Chapter 47: The Transaction

Looking at Brother Feng’s cautious expression, Zhao Mu could not help but feel a mild sense of amusement. Clearly, he wanted to eat fish, yet he asked about how the fish were caught. In such chaotic times, the method of catching fish was far more precious than the fish itself.

Yet, while amused, he also felt a pang of sorrow. A perfectly fine dynasty had been torn to shreds by those corrupt officials. He was certain that despite all the natural disasters the Great Qi Dynasty had suffered, there was still more than enough grain in the world to feed everyone! But those who clutched the grain reserves would rather let every last kernel rot and turn moldy than distribute a single grain to the impoverished. This behavior was no different from capitalists who sold a single loaf of bread for half a million or preferred to dump milk into rivers! These people would sooner or later pay the price!

"Want to eat fish?" Zhao Mu smiled and asked Brother Feng and Xiaoshi.

Brother Feng had not expected Zhao Mu to be so direct, but he immediately nodded vigorously.

"I do!" Xiaoshi and Brother Feng said simultaneously.

Zhao Mu looked the two over and asked again, "How long has it been since you last ate?"

Xiaoshi scratched his head, not knowing how to respond. Brother Feng’s eyes rolled, and he immediately dropped to his knees, saying, "Our brothers haven't had a single drop of water or grain for seven or eight days. These past few days, we've survived entirely on tree bark and grass roots. We beg the young master to take us in. We don't dare expect too much—just give us a single meal a day, and we'll do whatever you ask."

Xiaoshi was startled for a moment, then quickly knelt beside Brother Feng.

A trace of appreciation crept into Zhao Mu's gaze as he looked at Brother Feng. Though this Brother Feng was a refugee, his ability to read people and gauge situations was not low. He did indeed have the intention to take the two in, or he wouldn't have asked them so many questions. Just as Wang Wu and Wen Zhi had worried, he was also afraid that if the two failed to get what they wanted, they might end up waking all the other refugees. If these refugees were put on guard, setting aside whether they could bring back what he needed, his future cooperation with Qin Jian might fall through. Therefore, taking these two in and having them work for him had become the best solution. Besides, although he could barely manage to be self-sufficient now, if he were to venture into other businesses in the future, he would inevitably need manpower. Brother Feng's performance also left him quite satisfied.

Satisfaction aside, he still needed to test them. There were far too many clever people in this world, but he couldn't just accept every clever person he met. If he misjudged someone and employed individuals with ulterior motives, he wouldn't even have tears left to shed by the time things went wrong.

"You'll do anything?" Zhao Mu stared at them, asking leisurely, "Even murder and arson?"

Brother Feng and Xiaoshi froze, looking up at Zhao Mu with stunned expressions. Xiaoshi instinctively shrank back; he was still young and relied entirely on Brother Feng to make decisions. Brother Feng knew Zhao Mu was testing him, but since he couldn't figure out Zhao Mu's true identity, he hesitated. If Zhao Mu was a good person, his words were merely a test. But if Zhao Mu was a bad person, murder and arson would be real! Ever since the new emperor ascended the throne, the Great Qi Dynasty had been plagued by endless natural disasters and man-made calamities, and countless desperate commoners had turned to banditry. If Brother Feng had harbored such inclinations, he wouldn't have been reduced to his current plight.

"R-Reporting to the young master," Brother Feng said, kneeling on the ground and gritting his teeth. "If the young master is willing to take us in, aside from things that violate heavenly conscience and justice or involve murder and arson, we will do anything! But those two things are absolutely out of the question!"

He decided to take a gamble. If Zhao Mu was willing to take him in, so be it; but if Zhao Mu was unwilling because of this, he would never betray his own bottom line.

Although Wen Zhi and Wang Wu didn't know what Zhao Mu was really thinking, they felt immensely pleased when they heard Brother Feng's reply. If Zhao Mu had truly taken in someone willing to commit atrocities just for a bite to eat, they wouldn't have agreed to it either.

Zhao Mu didn't make a decision right away; instead, he asked once more, "Violating heavenly conscience and justice may be out of the question, but what if someone comes to snatch our food and our meat? What would you do then?"

Brother Feng raised his head and said with resolute determination, "If someone comes to snatch my food, they are trying to cut off our means of survival. Those who try to rob us of our lives are naturally evildoers, and evildoers must be treated differently from ordinary people."

"Good!" Zhao Mu nodded in immediate satisfaction. "You're not bad. Follow me from now on."

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed Brother Feng's face, and he immediately moved to kowtow in gratitude. But seeing Xiaoshi beside him, his movement paused, and he asked, "Young master, what about this brother of mine?"

Zhao Mu replied calmly, "Since you are brothers, bring him along."

"Understood! This humble servant Feng Qin pays his respects to the young master! This is my brother Shi Min. From now on, the young master is the master of us both. Whatever the young master tells us to do, we will do!"

Feng Qin pulled Shi Min down to kneel alongside him before Zhao Mu, kowtowing repeatedly to show their loyalty.

"Alright, the two of you get up," Zhao Mu said once they rose, instructing them, "Since you are working for me, don't call me 'young master' from now on. Just call me 'boss.' My name is Zhao Mu, and these two are Elder Wang Wu and Elder Wen Zhi."

Feng Qin pulled Shi Min over to exchange formal greetings once again.

Amidst their conversation, the gates of Taiping County finally creaked open. A guard, yawning, dragged the city gates wide apart.

The moment the gates opened, Qin Jian hurried out. The instant he caught sight of Zhao Mu, the heart that had been hanging in his chest finally settled.

"Brother Zhao, you really came!" Qin Jian stepped forward to clasp Zhao Mu's hand, saying with considerable agitation, "I couldn't sleep at all last night, terrified that you wouldn't make it."

Looking at the heavy dark circles under his eyes, Zhao Mu felt a stirring of emotion. The time he had known Qin Jian was not long, and the friendship between them was far from deep. Yet Qin Jian had genuinely worried about him, prompting Zhao Mu—who had forced his heart to harden ever since transmigrating—to reflect upon himself. Although he had realized as early as when he met little Xiaoxin that this transmigration had made him somewhat cold-blooded, and he had promptly adjusted his mindset, he now felt that his adjustment was still insufficient.

*When in adversity, attend to one's own virtue; when in prosperity, benefit the world.*

He was currently far from the standard of benefiting the world, but he couldn't simply treat himself as an aloof bystander either.

"Brother Qin, I've made you worry." Zhao Mu gave Qin Jian a brief hug, then said, "This time, your younger brother has brought a total of ninety fish. Please inspect them, older brother."

Qin Jian waved his hand and said, "No need to count. I trust my younger brother's character. But as for the price, do you have any objections?"

He was somewhat astonished by the quantity Zhao Mu had brought, but fortunately, he had brought more than enough silver. Even if Zhao Mu raised the price per fish a bit more, it would be entirely sufficient to cover the cost.

Zhao Mu shook his head. "No problem at all. Let's do it just as you said, older brother."