Su Chen did not mention these things, nor did he talk about Bai Feng recuperating at the Lin Family, probably because these were matters of the Su Family.

Moreover, he felt that the horse plague was beyond human control, and even if he mentioned it, it wouldn’t help, so he didn’t consider seeking help from Lin Miao.

"The Cao Family of Qingzhou Datong and the Gao Family of Yanzhou Misha, upon receiving news of the horse plague at the Su Family’s Horse Field, teamed up early to raise the purchase prices of warhorses, forcing the Su Family to buy warhorses at high prices, each horse marked up by 500 silver taels. The Su Family needs to deliver 8,000 high-quality warhorses to the court each year, but this year they only have 3,000 themselves, and the remaining 5,000 are purchased from the Cao Family and Gao Family. Originally, the price of warhorses was around 800 taels each, which almost drained all of the Su Family’s liquid funds..."

"These matters aren’t considered confidential to the court. It’s normal for you not to know since you’re not in the official circles."

"I also received a secret distress note from the Su Family. They were willing to pay 200,000 silver taels to stop the plague affecting the horse field, but I knew I didn’t have the capability, so I refused," said Mr. Jia.

"Mr. Jia couldn’t handle it either?"

"No solution. From what I know, even if they deep-bury and burn the deceased horses and relocate the pasture, they still suffered heavy losses..."

"Aside from the Su Family’s Horse Field, did the other two families’ horse fields suffer from the plague?"

"No, they were too far away unless someone poisoned intentionally. The distance was too great for it to spread there..." Mr. Jia said, "If it did, it wouldn’t just be the Su Family suffering but the entire Da Li Dynasty would be in a great disaster."

"Since the Su Family’s Horse Field encountered the plague, why didn’t they seek aid from the court and apply for a reduction in the order quantity?"

"Of course, they sought aid. The court dispatched a team of veterinarians specializing in epidemics, but aside from helping to dispose of the horse carcasses, they didn’t make much impact. As for reducing the number of delivered warhorses, the military disagreed. It’s not like they weren’t allowed to purchase and deliver warhorses. If they didn’t have their own, they could buy from other fields for delivery."

"There must be more horse fields in Lanzhou than just the Su Family. Did other Lanzhou horse fields suffer from the plague?"

"Yes, but only sporadically. They acted decisively, and upon discovery, quickly contained it and prevented its spread."

"That’s odd, isn’t the Su Family just unlucky? Why is it that during this horse plague, their field suffered the most?"

"The horse plague first broke out at the Su Family’s field, and it’s also the largest in Lanzhou. Due to improper handling by the pasture’s manager and concealing the situation, by the time it was discovered, it had already spread. Therefore, this is both a natural disaster and human calamity. The Su Family is just having bad luck..." Mr. Jia sighed.

"Thank you, Mr. Jia and Mr. Guan. If you hadn’t told me these things, I really wouldn’t know," said Lin Miao gratefully.

"So don’t think the Su Family can be your support now. Even if they survive this time, they might lose their former status."

"A flower fails never to last a hundred days, as rises and falls have alternated since ancient times. After this calamity, the Su Family might be reborn phoenix-like."

"To think you understand this so deeply, even more profoundly than we know," praised Guan Biyun with great admiration, "Because our relationship with you is supervisory, we can’t openly assist you, so I hope you understand."

"Understood, if you two elders intervene in my personal affairs, it would be considered a violation. Then the court won’t only annul my previous accomplishments but might also replace you, which would be a loss." Lin Miao already understood the rules of the ’Path to Sainthood’ trial.

"Although we can’t directly assist you, we can provide protection to those around you. As long as we’re not directly helping you, no one can say anything."

"Mr. Guan means?"

"I see your senior sister has great talent in medicinal material preparation. I want her to study with me. What do you think?"

"You want to accept my senior sister as a disciple?" Lin Miao was very surprised; this is akin to forming a strong bond.

Although he hadn’t married Sun Youwei, their relationship was long established that they were as one, which would mean Guan Biyun would be considered one of his own.

But doing so would violate the court’s avoidance principles, wouldn’t it?

"Not a disciple, my level is not enough to teach your senior sister. I just want her to study with me," said Guan Biyun.

I understood that Guan Biyun was planning to provide a layer of protection to Sun Youwei.

As long as she’s not accepted as a disciple, it doesn’t violate the avoidance principles.

"I’ll give you ’Hui’, he can serve as your personal guard. He’s at the Blood Fusion Realm, and most people aren’t his match..."

"Mr. Jia, this won’t do. ’Hui’ is your servant. If he serves as my personal guard, it would provide grounds for gossip." Lin Miao said hurriedly, "Besides, as long as I don’t provoke the opponent, there won’t be too much danger. Even if targeted, I’m not without any self-preservation abilities."

"I’ll leave ’Hui’ in Dongshan City, you can find him whenever you need," Mr. Jia said. He was a restless person, often going out to find new things.

Lin Miao could no longer refuse.

Having an expert ready for use is also a form of security, a trump card.

"Prince Jing is someone who repays kindness. I’ll detail your situation in a letter to him. If Prince Jing steps in, even Marquis Lingyang wouldn’t dare move against you lightly," Mr. Jia said.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Jia!"

Lin Miao promptly clasped his hands in gratitude. People were being kind-hearted; one couldn’t refuse without considering future friendship.

If he could leverage Prince Jing’s support to avoid trouble, he wouldn’t stubbornly refuse the favor.

"We’ll be going now. As for Cui Wanquan, you better pay attention." Before leaving, Guan Biyun and Mr. Jia specifically reminded Lin Miao to watch out for Cui Wanquan.

"Got it."

After seeing them out, he returned to the dining table to continue eating.

...

Just as he lay down, a slender figure slipped in through the window and clung to him like an octopus.

"Don’t mess around. I’m still injured, and this room isn’t soundproof," Lin Miao said, pressing down on those restless hands.

"Mr. Lin, what if I miss you in the future? Do you expect me not to see or touch you for a few months?"

"Where did you learn such bold words?" Lin Miao pushed her off, saying, "Talk properly, don’t act up. If anything comes up, I’ll come to you."

"Really?" Si Miaoxue’s resentment turned into joy.

"It’s inconvenient to practice martial arts using a medicinal bath at the inn. It’s better at your place. I’ve been pondering the Blood Fusion Realm bath formula you gave me last time. I can substitute some herbs and use my special method to process them. This should maintain the efficacy while reducing the cost by about sixty percent!" Lin Miao said.

"Then hurry up and make it. I want to try it," Si Miaoxue said happily. She was currently using Bone Forging Realm baths. Although they were still effective after Lin Miao’s modifications, as her skills improved, they no longer met her needs.

Therefore, to pursue higher levels, she had to use baths made from Blood Fusion Realm formulas. However, these materials were quite rare and precious. Even the wealthy Si Miaoxue couldn’t afford them frequently—only occasionally.

Besides enhancing internal organs, stimulating bone marrow, and strengthening essence, the medicinal bath also eliminates hidden injuries caused by training.

Even the slightest mistake in circulating internal energy can leave hidden injuries. Some can heal on their own, but continuous training will exacerbate them, so a medicinal bath is necessary for treatment.

The bath also improves physical aptitude, especially noticeable in younger individuals. Some people are innately lacking, which can actually be improved later in life.

In addition to medicinal baths, there’s another method: alchemy.

Elixir is much more precious than a medicinal bath. Those that can heal internal injuries sell for over ten thousand taels each, and those that enhance aptitude are even more priceless.

To be honest, Lin Miao was skeptical about the efficacy of such "elixirs" since he had never seen them and couldn’t say for sure.

He imagined elixirs composed by Daoists using toxic minerals as raw materials, likely causing only chronic heavy metal poisoning if consumed...

Physicians did concoct medicine, but it was entirely different from these so-called elixirs.

"Has Yue Mei’Er arrived?"

"Not yet, but I feel she might already be here," Si Miaoxue replied.

"Aren’t you worried she’ll come secretly and follow or monitor you?" Lin Miao asked.

"If she appears near me, I would sense it," Si Miaoxue said. "After all, my current skills far exceed her knowledge."

"Don’t be careless. If she has indeed come to target you, she will plan carefully before taking action, not striking hastily."

"Okay, I’ll listen to you."

"In the future, you can’t come to the inn to find me," Lin Miao said solemnly. "Our relationship is a secret now. If it leaks out, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Si Miaoxue understood the truth in Lin Miao’s words; she wasn’t a young girl and knew better than to throw a tantrum.

"I understand."

"I need all the information on the Green Blade Sect and Shanglin Temple," Lin Miao said.

"I’ve prepared everything for you, just waiting for you to ask," Si Miaoxue laughed lightly.

"Shanglin Temple is fine, still holding some Buddhist dignity, but the Green Blade Sect, I doubt they’ll let things end peacefully," Lin Miao said. "I don’t know what kind of revenge they’ll take against me."

"In recent years, the Green Blade Sect has been dominating the northwest martial arts scene. If not for the Snow Mountain Sect suppressing them, they would’ve aimed to unify the Da Li northwest martial arts long ago."

"What is the Snow Mountain Sect’s stance on the Green Blade Sect?"

"The Snow Mountain Sect is a millennia-old sect like my Moon Worship Sect with profound heritage. The sect has at least two experts in the Celestial Essence Realm. The Green Blade Sect, currently, only has Sect Leader Shen Yidao at the Peak of Meridian Passage Realm, just a step away from advancing to Celestial Essence. So, the last two years, Shen Yidao has been in seclusion, striving to reach Celestial Essence soon!"

"So, if Shen Yidao advances to the Celestial Essence Realm, does that mean the Green Blade Sect could rival the Snow Mountain Sect?"

"The Green Blade Sect’s foundation is still shallow, but if Shen Yidao ascends to Celestial Essence, they’ll leap to become a top-notch martial sect."

"What business is the Green Blade Sect in?"

"Mining, iron smelting, weapons forging, and the production of lacquer, tung oil, as well as transport and escorts. Of course, they also engage in some less reputable businesses like running casinos and brothels. Simply put, they do whatever makes money," Si Miaoxue said.

"Mining and iron smelting are privileges granted to nobility by the court, inaccessible to ordinary people. How dare the Green Blade Sect, merely a sect, engage in such business?"

"It’s true that the nobility has such privileges, but they lack the ability. The sect has people, strength, and skills. It’s a perfect match when both parties collaborate and fulfill their needs."

"That is quite a perfect ecosystem for cooperation," Lin Miao nodded. This Green Blade Sect likely collaborated with Marquis Lingyang, gaining significant growth over the years. No sect can develop without substantial financial backing.

Talent can’t be coaxed by mere words; there must be tangible benefits.

Weaklings resort to seeking fairness and justice from the strong, while the truly strong use their hands to reclaim fairness and justice for themselves.

Begging for fairness is merely charity from the other party.

Since Huang Yulang, conflicts with the Green Blade Sect have begun and only deepened. From the current trend, it seems it will only conclude when one side falls.