While Hou Jiuming and He Yinong were having a casual chat, a mid-stage Qi-training monk who claimed to be the steward of the market came to his stall.
"This fellow Taoist, is it your first time to set up a stall in Huajiangfang City?"
Seeing this person, Hou Jiuming nodded without knowing why.
"Yes, I don't know. What's wrong with fellow Taoist?"
Seeing this, he said without any unnecessary expression.
"It's like this. To set up a stall in Huajiangfang City, you need to pay a management fee. It's not much. You only need one spiritual stone every month. Please pay the spiritual stone."
"TOLL?"
Hou Jiuming really didn't know about this. After all, it was his first time to set up a stall. He thought he was selling casually, so he looked at He Yinong, who nodded to his gaze.
"Sorry, it's my first time here, I don't know!" As he spoke, he put his hand into his sleeve, took out a spiritual stone from the storage space, and handed it to the man, saying,
"This is my spiritual stone!"
The steward found out the spiritual stone, and then checked it to make sure that the spiritual energy was not missing, and then took out a jade plaque with the words Jiu Shiwu engraved on it and handed it to him.
"This is a license for setting up a stall in Fangshi. It only lasts for one month. After one month, if you want to continue, you can pay the spirit stones there."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to a small building at the entrance.
Following his finger, Hou Jiuming saw that where he pointed was an inconspicuous small house at the entrance.
When he came in, he also noticed this room.
I thought it was a temporary resting place for guards and the like, but I didn't expect that it was actually a place where stall operators paid their dues.
After understanding what was going on, Hou Jiuming nodded.
"Okay, I know."
"Okay, you guys are busy, I'll leave first. If you need anything, you can find me there." After saying this, he nodded to He Yinong beside him, then turned and left.
He Yinong waited until the other party entered the small building he mentioned before he spoke.
"I didn't know Brother Hou didn't pay the stall fee, otherwise I would have reminded him."
"It's okay, it's just a trivial matter, don't worry about it!" Hou Jiuming didn't take this matter seriously. After giving He Yinong some relief, he began to ask about the situation of the person just now.
According to He Yinong, the steward just now was from the Ji family.
Although this market is jointly run by three companies, it is managed by one family who rotate through the management every year.
No matter how much you earn during this period, it belongs to that family.
This year, the Ji family happens to be in charge.
Of course, this only refers to the rent of stalls and other shops.
Time passed bit by bit, and the situation was unexpectedly worse.
From the time the stall was set up until dawn, not a single talisman was sold.
This gave Hou Jiuming, who had unlimited hope, some blow.
After leaving Fangshi, he did not go back to the inn, but went to Yahang.
Now that you have decided to settle in Linjiang City, you must have a place to live.
As for renting a shop directly in Fangshi, he had never thought about it, but after asking He Yinong sideways, he gave up the idea.
The rent is really too expensive.
According to the annual rent, at least two hundred low-grade spiritual stones are required per year.
With his current net worth, he cannot afford to rent for the time being.
As for the future, let’s take it one step at a time.
It was already early morning when we left Fangshi. By the time we left Tianhua Temple, the street vendors were already active.
There were various stalls selling vegetables and breakfast in a row. I randomly bought some meat and steamed buns for breakfast at a place selling meat and steamed buns, and then walked along the tooth row.
…………
In the north part of Linjiang City, in front of a small courtyard near the inner city river, Hou Jiuming and a boy stood at the door talking.
"Mr. Hou, what do you think of the house?"
"Okay, this is it!"
He followed the boy to many places, but he was most satisfied with this place. It was of medium size, close to the river, and had a beautiful environment.
Moreover, it is a single-family house. Not to mention the house, the yard alone is more than 100 square meters. If you live here in the future, you can open up a small medicinal garden.
Grow some commonly used medicinal herbs.
"Okay, don't worry, the land deed will be handed over to you before dark. Once the land deed is completed, you can come directly here to clean the house or buy some necessities. You will definitely not delay your stay tonight."
After taking the key handed over by the boy, Hou Jiuming nodded.
Then, the two returned to Yahang, paid the money, and the boy started working on the land deed.
The efficiency of Yahang's work was surprisingly fast. It only took less than an hour to hand the land deed into his hands.
After getting the title deed, the house is completely owned by him.
When the business was done, Hou Jiuming, the owner of the tooth shop, and the boy were all happy.
In the end, the owner of the dental shop even arranged for a few women to help him clean out the house.
Hou Jiuming was happy to see the success. Taking advantage of the time when several women were cleaning the house, he ran to the street to do some big shopping.
Furniture, pots and pans, quilts, bedding, whether they were used or not, they were all bought.
As for the reason, it’s not short of money.
Not to mention his business, even when he was in Solid Stone City, the money he gained from sweeping up the Iron Fist Gang's treasure house would take him a long, long time!
By the time everything was finished, it was almost midnight.
Looking at the neatly tidied courtyard and rooms, Hou Jiuming nodded with satisfaction.
This yard is still a new house. It is said that it was built by a wealthy family.
But due to some reasons, I haven't checked in yet.
This is why he even bought tables, chairs and benches.
That night, Hou Jiuming went out to have a casual meal and then returned to his residence.
The matter of setting up a stall must be considered in the long run.
First of all, the basic low-grade talismans will definitely not work. After all, the power of these things is too small. Unless there are very many, they are not as powerful as the spells you cast.
Of course, if it's in a place with a lot of traffic, it can still be sold.
Secondly, we must seize the time to upgrade the grade of talismans. There may be fewer buyers for low-grade talismans, but there will definitely be no shortage of buyers for mid-grade and high-grade talismans.
Because reaching this level is equivalent to the spells cast by monks in the middle and late stages of Qi training.
"It seems that the most urgent task now is to copy the high-grade talisman drawing method. As long as you learn the middle-grade and high-grade talisman making techniques, I believe that maintaining daily practice will not be a problem."
"In addition, we must quickly copy the alchemy technique. Once you learn how to make alchemy, it will be much easier whether you are earning spiritual stones or practicing by yourself."
Hou Jiuming determined what he needed to do in the near future, and did not return to the bedroom to practice until very late.
…………
More than half a month passed in a blink of an eye. On this day, the new copy time was refreshed, and Hou Jiuming couldn't wait to go to Fangshi.