As soon as these words were spoken, the managers of the other medicinal gardens could not help but cast suspicious glances. In particular, those whose herbs had not been selected openly voiced their doubts. “Matriarch Li, this is indeed somewhat unfair!”
Li Yan’s dignified expression turned slightly cold. She swept her gaze over the crowd and said, “Since when does my Li family need others to set the rules for how we select Moon Spirit Grass?”
When her smile vanished, her gentle and dignified demeanor faded, replaced instantly by the imposing majesty of the Li family's matriarch. This pressure immediately suppressed the protests of the medicinal garden managers, leaving them too intimidated to make any more noise.
But Lin Changkong was not intimidated by Li Yan's pressure. His gaze shifted to the seat on Li Yan's left, where a white-haired elder holding a walking cane sat. He was an elder of the Li family and held a very high status.
“Elder Li He, I afraid we must ask you to uphold justice in this matter,” Lin Changkong said slowly, a hint of a threat laced in his tone. “After all, if word of such unfairness gets out, it will damage the Li family's reputation.”
The elder named Li He furrowed his brows deeply. He glanced at Li Yan, then at the tightly shut medicinal chests on the Thunderfire Hall's side, and asked, “What does Hall Master Lin suggest we do?”
“Open the chests and inspect the herbs,” Lin Changkong said. “If the Thunderfire Hall's Moon Spirit Grass is truly of superior quality, then everyone will naturally be convinced.”
Li He's eyes flickered. He actually had a vague idea of Li Yan's bias toward the Thunderfire Hall. Although he and Li Yan often clashed over family affairs, he was no fool. If they opened the chests in public under these circumstances and found nothing but a pile of useless, unripe herbs inside, how would Li Yan handle the fallout?
She was the matriarch. If her reputation and dignity were compromised, how could the Li family fare any better?
Thus, even though he had disagreements with Li Yan regarding clan matters, he would not undermine her at a time like this. However, Lin Changkong was refusing to let the matter drop, clearly targeting the Thunderfire Hall. A solution had to be found.
After a moment of thought, he spoke up, “Hall Master Lin, please do not be angry. This is merely a trivial matter of no consequence. Why don't we discuss the four hundred stalks of Moon Spirit Grass for the second half of the year? Can your Golden Gang Sword Hall's medicinal garden take on that quota?”
His underlying implication was to yield the purchasing quota of four hundred Moon Spirit Grass stalks for the second half of the year to Lin Changkong, in exchange for him dropping the matter, thereby preventing things from turning ugly.
Li Yan's brow furrowed slightly. Although she disliked Lin Changkong causing trouble, she ultimately did not speak up to object. She knew that these chests could not be opened, as there were simply no mature Moon Spirit Grass stalks inside.
Hearing this, Lin Changkong raised his eyebrows slightly. This Li family elder was indeed a crafty old fox, throwing out a trade to silence him.
Four hundred stalks of Moon Spirit Grass indeed represented a substantial profit.
Lin Changkong felt somewhat tempted.
However, just as he was considering the offer, a clear, youthful voice suddenly echoed through the guest hall.
“Wait, I object!”
Numerous gazes shifted over, only to see Lu Ming stepping forward.
Seeing this, Li Shuang could not help but sigh inwardly in frustration. “This foolish boy really cannot read the situation. Aunt and the elder are doing everything they can to protect them.”
Lu Ming paid no attention to her gaze. How could he possibly sit back and watch Lin Changkong swallow this quota? This bastard had plotted against them and destroyed the mature Moon Spirit Grass in their medicinal garden. If Lin Changkong now used them as a stepping stone to claim the four-hundred-stalk quota for the second half of the year, Lu Ming would probably be too consumed by anger to sleep tonight.
“I believe it is best to open the chests and inspect the herbs,” Lu Ming said with a smile under the scrutiny of the crowd.
Li Yan's eyes widened. She stared at Lu Ming in frustration, wanting to scold him, but her anger eventually turned into suspicion. She knew Lu Ming well enough to know he was not as reckless and impulsive as his second uncle. For him to step forward voluntarily now, did he have some sort of trump card?
Lin Changkong looked at Lu Ming with indifferent eyes, wanting to see how this boy could possibly argue his way out of this.
Could he really turn unripe Moon Spirit Grass into mature ones? If he truly had such ability, today he would...
Bang!
Lu Ming kicked open the lid of the medicinal chest with a loud bang.
Countless eyes darted over, only to see rows of white jade-like Moon Spirit Grass neatly arranged inside the chest. Most importantly, every single one of these stalks possessed four leaves.
Mature Moon Spirit Grass!
A whole hundred stalks!
Boom!
Lin Changkong slammed his palm onto the table beside him. A violent burst of sword gang erupted, instantly turning the table into a pile of fine powder on the floor.
Behind him, Xu Xiong was also filled with shock, his eyes locked onto the four-leaf Moon Spirit Grass.
The guest hall fell dead silent for several breaths.
Li Shuang quickly stepped forward, took a stalk of Moon Spirit Grass from the chest, and inspected it rapidly. Then, she said in astonishment, “Aunt, Elder, these are indeed mature Moon Spirit Grass stalks! Moreover, their quality is exceptional. Their medicinal potency is several times stronger than any of the other herbs present today. These are rare, top-grade Moon Spirit Grass!”
She grew more excited as she spoke. Moon Spirit Grass of such exquisite quality was rarely seen even once a year, yet the Thunderfire Hall's medicinal chests were now completely filled with them.
She could not help but turn her head, staring at Lu Ming in sheer amazement. “Did you really grow these?”
“Of course,” Lu Ming replied with a nod and a smile.
“Hall Master Lin, I wonder if our Thunderfire Hall's Moon Spirit Grass is enough to convince everyone?” Lu Ming looked up at Lin Changkong, asking with a beaming smile.
Lin Changkong's expression shifted rapidly. His eyes stared like knives at the Thunderfire Hall's Moon Spirit Grass. He could not comprehend how they had produced these herbs when the mature Moon Spirit Grass in that garden had clearly been plundered!
Yet, no matter how much he refused to believe it, the mature Moon Spirit Grass in the chests was undeniably real.
The managers of the other medicinal gardens present were also astonished by the quality of this batch of Moon Spirit Grass. As experts, they naturally understood how rare these herbs were.
Consequently, those who had questioned them earlier quietly shut their mouths.
Sitting in the main seat, Li Yan was also dazed, her mind filled with massive questions.
What was going on here?
Didn't they say their medicinal garden was plundered?
She cast a bewildered look at the Thunderfire Hall group. Could that have been a fake rumor they spread to deceive others?
But that did not make sense either. She had purchased the Thunderfire Hall's Moon Spirit Grass in previous years as well, and neither the quality nor the quantity had ever reached this level.
In any case, the crisis was resolved. Thinking of this, Li Yan glared at Lu Ming with a hint of annoyance. This brat... since the chests weren't filled with useless herbs, why didn't he give me a heads-up earlier? He made me worry for nothing and almost let Lin Changkong blackmail us.
Facing Li Yan's scrutinizing and displeased gaze, Lu Ming could only offer the most innocent and well-behaved smile he could muster to appease her anger.
“Hall Master Lin, do you have any other questions?” Li Yan asked with a faint smile, turning her gaze to Lin Changkong.
Lin Changkong remained silent, thoroughly masking his emotions. “Since there is no issue with the Moon Spirit Grass, I naturally have no objections. However, as for the Li family's requirement of four hundred Moon Spirit Grass stalks for the second half of the year, our Golden Gang Sword Hall's medicinal garden is fully capable of taking on that order.”
“Wait.”
But just as he finished speaking, the youth's voice suddenly rang out in the guest hall. Didn't you like saying "wait" so much?
“What do you want now?” Lin Changkong's eyes turned ice-cold.
Lu Ming offered Lin Changkong a harmless, innocent smile, his laughter echoing.
“Hall Master Lin, what a coincidence. Our Thunderfire Hall's medicinal garden is also interested in competing for this purchase quota.”
“Since Hall Master Lin is so fond of rules and fairness, why don't our two halls compare the quality of our Moon Spirit Grass? What do you say?”
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