At dawn, light was breaking over the eastern horizon, the first rays of morning barely peeking through.
The night's chill had condensed into dewdrops, still clinging to the blades of grass. The temporary market at the Jin Family Stronghold was being torn down. Tents were being packed away, carpets rolled up from the ground stalls one by one. Goods were bundled and loaded back onto the carts.
After several days' stay at the Jin Family Stronghold, the merchant caravan was preparing to set out once more.
For merchants, it didn't matter how much they had sold or how much they had purchased—there was always profit to be had. So even though many of them looked tired, their faces were full of cheer and smiles.
Xiao Die's expression, however, was terrible.
"Miss, I just went to check. That Heitu exchanged nearly all of our goods. And in the mix, I actually spotted three whole carts of Golden Hairpin Grass!"
"Golden Hairpin Grass?" Shang Xinchi's delicate brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.
Xiao Die was fuming. She grabbed Shang Xinchi's arm and said, "Even someone like me who knows nothing about commerce can tell that Golden Hairpin Grass is impossible to sell! But he went and traded for a huge pile of it. Miss, this Heitu is completely out of his mind!"
"Xiao Die, calm down. There's no need to be so agitated." Shang Xinchi patted Xiao Die's hand. "He must have traded for the Golden Hairpin Grass last night—I wasn't aware. But the other goods he brought in actually make a certain amount of sense. You have to consider that he's just an ordinary mortal. For him to manage even this much is already quite good."
"Miss, why are you defending him? I'm doing this for your own good! Those goods belong to us—why should we let an outsider squander them for nothing? And the worst part is, he can't afford to pay for the losses! Lord Zhang Zhu, couldn't you say something to the Miss…" Xiao Die pouted.
Zhang Zhu sighed from the side. "Miss, Xiao Die has a point. We lent him the goods originally to test him. Now that we've seen his true capabilities, why let him keep going? We all believe in your abilities, Miss, but any losses that can be reduced should be reduced. It'll make things easier when we reach the Merchant City."
"This…" Shang Xinchi hesitated, falling silent. She was young after all, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed her eyes.
She had actually felt that some of the goods Fang Yuan traded for were reasonable. But the Golden Hairpin Grass…
Acquiring so much Golden Hairpin Grass was absolutely the biggest blunder.
Golden Hairpin Grass was easy to store, but demand was practically nonexistent—there was simply no market for it. Hoarding such a massive quantity meant it would inevitably rot in their hands. In the end, they would have no choice but to slash prices and dump it, virtually guaranteeing a loss.
"Excuse me—might you be Miss Shang Xinchi?" Just then, a middle-aged male Gu Master, drenched in sweat and looking anxious, hurried up to Shang Xinchi.
Judging by the iron token at his waist, he was a Second Transformation Gu Master.
Shang Xinchi offered a polite smile. "I am she. And you are?"
The middle-aged man cupped his fists. "I am a personal guard of the Patriarch, sent by his orders to make an impolite request."
"Oh? Please, go ahead."
"Last night, you likely purchased a large quantity of Golden Hairpin Grass. The situation is as follows: our Patriarch is extremely fond of Golden Hairpin Grass and personally cultivates some for ornamental purposes. Unfortunately, the young master secretly dug some up and traded them behind the Patriarch's back. The Patriarch has since placed the young master under house arrest. He also wishes to buy back the Golden Hairpin Grass that was sold to you, and humbly asks that you let it go."
The bodyguard spoke politely, but his tone carried an unmistakable edge of firmness beneath the courtesy.
"Miss…" Zhang Zhu's expression grew grave, and he couldn't help but speak up in warning.
This bodyguard represented the Jin Family Patriarch. The matter could escalate quickly—if handled poorly, the consequences would be serious.
Shang Xinchi glanced at Zhang Zhu and nodded to show she understood. "I fully appreciate your Patriarch's feelings. In truth, I am also someone who loves flowers. I will return every stalk of Golden Hairpin Grass to your family—none will be kept."
"Miss is most understanding. This is truly gratifying." The bodyguard's expression softened, and a smile appeared on his face.
Shang Xinchi continued, "This transaction was handled by one of my subordinates. I'll summon him here now."
Fang Yuan had already been quietly observing the situation from the shadows.
"Heitu, you're in trouble. The Miss wants to see you." Xiao Die came to call him.
Fang Yuan stepped forward to the bodyguard and cupped his fists. "I was the one who handled the Golden Hairpin Grass trade. I hear your family wishes to buy it back?"
The bodyguard looked at the person approaching and realized, to his surprise, that this was not a Gu Master but merely an ordinary mortal. After a moment of astonishment, a faint look of contempt and haughtiness crept onto his face.
He gave a cold snort through his nose. "That's right. Mortal, count yourself lucky. The Patriarch is magnanimous and kind—he is willing to pay three thousand Yuan Stones to buy back your three carts of Golden Hairpin Grass."
"That much?" Xiao Die was startled, and unmistakable delight shone in her eyes.
The furrow in Zhang Zhu's brow gradually relaxed as well. Three thousand Yuan Stones—that was calculated at the highest market price for Golden Hairpin Grass. It showed the Jin Family Patriarch's sincerity.
But Fang Yuan shook his head. "Golden Hairpin Grass is extraordinarily precious. Offering only three thousand Yuan Stones to buy it back—doesn't that seem rather lacking in sincerity?"
The bodyguard's brow immediately furrowed. "What? At market price, Golden Hairpin Grass tops out at exactly that. Mortal, at what price did you acquire it?"
Fang Yuan touched his nose. "Let's not talk about acquisition price. We're all in the business of buying low and selling high. Three thousand Yuan Stones is far too little. I'm not selling!"
"You—"