"Father..." Yue Jie and Yue Xin tried to stop Liu Ju Zheng.
But Liu Ju Zheng was unfazed, he continued and said, "Notice that they only want to stop talking, but they aren’t objecting to the idea of them getting married to you.
"I’ve known them since they were young.
"They would be protesting right now if they didn’t like the idea."
Yue Jie and Yue Xin were astonished with what their father had just said, but after a mont of realization that he was right, they lowered their heads and kept quiet.
Lin Xuan Qi scratched his head and gave Liu Ju Zheng an awkward smile.
"I think it’s best you spend the ti with your daughters."
The prison visit was only for an incense worth of ti, and it would be over soon.
Liu Ju Zheng sighed and said, "Do consider what I’ve said. It’s my last wish, I’m afraid my health can’t hold much longer."
He said and glanced down at his old and frail body.
Lin Xuan Qi nodded his head and glanced over at Yue Jie and Yue Xin.
They were still flustered by what their father had said.
Did they really want to, and most importantly, was Master Lin also open to it?
"Go on. There’s not much ti left." Lin Xuan Qi said.
Yue Jie and Yue Xin lifted their heads and glanced back at their father.
"Father, what do you need for your body? Tell us now. We will buy them and ask Uncle Lee to bring it here next ti." Yue Jie said.
Lee He Song nodded his head, agreeing to it.
"It’s no use..." Liu Ju Zheng shook his head and said.
The constable intruded and placed his saber with its sheath horizontally between them and Liu Ju Zheng.
"All right. Ti is up." The constable glanced over at Lin Xuan Qi and said, "And for this, no amount of copper coins can extend the ti."
Yue Jie and Yue Xin reluctantly stepped back.
Their father waved them off and said, "Don’t worry about ."
They held back their tears and turned around.
It was silent along the way back out of the prison, Yue Jie and Yue Xin had many thoughts going through their minds.
They were glad to be able to visit, but they were sad about his deteriorating health, and they couldn’t do much about it.
Lin Xuan Qi let them be, knowing that it would take ti for them to process all the emotions.
The sun’s glare made him cover his eyes with his hands when they got out of the prison.
It made him feel better imdiately out in the open and under the sun.
A huge difference to the doom and gloom inside the prison.
Since it was late afternoon, he still had ti, so he decided to go and pay Hun Xiong Kun a visit.
It would help trendously to have money coming in from him with the increased amount of rice.
"Co with , I need to visit the Chang Fu Rice Store."
Lee He Song, Yue Jie and Yue Xin nodded and followed him.
...
Chang Fu Rice Store.
Hun Xiong Kun was all smiles when he saw Lin Xuan Qi visit.
"Welco, Master Lin. What brings you here?" He bowed at Lin Xuan Qi and glanced over at his servants.
His servants quickly prepared tea and dessert for the guest.
Lin Xuan Qi returned his bow and said, "I’m here to renegotiate our deal."
"Renegotiate..." Hun Xiong Kun frowned and said, "...Master Lin, I assure you that the price of twenty-four taels of silver for ninety kilograms of rice daily is the best I can do."
Lin Xuan Qi shook his head, had a sip of the tea and said, "No, that’s not what I want to renegotiate about.
"I can increase the supply to six hundred forty kilograms daily.
"I want to see if you are able to take in all of it."
Hun Xiong Kun’s eyes opened wide at what he had heard.
He was only able to supply rice for Lee Zhen Ren’s birthday celebration so far.
There wasn’t anything else that he could sell.
The news from Lin Xuan Qi was like rain coming in a drought.
With the increase in the rice supply, he could now be able to expand his business.
And most importantly, get back at those who had colluded and tried to put him out of business.
Hun Xiong Kun pondered for a mont and started to push the beads of the abacus he had on his hand.
Clack.
Lin Xuan Qi waited while he did so.
When he glanced at Yue Jie and Yue Xin standing beside him, he noticed that they were still not out of it and were lost in their thoughts.
Maybe he can think of sothing to cheer them up? He thought to himself.
"Master Lin." Hun Xiong Kun finally stopped his abacus and glanced at Lin Xuan Qi.
"I will offer one hundred fifty-six taels of silver for the six hundred forty kilograms of rice daily for thirty days’ worth."
"Deal!" Lin Xuan Qi said imdiately.
It was more than he had expected.
Hun Xiong Kun was giving him more per hundred kilograms of rice than the previous amount.
"Great, I shall inform my n to deliver half of the silver tomorrow as deposit."
Lin Xuan Qi nodded and said, "Thanks. It’s always a pleasure to be doing business with you."
With the seventy-eight taels of silver, the household expenses would be taken care of while he waited for the soap business to take off.
He stood up and was about to leave when Hun Xiong Kun stopped him.
"Master Lin, here’s an invitation to Lee Zhen Ren’s birthday celebrations.
"Since you are the supplier of rice, I feel that you should attend too." Hun Xiong Kun glanced at the servant girl beside him, and she walked towards Lin Xuan Qi with an invitation card in her hands.
Lin Xuan Qi took the invitation card, opened it, and read the content.
The birthday celebrations will be five days later and held at Lee Zhen Ren’s mansion.
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