A Huge Deal Is Struck, Under the Protection of a Peerless Expert

Zhao Cheng didn't put on the airs of an elder from a major sect. Instead, he warmly greeted Lin Ze and introduced himself.

As an old hand in the martial world, he knew all too well that everyone was willing to carry a flower-adorned sedan chair.

If he had no intention of immediately turning hostile and fighting, then no matter whom he faced, it was best to adopt a peaceful attitude.

After all, he could never know whether the ordinary-looking person before him, humble and disheveled, might actually be a Peerless Expert wandering the mortal world for amusement.

Nor could he know whether the young man he looked down on was some old monster whose Martial Arts had reached the pinnacle and who had regained his youth, or whether he was hiding some terrifying trump card capable of taking his life.

These were lessons the seniors of Bright Moon Pavilion had learned in blood over the many years of the sect's history.

That was why Zhao Cheng treated others kindly as he traveled the martial world. But once he struck, he always went for the kill.

Moreover, Zhao Cheng had come to find Lin Ze to discuss a partnership.

Whether he could earn more silver and accumulate enough merit to learn peerless martial arts depended on this, so Zhao Cheng spoke to Lin Ze as an equal.

"So you're Senior Zhao Cheng. This junior is Lin Ze, courtesy name Zi Yi. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Boyan."

Lin Ze clasped his fists and bowed slightly in return, showing the utmost respect to this senior from the martial world.

As they spoke, Lin Ze relaxed a little.

He shifted the spiritual power covering the rocket launcher in his Personal Space over to the firearms beside it.

Since Zhao Cheng hadn't come to pick a fight, they probably wouldn't end up fighting.

Being ready to pull out a gun and shoot back at any moment was simply Lin Ze's usual caution.

By now, Lin Ze had more or less guessed why this Bright Moon Pavilion elder had come. It was most likely about the coal.

To be honest, when Lin Ze had seen a Bright Moon Pavilion elder show up at his door, he'd thought they had discovered that he'd secretly taken pictures of Bright Moon Pavilion. He'd been ready to whip out the rocket launcher and fire, then use the flash to cover his escape through the door, whatever the outcome.

It seemed he wouldn't have to flee in such a sorry state after all.

"Mr. Boyan, you've come a long way. I should host a banquet to welcome you. Please, come inside."

After exchanging greetings, Lin Ze invited Zhao Cheng and Xu Sheng into the house.

In the living room, the two sides took their seats as host and guests.

The servants served tea and withdrew. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the cook brought out the meal he had just prepared and set the table.

The three began to eat.

There was no Chicken Essence this time. Xu Sheng had already been treated to it earlier, and Lin Ze wasn't very familiar with Zhao Cheng.

After a few rounds of wine and several dishes, Zhao Cheng explained his purpose. "Today, I heard from my nephew Xu that Young Hero Lin has opened a coal-mining business, producing over twenty million catties of coal a day. Is that true?"

Lin Ze nodded. "It's true. Since I couldn't buy any farmland to pass down to my descendants, I decided to try my hand at coal mining. Just today, I paid the tens of thousands of miners working at the mine a large sum in wages. When I did the accounts, I found I'd lost tens of thousands of taels of silver."

At this, Lin Ze sighed before continuing.

"Now I'm stuck. I can't shut the mine down, but I can't keep it running either."

"The only thing I can do is wait for more people to use coal and get into the habit of burning it instead of firewood. Only many years from now might I make a small profit and slowly earn back what I've invested."

"May I ask, Mr. Boyan, are you looking to buy coal?"

Lin Ze immediately launched into how badly he was losing money.

The coal mine was making no money at all. He was just doing a good deed.

Although Zhao Cheng figured he was probably talking nonsense, the upfront investment for coal mining was enormous, and more than half of the money earned from coal sales went to paying the miners. That much was plain to see.

If coal mining were really so profitable, the Great Zhou Dynasty wouldn't have gone all these years without people using coal on a large scale.

Zhao Cheng could tell Lin Ze was wary of him, which was why he'd immediately claimed to be losing money.

But the truth was, Zhao Cheng had no intention of seizing the coal mine.

Martial strength might be the foundation of one's safety and interests, but it wasn't the whole of making one's way in the world.

Zhao Cheng knew that many people weaker than him might be incapable of accomplishing anything, yet it was easy for them to ruin his plans.

If Lin Ze was confident he could make money from the coal mine, that was his skill. Zhao Cheng knew he had neither the ability nor the time to manage a mine himself.

Simply buying coal would already earn him a handsome sum.

"Could you supply at least one billion catties of coal each year?" Zhao Cheng asked.

One billion catties of coal was five hundred thousand metric tons.

This was easy. Lin Ze's coal mine currently had a theoretical annual output of three to four million metric tons. If he continued hiring miners, production could rise even further.

Bright Moon Pavilion could use five hundred thousand metric tons as everyday fuel, while stockpiling the rest or using it to forge armor and weapons.

Firewood didn't keep well, but coal could be stored for as long as one liked. Buying extra and storing it on Crescent Moon Island would come in handy in an emergency.

"That won't be difficult. The mine's daily output is very stable at the moment," Lin Ze said with a nod.

"Good. Let's sign a contract. Starting tomorrow, I'll arrange for people to come to Fengping County Wharf and transport the coal."

Zhao Cheng made the decision on the spot.

If he secured this deal, he'd have a chance to learn peerless martial arts next year.

"Mr. Boyan, wouldn't you like to inspect my coal mine before deciding? What if I'm just making things up?"

Lin Ze reminded him.

"No need. First, the samples you had my nephew bring over amounted to two hundred thousand catties. Second, I saw a large stockpile of coal guarded by members of the Cao Gang at the wharf on my way here. Third, Young Hero Lin, you're a cautious man. I doubt you'd readily make such a promise without ample production," Zhao Cheng said with a smile and a shake of his head.

After a pause, Zhao Cheng added, half as a warning, "Besides, though Bright Moon Pavilion can be considered a righteous sect and wouldn't casually bully our fellow martial artists, we won't show mercy to anyone who dares deceive us."

Lin Ze paid no mind to the warning at the end and nodded with a smile. "I see. Mr. Boyan, you truly are meticulous."

Without further delay, he began writing up the contract.

It stipulated that Lin Ze's Black Stone Village Coal Mine and Bright Moon Pavilion, represented by executive elder Zhao Cheng, also known as Zhao Boyan, would enter into an agreement for the supply of one billion catties of coal at a price of five catties per copper coin.

Payment would be made upon delivery.

"You won't load it onto the ships for us, and you won't even deliver it to the wharf?" Zhao Cheng asked with a frown as he read the contract.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Boyan, but our coal's factory price is already very low. Once operating costs are deducted, there's not much profit left. The Black Stone Village Coal Mine is over forty li from the wharf. If we deliver it there, we'll actually lose money."

Lin Ze apologized.

He was telling the truth. In this era, carts and horses were vital means of production that ordinary people couldn't afford.

Transporting coal to the wharf by cart would cost a copper coin for every five catties over a distance of forty li.

And that was on flat roads. If the route involved hills and slopes, the transport fees would almost certainly rise.

A cart and horse could carry around three thousand catties a day, earning over six hundred copper coins.

That looked like a lot, but livestock doing such heavy work needed a great deal of concentrated feed and salt to recover their strength. The carts also wore down. After accounting for all of that, earning three hundred copper coins a day would be considered good.

Previously, the people of Two Rivers Village had delivered mushrooms to Lin Ze over a dozen li of mountain paths at a price of one copper coin for every forty catties. That was a friendly rate for a small shipment, and couldn't be treated as a regular arrangement.

Transporting one billion catties of coal would cost two hundred thousand taels of silver. Bright Moon Pavilion was paying only two hundred thousand taels for the coal itself, so there was no way he could throw in the transportation for free as a perk of a large order.

In an agrarian society, it was perfectly normal for shipping costs to match or even exceed the price of the goods.

Even in the Main World, with its superior transportation infrastructure, shipping fruit and vegetables still ate up around one or two tenths of their value.

Zhao Cheng frowned at this.

He'd assumed the mine was close to the wharf, no more than two or three li away at most. That was why he'd asked Lin Ze to deliver the coal. If the distance was over forty li, then there was no way Lin Ze could do it.

"Six hundred million catties of coal would need a budget of four hundred thousand taels. Asking the sect for a budget of seven hundred thousand taels for one billion catties isn't unreasonable. The sect can make a substantial profit by using the coal to forge more armor and weapons."

"The twenty thousand taels for buying the coal can't be reduced. Then shipping it from Fengping County to Crescent Moon Island, including loading and unloading, will cost around two hundred thousand taels."

"Transporting it from the mine to the wharf would be expensive if we hired outsiders, but if we organize our own carts and drivers, it should cost no more than one hundred and fifty thousand taels. I can make a few adjustments to the accounts and cover the excess budget. Then I'll still have one hundred and fifty thousand taels left for myself, more than I'd estimated before. This deal is worth doing."

After considering the matter briefly, Zhao Cheng turned to Xu Sheng.

"Xu, it seems I'll have to trouble you with this."

"There's no need for you to buy ships and transport the coal back and forth between Fengping County and Coastal County. You'll be responsible for recruiting people here in Fengping County to haul the coal from the mine to the wharf. Then you can hand it over to Bright Moon Pavilion's ships."

"I won't leave you to do all this work for nothing. I'll give you one hundred and fifty thousand taels a year for transportation. If all one billion catties of coal have been delivered safely by this time next year, I'll apply for you to qualify to study Superior Martial Arts."

A fixed price of one hundred and fifty thousand taels would clearly save several tens of thousands in transportation costs compared with the usual rate.

Xu Sheng looked uncertain.

Learning Superior Martial Arts if he did the job well was a good thing.

The problem was, could that transportation budget of one hundred and fifty thousand taels really get over a billion catties of coal to the wharf?

Almost unconsciously, Xu Sheng glanced at Lin Ze.

Only then did he understand why Zhao Cheng had entrusted the matter to him: Zhao Cheng wanted a trustworthy fellow disciple to act as a liaison and work with Lin Ze, the local power, to get the job done.

"We can do it."

Lin Ze said nothing, just gave Xu Sheng a slight nod.

If they handled the transportation themselves, they'd simply need to buy a lot of oxen, horses, and carts, then hire drivers.

A cart pulled by an ox or horse for hauling goods would cost at most twenty taels of silver. Assuming each ox worked a little over three hundred days a year and carried more than three thousand catties per day, a thousand oxen would be enough.

Even allowing some surplus for unforeseen needs, eleven hundred ox-carts would be more than sufficient. The total cost here would be two taels.

Next came feed for the oxen and horses, as well as wear and tear on the carts. Buying in bulk would greatly reduce the costs, and two hundred and sixty copper coins a day would be the absolute maximum for upkeep. When the carts and animals were resting, they wouldn't need much feed, and the carts wouldn't suffer much wear.

So these expenses would amount to around two.

Finally, there were the drivers' wages. A monthly salary of three taels would already be considered generous, and they wouldn't need to be fed. That would cost around two taels of silver a year.

After deducting the costs, Xu Sheng could still earn three or four thousand taels a year. The second year would bring much higher profits, since he wouldn't have to buy the carts and animals again.

Besides, he could earn merit for his sect, study Superior Martial Arts, and advance his career. This was certainly a business worth doing.

Zhao Cheng had already worked out these costs beforehand. That was why he'd offered Xu Sheng an annual rate of one hundred and fifty thousand taels.

"Then I thank you for looking after me, Martial Uncle. I certainly won't let you down. I'll make sure every last bit of coal gets transported to the wharf."

Xu Sheng bowed and accepted the assignment.

Zhao Cheng nodded in satisfaction.

He would oversee the arrangements.

His juniors and fellow disciples would handle everything, and all he had to do was make sure the whole operation went smoothly and the billion catties of coal reached Crescent Moon Island. That would secure both the annual profit of one hundred and fifty thousand taels and his chance to study peerless martial arts.

That was a much more comfortable and reliable way to make money than fighting and killing.

"Let's not delay. I won't keep you any longer. I'll go arrange the ships."

"Farewell, Zi Yi, Jingguan. I hope I can start loading coal at the wharf tomorrow morning. If you run into any trouble, you can take my seal to find me in Coastal County."

Zhao Cheng cupped his fists in farewell, not minding that it was already the middle of the night.

Before leaving, he immediately wrote Lin Ze a letter bearing his seal. The implication was clear: Lin Ze had to make sure the coal supply continued. If he ran into trouble he couldn't resolve, he could seek Zhao Cheng's help.

After all, whether the coal could be delivered to Crescent Moon Island was closely tied to Zhao Cheng's interests.

"Very well. Thank you for your generous support, Mr. Boyan."

Lin Ze took the letter and spoke with delight.

After observing and learning about Bright Moon Pavilion over the past few days, Lin Ze now knew that Martial Arts began with Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Origin, followed by Qi Cultivation, Vein Opening, True Condensation, Spirit Accumulation, Aura, and finally the Heavenly Human realm.

Qi Cultivation and Vein Opening were the level of second- and third-rate martial artists. True Condensation was the level of a first-rate expert, Spirit Accumulation that of a super-first-rate expert, and Aura the level of a Peerless Expert. The Heavenly Human realm, meanwhile, was a legendary level in a class of its own.

At Bright Moon Pavilion, one had to be at least an early-stage Aura practitioner to become an elder. In other words, one had to be what people usually called a Peerless Expert.

Although Lin Ze still had no idea how to reach that level, he already had a good understanding of the kind of strength such an expert possessed. They could ride alone into a thousand-strong army and take the enemy commander's head.

That might sound a little vague, so here was a more obvious comparison.

Thanks to the standing of a Peerless Expert, even an emperor would have to change your death sentence to life imprisonment before that expert died.

The emperor himself might not be afraid, but he would have to worry about the safety of his trusted subordinates, concubines, and family.

So no matter how powerful a faction was, it would avoid making a mortal enemy of a Peerless Expert unless it was sure it could deal with him.

A promise of help from someone with such formidable strength, to resolve one crisis for Lin Ze, was naturally something to celebrate. It made him feel completely secure.

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