Reborn as a Cube Man in the Late Ming Dynasty

Ji Xing'an nodded and recounted to Ji Mingzhi everything he had seen and heard in Liujia Village.

"That milk that can cure all diseases is very peculiar. It only works if you drink the whole bucket of milk. But fortunately, the milk doesn't cause bloating. It's like it disappears into thin air after you drink it. Wei Shi didn't lie to us."

Ji Xing'an said excitedly, then suddenly realized that his father might have forgotten who Wei Shi was, and quickly added, "He's the big, bearded man who led us away before. It's a pity that the milk was too heavy to bring."

Ji Mingzhi listened silently, nodding in response from time to time.

"By the way, Father, do you know what's going on with the imperial court? We've encountered four or five groups of bandits outside. When will the court send someone?" Ji Xing'an asked疑惑地.

Ji Mingzhi said coldly, "Heh, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until next year!"

"Next year?" A surge of anger welled up in Ji Xing'an's heart. He laughed bitterly, "If we really wait until next year, those bandits will have become a force to be reckoned with. It won't be easy to suppress them then, and the government officials..."

Ji Xing'an turned his head, glanced at the gate, and after making sure it was closed, lowered his voice and said indignantly, "Have the officials lost their minds? And His Majesty, are you really just going to let these bandits plunder here?"

"No, His Majesty knows nothing about this," Ji Mingzhi said helplessly. "The Shaanxi governor, Hu Tingyan, has suppressed all of this, saying that these bandits are just starving people and will naturally disband after the summer harvest. In addition, the patrol inspector, Wu Zhen, has disappeared without a trace. Rumor has it that he was killed by some white monster, which I think must have been the work of the Divine General. In short, at least until next year, these bandits will not decrease, but will only increase."

Ji Xing'an said, "The excuse is just that he's worried about being punished by his superiors. But he can only hide it for a while, not forever. In the end, his whole family will probably be executed."

"They weren't just robbing his house; all these officials are the same," Liu Ping scoffed, having been listening quietly to the side.

"I've finally figured it out. In the eyes of those high-ranking officials, we're not even human! Countless people are lying in the city starving, while others are eating meat and drinking wine in those big houses. No wonder so many people are rebelling; these officials aren't even worth a toe of a celestial being—no, not even a hair!"

He would never forget how those yamen runners had forcibly collected their taxes.

Ji Mingzhi shook his head, sighed, and continued, "Now that this matter has spread, the bandits are even more arrogant and domineering. Even those who were originally afraid of the imperial court and dared not cause trouble have joined the rebellion. I'm afraid things will only get more chaotic in the future."

Their fate is sealed!

"Father, come with us! I came here to take you away," Ji Xing'an said softly.

He knew his father's nature; he always did good deeds without expecting anything in return. Now, having heard about the Immortal Lord, he was even more convinced that his actions were right.

When Ji Xing'an was getting the medicine before, he discovered that his father almost only charged for the herbs, and was even making a loss.

People's hearts are unpredictable, and not everyone will think well of you. If his father continues to do this, then when I come next time, I'm afraid I won't be able to see him anymore.

This isn't under the rule of a celestial lord; there are no gods above us!

Since his own father wanted to do good deeds, he would give him a reason that he couldn't refuse!

"You should know better than I do that these people's illnesses are caused by hunger, and we can't help them at all," Ji Xing'an paused before continuing, "Now, many refugees have come to the Immortal Lord's place, and many of them are sick and need medical treatment. The Immortal Lord is overwhelmed and cannot take care of them all. It is there that you can save more people!"

To deal with a stubborn person, you have to go along with their way of thinking.

Upon hearing Ji Xing'an's words, Ji Mingzhi clearly hesitated.

Ji Xing'an quickly pressed his advantage, saying, "Kai'er misses you terribly. He keeps asking when Grandpa will come to see him and he keeps asking you to hold him!"

Ji Mingzhi looked at the rows of neat wooden medicine cabinets, feeling the traces left by time on them, and stared at the handwritten medicine labels on the drawers, the handwriting already somewhat faded.

"I've spent almost my entire life here," Ji Mingzhi murmured. "I'm really a little reluctant to leave!"

"Xing'an, go and take down the sign for Baicaotang," Ji Mingzhi instructed.

That signboard was passed down from our ancestors, and we can't lose it. As long as the signboard is still there, Baicaotang will still exist.

"Father, you agree?"

Ji Xing'an was overjoyed and, fearing that Liu Ping might change his mind, quickly called Liu Ping over to help him get the cards.

It's time for Baicaotang to open in a new location.

……

"Shopkeeper, why is the price of this dye almost 20% lower than before?" Miao Zhiming asked, frowning.

"There's nothing we can do about it, sir. As you know, those bandits stormed into the city a few days ago and looted indiscriminately," the shopkeeper said with a forced smile. "Those gentlemen have all taken their money to stockpile grain, and most traveling merchants don't dare come to Chengcheng anymore. It's really hard to sell anything!"

"Please don't think I'm offering too little. Our shop has already offered the highest price in Chengcheng. If you don't believe me, you can ask around at other shops in the area."

As he said, this was indeed the highest price among the surrounding shops.

After selling all the dyes and converting them into silver, Miao Zhiming walked out of the shop and distributed the silver.

"Take this silver, and remember this: now that you've made a fortune, you're going back to brag about it!" Miao Zhiming repeatedly instructed the artisans who had followed him: "Act convincingly. Don't worry about the money. Pay the craftsmen's wages for seven or eight years. If anyone asks, just stay silent, like you're about to say something but are holding back. Wait until there are enough people before you speak up. Try to fool as many people as possible back! The more the better, we can afford to support them."

"Yes."

"Zhu Zi, take this money with you and buy some cloth, coarse salt, and the things I told you about before. Oh, and fine salt too. If you have any seasonings, buy some as well. These are for the Immortal Lord. Be sure to buy the best and most expensive ones in the shop, and buy plenty. Also, try to recruit a few tailors."

"Leave it to me, I'll handle it perfectly!"

"Liu Qi, this is yours." Miao Zhiming didn't say much; Liu Qi was the one he trusted the most among them.

Miao Zhiming distributed the tasks one by one until only two or three people remained around him before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Alright, now all we have to do is wait for them to come back.

Miao Zhiming needs to return to where he started, so that if anyone who went out encounters problems, they can come back and ask for his opinion.

"Halt! What do you think you're doing!" The soldiers beside Miao Zhiming raised their iron swords and shouted.

Miao Zhiming turned his head and saw a group of people walking towards them.

He vaguely remembered one of them; it seemed like the person standing next to him was when he was selling dyes before.

"Young master, were you selling dyes in that shop just now?" The burly man at the head of the group tried to put on a friendly smile, but his appearance was actually quite ferocious when he smiled.

"Please don't misunderstand, we mean no harm. We are traveling merchants who arrived in Chengcheng yesterday. We just wanted to ask if you have any extra dye? We are willing to buy it at a higher price."