How to Get Started 4

Qin Feng had already sat down, and was turning around to look at the terribly well-dressed fellow with the embroidered coat when he realized the white-haired, white-bearded fellow standing next to the same had a terrible look on his face. In fact, it was so black that everyone would agree, if someone claimed that his ancestral graveyard had been desecrated by hooligans.

And the old man was glaring at him as if he was the said hooligan!

Qin Feng wondered about that. Did it have anything to do with how he had taken over the whole proceedings just now? When the rich-looking fellow - who was he again? The Second Ducal Prince? Was that what he was called?

Well, he was the one who had made the offer, wasn't he? And since your Fu Lai Medicine Hall wasn't going to make a competing offer, why were you showing such a horrible face? Qin Feng didn't understand and he didn't care. All he was concerned about was how much he was able to get for the medicinal herbs that he had managed to harvest off the mountain! And what he could get in exchange for them!

After all, if you weren't going to be buying, you can just stand to the side and watch!

Qin Feng decided not to waste any time, and began to remove the six items, still wrapped in simple white muslin cloth, that he had decided to bring to the City. After going through what he had available back at the mountain, he had come to the conclusion that these six were in excess of what he really needed, and could be traded away. And, of course, he was hoping to get his hands on what he really required.

Although it might take a good bit of work, and time, to get them, he reminded himself in his head. Still, he was rather hopeful about his chances. From the looks of things, Changqing City was a haven for those who practiced martial arts, and that meant there would be people who could get their hands on the sort of medicines that he was in need of.

And so long as it was an equitable exchange, he would be not be losing out!

But back to the business at hand! Qin Feng turned his attention to the herbs. And to the two men seated to either side of him, as he brought out the items. He unwrapped them one at a time, and held them out for inspection in turn:

"Thousand year old ginseng. The smell gives it away.

"Thousand year old lingzi. You should be able to tell its age from its rings.

"Five hundred year old Dragon Beard Grass. With its flower, mind you! That makes it far rarer, since it requires a lot more care, to harvest it while it is flowering.

"Eight-leaf Savoury Burdock Root. At least seven hundred years old. If you look at the size of the root, you can tell that I am not lying. You should be able to tell from the flavour too.

"Silver-threaded Red Osmanthus Flower. Not very old, but very rare in itself.

"And of course, Long Jade-hued Laughing Buddha Leaf, at least a hundred years old," he finished with a flourish, putting the last item down beside him, on top of the seat cushion. Before he looked up with a smile.

And was surprised the see the looks of astonishment, and horror, on the faces of the men in front of him. In fact, the white-bearded fellow's face was twisted up as though he was looking at a ruined masterpiece of art! What was going on? Were they not happy to see what he had just shown them? Or were they too worried about whether they were able to pay for the items?

Then the grey-haired fellow with the stringy moustache standing behind the white-haired, white-bearded fellow made a hasty gesture, and six girls dressed in Medicine Hall maid outfits quickly stepped up in front of Qin Feng's long bench. And cautiously transferred each and every one of the items that he had brought out onto individual trays.

And from the way that their hands were trembling as they did so, as if they were handling prizes that were worth far more than their pitiful lives, he suddenly understood what was going on. Or at least, at where he had gone wrong!

They didn't like the way that I had dumped them onto the chair, no doubt, he decided. Maybe because they don't like the idea of their medicines being in contact with someplace which had just been in contact with their bottoms? Well, that was something that he would have to watch out for, the next time that he showed up at this place.

The girls were also clearly much more anxious than he had expected them to be, judging from the beads of perspiration that were showing on their brows. And from the heavy breaths that they were taking in. As if they were trying to draw in the scent of the medicines, so that they could recognize them in the future.

That was almost enough to make him smile. Did they really think that they had a chance to see these things again? Unless it came from him, it was unlikely that there was anything similar within a thousand miles of Changqing City. He was certain about that!

Of course, that could simply be because they were just nervous to be coming into contact with the medicines. Still, he was certain that none of them were poisonous. And these herbs wouldn't cause any ill effects so long as they were not consumed injudiciously!

But in the meantime, he had a deal, or six separate ones, to conclude!

So, as soon as the girls were done, and regained enough of their composure to stand to the side of the chairs, he slowly removed the grass hat on his head, setting down next to him. On the other side of where he had placed the medicine earlier.

"Now, I am not interested in money, and will only accept similar rare items and medicines in trade. I am rather certain that I had made that clear earlier. The last time that I visited your Medicine Hall?

"So, shall we begin? What can you offer in exchange for these items?"

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