Chapter 268: 244 Yesterday, Part 2

“Daoist, I have also reached out to the major merchants from various countries regarding previous imports, but none have heard of this item.

I suspect that other nations might have different names for it. Perhaps you could start there,” Chen Han quietly suggested.

“I’ve considered that possibility, but….” Zhang Rongfang shook his head slightly, leaving something unsaid.

That is, perhaps the Sensing Sect might have a way secretly.

After all, the medicines he needed recently were actively provided by the Sensing Sect, making acquisitions easy.

This time, perhaps….

“Hahaha! Thank you for waiting! Esteemed Lord Guardian. You look much better than last time!”

A burst of hearty laughter interrupted his thoughts.

Zhang Rongfang turned around, a clear smile appearing on his face.

“Isebas Freer, it’s good to see you again. No matter how long the wait, as long as the medicine you provide is what I need, everything else can be ignored.”

“You are truly open-minded, far more approachable than the other officials of the Great Spirit!”

The speaker was a large bearded man wearing a white turban, adorned with colorful jewel crystals from the turban to his neck.

His beard was meticulously trimmed into a blade-like shape, with a dark brown hue, his deep blue eyes large and expressive.

This man was one of the top three medicinal merchants at Cituogang Port, known as Isebas Freer.

He commanded over a dozen fleets, specializing in medicinal trade across dozens of countries.

He had thousands of sailors under his command, including private armed forces and skilled martial artists.

In Cituogang Port, he was a figure of considerable influence.

“Unfortunately, Lord Guardian, you might be disappointed,” Isebas sighed, his Great Spirit dialect was perfect, almost indistinguishable from a native.

“I haven’t found any information about Xuanyang Meat Ganoderma.”

“Still nothing?” Zhang Rongfang was slightly disappointed.

“Nonetheless, based on your description, perhaps you could use a substitute with similar properties and reconstruct the prescription. Could that work?”

“I’m afraid not…” Zhang Rongfang gently shook his head and proceeded to ask about other Golden Toad Skill herbs.

At the Chasing the Sun stage, the requisite herbs for the Golden Toad Skill raised their rarity level once more.

The potency required from the herbs was extremely high, ruling out the possibility of using ordinary, short-year herbs as substitutes.

Fortunately, the other supplementary herbs were all available.

Except for this Xuanyang Meat Ganoderma.

After a detailed discussion, Isebas also invited Zhang Rongfang to visit his residence.

Though he was a Luosi man, he had posts in several overseas countries.

He was essentially half-merchant, half-official.

And in the Great Spirit, he had good relations with the Prefectural Director and Prefectural Supervisor.

He greatly valued the young guardian from the Great Dao Sect after receiving guidance.

Thus, this invitation was not spontaneous; he had long prepared it.

After several enthusiastic invitations, Zhang Rongfang agreed as a matter of course.

Building a good relationship with such a major merchant was significantly beneficial for expanding overseas acquisitions.

For example, many herbs required at the First Layer Chasing the Sun stage were hard to find even within the Great Dao Teaching.

Yet at Isebas’s, a mere mention and an order would easily procure them.

Both were willing to foster mutual connections, and so they combined their routes.

Isebas led the way in a sedan chair, with Zhang Rongfang and others following in theirs.

Isebas’s guards outnumbered Zhang Rongfang’s; Great Spirit People, Westerners, Huxi people, barbarians, Africans—of all kinds.

He seemed to value talent over anything else.

They passed through the Citong docks into the outer ring of the city.

Several black-robed traveling merchants, wearing large wooden boxes on their chests, gathered together, setting up a small market on a wide street in the outer ring.

The market was like a centipede, occupying half the street.

At the entrance, a tall signpost declared: International Gemstone Conference! Satisfying your freedom to admire beauty!

This phrase was indistinctly written in over ten different languages on fabric.

“These black-clad traveling merchants love these gimmicks, playing word games,” Isebas chuckled from the sedan chair.

Zhang Rongfang smiled along, ready to speak when his face suddenly hardened, his gaze falling to the sidewalk at the market entrance.

There, people of all colors flowed like water, bustling with activity.

Numerous ladies and young women attracted by the market, female sailors, and female crew members came and went.

But Zhang Rongfang’s gaze was not on those exotic women, but on a black-haired beauty in a fitted red dress.

Her face was alluring, her eyes gently exhausted, like a splendid, delicate large rose.

His attention was on her not because of her beauty, but because…. she seemed to be someone he knew.

*

*

*

Sun Chaoyue stood by, listening to Tong Xinyao’s incessant chatter.

She felt a deep fatigue in her heart.

In just a year, she followed her father fleeing from Tan Yang and fell from the heavens—once a noble among the Spirit People, now to their current state.

Her father, as the governor of Tan Yang, colluded with the secret sect and was expelled from the family. On the way, he was ambushed and severely injured by former enemies.

Now they could no longer stay in the country, so the family traveled thousands of miles to Cituogang Port, seeking refuge with her father’s old friend, hoping to catch a ship to overseas countries.

But… who would have thought, unfamiliar with the ways of the world, they handed over a large sum of money, only to have it all swindled by a fraudulent ship chairman.

The swindler had long since fled, disappearing across the vast sea, making it impossible to reclaim the money.

Now their family wealth was exhausted, and they could only dismiss the servants, keeping just a few, residing in her father’s friend’s house.

But this was only a temporary solution; no matter how good the relationship, with such a long stay, patience naturally began to wear thin.

Sun Chaoyue reminisced about her glory days in Tan Yang.

At that time, she was the first sought after by all the noble sons of Tan Yang.

At a young age, she had already reached the Fourth Grade. The future Ninth Grade seemed within reach, and she was a noble among the Spirit People.

Who could have thought…..

A huge upheaval swept through Tan Yang, exposing her father’s collusion with the secret sect.

The family changed overnight, leading to a rushed escape and interception and assassination attempts.

Unending hardships seemed to have begun from that moment.

“I’m telling you, you should go and dissuade your brother from mingling with that bearded man. Last time, when the White Ten Sect was besieged, didn’t those bearded ones also suffer heavy losses?”

At this moment, Tong Xinyao, the eldest daughter of the Tong family, was continuously speaking, advising a troubled green-skirted girl.

“It’s just like Chao Yue; although her family wasn’t as good as ours before, they were well off.

Later, because her father caused trouble and did things he shouldn’t have, they were scrutinized.

Look at now, Chao Yue’s father takes medicine every day to recover from his injuries, and no one knows when he’ll get better. They have no money, relying on my dad to find him some teaching positions.

Chao Yue is now my study companion. Last time her skirt ripped, and she was reluctant to discard it. I lent her one of my good skirts just to go out together.

Do you want to live like that? Do you want your family to fall that low too?”

Tong Xinyao patiently persuaded her friend, not noticing the strain on Sun Chaoyue’s smile.

“But I can’t convince him alone… he always has many reasons…for the family, for us, for his own development…” the green-skirted girl whispered.

“Those aren’t reasons, they are selfishness!” Tong Xinyao shook her head and coughed slightly. Seeing a vendor selling cold watermelon juice in the distance, she patted Sun Chaoyue beside her.

“Chao Yue, go buy me a cup of watermelon juice, remember to add raisins.”

“Okay…” Sun Chaoyue suppressed the helplessness in her heart and turned towards the vendor.

But she took just a few steps before remembering she hadn’t brought any money.

The expenses for martial arts were really high. After being cheated out of money, every penny was now calculated carefully to maintain her skill and Qi and Blood.

Due to her status remaining hidden, she couldn’t get a job outside.

Living expenses are all supported by Tong Xinyao’s family. So, she usually carried little money.

Today happened to be her twenty-fourth birthday, and she had just bought herself a silver inlaid jade peony pendant at the market, as a celebration for herself.

Her money was now spent, leaving only large scattered coins. Not enough to buy juice.

With no money on her, she had no choice but to return.

“Xinyao, I didn’t bring any money with me, I can’t buy it….”

Tong Xinyao was still speaking loudly with a friend, completely oblivious to her words.

“Xinyao?” Sun Chaoyue said again.

This time she was finally heard. Tong Xinyao turned back impatiently.

“What is it? I’m in the middle of a conversation! Hurry up and go buy it?”

“No, I didn’t bring enough money.” Sun Chaoyue whispered.

“Not enough money? You don’t even have money for juice? Are you trying to trick me for money??” Tong Xinyao grew even more irritated.

“And, not enough money, the last time I introduced Young Master Zhao to you for a meal, you didn’t go? He even gave a hefty gift of four hundred taels!”

“Chao Yue, I’m telling you, you are no longer the lady you used to be, you have to be a little more realistic. Don’t blame me for speaking bluntly.

Look at yourself, now you even need to ask me for money to buy a cup of juice… your father’s recovery requires the best medicine.

In this situation, you still think you should practice martial arts? You’re not me; before, it was fine, but do you have the conditions now?

Your current grade is already quite good, enough. Finding someone to marry early also eases the burden on your father….”

Tong Xinyao, with a “hate iron for not becoming steel” look, chattered away, surrounded by other girls, with a “for her own good” demeanor, speaking non-stop.

Sun Chaoyue lowered her head, her embarrassment felt like a thick, heavy quilt pressing her from head to toe, suffocating and powerless.

She didn’t even dare to raise her head so others could see her face.

But she couldn’t do anything, now her entire family relied on the Tong family to help cover their identities and provide temporary shelter.

Though the Tong family was increasingly impatient, they also truly provided help.

Moreover, for their subsequent plans to go overseas, they could only rely on the Tong family to find a ship and await opportunity.

So she couldn’t say anything, couldn’t dare to….

Listening to the continuous scolding ringing in her ears, Sun Chaoyue suddenly felt like crying.

Her eyes became wet, the suppression and embarrassment in her heart were more than she had encountered in her lifetime.

Reflecting on Tan Yang.

She presided over the Yao Yuan Book Club, seen as the noble among the Spirit People by everyone, wanting anything was just a word away, and it would be delivered to her.

And now…..

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