Chapter 218, exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City: Reencounter with Bai Xuefeng
Five days later, in the capital.
Inside the study of a mansion.
A young man was calculating how much supplies he had left when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was a servant, he asked without looking up, "What is it?"
The people outside didn't speak.
The young man looked up suspiciously and, by the candlelight inside, saw a person standing outside the door. He asked again but received no response, so he went over and opened the door himself.
"Who are you?" The man frowned as he looked at the unfamiliar-looking man outside the door.
Lu Xuan looked at the other person and smiled, "Young Master Bai, how have you been?"
The young man, Bai Xuefeng, stared at him for a while. "Do we know each other?"
Lu Xuan said, "Before the major earthquake, corn was given as a gift in the prefectural city."
Upon hearing those keywords, Bai Xuefeng's eyes widened in disbelief, and he gasped, "You're Lu Xuan—!? How did you get here?"
Lu Xuan said, "I'm also curious, why is Young Master Bai in the capital? Won't you invite me in for a chat?"
A moment later, in the study.
Bai Xuefeng poured Lu Xuan a cup of tea, sat down opposite him, and scrutinized the unfamiliar face. "Your face..."
Lu Xuan said, "It's just a little disguise trick. You always have to take some precautions when you're out and about."
Bai Xuefeng nodded. "I see."
He didn't dwell on the topic, but simply remarked, "It's been almost a year since we last met. I never thought I'd get to see Young Master Lu again. Back then, Young Master Lu made quite a splash in the city. The government noticed something amiss and sent people to investigate. They searched all the way to Baisong Town, but unfortunately, before they could search further, the earthquake struck."
Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow. People from the government office had contacted him? That was somewhat unexpected... Well, actually, it was also expected.
His purchase of so much grain and ironware was a highly conspicuous transaction, inevitably arousing suspicion.
He hadn't really planned to hide perfectly. At that time, the most important thing was to collect enough supplies as quickly as possible so that he wouldn't have to suffer later. As for whether anyone would come looking for him, once the catastrophe started, who would care about him?
Now that they've met, Bai Xuefeng finally asked the question that had been on his mind for so long.
"Is Young Master Lu able to foresee the future?"
Otherwise, how could he have accurately predicted the various natural disasters of last year and given him warnings in advance?
Lu Xuan said calmly, "I just unexpectedly gained a bit of luck. Is that note of yours of any help to Young Master Bai?"
Bai Xuefeng solemnly replied, "I have benefited immensely!"
When Lu Xuan told Bai Xuefeng about the impending earthquake and the years of disaster, Bai Xuefeng was skeptical. After speaking with his father, he collected a large amount of supplies in the shortest possible time, just in case.
At the same time, they also secretly sent people to have the beggars in the city spread the news that an earthquake was coming.
The news caused an uproar among the city's residents.
For over a hundred years, no earthquakes had occurred in the city and the surrounding area. When someone suddenly said that a major earthquake was going to happen, almost no one believed it.
However, the news started spreading seven or eight days in advance. There were many beggars, and the Bai family's people were manipulating things. The more they talked about it, the more panicked people became.
Unaware that the Bai family was behind this, many of the officials secretly cursed the mastermind behind it all, saying they were deliberately creating chaos.
When the 'prophesied' day arrived, many skeptical people couldn't sleep soundly, and quite a few even had their whole families spend the night outside because they felt uneasy.
Many people were laughed at for believing nonsense. Some went back to their rooms in anger, while others remained unchanged, figuring that if nothing really happened, they could just give it a good scolding the next day after waking up.
But if the prophecy comes true, it could save lives!
As we all know, a major earthquake did indeed occur.
The earth shook violently, houses collapsed, and screams filled the air. The people who had ignored the prophecy paid a heavy price.
Those who are cautious or who are influenced by others to follow the trend and avoid the area are very lucky; apart from a few people getting minor scrapes, there are almost no casualties.
Bai Xuefeng recalled the devastation in the city after the earthquake, his face still showing lingering fear. "Because we spread the news in advance, the casualties in the prefectural city were much less than expected. Even so, the death toll still exceeded a thousand. When my father saw that the disaster had indeed occurred, he paid more and more attention to the information left by Young Master Lu. After careful consideration, he decided to move the whole family to the capital."
In any case, the capital city is the most important city in the world. Its reserves of supplies and the strength of its garrison are much stronger than those of local cities. Besides, they have an aunt who is the wife of a marquis. They are not afraid of not being able to gain a foothold there.
While people in other areas were still caught off guard, the Bai family collected a lot of supplies along the way. However, before arriving in the capital, Bai's father was careful and hid most of the supplies in a secluded place instead of bringing them into the capital.
Bai Xuefeng said with great relief, "Fortunately, we left early. We had only been in the capital and made contact with the Marquis's residence for two days when another earthquake struck. A very wide underground fissure appeared on the road we came from, blocking the way."
Even if it had been just three or five days later, they might have been left with only the same frustration as those who came later to seek refuge with relatives, unable to see the capital from afar.
Upon arriving in the capital, besides his great-aunt who was the wife of a marquis, the Bai family also had a direct descendant, who was also Bai Xuefeng's uncle, whom he could seek refuge with.
Both relatives were fortunate enough to survive the earthquake. The Bai family already had a villa in the capital and a large amount of resources, so even though many natural disasters occurred later, the family's strength remained quite intact.
At this point, Bai Xuefeng suddenly remembered, "The capital city is still not connected with the outside world, and it is extremely difficult to cross the underground fissure. Moreover, the city does not easily allow strangers to enter. How did Young Master Lu manage to enter the city?"
Live stream viewer: Of course, I flew in at night, hehe.
Could a mere garrison and city walls possibly stop a livestreamer?
“I naturally have my own methods.” Lu Xuan kept everyone in suspense for a moment, then asked, “What is the relationship between the Marquis’s Mansion, which the Bai family is backed by, and the new emperor?”
Bai Xuefeng was somewhat puzzled as to why he suddenly asked about the emperor, but considering the help the other party had given to the Bai family, he still frankly replied, "As the Empress Dowager's maternal family and His Majesty's maternal family, the Marquis's mansion naturally has a very close relationship with him."
Lu Xuan and the audience were somewhat surprised.
They only knew that the Bai family and the Hou family were related by marriage, but they never expected that the Hou family had a daughter who was a concubine in the palace and became the ultimate winner after the death of the late emperor.
However, this is a good thing for Lu Xuan.
Lu Xuan said, "If it's convenient, I'd like to ask the Bai family to ask the Marquis's Mansion for help in making a connection so I can discuss a big deal with the higher-ups."
Bai Xuefeng opened his mouth in astonishment, "Up there... you mean... the palace?"
Lu Xuan nodded.
Bai Xuefeng's expression turned even more shocked.
It wasn't that he looked down on Lu Xuan, but it was just that for a commoner like him to want to do business with the emperor right off the bat was absurd.
Even though he gets along well with the young masters of the Marquis's mansion, he hasn't had the chance to meet the Emperor or even enter the palace since he came to the capital.
Seeing Bai Xuefeng's troubled expression, Lu Xuan said calmly, "Young Master Bai, there's no need to worry. Just tell the Marquis's Mansion my offer and whether you're willing to make this connection. The Marquis's Mansion will make its own decision."
Bai Xuefeng, or rather the Bai family, only needed to pass on a message for him.
If it weren't for the special status of the capital city, which made it unsuitable to use the same methods he used when going to other gathering places, he could have directly entered the palace.
However, this could easily lead to him being treated as an assassin, and if the commotion gets too big, it will be difficult to handle later. Even if a deal is successfully reached in the end, it is inevitable that the higher-ups will feel that they will lose face and come after him, or cause trouble for Yunlu Village.
Bai Xuefeng asked curiously, "What bargaining chips does Young Master Lu have?"
Lu Xuan made a startling statement: "I have a way to restore contact between the capital and other cities that have lost contact, and to trade with the capital enough supplies for all the people to eat and use for one tael or even longer."
After saying that, he casually took out his personal space, bio-suit, and high-powered flashlight, which were rare items outside, and placed them in front of Bai Xuefeng. "These are for you as a gift to Young Master Bai. After the matter is settled, I will give the Bai family another reward."
Lu Xuan explained the usage of several items, and Bai Xuefeng was immediately astonished after confirming their authenticity.
In particular, the existence of the personal space allowed Bai Xuefeng to solve the question of how Lu Xuan managed to leave with a large amount of supplies.
Bai Xuefeng played with the small, exquisite spatial ring with obvious delight, his expression serious: "This matter is of great importance and I cannot make the decision myself. Young Master Lu, please wait a moment while I invite my father over."
Lu Xuan nodded: "Okay."
Bai's father was a gentle and steady man, but after talking with Lu Xuan and seeing some of the bargaining chips he had brought out, he became unusually impatient and went to the Marquis's residence in person before nightfall.
Early the next morning, the Marquis's residence sent someone to invite Lu Xuan over. In front of the stern-faced Marquis Weiyuan, Xie Mingde, Lu Xuan contacted Liu Wenchi using a communicator.
Although Liu Wenchi and the Marquis were not familiar with each other, they certainly recognized each other.
For the first time since the catastrophe began, Yunjiang Prefecture, which was half a country away, made contact. They also learned that Luochuan had used the supplies traded with Lu Xuan to appease the people and stabilize the situation. Furthermore, through Liu Wenchi's special demonstration, they saw the messengers flying all over the city, which both shocked and excited them.
Lord Xie was a military man who acted decisively. Without a moment's delay, he went directly to the palace to explain the situation to the emperor. Soon after, Lu Xuan was summoned to the palace.
·
The Imperial Study.
Lord Xie, along with many important officials of the court, gathered together, including Master Bai, who served as the Minister of Revenue.
As for the new emperor, he looked about four or five years older than Lu Xuan. He had a handsome face, a slight look of fatigue between his brows, but his eyes were very sharp. He sat on the dragon throne wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, exuding majesty.
Lu Xuan had no interest in kowtowing to a feudal emperor, so he directly showed the new emperor and the court officials the same items he had shown Bai's father and Xie Hou.
After everyone took turns looking at the items, the hall was filled with exclamations, gasps of surprise, and even gasps of shock.
When Lu Xuan contacted Liu Wenchi, who had been prepared in advance, and Huo Tiankuo again, the imperial kitchen was in an uproar.
Even the new emperor couldn't help but sit up straight, "General Huo!?"
Huo Tiankuo had been waiting for news from Lu Xuan. He hadn't been in the mood for hunting or playing games lately, but he never expected to receive another message from inside the Imperial Study.
Seeing several familiar faces in the hall, and the Third Prince, or rather the new emperor, on the dragon throne, his heart finally settled down.
In his memory, this third prince, or rather the new emperor, was of good character and ability. His maternal family, the Marquis of Weiyuan, was also very low-key. Marquis Xie was known for his upright character. With the third prince succeeding to the throne, there was no need to worry that the court would become chaotic and detrimental to stability.
Huo Tiankuo first bowed and greeted the new emperor, then briefly explained his experiences and current location, and apologized.
The new emperor waved his hand and said, "General Huo has already done a great job leading a group of disaster victims until now. There's nothing to apologize for."
Before a disaster, leaving one's post without being summoned would certainly be punished, but in special times, these things can be put aside.
"General Huo, do you know how things are in the Northwest?"
Huo Tiankuo's heart sank. "Your Majesty, I also wanted to inquire about the situation in the Northwest."
The implication was that he didn't know either.
“However…” Huo Tiankuo glanced at Lu Xuan, “If Mr. Lu is willing, we can ask him to take some people with him on this trip.”
Lu Xuan said, "If the deal is reached, everything will be fine."
The new emperor knew that Huo Tiankuo and Lu Xuan had been dealing with each other for quite some time, and that Huo Tiankuo's character was trusted by him and the other ministers. In addition, the treasures that Lu Xuan had brought out were indeed extremely useful, so he took the opportunity to ask, "How exactly do you want to negotiate the deal you mentioned? What kind of reward do you want? Is it a title of nobility and a high-ranking position, or...?"
Lu Xuan said, "I have no interest in being enfeoffed as a marquis or prime minister. I only need to do what Luochuan and several other cities do: I will trade for greenhouse materials to help the court build greenhouses, and then use part of the grain produced from the greenhouses to replace gold and silver for trade."
The ministers instinctively frowned, some of them disagreeing.
It has always been the imperial court that collects taxes from local areas; how could it be the other way around, with the imperial court paying grain to others?
Bai Shangshu's focus differed from the others: "The other cities? Besides Luochuan, Boss Lu has also traded with many other cities?"
Lu Xuan: "Not many, Yangshan County, Feng County, and Jiangnan Prefecture."
The other ministers were taken aback.
These regions are far apart from each other; to be able to travel to all of these places is almost equivalent to traveling to most of the country.
Thinking back to how they were almost trapped in Beijing after the earthquake, a feeling of sadness welled up inside me.
Comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable.
After Liu Wenchi explained the details of Lu Xuan's various transactions in Luochuan to Huo Tiankuo, the ministers' hearts raced even faster, and their resistance to the transactions proposed by Lu Xuan lessened.
If the so-called mutated crops grown in the greenhouse can really yield 1,500 to 1,600 catties per mu, even if 30% of the harvest is given to Lu Xuan each time, the rest will still be several times higher than the normal yield per mu, so they will not lose out.
The new emperor shared the same idea. After asking Lu Xuan about the specific types of goods he could provide, he inquired with Minister Bai about the current total population and food consumption in the capital. He also confirmed with other ministers the types and quantities of supplies that were lacking before placing an order with Lu Xuan.
The population of the capital city is no less than that of Luochuan. As the emperor, the new emperor reported a large number of orders, which made the viewers in the live broadcast room, who were used to the demand in other gathering places, quite alarmed.
Even Lu Xuan couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows.
The number of nutrient solutions has increased from one or two million vials to tens of millions.
With a population of over 500,000 in Beijing, these nutritional supplements, if distributed sparingly, would probably last for about half a year.
In addition, there were 300,000 jin of salt, 50,000 jin of sugar, 500,000 doses of medicine, tens of thousands of cold weapons, biological suits, communication devices, protective clothing, thousands of hoverboards, as well as mobile cabins, tents, toilet paper, cooling pads, vacuum packaging machines, refrigerators, and other small household appliances...
In short, except for rainy season supplies that are not in a hurry to be purchased, almost all the supplies traded in other gathering places are needed, and the quantities are several times or even more than ten times.
They even ordered hundreds of portable storage units of different sizes.
After that come limited-edition by-products, including regular fruits, mutated fruits, mushrooms, fruit wine, seafood, and improved grain varieties, all of which are subject to a maximum limit.
When it came to the scale of the greenhouses, it became even more outrageous. The new emperor and his high-ranking officials immediately ordered the construction of 100,000 mu (approximately 6,667 hectares) of greenhouses.
Lu Xuan's lips twitched violently, and he shook his head, saying, "I can't provide that many materials; at most, I can only provide 20,000 mu."
It's not that he doesn't want to earn more, nor is it simply a matter of not having enough mutated crops; the most important thing is that his points are not inexhaustible.
Although Lu Xuan had some unpleasant encounters with various local forces during his few days in the Jiangnan gathering place, he still managed to do his business without neglecting them, and even ripped them off.
Due to its geographical location, Jiangnan suffered from severe flooding, and a lot of boat trade took place there. Conversely, because Jiangnan had a high grain yield, there was no shortage of grain there, and half of the trade volume was traded on-site.
This meant that Lu Xuan didn't lose any points for the first time; in fact, he recovered a significant amount of health.
Otherwise, with his nearly depleted points balance, he really wouldn't have been able to make a deal with the capital.
Even so, 20,000 mu of greenhouses is the limit.
The ministers frowned, and even Lord Xie couldn't help but say, "Isn't 20,000 mu too little?"
They need a lot of supplies, and if the greenhouses are not large enough, the total output will not be able to keep up, and they will be short of supplies whether they are paying off debts or exchanging for other supplies needed by the people.
Lu Xuan said, "We can build simple greenhouses with tarpaulins. They are not as safe or warm as regular greenhouses, but as long as we have enough air conditioners, they can be used normally unless we encounter particularly extreme weather."
If you specialize in growing cold-resistant crops like radishes and cabbages, the yield can be two to three times higher than other high-yield crops, greatly reducing the pressure on food production while keeping costs lower than greenhouses.
Upon hearing this, everyone thought it was feasible, so they ordered another 50,000 mu of rainproof cloth material.
Lu Xuan didn't wait for them to discover the existence of the evolution fluid; he simply took it out.
They are treated the same as other gathering places, and only five are provided.
Upon learning of the medicine's miraculous properties, the new emperor and his ministers became extremely cautious, quickly considering how to distribute the medicine, or rather, how to persuade His Majesty to bestow one of the doses upon them.
If a member of the family were to possess magical abilities, the family could stand strong for at least another hundred years, or even longer.
The new emperor learned that Huo Tiankuo, several members of the Huo family army, and people from Lu Xuan's village and other settlements had all gained abilities. He secretly noted this down, thinking of finding an opportunity to win over as many of these people as possible to the court.
Otherwise, if someone with excessive power remains among the people, there is no guarantee that they won't become an uncontrollable and unsafe factor that threatens national stability.
Finally, Lu Xuan also offered to trade a few hoverbuses to the imperial court.
The new emperor and his ministers only then realized that he hadn't arrived on a hoverboard, but rather in a better hoverbus that could provide shelter from the wind and rain.
Lu Xuan walked out of the Imperial Study and showed them the actual hoverbus in an open space in the palace.
A single-section hoverbus can seat fifty people, and with a little squeezing, it can accommodate even more. Buying several more would allow for the transport of hundreds of people at a time, making it far more useful to the government than hoverboards that can only carry two people.
Moreover, they are not afraid of extreme weather. With communication devices and hover buses, they can contact other places anytime and anywhere.
The ministers looked at Lu Xuan with increasingly gentle eyes, some even more affectionately than they would at their own sons.
Lu Xuan: ...
All quantities of goods have been confirmed, and both parties have checked the total amount.
As expected, the result was a rather astonishing number.
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Author's Note: Special thanks to the following:
One landmine was thrown from 'Changyushan' at 19:07:25 on May 28, 2025.
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