Trade

"To be frank, dear nephew, we've come today to ask you for a favor!"

Steward Lin looked at Zhou Wenxin, who was fuming, then turned to Fang Yuan, hesitation on his face.

"That's right. My father is ill. We heard that you have a marvelous gift for healing, young Layman, so we've come to ask you for medicine!"

Second Brother Zhou had excellent manners. He bowed deeply. "We hope you'll kindly lend us your aid. Our whole family will be forever grateful!"

Beside him, Zhou Wenxin seemed about to say something, but he stopped her with a stern look.

Who would've thought? In the end, the Zhou family's troubles had landed on my doorstep again...

Fang Yuan was at a loss for words.

At the same time, he took in the well-dressed Zhou siblings and their burly servants. He knew perfectly well that if Steward Lin hadn't been there today, these people wouldn't have been nearly so polite.

And even Steward Lin had grown more distant since their last encounter.

Unless Fang Yuan called out the Flower Fox Ferret right away, slaughtered his way through them, then fled overnight, he really had no way to avoid this.

Lin Benchu still hasn't forgotten to squeeze the life out of me. What a shameless old bastard...

Fang Yuan grumbled inwardly, but said, "You're too late, brother. My master, Heart-Questioning Hermit, is the true master physician. As for me? I've only picked up a little of his knowledge. Before I've seen your father and examined him, I can't promise anything..."

"You little rascal..."

He had only instinctively tried to leave himself a way out, but Zhou Wenxin beside him looked so aggrieved she was almost in tears.

In her eyes, being bullied by this country bumpkin in the county town had already been a terrible humiliation.

And now she'd humbled herself to come and beg him. Worst of all, he wasn't even grateful!

Eldest Daughter Zhou clenched her teeth, her eyes welling with tears.

"Heh... You're too modest, dear nephew. But even with Heart-Questioning Hermit away, I remember you should still have quite a few good medicinal ingredients here, don't you? Just one root to help Old Master Zhou strengthen his constitution would be enough..."

Steward Lin chuckled, rubbing his hands together.

Fang Yuan furrowed his brow. He suddenly felt that however carefully you guarded against the day, you could never guard against an old fox.

Steward Lin had been his closest connection to the outside world in Hidden Valley. He knew Fang Yuan's circumstances inside and out.

It was fortunate Fang Yuan wasn't Heart-Questioning Hermit himself. If Steward Lin learned about the Heart-Questioning Tea Tree, trouble would be on his doorstep at once.

"Oh? That's right. The last time I saw you, young Layman, you were selling Red Ginseng. It wasn't very old, but its medicinal properties were remarkable. My father's condition improved a little after taking it!"

Second Brother Zhou seemed to remember something. He nodded repeatedly, a hint of delight on his face.

Fang Yuan rolled his eyes to himself, but with Steward Lin present, he couldn't just make things up.

He put on a troubled expression, then finally said, "Uncle Lin knows this too: my master and I haven't lived in Hidden Valley for even twenty years. My master personally goes into the Deep Mountain Old Forest to find the older medicinal ingredients. Every root we use is one less, and now we have almost none left..."

"I know..." Steward Lin said awkwardly. He knew Heart-Questioning Hermit was an extraordinary man, able to walk through the Deep Mountain Old Forest as easily as if it were a level road. But Fang Yuan? He was probably nowhere near as capable.

And now he was coveting even the boy's last few treasures. It was rather...

Yet for Lei Yue's future, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and come. He said at once, "Dear nephew, whatever you want, just name it!"

"Indeed. The Zhou family has posted a public notice as well. If you can cure my father, we'll agree to anything."

Second Brother Zhou chimed in.

"Then I'll say it..."

Fang Yuan was delighted. This was what he really wanted. Otherwise, he'd hand over his things for nothing and get nothing but some so-called favor in return. Favors were the least reliable things in the world. Who knew when people would forget them? Just like Steward Lin. Better to turn the goods into something real and keep it safe in his own hands.

"As for medicinal ingredients that strengthen the constitution, I have one last root: a sixty-year-old Red Ginseng. It's genuine, but I can't guarantee it'll help Old Master Zhou, so I don't dare ask for anything in return. It's just that living in the Deep Mountain Old Forest, I'd like to learn some martial arts for self-defense. I hope you can get me a book of martial arts or something similar..."

"You want to learn martial arts?!"

Steward Lin looked surprised. He glanced at the surrounding Deep Mountain Old Forest, then seemed to understand.

The Zhou siblings, however, immediately looked displeased.

Seeing their expressions, Fang Yuan realized they thought he was a schemer coveting their family's secret arts. He shook his hands at once. "Of course, I only want some basic martial arts for self-defense. I wouldn't dare ask for anything profound. Uncle Lin can just pick the most widely circulated, easiest-to-learn manual he can find!"

"Oh, that... That's easy enough..."

Steward Lin stroked his beard, relieved.

If Fang Yuan had asked for Gui Ling Sect's advanced techniques, the Zhou siblings might not have agreed, and even if they had, the sect would have objected.

But he only wanted basic martial arts, with no particular style in mind?

Which wealthy family like theirs didn't have a few skilled martial artists to guard the house? They could scrape together some basic manuals. They might not have ten or eight, but four or five, certainly.

And they'd be the sort found everywhere, so there'd be no trouble.

"This is simple. I'll agree on the Zhou family's behalf! Just come to me for it!"

Steward Lin said with a broad smile.

"Good, then it's settled: one sixty-year-old Red Ginseng in exchange for martial arts manuals, with no other strings attached... And this isn't under the Zhou family's offer. It's just a deal between Uncle Lin and me!"

Seeing how hard Steward Lin was working, Fang Yuan understood what was going on. This was a good chance to do him a favor while making clear he had no connection to the Zhou family's offer.

"Done!"

The Zhou siblings exchanged a glance. They realized there was no room for them to weigh in, so they could only watch the two men reach an agreement.

Zhou Wenxin muttered unhappily, "Learning martial arts at this age? Heh... He doesn't even know about the Twelve Gates of Golden Lock and Heavy Tower, and he still thinks he'll amount to anything?"

Her disdain was plain in every word.

Fang Yuan's expression remained calm. He pretended not to hear, but quietly made a note of the name Twelve Gates of Golden Lock and Heavy Tower, intending to look into it later.

"Uncle Lin, come with me!"

Fang Yuan opened the door and invited Steward Lin into the storeroom without hesitation. He didn't stop the Zhou family from following.

As long as the Heart-Questioning Tea Tree and Crimson Jade Rice Field remained undiscovered, it didn't matter if they saw these things.

In fact, showing them might help put an end to their covetousness.

Otherwise, from now on, anyone with an injury that wouldn't heal would come to him for medicine. How would he ever get any peace?

"Hmm, you've kept this place in good order, dear nephew."

A sharp smell wafted through the storeroom, making Zhou Wenxin cover her nose. Steward Lin didn't seem bothered. He stood with his hands behind his back. "Especially this Jade Crystal Rice. You've grown it very well. After I tried it last time, I could think of nothing else to eat. For three months, meat might as well have had no flavor..."

"If you like it, Uncle Lin, take a few sacks of rice with you when you leave..."

Fang Yuan replied without looking back.

Zhou Wenxin seemed to remember how he'd tricked her with a rice ball last time. Her face flushed as red as blood.

At the very back stood rows of wooden shelves. Most of the boxes on them were empty.

Fang Yuan went to the right side and took down a box. "Uncle Lin, please take good care of it!"

Lin Benchu took the wooden box and opened it. Inside lay a Red Ginseng, red all the way through like jade. It had been carefully stored and was in excellent condition. Even more remarkably, not a single rootlet had been damaged.

"Excellent! Excellent!"

His gaze wandered around the storeroom before he could stop himself. He shook his head to himself. It seems Heart-Questioning Hermit really has nearly run out of supplies...

"Good! Good! Good!"

Second Brother Zhou came forward to look and was overjoyed. "This has at least sixty years of medicinal potency. The older Red Ginseng gets, the stronger its effects. Once it passes fifty years, it's a true treasure. There's hope for my father's recovery!"

"Mm, dear nephew, you take care of this..."

Steward Lin felt a pang of reluctance at the sight of the Red Ginseng, but still handed it to Second Brother Zhou to look after. Then he said to Fang Yuan, "Don't worry. As for the martial arts manuals you asked for, I'll have someone bring them to you as soon as I get back."

"Thank you, Uncle Lin!"

Fang Yuan cupped his fist, his tone neither warm nor cold.

"Mm, I won't keep you any longer. I'll be off now!"

With the deal settled, staying any longer would have been awkward. Steward Lin walked out of the valley with the Zhou family and disappeared from view.

"Gugu?!"

Fang Yuan watched them go and let out a silent sigh.

A flash of white appeared behind him. The Flower Fox Ferret had come out again, making little gestures with its paws. Its clever eyes seemed to hold a hint of confusion.

"No need to act this time..."

Fang Yuan stroked the Flower Fox Ferret's head and reminded it aloud, "But next time, anyone who comes near the Plantation without me, take them down at once. Understand?"

Wild beasts had a strong sense of territory. The Flower Fox Ferret was intelligent and nodded with an almost humanlike air.

"I wonder whether one Red Ginseng will cure Old Master Zhou's illness. If it doesn't, there may be a little more trouble down the road..."

Fang Yuan glanced at his status panel:

Medical Skill [Level One]—Can treat simple injuries, including minor external wounds. Medicinal herbs can provide an additional healing bonus.

Planting Skill [Level Three]—You are an undisputed expert in the field of planting. Your hands possess incredible power, and crops you grow have a very small chance of undergoing an Excellent Trait Mutation!

"Minor injuries... I wonder if Old Master Zhou's condition counts. Still, that extra healing bonus from medicinal herbs is worth looking forward to..."

Fang Yuan naturally wanted to improve his Medical Skill as well.

Through his experiments with Planting Skill, he'd learned the general principle: raising a skill required both proficiency and overcoming bottlenecks.

He'd raised his Planting Skill to Level Two by continuously cultivating plants, but without obtaining a spirit seed, he couldn't break through to Level Three.

To improve his Medical Skill, he'd need plenty of patients to practice on.

"But the Zhou family? Heh..."

Fang Yuan shook his head and sneered without a word.