Chapter 299

Qing bought grain at double the market price, enough to last until autumn.

Being a hub city with abundant warehouses near the Nakha River, it’s logical.

Given the prime locations in Nayakyang are already filled with expensive warehouses, items that are cheaper compared to their volume, like grains, are often moved to Naknyeong in bulk.

However, there was a fact that Geoltaran chose not to mention.

The city’s population had significantly decreased.

The flood control project was completed this spring, and people were just beginning to feel secure around the newly constructed Gang Eon and riverbank.

But due to that, a massive tide surged in, causing collapses of the city walls, and, unfortunately, the flood happened at midnight.

In the areas swept away, entire families were wiped out, leaving no one to perform the funerals, and even beyond that, homes collapsed, flooded, and drowning became a situation where the scale of the damage was impossible to tally.

But the number of people eligible to eat decreased drastically, so it wasn’t something that should be said for the kind-hearted Supreme Heavenly Demon who bore resentment for the ungrateful commoners.

Therefore, Qing merely asked calmly.

“Is there really that much? I shouldn’t have bothered to go through it all?”

“Oh no, that’s not true at all! You made an incredibly wise decision, Miss! When a city suffers a flood, all the merchants are just waiting to exploit the situation!”

When a flood occurs, grain prices nearby rise as if they have a pre-arranged agreement.

In fact, it is an agreement.

During covert meetings among the leaders of the associations, they colluded to raise these prices, deliberately deciding to spike them up.

Thus, when they try to sell grains from the flood-affected areas, they sell them at a high price, and when they sell in their own town, they claim that the flooded areas have run out and try to overcharge.

In an instant, grain prices multiply tenfold, while those who would drown in the floods simply blame the merchants, saying that it’s the merchants who inflate the prices, appearing pitiful instead.

Yet the blame for the high-priced goods falls not on the merchants, but on the poor who suffered the disaster, while said merchants joyfully jack up prices and pretend to be the victims.

However, if they stack enough grain to last until autumn, it gives nearby merchants no justification to raise prices, eliminating the need for the people of Naknyeong to bear any unnecessary backlash.

“Hah! Those merchants are truly detestable!”

But it was inevitable.

To succeed as merchants, one must possess such monstrous hearts, uncaringly trampling on others, mocking the poor who shed tears of despair and snatching their last coin with no guilt. That is what makes a great merchant.

Geoltaran firmly engrained the Supreme Heavenly Demon’s teachings deep within him.

Of course, he had no intention of keeping them to himself.

Before this year is out, every member of the Divine Demon Sect in the Central Plains would have that lesson etched into them.

With the Supreme Heavenly Demon’s intention behind it, merchants are merely despicable beasts that can be beaten and twisted with no concern.

In the coming new era, they will become the lowest of all professions.

“Hmm. Did you receive the list?”

“Yes, indeed. However, more like a payroll list, I suspect about half the names might not even exist.”

The nonexistent individuals are simply names added to the payroll list while they, in fact, do not exist.

Nonetheless, officially, since they were meant to have done work, the payroll is indeed executed.

However, how absent people’s paychecks were handled is anyone’s guess.

“Money is just slipping away, huh? How is it that the more I dig, the more rotten water emerges? But, Miss, it’s such a hassle…”

Qing scratched the back of his head angrily.

At that moment, Geoltaran beamed with a bright smile and asked eagerly.

“Oh dear Miss! If it’s a hassle, isn’t it just a matter of ordering our servants at Taecheong Sect?”

“Huh? Am I in a position to boss around the Sect members?”

“Well, how do you think Master Choi Riyong would feel if he finds out later? He ordered them to assist with all conveniences!”

“But the old man is an old man.”

“And me! I can’t stand being idle, so if there’s an opportunity to work, please give it to me! That’s the path to my survival!”

This was a fervent outcry laden with the determination to get busy with any task given.

It wasn’t just talk.

His eyes sparkled like a trained dog at the sound of a walk, projecting an image of pure eagerness.

Indeed, it was an opportunity to carry out an order directly from the Supreme Heavenly Demon, how could a loyal servant of the Divine Demon Sect, brainwashed since childhood to dedicate his life to serving the Supreme Heavenly Demon, possibly let that slip by?

In front of his ardent stare, Qing thought,

“Well, if he’s that enthusiastic, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give him some work.”

“I heard Jeomsoi mention that the technicians called for the construction are seemingly tight-lipped. So, if we inquire from the laborers, we’ll likely get all sorts of info on their names and what they’re doing.”

“Ah! If that’s the case, you must give that task to the servants! The city is currently flooded with people seeking assistance, so asking them then wouldn’t be too much trouble!”

“Oh! Exactly. People need to have a clear understanding to solve anything easily. Isn’t that right?”

“Ugh, thank you, thank you. The honor of my life! I’ll cherish this joy forever, even after death.”

Qing couldn’t help but smile.

This guy always makes a big deal out of a simple compliment.

Is the old man never going to give praise?

Well, to be fair, the old man is kind of like that.

“But do you think there was a problem with the flood control project?”

“The designer said there were no issues with the design.”

He insisted that even with this level of rain, it should not have mattered, meaning there must be a reason for the disaster that occurred.

“After all, we’re on the way to Jongnam Mountain. The Zhangxing Company headquarter is in Jang An, right? If there are issues, well, while I might not have a say in it, I can’t just ignore it since I know now.”

Qing grinned, a sly smile spreading across his face as he continued,

“If something has happened, someone needs to take responsibility.”

Within Qing’s eyes, colors not present anywhere shimmered ominously as they quietly swayed.

Geoltaran felt his tears well up.

Isn’t the Supreme Heavenly Demon’s gaze akin to the doom of the world?

Such a terrifying grandeur!

Supreme Heavenly Demon, my eternal master of the soul!

Separately, straight away after this, a major dispatch was sent to the Divine Sect’s operations unit.

[An important person is scheduled to head to Jang An]

Receiver: Taecheong Sect Leader Choi Riyong.

Destination: Hubei Province, Jaegui County, Seolga Merchant Association.

—-

Geoltaran will find everything out, so please rest while waiting.

His eyes pleadingly begged to stay indefinitely.

After all, since we needed to identify the key technicians for the project, staying was the only option.

It’s ridiculous that they plan to hold a banquet with the city in this state. Just a simple, hearty meal would suffice, so they returned to their lodgings.

After a bath and changing clothes, Geoltaran thought he should also check up on Seoliri, so he planned for dinner and to rest well.

Thus in the Taecheong Sect’s “The Grandest Room of All Times”, wait, why is the guest room named so extravagantly?

Of course, in large manors within the Central Plains, there are traditionally the best room for guests and the second-best room.

It’s natural to categorize guests by rank.

As per the customs, at the very least, the prestige and secondary guest should be served separately.

So, indeed, it was customary for the best guest room to carry a somewhat grand name.

The Martial Alliance had Muchen Pavilion, and the Divine Maiden Sect had an upscale guest hall called Yoha Pavilion, which had become more of a warehouse lately.

But “The Grandest Room of All Times”? What on earth is that supposed to mean?

As they say, too much courtesy can turn into rudeness.

With such a name, guests will likely feel even more burdensome!

For reference, too much courtesy refers to excessive formalities, and rudeness denotes being disrespectful, signifying that overdoing etiquette could lead to unintended offense.

However, Qing didn’t know that this lavish guest room existed solely for one person.

How would she, having no awareness of such matters, possibly know about the hidden facts kept from her?

In any case, “The Grandest Room of All Times” was indeed larger on the inside than the outside.

What does that mean? It meant that to prepare for the arrival of the Supreme Heavenly Demon, they had partitioned removable walls to make the space significantly larger than the outward appearance.

And within it stood the finest luxurious bed, where a woman, curled up on it, glanced up at the sound of the door opening.

“You’re here.”

Qing’s eyes widened.

What? Did I just hear that? Was that an auditory hallucination?

Did Seol Soje just greet me first? Really?

What an unexpected welcome.

“Seol Soje. Are you feeling any better?”

“No…”

“No, don’t just say you’re fine! Let’s go visit a physician. Huh? Didn’t you just say you weren’t okay?”

“Yes…”

And indeed, she was sweating profusely, looking utterly ill, akin to a patient with a serious condition.

Without using ice-cold compresses, Seoliri was soaking wet with sweat.

Having seen her drenched in sweat while in the carriage, Qing now realized her state was quite dangerous.

“Miss, you should have gotten checked out earlier. Just hold on a little longer. I’ll get a physician.”

Then, a physician with a fairy-like appearance examined her pulse and said,

“Tsk, tsk. How could someone, especially a woman, get themselves into such a state? And intriguing, I’ve never seen a patient so well battered in my eight decades of life.”

The snow-white elderly physician clicked his tongue.

But wait, isn’t something a bit off with what he said?

So Qing asked,

“Badly battered?”

“Of course! Badly battered it is.”

“No, if it’s battered, it should just be battered. What does ‘well battered’ even mean?”

“Hmph. Well, typically there are two options,”

Either the side that takes the beating has technically managed to avoid becoming a fool, skillfully minimizing residual effects while being sufficiently pulverized.

“Or, the side receiving the blows has been struck artfully, ensuring no one area is overdone or left in ruins.”

“Is this thing about artistry correct? Does it exist?”

“Of course. Just look at those wretched beggars. It’s a sight to see them getting hammered, yet after a while, they seem to forget about the beating they took. The more they endure it, the more skilled they become in managing the pain.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

In terms of receiving punishment, Qing could also consider himself an expert.

So this well-managed battering must refer to something he understands well.

Yet, how could Princess No Beak, who is practically sheltered, have experienced such beatings?

She must have faced the brunt of those vile bandits who must have pummeled her horribly.

If one takes into account how the Young Master had to eat it without using weapons!

“So what does ‘are you fine’ mean?”

“A fracture in the bones, across limbs, and yet rest will heal it. Medication will aid, and taking more medicine hastens recovery. And actually, it’s well beaten enough that there’s no need for extensive checks.”

Is this physician for real?

At first glance, he seems like a fraud.

Yet Geoltaran’s recruited physician must be skilled; at over eighty, this experienced old man would likely hold some expertise.

“So, resting will help her recover?”

“Yes, ah, but wait. Miss, aren’t you investing in a relief effort?”

“Huh? Suddenly?”

“Right now, with homes gone and food scarce, the urgency is high. A natural disaster yields dire circumstances if one can’t just survive. And don’t you notice how plagues arise post-flood? We need to quickly dispose of the corpses and administer medications before the sick worsen. Isn’t that a significant cost?”

“Ah, that makes a point. Geoltaran, how much gold do you have left? Is it over ten coins? Here, for the physician…”

“Ahem. Tsk, tsk.”

The doctor interrupted Qing as he clicked his tongue.

Qing, feeling a bit wronged, replied,

“What’s wrong? I’m offering it.”

“Bringing gold to a physician won’t magically produce medicine, will it? Even if it could, who’s going to mix what’s needed? You need to provide the staff to do something, something that this old physician can’t handle alone.”

“Ah.”

Upon hearing this, Qing realized he needed contributions from others as well.

“Geoltaran, this physician here intends to extend his medical services to the city. Could the Taecheong Sect lend a hand? I was thinking merely about supplies and reconstruction, but I hadn’t considered this aspect.”

“Oh no, Miss! Just give an order and it will be done! How could we possibly reject anything you say?”

“Even if you command me to carry firewood and jump into flames, I will oblige!”

This was a terrifying declaration made under the guise of flattery, which didn’t carry any persuasive weight at all.

So Qing merely smiled and laughed it off.

Though Qing couldn’t read his true intentions.

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