SFS Chapter 389 Old Li's Showdown! It's this radish!
Chapter 389 Old Li's Showdown! It's this radish!
Old Li's heart sank, but he remained expressionless, slowly putting away the jade slip in his hand and raising his eyes to examine the woman in white before him.
Although the other party's cultivation level was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, his demeanor exuded the composure of someone who had long held a high position. In particular, his eyes were clear and scrutinizing, clearly indicating that he was no ordinary person.
"You flatter me, young lady," Old Li forced a smile, picked up his wine cup and took a sip. "I am but a traveling merchant who passed through Dayuan and heard about the deeds of the Ninth Prince. I was curious and inquired about it, but I had no other intentions."
Xiao Bai's lips curled slightly, and she lightly tapped her fingertip on the table: "A traveling merchant? Then what you recorded in this jade slip is from the time the Ninth Prince first appeared three months ago to his trip to the Qingyun Sect. Why would a traveling merchant like you care about such things?"
Old Li's hand holding the wine glass stiffened slightly.
Xiao Bai, however, remained unhurried. He leaned back slightly, his gaze sweeping across the bustling streets outside the window, his tone still calm: "Although the Great Abyss Town Immortal Division has only been established for a short time, there's nothing in or around the capital that can be completely hidden from our eyes. You entered the city yesterday, and today you've already contacted three informants—one at a teahouse in the east of the city, one at a pawnshop in the west market, and another…"
She paused, then looked at Old Li. "It's the person who just delivered the jade slip. Should I continue?"
Old Li remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.
"Enough," he put down his wine glass, shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Since the young lady has already found out, it would be petty for me to try to cover it up. Yes, I have indeed come here to find someone."
He looked up at Xiaobai, his expression becoming more serious: "My surname is Li, and I do some miscellaneous management work at Baicaotang. About a few years ago, the Baicaotang branch in Luoyang Market started receiving a batch of spirit rice, sweet potatoes, and radishes of excellent quality. The deliveryman called himself 'Wei Zhong,' whose cultivation level was unfathomable. He was straightforward in his transactions and never haggled. The hall has inspected the goods, and the spiritual energy contained in those plants is pure and rich, far surpassing that of ordinary spirit fields. It is even beneficial to the cultivation of Foundation Establishment cultivators. The hall's higher-ups attach great importance to this, but in recent years, my old friend Wei Zhong's whereabouts have been uncertain, and he rarely comes to the hall anymore. Therefore, the hall's elders ordered me to secretly investigate his background."
Xiao Bai listened quietly without interrupting.
Old Li continued, "All I know is that this person always wears a bamboo hat when he appears, his face is blurred, and he leaves quickly after the transaction, leaving no trace. It wasn't until recently that I heard that a 'Nine Thousand Years Old' has emerged in Dayuan, who is also a eunuch with profound cultivation. The two are too similar, so to verify this, I suspect that my old friend Wei Zhong might be that Nine Thousand Years Old from Dayuan."
He paused, then looked at Xiaobai: "I came here today to confirm this matter. If it is indeed the same person, Baicaotang is willing to establish a long-term transaction with the Ninth Prince. The price and quantity can be further discussed. This would be beneficial for both parties. However, the Ninth Prince's whereabouts are elusive, so I had no choice but to use some investigative methods. I had absolutely no malicious intent."
After listening, Xiao Bai's expression didn't change much; he simply nodded slightly and said, "I see."
She stood up, her sleeve brushing across the table: "Steward Li, now that we've laid this out, please come with me. This matter concerns His Highness the Ninth Prince, and I cannot make the decision myself. I need to take you to see someone."
Old Li was taken aback: "See whom?"
Xiao Bai had already turned and walked downstairs, her voice drifting back: "You'll see when you get there."
……
Willows sway gently by the Tai'an Pond.
Emperor Jianwen, dressed in a straw raincoat, sat on a blue stone by the pond, holding a green bamboo fishing rod, his gaze fixed on the gently rippling water, seemingly lost in thought.
On the small table beside him sat a rough pottery teapot and two teacups, with wisps of tea smoke rising from them.
Xiao Bai led Lao Li through the moon gate to the edge of the pool, bowed, and said, "Master, we've brought the person."
Emperor Jianwen did not turn around, but simply hummed softly.
Old Li hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, "This humble subject, Li Fugui, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
"No need for formalities," Emperor Jianwen then turned half his face, his gaze falling on Old Li. After sizing him up for a moment, he smiled and said, "You know me? Sit down."
Old Li nodded and carefully sat down on the stone bench next to him.
He secretly glanced up and saw that this Great Abyss Core Formation Emperor had a refined and gentle appearance. If it weren't for the faint dragon aura and the majesty of someone who had long held a high position, he would almost look like an ordinary old fisherman.
But the more this was the case, the more emotional Old Li felt!
How could someone who can remain a mastermind behind the scenes in this chaotic world, and even be feared by cultivation sects, be an ordinary person?
Emperor Jianwen placed the fishing rod on the shelf, picked up the teapot, poured two cups of tea, and pushed one cup in front of Old Li: "Try it, this is Yunwu tea grown in the palace. Although it can't compare to Lingcha, it's still refreshing."
Old Li accepted it with both hands: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Jianwen took a sip himself before looking at Xiaobai: "Tell me about it."
Xiao Bai then briefly recounted the conversation that had just taken place in the Lion Tower. Emperor Jianwen listened, his fingers gently stroking the rim of his teacup, his expression calm.
After Xiaobai finished speaking, Emperor Jianwen looked at Old Li and suddenly asked, "Steward Li, is your Hundred Herbs Hall really only looking for the Ninth Prince for a transaction?"
Old Li's heart skipped a beat, but he remained composed: "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. The spiritual items provided by the Ninth Prince are of exceptional quality, and the hall values them highly. If a stable and long-term transaction can be established, it will be a major business for Baicaotang. Furthermore..."
He hesitated for a moment, but still said, "The higher-ups in the hall have speculated that the person who can cultivate such spiritual plants must either possess ancient spiritual plant secrets or own some kind of high-grade spiritual field. Either way, they deserve to be treated with courtesy by the Hundred Herbs Hall, and even... to form a good relationship with them."
Emperor Jianwen smiled: "A good connection?" He put down his teacup, his tone casual, "I don't know if the person you traded with is actually my master, but some things should be able to reveal the truth."
Old Li's eyes lit up: "Please, Your Majesty, speak frankly!"
Emperor Jianwen nodded: "If you had come a year earlier, before Master went to Qingyun Sect, perhaps things wouldn't have been so troublesome."
Upon hearing this, Old Li couldn't help but show a look of disappointment on his face.
He thought that on his way here, he had heard about the Ninth Prince's visit to the Qingyun Sect.
Emperor Jianwen glanced at him, then took something from his storage bag at his waist and placed it on the stone table.
That was a radish.
It is pure white, as thick as a child's arm, with clean roots and smooth skin. Faint golden patterns are wrapped around it, and a pure and peaceful spiritual energy emanates from it. Just by placing it there, the surrounding air becomes fresher.
Old Li's gaze fell on the radish. He was taken aback at first, then suddenly stood up, leaned closer to take a closer look, and even couldn't help but reach out and gently touch it.
"This...this fluctuation of spiritual energy, these patterns..." He looked up at Emperor Jianwen, his voice trembling slightly, "Your Majesty, this radish...may I be allowed to examine it closely?"
Emperor Jianwen raised his hand in a gesture of respect: "Please proceed."
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