Chapter 153: Chapter 120 New Year’s Eve, Big Brother Chen Xin_2
Chen Ku analyzed, "Xie Qingfeng can produce Eighty Thousand Taels without blinking, so he wouldn’t be stingy over twenty thousand taels worth of Iron Essence. It seems... Alas, this Iron Essence is indeed difficult to gather." He sighed, realizing he could only wait silently.
Stepping out of the room, he saw family members in the courtyard. His sister-in-law, the cook, and the maid were all busy in the kitchen. When his sister-in-law saw Chen Ku emerge, she called out softly, "Brother, are sixteen dishes—eight cold and eight hot—enough for tonight?"
"That’s enough. After Master Li finishes these dishes this afternoon, he needs to go back for New Year’s too. The maids and Long-term Workers will also be leaving; it’ll just be our family of four at home."
Chen Ku smiled, "Besides, I expect when Big Sister and Brother-in-law come over tonight, they’ll also bring a few boxes of dishes."
"I’m just worried that you and Brother-in-law, being martial artists, might not have enough to eat."
Sister-in-law Xu Lan tidied her hair and said earnestly, "Right, I’ve also prepared two jars of wine for you and Brother-in-law. It’s New Year’s, after all; you two men of the house should have a drink. I think I’d better add a few more dishes."
"That’s plenty, really," Chen Ku said. "We’re definitely going to have leftovers."
"Having leftovers is good! What family doesn’t have leftovers during New Year’s?"
His elderly mother’s voice, aged yet joyous, came from the kang in her room, "That’s for ’surplus year after year,’ after all."
"Alright, then you all carry on. I’m going out to meet some friends."
With Medicine King Hall closed for the day, Chen Ku found himself restless at home. It reminded him of his old habit from his previous life: instinctively going out for a walk during the Spring Festival holidays. He also remembered a small matter.
First, he went to Official Chai’s residence and delivered a silver note for Ten Thousand Taels.
Chai Tiangui had originally been leading a group of maids and servants to welcome him. However, when he saw Chen Ku was actually there to repay a debt, his expression immediately soured. "Brother Chen, what are you doing? It’s New Year’s!"
"Exactly because it’s New Year’s," Chen Ku said cheerfully. "As the old saying goes, ’No debt collection on the first day of the New Year, but debts must be repaid by the thirtieth.’ That’s an old rule. Besides, speaking of repayment, I was the one who benefited from your generosity, Official. Initially, I wanted to bring you into the partnership so you could also earn some money, but you wouldn’t hear of it, only allowing me to repay the principal later. Now that the Iron Bank has broken even and started turning a profit, of course, I must first repay these Ten Thousand Taels to you, Official."
Chai Tiangui, swayed by Chen Ku’s words, could only smile with a hint of resignation. But he also knew Chen Ku had recently won Eighty Thousand Taels from Xie Qingfeng and wasn’t short of money, so he said, "Well then, I’ll accept it."
This Ten Thousand Taels of Silver wasn’t much to him. When Chen Ku had first opened his iron shop, Chai Tiangui had gifted him three thousand taels, but this was different...
Chen Ku understood this distinction clearly. A debt was a debt.
"Although the money is repaid," Chen Ku continued, "the kindness you’ve shown me, Official Chai, cannot be repaid so easily. I’ll keep it in my heart and will definitely find a way to reciprocate when the opportunity arises in the future."
After saying this, Chen Ku drank a cup of water wine at Chai Tiangui’s residence. After declining several invitations to stay for lunch, he finally left.
Lastly, he wandered over to Jiang Shaoyou’s shop. He didn’t have any particular purpose, just hoping to chat, snack on some melon seeds, and see if there were any interesting books he could take back.
He possessed the Spirit Dove Transformation, granting him a Photographic Memory. Reading more books would help him understand the various strange occurrences in this world, learn about myths and legends, or grasp the laws of the Imperial Court and local customs. In this world, being knowledgeable was always beneficial and never detrimental.
Jiang Shaoyou was quite pleased to see him. Like Chen Ku, he was feeling bored on this busy New Year’s Day when every household was occupied and the entertainment venues in the county town were closed. So he found a few books for Chen Ku: one "Baojiao County Annals," one "Former Dynasties Histories," one "Ghost Fox Night Talk," one "Weapons Atlas," and one "Rivers and Lakes Enmity Record."
Chen Ku idly flipped through these books, waiting for the New Year’s Eve dinner. He didn’t expect Jiang Shaoyou to suddenly smile and ask, "Junior Brother Chen, after tonight’s New Year’s Eve dinner, are you planning to keep vigil?"
"Not really, why do you ask?" Chen Ku inquired while still flipping through a book. "What do you mean by that, Senior Brother Jiang?"
His family elders might keep vigil, but he had never adopted that habit, even in his previous life. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, he preferred to meditate and cultivate.
"There’s something interesting," Jiang Shaoyou giggled. "You should know, on New Year’s Eve, the ’Year Beast’ emerges from rivers and seas all over the land. I remember when I was young, every New Year, I would follow the elders of my family with gunpowder and red cloth to drive away and slay the Year Beast. Now that I’m grown, I rarely get to experience that festive spirit anymore."
"Year Beast?"
Chen Ku, who had actually been wondering about this Demon with the ’Water Avoidance’ ability, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Senior Brother Jiang, do you know where the Year Beast might emerge from?"
He had been thinking that if a Year Beast did appear, there was a high probability it would end up in the Medicine King Hall’s Butcher Court. However, if he hunted it himself, he could save some trouble, and the Year Beast’s Materials would be his.
"Though I don’t know the exact location," Jiang Shaoyou said with a touch of excitement, "every year on the banks of the Dragon River in Baojiao County, hunters from Hunter’s Forest set up numerous traps, waiting for the Year Beast. I have a rough idea of some spots where the Year Beast often appears."
"So, how about it? Tonight, shall we go down to the riverbank and look around? If we really encounter a Year Beast, we can capture one together. The ’Water Avoidance Pill’ made from the single horn on its head is worth a fortune, you know."
Chen Ku put down the book he was holding and said, "That’s not a bad idea."