Young White Horse: The Poison Sword Master of the Wen Family, Shocking the Apocalypse

Chapter 365: Apocalypse Prediction: Dongjun Appraises Treasures (2)

The next day, at the hour of Mao, in front of the Tianqi Prefecture Government Office on Qinglong Street.

A four-foot-square notice in gold-thread brocade was posted on the notice wall at some point. The following lines of bold, gilded characters were written in a powerful and forceful manner:

"I solemnly inform the people of Tianqi: Today, the Immortal Sovereigns of the Four Poles have descended upon the mortal world. We have left the Ninth Heaven to answer the divine command, and have come here in search of the Taibai Giant Clam. Anyone who witnesses this announcement may offer gold, jade, or other valuables. Those who receive these treasures may be rewarded with elixirs of longevity or lifelong wealth and honor. Anyone who disrespects the Immortals, as the eunuchs of yesterday did, or who hoards treasures and refuses to hand them over, will be met with a devastating fire in three days, reducing Tianqi City to ashes. Do not hesitate to warn me!"

Passing common people and merchants stopped to watch upon hearing this notice. Most of them had seen the miracles performed by Wen Yanzhao and his party in Tianqi City yesterday, so they naturally believed it without a doubt.

But what exactly is this giant clam? No one has ever seen or heard of it.

Since the Immortal Lord's decree stated that gold, silver, and jade articles could be offered as tribute, many wealthy and powerful families in Tianqi City had already been ready to make a move.

They were already wealthy enough that they wouldn't care about one or two treasures. If they could actually exchange it for an elixir that could extend their lifespan by a hundred years, it would be more practical than any other treasure!

Regardless of ancient or modern times, all those who have reached the highest level of power and wealth will unanimously pursue immortality. Now that the only opportunity is before them, naturally there are many people who come to offer their treasures.

……

At the beginning of the Chen hour, Qianjin Terrace.

Outside Qianjintai, more than a dozen craftsmen were busy at work. Thirty to fifty workers were moving tiles, applying plaster, laying bricks and painting, almost blocking the street in front of the door.

Tu Zao didn't know when a Xiangfei bamboo fan appeared in his hand. He paced back and forth, supervising the work, his wrists shaking like a sieve, but he still couldn't stop fanning away the sweat oozing from his head.

"Hey, hey, hey? Brother Zhuo, the color and style of this paint look wrong! Please check it carefully before you start using it. This paint costs three taels of silver per liter!"

"Uncle Liu...are the floor tiles made from the blue mud from the bottom of Taihu Lake? Why don't they feel translucent when I step on them? Don't try to fool me, Tu Zao, or I'll dock your wages!"

"The words on the door lintel need to be rewritten. Who told you to hang the plaque now?! Has Young Master Liu Yue been invited? What are you doing? What time is it now?! You've delayed the Immortal Lord's important business, and I'll make you pay for it!"

"..."

Tu Zao was spinning like a top among the craftsmen, his mouth idle, for fear that these craftsmen would cut corners.

Two hours later, the craftsmen had finished their work one after another. The gate tiles and lintel that were damaged by Sikong Changfeng yesterday had been repaired, except for the plaque which was still empty and had no inscription on it.

Tu had already calculated the wages. The total cost of labor and materials was 4,162 taels of silver, not including the 1,000 taels of silver he had prepared as a reward for Master Liu Yue!

The accountant saw the shopkeeper's face full of reluctance, and he counted again with his abacus. Finally, he handed the account book to Tu Zao and whispered:

"Boss, your calculations are correct. The total cost is 4,162 taels of silver. Please review it!"

Tu Zao took the account book in his hands. He sucked his back teeth and felt his heart bleeding.

But he was helpless, as the four "immortal kings" upstairs had great magical powers. Even if they turned his thousand-dollar platform upside down, he could only blame himself for his bad luck!

"Alas... what a sin this is... I, Tu Zao, work hard day and night, but I only make a little over a thousand taels a day! And that immortal Chang Geng stabbed away four or five thousand taels of silver with a single spear! Tsk tsk..."

Just as Tu Zao was sighing with regret, the young man's clear and crisp voice came from afar:

"Master Tu's Qianjintai makes a fortune every day. Which of the high-ranking officials in Tianqi City doesn't know that this is a den of money? Are you so stingy with just a few thousand taels of silver?"

Tu Zao looked up when he heard the sound and saw from afar a boy in blue leading a young man in white walking towards them.

The person who came was none other than Master Liu Yue, who was invited by Tu Zao last night to write the inscription for the plaque on his door lintel!

Tu Zao quickly threw the account book to the accountant and walked over quickly, clasping his hands together and smiling:

"Tu Zao respectfully welcomes Master Liu Yue. We are waiting for you to write an inscription for our shop. Please come in!"

Liu Yue still wore a plain gauze hat, holding a folding fan in her hand and said with a half-smile:

"No, no, if Uncle Tu asks, Liu Yue will agree!"

The servant Lingsu looked Tu Zao up and down and sneered, "Mr. Tu is really generous. He came to my house last night and gave my son a reward. I have never seen you so generous. I wonder who dared to act wildly in Qianjintai and ruin the reputation of the place."

Tu Zao sighed, lowering his eyebrows as he said, "Who else could it be? It must be an immortal descending from the Ninth Heaven! Sigh... I can only swallow my anger..."

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Young Master Liu Yue and Young Friend Ling Su, please come into the lobby. I've already prepared some refreshments. Please!"

As he said this, he rolled up his sleeves and led Liu Yuelingsu into the lobby of Qianjintai.

Ling Su slowed down his pace, moved closer to Liu Yue, and whispered, "Young Master, tell me...are the immortals living in Qianjintai real or fake? Why do I feel that figure in white is so familiar? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before!"

Liu Yue raised her hand and tapped Ling Su's head lightly with her folding fan, smiling playfully: "Humph! Who else could it be? It must be my naughty little junior brother!"

Ling Su was startled when she heard this. Just as she was about to speak, Liu Yue raised her finger to indicate silence, pointed at Tu Zao and whispered:

"He must have his reasons for doing this. Don't reveal his identity, or he'll come looking for trouble with me again!"

Ling Su blinked as if she understood, and followed Liu Yue into the lobby of Qianjintai.

……

In the guest room on the third floor of Qianjintai, the young men were busy putting on their "immortal" attire.

Sikong Changfeng was already tall, and his gleaming silver dragon-scale armor only accentuated his imposing stature. Baili Dongjun, clad in a snow-white robe and a shimmering jade crown, truly had the air of a northern polar immortal.

Wen Yanzhao had already changed his clothes and was pinching a strand of hair in front of his forehead, thinking about something.

"Cousin? Do you still need me to use magic to create a blanket of snow today? I spent half the night concentrating my internal energy, which is enough to make half of Tianqi City snow heavily today!"

Baili Dongjun was full of confidence. With one hand, he raised up a large number of snowflakes and they flew out from his body, instantly making the room a little cooler.

Sikong Changfeng stroked the dragon gall spear in his hand and asked, "Cousin? You asked Tu Zao to reissue the notice last night, but we caused a big commotion yesterday and even injured several eunuchs from the palace. Will those high-ranking officials in Tianqi City who value their lives still come to offer treasures?"

Wen Yanzhao straightened his body and stretched lazily, saying confidently, "Don't panic, Xiao Baili, you don't need to use up your internal energy today. Just open your eyes and identify the treasures they offer!"

"Little Spear Fairy, you still have to hold us up. After all, among the four of us, you've been in Tianqi City the shortest, so it's unlikely you'll be discovered by acquaintances. While Xiao Baili is appraising treasures, you can climb up to the roof of Qianjintai and show off your Shocking Dragon Transformation!"

"Again, as long as you don't tear down the roof, make as much noise as you can. Anyway, Mr. Chen Ru and Old Li are not here, so no one will recognize your marksmanship."

Sikong Changfeng was overjoyed when he heard this. He had long wanted to practice his spear skills with this new magical weapon, so he clasped his hands together and said complacently:

"No problem, cousin, just wait and see!"

Baili Dongjun pulled a chair over and leaned next to Wen Yanzhao, and asked somewhat embarrassedly:

"Cousin...then, have you assigned any tasks to my nephew Yin?"

Wen Yanzhao turned his head and stared at Baili Dongjun, which made Baili Dongjun's face blush.

"Cousin, why are you looking at me? I don't mean anything else... I'm just asking, just asking..."

Baili Dongjun said timidly, then quickly turned his face away.

Wen Yanzhao teased, "Xiao Baili can't forget your nephew Yin. She'll just come with you to appraise the treasures!"

……