Chapter 388

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

"Deposit."

Wei Lun leaned back in his chair, tone casual: "I know the times are chaotic now, the risk is high, so the price is thirty percent higher than usual."

"After all, the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish."

"You just need to pass a message to Ice Fang Kuai for me; whether it succeeds or not, this money counts as your trouble fee."

"I'm staying at this inn, just for ten days; if you figure it out, come find me anytime."

Finished speaking, he said no more, picked up his wine cup and sipped slowly, looking entirely unhurried.

Di Long stared at the money pouch on the table, his Adam's apple bobbing hard.

Thirty percent markup — just the trouble fee alone is this many gold coins...

If this deal goes through, it'll equal more than half a year's income for him in previous years.

But his heart was still pounding; he couldn't shake the feeling this was too convenient — the plague had just broken out, and someone was offering high prices for Ice Plains goods?

He hesitated for a long while, then finally pushed the money pouch back, laughing dryly:

"Sir, it's not that I won't give you face, it's really... life is more important."

"This business, I can't do it."

Wei Lun didn't press, just smiled, and took the money pouch back.

"No matter." He said lightly.

"You can think it over. Within ten days, I'll be right here."

Di Long left as if granted amnesty, hurriedly standing to take his leave, footsteps hasty as he left the tavern, not even finishing that cup of chilled wine.

Watching his panicked retreating back, Wei Lun's mouth corner hooked an imperceptible smile.

Refusal was within expectations.

Put anyone in his shoes, suddenly encountering this kind of pie-falling-from-the-sky deal, and they'd be suspicious.

But he wasn't in a rush; Di Long can refuse once, but he can't refuse a second time, a third time.

The Ice Fang Clan needs supplies more than he does.

The plague cut the trade lines; the wildmen survived the winter, but they can't survive the spring shortage between harvests.

Without the Nest Capital's grain, medicine, and tools, their days will only get harder.

As long as there's a chance to exchange for supplies, Kui Clan Leader absolutely won't let it pass.

Di Long goes back now, he'll definitely find a way to send word to the Ice Plains.

Waiting for him to come knocking on his own initiative.

The development of events, not a hair's breadth off from Wei Lun's prediction.

The second evening, Di Long appeared at the Coal Cinder Inn again.

This time, the wariness on his face hadn't lessened a bit, but there was more of a barely contained urgency.

He walked straight to Wei Lun's booth, rubbing his hands, laughing: "Sir, that business you mentioned yesterday, does it still count?"

Wei Lun set down the book in his hand, looked up at him, tone calm: "Naturally it counts. What, thought it through?"

"Heh, I thought it over carefully; Sir, you look like a legitimate businessman at first glance, I, Di Long, can't just let money sit unearned, right?" He sat down with an embarrassed grin.

"To be honest, I really do have an old friendship with Kui Clan Leader; it's just the roads have been bad lately, news travels slow."

"But rest assured, I've already entrusted someone to take word over; estimating seven or eight days for a reply."

"Just this price — you really give thirty percent markup?"

"My word is gold." Wei Lun said lightly.

"Not only thirty percent markup; after the deal closes, you alone take five percent brokerage fee."

Di Long's eyes lit up instantly.

"Not only will it be marked up thirty percent, but after the job is done, you alone will take a five percent commission."

This one deal done, he'd earn more than he usually makes in a month!

Whatever suspicions, whatever wariness — vanished into thin air in the face of cold hard cash.

"Sir, rest assured! This matter is wrapped on me!" He slapped his chest, guaranteeing it.

"I know the goods on the Ice Fang side; I'll absolutely vet them for you, guarantee they're all top-grade!"

Over the next few days, the two met at the tavern every day, discussing goods categories, discussing delivery location, discussing transport routes.

Wei Lun spent freely; not only did he book the inn's best room, every meal and drink he rushed to pay, and he stuffed Di Long with quite a few small gifts.

From high-grade tobacco to exquisite lighters, every single one hit the other man's sweet spot.

Back and forth, Di Long completely let down his guard, simply treating it as having met a lavish, deep-pocketed noble sucker; his words gradually became more numerous.

This evening, Wei Lun specially reserved a private room on the tavern's second floor, ordered a table of fine food and wine, saying it was to celebrate the smooth cooperation in advance.

Wine past three rounds, Di Long drank until his face was red and ears crimson, his chatterbox completely opened; from Bottom City anecdotes to Ice Plains oddities, he spoke in an endless stream.

Wei Lun timely raised his wine cup, smiling as he said:

After three rounds of wine, Earth Dragon was flushed and red-eared, his tongue fully loosened, chattering nonstop from the gossip of Bottom City to the strange tales of the Ice Plains.

Wei Lun raised his wine cup at the right moment, smiling as he said:

"Earth Dragon, I heard there's a Frost Dragon on our Ice Plains? Is it true? I thought it was just a folk tale made up to scare children."

The moment the Frost Dragon was mentioned, Earth Dragon's drunkenness instantly faded a bit.

He subconsciously glanced left and right, then lowered his voice:

"Sir, this isn't made up, it's true!"

"Oh?" Wei Lun showed just the right amount of curiosity, "You've seen it?"

"Where would I have that blessing." Earth Dragon shook his head, but his face carried a hint of pride.

"But Kui Clan Leader has seen it!"

"He told me personally that it's the guardian god of the Ice Plains, its whole body covered in blue-green scales, its wings spread can cover the sky, and one breath can freeze a person into an ice lump!"

What he said was roughly the same as what the Wildmen leader remembered, all vague legends.

Wei Lun knew the score in his heart, but put on a look of astonishment on his face, refilled Earth Dragon's cup, and followed the topic:

"That powerful? Then last time the Green Skins invaded the Ice Plains, was it Him who drove them away?"

"Of course!"

Earth Dragon downed the cup in one gulp, the wine hit his head, and his voice grew louder.

"You know how fierce the Green Skins are, even the Nest Capital's regular troops have a headache, let alone the Wildmen on the Ice Plains with stone spears."

"If it weren't for the Frost Dragon striking last winter, the Ice Fang and Snow Claw Two Great Clans would have been wiped out long ago!"

As he spoke, he leaned forward a bit, mysteriously lowering his voice:

"Sir, I'll tell you something, you must not spread it outside……"

"About how the Frost Dragon drove back the Green Skins, Kui Clan Leader mentioned it to me once, that scene, tsk tsk, you wouldn't believe it if I told you……"

Just as his words fell, the wooden door of the private room was suddenly blown open a crack by the wind with a "creak."

The biting ice wind rushed in through the crack, blowing the candle flame to flicker fiercely a few times, stretching Earth Dragon's shadow thin and long.

In the Nest Capital, apart from the Upper City, wherever heating stops elsewhere, it will fall into deep winter.

The temperature difference between day and night is unimaginable.

Earth Dragon, who understood this principle, still subconsciously shivered.

The latter half of the sentence was hard stuck in his throat, a trace of inexplicable fear flashed in his eyes.