The list is quite long. Chen Mo took a full minute just to finish reading it.

"Lord Jiu, why are you showing me this?"

"The mountain delicacies sent over from Mingjiang Prefecture, each basket is of the highest quality, priceless, packed with several train cars."

Lord Jiu said, "The eldest sir mentioned that Ping Shui Prefecture takes a tenth of these delicacies, and the rest are to be exchanged for goods and sent to Mingjiang Prefecture."

Only then did Chen Mo realize that it wasn’t Lord Jiu trying to "use power to oppress" and favor Mingjiang Prefecture, but rather "using money as leverage," monetary power.

"These mountain delicacies..."

"Don’t tell me you can’t sell them; otherwise, I’ll think you’re incompetent, and I’ll get mad." Lord Jiu reprimanded.

"There’s no way they won’t sell... Even if there were ten times more, we could sell them all within half a month. What I mean is, these mountain delicacies are worth a fortune. Sold by the gram on the market, they’re sold by the pound officially. Where did Mingjiang Prefecture get so many mountain delicacies? Hopefully not..."

"Do you suspect they’re fake?"

Lord Jiu took a sip of wine and said, "Your uncle’s eyes aren’t blind; I can’t tell the real from the fake delicacies after wasting eight incense sticks of good fortune. Just tell me if the money from these delicacies can buy all the resources on the list."

"Enough to buy ten to twenty sets," Chen Mo admitted.

"Well, there you go. Selling delicacies and buying materials, Ping Shui Prefecture can keep a tenth; the profits are already quite substantial."

"Indeed, indeed." Chen Mo no longer dared to look down on that "poor bunch" from Mingjiang Prefecture and started making calls to instruct the procurement to continue.

Meanwhile, Lord Jiu received a secret message delivered by a Feathered Arrow.

The message exploded, and Lord Jiu immediately stepped out quickly.

"Lord Jiu, haven’t you even warmed your seat yet? Stay and have some tea before you leave."

"Not this time. Lord Jian sent a secret message saying the eldest sir brought the king of mountain delicacies to Zhou Family’s Troupe. I’m going over to see the commotion."

"What king of mountain delicacies?"

Chen Mo, also a disciple of Mr. Ye’s Tangkou, shared it with Lord Jiu and knew a little about the odd tales of the Jianghu... Of course, just a little.

He asked, "Is it millennial ginseng?"

"Compared to the king of mountain delicacies, millennial ginseng is just a commonplace radish; it’s the Red Ginseng Child."

As soon as the words fell, Chen Mo immediately hung up the phone and went out with Lord Jiu.

"What are you doing?"

"Uncle, I also want to see the Red Ginseng Child."

"Finish the procurement well, I’ll take a look at what the child looks like for you..." Lord Jiu waved his hand.

...

Ping Shui Prefecture, Zhou Family’s Troupe, inner courtyard,

Zhou Lingyi was in the pavilion in the inner courtyard, holding a brush dipped in chicken blood, giving life to a lifelike paper figure.

Many folk crafts, such as wood carvings, paper figures, and Buddha statues, if made too lifelike, they cannot be given eyes. Once given eyes, they become evil spirits, not all of which are harmful, some good, some bad, all based on cause and effect.

But now Zhou Lingyi couldn’t be bothered with such things.

With two swift strokes, the paper figure’s left and right eyes were stabbed repeatedly, its throat emitting a sound similar to a beast’s growl.

This is a Witch’s "Eye-pointing Technique," targeting non-human objects, inevitably becoming a fierce evil, not at all like the Taoist gentle methods of "Dragon Eye Pointing" or "Red Dust Eye."

And Zhou Lingyi, at this moment, wants exactly the ominous vibe.

She picked up the cowbell and walked towards the bamboo grove in the inner courtyard, ringing the bell as she went: "Ghosts on the road, humans avoid."

"Ring, ring, ring."

The bell controls the "Eye-pointed" paper figure while also informing the others in the inner courtyard to stay indoors, do not come out, lest they encounter misfortune.

Fortunately, the Zhou Family’s Troupe is a Netherworld Play Troupe, dealing day and night with the dead; they understand the rules, each shutting their doors firmly.

Zhou Lingyi drove the paper figure to the small bamboo grove in the backyard. Inside, there were already four black dogs locked up. She pulled the bell hard to her head and gave it a powerful shake; the bell rang sharply and crisply.

The sound was piercing; the paper figure, as if receiving a directive, blinked its crimson eyes and gave those four living large black dogs to...

The ground was covered in innards and dog hair, with the paper figure’s belly bulging, it sinisterly gazed at Zhou Lingyi.

"Now that you’re full, it’s time to serve your Master Yuan."

Zhou Lingyi shook the cowbell gently again, urging the paper figure one step at a time towards Yuan Buyu’s quarters.

The bamboo grove and Yuan Buyu’s quarters weren’t far apart. The paper figure, having eaten the black dogs, reached the door and gently knocked...