Chapter 80 of 100
Chapter 80
17 min read4,246 words
After everyone left, Li Wenjun was alone in the courtyard, tidying up. Using trees as materials to make mechanisms was a very time-consuming task, and he had to hurry.
About an hour later, Li Wenjun heard the sound of gongs and drums, and the distant sound of firecrackers. He could vaguely hear someone shouting "Qua Jie" (a local festival). Li Wenjun smiled and continued to work on his mechanism.
At this moment, Li Wenjun heard someone knocking on the gate. "Is Master Li at home? I am Zhang Jianjie from Fengshou Town. I hope Master Li can grant me an audience."
Zhang Jianjie?
Li Wenjun instantly remembered that when he was in Fengshou Town, he had once visited Zhang Jianjie's house to listen to the lecture by the famous doctor Xu Yidan from the capital. At that time, he heard that Zhang Jianjie was not only the richest man in Fengshou Town but also one of the wealthiest in the entire Mingchuan Prefecture.
What does this wealthy man want by coming to see him?
"The door is not locked, Mr. Zhang, please come in," Li Wenjun said calmly.
Zhang Jianjie pushed the door open, followed by two servants carrying a gift box.
In the courtyard, Zhang Jianjie looked at Li Wenjun, who was sawing a tree, and said awkwardly, "Master, you are so esteemed, how can you do such heavy work? I have a team of carpenters who can handle anything from building pavilions to making furniture. If Master does not mind, I can send them to assist you, and they will work for free."
Li Wenjun glanced at Zhang Jianjie. As far as he knew, this man was not one to do anything at a loss. The lecture he hosted last time was the most expensive in the entire trading fair, and Zhang Jianjie's business acumen and shrewdness were evident.
"What brings Mr. Zhang here?" Li Wenjun asked in return.
Zhang Jianjie quickly bowed deeply to Li Wenjun and said, "I have always had a desire to seek the Dao. When I heard that Master Li is in seclusion here, I was filled with admiration and came to pay my respects, hoping to form a good connection with you.
Moreover, although it is said that the greatest hermits live in the city, Master is truly a transcendent being, a land-bound immortal. Your choice to seclude yourself in Sanshan County is a great honor for the people here.
As a wealthy man of this county, I have the responsibility and duty to show my respect to Master on behalf of the people. Therefore, I have prepared a small gift for you. Please accept it as a token of my respect. Servants, open the gift box for Master to inspect."
The two servants put down the gift box and opened it in front of Li Wenjun.
It was a large red wooden gift box with three layers.
The first layer had a red silk lining, and it was filled with a hundred gold ingots. Each ingot was a full eleven taels, making a total of one thousand taels of gold.
This first gift made Li Wenjun secretly marvel at Zhang Jianjie's wealth and his generous gesture.
The servants then opened the second layer, which also had a red silk lining. Inside were several paper packets, and when the box was opened, a strong medicinal scent filled the air.
Li Wenjun sniffed and his expression changed immediately. He was very familiar with this scent; it was clearly the main and auxiliary herbs needed to make Qi-Gathering Powder.
Zhang Jianjie stepped forward and opened a few of the paper packets, saying, "Master, I heard that your herbal shop is actively purchasing these herbs. My family also started with the herbal business, and we still have some stock. Since I have nothing else to offer, I brought all the stock this time. There are a total of 120 pounds, please inspect them."
Zhang Jianjie had indeed figured out Li Wenjun's needs. The packets he opened were all different, and the quantities were just right, exactly what Li Wenjun needed for the main and auxiliary herbs, with each herb in a separate packet.
Li Wenjun estimated that these herbs would be enough to make one or two hundred doses of Qi-Gathering Powder. His eyes immediately lit up with excitement. He didn't care about the thousand taels of gold, but these herbs were very appealing to him.
Zhang Jianjie was closely watching Li Wenjun's expression. He smiled and personally opened the third layer. This layer had a yellow silk lining, and inside was a long, red silk-wrapped item.
Zhang Jianjie took out the red silk-wrapped item and opened it. Inside was a jade box over a foot long. He opened the jade box, held it with both hands, and presented it to Li Wenjun, saying respectfully, "I went to great lengths to collect this three-hundred-year-old wild ginseng. I offer it to you, Master."
Li Wenjun's eyes brightened. He took the jade box with both hands and examined it carefully. The wild ginseng in the jade box had complete roots and a thick stem, almost human-like in shape. A strong medicinal scent filled the air, and just one sniff made him feel refreshed.
Zhang Jianjie stepped back a few steps, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply, saying, "Master, these are the gifts I have brought for you. Please accept them as a token of my respect."
Li Wenjun closed the jade box and looked at Zhang Jianjie, saying, "When someone gives a gift, they must have a request. I have no particular connection with Mr. Zhang. Even if I am a cultivator, I doubt you would pay much attention to me if I didn't pose a threat. You have given me such a valuable gift for no reason, and I dare not accept it."
While saying he wouldn't accept it, Li Wenjun had no intention of putting the jade box down. These herbs were enough for him to practice for over a month, and he couldn't easily give them up.
Zhang Jianjie hurriedly said, "I dare not hide anything from you, Master. To be honest, I have a relationship with the county magistrate, Qin Yue, that others do not know. Qin Yue's first wife died early, and he remarried. Few people know that his second wife is actually my daughter. I and Qin Yue are related by marriage. Now, Sanshan County has undergone significant changes. Wu Qi and others offended you, and after their deaths, a power vacuum was left. You have shown favor to my son-in-law and intend to promote him. We are deeply grateful. Therefore, I have brought this generous gift."
"I see. You and your son-in-law are grateful to me, but sending a thousand taels of gold is already too much. Such a large sum of money could buy a governorship. Why did you also send me so many herbs, especially this three-hundred-year-old wild ginseng, which is a rare and valuable item? You must have another request, right?" Li Wenjun asked.
"Master, your insight is like a torch, seeing through my intentions. Indeed, Qin Yue and I have another small request. Qin Yue has been temporarily appointed to manage Sanshan County, but this is just a temporary measure. Whether he can secure the position of county magistrate depends on the support of a powerful figure. I boldly ask that Master can be the one to support Qin Yue from behind the scenes. I do not dare to ask Master to actively campaign for him, but only to make a public appearance and show your support for Qin Yue. That would be enough," Zhang Jianjie said respectfully.
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