Chapter 244: Raising Prices

Inside the peaceful and quiet inn, Qi Zhenshuo couldn't help but lift the brim of his bamboo hat, staring blankly as Chen Ji walked down the stairs, as if there were no one else in the main hall, only one empty table beside him.

In the inn, the limping waiter diligently carried a tray, placing out melon seeds and preserved fruits.

Everyone's eyes were on Chen Ji, but Chen Ji seemed unaware, calmly sitting at the eight immortals table, neither avoiding nor dodging the many gazes directed at him.

Qi Zhenshuo felt as if something was stuck in his throat, unable to speak for a long time.

When he finally reacted, he turned and was about to leave Longmen Inn, but Li Xuan grabbed him. "What are you doing?"

Qi Zhenshuo's face turned red. "Sister-in-law, what are we still staying here for, watching this kid steal the spotlight? Let's go, maybe we can find news elsewhere!"

Li Xuan took a deep breath, interrupting her brother-in-law. "Chen Ji just found clues here earlier; you and I should also stay here. He arrived in Guyuan over ten days after you and I, yet he managed to discover this Longmen Inn before us. He indeed has extraordinary qualities. If you want to surpass his fame, you must learn from his strengths."

Qi Zhenshuo was somewhat unconvinced.

Li Xuan said in a low voice, "Stand still and see what he intends to do."

They saw Chen Ji reach out and uncover the mud seal of the wine jar beside the eight immortals table.

For a moment, everyone's eyes were like torches, staring intently at him, yet no one moved. The news from opening the jar would require a large sum of money to buy, and who knew if this news was useful or worth that price?

Anyway, news isn't sold only once. No one was willing to be the first to test the waters.

At this moment, Madam Hongxiu Zhao, her face covered with a silk cloth, chuckled softly. "This young man's face is unfamiliar, ah, and I don't know what news he's selling. That Brother Li, you go and ask him."

The man Madam addressed pretended not to hear, cracking melon seeds as if it were his only concern.

Madam then turned her gaze to another side. "That Brother Zhang, you go first."

The man surnamed Zhang chuckled, "Sister Dong is here, how could I dare act rashly… Third Master?"

The man surnamed Zhang's voice suddenly stopped. He saw Third Master suddenly stand up and slowly walk to Chen Ji's side, calmly asking, "May I borrow a bowl of wine?"

Chen Ji looked up at him and said with a smile, "Please sit. Xiao Man, pour this big brother some wine."

Xiao Man beside him quickly brought the wine jar and filled a bowl of strong liquor for Third Master.

Third Master held the bowl in his right hand and downed it in one gulp. He exhaled a mouthful of wine vapor and sighed, "It's been many years since I've drunk wine this strong."

Chen Ji thought for a moment, then lifted the wine jar himself and filled another bowl for Third Master. "I see the main hall fell silent when Third Master stood up, like cicadas in winter. You must have an extremely high Jianghu status in Guyuan city."

Third Master sneered. "What status? It's all just what everyone says. In the end, it's all a handful of yellow soil, dry bones under a tomb. Young man, why have you come to Longmen Inn to do business?"

Chen Ji was puzzled. Ordinary people who came to buy news would pay money, ask for the news, and then leave. Only this Third Master didn't seem like he was here to buy news; it was as if he had come specifically to chat with him.

He said calmly, "Naturally, because I lack money."

Third Master sized Chen Ji up for a moment. "Then let's talk about the price."

Chen Ji raised his hand to gesture the price, but was suddenly held by the wrist by Third Master.

He looked at Third Master in confusion. The other's only blinded eye was just a murky white, exceptionally fierce.

Third Master smiled and explained, "How can you gesture the price like this? Everyone will see it. Don't do this later, lest you be seen as a fat sheep... Do you know 'sleeve pulling'?"

Chen Ji replied, "Yes."

'Sleeve pulling' seemed mysterious, but was actually simple: pinching one finger was one, pinching two fingers was two. For plural numbers, pinching one finger and shaking the hand meant eleven.

If you wanted the other to lower the price, you would bend your fingers. The more you bent, the more you wanted the other to lower the price.

Before he could react, Third Master had already gathered his palm inside his leopard sleeve and extended it towards him. "Come."

Chen Ji reached out and joined Third Master's sleeve. Inside the sleeve, he pinched two of the other's fingers, indicating two hundred taels of silver. As the waiter had said, once the strong liquor jar was opened, the news price would be calculated in 'hundred taels'.

But Third Master looked at him with a seemingly unsmiling expression, then flipped his hand and held his five fingers.

Chen Ji was stunned. What did this mean? The other was only willing to pay fifty taels of silver?

But the strong liquor jar had been opened, the mud seal removed. How could it only sell for fifty taels? The bargaining was a bit too fierce.

Just as Chen Ji was about to refuse, Third Master took a string of Buddhist beads from his wrist and placed them on the table, pushing them steadily towards Chen Ji. "These Buddhist beads can be exchanged for five hundred taels of silver. The news is mine."

Chen Ji's pupils suddenly contracted. What was this Third Master doing?

The other had first discussed the price in his sleeve, then turned around and named a price openly?

He had offered two hundred taels of silver to the other, but the other had forced the price up to five hundred taels!

But why would this Third Master want to give him money? Who did business like this?

When others heard Third Master's words, they all gasped. Opening the jar was uncommon, but this price of five hundred taels was even rarer. In the past, opening a jar and selling a piece of news for two hundred taels of silver was already the peak.

The crowd hesitated whether to buy or not.

At this time, Chen Ji stared directly at Third Master, and the other also stared back at him. In his only good right eye, the waves were calm, and there was a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Wait.

This Third Master didn't seem to care what news he wanted to sell. He was the first to buy, only worried that he would open the price too low.

Strange, strange, strange. What exactly did he mean? Chen Ji was completely confused.

Third Master urged with a smile, "You should tell me the news. Remember to speak softly."

Everyone eagerly watched Chen Ji and Third Master huddle closer. Some people pricked up their ears to listen, but couldn't hear anything.

Li Xuan and others stood at the door. Qi Zhenshuo stood on tiptoe and looked over, muttering, "Brother-in-law, what news do you think this kid is selling that he can earn five hundred taels of silver just by moving his lips, ah? That's more than my ten years' salary! Could it be that he's selling the things we did yesterday for money?"

Li Xuan thought, "Yesterday's news shouldn't be worth five hundred taels. Perhaps he has more important news. Five hundred taels of silver is enough to buy several dozen maidservants and servants in the capital's six livestock farms."

At this moment, Third Master stood up with a start and said in a shocked voice, "Are these words true?"

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment. "True."

Third Master cupped his hands. "The Buddhist beads on the table are yours then. We will meet again later."

Having said that, Third Master turned and left, leaving behind a room full of people looking at each other in dismay.

Those who were originally hesitant due to the high price were now unsure. Five hundred taels of silver for a piece of news was indeed absurd, but looking at Third Master's reaction, it was clear that the matter was worth it.

Who was Third Master? He was a giant on the Guyuan road. What news could make Third Master so shocked?

The crowd looked at each other.

Not only were the guests in the entire room hesitant and uncertain, but even Chen Ji was confused in his heart. The news he had told was that the Jing Dynasty's Tian Ce Army was about to surround the city. Yesterday, the Jing Dynasty spies had tried to pollute the well water and were stopped by the Crown Prince and the Imperial Guards…

This news was important, but not necessarily worth five hundred taels of silver.

Just now, after Third Master heard the news, he clearly acted out an urgent appearance, which only made others' hearts itch unbearably.

But Chen Ji couldn't understand why Third Master wanted to do this.

Chen Ji asked Zhang Xia in a low voice, "Have we seen this Third Master before?"

Zhang Xia shook her head. "No, but I heard his footsteps. He's exactly the one living in Tian Zi Yi Hao room next to us."

"It's him!"

Chen Ji's fingers tapped on the table, and his thoughts raced. He and the others had just checked into Longmen Inn, and the other had followed right after… The other had come for him!

As he thought, Madam Hongxiu Zhao stood up leisurely, bringing a wave of fragrance, and sat opposite Chen Ji. Her face was covered with a silk cloth, and her charming eyes were like silk. "Young man, can you give me a discount? This slave family can supplement from other places."

Xiao Man behind Chen Ji dislikeably fanned her nose. "Where did this smelly smell come from? Who peed in their pants?"

"How can a girl speak so meanly? Be careful you don't get married!" Madam glared at her fiercely, took a string of Buddhist beads from her wrist, pushed them towards Chen Ji, and chuckled charmingly, leaning closer to speak. "Come, let's talk closely."

Chen Ji frowned, but Xiao Man lifted her hand and pushed Madam's head back. "Come, I'll tell you."

Madam snorted coldly. "Little girl!"

Xiao Man frowned. "My young master wants to marry a famous, legitimate daughter. You stay away!"

At the door, Li Xuan's gaze under her bamboo hat was like a sword. She coldly watched Madam listen to the news, stand up, and leave. Following her, several people stood up at the same time, actually wanting to snatch a seat next to Chen Ji to buy the news.

An Imperial Guard came to Li Xuan's side and asked in a low voice, "Commandant, are we buying or not?"

Li Xuan remained silent.

Qi Zhenshuo said disdainfully, "Buy a fart! Absolutely don't make it easy for this kid."

Li Xuan, however, said, "Buy! Such important news, it's good for us to buy it first and report to His Highness when we get back."

She took down two strings of Buddhist beads and turned to point at an Imperial Guard. "You didn't go to Shache Street together earlier, he doesn't recognize you. You go."

"Yes," the Imperial Guard took the Buddhist beads and went to queue up.

A moment later, the Imperial Guard returned with a complex expression.

Qi Zhenshuo stepped forward, asking anxiously, "What news did you buy?"

The Imperial Guard repeated what Chen Ji had said. Qi Zhenshuo's face suddenly darkened, and his heart felt as if he had swallowed a fly. They had actually paid Chen Ji five hundred taels of silver for news they already knew!

Qi Zhenshuo's face was ferocious. "Go get the silver back! Absolutely don't let him off so easily!"

Li Xuan stopped him and said in a low voice, "Once the money is spent, there's no reason to ask for it back. Don't want to mess up the rules here. If you made a mistake, don't blame others."

Qi Zhenshuo looked at him in disbelief. "Brother-in-law, are we just going to let it go?"

Li Xuan said calmly, "That Chen family kid is also blinded by greed and short-sighted. I overestimated him. If he dares to sell His Highness's matters for money, His Highness will definitely not trust him again when he finds out. Let's go back and report this matter to His Highness."

Qi Zhenshuo's eyes lit up. "Brother-in-law, your opinion is brilliant!"