Chapter 41

Chapter 042: The Consequences Are Unimaginable

First, I beg for your collection, second, I beg for your recommendation, and third, I beg for your clicks.

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The Sun family father and son, along with Li Wenjun, packed their belongings, said goodbye to the house's owner, and harnessed the carriage, preparing to return to the county town.

The trading fair was nearing its end, and many who had come to participate were leaving. Sun Baicao drove the carriage, slowly making his way along the official road leading to the county town.

Li Wenjun and Sun Jianing sat on the open cart, the cold wind fiercely blowing into their necks.

Sun Jianing huddled up, shivering from the cold. Li Wenjun, sitting beside him, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, nudged Sun Jianing and asked, "Jianing, have you thought about how to make money?"

Sun Jianing shook his head and said, "This time at the trading fair, I realized how difficult it is to make money. To sell the herbs, my father and I almost ran our legs off, begging everyone we could. In the end, we barely found a good buyer. Otherwise, we might have ended up with all the herbs unsold."

Driving the carriage, Sun Baicao said, "Son, are you only now realizing how hard it is to make money? Think about it, to gather these herbs, I had to endure so much hardship and risk. Like last time we went into the mountains, if it weren't for Wenjun, we might have lost our lives."

Sun Jianing nodded and said, "I never thought about it before. Father, I was naive and often acted recklessly. I apologize to you both."

Sun Baicao laughed and said, "Son, thinking this way shows that you've grown up. It's fine; you're our only child, and the money we earn is for you to spend."

Seeing the affectionate scene between the Sun family father and son, Li Wenjun thought of his separated parents and siblings, his expression turning somber. But he quickly suppressed his thoughts of his parents. He smiled and said, "Uncle Sun, I have something to discuss with you. Before we came to the trading fair, Wenjun mentioned he was looking for ways to make money. I have an idea—why not open a pharmacy? Or buy some land to grow herbs, which could also be a good idea."

Sun Baicao said, "That's a good idea, but it requires a lot of capital. You know our situation; we don't lack food or clothing, but if we were to take out a large sum of money to open a pharmacy or become herb farmers, it would be very difficult for us. Besides, Wenjun is of marriageable age, which is another big expense."

Li Wenjun said, "Uncle Sun, this is what I'm thinking. We can partner up. I'll provide the money, and you provide the labor. Whether it's farming, opening a pharmacy, or acting as a middleman for herbs, I don't care.

I have three requirements: First, I only provide the money; you handle all business matters, and I won't interfere. Unless there's something special, don't bother me; I have my own things to do. Second, we split the profits equally. Third, I need you to collect some herbs for me during your business activities, and the cost of the herbs will be deducted from my share of the profits.

Oh, by the way, I can provide five hundred taels of silver. Should that be enough to start the business?"

Sun Jianing gasped, urgently saying, "Wenjun, don't think I'm prying, but how do you have five hundred taels of silver? That's a huge sum of money."

Li Wenjun smiled and said, "Uncle Sun, the money is mine, and I can't go into the details of how I earned it. Don't worry; the money is clean, and the authorities won't interfere."

Li Wenjun had committed murder and arson several times, so lying was nothing new to him. He had killed bandits who preyed on others, and the money he took was stolen goods. He felt no guilt or burden, and certainly no sense of sin.

Seeing that Li Wenjun didn't want to elaborate, Sun Baicao didn't press further to avoid upsetting him. He pondered for a moment and said, "This is a big decision, and I can't make it alone. Once we get back, I'll discuss it with your aunt. After we decide, I'll give you a definite answer."

Li Wenjun smiled and said, "Uncle Sun, I'm definitely going to do this business. If you're not interested, I might have to partner with someone else. But I prefer to work with you. We're like family, and we should keep the benefits within our own circle."

The journey was uneventful, and by late afternoon, they could see the county town's gate in the distance. As the carriage approached the gate, they saw a constable carrying a small wooden bucket and a piece of paper under his arm, coming out of the gate.

The constable walked to the wall outside the gate, took a broom from the bucket, dipped it in glue from a bamboo tube, and pasted the notice, which bore the county magistrate's seal, on the wall.

Sun Baicao stopped the carriage and walked to the notice to read it. After a moment, he returned to the carriage with a dark expression and muttered, "That damned county magistrate is thinking of ways to extort us again."

"What happened, Father?" Sun Jianing asked.

Sun Baicao snorted and said, "The county magistrate says that capturing Wang Yonggui is everyone's responsibility, so he's decided to levy a 'thief-catching tax.' Every man, woman, and child in the county will have to pay ten coins per month."

Li Wenjun reacted the fastest and said, "As far as I know, there are over 130,000 people in Sanyi County. That means he'll collect over a thousand taels of silver each month."

Sun Baicao nodded and muttered, "That corrupt official always finds ways to exploit us. When will the emperor send a special envoy to arrest this dog and execute him after the autumn?"

Li Wenjun smiled coldly. He had long given up any hope in the government. He comforted Sun Baicao, "Uncle Sun, don't be angry. Ten coins per month isn't much. If the county magistrate can really catch Wang Yonggui, it's worth it."

Sun Baicao thought for a moment and nodded. Wang Yonggui was a significant threat to him as well. As a herb gatherer, he often had to enter the mountains, and encountering Wang Yonggui could have unimaginable consequences. For his family of three, paying thirty coins a month to have the government catch Wang Yonggui was a good deal. The only fear was that the government would take the money but do nothing.

Sun Baicao drove the carriage home. He invited Li Wenjun to eat with them, and at the dinner table, he told his wife about Li Wenjun's proposal to partner in business. The three of them discussed it while eating, but they didn't reach a conclusion by the end of the meal.

After dinner, Sun Jianing helped Li Wenjun move the items he had brought back from Fengshou Town to his home and brought the dog that had been staying at the Sun family's house.

After Sun Jianing left, Li Wenjun started a fire to boil medicine and continued his cultivation. Cultivation was his top priority, and he would not stop unless the sky fell or the earth split.

A few days passed, and the Sun family finally reached a decision. Sun Baicao agreed to Li Wenjun's proposal to partner in business. However, he suggested that a 50-50 profit split was too favorable to them, and they would be satisfied with a 30% share. After some discussion, they agreed on a 40-60 split, with Li Wenjun taking the larger share.

Li Wenjun trusted the Sun family and didn't bother with a written contract. After making a verbal agreement, he took out five hundred taels of silver and handed it to them.

Ten ingots of fifty taels each, lined up, were dazzling. The Sun family of three looked at the silver, wondering where Li Wenjun usually kept it.

Sun Baicao carefully stored the silver and solemnly warned his wife and son that even if they were beaten to death, they must not reveal that Li Wenjun was the investor. Li Wenjun had trusted them with such a large sum of money, and this trust was a gift of wealth. They must live up to this trust.

After handing over the silver, Li Wenjun left everything to the Sun family and focused entirely on his cultivation. The herbs he bought at the precious market in Fengshou Town were enough to prepare dozens of medicinal baths, which he used to advance to the first level of the Qi Cultivation stage.

Over the course of a month, Li Wenjun prepared and used a medicinal bath of Qi Gathering Powder every day and night. A large amount of spiritual energy entered his body, accumulating in his meridians and acupoints, preparing for the formation of a complete circulation.

The hardships and suffering he endured during this process were indescribable, but Li Wenjun gritted his teeth and persevered.

After a month of cultivation, the results were significant. The spiritual energy accumulated in his meridians formed multiple channels, but unfortunately, these channels were isolated and did not connect to form an effective circulation.

For several days, despite the large amount of spiritual energy he absorbed during each cultivation session, the channels remained isolated, each guarding its own territory, refusing to connect.

Li Wenjun racked his brain to solve this problem. One day, a thought struck him: if one dose of the medicinal bath wasn't enough to break through the barriers between the channels, what about two doses, or three?

With this idea, Li Wenjun began to prepare the Qi Gathering Powder. He decided to use three doses of the medicinal bath. After preparing the bath, he hesitated before undressing and preparing to jump into the tub.

He had tested it on a lamb, which seemed fine, but logically, it couldn't be completely harmless.

One dose of the Qi Gathering Powder was already excruciatingly painful, and three doses together would release a massive amount of impurities, with unimaginable destructive power. He could endure one dose, but he had no confidence in enduring three. If he couldn't, the consequences would be unimaginable.