels for silver speculation. Can't you learn from her?"

Wang Cong extended his hand. "Little Uncle, I'm certain. Trust me."

Pan Yun pulled out silver notes and slapped them into his palm. "Fine. Though I don't approve of this behavior, I do trust you."

Wang Cong had carried Mount Sanqing since he was young—she believed he had his own judgment.

If something was hopeless, he would never step into it.

Wang Cong gripped the money tightly, then glanced sideways. "Little Uncle, I heard Fifth Junior Sister say you still plan to go to the magistrate's office to claim the reward. Why don't we leave early tomorrow? Give me a ride."

Pan Yun did want to claim the reward. More preparation never hurt. She asked, "To Guangxin Prefecture?"

Wang Cong nodded.

Pan Yun said, "If you can borrow your father's medicine cauldron, I'll take you along."

Wang Cong: "No problem!"

His father had asked him for gold just two days ago—anything he requested now, his father would agree to.

Didn't he slack off these past few days, skipping cultivation and running down the mountain? His father didn't say a word.

Wang Cong decided to push his father a little further.

Wang Cong figured it out, cheered up. Pan Yun also felt slightly pleased. She was about to speak when suddenly, her spiritual realm chimed—a new merit value appeared.

Pan Yun sank into her consciousness, glanced, and froze slightly: +10 merit from Su Dashan.

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow. "How does he even know me?"

At that moment, Su Dashan had just stepped out of the posthouse. As soon as he exited, tears rolled down his face. He turned toward Mount Sanqing and fell to his knees with a thud.

See you tomorrow

(End of Chapter)