Giulio was relieved. As long as he didn't buy this dilapidated house today, he would find a suitable house through his family to introduce to Qin Mo. He would not let Count Eclas, that cunning merchant, succeed, and he would also save Qin Mo's face.
"I actually prefer to pay the bill with this!" Qin Mo placed a large sapphire on the table. The aquamarine gem was illuminated by the setting sun shining through the window, reflecting the watery ripples of the sea.
Count Eclas stared at the jewels on the table, motionless.
Giulio stared motionlessly at the aquamarine gemstone on the table.
Elisa stared at the gem, which was even larger than her own "ship money," without moving.
Qin Mo looked at the three motionless people, hesitated for a moment, and then placed another sapphire of the same size on the table. Although these two gems were not as pure in color as the cornflower blue sapphire she had given Elisa, they were indeed large in size.
An eerie silence fell over the reception room; no one spoke. Just as Qin Mo, unable to bear the silence any longer, reached into her robes again, Giulio suddenly grabbed her hand, and Count Eclas swiftly snatched the two gems into his palm.
"Qin Mo, that's enough!"
"Deal! The house is yours!"
Giulio could no longer hide his regret, while Count Eclas's eyes were bloodshot as he gripped the two gems tightly.
"Qin Mo... I'm sorry, I should have stopped you!"
Giulio was extremely frustrated. The first sapphire had only distracted him for a moment before Qin Mo produced the second one. If he hadn't snapped out of his daze, the third one would have been served. As a nobleman, he couldn't afford to go back on his word.
"I am a citizen of Great Xia, how should the land deed for this house be changed?" Qin Mo had no regrets and looked at the ecstatic Eclas with disdain. "No matter how clever you are, you can't see through the mystery of heated sapphire."
Through a series of high-temperature heating and cooling processes, the color of sapphires can be enhanced by several levels. Originally cloudy, inferior blue gemstones, after being heated by Qin Mo's Little Nirvana Flame, turned a vibrant aquamarine. He had half a box of such gemstones. These two gemstones combined weren't even as valuable as the "ship money" he gave to Elisa.
"The city hall is just two blocks away; we can still make it there in time."
Earl Eclairs feared things might change if he waited too long. These two gems could buy two houses like these. He could sell one to pay off his debts and use the remaining one as capital to continue his dream of sailing.
The Roman Empire had already perished, and there were hundreds of scattered duchies and city-states. In addition, there were the Ottomans and Bactria in the distance. As the seat of the Temple, Rome attracted many merchants and believers, and had a large influx of foreigners. Naturally, the buying and selling of houses was frequent, and there was a complete housing transaction mechanism.
There were temple staff on duty in the city hall. After checking Count Eclas's land deed and registration documents, they quickly processed the "transfer" for Qin Mo, affixing the double seals of the city hall and the temple. Of course, a large sum of tax was required.
"Your Excellency Qin Mo, this house is now yours. The furniture inside is a gift to you, which will be considered as payment for half of the taxes I owe." With the deal done, Count Eclas showed his smooth side again. He had already sold off his valuable furniture, and he was giving away the remaining junk to Qin Mo, which would also leave him with a reputation for generosity.
"Earl Eclas, are you sure you can move out today?"
"Of course, I still have a small sluice boat. I can still pull the sails and turn the rudder. I... will come back."
The master and servant loaded the heavy boxes onto the only remaining carriage, refused Qin Mo's offer to stay the night, and stubbornly headed towards the small port eighty kilometers away. By dawn the next day, they might already be out at sea.
"Qin Mo, do you think he's... a 'shady' businessman?"
"He's definitely a 'cunning' businessman. After struggling in the world for so long, even the most honest merchant will develop a 'cunning' side. But when facing storms, he's still a... brave seafaring warrior." Want to chat with more like-minded people about *Sailing and Conquest*? Follow "Youdu Literature" on WeChat to read novels, discuss life, and find kindred spirits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com