Human Martial Venerable: Starting from the Synthesis Technique

Chapter 57 Buying Grain

Late at night, the mansion was sealed off.

The candlelight in the duty room cast a soft glow. A middle-aged man in a rough shirt, wearing only a thin garment, held a boxing manual in his hand.

While looking at it carefully, he gestured with his hand as if he were making a name for it.

After finishing flipping through a boxing manual, Old Zhang yawned wearily.

The guards on night patrol were responsible for keeping watch all night long in case the head of the household needed to send an urgent message.

He fought off his sleepiness and started practicing boxing in his room.

After finishing his boxing routine, Old Zhang felt much better and his drowsiness gradually subsided.

"This Five Strength Fist really has some tricks up its sleeve."

Old Zhang smacked his lips, raised his right arm slightly, and started the third movement again. He was about to practice it again when he stopped himself.

He had previously asked Manager Han privately, and from what he heard, it was...

My bone age is too advanced. It's okay to use Five Forces Fist to exercise, but I must not become addicted to it.

That's what they say, but when you actually start practicing, you realize that the tingling sensation that accompanies the constant stretching of your ligaments is simply irresistible.

"The eldest son is exceptionally talented; I wonder when I will be able to reach his level."

Old Zhang started practicing a little again, and couldn't help but think of it, a longing arose in his heart.

"If the modified boxing style is this difficult, wouldn't it have ruined people if it hadn't been modified?"

"I wonder how the young master managed to persevere before."

He practiced the Five Strengths Fist for a long time, but could only barely execute the first three moves.

Knock knock knock~

Just as Lao Zhang was feeling sentimental, there was a knock on the door.

Who is it?

The man was taken aback, then pushed open the door.

"Young Master?!" Old Zhang's expression changed, and he quickly greeted him respectfully.

At this moment, Feng Xiu was holding Gu Chong, who had already fainted.

"Take good care of him. Have Uncle Zheng come and handle it first thing tomorrow morning."

Feng Xiu sighed softly. To be honest, he had indeed underestimated Gu Chong's determination.

Not only did they fight to the death, killing people, but they also used extremely ruthless methods.

"Your subordinate obeys." Old Zhang responded, nodded solemnly, and stepped forward to carefully embrace Gu Chong.

They gently placed it on a bed in the night watch room.

At this moment, Feng Xiu handed over a blood-stained gray cloth package.

"These are his spoils of war. We'll give them to him first thing tomorrow morning when he wakes up."

"Yes."

Bright red blood flowed down the cloth bag and pooled on the floor.

Old Zhang's pupils dilated for a moment, but he still gritted his teeth and accepted the package.

The moment he reached out, a heavy feeling came over him. He couldn't help but swallow and glanced down at the shape of the package.

Although it was covered by a gray cloth, he could still tell at a glance that the outline was clearly a head!

Old Zhang felt a moment of disorientation, and when he looked up again, Feng Xiu had already vanished without a trace.

Her gaze shifted slightly, returning to the boy on the bed, who was breathing softly.

The boy's pale lips seemed to carry a sense of relief, sweet and peaceful.

"Why does this have to happen to me when I'm on duty?"

Old Zhang was on the verge of collapse, clutching his head in pain with both hands.

The thought of having to share a room with a head made Old Zhang feel like crying.

.....

.....

The next day, early in the morning.

Outside Qingyan City, on the vermilion street, people who arrived early lined up in front of various grain shops, carrying earthenware pots and rice bins.

Next to each grain shop, every hundred meters or so there was a porridge stall, where several young men dressed as servants were slowly stirring the porridge with long-handled iron ladles.

In a huge iron pot, boiling porridge was mixed with rice that had not yet been husked.

A long line of ragged refugees stood before them, each carrying a broken porcelain bowl.

Even with her stomach churning, she could only watch longingly.

Dozens of patrolling guards moved around constantly, their sharp gazes sweeping over the crowd, making them dare not make the slightest move.

Based on the porridge-serving rules they had followed for several days, they knew these people were not to be trifled with.

"If I had money and bought a house, I could buy food at a lower price!"

"The Feng family is hiring right now. I'll try my luck again in a couple of days."

Among the crowd, a sharp-eyed young migrant worker glanced casually at the large number of people in front of the grain shop.

Although the people in sight were dressed in coarse cloth, their spirit was much better than that of the displaced people.

Their faces were filled with joy and happiness, as grain prices this year were much lower than in previous years.

Even though major grain merchants have set purchase limits, it still can't stop people from taking the opportunity to hoard grain.

Just when the young people's minds were settling down.

A commotion suddenly broke out in front of the Lin family's grain shop.

The young man looked up and saw a fat man in a gray shirt rudely squeezing through the neatly arranged crowd.

He kept pushing aside the people blocking his way with his hands.

In the crowd, a man stumbled, about to fly into a rage and turn around to hurl insults.

Upon seeing the person's face, they immediately fell silent and obediently stepped aside.

"Who is that person?" someone among the refugees asked in a low voice.

"You don't even recognize Blackie?"

"The most untouchable person in the entire Qingyan City. I heard that even Young Master Feng has to give him some face."

Among the refugees, someone offered a brief explanation.

Many people glanced at Blackie, their eyes revealing a hint of envy.

"Where's Lao Zhou?"

After pushing his way through the crowd, Blackie arrived at the grain shop counter and glanced at the few shop assistants carrying grain sacks.

He glanced at the remaining grain reserves on the blackboard and casually remarked.

"I'm going to find him."

The clerk in charge of registration immediately knew he couldn't handle the situation when he saw it was him.

They quickly summoned the manager, and soon a thin middle-aged man hurried over.

"Hey, what brings you here, Master Hei?" Old Zhou smiled more when he saw it was Master Hei.

"Hey, isn't it because Widow Wang's family is out of grain? She sent me over. Old Zhou, bring me ten bags of new grain."

Blackie sighed first, then reached out and rubbed his aching back, his words quite blunt.

That woman really went all out. If I were physically strong enough, I probably wouldn't even be able to get out of bed.

"Brother Hei, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you've seen the market situation in the city. If you want to buy grain, you'll need to bring your identity token."

Upon hearing this, Old Zhou looked somewhat troubled.

Everyone in the city knows Blackie's character: he knocks on widows' doors and sleeps in their beds.

Even when he went to brothels, he only chose widows.

"I heard that Mrs. Liu still owns two shops. Mr. Hei, why don't you go and find her?" Old Zhou said with a smile.

Actually, outsiders just watch and have fun.

But in reality, Blackie did indeed stop quite a few scoundrels who wanted to prey on widows who had no children.

"Old Zhou, what are you saying? Do you think I'm the kind of person who lives off a woman?" Upon hearing this, Blackie immediately became displeased.

"Give me a straight answer: ten bags of new grain, or not?"

It's getting late. If we can't get any food today, that woman will probably torture herself to death tonight.

Blackie lost interest in continuing the conversation, waved his hand, and said somewhat impatiently.

"Here you go, here you go. Even Master Hei has come in person. Ten bags aren't enough. Men, go and get twenty bags of new grain and thirty bags of old grain, and deliver them..."

After listening, Old Zhou looked somewhat helpless, then gave the order, and at the end of his sentence, he looked at Blackie again.

"The courtyard at the far west end of Xinbu Street," Blackie replied with a broad smile.

"Did you all hear that? Get to it right now!"

Upon hearing this, the group of waiters rushed to the granary, hitched up the donkey carts, and counted the quantity.

Before long, the truck was loaded with a full load of grain.

"Alright, Lao Zhou, I'm leaving now. Contact me if anything comes up."

Blackie's smile remained unchanged. After casually bidding farewell to Old Zhou, he prepared to board the grain cart.

"Hey Blackie, wait a minute, have you taken care of my business yet?"

"What is it?"

Blackie looked a little confused, then slapped his forehead, "Oh, you mean that?"

"No, Lao Zhou, you really think highly of me. If you want to recommend someone for your child, you can ask anyone. Is Mr. Jingzhai someone I can get in touch with?"

Blackie looked Old Zhou up and down, his expression rather speechless.

"He's a great scholar who taught philanthropists like Feng and Lin. Don't you know he despises idle people like me the most?"

Seeing that Master Hei was still making excuses, Old Zhou casually offered a compliment.

"If you're so idle, then there won't be any decent people left in the entire Qingyan City." His eyes were full of genuine laughter.

"No problem, I love hearing that."

Blackie closed his eyes, his face full of ecstasy and enjoyment.

Then, without making a sound, Old Zhou glanced at the young attendant beside him, and the young man instantly understood.

"Master Zhou, should today's grain be distributed through the public treasury, or...?"

The young man spoke softly, but not in a way that was easily ignored.

"Don't bother with the official business, put it all on my tab."

Old Zhou glared at the young man, his words stern and reprimanding him.

Blackie opened his eyes, clicked his tongue, and said, "Alright, Lao Zhou, we're brothers, so let's be frank. I can't help you with this, but I can point you in the right direction."

"I would like to hear the details."

"I heard that Mr. Jingzhai has been in good spirits lately and has picked up his old hobby from his youth again. The old gentleman likes to tease crickets."

"You know how short-lived grasshoppers are in Yunzhou, but in the desolate mountains east of Yongning City..."

There's a hunter named Liu who has a large golden cricket. If you can get it...

"This matter is more or less settled."

Old Zhou's expression changed, and he then solemnly cupped his hands towards Master Hei, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Master Hei."

"Sigh, no problem, no problem."

Hei Ye ignored him and directed the waiter driving the donkey to head towards Xinbu Street.

Many envious people were left behind, while Old Zhou fell into deep thought.

Half an hour later.

Outer city, New Cloth Street.

In front of a courtyard gate that wasn't too dilapidated, Blackie jumped down and pushed the door open.

Just as they were about to call the waiter to move the grain to the kitchen in the backyard, a young man came running from a distance.

The young man, panting heavily, ran up to Blackie, already completely out of breath.

After taking a deep breath to catch his breath, he rested his hands on his knees, his face revealing an uncontainable joy.

Blackie gave him a suspicious look.

"Shen Nian, what are you doing? Is your mother dead? Why are you so happy?"

"Master, that's not it! We've found the person you're looking for!" Shen Nian exclaimed excitedly, spitting all over Blackie's face.

"What did you say?!"

Upon hearing this, Blackie's face trembled, followed by a surge of ecstasy similar to Shen Nian's.

He grinned, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, "Young Master Feng, let's see how you repay me this time."