Xiao Jue’s gaze passed over Su Jinse and landed on the lush vegetable field behind her.
Vibrant green cabbage, plump rice stalks, and fragrant melons hanging from the branches…
The contrast between this thriving patch and the desolate, barren Longji Mountain outside the temple was striking, as if they belonged to two entirely different worlds.
Even the well-traveled Prince Jing could not hide a flicker of astonishment in his eyes.
“I passed by here and am thirsty. I’d like a bowl of water,” Xiao Jue broke the silence, his eyes returning to Su Jinse with a tone of inquiry.
Huamei immediately moved to fetch water.
“Wait,” Su Jinse stopped her and said to Xiao Jue, “There’s no water, but there are two melons.”
She plucked the two largest, roundest melons from the vine and handed them over.
Xuan Feng stepped forward, inspected them to confirm they were safe, and passed one to Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jue bit into the melon.
Sweet juice burst in his mouth, and a pure herbal fragrance swept over his senses, washing away days of fatigue and irritability.
Though his movements were refined, he finished the fist-sized melon in just a few bites.
Juice dripped through his fingers, but he didn’t mind.
“A fine melon,” he said sincerely.
The melon not only quenched his thirst but also felt medicinal, clearing some of the heavy lethargy that weighed on him.
Su Jinse watched silently, apparently unaware of his praise, and got straight to the point: “Your Highness, would you like to buy them?”
Xiao Jue lifted his gaze, the depth behind his mask sharpening. This woman was even more perceptive and straightforward than he had imagined.
“How much?”
“One melon, one tael of silver.”
Su Jinse’s voice was calm, yet it struck like a stone into still water.
Huamei gasped, almost biting her own tongue.
“Miss, you’ve gone mad! One tael of silver for a melon—an ordinary family couldn’t survive a few months on that much!”
“You!” Xuan Feng’s hand went to the hilt of his sword, a metallic scrape ringing out. “This temple—are you running a black market? You must be crazy for money!”
Huamei turned pale, trying to tug Su Jinse’s sleeve to make her speak less.
But Su Jinse remained motionless, eyes locked on Xiao Jue, seemingly untouched by Xuan Feng’s anger.
She knew exactly what this price implied.
And she also knew what it meant to the man and his troops in front of her.
Her vegetables weren’t merely for filling stomachs. Infused with a faint wood-element energy, they could quickly restore strength and cleanse hidden injuries—essential for soldiers living daily on the edge of life and death.
This price was not excessive—it was the price of life.
Xiao Jue raised his hand, stopping Xuan Feng from reacting.
He stared at Su Jinse for a long moment.
Finally, a low voice came from beneath the mask:
“Very well, I’ll buy them.”
Xuan Feng looked up in disbelief. “Your Highness!”
Xiao Jue ignored him, eyes fixed on Su Jinse: “All the fruits and vegetables in this temple—I will take them all. From now on, whatever you grow, I will take.”
Even Su Jinse’s heart skipped a beat at the magnitude of his words.
She remained calm on the surface. “Agreed. But besides silver, I want one more thing.”
Xiao Jue seemed to have expected there was more, and said without surprise: “Speak.”
“A fair trade is easy to discuss. But Your Highness must understand one principle,” Su Jinse said slowly, her words clear and deliberate.
“With such wealth flowing in and out of Qingxu Temple daily, it won’t stay peaceful for long.”
She paused, enunciating each word.
“So I need your promise—protect Qingfeng Temple. From now on, no one dares to disturb it.”
She was seeking protection.
The incident with the young master at the market made her realize that without a strong backing, her resources would eventually be snatched away. In the Qingshi Town and the surrounding region, the most powerful protector was undoubtedly the disgraced prince before her.
Xiao Jue met her gaze for a long moment, then slowly nodded.
“Agreed.”
A simple transaction, an unspoken alliance, was formed within the worn walls of the temple.
Xiao Jue did not linger. He left Xuan Feng to handle the subsequent arrangements and turned to leave.