Chapter 63: The Wealthy Household

Soon, the morning passed, and by noon, with the sun high in the sky, Li Qi had sold most of the furs at his desired prices.

However, while furs sold easily and meat wasn't a problem, some bones remained unsold.

After all, there weren't many uses for animal bones, and they were expensive because one had to risk their life hunting in the wild to obtain them. Thus, they weren't very popular.

After waiting all morning, by the time the meat and furs were sold out, even the mountain goods gone, some bones still remained.

"One hundred and twenty-five... one hundred and twenty-six... Ah, we've made six thousand one hundred and twenty-six qian. Let's just pack up what's left and go buy some clothes," Li Qi counted the coins hanging from his belt, speaking to Shen Shuibei.

One thousand qian made a string, and he had seven strings plus one hundred and twenty-six loose coins, neatly tied and hung on his arm.

Absolutely impossible to steal since it was right in front of him.

With his current arm strength, carrying over six thousand qian didn't hinder his movements much.

Shen Shuibei nodded quickly. In this bustling place where she had to interact with people, the rabbit who preferred solitude and grew up on a sacred mountain felt very uncomfortable. Hearing that they were leaving, she hurriedly helped Li Qi pack up.

Just then, someone approached and spoke, "Hey, young man, are these goat bones, fox bones, and turtle shells all yours?"

Shen Shuibei immediately withdrew her hands and crouched down, pretending to be invisible.

Li Qi, however, flashed a big smile and stepped forward, cheerfully saying, "Yes, I'm selling them. Do you want to buy, sir? I'm about to close my stall. How about taking everything for a thousand qian? It's a bargain."

As he spoke, Li Qi casually observed the man.

"Look at these bones, white and healthy. Whether used for divination or carved into bone pieces, they're top-quality. This is a goat skull, as hard as iron, with horns that can be used in medicine, ground into powder to promote blood circulation and dispel wind-cold," Li Qi launched into his sales pitch, introducing his goods to the unexpected customer.

"The items are good, look fresh, killed within the past few days. A thousand qian is fair. I'll take them," the man replied straightforwardly.

By now, Li Qi had finished his assessment.

The man seemed wealthy, dressed in embroidered cotton robes, appearing plump and friendly, with neatly groomed mustaches.

He looked somewhat like the God of Wealth depicted in New Year's door paintings.

"Alright, let me pack them for you!" Despite his comical appearance, anyone willing to spend a thousand qian was indeed a godsend. Li Qi immediately bent down to pack the bones.

There were many types of bones, each with different uses. He didn't know why the man wanted all of them, but it probably wasn't normal.

But Li Qi didn't care; he just wanted to sell quickly, get new clothes, buy necessary travel items, and continue his journey.

"No, no, I can't carry them myself. Look at me, I'm quite weak," the wealthy man waved his hand, "Since I'm buying everything, how about you deliver them for free? Not far, just to the west side of the city. Pay after delivery."

"Sure! Please lead the way, boss!" Li Qi readily agreed. Conveniently, there were tailor shops in the west part of the city, so it worked out perfectly.

The wealthy man smiled and led the way, with Li Qi carrying the bones, followed closely by Shen Shuibei.

"Who's this young lady?" The wealthy man curiously glanced at Shen Shuibei.

"She's my younger sister, brought along to see the world," Li Qi blocked Shen Shuibei, answering nonchalantly.

"Your sister? That's unusual. She doesn't look like you at all," the man chuckled.

"You're dark and rough from hard labor, maybe a porter or laborer. But your sister is as fair as porcelain, looks like a noblewoman. Doesn't resemble you at all," he remarked.

"Boss, I used to be fair too, but sun and wind changed that. My sister, though, I wouldn't let her do any labor," Li Qi scratched his head, feigning embarrassment.

"I understand. I have a younger sister too, not as pretty as yours, but as an older brother, I'd rather suffer more than let my sisters work hard," the wealthy man sympathized.

Shen Shuibei kept her head down, silent.

Though following behind, she appeared oblivious, focusing inwardly.

Li Qi had instructed her to act this way, which suited her reserved nature, making things easier for her.

The three walked together until they reached the western part of the city.

A large mansion stood there, grand and fitting for a wealthy man.

However, Li Qi found it odd that there were no servants or guards, and even the stone lions at the entrance were covered in moss, indicating long neglect.

Yet, there was smoke rising from inside, signs of habitation.

Li Qi stayed alert, noting that the wealthy man hadn't brought any attendants either.

"At our house, we don't hire servants. The estate is large and hard to maintain, please bear with us," the wealthy man smiled, pushing open the gate.

A gust of cold air hit Li Qi, causing him to shiver.

Upon opening the door, a strong draft blew through, revealing a blind old woman sitting in the courtyard.

"Mother, why are you sitting here again? It's cold. Come inside and warm up!" The wealthy man hurriedly went in, helping the blind woman, concerned.

Then, turning back, he pulled out a small piece of gold, "This is roughly one-tenth of a tael, equivalent to a thousand qian. Take it. Leave the bones over there and you may go."

The blind woman showed no reaction, remaining silent.

Li Qi nodded, accepted the gold, and weighed it in his hand—it was about right.

One tael equaled ten thousand qian, so one-tenth was around a thousand qian.

Although Li Qi sensed something off about the mansion, filled with an eerie aura, he had no intention to investigate further. Having received payment and delivered the goods, he prepared to leave.

Thus, after verifying the gold, placing the bones aside, he picked up his basket and left with Shen Shuibei.

Outside, Shen Shuibei whispered quietly, "That girl just now seemed to be a diviner."