Chapter 1271: One Battle to Secure the Southwest (Part 8) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Kangguo, Fengluo.
Despite the fierce fighting between Kangguo and its southwestern allies, the country remains peaceful. The capital, Fengluo, is even more prosperous and bustling. Prices in grain and cloth shops haven't skyrocketed; in fact, they've even dropped by one coin. Fruit and vegetable prices have fluctuated slightly.
A young scholar paused at the entrance of a grain shop.
His gaze fell on the sign displaying today's grain prices.
"What a handsome young man! Is there anything you'd like to buy?" The servant, seeing the young man's attire, dared not shoo him away and quietly told the shopkeeper that such a grown man standing at the door without buying anything was affecting business.
The boss rolled her eyes, waved for the servants to get back to their work, and said she would take care of this person, wearing an extremely enthusiastic smile. As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face; to make money in business, you not only need good quality at low prices, but also provide emotional value.
The young scholar pointed to the sign.
"Is this price for this year's new grain?"
In other regions, grain prices are three times higher, or even three times higher, and it's still impossible to buy grain there. Whenever there's war outside, grain merchants take advantage of the chaos to drive up prices, sometimes by twenty or thirty times. This is the capital of the Kang Kingdom; it's truly strange that grain prices are so low.
The shopkeeper chuckled, "How could it be new grain? The farmland around the capital region isn't ready for harvest yet; this batch is all from last year. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's not new grain; it's from Heyin, top-grade, and even a simple wood-fired cooking will make it incredibly delicious."
"Top-tier grade?"
The boss smiled and said, "It's the best."
The young scholar was clearly not concerned with the price of grain; he was interested in something else: "I am a stranger in this land, having traveled here for my studies. I have heard that Kang State is currently at war with the southwest, and the soldiers on the front lines are in dire need of food and supplies. Why is the price of grain so low within our borders?"
The shop owner asked blankly, "Low?"
Young scholar: "Very low."
The price made him want to buy and resell.
The boss replied, "Prices have already increased due to the war this year."
As he spoke, he sighed.
Despite Kang's frantic construction of bridges and roads, transportation still relied on oxen and horses, limiting the range of movement for ordinary people. Merchants could travel further, but Kang's vast territory meant that the boss had never left the country in his life and knew little about other countries.
She had indeed heard her elders mention that grain was expensive in other places.
If you can make a fortune by doing this kind of trading, you can make a fortune.
However, doing so would prevent us from getting any goods.
"The cost of goods has increased by more than 30%."
Young scholar: "..."
No, when have grain merchants ever had any conscience?
Aren't they all just making a fortune off warmongers?
Fearing a beating, he didn't say these words in front of the boss, but instead chose to probe tactfully. To his surprise, the boss hurriedly waved his hand, his fifteen or sixteen-year-old face filled with terror: "This won't do! This won't do! You look handsome, but how can your heart be so black?"
The young scholar said that grain prices had skyrocketed in some places, and if she had a way to buy a batch and sell it there, the profits would be frighteningly high.
The boss's reaction surprised him: "The Queen isn't tempted?"
"I'm not even a little bit tempted."
Seeing the young man's bewildered expression, the boss remembered that the young man was from out of town and had come to study abroad, and a sense of responsibility and pride welled up within him.
Patiently explain the reasons to the other party.
Opening a grain shop in Kangguo requires special official qualifications.
Licensed grain merchants are prohibited from purchasing grain directly from ordinary consumers; they must go through official channels to ensure stable prices and guaranteed quality. Except for Grade A rice, other grades are not permitted to be sold across state borders. A first offense results in a fine and warning, while a second offense leads to the revocation of the merchant's license. Of course, small-scale private transactions are unaffected, as long as they do not exceed a certain limit.
There are standards for raising or lowering prices in grain stores.
Ordinary citizens can file a complaint if the amount exceeds the standard.
The young scholar frowned: "...So, the produce of farmers should be given priority to the government? Merchants can't buy it on a large scale? What kind of strange logic is this? Isn't it up to the government to decide how much to buy?"
“My lord, that’s not how it works.”
The boss didn't understand the intricacies of government affairs, but she understood business.
Merchants traveling north and south have relatively more information channels and are sensitive to grain prices. Unscrupulous merchants falsify weights when buying grain, suppress prices, and delay payment. Of course, this doesn't mean the farmers are entirely innocent.
Some farmers, in order to sell their grain for more money, resort to selling inferior goods as superior ones, which is a minor matter. Some unscrupulous farmers even soak the grain in water or add stones. When merchants come to buy grain, the outermost grain is usually the best, but if they don't check the grain deeper inside carefully, they might get cheated.
When the government collects taxes, it also collects the grain and pays the farmers in silver. The grain merchants then buy the grain from the government, saving trouble for both sides. As for whether the government is corrupt, that's the royal court's business. The common people don't understand anything else; they just know that the grain shops have ample supplies, the prices are stable, and they can buy grain whenever they want.
The young scholar still found it unbelievable.
He carried his questions with him, presented the pre-prepared visiting card to the gatekeeper of the Qi residence, and left his current lodgings. Night was falling, and the capital's nightlife was just beginning. The young scholar watched the bustling crowds on the streets, and heard a faint, whispering voice in his ear.
Why are there so many widows on the street?
I wanted to ask the grain shop owner when I saw him earlier.
She looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet she had her hair styled like a widow's.
As the number of pedestrians increased, more and more women with similar hairstyles appeared, ranging from thirteen or fourteen to thirty or forty. Despite their simple hairstyles, their clothing was bright and elaborate, creating a very awkward sight. The young scholar didn't answer, but instead inquired his way to the vicinity of a mansion. He looked up at the plaque above the main gate, his gaze suddenly clearing. The shadowy figure beside him followed his gaze: "Your sister's house."
This is Lin Feng's residence.
Before long, a carriage came from a distance and stopped at the main gate. A middle-aged man in official robes got out of the carriage.
The illusory figure examined it closely: "It looks a bit like Anzhi."
The young man said, "He is my fourth uncle."
His father's fourth brother, his fourth uncle.
Judging from the situation, Lin Chao must have just returned from his shift at the government office. Lin Feng had to support his great-grandfather, and his fourth uncle, Lin Chao, also had to take care of his grandfather, so the whole family decided to live together so that they could look after each other. Lin Feng went to the front lines, while Lin Chao stayed in the capital.
The phantom looked at the mansion with lanterns hanging high and sighed.
"This house is impressive; it must be worth a lot of money."
The place they found to stay was in a bad location, but the price was high; after asking around, they found that this was the general rate. They heard that apart from a few officials who received imperial residences or bought houses early on, most officials in the capital rented, and the rent wasn't cheap.
Fortunately, officials also receive housing subsidies in their salaries.
The young scholar watched Lin Chao go inside, then turned and left.
"Anzhi, aren't you going to see your fourth uncle?"
"It's unnecessary and only adds to your troubles."
After having a casual dinner at a street eatery, I returned to my lodgings and saw a carriage waiting for me from afar. The decorations on the carriage matched those of the Qi residence, clearly indicating the owner's status.
"Greetings, Mr. Lin. My master invites you in."
The young man nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."
Qi Shan had just returned home from his shift when he saw a visiting card bearing the emblem of the Pantheon. Looking at the signature, he raised an eyebrow and immediately ordered someone to bring the person over. He was curious to see what the central branch was up to.
When Qi Shan first met the young man, he felt that he looked familiar.
His eyes and brows seemed to hold the features of an old friend.
"May I ask your surname?"
"Lin, Lin Su, courtesy name Anzhi."
Upon hearing this surname, Qi Shan suddenly realized why it sounded familiar.
"Where is your ancestral home?"
"Lingzhou".
What is the relationship between Young Master Lin and the Lin family of Lingzhou?
"That's our family."
This confirmed Qi Shan's suspicions; he was indeed a relative of Lin Feng. This person had come from the Central Continent, and the Lin family had indeed migrated there years ago. Since he was a member of the Lin family, why didn't Lin Su go to the Lin family to acknowledge his ancestry, but instead came to his side?
Thinking of the contents of the visiting card, Qi Shan's eyes darkened.
"May I ask what brings you here, Young Master Lin?"
After a busy day, Qi Shan just wants to wash up and go to bed as soon as possible.
Although Kangguo seemed peaceful and prosperous, there were countless trivial matters to attend to, and during his time as regent, he had become noticeably thinner. His eyes were constantly on duty, and when he closed them, he was lost in thought. If the emperor and the others didn't return soon, he felt his life was already over. The regent's job was so tedious and monotonous that Qi Shan couldn't help but feel sorry for Qin Li, Gu Chi, and Chu Yao from back then.
How did these people manage to survive?
He didn't experience the thrill of having power, but instead learned to worry like a mother hen. If he hadn't achieved success in his cultivation, his white hair would have been comparable to Chu Yao's after a while.
Naturally, he had no interest in scheming against the LYB from the central region.
Get straight to the point!
If he can't even give a proper answer, kick him out immediately!
Lin Su noticed the impatience beneath Qi Shan's seemingly kind face and wisely got to the point: "It's about what was mentioned in the visiting card. When I was browsing through the General Library of the Gods, I found that Qi Shan had read about 'cloning' related content."
Upon hearing this, Qi Shan didn't even bother to pretend to be kind.
His dark eyes were filled with a chilling aura, as if Lin Su were a dead man in his eyes: "Why does Young Master Lin ask this?"
Lin Su said, "Because I am also investigating."
Qi Shan looked at the other person silently: "Are you investigating me?"
"Of course not." Lin Su didn't want to give Qi Shan an excuse to lash out, so he spoke up to clarify the misunderstanding. "I have a close friend who died suddenly. I heard that the secret scrolls of the main society contain the method of bringing the dead back to life. However, I have been clueless about it. I unexpectedly learned that the main society of Qi has the same need, so I have traveled thousands of miles to visit the main society."
The word "close friend" was used to control Qi Shan's breathing for more than ten breaths.
He snapped out of his reverie: "Your best friend?"
"Yes, that's me."
A third voice came from inside the room.
The sound originated from a phantom figure.
Qi Shan's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared in disbelief at the phantom gradually appearing in the air. A ghost in broad daylight... no, it was already night. He quickly calmed down and asked the ghost a question.
"Are you a human or a ghost?"
The ghostly figure, seemingly a ghost, gave a wry smile: "Perhaps, I could be considered a ghost?"
Lin Su said, "He became like this after he died."
Qi Shan: "..."
He, who had never believed in ghosts or gods, felt his worldview was about to collapse.
Are there really ghosts in this world?
After all, he was a high-ranking official who could oversee the country, the Grand Secretary of Kang State. Qi Shan quickly calmed down, but his mind wandered to other things—if a person dies and becomes a ghost, where is Yuan Liang's soul?
"I would be extremely grateful if the head of the organization could lend a helping hand."
Qi Yuanliang is the head of the organization, and he has access to more secrets of the Gods Society than he does. Moreover, the libraries between the branches are not shared. Perhaps there is more crucial intelligence in the Northwest? Regarding cloning and resurrection, it's hard to believe that Qi Shan hasn't made any progress.
Unexpectedly—
Qi Shan said regretfully, "I can't help you."
Lin Su's first reaction was disbelief: "Why would the main society be wary of me? I am not here on behalf of the central branch... If the main society can help me, I will never refuse any task in the future, as long as it is within my ability and does not violate loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness!"
Qi Shan said, "Cloning does not mean coming back to life."
Lin Su was about to say something when Qi Shan interrupted her.
The Grand Secretary of the Kang Kingdom revealed a rare gentleness and patience as he slowly spoke: "To be honest, your experience is somewhat similar to mine in my early years. I also lost a close friend, and he is the greatest regret of my life. If one life could be exchanged for another, I would be willing to bring him back to the world, let alone a 'clone'?"
His words were sincere, even those who didn't know him could tell.
“You’ve gone to great lengths for your dear friend, just as I did back then. Considering that, if I could truly help, why would I refuse?” Qi Shan had also considered “cloning” a lifeline back then, “but that’s not resurrection. It’s just using your dear friend’s body to give birth to another independent individual with the same bloodline. To put it bluntly, it’s a newborn without any memories…”
The young man in the Taoist robe relaxed his shoulders, surprisingly relieved: "Anzhi, I told you there's no such thing as resurrection. I'm a man, and a dead man at that, my body has rotted into bones, how could I possibly regenerate myself?"
That's completely unrealistic.
Unlike his relaxed and relieved expression, Lin Su's face darkened.
Even the illusory young man couldn't help but feel intimidated.
“Even so, it’s better than nothing.” Qi Shan tried to persuade Lin Su with the words Shen Tang had used to advise him years ago, but Lin Su wouldn’t listen. His obsession was stronger than Qi Shan’s. “So what if it’s not him? So what if it’s a newborn? We have to take things one step at a time!”
Taking this step will at least bring us closer to our goal.
Seeing his stubbornness, Qi Shan did not stop him any further.
However, Qi Shan couldn't provide the help the other party wanted.
He had a premonition that if he got involved, he would inevitably fall into the trap of self-attachment, and who knows what he might do in his obsession. In the Lord's words, these literary figures were a group who, on the surface, seemed capable of taking care of themselves and had sound minds, but once a certain key was triggered, they could become mentally unstable. It wasn't really an illness, but when it flared up, it was deadly!
This gate cannot be opened!
Qi Shan politely declined, while Lin Su remained silent, pursing her lips.
Just as Qi Shan thought the other party had given up, Lin Su reached into his robe and took out a small accessory, pushing it towards Qi Shan. When he removed his hand, Qi Shan saw the accessory in its entirety and was struck dumb! It was a jade pendant with two fish holding a tail, engraved with the Qi family crest that Qi Shan knew all too well.
"This is……"
Qi Shan choked up and lost her voice.
Shouldn't this jade pendant rest eternally in the sacred land of mountains and seas alongside its owner? Why is it here? Why?
Qi Shan stared wide-eyed, her fingers trembling as she dared not touch it.
It was as if it were a fragile piece of glass.
Lin Su's soft voice reached his ears: "Qizhu Society, does this look familiar? It should belong to your close friend?"
P.S.: Sigh, some lessons really do require fines to learn. My relative had a minor collision with someone, had no idea about the proper procedures, verbally explained the situation to the other party, and then drove off. The other party called the police, and he was charged with hit-and-run ┓(`)┏
"Six Years After the Disaster, I Saved My Farm by Sprouting Beans" - A Song of Thorns
Synopsis: Rebuilding your home after a natural disaster, enjoying a relaxed daily life of farming your own land.
(End of this chapter)
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