Three hundred million?
Chong Er was fine, feeling nothing much, as he had no idea about the depth of their financial resources here.
The three senior martial brothers, however, remained so calm that only their eyes moved.
Ye DianDian had not finished. She added, “This does not include the daily consumption and maintenance costs of the formation’s operation.”
Yu Qing smiled awkwardly. “Does setting up a spirit gathering formation really cost that much money?”
Ye DianDian replied, “Not much. Yours is actually quite low. For the spiritual fields of some spiritual plant sects, the investment to build a spirit gathering formation can easily reach tens of billions. Of course, their output is also large, with annual revenues often reaching over a billion or even tens of billions. When you play big, the investment is naturally large. It is perfectly normal.”
Yu Qing gave a bitter smile. “It is naturally normal in their eyes.”
Ye DianDian noticed something and spoke slowly. “Large scale spiritual planting is simply not something ordinary people can attempt. Even by the standards of the cultivation world, only those with substantial strength can afford it. One hundred taels of silver is enough for a common family to survive for a year, yet a bracelet casually worn by a noblewoman can be worth millions of taels, possibly even more expensive than your selling price for a fairy peach tree. Do you really think there is anything abnormal about that?
Ordinary families should not fantasise about wearing a noblewoman’s bracelet. They simply cannot afford it. There is no need for those eating chaff and swallowing vegetables to try and understand a different level of life. They will never grasp it. A weak horse should not force itself to pull like a qilin. It simply cannot be done. If funds are truly tight, to be honest, I do not recommend you attempt this. If you invest three hundred million, you might still need to spend tens of millions annually just to maintain it. The expenses will be enormous.”
Yu Qing remained silent. After a long pause, he glanced at the one eyed man kneeling by the pavilion nearby. He then gestured to Ye DianDian. “Let us not stand here. Let us talk inside.”
The group returned to the hall and took their seats. Ye DianDian sipped her tea slowly, her peripheral vision occasionally checking Yu Qing’s reactions.
After a long while, Yu Qing asked again. “When will this peach tree bear fruit, and when will the fruit ripen? Is it truly impossible to predict?”
Ye DianDian replied. “I really cannot confirm that. What is the matter? Is the Tan Hua Lang still unwilling to give up? Do you still want to try?”
Yu Qing pondered. “Madam Boss, I will not hide it from you. My biggest concern right now is actually where it is suitable to place them. If I can find a suitable location, I would indeed like to do my utmost to try. But as you know, I have offended the Chi Lan Pavilion and the Ji Lu Mountain. The world is vast, yet I do not know which place is appropriate. This time, I also wish to ask for your advice, Madam Boss. Do you have any good suggestions? You have experience in this area.”
Ye DianDian paused for a moment before speaking. “It requires annual investment. Even if the fairy peaches are cultivated, no one knows how long it takes for them to ripen. Even if you find a suitable place, you might just be taking on a bottomless pit for yourself. Are you really going to take the risk?”
Yu Qing replied. “If there truly is a suitable place, I will definitely try.”
Ye DianDian suddenly smiled. “If that is the case, then you probably found exactly the right person by coming to me.”
Yu Qing’s eyes lit up. “What do you mean?”
Not only him, but Nan Zhu, Mu Aotie, and Chong Er all instantly perked up, their eyes full of expectation.
After all, there were so many fairy peach trees, each selling for fifty million taels. How many people could bear to simply throw away over two hundred of them for nothing?
Ye DianDian said. “Although I dare not provoke the Chi Lan Pavilion and Ji Lu Mountain, if the trees are planted in a location I choose, they may not necessarily be able to do anything to me.”
Yu Qing was slightly puzzled. If just one Qu He Mountain forced you to hide, how could the Chi Lan Pavilion and Ji Lu Mountain not be able to touch you? He immediately followed up. “I would like to hear the details.”
Ye DianDian calmly stated. “I am getting married.”
The people present were all stunned at the same time, unsure what this had to do with her marriage. However, they quickly made some connections.
“Uh…” Yu Qing was slightly startled before pressing for the key point. “May I ask which expert you are marrying?”
Ye DianDian smiled. “It is not really any expert, and the place is not particularly good either. I am marrying into the barbaric wastelands, becoming a second wife to the son of a tribal chief. That tribe does have some strength, enough to make the Chi Lan Pavilion and Ji Lu Mountain hesitate to act rashly.”
Nan Zhu blurted out. “The Great Wasteland?”
Ye DianDian looked at him and nodded. She then asked Yu Qing. “What are the names of the two opposite us?”
“Ignore them.” Yu Qing dismissed them with a blunt remark before continuing his question. “Given your background, Madam Boss, why would you willingly become a second wife?”
Ye DianDian replied. “What background do I have? It is all in the past long ago. There is no question of willing or unwilling. At least the tribes over there do not fuss over such things. I simply want to find a place where I can truly settle down. To be honest, I am genuinely tired of hiding all these years. As the Xiao Xian Lou grows in fame, Qu He Mountain is gradually seeing me as a future threat again. People are like that. There will always be those who cannot stand to see you doing well.
Coincidentally, when that person came from the Great Wasteland to the Jin Kingdom, a noble guest from the capital hosted a banquet at the Xiao Xian Lou. That is where we met and became acquainted.
After he showed interest in me, I also looked into his background. He appears a bit rough, but he is still a man one can entrust one’s life to. I later accepted his proposal. The wedding date is not far off. In about half a month, I will formally marry and move there.”
The scene fell into silence.
After a good while, Yu Qing could not help scratching his head. “It seems like a good thing, but why do I still feel a sense of grievance on your behalf? It makes me feel rather uncomfortable.”
Ye DianDian covered her mouth and chuckled for a moment, then suddenly asked him. “So what if I feel wronged? Can you help me? Do you have the ability to block the threat from Qu He Mountain for me? If you do, I will not marry!”
The scene grew quiet again. Yu Qing fell silent, unsure how to answer. The fact was, he truly was powerless and could not make any promises.
After staring at him for a while, Ye DianDian smiled again. “Alright, I was just joking with you. I am genuinely tired of hiding and want to live a free life. Besides, those who escaped Qu He Mountain with me have been loyal and steadfast all these years. I must give them an answer.
They also need a place that can shelter them and allow them to grow old. This is my responsibility. Marrying solves the problem. It is so simple. Why not? Besides, we can help you plant the peach trees while we are at it.”
The scene grew quiet once more. Chong Er stared at Ye DianDian, his bright eyes blinking.
An inexplicable sense of oppression weighed on Yu Qing’s heart.
In truth, everyone knew that unless there were no other choices, no woman would willingly marry into the barbaric wastelands.
Ye DianDian asked. “Why are you not speaking? You have a solution to your worries. Are you not happy about it?”
Yu Qing slowly let out a sigh. “To be honest, I truly cannot produce three hundred million right now.”
Ye DianDian looked surprised. “That cannot be right. When I first arrived at Youjiao Port, I heard people saying you had struck it rich. I heard you made at least several hundred million.”
“How should I put it? It has basically all been spent. Just the freight cost to transport the goods to Youjiao Port cost me over two hundred million. I went into debt first, then paid it off later. I certainly would not dare to default on the Bihai Shipping Company. As for the rest, after various other expenses, there is not much left.”
As he said this, Yu Qing could not help but cast a cold glance at Nan and Mu.
The two senior martial brothers looked slightly embarrassed. They both knew that a gap which was originally not large had been blown out of proportion by them. Complicating matters, it was not easy to discuss this with their junior martial uncle. If they mentioned it, he would certainly not refund that hundred million, and might even try to stop the peach tree planting. The junior martial uncle had already opposed it repeatedly.
On the other hand, they both found it hard to accept abandoning so many fairy peach trees, which had taken such great effort to acquire.
The key point was that they had a way to remove the malevolent energy from the fairy peach trees at any time. How could they bear to throw them away? Finding a place to plant them meant they could cash out when a suitable opportunity arose in the future. How could they possibly listen to their junior martial uncle and just discard them?
Ye DianDian hesitated for a moment before asking. “Tell me honestly, how much more money are you short?”
Yu Qing replied. “I only have about one hundred and sixty million on hand. Right now, the goods have been disrupted by troublemakers and are not selling well, which ruined my plans. Otherwise, with the stock I have, this amount would be nothing. I could even use money to buy out a suitable plot of land for planting!”
This time, Ye DianDian fell into silence. After a long while, she spoke slowly. “How about this. I will try to save on the expenses for the formation materials as much as possible, and I will pay to cover the remaining shortfall. I cannot help you with other costs though, as I still have those people to support, and I must keep some money for myself. Once the peach trees arrive, I will handle all the planting affairs. You will not need to worry about a thing. You just give me ten million annually for the spirit gathering formation maintenance costs. If you think that works, let us settle it this way.”
Everyone was astonished. Yu Qing was even more surprised. “You are spending over a hundred million to cover my shortfall? How could I possibly accept that?”
Ye DianDian said. “You can consider it my way of thanking you. I truly must thank you. Without the help of your calligraphy piece, the Xiao Xian Lou would not have done so well, and I would not have earned this money. Without the later fame of the Xiao Xian Lou, I would not have had the opportunity to meet my current partner. Consider it my repayment to you.”
Hearing this, Chong Er looked at Yu Qing, his mouth curving into a smile, his eyes full of admiration. He always knew his senior martial brother was a helpful and good person.
He then glanced at the stunned Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie, his gaze complex.
Yu Qing waved his hands repeatedly. “I feel unworthy of it. I truly do. A single calligraphy piece is not worth that much money. I really cannot accept this money.”
Ye DianDian raised her hand to stop him. “I am providing this money both to thank you and for my own sake. Let me finish speaking.
After I leave the Jin Kingdom, I will transfer the Xiao Xian Lou to Lin Chengdao to manage. My nephew has indeed suffered a lot of grievances for my sake over those years. Consider this compensation for him. He can arrange and run it however he wishes.
I have already agreed with him. I will give him all the existing assets without him spending a single penny. In the future, he just needs to give me thirty percent of the net profit. Whether he earns more or less, or gives more or less, it is entirely up to him. Besides, once I marry over there, he will effectively have a backer. In the future, if anyone in the Jin Kingdom court wants to touch him, they will have to think twice about his background.
I previously heard guests discussing you at the Xiao Xian Lou, so I am aware of your situation. After receiving your letter, I roughly guessed what you intended to do. My visit here is to catch up, to express my gratitude, and to confirm whether my guess was correct.
Although I do not know why you are fixated on these seemingly worthless items, and why you are willing to risk attempting this even when it might be a bottomless pit, I know you are not an ordinary person. You are the foremost scholar in the world. You are the person who could find the Little Cloud Realm, and the one who managed to acquire these items from the three major factions.
I do not believe someone like you would take such a risk for something valueless. Your actions indicate there must be enormous value within it, worthy of your gamble. Therefore, I also want to share in the benefits, or rather, place a bet myself. I do not ask for much. Just like Lin Chengdao, I want thirty percent of the profits from cultivating these fairy peach trees!
In the barbaric wastelands, I will lose my personal income channels. I still have a group of people following me. If I can share in some of the benefits from the Tan Hua Lang, it would be a rather good choice.”