YM778.TV Chapter 170 - 167 Outlaw Madman Miaodan Workshop
Although Jiang Cheng was not an Alchemist, as a Cultivator, he had definitely consumed and used Elixirs before.
Some basic abilities to distinguish the quality of Elixirs were certainly not lacking in him.
The Qi Blood Pills in front of him had a very high completion degree; if one were to classify them using the Talisman quality levels: Perfect, Excellent, Fine, Ordinary, they would at least be of “Excellent” quality.
“Our Qi Blood Pills didn’t make the cut?” asked Jiang Cheng.
Bai Xiaohe nodded.
“The reason? If such good Elixirs can’t be selected, the Weapon Department should give us an explanation, right?”
Bai Xiaohe looked at Jiang Cheng cautiously and said, “They said the Elixirs are good, but the Miaodan Workshop offered a lower price. Jiang Cheng, I feel that our Elixirs being rejected is not really about the Elixirs. It’s mainly because… we did not spend more Spirit Stones.”
Jiang Cheng stroked his chin, “You mean, Miaodan Workshop secured the order through bribing?”
Bai Xiaohe nodded again and again: “Although I don’t have direct evidence, this is almost certainly the case.”
Instead of reacting with impotent fury like an ordinary person after losing the order due to the opponent’s foul play, Jiang Cheng remained completely unangered.
After a while, Jiang Cheng chuckled in self-mockery, “The net of Heaven is wide. Miaodan Workshop has such disdain for the law and acts so recklessly, do they not fear that their improper position will backfire on them?”
In a soft voice, Bai Xiaohe said, “I’ve heard that Miaodan Workshop has a very strong backing.”
Jiang Cheng laughed, “He, the strongest backing one can have is justice, righteousness, and the support of the people. Miaodan Workshop has none of these three, and won’t be able to leap about for much longer.”
He really wanted to say that she hoped that was the case. But looking at the present situation, it was clear that those who would not be able to leap about for much longer were them, Tongbao Pavilion.
Moreover, He felt that if justice, righteousness, and the support of the people were really effective, then the one to fall first should not be Miaodan Workshop, but the Emperor of Liang.
Forcing himself on peasant girls, treating lives like grass, harsh and tyrannical governance…
The Emperor of Liang had done too many bad things.
And now, the Emperor of Liang was still alive and well.
Miaodan Workshop would probably not be their turn, right?
The palace of Great Liang.
Several women, dressed in sumptuous palace attire, knelt en masse in front of the Emperor’s sleeping chamber.
“Your concubines beg Your Majesty to stand up for us!”
“Please, Your Majesty, intervene!”
After a moment, the Emperor’s sleeping chamber emitted a deep yet strong voice.
“Get lost!”
The leading beauty in palace dress persistently pleaded, “Your Majesty! Please come out and see your concubine! It has been half a month since your concubine last saw Your Majesty.”
The deep voice changed its tone, “My love, I am tired. I will visit you tomorrow, return to your palace for now.”
Only then did the beauty in palace dress slowly rise and, leading her sisters, left the entrance of the sleeping chamber.
Inside the chamber, several old eunuchs were guarding the empty palace, staring blankly at each other.
The eunuch who had just spoken said, “What are you all staring at me for?”
One eunuch asked, “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
The speaking eunuch touched his nose and said, “Indeed, it is somewhat satisfying.”
Another eunuch, who appeared to hold a higher status, said sternly, “Everyone, be serious. Our ancestor tasked us with staying here to deal with outsiders, not to mock the concubines! You just now, that was poorly done, too many flaws. The Emperor has been weak for many years, how could he speak with such vitality? Next time let me do it.”
The other eunuchs: …
The changes in the palace naturally did not escape the ears and eyes of Prime Minister Qin Wentao of the Cabinet.
It’s just that the current state of the Emperor of Liang is in a kind of quantum superposition of multiple possibilities.
The present Cabinet only knows that the Emperor of Liang is not making public appearances, but there are many possible reasons for this. He might be seriously ill, he might be in seclusion practicing perverse cultivation, or he might even be dead.
Although it sounds quite malicious to hope for someone’s death, the death of the Emperor of Liang would be beneficial to almost everyone, especially the Cabinet that has always been fettered by the imperial power.
“Prime Minister, Consort Li sent a message that she heard the Emperor’s voice. But she still did not see him,” said a subordinate.
“I know,” responded Qin Wentao.
Having dismissed his subordinate, Qin Wentao paced back and forth by the window with his hands behind his back.
Now, he had to think of a way to force the Emperor of Liang to show himself.
No matter what tricks are used in the palace, as long as the Emperor of Liang shows up, whether alive, dead, sick, or possessed, everything will be settled.
Qin Wentao glanced outside the window, thinking that this time during the golden autumn was an excellent day for ancestor worship.
He raised his hand, took out some paper, picked up his brush, and a “Prayer for Ancestor Worship” quietly took shape under Qin Wentao’s hand.
Song Junsheng’s home was in the Capital, which made it especially convenient for him to return.
So sometimes, on a whim, he would go home to stay.
On this Saturday, when Song Junsheng got home, he saw his cousin Song Junqi stealthily staring at a flowerpot.
“Cousin, are you studying the soil?”
Song Junqi was startled, but seeing that it was his cousin Song Junsheng, he immediately relaxed.
“Oh, it’s Junsheng, no, I’m planting a tree.”
Song Junsheng was full of question marks, “Planting a tree? You’re staring at it, could it be you’re cheering on the seed?”
Song Junqi, putting his arm around Song Junsheng’s shoulder, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, and then said, “Junsheng, let me tell you something, but you mustn’t tell anyone. Our family’s shop took an order recently, it’s a Talisman that can make plants grow rapidly, and it can also perform acrobatics, sweep floors, cook meals, and even pick up children.”
Song Junsheng: “Are you sure you’re not talking about your mom?”
“Tsk, what are you saying? I’m not joking. Here, I took this from the shop, a gift for you.”
Song Junqi handed Song Junsheng a talisman.
Song Junsheng received the talisman, finding it somewhat familiar, and said, “Cousin, is the tree you’re growing a Blood Orange Fruit tree?”
“Ah? How did you know? Does Lotus University’s Talisman Department teach fortune-telling now?”
Song Junsheng thought of Jiang Cheng and said with a hint of show-off, “This Plant Autonomy Talisman was drawn by my roommate. What, did he place an order at our family’s shop?”
“What Plant Autonomy Talisman? It’s a Plant Empowerment Talisman! And it wasn’t your roommate who placed the order, it was the Miaodan Workshop. The Shen Family’s Miaodan Workshop.”
Song Junsheng was stunned; he clearly remembered that the talisman Jiang Cheng was recently working on was indeed the Plant Autonomy Talisman. He had even visited the Spirit Plant Garden to see the shabby little fruit tree.
How had it turned into a Plant Empowerment Talisman, and what was its connection to the Miaodan Workshop?
Song Junsheng sensed something was amiss, so he found a secluded spot and immediately sent Jiang Cheng a message using an Audio Talisman.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Jiang Cheng, is the talisman you’ve been working on called the Plant Autonomy Talisman?”
“Right.”
“Have you partnered with the Miaodan Workshop?”
“Eh, they came to see me, but I refused. What’s up?”
Song Junsheng felt a sense of foreboding.
“Jiang Cheng, our family’s Talisman Shop recently took an urgent order from the Miaodan Workshop. They provided the design blueprint and requested the production of a talisman called ‘Plant Empowerment Talisman.’ I looked at the sample, and it seems very similar to your Autonomy Talisman. However, due to the procurement contract, I can’t provide you with any evidence. It’s best you check with the Miaodan Workshop again to see if there’s been some misunderstanding.”
The other end of the message fell silent, and Song Junsheng added, “Hello? Jiang Cheng, are you listening?”
Jiang Cheng’s voice was calm but laced with doubt, “Hmm, I’m listening. If I remember correctly, exploiting someone else’s talisman for profit is a serious illegal act, isn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Then it’s odd. Is the Miaodan Workshop not afraid of breaking the law?”
“I’ve heard that their Master Shen has quite the network within the court. For minor legal offenses, the Miaodan Workshop probably doesn’t care at all.”
Jiang Cheng understood what Song Junsheng meant.
“I get it, you mean to say, just make them commit an extraordinary crime, right?”
Song Junsheng was bewildered.
“No, what I mean is don’t be rash, the Miaodan Workshop has considerable influence. Even if they used your talisman, don’t confront them head-on.”
Jiang Cheng found it odd, “Of course, I won’t confront them head-on. They are the ones breaking the law, not me. I’m not in a hurry.”
Upon hearing Jiang Cheng’s words, Song Junsheng felt uneasy.
Why did he have the impression that Jiang Cheng seemed nonchalant, as though he had already anticipated the Miaodan Workshop would face significant losses?
After ending the communication with Song Junsheng, Jiang Cheng immediately called Shen Menghan.
“Hello? Shen.”
“Jiang Cheng? Are you ready to sell talismans?”
“No, I would like to talk to your father. Could you help us schedule a time?”
Two hours later, Jiang Cheng and Yue Linger, led by Shen Menghan, arrived at the Shen Residence.
At this time in the Shen Residence, the Workshop Master Shen Mi and the Talisman Gangster Wang Xiaoqiu had been waiting for Jiang Cheng for quite a while.
“Dad, Jiang Cheng is here,” Shen Menghan said.
Shen Mi greeted him with a smile, expressing approval, “Master Jiang indeed has an impressive bearing.”
Wang Xiaoqiu followed with a sarcastic comment, “Indeed, not only is he handsome, but his talismans are also very beautiful and useful. I like them a lot. Hahaha.”
Yue Linger clenched her hands tightly.
The people from the Miaodan Workshop were truly outrageous!
It was bad enough that they stole Jiang Cheng’s talismans, but they didn’t even show a hint of remorse and even mocked him to his face!
How could these talisman thieves be so shameless?
Facing Wang Xiaoqiu’s mockery, Jiang Cheng acted as if he didn’t understand and responded with a casual smile, “Thank you for the compliment, Senior.”
Wang Xiaoqiu initially wanted to see Jiang Cheng panicking like that impatient female Talisman Master, but Jiang Cheng’s calm demeanor truly disappointed him.
It was like being nipped by a dog and, instead of getting angry, responding indulgently, “Haven’t had your meal? Please bite harder. It feels like massage.”
He felt frustrated by Jiang Cheng.
Sitting solemnly in the center, Shen Mi teased with a smile, “Jiang Cheng, I had Hanhan talk to you before. She offered four million low-grade Spirit Stones, and you were still not satisfied. Today, you came to us personally, and we at the Miaodan Workshop want to show respect to Lotus University. Six million—if you’re willing to sell the talisman, you can take the money and leave now.”
With a sweep of Shen Mi’s sleeve, six top-grade Spirit Stones swirling with thick Spiritual Energy appeared before Jiang Cheng.
Yue Linger felt a flicker of temptation upon seeing the Spirit Stones.
It was mainly because the Qi Blood Pill order from Tongbao Pavilion was gone, and she and Jiang Cheng had lost their most stable talisman order. Even if they relied on selling the Autonomy Talismans, it would be difficult to reach six million later on.
Getting six million all at once now might also be a decent outcome. At least it wouldn’t end with nothing.
Jiang Cheng didn’t even glance at Shen Mi’s Spirit Stones.
He didn’t come to the Shen Residence to discuss cooperation; he was there to urge the Miaodan Workshop to back off while they could.
“Senior Shen, I’d like to ask about the Empowerment Talisman. I have some friends in the Capital’s talisman industry. They told me that recently, a kind of Empowerment Talisman that’s almost identical to my Autonomy Talisman appeared on the market.”
Shen Mi looked at Wang Xiaoqiu, fearing making a slip, he preferred not to answer.
Wang Xiaoqiu sneered, “Jiang Cheng, you seem to be fishing for answers, aren’t you? Let me guess, did you bring an Audio Talisman? Thinking that if you record our conversation, you can prove the connection between the Empowerment and Autonomy Talismans, and then sue and win against us? Let me tell you, it’s pointless, I will not give you that chance!”
While Wang Xiaoqiu raged in the void, Jiang Cheng could only respond with a helpless smile.
“Senior, I just wanted to kindly remind you that my talismans are easy to get banned. If you plan on making counterfeits, please be sure to copy my talisman selling contract as well. Just counterfeiting the talisman and not the contract is a sure way to run into trouble.”