Chapter 37: Heading to the Black Market

After saying this, Lu Chuan returned directly to his room.

Chen Miaomiao stood alone in the courtyard. Suddenly, a piercing howl of a wolf echoed from the distance. She shivered, her eyes filled with a trace of panic, and she hurried back into her room.

"I, I was wrong!" Chen Miaomiao gritted her teeth and said, "I will stay!" After saying this to Lu Chuan, she retreated into her own room.

Su Ruan looked at Lu Chuan with a puzzled expression. "What happened to her? Did you trick her?"

"How could I!" Lu Chuan felt a bit guilty. What a joke—everything he said was the truth! How could telling the truth be considered tricking someone?

Lu Chuan shook his head righteously and then said to Bai Siyu, who was standing nearby, "Xiao Bai knows that I am an upright person, a pure person, someone who has shed low-level tastes!"

"Pah!" Bai Siyu didn't know what she was thinking, but her cheeks suddenly flushed red.

*Wait, what?* Lu Chuan looked at the blushing Bai Siyu. *Why are you blushing at a time like this? Doesn't your blushing ruin my reputation? I will definitely have to deal with you tonight!*

People come into this life empty-handed, and they leave empty-handed! Sometimes one gains, and sometimes one worries!

...

Early the next morning, Lu Chuan ate breakfast and practiced two sets of boxing. Chen Miaomiao watched the whole time. After witnessing Lu Chuan's form, she realized that his identity was definitely not simple. His movements were full of vigor, each strike fierce, and most were lethal blows. How could such a man be an ordinary farmer? Who exactly was he?

After finishing his practice, Lu Chuan wiped the sweat from his body, went into his room to freshen up, changed into a clean set of clothes, shouldered the remaining pork, and walked out the door.

Sun Laizi was already waiting for him at the brick kiln. "Brother Chuan, you're here?"

"Yes," Lu Chuan nodded. He had a bit of money now, and after selling this pork, it would be enough to pay the final installment for the grain. However, it certainly wouldn't be enough to buy coal. Still, his main purpose this time was to check out the black market and look for potential business opportunities.

He went to see Xu Houxiang first. Xu Houxiang didn't ask any unnecessary questions; he accepted all the pork and gave Lu Chuan thirteen taels of silver. The deal was struck. A wild boar of this size was hard to find on the mountain, and with this entire side of pork, the Xu family would have enough meat for the New Year.

"By the way," Xu Houxiang asked, "can you get more of that badger meat? The Third Mistress's energy and spirit have improved significantly after eating the one you brought. But it was only a small thing, and it was gone after a few bowls of soup, so we need more."

Xu Houxiang added, "If you have the capability, find some more! The Master of the house said that three or two aren't too few, and ten or eight aren't too many." His gaze carried a playful hint of a smile. "Also, the price is negotiable!"

"Wait! Is that thing really worth that much?" Lu Chuan asked, his eyes filled with surprise.

"Usually, of course, it's worthless. But after the Third Mistress tried it and found it actually worked, it became valuable. Of course, if that were the only reason, we wouldn't buy so much. The problem is, the Master heard from somewhere that eating this thing..."

"Can restore a man's vigor!"

"So..." Xu Houxiang's eyes twinkled with amusement. "This thing has become in high demand. While the Third Mistress drank plenty of the soup, the Master didn't drink any less!"

Lu Chuan looked at Xu Houxiang with a strange expression. *Damn, you're talking about your own Master like this—does he know?* And with that, it all made sense. Men are often reluctant to spend money on themselves, but there is one exception. In such cases, a man is willing to part with most of his wealth.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't guarantee anything." Badgers rarely came out in the open, and it was hard to catch them while hunting. To find them, one had to look for their burrows, which was a matter of luck. Sometimes a burrow would be empty, and sometimes you wouldn't find one for days. He could only promise to keep an eye out next time he went into the mountains. Since catching them required skill but wasn't particularly dangerous, and they fetched a high price, Lu Chuan naturally took the matter to heart.

"Fair enough. I hope you bring me good news!"

After bidding farewell to Xu Houxiang, Sun Laizi asked curiously, "Was that the head steward of the Xu family?"

"Yes," Lu Chuan nodded. "You know him?"

"Yeah, I know a bit. This man is quite famous in Bingzhou. He has followed the Xu family since he was a child and was granted the Xu surname. Several times when the Xu family was on the verge of ruin, the head steward stood by them through life and death," Sun Laizi said with enthusiasm as they walked.

Lu Chuan had previously thought Xu Houxiang was just greedy for money; he hadn't expected him to be a man of such loyalty. Although Sun Laizi was not a great person himself, having spent so much time on the streets, he knew a fair amount about the world.

Soon, he led Lu Chuan to the entrance of the black market. The black market was located in the old town of Hongtu County. There was only one road leading to it, and as they approached, they saw that many houses were connected, covered by thick materials that obscured the reality inside.

"True experts," Lu Chuan couldn't help but admire. Whoever set up this black market was definitely a talent. The reason it was so well-hidden was to facilitate quick getaways. Although it looked like there was only one path, once you entered, you would find it was riddled with interconnected passages. Many places had been opened up to hide goods and evade capture; it could be done with ease. Even if government officials arrived, there was no need to fear.

About five hundred meters from the black market, on a desolate stretch of road, sat a small tea stall.

"Oh my, two guests, would you like to rest your feet and have a cup of tea?"

"Bring us two bowls of tea! Quickly, we have to be on our way soon!" Sun Laizi hurriedly pulled two hundred coins from his pocket and handed them to the young attendant at the stall.

Lu Chuan watched this with a smile. *Damn, this is actually quite interesting.* This tea stall served the same purpose as those cars selling bootleg goods in some places—it was there to act as a lookout!