45.5 Retribution

News reached the main manager as he had his hands on his forehead, his elbow supported by the polished wooden table.

"Last time, the past owners made the mistake of not handing over the main house as I finally made a move and hired assassins... Fine. Give the main auction house to the man."

"Two men, actually. One from the Zi auction house and the other from Yu auction house. They combined their debts to ask for your deed." His assistant reminded.

"I know! Take the slaves as well. We'll use them as a means to appease the men." the manager snapped back at him, leaving him quivering in the background as he stood up and went to get the deed.

"Esteemed sirs, our main manager wants to meet you. Tomorrow, at three in the afternoon."

"Alright."

"Here's the deed for now. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions and please remember to not spread news of this situation around. If word of our failure to protect our auction house's goods and items go around, we would lose face."

"Hm, reputation is a very important thing for you auctioneers huh."

"A-Aha, yes. We cannot diminish it for then nobody would auction off any items here."

Nodding silently and walking back to the inn, not even bothering to be discreet, Xuanmei packed her bags as she sneaked out at eight.

"Why do you have to sneak out?" A blue bird flew past as Xuanmei walked back to her hotpot store.

"Then again... They should be sending assassins over to the inn by now. They will not kill the innkeeper and such because if they weren't able to find, kill, or capture you," Blue Pheonix mumbled

"I would be questioned and I could possibly tell their secrets. People could easily make the connection of me, as a victim, to the auction house, the culprit of the killings." Xuanmei finished.

Roaming around at half past eight in the forest near the village, not a good idea. However, she had to find the main ingredients for her broths, ingredients to prepare so that the customers can buy to add to their hotpot.

Pulling Tiny Ram out of her Pagoda and pointing to a straight row of three trees, she threw the ran forward as it powered through the trees, the bottom of the trees having tiny holes in them.

Gathering all of the fallen firewood as the Ram made holes through more trees, she ordered Ming and Bluey to bring them back, both taking multiple trips. By nine, their hotpot store's storeroom had already been filled to the brim with firewood.

While the animals worked, Xuanmei, however, had went to multiple shops and got a large supply of fresh vegetables from them.

"How much of these do you want?"

"All of them. Can I form a contact? Supplies from your shop I will regularly buy, but give me a cheaper price; The whole shop's worth of vegetables for one hundred thousand?"

"Ah? Sure! Deal."