Chapter 14: Planting fruits on a mountain!
Lu Feng knew he was just the new kid on the block in the eyes of these shopkeepers. The older shopkeepers were making a commotion, treating him like a child. Except back on Earth, he was quite smart plus he has the magical painting. Thus, he laughed, “My suggestion is actually very simple, we just don’t sell.”
When the crowd heard this, they were all amazed, and a second pa.s.sed before they all laughed in hysteria. Elder Su laughed bitterly, “Just look Head, just let him out. This little kid doesn’t understand anything.”
The other managers also voted for Lu Feng to leave, and to stop messing around. The Head and Bai Yao were in a tough position, as they were the ones who wanted Lu Feng to join them. Lu Feng saw that the two were troubled, but he still kept a smile and said “Gentlemen, hold your horses. I’m not finished yet, so you can keep your jokes for later.”
“Your suggestion was for us not to sell anything. Are you trying to make us go bankrupt?! To make us starve on the street like peasants?!” Elder Su reb.u.t.ted noisily. “Elder Su’s right….” the rest of the managers all said in unison.
However, Lu Feng continued to speak. “In this world, there are many things you could sell, so why only sell perishables? We could always sell other things.” he explained. “Sell other items?” Elder Su scoffed “What else could be more profitable than the things we’re selling now?”
“Yeah. We can sell Spirit Plants.” Lu Feng replied. The moment he said that, a wave of laughter erupted from the managers. “Oi brat, say that again?! Spirit Plants?!” Elder Su said while snickering. “Those are only used by cultivators, and there aren’t many in QingLong Town. Most of us are commonfolk, people with no abilities or powers. So the items that they need most would be groceries and perishables. Don’t tell me you’re trying to rely on these few cultivators to generate the Bai Family’s income?” he said.
Lu Feng looked towards the Bai family head and Bai Yao, “In our Qinglong town, there are a few cultivators right?” The Bai family head intended to give Lu Feng some face and slightly nodded, “En, there are estimated to not be more than a hundred.”
Elder Su said in a mocking tone, “Qinlong town does not have millions of people but we have a few good hundred thousand. Even then, we barely make money from a hundred thousand people, to even target the hundred cultivators? Young one, don’t you think what you are suggesting is stupid?”
Lu Feng did not think otherwise, “Is there a large city near Qinglong town?” The Bai family head made an En sound in agreement, “There are five nearby cities which have millions of people, and also have small towns around surrounding them.”
When Lu Feng confirmed it, he smiled, “Then within these cities including the small towns and Sects nearby, there definitely isn’t a small amount of cultivators right.”
Elder Su mockingly smiled, “There are lots, except the large sects and clans have already monopolised the market. Are you expecting us to steal their business? What a joke, their single day of income is comparable to our ten years of business. Just by throwing a bit of money, they can completely crush our existence.”
The rest of the shopkeepers also wanted to give Lu Feng a good spanking for being so ignorant, Lu Feng laughed, “If everyone is willing to give me a month’s time, I will be able to make the Bai family earn more than it has ever before.”
Elder Su snorted, “A month? By then we would have already disappeared, how could we wait for you.” Lu Feng reb.u.t.ted, “I can guarantee with my life that if within a month the Bai Family’s income is lower than it is now, I will apologize with my death.”
Elder Su sneered, “You d.a.m.n brat, who do you think you are? One person can do what so many people aren’t able to? Are you trying to pull my leg!?” Lu Feng knew convincing the shopkeepers would be the most difficult job. If the Bai family head forcefully made them agree, they would not be happy to cooperate. So he asked, “Elder Su, so what do you think, do you accept my offer?”
Elder Su wanted to teach Lu Feng a lesson, so he replied, “Wanting us to accept your suggestion is possible, in three days if you can earn a thousand gold taels then it’s settled. Likewise, if you can’t then there will be no way.”
Lu Feng did not understand the worth of a thousand gold taels. Bai Yao was shocked, “Elder Su, one thousand gold taels is our annual income, how could he ever do it.” The Bai family head was also frowning, “Elder Su, perhaps this condition is too difficult.”
Elder Su continued, “Head, Young Master, I only want the best for the Bai family. If he really has the ability, we will see the results. Otherwise, if we just let him take control and compete with the large clans and sects recklessly; it will be just like using an egg to break a rock.”
The shopkeepers all agreed with Elder Su, yet Lu Feng just continued smiling. “Fine, I accept.” No one thought Lu Feng would accept the ridiculous terms, causing Elder Su to scoff at him. “You brat, you better remember well not to try any tricks. If we find out someone is secretly giving you the gold, then it will not count.”
Lu Feng laughed, “Don’t worry, I won’t try to cheat. When the time comes, you can personally witness it.”
Everyone was doubting him, the Bai family head could not think of a way to resolve it and could only say, “Then it’s settled, three days from now we will see the outcome.” Elder Su took out a gold tael and smiled.”Here, you must use this to get a thousand.”
Bai Yao was stunned, “Elder Su, how can you do this. At least give him three hundred gold taels.” Elder Su coldly replied, “If I did that, would there still be any significance?” When Lu Feng saw Bai Yao was about to continue, he just smiled, “It’s fine, Brother-in-Law, this one tael is enough.”
Elder Su laughed loudly, “Little brat, don’t you dare try to cheat. We are all observing you, within the next three days you must work under our surveillance.” Lu Feng’s heart was silent, but in his mind a light flashed as he smiled, “That is fine, but I don’t know whether our Bai family has any fields?”
“Fields?” Everyone was puzzled about what Lu Feng wanted to do, Elder Su sneered, “Brat, you aren’t thinking of finding a farm and planting the gold tael. Then three days later a thousand would magically appear, right?” Everyone broke out in laughter.
The Bai family head and Bai Yao both were frowning, Lu Feng cooly smiled, “No, I was just thinking of buying some seeds, and planting a few.” Elder Su almost forgot to mock him, “Head, just see for yourself. If he has this kind of plan, I don’t even want to give him three days. What a waste of time, we should just think of a solution.”
The Bai family head was hesitating then Lu Feng continued, “Everyone just wait three days and you will see for yourselves.”
Elder Su could only reply, “Fine, in three days I better be able to see how you make seeds become gold taels.” Lu Feng looked towards the Bai family head and Bai Yao to inquire about the field. The Bai family head replied, “We own a small mountain in the east, there are a lot of fields but it has been long abandoned and there are a lot of weeds.”
Lu Feng made an En sound and smiled, “I will go and take a look at it then.” Bai Yao quickly said, “I will lend you a few guards for the trip.” Except Elder Su cut in and said, “Don’t, he should go by himself.”
Bai Yao didn’t think having guards were a problem, he irritatedly frowned “Elder Su, this is too outrageous.” Elder Su laughed, “He has to prove by himself how can it be so casually done.”
The Bai family head and Bai Yao thought that without guards it would be impossible for Lu Feng to complete the task at hand. When they tried to negotiate with Elder Su, Lu Feng lightly smiled, “I don’t need guards, just bring me there to take a look. As for the shopkeepers, you can keep an eye on me secretly.”
Those who were suspicious would definitely observe closely. The Bai family head decided to let Bai Yao bring Lu Feng to see the field, as for Elder Su, he was tailing them. When they arrived at the mountain, Lu Feng saw numerous fields filled with weeds.
When he saw the weeds, Lu Feng whispered to himself, “Seems like I would need to uproot these weeds.” Soon after, Lu Feng asked Bai Yao “Brother-in-Law, lets go and buy some weedicides and later we can take a look at what seeds we can buy.”
Bai Yao made an En sound in agreement and followed Lu Feng. Elder Su snickered, “This brat, he really thinks he can make one tael into a thousand.”
The other shopkeepers which were following behind all shook their heads in disapproval. Then Elder Su laughed, “Let’s go and see what he’s up to.” Lu Feng went to a medicine store and bought some weedicides, then went to the place that was selling fruits.
Bai Yao slightly frowned, “Didn’t you say to not sell everyday goods?” Lu Feng smiled, “If I wanted to make a thousand taels in three days, then it’s best to sell fruits. Also, I’ve not found any type of Spirit Plant seeds, then I could only use these seeds and try it out.”
Bai Yao was puzzled, “Try it out?” Lu Feng made an En sound, “That’s right.” When Bai Yao heard Lu Feng’s plan, he was very worried. Lu Feng was puzzled and asked, “Brother-in-Law, which fruit is the most expensive?”
Bai Yao dispiritedly replied, “It’s a Spirit Fruit called Green Spirit Fruit, it is said that it’s a Cultivator’s favourite food. When normal people eat it, it can also increase their physique. It is also essential to the rich.”
Lu Feng laughed, “How much do you sell these fruits for?”
Bai Yao explained, “Since this fruit takes a year to mature, and each time it is ripe, there are only ten fruits on a single tree. So one fruit would go for a single tael.”
Lu Feng saw the opportunity and smiled, “Great, then this will be the one.” After he finished speaking, Lu Feng looked at the shopkeeper which sold seeds, “Shopkeeper, do you have Green Spirit Fruit seeds?” That shopkeeper gently smiled, “Of course, but this seed is particularly difficult to plant, do you really want it?”
Lu Feng made an En sound and then was handed a parcel as he heard, “Ten seeds for one gold tael. Are you fine with this?”
Lu Feng did not expect the seeds to be so expensive, he was shocked. Then Bai Yao replied, “I think we should reconsider, ten seeds for a gold tael which takes a year to grow. Even when it matures, and one seed can make a single tree. It only makes a hundred fruits. In total, you could only make one hundred gold taels. That’s not taking into consideration how rare is it for a fruit to grow ripe.”
Lu Feng dropped a tael of gold and took that bag anyways. That shopkeeper was momentarily stunned and then laughed, “You are quite frank.” Bai Yao was shocked, “You…” Lu Feng smiled, “The medicine shops that sell the weedicides is ours, then there is no need to pay for it.”
Bai Yao was caught off-guard, not expecting Lu Feng to say that and made an En sound, “You are right, there’s no need to pay for the weedicides. You’ve already spent your tael of gold, then how are you going to make a thousand in three days.” Lu Feng laughed with confidence, “Just watch.”
After saying this, Lu Feng went back to the mountain. Bai Yao helplessly watched Lu Feng run about.As for Elder Su once he learned that Lu Feng had bought the Green Spirit Fruit seeds, he thought Lu Feng was stupid. Elder Su also sneered, “Three days, the d.a.m.n trees take a year to grow, do you guys think it’s possible?”
Everyone shook their heads, there were some who smiled, “Elder Su, it’s his huge ego. When the three days pa.s.s, he will have no choice but to admit defeat.” Elder Su laughed along with them, “En, you guys help me observe him, I’ll go back and rest. What a waste of my time.”
Elder Su and a couple of his followers left, leaving behind someone to keep an eye on Lu Feng.
However this matter quickly spread throughout Qinglong town. Sitting in a restaurant, Tian Lang and Xu Qin were laughing together, “This Bai family seems pretty desperate, letting that brat work at the mountain. Thinking of making a thousand gold taels in three days? I wonder who are they going to rob?”