Chapter 22 — The Vital Soap and The Free Seeds
The Green Gold
Dawn broke over the Long family courtyard. The air inside smelled of sharp pine and fresh peaches.
Long Tan and Su Lan had finished packing the crates. 500 bars of pale green soap sat ready.
"The cost was negligible," Long Tan said, wiping his hands. "Wood ash, leftover animal fat, and leaves from our Spirit Peach Tree. Maybe 1 Copper per bar."
He covered the crates with a thick cloth.
"We do not take these outside," Long Tan instructed. "In a village of starving people, showing 500 bars of goods is asking to be robbed. I will only take a sample."
He placed five bars into a small wooden box and walked toward the gate.
The Public Mockery
When the Yan Clan Caravan arrived, the village square was bustling. Villagers gathered, hoping to trade furs for salt.
Zhou Cang, the Patrol Captain, stood by the village well with his guards. He looked bored until he saw Long Tan approaching the Merchant's wagon with a small box.
Zhou Cang grinned maliciously. He nudged his subordinate.
"Look. The Hunter thinks he is a merchant now."
Zhou Cang stepped forward, blocking Long Tan's path slightly, speaking loud enough for the crowd to hear.
"Hey, Long Tan! What is in the box? Did you mix pig fat with mud?"
He laughed, looking at the Merchant, Yan Bo, who had just stepped down from his carriage.
"Manager Yan! Be careful of this one. He is trying to scam you with 'homemade' trash. It probably smells like rot!"
The villagers snickered. They knew soap was a luxury for city people. A hunter making soap in a mud hut sounded ridiculous.
The 10 Copper Verdict
Yan Bo ignored the noise. He looked at Long Tan, then at the box.
"May I?" Yan Bo asked.
Long Tan opened the box.
The scent was clean and refreshing. Yan Bo picked up a bar. It was hard, smooth as jade, and cold to the touch.
He turned to a wealthy female traveler who was riding in his caravan.
"Madam," Yan Bo said. "Test this."
The woman rubbed the soap on her hand. Her eyes widened. "It... it tingles. My hands feel warm."
"It stimulates blood flow," Yan Bo analyzed instantly. "High quality."
He turned to the crowd, holding the bar up.
"This is Vital Soap. In the Commandery City, this will sell for 10 Copper Coins a piece."
The laughter in the square died instantly.
Zhou Cang's jaw dropped. "10 Coppers? For a lump of grease?"
"It is not grease," Yan Bo said coldly, glancing at the stunned guard. "It is craftsmanship. Something you clearly don't understand."
The Closed Door
Yan Bo turned his back on Zhou Cang.
"Master Long," Yan Bo said respectfully. "Let us discuss the bulk order."
"Please," Long Tan gestured to his gate. "Inside."
They walked to the Long family courtyard. Zhou Cang, furious and curious, followed them. He tried to lean into the doorway to see how much stock Long Tan actually had.
"I need to inspect the—" Zhou Cang started.
SLAM.
Long Tan shut the heavy wooden gate right in Zhou Cang's face and slid the iron bolt shut.
Outside, the Patrol Captain was left staring at the wood, shut out of the deal.
The 25 Silver Fortune
Inside the private courtyard, Yan Bo saw the crates. He whistled.
"500 bars? You have been busy."
"I can produce this amount weekly," Long Tan said calmly.
"Good. The retail price is 10 Coppers," Yan Bo said. "I handle shipping and sales. I offer you a 50/50 Split. I pay you 5 Coppers per bar."
Long Tan calculated.
Cost: 1 Copper.
Sale: 5 Coppers.
Profit: 400%.
"Deal," Long Tan said.
Yan Bo signaled his accountant. They counted the numbers.
"500 bars times 5 Coppers is 2,500 Coppers."
The accountant opened a heavy chest. He didn't pull out strings of copper coins. Instead, he pulled out shining silver ingots.
"At the exchange rate of 100 Copper to 1 Silver," Yan Bo said.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
He stacked 25 Silver Taels on the table.
25 Silver.
Su Lan gasped and covered her mouth. In this village, a hunter worked all month to earn 30 Coppers. A normal family would need to work for 20 years to see 25 Silver.
Long Tan stared at the fortune. His hands trembled slightly. This wasn't just money; it was power.
The Free Seeds
Long Tan quickly swept the silver into a heavy pouch to hide it.
"Manager Yan," Long Tan said, keeping his voice steady. "I have a request. Let me see your seed catalog."
"You want to farm?" Yan Bo asked, amused. "Rice?"
"No," Long Tan said. He pointed to the Herbs section.
"I want Vital Herb Seeds."
He pointed to three specific plants:
Blood-Clotting Grass (For healing wounds).
Iron-Vine (For reinforcing the walls).
Spirit Clover (For feeding livestock).
Yan Bo laughed softly. He shook his head.
"Master Long, you are ambitious. But these are Vital Plants. They need spiritual energy. Without a Vital Plant Master, they will die in this cold soil within a day."
Yan Bo looked at the massive pile of soap. He wanted to keep his new wealthy partner happy. He reached into his bag and tossed three packets of seeds onto the table.
"Take them for free."
Long Tan raised an eyebrow.
"Consider it a gift," Yan Bo smiled. "These seeds are dead stock. No one buys them because they always fail to grow. If you manage to grow them... well, then I will be very impressed."
The Weekly Contract
Long Tan took the seeds.
"One last thing," Yan Bo said as his servants loaded the crates. "Since you can produce fast, I won't make you wait a month."
He handed Long Tan a token.
"I will send a collection wagon Every 7 Days. You stay here, keep producing, and we will come to you with the cash."
"Agreed."
The Aftermath
The caravan left. The courtyard was quiet again.
Long Tan stood in the snow. He touched the heavy pouch in his pocket. 25 Silver Taels.
He looked at the packet of "Dead Stock" seeds in his hand.
Yan Bo thought they were trash because he didn't know about the Sun-Moon Photosynthesis.
Long Tan walked to his patch of dark, glowing Spiritual Soil in the corner.
"Su Lan," he called out, his eyes burning with ambition. "Lock the door. Tonight we feast. Tomorrow... we become Vital Plant Masters."
[AUTHOR'S NOTE]
Assets Acquired:
Cash: 25 Silver Taels. 💰 (Huge Fortune!)
Items: Vital Herb Seeds (Free). 🌱
Status: Yan Clan Partner (Weekly pickup). 🤝
👉 Add to Library! 📚
💎 Drop a Power Stone! 💎