I Got Together with the Goddess [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 39

Three days later, a group of mounted merchants visited Qingfeng Village. The backs of their horses were laden with all sorts of wooden cases and boxes, and there were many small trinkets packed into cowhide bags hanging from both sides of the horses’ necks.

When they saw the merchant caravan, the children of Qingfeng Village all rushed forward clamoring, looking at these unfamiliar Miao people who would only come once every three to five years.

Because they did not only do business in the Miao territory but even entered the Tibetan regions and distant India and held a history of over a thousand years on this land, these merchants held a very high social status in Miao society. From daily necessities and cultural entertainment to weapons and treasures, there was nothing they did not possess.

Shui Mingsheng and the manager of Qingfeng Village came forward to welcome the merchants. After leading them to settle in the stilt houses reserved for guests, Shui Mingsheng began to discuss large-scale transactions with them.

Since the merchants had arrived quite suddenly, having decided to visit Qingfeng Village on a whim while passing through—Shui Mingsheng had only prepared a thousand Green Lantern Gu. This type of Gu insect fed on the Green Jade Bamboo found everywhere in Qingfeng Village; they were lovely and bright, emitting a faint fragrance, and were a specialty of the village. Since Green Jade Bamboo was not as abundant elsewhere, one could obtain a good return as long as the Green Lantern Gu were sold along with the bamboo.

Shui Mingsheng negotiated the prize with the lead merchant, purchased many Gu insects—including those for messaging, transportation, defense, attack, and healing—and stocked up on a large number of daily necessities.

Once official business was concluded, she spoke to the merchant about private matters: “I wonder if you have any other treasures here?”

The merchant smiled and asked, “Chief Shui, what is it you wish to buy?”

Shui Mingsheng not only managed the affairs of Qingfeng Village but also engaged in trade herself, though not on the scale of a merchant caravan. She hired people to go up the mountains to pick medicinal herbs and search for Gu insects, then used transportation Gu to take them to distant markets to sell for a profit. Over the years, she had saved up a small private treasure, which was enough for her to indulge herself a little.

“What is the best item you have? Let me see if there is anything suitable.”

Hearing this tone, the merchant knew there was a great harvest to be had. He opened the gold-threaded pouch he carried; as soon as it opened, it grew from small to large. The pouch itself was a Gu insect with the power of storage. The merchant poured out everything inside all at once; suddenly, the entire table was shimmering with golden light.

Shui Mingsheng called out, “Yiqing, come quickly and see if there is anything you like.”

Hearing her voice, Jiang Yiqing walked over from the adjacent room.

“Mingsheng, what are you buying for me? I don’t need these things.” Jiang Yiqing could not bear to refuse Shui Mingsheng’s kindness, but she truly felt embarrassed letting her spend so much money.

Shui Mingsheng took her soft hand and had her sit down beside her, fearing she wouldn’t even spare a glance—for if she didn’t, how could she present these treasures to please the beauty?

Jiang Yiqing looked at the treasures: there were gold and silver jewels, Dzi beads, Thangka paintings, and Tibetan knives. Each one was glittering and vividly colored. Her eyes didn’t know where to look first, but she didn’t feel any particular fondness for them.

After all, her family was in business; she had seen all sorts of rare things since she was a child.

“Yiqing, do you dislike all of them?” Shui Mingsheng asked.

“…Uh, no, it’s just that I’ve never bought these things before,” Jiang Yiqing said modestly.

Shui Mingsheng was certain she disliked them all and looked at the merchant: “Do you not have any more remarkable treasures? My Yiqing doesn’t seem to like any of these.”

“No way? These Dzi beads, Thangkas, and carved wooden statues aren’t these decorative items favored by wealthy families? Each is an antique hundreds of years old and worth a fortune. How can she not like them?” The merchant was somewhat helpless, but he was indeed provoked by Shui Mingsheng’s words. He said, “I do have a treasure that everyone loves, but the price is exorbitant. Even as a village chief, Chief Shui might not be able to afford it.”

“Bring it out for a look first,” Shui Mingsheng scoffed. “Let’s see if it’s really as good as you say.”

The merchant’s face turned red with indignation as he pulled out the treasure from the bottom of his trunk. It was a miniature black wooden box with a specially matched small key.

The merchant opened the box to reveal a tiny Gu insect lying at the bottom. Except for its flickering antennae, its entire body was motionless. On its forehead was a pattern in the shape of the character for “King” .

Seeing this Gu insect, Shui Mingsheng’s expression also changed. She asked, “You actually have a King Gu larva?”

A King Gu could command all other Gu insects; it was the king standing at the apex of the Gu world. However, their numbers were few and far between, and they were extremely difficult to raise. Shui Mingsheng had heard of several instances where attempts to raise a King Gu ended in failure. However, even if a King Gu died, being consumed by other Gu insects would still significantly enhance their abilities.

“How about it? I wonder if you two ladies are interested in this treasure?” the merchant said proudly.

Shui Mingsheng frowned and said, “I’m not here for that. Keep the Southern Red Agate for me, as well as the Thangka and the Tibetan rug—I want them all. I’ll also buy all the medical books you have. And bring out a few trendy bags, the latest mobile phones, and some skincare products.”

The merchant beamed at these words and said, “As expected of Chief Shui, so generous. Are these for your wife?”

Jiang Yiqing tried to stop her: “Mingsheng, you really don’t need to buy…”

Shui Mingsheng said, “They aren’t anything rare, but our Yiqing must have whatever others have. Don’t argue with me over these little things; just accept them.”

“And the King Gu? Does Chief Shui really not want it?” the merchant asked again.

Shui Mingsheng fell into hesitation. This thing was indeed very rare, and with a King Gu, one would immediately become famous throughout the Miao territory. It was less about practical benefits and more about a prestige project.

A thousand years ago, there was the last Miao Saintess. Holding the Insect-Calling Bell, she presided over sacrifices and revered the Mountain God. She possessed powerful spiritual energy and could command all Gu insects in the Miao territory, including the King Gu. However, that has since become a legend. Only King Gu remained.

Jiang Yiqing leaned in to look at the Gu insect. Seeing it looking nearly lifeless, she asked the system: “I feel like the Gu insect’s condition isn’t very good.”

“Yes, otherwise it would have turned into ‘King Gu Fragment x1.’ A King Gu in this state will live for six months at most. However, as long as you feed it carefully, you might be able to raise what others cannot.”

Jiang Yiqing hesitated. She looked closely and saw something flash beneath the soft grass mat the Gu insect was lying on.

The Gu insect sensed Jiang Yiqing’s aura and, as if responding, suddenly began to move anxiously at the bottom of the box. The merchant was surprised to see this: “What’s happening? The insect seems to be stimulated.”

As the Gu insect moved, Jiang Yiqing was able to see the bottom of the box. It was a crumpled piece of straw paper. Logically, it wasn’t anything precious, but suddenly a text prompt from the system appeared.

“Ten Thousand Gu Inheritance Fragment x1”

The system said excitedly: “Host, this is an incredibly rare and good item! Its value is even higher than this Gu insect!”

An incredibly rare and good item turned into a piece of straw paper serving as a cushion for a King Gu? Or was it that this King Gu was guarding this treasure to prevent it from being discovered?

Regardless, she had to get her hands on that black box.

“Yiqing, what do you think?” Shui Mingsheng was hesitating, so she asked for Jiang Yiqing’s opinion.

“Buy it,” Jiang Yiqing said, pretending to be vain. “It’s not like we can’t afford it.”

Shui Mingsheng met her eyes and suddenly understood her meaning. She said, “Since Yiqing has said so, we must buy it regardless of the price. We are being very sincere; you won’t suddenly raise the price, will you?”

“I give the same quote in every village,” he said. “Chief Shui, rest assured. I deal in big business; the most important thing is integrity. I won’t do something that harms others without benefiting myself, and I won’t reveal the buyer’s identity to anyone.”

“How much?” Shui Mingsheng asked.

The merchant mysteriously held up five fingers and said, “This amount.”

“50,000?” Shui Mingsheng asked.

“Is a King Gu only worth that much?” the merchant said. “Chief Shui, don’t joke with me. Although our Miao territory isn’t as developed as the outside world, there are plenty of people making a fortune in secret. Anyone who can buy a King Gu is wealthy and powerful; you shouldn’t be so stingy.”

The merchant could tell Shui Mingsheng had financial resources but never flaunted them, so he wanted to test her limits.

“1 million, no more,” Shui Mingsheng said with a stern face.

“No, I want 5 million.” The merchant held up five fingers again and said, “That is the number. Not a penny less.”

Shui Mingsheng said, “I also bought your agate and those other things; it shouldn’t be a problem to give a discount, right? Besides, your King Gu doesn’t look very well. Your behavior is really a bit unreasonable.”

The merchant chuckled and said, “Then 4.5 million; that’s an auspicious number. If you agree, Chief Shui, we can exchange the money and goods right now.”

Jiang Yiqing didn’t know how to haggle, so she could only watch the two go back and forth. In the end, the merchant’s forehead was dripping with cold sweat—it was unclear what leverage Shui Mingsheng had found—but she bargained the price directly down to 2.8 million.

“Chief Shui, you are truly ruthless. I yield, okay? You must keep my secret. I’ve never made such a losing deal in my life; it really cannot go any lower.”

“Fine,” Shui Mingsheng agreed.

Shui Mingsheng turned to get the money while Jiang Yiqing pretended not to care, though she was actually watching the box intently, fearing any mistakes.

When Shui Mingsheng returned with a stack of money, the merchant began to count it.

Having tucked the money away, a smile appeared on the merchant’s face. He said, “Chief Shui is truly generous. Qingfeng Village is indeed a great village, and you are truly a heroine among women. This transaction has been most pleasant.”

Shui Mingsheng waved her hand and said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. There will be many more opportunities for trade in the future.”

After the merchant left, Shui Mingsheng asked Jiang Yiqing, “Yiqing, do you have some idea? I saw that you really wanted to keep this, King Gu.”

Jiang Yiqing said, “Mingsheng, there is a piece of paper beneath this King Gu that looks unusual.”

Reminded by her, Shui Mingsheng noticed it too. She used tweezers to carefully pick up the paper, only to see some obscure and difficult-to-understand characters written on it.

“This is ancient Miao script; even I can only understand the general idea.”

“What does it mean?” Jiang Yiqing asked.

“The inheritance… of the Saintess…?” As Shui Mingsheng spoke, she was shocked beyond measure. She had just thought of the legend of the Miao Saintess, and now she was seeing such text.

It was truly unbelievable. Why would such a thing appear here? If it were fake, the person who fabricated it was too good at pranks; but if it were true, it was simply inconceivable!

“Yiqing, do you think this thing is real?” Shui Mingsheng asked.

Jiang Yiqing looked at the back of the straw paper; it was faintly a map. However, because it was only a fragment, more parts could not be seen, but there was a red dot marking a critical location.

“It feels real.”

Shui Mingsheng said, “This looks like a treasure map. It seems we can go treasure hunting. I’ve just replenished the transportation Gu; it’s perfect for traveling beyond Qingfeng Village with Yiqing.”

Jiang Yiqing remained silent. Shui Mingsheng didn’t explicitly ask her to stay, but to her ears, every word was a plea to stay.

Shui Mingsheng picked up the fine-quality Southern Red Agate and said, “Yiqing, let me put this on you first. I wonder if you like it?”

Bright and vivid red agate—surely no girl would dislike these sparkling gems. She gave a slight nod, and Shui Mingsheng leaned forward to hang the agate around her neck. It complemented her, making her appear even more as white as jade. The red of the agate was tucked against her soft curves, and Shui Mingsheng’s gaze was drawn to her like a magnet, unable to look away.

Jiang Yiqing came to understand the currency of this world. She thought about how, at the age of nearly entering university, there was probably no one else like Shui Mingsheng who could handle the affairs of an entire village, excel at Gu arts, and earn so much money on her own.

This was unimaginable in the modern world, and even more so in ancient times. Shui Mingsheng was truly impressive.