Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 93 What can you buy with a candied hawthorn?

For Zhang Chengdao, planting a tree was simply a matter of digging a hole, inserting the [Supreme Wood-Seeking Branch], covering it with soil, tamping it down, watering it, and finally dripping [Immortal Dew] on it. That was it.

After all, he didn't know how to use even the most complex technologies, so he could only make do with what he had.

Because it is difficult to perceive the passage of time when cultivating in the inner world, Zhang Chengdao thought he had only been in seclusion for more than ten days after leaving the room. However, he was greatly surprised when he flew to the vicinity of the thatched cottage.

It is worth mentioning that, having already reached the Core Formation Realm, Zhang Chengdao will no longer experience the wind blowing on his face or the cold causing a runny nose when flying on his sword, because his golden inner core can ensure that he continuously supplies himself with a "spiritual energy shield".

In other words, he can maintain a state of spiritual energy protection without worrying about running out of spiritual energy!
As soon as Zhang Chengdao landed, Ye Shuyun, who was supervising the work, heard the noise. He turned around and looked at Zhang Chengdao. His eyes were no longer empty; they were much more lively and had a sparkle. It seemed that with his cultivation, his eyes were getting better day by day.

Ye Shuyun bowed respectfully and said, "Congratulations on your completion of seclusion, Master!"

"Yes, you all worked hard during my seclusion."

After offering a casual reassurance, Zhang Chengdao pointed to the fenced-off area not far away and asked, "What are they doing there?"

Ye Shuyun replied, "These are the craftsmen I invited laying bricks... I felt that ordinary bricks and stones might not be hard enough, so I specially brought in a batch of gold sand jade from the south, which is most suitable for paving the floor. A new batch of gold sand jade bricks was polished today, and they are laying them now!"

Zhang Chengdao's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but he managed to control his expression.

"Golden Sand Jade"!?

This thing doesn't sound cheap, does it?
You used it to pave the floor?!

Zhang Chengdao pressed further, "What is this 'Golden Sand Jade'? Is it better than ordinary bluestone bricks?"

“Here it is,” Ye Shuyun said, taking out a small green square from his sleeve and introducing it: “It is more wear-resistant and harder than ordinary bluestone, almost comparable to black iron, and relatively cheaper.”

Zhang Chengdao took the small green cube and examined it carefully.

It has a cloudy, semi-transparent texture. It is not a very eye-catching green, but rather a bluish-grayish green like lake water. When the sunlight shines through it, there are even faint golden sparkles. No wonder it is called "Golden Sand" Green Jade!
"This thing...is cheap?"

Zhang Chengdao was somewhat skeptical.

Ye Shuyun replied, "It's not expensive. These stones were mined from the Ye family's own mine. Even if we don't count the cost, one string of cash can make dozens of bricks. If we were to pave the entire square, it would only cost a few thousand strings of cash."

Several thousand strings of cash...that's all...

Zhang Chengdao was already convinced of his third apprentice's "money power".

If he remembered correctly, he had seen house deeds sold in the county before, and a house only cost a few hundred strings of cash!

Thousands of strings of cash were used only to pave the floor, and only in the square...

Even if someone's family is rich, isn't this a bit too extravagant?

Zhang Chengdao couldn't help but blurt out, "Why don't you just use a gold shop!"

Unexpectedly, Ye Shuyun took it seriously and even started calculating with great seriousness: "Hmm? Could it be that Master prefers gold bricks? It's not impossible. The Ye family also has business dealings with the Kingdom of Jinsha. The price of gold sand is cheaper than the market price of gold. However, even if it is cheaper, it won't be much cheaper. If it were to cover the entire square, it would probably cost more than a million strings of cash. But if it were to be gilded, it should only cost a few hundred thousand strings of cash."

"No, please don't!" Zhang Chengdao hurriedly waved his hand: "I was just saying it casually. Gold bricks are too vulgar and not good-looking. What is this? Gold sand and green jade is quite nice. It's not that exaggerated!" Ye Shuyun nodded, seemingly quite agreeing: "That's right. The Ye family's Dragon Hidden Manor has these gold sand and green jade bricks in the main hall. It does look less ostentatious."

Zhang Chengdao glanced at the craftsmen who were working hard, feeling somewhat at a loss for words.

If they're already this flamboyant even when they're not being ostentatious, what will happen if they really start being flamboyant?!

but……

Even if it's "cheap" jade, isn't the price of this "golden sand green jade" a bit too high? Even white marble doesn't cost this much!

Zhang Chengdao, belatedly realizing the situation, finally discovered the "abnormality" in this world of martial arts and cultivation.

And the prices of iron and gold don't seem quite right either, do they?

Putting aside the price of the gold bricks mentioned by Ye Shuyun, just talking about iron, the iron ingots I bought from the county before only cost a few dozen coins to buy a large piece, which seems... a bit too cheap, doesn't it?

What happened to the claim that ancient ironware was very expensive?

It seems that the farmers in the farmland I saw on the road were using iron tools, right?
And the quality is also very good?
Could it be that iron is produced near Baishi Mountain? Otherwise, how could there be a sword-making manor here that can be called an iron-devouring monster?

The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Zhang Chengdao simply asked, "Shuyun, how much does the price of iron vary from place to place? Is it all just a few dozen coins per pound?"

Based on the 1-jin-16-liang system, a jin in this world is much more than a jin in the modern society before I transmigrated!

Although Ye Shuyun didn't quite understand why her master would suddenly ask this, she still replied, "There are differences, but not by much. After all, iron ore is everywhere and not considered precious. Gold, on the other hand, is much more expensive. In the Central Plains, whether it's Southern Chu or Northern Xiao, there aren't many gold mines. The main reason is that the Jinsha Kingdom has a large output and the gold is more refined. In many places in the Southern Chu palace, where gilding is used, it is clearly stated that only gold from the Jinsha Kingdom is used. This shows the difference."

"Tsk..."

Now Zhang Chengdao was completely certain that something was wrong.

In Feihu County, a candied hawthorn costs 5 coins, while an iron ingot weighing more than 10 jin only costs a few dozen coins. If you do the math, it's equivalent to buying a jin of iron with a candied hawthorn!

This is almost like modern society! (In a small county town in northern China, a candied hawthorn skewer costs 2 yuan; it's a regular skewer with a pit.)
Even if Zhang Chengdao had no concept of ancient prices, he realized that the prices of these metals and jade were far too cheap.

However, Zhang Chengdao quickly stopped dwelling on the matter, because Ye Shuyun told him something even more shocking—

"Master, since you have been in seclusion for a month, I have taken the liberty of sending some cooks and embroiderers over. I would appreciate it if you could take a look. If there are any suitable ones, they can stay in the sect. Firstly, it is not good to keep He Xiang busy cooking for everyone in the sect. Secondly, my senior brothers and sisters should also have some new clothes made."

"What!? A month of seclusion?" Zhang Chengdao asked in surprise, "I've actually been in seclusion for a month!?"

After the initial surprise, Zhang Chengdao suddenly remembered that he had indeed just happily drawn thirty member red envelopes!

Exactly one month!

This is timed.
If you are not satisfied with the two posting times mentioned above, please let me know what time you would prefer, and I will consider adjusting it (it's impossible to finish posting three chapters right after midnight; even if I were to die, I couldn't write them _(:з」∠)_).

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(End of this chapter)