When he was in front of others and needed to do something, he would give orders to Qian Yang and Yin Ming to create an illusion and confuse outsiders.
But when he was alone, he could control these two ancient corpses with just a thought.
At this moment, besides Qian Yang and Yin Ming, he was followed by his personal maid.
This girl's name is Shuang Ling, she is about fifteen or sixteen years old, and she has a beautiful face.
There are dozens of maids in the Zhuang Mansion, but there is another reason why this girl is designated as his personal maid.
She was not a maid bought by the family for a few taels of silver, but she was saved from the snowy road to Xuancheng during the winter snowstorm three years ago.
The little girl, who was only twelve or thirteen years old at that time, suffered from hunger and cold, was so hungry that her face was sallow, her skin was thin, and her body was dirty. Now she is tall and graceful, careful, gentle and considerate.
"Shuang Ling, do you remember everything I taught you before?"
"I've written it all down. I've also read carefully what you marked."
"You have always been smart and have a good memory."
Zhuang Ming said slowly: "You must carefully understand what I teach you. It will be of great use in the future."
Shuang Ling nodded vigorously, hummed, and said: "You taught me that learning without thinking will lead to indifference, and thinking without learning will lead to peril. I have never forgotten it."
Zhuang Ming nodded slightly and said, "I have to go out in the afternoon and come back before the sun goes down. You can prepare my medicinal bath for tonight."
Shuang Ling responded.
——
To the east of Fengcheng, Bailing Lake.
Today, the second day of February, according to local customs in Fengcheng, there will be a grand meeting in Bailing Lake.
Zhuang Mingchu decided on major events in Fengcheng. After two months of hard work, he was quite tired and wanted to take a break.
So he, Qian Yang, Yin Ming, and Manager Sun drove a carriage to Bailing Lake.
At the same time, I met a scholar halfway and bought an ancient book.
"This man's name is Fang Yi. His grandfather was once a scholar, with some talent and learning, but he died of illness at the age of thirty-six. His father was young, dull and illiterate at the time. After his grandfather's death, the family became increasingly poor. He was so poor that he had no choice but to move to the eastern suburbs and make a living by hunting. When it comes to Fang Yi's generation, although he has some talent, it is limited."
Manager Sun was at his side and said: "Although Fang Yi is literate, he lacks knowledge and has failed in many exams. Now his family is poor, so he wants to sell an ancient book that his grandfather got by chance to Zhuang's Trading Company."
Zhuang Ming sat on the carriage, feeling the bumps on the road, closing his eyes slightly, as if taking a nap.
But he listened to everything Manager Sun said.
"In this case, after the inspection, I bought it according to the price, so what happened?"
"Young master, this man is greedy." Manager Sun was a little unhappy and said: "At first he only had five taels of silver, but later he heard that you love antiques, and he actually raised the price to twenty taels of silver. The old slave wanted to kick him out, but then The ancient book seems to be quite old, and the old slave has read two pages. The writing is good, but the old slave has poor eyesight and does not know its value..."
"Yeah, that's fine."
Zhuang Ming looked indifferent and said: "You and I have nothing to do. Maybe I haven't come to the east to enjoy the scenery for a long time. I just want to take a look."
Manager Sun responded: "Fang Yi is already waiting at the pavilion in front of Bailing Lake."
Zhuang Ming responded and said nothing more.
There are rumors from the outside world that he loves antiquities, especially ancient books. He first instructed his subordinates and took the initiative to spread the news.
In the past six years, he has expanded his business, strengthened his power, amassed wealth, recruited people, and searched for all kinds of heavenly and earthly treasures, rare and foreign objects in the human world, including various ancient books.
Within the Dongsheng Dynasty and among the mortal world, although there were few practitioners coming and going, the fragments of some ancient books left in the mortal world were not all dross, and there were many mysteries.
It's just a pity that most of the inheritance in the mortal world is basically incomplete.
Occasionally I come across complete Taoist books, but they are also works with a superficial foundation.
However, for him, although these fragments of ancient books are not systematic, they may not have the effect of drawing parallels.
The most important thing is that for him, what he can buy with silver taels is not a high price.
"There are countless collections from ancient times. I wonder if there is a way to repair the Dantian?"
"Is there a way to raise magical birds and animals so that I can find a way to enhance the growth of young dragons?"
"Although it's like finding a needle in a haystack, it doesn't cost much, so it still leaves a slim hope."
——
Under the pavilion.
A young man named Fang Yi, in his twenties, was wearing shabby white clothes that were washed yellow. He was holding a volume in his hand and looked nervous and cramped.
In the distance, he could see a carriage approaching slowly, with two guards beside him. He remembered the nobleman's advice to use his conversation skills in exchange for more silver coins, but he became even more nervous at the moment.
"In the car...but Mr. Thirteen?"
"parking."
The carriage stopped and the curtains were raised.
There was a person inside, looking out of the car window.
Fang Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely saw that he was a young man about the same age as himself, but his delicate face was pale, sickly, and cold.
At this moment, Fang Yi suddenly felt bitter in his heart.
The two are similar in age, but have different fates. The other started from scratch and is now the richest man in the Sixteenth House of Huai'an, but he is still just a poor scholar who sells ancient books from his ancestors.
"Guanshi Sun said, the ancient book in your hand costs twenty taels?"
"That's right." Fang Yi said, "This was passed down from my ancestors. I got it by chance back then. It's the only one."
"If you want to sell it at a high price, you also have to see if it's worth it." Zhuang Ming said slowly: "Let me take a look first and flip through the two pages. What do you think?"
"As it should be."
Fang Yi stepped forward and handed it over.
Yin Ming stepped forward to take it and put it into the car.
Zhuang Ming reached out to take it, turned over five or six pages, glanced at it briefly, his eyes were slightly focused, and then he closed it and said lightly: "Steward Sun, take twenty taels of silver and give it to this brother of the Fang family."
A look of surprise appeared on Steward Sun's face. He never expected that within three seconds of the ancient book being delivered to the young master, the young master agreed to the price of twenty taels of silver.
"slow……"
However, at this moment, Fang Yi suddenly spoke up.
Zhuang Ming frowned slightly, stretched out his hand to open the car curtain, and looked through the small window.
Fang Yi's face clearly showed a nervous and nervous expression, but there was a hint of greed in his eyes.
"I want fifty taels!"
"You are so brave!" Manager Sun said angrily: "You are here to raise the price again? You are simply greedy!"
"Twenty taels is the previous price." Fang Yi gritted his teeth slightly and said: "This is a treasure left by my ancestors. I will never sell it without fifty taels! Mr. Thirteen is so rich that he can't match the country. How can he afford this little silver tael?"
Can’t afford it?”
"Of course I can afford it." Zhuang Ming handed over the ancient book, put down the car curtain, and said calmly: "Don't say fifty taels, even five hundred taels, to me, it's just a small amount of money, but... I don't
I wish to be treated like a fat sheep and be cut as many times as I want."
"You..." Fang Yi panicked, feeling like he shot himself in the foot.
"Steward Sun, take twenty taels. If he is willing, we will make a deal. If he is not willing, let it be." Zhuang Ming's voice came from inside the car and said: "Yin Ming, let's go.
"
"etc……"
Fang Yi hurriedly told him to stop. He was just greedy and always wanted to raise the price. But to be honest, except for Mr. Thirteen, who had countless wealth and loved ancient books, I am afraid that no one in the entire Dongsheng Dynasty had
I am willing to spend dozens of taels of silver to buy this ancient book of his.
Yin Ming continued to ride his horse.
Zhuang Ming didn't pay much attention.
This time he came here mainly to relax. He passed by the pavilion and just took a look.
It's enough to leave things here to Steward Sun.
But at this moment.
A group of people came from the direction of Bailing Lake.
Zhuang Ming, who was in the car, looked at him slightly through the curtain.
But Yin Ming stopped.
——
"Fifty taels of silver is not too much."
There were six people in total. The first one was in his forties, and he seemed to be a steward. The others were all dressed in servants' clothes.
The steward laughed and said: "The dignified Mr. Thirteen is so rich that he can't even spend fifty taels of silver. It's really ridiculous... For you, fifty taels of silver must not even be considered a drop in the bucket, but
Here, it is a huge fortune to escape poverty."
Zhuang Ming said nothing.
Yin Ming also remained silent.
Manager Sun showed an angry look and scolded: "Which family are you from? How dare you be so rude and disrespectful to my young master?"
The steward said slowly: "The Song family in Xuancheng also came here on orders to buy an ancient book with a lot of money. My master asked me to bring one hundred taels of silver."
The young man named Fang Yi suddenly showed a look of ecstasy.
Manager Sun's face suddenly became extremely ugly.
Zhuang Ming was sitting in the car, looking as usual.
"One hundred taels of silver, my Song family wants this ancient book."
The manager of the Song family looked at the young man named Fang Yi and said with a smile: "Are you selling it or not?"
Fang Yi's face changed slightly, but he did not say anything immediately, but looked at the carriage.
Mr. Thirteen is the richest person in the Sixteenth House of Huai'an.
For such a person, one hundred taels of silver is nothing.
Now that the Song family has paid one hundred taels of silver to buy ancient books, it is obviously a disgrace to Mr. Thirteen.
And ahead is Bailing Lake. All the people with some status in Fengcheng are also there. At this time, many people are frequently looking at this place.
As an upper-class figure in the Sixteenth House of Huai'an, reputation and face are naturally extremely important. Mr. Thirteen will surely feel angry and want to regain his face and raise the price.
But at this moment, a dull voice came from inside the car.
"Yin Ming, it's time to go back."
——
Yin Ming patted the horse.
The carriage drove slowly.
In the eyes of Fang Yi, the steward of the Song family, and others who were extremely astonished, they gradually faded away.
The atmosphere in the venue was slightly silent.
——
"Young Master, the Song family has gone too far in bullying others. They..."
Manager Sun's face was full of anger and unwillingness.
However, before he finished speaking, Zhuang Ming's voice was calm and he spoke slowly.
"Qianyang, get the ancient books back and dispose of the body."