By the time Chen Shi'an returned to the gateway in the Sacred Martial Dynasty's border Great Wall, darkness had completely fallen.
The dark-faced soldier hurried over. "Well? Did you catch that old fellow?"
After questioning Jing Yuan, Chen Shi'an had learned that the dark-faced soldier was a squad leader in the Sacred Martial Dynasty's border army named Zheng Bimeng, whose duty was to guard the gateway.
Chen Shi'an smiled faintly. "He's dead. A good haul, too-twenty stalks of golden thread grass in all."
As he spoke, he took the bundle off his shoulder and opened it on the long table, revealing the golden thread grass inside.
Zheng Bimeng waved his hands repeatedly. "No need for that, Alchemist Jing. I trust your word. If you say twenty stalks, then twenty it is."
Despite his words, his eyes swept swiftly over the golden thread grass on the table, counting it.
Chen Shi'an waited a couple of breaths before saying quietly, "These twenty stalks cost me nothing. I'll give you one and a half taels of silver per stalk-thirty taels altogether."
As he spoke, he took thirty taels of silver from inside his robe and handed them to Zheng Bimeng.
Zheng Bimeng grinned. "You're a good man, Alchemist Jing."
With that, he stuffed the silver into his robe.
Then he waved toward the gateway. "Alchemist Jing is finishing up. Hurry and let the carriage through."
Soon, a carriage emerged from the gateway, slowly approached the long table, and stopped.
The driver immediately jumped down and deftly loaded the spirit herbs Jing Yuan had purchased earlier onto the carriage.
Then he waited beside it, his back bent and his hands lowered.
Jing Yuan cupped his hands slightly toward Zheng Bimeng. "Squad Leader Zheng, I'll take my leave."
Zheng Bimeng beamed. "Safe travels, Alchemist Jing.