Chapter 90: Getting Rich? Can’t Not Get Rich
As the convoy drew increasingly closer to Chuyun City, the number of doggies here was even greater than what they had seen on the wasteland, and moreover, the temperaments of the doggies here were clearly even more irritable.
Even during the daytime, quite a few doggies attempted to approach the convoy. If not for the red date horse running fast and trampling quite a few doggies to death with its hooves to establish dominance, even more doggies might have charged over.
Seeing that the red date horse could keep large packs of doggies from approaching, Yun Ce simply dismounted from the red date horse and walked alongside Steward Qiu, allowing the red date horse free rein.
The red date horse had a personality that went wild when alone, flinging its four hooves like copper hammers. Not only were the nearby doggies trampled by it until their guts spilled and bellies burst, it didn’t spare even the distant doggies. Even more remarkably, it broke up a battle between two giant doggies vying for the position of dog king.
The two frenzied quasi-dog kings chased the red date horse right up to the convoy’s side, where Yun Ce shot them dead with bow and arrow. The arrows pierced straight through their brains, fully preserving the complete leather material.
Seeing the two doggies, each the size of a calf, collapse to the ground, Steward Qiu then believed that the Chief Manager’s martial power might surpass even that of the Thunder Smoke Beast.
The hunters quickly skinned the doggies. Steward Qiu folded the dog skin neatly, held it before Yun Ce with a chuckling smile, and blew a breath on it. A vortex immediately appeared on the dog skin.
“Chief Manager, take a look. Dog skin in the deep winter month is a good thing. Though not as valuable as beast leather material, when it comes to warmth, no leather material in the world beats dog skin.”
Yun Ce retrieved the arrow, checked the arrowhead and found it undamaged, then inserted it back into the quiver. Regarding the dog skin presented by Steward Qiu, he paid no heed to this black-and-yellow mottled fur, instructing them to sell it off in Chuyun City and exchange it for needed materials to take back.
Steward Qiu placed the dog skin on the horse carriage and looked worriedly at Chuyun City on the horizon, saying to Yun Ce, “Who knows how many people died in Chuyun City to attract so many doggies.”
1 Yun Ce shook the token in his hand and said, “With this thing, we can come and go without restriction.”
1 Steward Qiu naturally knew the origin of this token. Normally, it might be useful, but now, hearing from people of other villages that the eyes of people in Chuyun City were all red and everyone hated the government officials, he feared this thing might not work when the time came.
1 If possible, Steward Qiu did not want to enter Chuyun City. But thinking of the wife and children at home waiting to be fed, Steward Qiu could only pin all hope on this upright young Chief Manager before him.
1 There were even more doggies under the city walls. Most eerie was that these doggies were all lying on the ground. Once something was thrown down from the city walls, they would swarm forward, the scene swift like waves stirred up by a gale.
1 It became much harder for Yun Ce’s convoy to enter the city, but fortunately the convoy was not large. Yun Ce cleared the way ahead with the horse spear, the red date horse frolicked around the convoy, and the other hunters all took up weapons. For a moment, the doggies were actually helpless against the convoy before their eyes.
1 Just as the city gate was in sight, a high-pitched, piercing dog bark came from far away. Steward Qiu’s face changed drastically. He quickened his steps to Yun Ce’s side and said, “Hurry into the city. The doggies might have elected a remarkable dog king this time.”
1 With that long dog bark, the doggies besieging Yun Ce’s convoy actually retreated like the tide. They did not continue staying under the city but all madly dashed toward the direction of the bark.
1 Chuyun City’s tall city gate was wide open, with defensive structures like cheval de frise all placed on the other side of the gate tunnel. From this, it was clear that the soldiers guarded more against the people inside the city than against the doggies outside.
1 Under the soldiers’ cold gazes, the convoy entered the city. This was also Yun Ce’s first time entering a city, without paying the entrance tax.
1 After entering the city, Yun Ce’s gaze swept along the straight main road before him and he smiled. The street once bustling with heads surging now had not even a ghost shadow in sight. Only the deep winter month’s daylight fell coolly on the ground, with occasional leaves blown by the wind from one end of the street to the other.
2 Doggy also noticed this change and said in Yun Ce’s mind, “Is this the human disaster caused by tyrannical rule?”
2 Yun Ce said, “That’s right, and it’s also what many ambitious people hope to see.”
2 “And you?”
2 “Me? I’m waiting for them to fail, waiting for them to sacrifice their own lives to their ideals. Only then will our ideals emerge. Such noble ideals, if they come out too easily, no one will cherish them.”
2 Seeing Yun Ce standing rigidly in place, Steward Qiu said with a sobbing tone, “Chief Manager, what are we to do? No people, no caravans. Who are we to trade with?”
2 Yun Ce said without thinking, “Naturally, trade with the government officials.”
2 Steward Qiu said, “Trade with the government officials?”
2 Yun Ce said impatiently, “What do you think the government officials are relying on to control the situation now that they’ve completely lost prestige? Without a doubt, it’s materials. If they couldn’t even control the materials, the city would have been in chaos long ago.”
2 Without even needing Yun Ce to ask, an official wearing armor walked over with a cold face and said, “Where did these materials come from?”
2 Yun Ce handed the token in his hand to the official and said, “Royal Hunting Ground. We’ve already paid the tribute. Now we’ve come to the city to exchange Gaoliang Mountain’s mountain goods for grain, cloth, lamp oil, and other sundries.”
3 The official carefully examined the tax-paid token, breathed a sigh of relief, removed his hand from the sword hilt for the first time, and cupped his hands to Yun Ce, saying, “So you’re colleagues from the Royal Hunting Ground. To be precise, your Royal Hunting Ground is almost the first yamen in Chuyun Prefecture to complete the tribute. I admire you, admire you.”
3 Yun Ce gave a wry smile and said, “It’s a long story. The Royal Hunting Ground is now waiting for grain to cook. Please help out more, brother. I would be endlessly grateful.”
3 The official smiled meaningfully and said, “I just don’t know if this grain, cloth, and such things are to be transported back to the Royal Hunting Ground or left in Chuyun City.”
3 Yun Ce’s eyes sharpened. He immediately grabbed a coin worth a thousand and held it in his hand, pretending to be warmly familiar as he pulled the Cao-surnamed official’s hand and said, “Naturally to transport back to the Royal Hunting Ground to feed wives, children, and elders. Please instruct me, brother.”
3 Officials throughout the world were much the same. As soon as Yun Ce’s palm emptied, he knew the coin worth a thousand had gone into the man’s sleeve. With the money taken, the man no longer spoke but pulled Yun Ce straight to the warehouse behind the Inspector’s Yamen.
3 As soon as they entered the door, Yun Ce was nearly stunned. Various materials were piled up like mountains here. The Cao-surnamed official didn’t even ask what Steward Qiu and the others had brought, directly telling Steward Qiu to select enough goods from the mountain-like piles to fill twenty-three carts.
3 Yun Ce went with Old Cao to the official residence at the entrance to drink water and chat.
3 When Old Cao returned to the warehouse, he seemed to liven up at once. He took off his heavy helmet and plopped down on the cushion, wailing to Yun Ce, “This errand of yours counts as the first proper, by-the-book official duty I’ve handled in many days.”
3 Yun Ce cupped his hands and said, “Brother Cao is now in a high position. Why so distressed?”
3 Old Cao smiled bitterly and said, “In the past, guarding so many materials, I could naturally eat till my bowl and pot were full. But now, this mountain of materials is a volcano. My buttocks are sitting right on the crater. I wish you’d immediately cart off every single good in this warehouse.”
4 Yun Ce thought for a moment and said, “Today Brother Cao has given brother convenience, so brother will give Brother Cao a convenience in return. If things become untenable in Chuyun City, Brother Cao can come to my Royal Hunting Ground. It’s not as prosperous as Chuyun City there, but it’s peaceful and safe.”
4 Old Cao opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end closed it. He merely gave Yun Ce a serious salute, seemingly deeply grateful for what Yun Ce had just said.
4 Then, after speaking, he left.
4 Thus, the understanding Yun Ce was like a mouse entering a granary. He had Steward Qiu and the others dump all the previous cargo and reload: exchanging all the Yi Tree Powder for white rice, all the astringent-tasting fodder grain for various nutrient-rich beans. As for Yi Tree Cloth, naturally the best. Even expensive silk, Yun Ce ruthlessly loaded two boxes…
4 When the convoy fully loaded with goods was nervously driven out of the warehouse by Steward Qiu and the group, Yun Ce felt that the Dragon Pearl on his wrist seemed to have gained some weight, and in his ears rang Doggy’s shrill screeches.
4 “You’re controlling me with morals. Look, where did you get your morals from?”
4 “The lower my moral bottom line, the lower yours becomes too. It’s good for you. Why are you howling?”
4 “That’s not it, that’s not it. Morals aren’t weighed by the catty. What you said is wrong.”
4 “Get lost. You’re annoying me to death.”
4 When Yun Ce exited the heavily guarded warehouse, he saw that even the six sword-bearing guards at the door were gone. Yun Ce turned and called Steward Qiu to go back. When he emerged again, not only did he bring ten good cart-pulling sheep, he was also carrying a huge cage in his hand, inside which were six small birds with yellow mouths, white brows, and black wings.
5 Steward Qiu tremblingly said, “Chief Manager, is this really okay?”
5 Yun Ce ignored Doggy’s even shriller cries in his mind, dug at his ear, and said, “This is the only chance in your life to make a fortune. If you let it pass, you’re doomed to be a poor wretch for life.”
5 Steward Qiu glanced at the hunters whose legs were as soft as his own, finally gritted his teeth and said, “All as Chief Manager says.”
5 Yun Ce sighed and said, “These benefits aren’t free. Soon, many, many people will be coming to live in our Royal Hunting Ground.”
5 Steward Qiu’s eyes widened and he said, “How can we support them?”
5 Yun Ce shook his head and said, “No need for us to support them. They can support themselves. We don’t need to worry about leaving the city either. Naturally, someone will handle everything.”
5 Steward Qiu still couldn’t understand, his eyes full of doubt.
5 Yun Ce smiled and said, “You don’t understand officialdom. You’ll get it when we reach the city gate.”
5 Steward Qiu hesitantly said, “My sister is still in the city. I originally wanted to go see her.”
5 Yun Ce clicked his tongue and said, “Today, you as the Royal Hunting Ground’s steward have truly tasted the flavor of power. I’ll give you an hour. Go bring your sister’s entire family back to the Royal Hunting Ground. It’s not too late to return after the big battle in the city ends.”
