Folklore: Pre-emptive shelter begins with the stomach.

Exchanging Qi and Blood Ash Wheat for some grain should be enough to resolve this crisis.

Look behind this team.

The carriages behind the night-riding horses were packed full, but covered by white cloth.

Judging from the grayish grains below, most of them should be grains.

This morning.

After confirming the effects of Qi Xue Hui Mai, he became somewhat worried about it.

Even someone who has just reached the threshold of the garrison level had such a big reaction after eating it.

If an ordinary person ate this, they would likely explode and die.

It weighed over a hundred jin (approximately 50 kg), and even though he rewarded Huang Lao Er and the others, he couldn't finish it all by himself.

Therefore, switching to ordinary grains is the safest option right now.

"Then, what are Lord Sibing's needs?"

"We need the medicine, and the talisman water you made us drink back then."

"Sure, I have something even better here."

Feng Mo told the other party about the Qi Xue Hui Mai.

Of course, he packaged this product as a specialty of the Feng family.

If the other party is planning something underhanded, they should at least consider the reputation of the Feng family.

The Feng family in Shiping has wronged me so much.

We should make good use of it ourselves.

Upon learning of this, Ta Xue Yun Shu immediately became interested:

"Gray wheat that can restore qi and blood?"

If such a thing truly exists, that would be the best outcome.

How about exchanging one pound of this gray wheat you mentioned for five pounds of grain?

Upon hearing this, Huang Lao Er's face twitched violently.

Normally, this gray wheat wouldn't even be enough to buy twenty pounds of grain, let alone five pounds.

A soldier is a true master!

There was nothing we could do; the other party was a soldier in the county government.

Just when everyone thought Feng Mo was going to suffer this injustice in silence,

He didn't give the other party any face at all:

Thirty catties.

One pound of gray wheat can be exchanged for thirty pounds of your grain.

The market price is reasonable.

Ta Xueyunshu raised an eyebrow slightly.

He was the first person to dare to negotiate market prices with a dignified sergeant like her.

Of course, Feng Mo was not someone who didn't understand social etiquette.

He then added, "If you buy ten pounds, I'll give you half a pound for free."

The items here are priced according to market value, but I'm only doing so out of respect for Lord Sibing.

If it were someone else, the price would be at least 50% higher than the market price.

Given the current environment in the Huanjiang River basin, it's normal for things to be a bit more expensive, isn't it?

Feng Mo's words directly shut down Ta Xueyun's rebuttal that was on the tip of her tongue.

She had to admit to herself that this young man was quite the businessman despite his young age.

Moreover, what the other party said is correct.

That statement was a considerable saving face for her.

The subordinates, who had initially been hostile, softened considerably after hearing these words.

"Okay, then let's go with the market price."

And so, Feng Mo completed the transaction using talismanic water, healing medicine, and Qi and Blood Ash Wheat.

Currently, he only produces about 100 jin of Qi Xue Hui Mai.

Therefore, only 70% was used for the transaction.

These seventy catties of ash wheat alone were exchanged for a full two thousand one hundred catties of grain.

He then used talismanic water and medicine to exchange for a night-traveling horse.

And a set of standard equipment, specially made by the temple, at the village guard level.

As for the Disaster Stone, Feng Mo has no need for other equipment or cultivation materials for the time being.

Therefore, no exchange was made.

The grain they received in exchange was enough to feed the current population of Jiangbai Village for a month.

If we save money, we can last about two months.

Two months is enough time for the wheat to grow about three more crops.

We can exchange them then, and the food crisis will definitely be resolved by then.

On the other side, Ta Xueyunshu was also very satisfied.

If the effects of these seventy catties of Qi and Blood Ash Wheat are truly as Feng Mo described, her team could recover to full strength more than twice as quickly.

"The Blood Ash Wheat is truly effective; I'll definitely come back again."

"Then I will await the arrival of Commander Sibing."

The deal was thus completed.

Just as Ta Xue Yun Shu thought the transaction was over and was preparing to lead the team away.

Feng Mo suddenly spoke up:

"I need some intelligence. I wonder if you, Lord Sibing, would be willing to exchange it?"

I'd trade Blood Ash Wheat for it.

"Intelligence? Unless it's something important within the court, I can tell you for free," said Ta Xue Yun Shu.

Information that can be shared for free is naturally not a secret.

However, you could tell from their attitude that they were very satisfied with the transaction.

Feng Mo felt a little regretful.

Free news is most likely to be common, outdated content.

There's nothing to look forward to.

But the other person's next sentence instantly brought him back to his senses.

"As for important internal matters... that's possible, but it will cost extra."

Feng Mo smiled and said, "Of course."

How about exchanging a pound of Qi-blood ash wheat for an insider tip?

"Okay." Ta Xueyunshu agreed without hesitation.

"Has there been any more serious situations in our surrounding area recently?"

Ta Xueyunshu pondered for a moment: "No, judging from the current situation, the most critical situation is only in Jiangxuan Village."

"Is the information reliable?"

"reliable.

Regarding intelligence, we have internal channels to obtain the latest information every day.

As for the specific channels, I have no comment.

Feng Mo lowered his head in thought.

Since there are no new dangers.

What exactly is the great misfortune that has persisted for many days in Tang Ren's divination?

This has been the case for several days in a row, without any change.

He wanted to confirm again: "How much longer can Jiangxuan Village hold out?"

"That depends on how long Huanjiang Town is willing to help."

According to the order of the Grand Commandant of Chang'an County, Huanjiang Town is the front line of the Huanjiang River Basin.

What can be called the front line is generally the first line of defense in the battle against the strange disasters.

The town magistrate of Huanjiang was unhappy, so he naturally turned to subsidizing Jiangxuan Village instead.

"This means that Huanjiang Town can be considered as an outpost of Chang'an County."

Similarly, was Jiangxuan Village also a forward outpost chosen by Huanjiang Town?

They're calculating.

Is it purely by accident that I've survived until now in Jiangbai Village?

"Yes." Ta Xue Yun Shu nodded. "That's roughly the idea."

Oh my god, a nesting doll.

Fearing something might happen, they each found a buffer to take the fall.

Even so, it cannot explain the current crisis signs in Jiangbai Village.

So Feng Mo told him about the extremely ominous divination results he had received over the past few days.

He wanted to see how Ta Xue Yun Shu would respond.

The other party pondered for a moment after listening.

He even subconsciously led the team back two steps, moving further away from Jiangbai Village.

Feng Mo immediately noticed this detail; it seemed the other party indeed knew some inside information.

Ta Xueyun Shu looked at Feng Mo: "How long has this been going on?"

"Six days."

"It's been that long!?" Ta Xueyun clicked her tongue in amazement.

"So, what exactly happened?"

The other person's riddle-like manner is really unpleasant.

"I suspect it's the strange third-tier curse from Jiangxuan Village."

Anyone who has come into contact with it may suffer its curse.

The curse will break out in about ten days.

Then, this strange creature will follow the markings and find its way here.

……

Feng Mo fell silent instantly.

With so many refugees he's taken in lately, could there be some among them who are tainted by the curse, as mentioned by Ta Xue Yun Shu?

But then, Ta Xueyunshu's words made him breathe a sigh of relief:

"That shouldn't be the case..."

As far as I know, anyone who comes into contact with the supernatural will be executed in Jiangxuan Village.

The concern is that this curse could be transmitted from person to person.

Even refugees are released only after going through layers of screening.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't happen.

These words made Feng Mo suspicious.

But they were still clueless: "Is there any way to deal with this?"

"That's simple... just check if there are any water stains on the other person's heels."

If so, it means the other party has been marked.

To prevent the curse from spreading, it must be discovered and executed beforehand, and the victim's body and all clothing must be completely burned.

Feng Mo nodded.

He also understood the key point.

In total, Ta Xue Yun Shu answered four questions.

In her mind, the first and last questions were free.

Therefore, Feng Mo should have paid her two jin of blood-ash rice.

However, given the critical nature of this intelligence, Feng Mo still sent an extra half jin.

This can also be seen as a way to establish a good relationship with Ta Xue Yun Shu.

After the matter was resolved, Ta Xue Yun Shu led her people back to Jiang Zhu Village.

After leaving a short distance away.

She immediately gave the order.

For the next four days, under no circumstances should you approach the Jiangbai Village area.

……

Seeing the sergeant lead his team away.

Huang Lao Er and Tang Ren immediately looked down and examined their heels.

Seeing that their heels were still dry and there were no unusual water stains, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Feng Mo also looked down.

After confirming that everything was alright, he immediately instructed Huang Lao Er and Feng Fu Gui to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire village.

Everyone entering the village must have their heels checked for any unusual water stains.

A day has passed.

After thorough screening and investigation, no one in the entire village exhibited this characteristic.

Even if someone's feet were wet, it was only because they accidentally got wet while washing up.

Over time it dries naturally, unlike the water stains that the curse mark leaves forever.

This allowed Feng Mo to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

But Feng Fugui stood there, refusing to leave.

"Third Young Master, there is still one person we haven't investigated."

"Who?"

"Tang Qinglian, the patriarch of the Tang family branch in Jiangxia who escaped from Jiangxuan Village..."

Upon hearing this name, Feng Mo's heart sank.

He instantly recalled Tang Qinglian's distraught and mentally unstable appearance when she first returned to the village. It was highly likely that the other party was the one carrying the curse.

Feng Mo suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."