Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Connections of Jiang Cheng People
 

He returned to her Tongbao Pavilion.

With little business, the employees had nothing to keep them occupied, so they could only look at He with eager eyes like a flock of hungry lambs.

Bai Xiaohe sighed and said, “I have some bad news to tell everyone. The order I mentioned before is unlikely to come through. The price they’re offering is too low; we really can’t take it. However, I’ve asked a friend for help, and there might be a turnaround in a few days.”

Including Tao Fang and several other clerks, no one was a fool. Everyone could tell there was little chance of a turnaround from the fact that the store manager couldn’t muster a smile.

The military supply order was basically a lost cause.

No need to hold out hope.

Still, the atmosphere in the store couldn’t remain stagnant. With everyone wearing a frown, how would they make any sales to the customers who came in?

Tao Fang said, “Everyone, don’t worry too much. If there’s any trouble, you have me and the store manager. Concentrate on your work, fulfill your roles, and don’t overthink it. As long as everyone does their job well, business is bound to pick up.”

A salesman said, “Right, our store sold a Portable Spirit Gathering Array today! Today’s sales aren’t bad.”

Hearing this, Bai Xiaohe cheered up a bit and asked, “Really? Who was the kind person who bought it?”

“Store manager, it was your friend, a Mr. Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Cheng…

As the store manager, He had a clear inventory of what the store had.

Backed by the Tongtian Sect, the quality of their products was certainly good, but the prices were not cheap either.

Compared to others, they really didn’t have much competitive edge. Jiang Cheng could have easily gone to a store that offered a good bargain for his purchase.

But he still chose to buy from her, surely out of consideration for her, intentionally bringing her the business.

The key point was, he kept it a secret…

At that moment, He felt as though something was stuck in her throat.

Jiang Cheng was too good to her—so much so that even devoting herself to him wouldn’t seem enough to repay his kindness.

If Jiang Cheng continued to treat her well like this, she estimated it would take ten lifetimes of devotion to pay back his kindness.

Miaodan Workshop was a considerable alchemist shop in the Capital.

Its main business was the sale of various kinds of elixirs.

From the lowest rank bleeding stoppers and Qi-gathering powders to third-stage spiritual pills, all were sold in the Miaodan Workshop.

Previously, the business of Qi Blood Pills for the Army’s Weapon Department had always been handled by Miaodan Workshop.

After a long partnership, both sides maintained an understanding that went unspoken.

At the entrance of the Miaodan Workshop, a servant handed a letter to a clerk, who then delivered it to the hands of the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper’s face changed immediately upon reading it, and he rushed to the house of the owner of the Miaodan Workshop.

The owner of Miaodan Workshop was a third-level Alchemist at the Core Formation Stage.

His name was Shen Mi.

He began as an apprentice under his master during the Qi Cultivation Stage and, through his exceptional talent for alchemy, married the master’s daughter, took over the Miaodan Workshop, and, by being well-connected, expanded the business significantly in the Capital.

“Master, take a look at this!” said the shopkeeper as he handed the letter to Shen Mi.

Shen Mi paused from his drawing, pinched the letter and scanned its contents with a squint.

The letter was abrupt, stating just one sentence—”The concubine’s daughter from Tongbao Pavilion intends to meddle in the Qi Blood Pill business.”

Shen Mi chuckled, flicked his finger, and a flame ignited from his fingertip, burning the letter to ashes.

“No matter, it’s of no concern,” he said.

The anxious shopkeeper said, “Master, the contract is not a small deal. Are we just going to watch someone else snatch it away?”

Shen Mi replied with a smile, “If it were someone else trying to snatch it, I might be a bit nervous, but Tongbao Pavilion doesn’t have the capabilities. Those shops under the Immortal Sects are most concerned with reputation. They’d rather lose money than tarnish their brand, so they can’t match our prices.”

Shen Mi patted the shopkeeper on the shoulder and said earnestly, “Don’t worry, Tongbao Pavilion is no rival for us.”

As the shopkeeper knew about the Qi Blood Pill deal between Miaodan Workshop and the Weapon Department, he had some insight into the matter.

The cost of the Qi Blood Pill on the market was usually over forty-five Low-grade Spirit Stones, and a little better ingredient could raise the price to fifty.

Taking such prices to sign a contract with the Weapon Department meant a loss for any amount produced.

But the “special supply” Qi Blood Pills provided by their Miaodan Workshop to the Weapon Department could cut costs down to thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones.

The profit margin left over was an entire two times higher than that of the “non-special supply” Qi Blood Pills on the market!

Even if it meant spending more money on bribes.

This was Master Shen’s specialty.

Otherwise, how could Miaodan Workshop thrive in the Capital and achieve new glories?

Is it by virtue of their conscience?

Don’t joke, how much is conscience worth?

Tongbao Pavilion does have a conscience.

But who can Tongbao Pavilion fight against?

Their current state is so lifeless, who knows how long they can struggle to stay alive—it’s laughable to even think about.

The dormitory at Lotus University is a four-person room.

The standard configuration includes a lofted bed with a desk underneath, private bathroom, and a small balcony.

Yue Linger and Cheng Bingxin were not only roommates but also best friends; their friendship stood the test of time among groups of four and five people.

It was the kind of comradeship formed through sharing hardships and saving each other’s lives.

Not like the superficial sisterhood of Lin Yao and Tang Qian.

Around nine o’clock in the evening, Yue Linger, dressed in her pajamas, was lying on her bed, reading a book.

What she read was not some leisure book, but genuine professional texts for Talisman studies.

It wasn’t even the textbook for their course, but rather self-study material she had borrowed from the university library.

Jiang Cheng used five different Talismans in the five freshmen assessments and scored full points with each.

The types of Talismans covered completely different categories including “Attack,” “Control,” “Puppetry,” “Healing,” and “Summoning.”

He could be called a decathlete!

Though Yue Linger was already one of the top students in their class, she still felt an immense pressure from Jiang Cheng.

Compared to the real genius, her modest talents were frankly quite pitiful.

The only consolation was that Jiang Cheng was her father.

With this father-daughter bond, even if she took a step back, as long as she didn’t actively cast aside her relationship with Jiang Cheng, his character suggested that he would never give up on her no matter what!

But all this was under the precondition that she could not become a burden to Jiang Cheng!

She had to be useful!

Therefore, she could only study hard, aiming to reach the threshold of the third rank as soon as possible and continue serving dutifully in the second place.

Just as Yue Linger was about to refocus on her book, her communication talisman on the bedside suddenly rang.

Someone was disturbing her study, which displeased Yue Linger immensely.

But the moment she picked up the communication talisman, the annoyance in her heart vanished instantly.

There was only one person who could interrupt her at any time.

Jiang Cheng!

Yue Linger grabbed the communication talisman and jumped down from her bed, running quickly to the balcony before answering.

“Hello?”

“Senior Yue?”

Yue Linger let out a sigh of relief, not minding Jiang Cheng’s formality: “Just call me by my name.”

“All right, Senior Yue Linger.”

The beauty sighed.

Sometimes, Yue Linger thought that if Jiang Cheng had any ulterior motives, she would probably have fallen prey to him long ago.

One summer was more than enough for Jiang Cheng to understand her from head to toe, inside and out, thoroughly.

But if Jiang Cheng were really that kind of person, would he still be likable?

Of course not.

“Senior Yue Linger…”

You don’t need to add ‘Senior’.”

“Okay, Yue Linger Daoist companion, do you know any Alchemists? I’m looking for an experienced Alchemist to consult with on some issues.”

Yue Linger: ?

What does he need an Alchemist for?

He couldn’t be planning to delve into the Elixir industry, could he!