Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 241 Political Marriage 1 (2/2)

“I only indulge in such good food during the New Year. Little brother, you are quite generous. Today I’ve had the good fortune to feast with you. However, it’s not my place to say, but you’re still young, and there’ll be many occasions in the future where you’ll need money, so you really should save when you can. Without money, you’ll find even simple tasks become difficult!”

The uncle had seen his share of life.

Having experienced hard times, he advised Qin Niu.

Urging him not to spend money recklessly.

“Alright, thank you for the advice, Uncle. By the way, I haven’t had the chance to ask for your esteemed name!”

“He Zhizhou! And you?”

The uncle was already wolfing down the roasted chicken, probably famished.

For ordinary people, it’s indeed a luxury to afford such expensive meat regularly.

Many families can only afford to eat meat during the New Year.

“My name is Qin Niu! Meeting Uncle must be fate.”

Qin Niu had no intention of helping this uncle change his fate or anything of the sort.

He wasn’t some kind of savior.

He also never meddled in other people’s business.

That being said, if the uncle were in trouble, he would, without a doubt, lend a hand.

The carriage left the city gates and sped along the road.

If all went well, they should reach Tian Shui before nightfall.

The speed of the carriage was much faster than walking.

This uncle managed to keep a horse, so even if his family’s finances were tight, they couldn’t be that bad.

Uncle, why would the Shennong Sect willingly start a war with the Black Tiger Gang?”

Qin Niu asked.

“Alas, these matters normally aren’t for common folk like us to discuss. This military action against the Black Tiger Gang is unwise and unusual. Ever since the Gang Leader of the Nine Insect Gang married his sister to the head of our Shennong Sect, things have been a bit off.

It is said that the woman who came over is very beautiful and has bewitched the head of our Shennong Sect.

For hundreds of years, our Shennong Sect has maintained neutrality, allowing us to prosper and maintain friendly trade relations with the neighboring factions. The grains, herbs, tea leaves, and such that we grow never lack buyers.

But ever since that woman arrived three years ago, things have changed.

The silkworms that were raised before have all been phased out, replaced by a new variety of green silkworm that produces more.

The silk made from these looks pretty, but it’s nowhere near as comfortable or durable as the old silkworm silk.

Many sericulturists realized that by raising the new silkworm, they could increase their yield by at least half, so most of them switched to green silkworms, with very few still raising white ones.

These green silkworms are a special breed that we can’t reproduce ourselves – we have to buy the eggs from the Nine Insect Gang.

This happens every year.

There are countless such changes, and I have a bad feeling about them.

This military excursion against the Black Tiger Gang, even though the higher- ups say it’s a guaranteed victory that will expand our territory by a third, war leads to death. I’m especially worried that my son might be drafted to fight.

Moreover, after declaring war, we can’t sell our goods to the Black Tiger Gang anymore, and our trade with other factions has noticeably decreased.

I’ve never had trouble selling my crops in previous years, but this time I had to haul them dozens of miles to Mai City to sell them.

And the price isn’t even as high as last year.”

The uncle shook his head and sighed repeatedly at the impact of the war.

Political marriages are common among sects and families.

The alliance through marriage between the Nine Insect Gang and the Shennong Sect, I wonder what the Shennong Sect was thinking?

I fear they’re inviting the wolf into the house and might eventually try to negotiate with the tiger for its skin.

It feels like the Shennong Sect might get burned, potentially falling right into the Nine Insect Gang’s trap.