127 First Visit to Fu Lai Medicine Hall 3

Qin Feng made an angry noise as soon as he heard that. "What do you mean by that?" he growled, as he rose to his feet. And quickly channeled his qi to form shield around himself. From what he had experienced earlier, at the Gate, it seemed necessary to establish that he was not someone to be dismissed, if he wanted fair treatment from these City folk.

"What do you mean by that?" he repeated, as he glowered at the newcomer.

The tall man who had just entered the room looked a little pale then, as he was confronted by the apparently furious Qin Feng. The aura that he was giving out was not something that was commonly seen, there in Changqing City. And it was clear that the field of qi that was shooting out from his pores were enough to make everyone else in the chamber groan in agony.

Then Qin Feng gave out a snort, as he reined in the zhenqi once again. Although he did not stop glaring at the tall man in the rich merchant's beizi who was standing right in front of the door.

The appraiser in the room sagged where he sat, while the tall man quickly ran the back of a hand across his lips, to wipe away the traces of blood there. And he quickly gave a deep bow to the grey-haired puppet that Qin Feng was inhabiting, as if in apology.

Which was more or less what Qin Feng had been waiting for. Why else would he bother to waste the zhenqi that he had been storing inside the puppet otherwise?

"I did not mean to ... impugn your honesty, respected sir. I had merely wished to warn ... our appraiser not to ... make unnecessary statements regarding your choices. Our Fu Lai Medicine Hall does not ... refuse any exchange so long as the value of the herbs involved are ... more or less equitable."

By the time that he regained his feet, his confidence also seemed to be back. Although it was clear from the fear in his eyes that he was still intimidated by Qin Feng. And would be for a while, if the young-man-in-the-puppet was not mistaken. Well, that was his own fault for provoking him earlier!

Then the newcomer dipped into a respectful bow. "Permit this one to introduce himself. This one is Luo Junyuan, Assistant Hall Manager of this Fu Lai Medicine Hall Branch, here in Changqing City. And I apologize for any inconvenience caused earlier ... by my rude interruption of your discussion."

Qin Feng waved that aside almost negligently, and fixed the earlier appraiser with one eye. And hurriedly went on with the trade that he had in mind. He didn't wish to waste too much time there, in the City. And he did not doubt that someone would be looking for him soon, if they have not already done so, back at the Heaven Sword School.

"Purple Blood Ginger. Since you arrived in time to hear your Fu Lai Medicine Hall appraiser's comment about the ... intended trade earlier, you must have heard what I wish to exchange for my Lotus Root.

"So tell me, how much Purple Blood Ginger does your Fu Lai Medicine Hall possess at the moment?"

"Purple Blood Ginger? We should have three to four stalks here. Yet ... I hesitate to offer those up in exchange for your Golden-veined Lotus Root. The difference in monetary value would be ... a little large, for it to be considered equitable. Perhaps there is some other medicinal herb that you would be interested in?"

Qin Feng reconsidered on hearing that. There were several other ingredients that he was missing, wasn't he? For his own alchemical mixture? So he nodded at the so-named Assistant Hall Manager Luo. "Have you any Crystal Ice Swallow Nests then?I would take them off your hands if you do. My master could always make use of those things."

The man who introduced himself as Assistant Hall Manager Luo seemed to think for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately, we do not have any of those at the moment. The last handful that we received have already been sent off to the Capital. You are aware that it is highly prized by the Emperor's concubines, of course."

Qin Feng merely sniffed. "They are probably using that to double-boil one of those rumoured medicinal soups that are supposed to keep their flesh soft and supple, and their faces looking young. What of it? The Emperor would just get tired of them all the same, give or take ten to twenty years. What does it matter to me?"

His blunt manner was enough to make the Assistant Hall Manager sputter, and the appraiser next to him had his jaw hanging limply, by the time he was done. Qin Feng ignored all of that, and simply waved a hand at the Lotus Root in front of him.

"I will take all of your Purple Blood Ginger in exchange for this. That should be enough to make good my trip to Changqing City. Of course, if your herbs satisfy me, I will be back in the future. For more of them.

"Now, do we have an agreement?"

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