Do friends or do enemies?
For Yu Qing, things that involved a choice did not seem like much of a big deal. He cared about another issue and asked, “That is to say, can the fire cricket be sold for five million taels?”
It was completely off topic. Qin Jue frowned slightly. “It might sell, but the possibility of it not selling is greater. Although both do business in Youjiao Port, Miaoqing Hall and Jianyuan Zhai are not at the same level at all. There are some things that Sun Ping only knows one side of and not the other.
Some goods transactions are not as simple as Sun Ping saw. You do not know what something is and then spend a lot of money to buy it. Do you really think rich people are fools? Can fools earn that much money? There are those who spend recklessly, but for normal people, the money spent recklessly is all small amounts. No one spends large sums recklessly. Five million taels is not a small number.
The rare items that Sun Ping has seen sold at high prices were only the surface. She did not know that there is a whole series of operations behind it.
If you give the item to Miaoqing Hall, they can only post a notice in Youya and then sit and wait for luck.
Where does so much good luck come from?
To sell something with unclear uses at a high price, you need to clearly know which people have the purchasing power, which people might buy it, and also carry out targeted hype and so on. Miaoqing Hall simply does not have the strength to access such buyer sources.
You must understand that what you have in your hand is the fourth fire cricket. Four have appeared in just half a year. That means this item is not rare, and it means it can still be caught. In this situation, who do you think would spend five million taels on it?
Once someone spends five million to buy it, one fire cricket would be worth five million taels. It would definitely alarm all sides. Even high-level experts at the Gao Xuan realm would find it worthwhile to go catch them personally.
Can someone who can casually take out five million taels not understand this logic? Would they lift silver to smash their own feet?
If we handle it, we would first build up the hype and let everyone know that the fire cricket is very advanced.
We would let everyone know that the fire cricket is very difficult to catch and basically impossible to catch again. This would cut off other people’s thoughts of going to catch it, and also make potential buyers understand its rarity.
We would provide some form of price protection guarantee to people with purchasing potential, ensuring that within a certain period the item in their hands will not lose value. If they do not want to keep it, they can sell it back at any time to recover their capital or even make a profit. As for who suffers with the next buyer, that has nothing to do with us.
Therefore, even if someone can catch another fire cricket, we would make sure it cannot appear on the market.
Third Place Scholar, before selling at a high price, a lot of preparation is needed. Miaoqing Hall simply does not have this kind of operational strength. Do not let them pit you. Once it is posted and does not sell for a long time, it will really become cheap goods!”
Yu Qing listened with his eyes flashing. It was an eye-opening experience and he gained knowledge, yet he was also doubtful. “Since it cannot be sold, what is Shopkeeper Qin still worried about?”
Qin Jue said, “I said there is also the possibility of it selling. No one can guarantee whether a person with a problem in their head will suddenly appear. After all, the fire cricket has been made famous by Youya. You caused a slip-up once in the ancient tomb wasteland, and now you appeared again at a critical moment. The thing called luck is unclear. You have made me feel somewhat uncertain inside. The reason I came to see the Third Place Scholar in person is to eliminate this possibility.”
Yu Qing countered, “You mean, after you finish the operations, then help me sell it?”
Qin Jue said, “When would it count as the operations being finished? If I say it that way, that would mean I have no sincerity. How could I then make friends with the Third Place Scholar? The reason Jianyuan Zhai could rise quickly is that it can make friends who come to do business happy. Since I came in person, the Third Place Scholar does not need to post it and try his luck. Just sell it directly to me. I will pay six million taels, cash, and goods exchanged on the spot!”
Six million taels? Yu Qing’s eyes went a bit dazed. He almost got so excited that he sprayed nosebleed. After forcing himself to calm his emotions, he felt somewhat doubtful and uncertain. There was even someone proactively adding one million taels. Could there be such a good thing? He could not help saying, “Shopkeeper Qin is someone who does big business. So generous!”
Qin Jue shook his head slightly. “I am offering a higher price with conditions. As I said earlier, no second fire cricket can appear on the market. I happen to know that Third Place Scholar, you are someone capable of catching fire crickets. You must sign a guarantee and cannot tell others how to catch the fire cricket. Otherwise you must compensate me with principal and interest.”
Sure enough, there was no free money. Yu Qing blinked. In fact, he had really had that crooked idea in his mind just now. He did not expect the other party to cut off his thoughts so quickly.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly said, “Add another fifty thousand!”
Qin Jue frowned. “Third Place Scholar, this is a bit too much. Six million is already very high!”
Yu Qing said, “You are in business and will not do loss-making deals. Since you can offer this price, it shows you can still make money. You can control the price. At worst, just raise it a bit more. I hope Shopkeeper Qin understands that I am friends with Tie Miaoqing. This kind of thing of betraying a friend would have a huge impact on my reputation. Could it be that you think my reputation is not even worth fifty thousand?
Shopkeeper Qin, if I were to help Miaoqing Hall, even without the fire cricket, do you believe that if I write more poems and fu for Miaoqing Hall to sell exclusively, it could also help Miaoqing Hall avoid this disaster? Six hundred and fifty thousand. I guarantee I will not write those for Miaoqing Hall. Otherwise, if Tie Miaoqing comes back to find me and asks, with such a delicate and beautiful woman begging me, I really cannot guarantee that I will not agree to her.”
After speaking, he could not help sighing inwardly. He did not expect that he had already reached such a bold realm. Earlier he was still worrying about a hundred or so taels of silver in his pocket. In the blink of an eye, the prices discussed were fluctuations of fifty thousand taels of silver, and he could remain calm.
He suddenly felt that his previous desperate struggles over tens of thousands of taels of silver were not worthwhile.
Qin Jue fell silent for a moment. Thinking about it, it was true. The person in front of him was indeed not short of money. With his fame, he could sell quite a lot of money by casually writing a few poems and fu. Forcing him to betray his friend this time meant he had already made a huge concession by agreeing. It was clear he was indeed a person who understood the times.
After weighing it clearly in his mind, he nodded and said, “Good. Then it is settled like this?”
For that six hundred and fifty thousand, Yu Qing lightly patted the table. “Settled. Now hand over the money and goods at the same time!”
Qin Jue finally showed a smile again. He gestured to Cui You and said, “Go to the money house and ask Manager Wu to bring six hundred and fifty thousand in cash notes here.”
He found that things went smoother than he imagined. He had previously worried that the person had integrity. After all, he was a famous scholar. Usually they treasured their reputation.
A person who dared to throw away his official hat in the capital of Jin Country and not give face to the emperor, and who scattered all his wealth for disaster victims.
With such a person, one could imagine it would definitely not be easy to handle.
This was also the reason he added one million taels right at the start. For an ordinary person he would definitely not be so generous with the increase.
“Yes!” Cui You accepted the order and left.
Yu Qing however said, “No hurry. There is one more condition.”
Cui You stopped in his steps.
Qin Jue said in a deep voice, “What condition?”
Yu Qing said, “I still have two brothers. Tie Miaoqing promised us that after it is done, she would get us the Youju plaque from Miaoqing Hall. I wonder if Shopkeeper Qin’s Jianyuan Zhai can provide it?”
Qin Jue was surprised. “You want to establish yourselves in Youjiao Port and join my Jianyuan Zhai?”
Yu Qing said, “No. This place without daylight, I cannot get used to staying long. It is just that last time in the ancient tomb wasteland we suffered a loss. We want to get a merchant identity in Youjiao Port so that it is convenient to enter and exit the demon realm when there are matters.”
Qin Jue’s expression stiffened for a while before he said, “Are you joking? How can this identity be given casually? Once Jianyuan Zhai provides a guarantee for you, if you cause trouble outside, would my Jianyuan Zhai not directly close down and be shut? Would it not be directly ruined by you?”
To this, Yu Qing sighed and said, “Shopkeeper Qin is overthinking. Do I look like a person who causes trouble?”
Qin Jue pursed his lips. In his heart he thought, who can say clearly about this.
Yu Qing added, “I cannot deliberately pit you, right? Otherwise, how could you let me go? Could I be seeking death? Could I use Jianyuan Zhai’s signboard to rob or do something that harms heaven and earth?”
Qin Jue fell silent for a moment. He felt that this was also true. With this person’s fame, on the surface he indeed would not do anything out of line.
“It is just for convenience when passing through the demon realm. Moreover, using your signboard cannot do much. Shopkeeper Qin, these are the conditions. I am sincere about making friends. It is up to you.”
After thinking for a while, Qin Jue said, “It can be agreed, but a contract must be signed. If it causes any impact to my Jianyuan Zhai, you must provide corresponding compensation.”
“No problem.” Yu Qing agreed readily. He indeed only wanted to borrow the identity temporarily and had no need to pit them.
Qin Jue nodded to Cui You again, and the latter quickly left.
Only two people remained in the private room. The wine and dishes on the table sat idle. Since the guest was worried about being poisoned, Qin Jue no longer invited him to eat.
Once the important matters were settled, the two began to chat idly.
In fact, Qin Jue felt quite curious about this Third Place Scholar. Not to mention the full marks in four subjects for the top graduate and so on. He heard that as soon as he entered officialdom in Jin Country, he became a close aide to the Censor-in-Chief. Clearly he had a boundless future, yet he threw away his official hat and said he would not do it and stopped.
He heard that he abandoned his fiancée just like that, yet the fiancée later became a personal disciple of one of the top figures in the cultivation world.
He heard that he even killed a court official and fled, was surrounded and captured by a large force, and after being caught he could still escape.
How could there be such a person? It made people unable to judge him by common sense. The things that happened to this person were indeed quite legendary.
To tell the truth, when facing Yu Qing, Qin Jue did not dare to move against him openly.
No way around it. The person’s background was good. His father was the former head of the Ministry of Works in Jin Country. The key was that the forces behind his father were huge. Killing such a person required no leaks. Once it spread, who knew what kind of trouble it would bring.
Ordinary people could not make him take action personally, and he directly smashed out more than six million taels of silver…
Sun Ping, with red eyes, ran back to Miaoqing Hall and with a face full of grief and indignation told the whole story.
Tie Miaoqing was greatly shocked. A person who could scatter tens of thousands of taels of silver to save disaster victims, how could he possibly break his promise and betray trust?
Bang! Nan Zhu even slapped the table and stood up, furious beyond restraint. “Impossible! Boss lady, put your heart at ease. With me here, I definitely cannot let Old Fifteen do something that betrays trust and righteousness.”
Tie Miaoqing’s eyes showed gratitude and expectation at once. She nodded repeatedly.
Nan Zhu turned around. “Where is the person? Trouble Shopkeeper Sun to lead the way. Let me go and watch that beast, see what he dares to do!”
Sun Ping also nodded repeatedly and quickly led the way.
“Old Nine, come, let’s go together!” Nan Zhu shouted.
No need for him to call. Mu Ao Tie, with a cold face, had already followed.
The two martial brothers had faces full of righteous indignation.
If not for things still needing to be watched in the shop, Tie Miaoqing would also have to follow to see what was going on. At this time she could only watch them leave with eager eyes, tense and uneasy. Nan Zhu and Mu Ao Tie had undoubtedly become her last hope…