Chapter Fourteen: A Profitable Venture

After leaving Outer Valley Village, Tong Jin made no stops and headed straight due south. Before parting, the ghost doctor had told him that the person he sought was in the direction of the Southern Sacred Capital.

Sure enough, as the old man had said, Tong Jin traveled dozens of miles without encountering another soul. Though far from the Medicine Valley, he deliberately chose the most arduous path—a desolate wasteland, narrow canyon crevices, and deep, lengthy caves. This was not only to conceal his movements but also because, to his surprise and delight, he managed to collect a precious herb beneath a sheer cliff inside a cave. This was undoubtedly heartening news. From then on, Tong Jin navigated almost entirely by the habits of medicinal herbs as recorded in the ancient texts, selecting routes where such herbs might grow.

Finally, one evening several days later, Tong Jin came upon a small town, and a sense of returning to civilization washed over him.

He slipped quietly into the town. Though dusk had fallen, the shops were still open, and the bustling street vendors were eager to sell their last wares before closing.

Upon entering, Tong Jin headed straight for the apothecary. His appearance was ragged, with disheveled black hair, causing passersby to mistake him for a child fleeing disaster or even a beggar. Yet this "little beggar" had an unusually handsome face and an aura of pride and defiance that caught the eye of the discerning.

“Is anyone here?” Tong Jin called out boldly as he entered the shop.

The shopkeeper was tidying up, evidently preparing to close. He glanced up at Tong Jin and, dismissing him as a poor child seeking medicine, sneered, “Go away, we’re closed. If you’re sick, come back tomorrow.”

Tong Jin frowned. Born a young master of the Tong family, he was used to being greeted with smiles by merchants throughout Tai’an City. Yet now, knowing his current plight, he did not take offense. Instead, with a playful grin, he said, “Boss, I’m here to bring you wealth. Why are you turning away the God of Wealth?”

The shopkeeper’s temper flared immediately. “I don’t need you, a little beggar, bringing me fortune. If you’re the God of Wealth, then I’m the Heavenly King. Get lost.”

Tong Jin said no more. From his chest, he produced a strange, crimson-hued branch, tossing it carelessly to the floor near the display cabinet.

“You dare—” The shopkeeper was about to scold the boy for littering, but when his eyes landed on the red branch, he froze, swallowing his words.

The shopkeeper stared at the branch as if it were a gold ingot. After a long moment, he lifted his head stiffly, his gaze toward Tong Jin completely changed. “Little begg… oh no, young sir, where did you get this broken branch?”

Tong Jin stretched out his legs leisurely. “Boss, no need to guess wildly. This Red Blood Kuimu I personally gathered from somewhere. If I hadn’t feared it would wither, I might have carried the whole tree to you.” In truth, Tong Jin had neither intention nor strength to carry the entire tree.

The shopkeeper was stunned, silently amazed. “The whole Red Blood Kuimu! This small branch alone is priceless. If it were the entire tree…” Greed gleamed in his eyes.

Noticing the shift, Tong Jin calmly warned, “Don’t covet that Red Blood Kuimu, shopkeeper. I informed my clan ten days ago to transplant it there. By now, it must have firmly taken root.”

Hearing this, the shopkeeper’s frustration boiled over. Such rare herbs had no owner; whoever claimed them first kept them. Still, he masked his irritation and asked, “Young sir, since you’ve brought this here, do you intend to…?”

Tong Jin brushed the dust off his knees and, to keep up the act, said lightly, “You see, as a noble scion, I’ve spent months traversing desolate lands searching for this herb. Few can understand the hardship.” He glanced at the increasingly convinced shopkeeper and added, “I’ve done my duty to my family, so naturally, I want a bit of reward.” His eyes flicked toward the shopkeeper’s hands.

The shopkeeper, now fully convinced, smiled broadly like a blooming chrysanthemum. “Finding such herbs is no easy task. What price do you seek, young sir?”

Tong Jin hesitated briefly, unsure of the branch’s true value beyond knowing it was a precious herb from the ghost doctor’s ancient texts. But since he was acting, he resolved to see it through.

“Fifty taels of silver?” the shopkeeper ventured, holding up five fingers.

Tong Jin said nothing, thinking, “This oily shopkeeper is no good—let’s see if he’ll budge.” He simply shook his hand gently, ignoring the offer.

“Five hundred taels?” the shopkeeper exclaimed.

Only then did Tong Jin lower his hand and look calmly at the shopkeeper. “Boss, don’t treat me like a child. You know far better than I do the value of this Red Blood Kuimu.” His mature demeanor was at odds with his youthful appearance, more like a seasoned fox.

The shopkeeper said nothing, eyes fixed on the branch. After a long moment, he finally looked up, trembling with resolve. “Fine! I’ll take it!”

When Tong Jin left the apothecary, a heavy cloth sack hung over his shoulder. Inside were the five hundred taels of silver just exchanged. He chuckled at the shopkeeper’s pained expression when handing over the coins. What Tong Jin did not know was that after he left, the apothecary’s owner nearly shouted with joy—this fragment of Red Blood Kuimu was worth at least a thousand taels, one of the most priceless and rare herbs. In reality, the shopkeeper had just made a handsome profit by flipping it.

Striding down the brightly lit streets with his heavy silver, Tong Jin thought to himself, “Having money really is different.” Still, carrying five hundred taels was heavy. So he chose a well-known bank and strolled inside.

When he emerged, the bank clerks’ strange looks followed him, but Tong Jin now held a thick stack of silver notes. With banknotes in hand, he turned his mind to lodging. “Finally, I can rest on a soft, comfortable bed… But first…” He glanced at his tattered clothes and smiled wryly. “Better get some decent clothes first, or I won’t even look the part.” Remembering how he had stunned the apothecary owner earlier, he chuckled to himself and headed toward a tailor’s shop not far away.