Chapter 16: Waiting for the Outcome
“Brother Hua is really handsome!” The woman in green exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Hua Xiaomei. “If only I could make his head into a human skin lantern and hang it by my bed to admire every day!”
The corner of Hua Xiaomei’s mouth twitched. He couldn’t be bothered to respond to that.
The woman before him was Jiang Ning from the Jiang Family, one of the Four Families of the Demon Sect.
She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but her features were captivating. The more one looked at her, the more beautiful she appeared. Her gentle smile gave off an air of elegance. A black mole under her left eye stood out, disrupting the overall gentleness of her face, yet also making her appear more sharp and decisive.
Unlike that idiot who only had dual cultivation on her mind, Hua Xiaomei knew that Jiang Ning was a shrewd and calculating woman.
The Three Talents Manor was originally called the Three Vegetables Manor, a secluded estate where their Hua Family cultivated “Grand Medicine.” Although Zhan Yunfan was the Manor Lord, he was merely a servant and manager under the Hua Family.
Hua Xiaomei had initially planned to pass by the Three Talents Manor to check the accounts for the year and see if Sun Daoren of the Yellow Heaven Path had exerted any pressure on the manor after taking control of Yiyang City.
In the Jianghu, there were no true paradises or unclaimed lands. Every faction was interconnected, their territories intertwined. Every piece of land, every acre of fertile field, was won through battles!
The land of the Three Talents Manor, close to the lake with convenient transportation and fertile fields, could serve as the foundation for a sect or clan.
It was the ancestors of the Hua Family who had seized it from others!
Sun Daoren had been lying low in the Jianghu for many years, only gaining a small reputation. His sudden and forceful takeover of Yiyang City had taken them by surprise. Since Sun Daoren was capable of such a move, even resorting to a massacre to consolidate his control, it was highly likely he would pressure the surrounding forces, aiming to bring the Three Talents Manor under his administration.
As the connection between the Three Talents Manor and the Demon Sect wasn’t public knowledge, it was inconvenient for the Demon Sect to directly intervene. That’s why Hua Xiaomei had decided to come and assess the situation first, then discuss with his father how to handle the matter.
He hadn’t expected Jiang Ning to catch wind of the situation and forcefully insert herself into the Three Talents Manor’s affairs.
While she claimed that the Four Families of the Demon Sect were as close as one family and should help each other, her true intention was to get the Three Talents Manor to include an additional “Grand Medicine” technique in the Stele Forest and to demand a 30% share of the manor’s annual profits for the Jiang Family.
Hua Xiaomei had been putting her off for the past few days, but he hadn’t expected her to bring Huang Wufeng along to further muddy the waters.
Sigh! The Demon Sect was filled with such scheming and opportunistic individuals. How could they achieve great things?
The position of “King Jufu” had been vacant for centuries. He wondered when he would finally ascend to that position and unify the Demon Sect!
“Brother Hua, your ‘herb garden’ has dozens of techniques. What does it matter if you add one more or less?” Jiang Ning, still in her green attire, tilted her head and stared at Hua Xiaomei’s face, mentally calculating the best approach.
“You’ve never cultivated a ‘herb garden.’ You don’t understand the intricacies involved,” Hua Xiaomei shook his head and said. “Out of those dozens of techniques, only three are genuine ‘Grand Medicine’ techniques. The rest are half-true, half-false, designed to make them repeatedly fail before stumbling upon the ‘Grand Medicine’ techniques and willingly practicing them!”
“Then I’m willing to provide a dozen more techniques!” Jiang Ning immediately offered.
“Brother Hua, I’m willing too!” Huang Wufeng announced, arriving beside Hua Xiaomei in a waft of fragrance. She reached out to touch his face, but he swatted her hand away with his fan.
“I already told you the other day, the Three Talents Manor’s influence can only accommodate three ‘Grand Medicine’ techniques!” Hua Xiaomei blew on his fan with disdain, specifically targeting the spot where he had struck Huang Wufeng’s hand.
“The Jianghu is vast. Why don’t you go elsewhere and set up your own ‘herb gardens’?” He added.
“We lack experience. The harvest wouldn’t be good,” Jiang Ning replied with a smile.
The success of the Hua Family’s “herb garden” had naturally attracted imitations from the other three families.
However, what seemed simple on the surface was actually quite complex. Choosing the right location, techniques, and creating hype to expand their influence, forming a virtuous cycle of talent, reputation, and a good harvest of “Grand Medicine,” was the result of centuries of experimentation and the Hua Family’s unique expertise.
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The Jiang Family had previously attempted to establish a “herb garden” in Liang Province in the southwest, but their eagerness for quick results had led to their downfall, leaving them widely criticized.
“You both know how difficult it is to cultivate a successful ‘herb garden.’ How can we quench our thirst with poison and drain the pond to catch fish? This request is absolutely unacceptable!” Hua Xiaomei declared firmly.
Not every “nursery” the Hua Family established could thrive. A good one, like the Three Talents Manor, took years of careful cultivation.
Although the investment was substantial, so were the rewards. Otherwise, why would he personally come to check the accounts?
Inside the Flower Hall, Zhan Yunfan could only stand in the corner. Officially, he was Manor Lord Zhan of the Three Talents Manor, a renowned figure in Yi Province known for his righteousness. In reality, he was merely a servant of the Hua Family.
The three individuals present held no room for him to interject. All he could do was wait for them to reach a conclusion and inform him of their decision, leaving him to carry it out.
He was waiting for the outcome.
“Then how about the Huang Family and I join forces with you to counter Sun Daoren of the Yellow Heaven Path? We can take a share of the manor’s profits as compensation for our efforts,” Jiang Ning proposed, seeing that Hua Xiaomei wouldn’t budge on the “herb garden” issue.
The entire Three Talents Town, including the small lake, was the private property of the Three Talents Manor. The annual rent from the town alone was a significant source of income, not to mention the other revenue streams.
It truly made her envious.
With this money, she could finally pursue her own ambitions without being restricted by the Jiang Family.
“Yes, yes! As long as Brother Hua is willing to provide the funds, I’m willing to go through fire and water for him, even dual cultivation!” Huang Wufeng chimed in, her voice dripping with sweetness.
In the Jianghu, money was no less potent than martial arts!
As the three of them were discussing, Master Cat was basking lazily in the sun at the Stele Forest in the West Manor of the Three Talents Manor. Suddenly, a strong wind blew from the north, and within moments, the sky was overcast with dark clouds, threatening rain.
Master Cat glanced at the sky with displeasure, then placed the “Cat Petting Available, Five Taels per Session” sign into the food bowl. He swallowed the silver in the other bowl in one gulp, then stacked the two bowls together and disappeared in a few leaps, carrying the bowls in his mouth.
The few people who had been present could only stare at Master Cat’s retreating figure with regret. They had been coming every day to observe him for the past few days.
Master Cat moved silently, arriving at an elegant courtyard within the Three Talents Manor. The courtyard was of high standards, even featuring a small canal diverted from the lake outside, flowing through it.
Inside the main hall of the courtyard, a large, circular rug made of wool lay on the floor. Master Cat settled down on it, preparing for a good nap.
“Mei Ren of the Northern Sea Demon Sect greets Cat Venerable!” A figure, seemingly having waited in the room for a long time, bowed respectfully as Master Cat settled into his nest.
Master Cat had long been aware of the person’s presence, so he wasn’t surprised. However, he didn’t acknowledge the greeting.
“The Northern Sea Demon Sect requests Cat Venerable’s presence in the Northern Sea!” The kneeling figure spoke again.
Wait! The good part is about to begin!
