"You're Luo Jun's brother, so I really shouldn't be saying this.
But these medicines really are too difficult to prepare.
Marrow-Washing Pills are expensive. They require thirty-year-old wild ginseng, lingzhi, and other ingredients. Each pill costs fifty thousand.
Of course, Marrow-Washing Pills are used to cleanse the bones and marrow, so a few pills at most will be enough.
Foundation-Nourishing Pills, on the other hand, get used much more often, including in everyday practice, so they're a little cheaper. Even so, they cost twenty thousand each," Tang Wen said.
"Give me everything you have. I'll transfer the money right away," Zhang Zhongjing said.
Tang Wen took out two bottles and handed them over. "Take a look."
Zhang Zhongjing took them and counted the pills. "Five Marrow-Washing Pills and fifteen Foundation-Nourishing Pills. Five hundred and fifty thousand. Is that right, Mr. Tang?"
"Just round it down," Tang Wen said.
"Thank you, Brother Tang." Zhang Zhongjing was straightforward too, transferring the money immediately.
Tang Wen's heart blossomed with joy. Five hundred thousand could buy more than two thousand taels of silver in the Great Eastern Republic. These pills were expensive even in the Chu Kingdom, having cost him three hundred taels.
But the price difference was a full seven or eight times. What a windfall...
Of course, they were considered expensive here too. There probably weren't many people who would use them, but it was still another way to make money.
"Interested in cultivation arts?" Tang Wen asked.
"You have cultivation arts too?" Even Luo Jun's eyes widened.
"Of course. My master left me several sets back then.
Some can't be passed on to outsiders, but there are still a few that can.
Housing in Cloud Sea is so expensive. I need somewhere to settle down and make a life for myself," Tang Wen said.
"Yes, yes, of course! Hurry and bring them out." Zhang Zhongjing's enthusiasm soared. He was even more excited than when he had seen the Marrow-Washing Pills.
"This is the Six Profound Return-to-Truth Art, an internal cultivation method. Three hundred thousand for the set. There's also a footwork technique called the Willow-Floating Step." As Tang Wen spoke, he rose and swayed. In an instant, three Tang Wens appeared in the room.
The three men in the private dining room froze like wooden chickens.
Once the Willow-Floating Step reached full mastery, it could produce more than a dozen figures simultaneously. Naturally, an opponent would be unable to tell which was real and which was false.
Of course, this body's previous owner had practiced for years and could still produce only three images.
Reaching full mastery would take at least five or six years.
Of course, if one's cultivation improved, progress would naturally become faster.
"I want it too!" Luo Jun said.
"Martial arts really exist? I thought they were all just flashy moves," Song Qingyang said, looking utterly dumbfounded.
"Of course martial arts exist, but they're not as mystical as television makes them look.
Our Special Operations Team has specialized training methods too. We even invite elderly monks and Taoist priests to give demonstrations and explanations.
But compared with Mr. Tang's techniques, all of those are garbage," Luo Jun said.
"Name your price, Mr. Tang. I want everything." Zhang Zhongjing was growing impatient.
"Two hundred thousand for the Willow-Floating Step. But there's something I need to make clear.
Practicing these internal methods and martial techniques is hard work, and they aren't something you can master in a year or two.
You need to be prepared for that. Otherwise, after practicing for several months or half a year without seeing much improvement, you'll think I cheated you," Tang Wen said solemnly.
"Of course, of course. We understand all that." Zhang Zhongjing nodded.
Just like that, another million went into Tang Wen's pocket.
After they left, Song Qingyang invited Tang Wen to ride in his car. Tang Wen knew that, having seen him make one and a half million in the blink of an eye, the man wanted to earn some money from him.
Tang Wen also wanted to ask him about ordering a batch of custom blades and swords, so he naturally got into the car.
Song Qingyang took Tang Wen straight to his blade factory and began showing him their products: kitchen knives, saw blades, axes...
"The blades and swords I want need to be made of good steel. Do you have titanium alloy steel?" Tang Wen asked.
"Of course. We mix a little into some of our blades. But making blades and swords out of titanium steel would be very expensive," Song Qingyang said.
"How much would one like this cost?" Tang Wen asked, pointing at a prop saber nearly a meter long.
"That would be pricey. Probably around fifty or sixty thousand," Song Qingyang said.
"Then this kind." Tang Wen pointed at an antique-style prop blade only three fingers wide.
"That uses much less material. Around twenty thousand."
"Give me twenty, and make me a few compact crossbows and a few short daggers..."
"This stays between you and me. Don't tell anyone," Song Qingyang whispered as they walked out of the factory gates.
"That would just be asking for trouble." Tang Wen smiled and climbed into the car. Of his one and a half million, only seven hundred thousand remained.
Tang Wen then went to the Eight Blessings Gold House. Because the Chu Kingdom's smelting techniques were limited, its gold was not particularly pure.
Its gold content was only around eighty percent, so his hundred and twenty taels of gold sold for just 2.4 million. That brought his bank balance to three million.
He spent two million buying ten thousand taels of silver ingots, then used the remaining million to purchase medicine, tents, sofa beds, wire mesh... cement, and even a miniature drone.
Ten days later, the blades and swords were finished, and Tang Wen tested them.
With his strength behind them, they could actually cut through thin sheet iron. Not bad. He then crossed back to the Chu Kingdom.
Ding-dong! Your third crossing requires accumulating 60 popularity points.
The requirements were getting harder and harder. Making money was relatively easy, but recruiting people was even harder than earning money.
Tang Wen felt a headache coming on. Taking a flashlight, he prepared to step outside the tent for some fresh air.
He had just lifted the flap when he froze.
Zhan Junru was curled into a ball, crouching against the side of the entrance. Her whole body trembled, and her lips had turned purple from the cold.
Although it was only March here and the days were tolerable, the sea breeze made the nights bitterly cold.
"Why didn't you go back to your tent?" Tang Wen asked in surprise.
"I... I... the old madam instructed me. I can't go back," Zhan Junru said through chattering teeth.
"I'll speak to Mother tomorrow. Go back for now," Tang Wen said.
"You mustn't tell her. I asked the old madam myself. I belong to the Tang household, so of course I must attend to you, Master," Zhan Junru said firmly.
"Ah... come inside first." Tang Wen's eyes grew moist.
Once inside the tent, he took a down jacket and draped it over her, then wrapped a scarf around her soft face.
"I've never worn anything this warm." Zhan Junru's eyes reddened.
"Why don't you warm yourself up in bed first?" Tang Wen deliberately pointed at the two-meter-wide spring mattress he had just set up.
"That's your bed, Master. I can't sleep there. I'll sleep on the ground." Her face flushed slightly, and she gently shook her head. Her eyes, however, kept stealing glances around the tent.
"Aren't you curious?" Tang Wen asked.
"I am. I'm nearly dying of curiosity." Zhan Junru nodded.
"But you look perfectly calm?" Tang Wen watched her.
"When you think I should know, Master, you'll naturally tell me. If you don't tell me, I mustn't ask. That would be forgetting my place," Zhan Junru replied.
"You really are considerate," Tang Wen said approvingly.
"I... I want to be your devoted maidservant, Master," Zhan Junru said, gathering her courage as her face turned crimson.
"The most important thing for a devoted servant is to know the rules and have good sense.
You must keep your master's secrets. You can't tell even your own brother or father.
Of course, I won't harm them," Tang Wen said solemnly.
"I'll do as you say, Master." Zhan Junru nodded.
"Hungry? Let's get something to eat," Tang Wen said with a smile.
"What would you like, Master? I'll go cook it." Zhan Junru immediately removed the scarf and took off the down jacket.
"No need. We'll make it ourselves tonight." Tang Wen smiled, took out some instant noodles, and placed several packets of chicken feet and dried fish on the table. "Try this first."
"You eat first, Master." Zhan Junru gently shook her head.
"Didn't you say you would obey me? If I tell you to eat, then eat." Tang Wen tore open the packaging.
He handed her a five-spice chicken foot. Zhan Junru took it and gave it a gentle lick. Her pupils immediately twitched.
"Is it good?" Tang Wen asked with a smile.
"It tastes strange, but it's delicious. I've never eaten anything this good," Zhan Junru said excitedly.
As for the seafood-and-beef noodles, Zhan Junru did not leave even a drop of broth.
Tang Wen then taught her how to prepare instant noodles, use an electric kettle and an insulated cup, and even brush her teeth and use a flashlight.
Next, he brought a 1.2-meter-wide spring mattress over from another tent.
He set out a bedside table, a wardrobe, a mirror, and other furnishings.
Then he used screens to divide the tent into one large room and two small ones. The large room was for receiving guests, while the smaller rooms were for sleeping.
In the large outer room, he also arranged a sofa, a large flat table for drinking tea, a traditional armchair, a rocking chair, a desk, a bookcase, and other furniture.
He had originally wanted to bring back a television, a computer, and a DVD player, but there was no electricity here, and those things would have been far too shocking.
Before you continue