Chapter 60: Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water
“Alright.”
Lin Shou Zhuo didn’t ask further, nodded, and strode away.
Exiting the Eight Treasures Tower.
Chen Shun’an then saw outside the Eight Treasures Tower, under canopies set up on both sides of the main entrance, there were three or four tables and seven or eight long benches selling tea.
Chen Shun’an turned sideways and stood under the canopy, waiting silently.
“You’re called Chen Shun’an?”
A grating, openly malicious voice came.
The burly man with eyes like bronze bells who had sat at the main table earlier, signaled to those beside him, and then approached Chen Shun’an.
A menacing wind rushed in, kicking up sand that stung his face.
The big man tore open his sweat-soaked cloth shirt, revealing a thick chest of hair, and sneered at Chen Shun’an, chuckling,
“When you’re old, you should act your age. Stick to pushing your cart and delivering water, don’t have any unrealistic ambitions… I heard your wife died? While that thing still works, hurry and find a few more wives to continue the incense.”
The big man’s eyeballs rolled restlessly, and he said,
“When that time comes, you better invite me to the wedding banquet and help with the bridal chamber games! My name is He Qiang, remember that, old man.”
With that, He Qiang, ignoring Chen Shun’an’s reaction, burst into laughter and left.
From afar,
He Qiang’s companions showed displeasure, seeming to scold him a few words, then cupped their hands in apology towards Chen Shun’an.
Chen Shun’an felt somewhat bewildered.
He Qiang, could he also be a hothead?
He Qiang was quite an unusual person; as a child, he was a pig herder, specifically raising pigs for local gentry and wealthy families, eating and sleeping in the pigsties.
Later, he heard he encountered a Big Black Pig and, in a daze, actually worshipped the Black Boar!
Wuqing County had a mixed pantheon of beliefs and many customs.
Fishermen worshipped the Heavenly Queen, scholars worshipped the Wen Qu Star, and blacksmiths worshipped the Fire God.
But for someone like He Qiang to worship a Big Black Pig was truly unprecedented, like a scorpion’s defecation.
However, it was also strange. Ever since he worshipped the Big Black Boar, he seemed to have awakened, his hardened body and mastery of Hardening Technique kung fu coming naturally.
A few years younger than Lin Shou Zhuo, around the age of thirty, he was already at Second-rate Perfection strength, a prominent figure of the ‘Three-eyed Well’ in the fresh water trade.
Chen Shun’an stood in place, recalling everything that had happened at the dinner table.
He vaguely understood the underlying meaning.
Did He Qiang deliberately want to provoke him?
As for the reason, it was probably very simple.
The competition for water stations.
There were only eight or nine people at the main table, and three of them were from Grit Well, no wonder the other water stations harbored resentment.
Furthermore, there were likely some genuine conflicts of interest involved that Chen Shun’an was not yet aware of.
“Where there are people, there is the Martial World.”
Chen Shun’an shook his head; fortunately, he wasn’t a Great Hero in the Martial World, but a glue maker.
Stability first, stay put, and quietly manage relationships from within and without.
Chen Mou has always had a broad mind, repaying grievances with virtue, how could he be easily provoked or hold grudges?
…
“Qiang, Chen Shun’an has just caught the Landlord’s attention. Why would you offend him now? What’s the reason for this?”
As He Qiang and his companions walked down the street, his companion, seeing that the Eight Treasures Tower was completely out of sight, finally spoke in exasperation.
“What’s there to fear? Not being envied means being mediocre. I, He Mou, have always been straightforward! If you don’t like me, beat me first! And besides…”
The sun hung high at noon, unmoving, the street felt like a furnace.
The three were not in a hurry to return to their posts at the well. They found a cool tea stall by the roadside, sat down, and slowly sipped herbal tea to quench their thirst.
He Qiang looked at the street, sticking out his tongue and panting, and addressed the ordinary water carriers pushing their carts under the scorching sun with a calm expression,
“The positions we’ve reached today weren’t earned through politeness and goodwill; they were gained through struggle and conquest!
Five Wheels Eight Treasures Immortal Water… Among the wells under the Landlord, only Grit Well, Black Sand Well, and Yellow Mud Well, these three turbid water wells, produce ‘Eight Treasures Mercury’; including my Three-eyed Well, only two freshwater ancient wells produce ‘Five-wheel Water’.
I won’t even mention Immortal Water.
If Lin Shou Zhuo breaks through to First-rate, with his Great Accomplishment Fist’s fist intent of ‘inner does not wander out, outer does not invade in’, the Landlord will definitely transfer him to transport ‘Five-wheel Water’.
If he takes that position, we’ll lose one. And since Chen Shun’an cultivates Ròufēi Xiān, the Landlord will likely feel confident entrusting him with the errand that originally belonged to Lin Shou Zhuo.
What I want to do is simply make it so that Lin Shou Zhuo cannot break through so easily, and cannot leave Grit Well so easily!”
Hearing this, his companion put down his teacup, a look of realization on his face.
“So Qiang, you deliberately want to anger Chen Shun’an, make him resent you, and even create a rift… This way, with Lin Shou Zhuo’s outwardly cold but inwardly warm personality, he will surely stand up for him, thus delaying his own cultivation?”
“Brilliant, truly brilliant!”
The companions repeatedly praised. He Qiang’s strategy of feigned foolishness was executed with masterful skill.
He Qiang’s appearance was rough and his body full of muscle, but his mind was remarkably cunning.
“However, what if Chen Shun’an doesn’t fall for it?” someone interjected unexpectedly.
He Qiang paused, leaned back, and unconsciously rubbed his back against the chair, saying,
“People aren’t made of mud; how can they not get angry? If provoking him doesn’t work this time, I’ll do it again. A few more times, and I’m not afraid Chen Shun’an won’t take the bait.”
“But we can’t be too harsh. After the Hua incident, the Landlord is very wary of internal conflict now.”
“Don’t worry, I know. I don’t need to go all out against an old man. Only Lin Shou Zhuo is worth my full effort…”
…
“Old Chen? Why haven’t you gone back yet?”
Shopkeeper Li, looking worried, bowed his head and stepped over the threshold of the Eight Treasures Tower, only to see a familiar figure.
Chen Shun’an completely put the scoundrel He Qiang out of his mind and pulled Shopkeeper Li aside, asking in a low voice,
“Is the Landlord in some trouble?”
Shopkeeper Li hesitated. Strictly speaking, these matters shouldn’t be discussed with an ordinary water carrier, as it might tarnish Landlord Zhao’s dignity.
But Old Chen was no longer an ordinary water carrier; he was already registered with the Landlord, so Shopkeeper Li decided not to hide it any longer.
“Old Chen, you must know about the Qianning visit to Hua… Our Wuqing County’s old Wellhead is soon to be promoted to the North Grand Canal Branch, and the nine Landlords are all eagerly eyeing the vacant position.
At this point, Shopkeeper Li also showed annoyance, gritting his teeth and saying,
“Now, the North Grand Canal Branch is furious, ordering that if the old Wellhead doesn’t cover the deficit, he will remain in Wuqing County. The old Wellhead threw his hands up, stating that this debt must be resolved by the nine Landlords, because unless this ‘great god’ is sent away, no one else can take his place!”
Chen Shun’an listened for a moment and understood the situation.
This Wellhead governed the water management of a county. Although he didn’t directly interfere in the sale of well water, he had the authority to inspect and impeach Landlords.
The relationship between the Five Rivers Branch, and even the Capital Water Merchants Association, and the Landlords of the Capital Region’s water stations was similar to the franchise model of Chen Shun’an’s previous life.
Although the well opening was your own, dealings with the government, personnel management, and technical support were handled by the Water Merchant General Association.
And the income from the well was turned in as a share, which was also a form of protection fee in a sense.
And the income from the well would be turned in as a share, which was also a form of protection fee in a sense.
