Chapter 358 - 357: A Grasshopper After Autumn

Chapter 358: Chapter 357: A Grasshopper After Autumn

Songyang Prefecture had always sold its weapons by simply placing them on the shelves. Take it or leave it.

What was class? *This* was class.

Class was about flexing with elegance.

The key was to make it seem effortless.

The Second Master immediately stood and gave him a long, deep bow. "We have been blind. Might I ask which noble house Young Master Hee hails from?" ’Besides,’ he thought, ’the fact that this young man could escape the Demon Nest Swamp alive, and that the Spider Queen gave him her Passage Command, is no simple matter in itself.’

"I am a traveler from a distant land, swept into the Demon Nest Swamp by the floods of the Hanhe River," Hee Lingchuan said, waving his hand dismissively. "I have no roots or connections here. I don’t know anyone."

"No matter, no matter. For the next few months, the Stone Gate Merchant Team will be your home," the Second Master said with a beaming smile. "We will ensure you reach Lingxu City safely."

"Then there is one other problem." Hee Lingchuan glanced in the direction of the Gan Residence. "I lost my bags after falling into the water. I have nothing to my name and can’t even prove my identity."

"That’s easily solved. We can just get new papers issued at the Government Office." The Second Master clapped his hands. "Why don’t I take Young Master Hee to the Government Office right now and get your identity sorted out directly?"

"That would be wonderful. However, Third Master Gan was just here a quarter of an hour ago. He made it clear that if he doesn’t give the nod, I won’t be leaving Wuze County."

"Third Master Gan? A quarter of an hour ago?" The Second Master seemed startled for a moment, then waved his hand and laughed. "Not a problem. Let’s go."

’Third Master Gan has already been here and threatened this Young Master Hee?’

’This is a godsent assist!’ The Second Master was ecstatic, and it took all his effort not to burst out laughing.

Hee Lingchuan smiled and stood up.

Even before his falling-out with Third Master Gan, he had already decided to switch to another merchant team to get to Beiga. The journey was long; who knew if the Gan Family would seize the opportunity for revenge?

As soon as they went downstairs, a carriage was already waiting at the entrance of the restaurant.

Wuze was a county seat, after all. The trip from Yuanzhi Restaurant to the Government Office took only a quarter of an hour.

With the Second Master of the Stone Gate Commerce Association helping out, getting Hee Lingchuan’s identity papers was a breeze. In fact, these commerce associations often employed laborers, drivers, assistants, or martial artists from out of town and had to help them with such matters. They already had a well-established process for it.

In the carriage, Hee Lingchuan learned from his conversation with the Second Master that the Stone Gate Commerce Association was founded thirty years ago. The current First Master, Shi Congshan, and Second Master, Shi Congshui, were blood brothers who had taken over the association from their father seven years ago and continued to build it up.

This time, Shi Congshui arranged a new identity for Hee Lingchuan: a distant relative of the Shi Family named Hee Xiao, who had come from his hometown to Wuze County to work for the Shi Family Commerce Association. The Shi Family Commerce Association had three people needing paperwork done. All of them were present, and Hee Lingchuan was among them.

Hee Xiao was a name Hee Lingchuan had used as a child, which he stopped using after he turned three.

A quarter of an hour later, Hee Lingchuan walked out of the Government Office with his freshly issued identity papers.

The Second Master smiled. "We’ve reserved a private Bath Chamber at the Purple Bamboo Garden. Brother Hee has traveled far, so please, go and wash away the dust and fatigue of your journey first. Tonight, we can talk by candlelight. How does that sound?"

The colder the Gan Family was to Hee Lingchuan, the warmer the Stone Gate Commerce Association became.

"It would be disrespectful to refuse. Thank you for the expense, Second Master." Hee Lingchuan wasn’t one for false modesty and accepted with a hearty laugh.

When Second Madam Zhu gave him the Passage Command, she also gave him the power to choose his commerce association. All of this was what he deserved. It was the Gan Family’s reaction that was abnormal.

Less than half an hour after they left, someone entered the Government Office, handed a red envelope to the junior official in charge of the ledgers, and gave him an instruction:

"If a tall, handsome teenager, about seventeen or eighteen years old, comes to get his papers processed in the next few days, do not approve it!"

"The boy’s origins are unknown. He’s probably some kind of mountain bandit."

The junior official weighed the red envelope in his hand. It contained about one tael of silver, so he agreed readily.

"Don’t worry, you can count on me!"

’If I don’t want to process it, I can come up with a hundred reasons why.’

...

When the carriage arrived at the Purple Bamboo Garden, Hee Lingchuan realized it was the most beautiful Hot Spring House in Wuze County. Stepping inside, he was surrounded by slender bamboo groves, the chirping of birds, and the tranquility of the mountains. The scent of sulfur was everywhere, and though he could often hear voices, he rarely saw anyone.

There were public baths as well as private Bath Chambers. The Stone Gate Commerce Association had booked a private one for him, allowing him to enjoy a steaming hot spring all to himself. If he got thirsty or hungry, he just had to ring a bell, and a wide-eyed maid would come in to deliver food.

In a place bustling with trade, this kind of bathhouse was most popular with officials and merchants. It was a place to relax and a place for private negotiations.

Hee Lingchuan had spent more than ten days roughing it in the Demon Nest Swamp. At most, he’d managed to take a couple of cold baths, all while being on constant alert for surprise attacks from loaches and crocodiles. How could that have been satisfying? The moment he stepped into the Purple Bamboo Garden, he felt an itch all over. He quickly jumped into the bath and soaked until his bones felt loose and his muscles went soft, scrubbing off years of accumulated grime.

The maid was particularly enthusiastic. After bringing in some fruit, she didn’t leave, offering to give him a massage.

She was used to seeing fat-headed, big-eared, greasy, pot-bellied middle-aged men here. Once in a while, she wanted to feast her eyes on a handsome young man with a top-notch figure.

And her technique was actually quite good.

The pressure was just right, and her knowledge of acupressure points was precise.

Hee Lingchuan started a casual chat with her and asked about the Stone Gate Commerce Association.

The maid was friendly and answered all his questions. The previous head of the Stone Gate Commerce Association had been a straightforward man, not slick like a typical merchant. The association remained obscure locally until his death. Things only started to improve after the Shi Brothers took over.

Currently, the largest commerce association in Wuze County was still the Gan Family Commerce Association. When Gan Qing was alive, he had been ruthless and monopolized resources. The Stone Gate Commerce Association wasn’t even a quarter of its size and didn’t rank in the top five in Wuze County, but its business operations were comprehensive. The Shi Brothers specialized in lumber and miscellaneous goods, and they were doing a decent job of it.

But as long as the Gan Family was around, the Stone Gate Commerce Association could never get its fill.

"I’ve heard from their employees that the best thing about this association is that they don’t delay wages. They pay when payment is due," the maid said. "Other associations drag it out a bit, or they pay in installments."

"The Gan Family Commerce Association does that too?"

"They do. It’s common practice." The maid sighed. "Just like us. Sometimes our pay is delayed by ten days or half a month."

’Reputation is more important than gold. These brothers really cherish their name.’

After the maid finished her work and left, steam filled the air. Hee Lingchuan felt his body grow even more relaxed, but a wave of drowsiness washed over him. He fell asleep and didn’t even dream.

It was the most comfortable sleep he’d had since being swept away by the Hanhe River flood.

Not long after, there was a knock on the door.

The Second Master had arrived, and with him was the First Master.

The three of them ordered a table full of food and wine and began to chat right there in the Bath Chamber.

The Shi Brothers had traveled far and wide and seen all sorts of strange and interesting things, which served as perfect fodder for conversation over drinks. Hee Lingchuan, for his part, had already been through many thrilling experiences. He could pick any one or two of them to share, and they would be just as captivating.

Hee Lingchuan didn’t mention his purpose for going to Lingxu City, and the Shi Brothers didn’t ask, nor did they pry into his background. They only promised to deliver him there safely.

In truth, they had already learned from Steward Zhao that Hee Lingchuan was one of the Yuan Kingdom People.

The two men were skilled conversationalists, making others feel very comfortable. Their intention to befriend him was obvious. For instance, the Second Master mentioned that Songyang Prefecture had a branch in Lingxu City and hoped that Hee Lingchuan could make an introduction and build a bridge between them upon his arrival.

It was a small favor that would earn him a good relationship, so of course, Hee Lingchuan agreed at once. ’But the Stone Gate Commerce Association from the Fu Kingdom wants to connect with Songyang Prefecture?’

The Shi Brothers explained that the Fu Kingdom actually had some specialties that Songyang Prefecture needed, such as Golden Mud...

"The Fu Kingdom produces Golden Mud too?" The Floating Life Treasure Blade was grown from Golden Mud, and Hee Lingchuan still had a little left.

"No, no, Golden Mud is a mixture of various materials, and every Artifact Sect has its own secret formula. The Fu Kingdom produces two of the base materials for Golden Mud that every Artifact Sect uses," First Master Shi Congshan said with a smile. "If we can supply Songyang Prefecture, the reputation of the Stone Gate Commerce Association will naturally rise."

Since they needed something from the young man before them, they wouldn’t try to harm him on the road. Hee Lingchuan knew they were offering him a Calming Pill—a form of reassurance.

It seemed that both the Shi Brothers and the master of Songyang Prefecture, Lil Qingge, liked to invest in promising prospects. If those prospects transformed into dragons in the future, they could give their benefactors a leg up.

All merchants hoped to build good connections, but the current Gan Family was clearly an exception.

Hee Lingchuan asked about Third Master Gan. The Second Master, who had drunk, shot the breeze, and swapped stories with him before, now waved his hands repeatedly, his face flushed red.

"That guy is a profligate son! A doting mother spoils the child. Since no one in the Gan Family keeps him in check, no one in Wuze County can control him!"

"He’s surrounded by bad company—shady characters and people from all walks of life, including many officials from the Sub-prefecture Yamen he’s roped in. He’s become a local tyrant in Wuze County. Anyone who opposes him or the Gan Family gets dealt with by him. Gan Qing saw this as an asset, which is why he never disciplined him. Besides, the upper-class officials give face to Gan Qing and won’t stoop to his level."

Hearing this, Hee Lingchuan felt a little ashamed. ’In the past... I think I was just like that, too.’

’There were probably some matters Gan Qing couldn’t handle himself, so he had his third brother do the dirty work.’

Hee Lingchuan knew this kind of arrangement all too well.

The First Master stroked his chin. "When Gan Qing was around, he had endless money to spend. Now that the pillar of the family has fallen, I doubt his glory days will last much longer. Brother Hee will be heading west to Lingxu City with my second brother in a few days, so you won’t have to be bothered by him."

"Why keep talking about that grasshopper after autumn?" Shi Congshui raised his cup. "Come, let’s drink!"

If this trip went smoothly, the Demon Nest Passage Command would soon belong to the Stone Gate Commerce Association, and they would have also befriended a figure like Hee Lingchuan. It was all good news!

The Stone Gate Commerce Association desperately needed a chance to hold its head high.

***

The next day, news that Gan Qing, the Helmsman of the Gan Family Commerce Association, had met his demise spread through Wuze County. It became the talk of every street and alley.

Mrs. Maoo and Second Master Gan were steeped in grief, completely unaware.

Third Master Gan, however, found his expression growing darker and darker as he listened to the increasingly outrageous rumors spreading outside.

’These damn peasants! They’re actually spreading rumors that I hired bandits to kill my older brother! And their only reason is that we had an argument before he left, which a servant overheard.’

’Why don’t they say it was that kid from yesterday who got greedy, killed him, and stole his wealth?’

Whether at home or on the street, it seemed like everyone was pointing and whispering behind his back.

Third Master Gan was already seething with anger, which only intensified when his attendant delivered the latest bad news:

The kid who walked out of the Demon Nest Swamp with Zhao Fu, the kid who had thoroughly embarrassed him yesterday, had successfully registered his identity!

Third Master Gan slammed the table with a BANG and shot to his feet. "What happened? Weren’t you supposed to make sure he couldn’t get them?"

He’d hit it too hard. His hand throbbed with pain.