Chapter 51

One

When Yushinyun stepped down from the carriage, what caught his eye was the vast expanse of farmland. The place he had arrived at, Buyang, was located about fifty li west of Hangzhou and had been famous since ancient times as a granary.

The attention of the farmers was drawn to the noisy arrival of the carriage and its outsider passenger, but this was only for a moment before they returned to their work.

Yushinyun watched them for a long time with a deep gaze, observing their peaceful daily lives.

After a while, Yushinyun instructed Wang San to look for a broker.

It seemed that many people had come to inspect the land before, as the broker quickly appeared before them.

The middle-aged broker did not seem to like Yushinyun from the start, as he appeared to be a young master from a wealthy family.

‘Tsk, tsk, he probably brought a servant along to pretend he knows something.’

According to his past experience, such people often nitpicked and rarely had any substance.

However, that was just his first impression.

“Wow, this place is good.”

“Oh! What an excellent choice! How can you have such remarkable insight!”

The broker's smile stretched up to the sky.

Yushinyun was a good customer, which meant he was an easy mark.

At first, he thought his prediction was correct. Even when shown the most valuable lands, Yushinyun did not show the slightest interest.

However, after all the good lands were shown, the true value of this easy mark became apparent.

The lands Yushinyun immediately expressed interest in buying were all abandoned wastelands.

Each one looked as if it had been hit by an earthquake, with the ground cracked and split.

There was no trace of vitality in the soil.

It was barren land where nothing would grow, no matter what was planted.

Moreover, it was impossible to use the land for any other purpose, and the owners had been struggling to deal with it for decades. Yet, Yushinyun was eager to buy them all.

“Your Highness, you must stop. Buying such barren lands is like throwing money into the air.”

At that moment, Wang San, who had been seething inside, could no longer hold back and urgently tried to dissuade his master.

Wang San was at his wits' end.

His master kept buying lands that he would refuse even if given for free.

The broker, momentarily taken aback by Wang San's frank words, quickly regained his composure and spoke in a relaxed tone.

“Ha ha, calling these fertile lands barren. It seems the servant's eyes cannot keep up with the master's.”

“No, are you really that unscrupulous! Calling these uncultivable wastelands fertile.”

Yushinyun looked at the broker with a truly puzzled expression.

He felt a heavy weight in his heart but quickly put on a bold face and spoke.

“It's not that they can't be cultivated, but that they haven't been. They are just resting to regain their fertility. Now that the fertility has returned, they will surely yield a bountiful harvest next year.”

“That's absurd...!”

“Enough, Wang San.”

Just as Wang San was about to shout, Yushinyun spoke.

Yushinyun's stern expression made both of them swallow hard.

In the tense moment, Yushinyun opened his mouth.

“I will buy all the places mentioned, including this one.”

Instantly, their faces showed contrasting emotions.

The broker's smile remained, while Wang San's expression turned dark.

But Yushinyun was not done yet.

“I want to settle the accounts as quickly as possible. Is it possible to do so right now?”

“Oh! Of course, it's definitely possible!”

Thus, Yushinyun completed the transaction swiftly. With the documents exchanged, there was no turning back.

By purchasing all the barren lands he had seen, Yushinyun became the largest landowner in Buyang.

This was possible because the price of these lands was less than one-tenth of the value of other lands.

The broker did not raise the prices of the barren lands, fearing that a higher price might deter the buyer.

As Wang San secretly sighed, Yushinyun looked at the mountains surrounding his land with a satisfied smile.

After completing the transaction swiftly,

The broker left, saying he had urgent business, disappearing like the wind.

‘Sigh! This is really not right...’

Wang San, who had always trusted and followed Yushinyun, was now deeply worried.

Rumors about the difficult financial situation of the Baiyun Escort Agency had already spread among the servants.

He could not understand why such a huge amount of money was spent on these barren lands.

With a worried expression, he walked to the carriage.

“Wang San.”

“Yes?”

Yushinyun poked Wang San's side and spoke.

When Wang San looked at him in surprise,

“You look so serious, you can't even breathe.”

Yushinyun smiled, and Wang San naturally relaxed, letting out a chuckle.

“Don't worry. I have a plan.”

As if he understood all of Wang San's worries, Yushinyun spoke calmly.

Strangely, the worry in his heart melted away like snow.

Yes, his master was surely preparing something amazing that a dull person like him would never understand.

“What do I have to worry about? I'll go and prepare for the journey.”

Just as Wang San, now energized, was about to go to the carriage to wake the driver,

‘Hmm?’

Yushinyun subtly shook his head.

Swoosh.

Yushinyun pointed to a spot with his finger.

“Let's stop by there.”

When Wang San turned his head, a small smithy stood there, out of place among the surrounding farmlands.

Two

“...Is anyone there?”

Wang San raised his voice as he entered the smithy first.

Given its dilapidated appearance, he thought it might be abandoned.

But that thought quickly faded.

Clang! Clang!

In response to Wang San's call, clear hammering sounds echoed.

Yushinyun naturally looked around the interior of the smithy.

Unlike other smithies in Hangzhou, the items hanging on the walls were not swords or knives but a variety of farming tools.

Then the hammering sounds subsided.

A sweat-soaked old blacksmith stopped his work and looked at the two men.

The old man had white, wiry hair, but his body, visible through his clothes, boasted muscles that could rival those of a young man.

“What is it?”

The old man, with a nervous and irritable expression, spoke in a tone full of annoyance.

He seemed to have no interest in who Yushinyun was.

However, Yushinyun spoke with a calm expression.

“I've come to buy a sword.”

“A sword? Do you think I have such things here?”

“I thought you might. Don't you?”

“...”

The old man stared at Yushinyun for a long time, taken aback by his unhesitating response.

Then he sneered.

“From the way you talk nonsense, you must be the foolish one who bought all the barren lands in Buyang, right?”

“Old man! Watch your words!”

Wang San, angered by the old man's words, shouted.

Yushinyun extended his arm to stop Wang San.

A cold atmosphere filled the room.

“Oh, we have guests?”

Suddenly, a delicate voice came from behind.

Yushinyun and Wang San turned their heads.

A young woman of modest height with a delicate face looked at them with wide, deer-like eyes.

She quickly read the atmosphere and the situation.

“Oh! Grandfather, you're fighting with the guests again!”

It seemed this was a common occurrence, as she raised her voice.

She appeared to be the old man's granddaughter.

After scolding her grandfather for a while, she bowed deeply to Yushinyun.

“Sigh, I apologize on his behalf. He doesn't mean it, but he has a sharp tongue.”

“I'm fine.”

Yushinyun replied politely.

And,

“I'm fine too.”

Wang San, with a beet-red face, also replied.

The granddaughter smiled brightly at them and spoke.

“What do you need?”

“I've come to buy a sword.”

Yushinyun repeated.

The granddaughter, looking perplexed, continued.

“...I'm sorry, but we don't make swords.”

“Is that so.”

Her words, matching the old man's, made Yushinyun nod.

The granddaughter, perhaps feeling a bit disappointed, added,

“But my grandfather is excellent at making farming tools. If you buy one, you won't regret it.”

Wang San expected Yushinyun to leave the smithy now, as he had no need for farming tools.

But,

“Then let's take a look.”

Yushinyun's response was unexpected.

He immediately walked to the wall where the farming tools were displayed.

He carefully examined each item, and then,

Thump. Thump.

Without hesitation, he began to select them one by one.

When Yushinyun finally stopped, ten farming tools were on the shelf.

“These will do.”

After making his selection, Yushinyun looked at the granddaughter.

“...You've made a good choice.”

“Do you think so?”

However, the granddaughter's usually cheerful response seemed off. There was a stiffness and unease in her expression.

“Can you settle the bill?”

But Yushinyun paid the price and collected the farming tools without any concern.

Wang San, carrying the bundle, kept glancing at the granddaughter, who seemed reluctant to part with them.

However, Yushinyun, as if he had completed his task, said goodbye.

“We'll be going now. See you again.”

“...What reason would we have to see each other again?”

The old blacksmith spoke sarcastically again.

But Yushinyun said something enigmatic.

“If fortune favors and fate allows, we will meet again.”

The old man and the granddaughter both looked puzzled.

“What do you mean by that?”

The granddaughter asked, but Yushinyun did not answer her and left the smithy.

For a long time afterward,

No hammering sounds came from the smithy.

Martial World's Reincarnated Ranker