I am dying of old age, and I have awakened to the character of longevity.

During the day, the Black Market is closed.

The mobile stalls and peddlers have all left.

However, the shops with storefronts within the Black Market remain open as usual.

This is somewhat similar to the market days in towns, where on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th days of the month, merchants from surrounding villages and towns would carry their goods to the town for sale, and the local villagers would also go to town to buy things, creating a concentrated surge of people and business.

But after the market day is over, the mobile vendors would leave, while the shops in the town would not close.

The Bloodridge Black Market is the same.

During the day, the mobile vendors are gone, but the shops remain open as usual.

Some regular customers also come here to buy goods during the day.

And these shopkeepers who have been stationed in the Black Market year-round are the core merchants of the Bloodridge Black Market.

A large part of Xie An's job is to maintain relationships with these core merchants.

On Weapons Street, there are two well-established blacksmith shops that specialize in forging ironware, weapons, and so on.

Both blacksmith masters have excellent craftsmanship.

One of the blacksmith masters is surnamed Liu, and the other blacksmith shop's master is surnamed Liang, named Xiang.

Without exception, Xie An came to Liang Xiang's blacksmith shop.

For no other reason than that Liang Xiang is Liang Zhi's cousin.

Since he had decided to cultivate Liang Zhi into his confidant, he would begin to bestow favors and win him over from this moment on.

"Executive Sir, what brings you here? Come in and have some tea," Liang Xiang was a rough-looking man, but he also knew etiquette, and a smile appeared on his face when he saw Xie An.

Xie An did not directly state his intention but instead asked with concern, "Master Liang, how's business lately?"

Liang Xiang poured tea for the masked Xie An while saying, "It's much better than when Zhang Biao was in charge.

This is all thanks to Executive Sir cleaning up the atmosphere and rectifying order.

We beggars can finally earn some silver.

It's just that now that the Plum Blossom Fiend has emerged, I'm afraid there won't be any peace in the future."

Xie An comforted him, "Master Liang, you don't need to worry.

The Bloodridge Black Market is backed by the Tiger Wolf Gate.

A mere Plum Blossom Fiend can't stir up any trouble."

Upon hearing this, Liang Xiang was indeed much more relieved.

For ordinary saber users, this weight is considered heavy.

But for Xie An, who could lift eight hundred pounds with one arm, it was too light.

Liang Xiang noticed his meaning from Xie An's expression, "How heavy of a saber does Executive Sir want to forge?"

Xie An began to calculate in his mind.

A saber isn't necessarily better the heavier it is.

After all, fighting is a long-lasting activity.

If the saber is too heavy, the first few slashes will naturally be powerful, but once it lasts, the weight of the saber will become a burden.

In the end, Xie An gave a relatively suitable number, "Forty pounds."

"That's an extremely heavy saber.

Usually, only saber users in the Refined Flesh Realm would consider a saber of this weight.

But since Executive Sir needs it, I will naturally fulfill it.

Are there any requirements for the shape of the saber?" Although Liang Xiang was surprised, he was also happy.

Forging a forty-pound heavy saber was a big job.

Xie An asked Liang Xiang to bring paper and pen and drew the shape of a broadsword on the paper: The blade is two inches wide and four feet long, the thickness of the back of the blade is about half an inch, the back half of the blade is straight, and the front half curves upward slightly, with a sharp tip.

After roughly drawing the picture, Xie An handed the paper to Liang Xiang, "Master Liang, can you make it?"

Liang Xiang carefully looked at the drawing and frowned, "The blade is too sharp.

Ordinary iron ore won't be wear-resistant.

It has to be made of good fine iron.

But the price…"

According to the prices of the Great Qian Dynasty, ordinary pig iron is about ten or so coins per pound, which is not expensive.

However, fine iron is a high-end material for sabers and swords, a type of steel.

Only wealthy saber users, or constables of the government, and officers of the garrison, would use fine iron to forge sabers and swords.

The price is more than a hundred times that of ordinary pig iron.

One pound is about nearly one tael of silver.

Forty pounds of fine iron, the material alone would cost forty taels of silver.

Adding the materials for the handle, handguard, and other materials, as well as the craftsmanship, Xie An estimated that it would cost forty-five taels.

It would be reasonable for Liang Xiang to charge around fifty taels.

Having an estimate in his mind, Xie An said, "Money is not a problem.

You name a price."

Liang Xiang estimated it and said, "Executive Sir is taking care of my business, so I won't earn your money.

Forty-two taels.

Recently, the bandits in the Great Yin Mountains have been active, and the government is vigorously forging weapons to prepare to suppress the bandits.

The price of fine iron is fluctuating.

Even if I lose money, it will be on my head.

Three months later, I will present the heavy saber."

Xie An knew that Liang Xiang was really not making money, smiled, took out a large ingot of silver worth fifty taels, and placed it on the table, "How can I let Master Liang work for nothing?

One price, fifty taels.

I will come to pick up the saber in three months."

Xie An didn't give Liang Xiang a chance to decline, got up and left directly.

Walking a long way, he still saw Liang Xiang holding the silver ingot and chasing him to the entrance of the shop.

Seeing Xie An walking away, Liang Xiang had no choice but to accept the silver and muttered to himself, "This new Executive is really different from Zhang Biao, that petty man who only knew how to exploit us."

Not long after, Liang Zhi came over.

"Third Brother, what did Executive Sir want from you?"

In fact, Liang Zhi had seen Xie An from afar before, but he didn't come over to ask.

He thought Xie An was looking for his cousin for something bad.

Liang Xiang did not hide anything and told him everything.

The most ⊥ new ⊥ small ⊥ said ⊥ in ⊥ six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ book ⊥ ⊥ bar ⊥ ⊥ first ⊥ hair!

After listening, Liang Zhi looked at the blacksmith shop of Old Liu next door and sighed in his heart: Master Liu's blacksmithing skills are obviously better than Liang Xiang's, but Executive Sir specifically came here.

He's taking care of me, this is a favor…

In fact, in the past few months, Liang Zhi had not had much contact with Xie An.

Each time, it was just a normal work report, with no other communication.

Therefore, Liang Zhi had always felt that this old man was stern and difficult to get along with.

Unexpectedly, this old man Executive, with just a few actions, made him feel a strong sense of gratitude.

…

Meanwhile, after Xie An left the blacksmith shop, he did not directly return to the other courtyard but instead found Zhou Xing to investigate the stall owner who was killed by the Plum Blossom Fiend.

Since the Plum Blossom Fiend had already extended his hand to the Bloodridge Black Market, Xie An, as the person in charge here, should naturally come to understand so that he could have a clear picture in his mind.

In a simple room, lay a blood-stained corpse, covered with a white cloth.

Zhou Xing took the initiative to bend down and uncover the white cloth, "The physicians sent by the White Feather Hall have just examined the corpse and said that the neck was cut by a sharp weapon… killed with one blow."

Xie An squatted down and carefully examined it.

He saw a faint wound on the neck.

Judging from the traces, it should have been caused by a thin, sharp weapon.

The incision was very smooth, without any signs of struggle.

It was evident that the stall owner died before he could react.

A sword? Or some kind of thin thread?

Xie An took a deep breath, "Where's Zhang Xiong?"

Zhou Xing said, "The boss has gone to sleep.

By the way, the boss also asked me to ask Executive Sir, whether the Black Market will be open today?"

After experiencing this incident, the Black Market, both inside and outside, was filled with panic, and there were even rumors of closing the market.

Xie An could understand, but he still made a decision, "Open, continue to open.

However, we must strengthen the defense.

Do not have individual guards patrol.

Each guard should be equipped with signal arrows.

If there is anything unusual, send out a signal immediately.

Tonight, I will personally patrol."

If the Bloodridge Black Market closes because a merchant died,

where would the White Feather Hall's face be put?

Moreover, the higher-ups would also reprimand me for not handling things effectively.

Having just arrived, Xie An didn't think about managing the Black Market too well, at least he didn't want anything to happen.

He just wanted to quietly practice his skills and develop, but he couldn't afford to have any problems.

Hearing that the new Executive was going to patrol in person, Zhou Xing was greatly encouraged, "We will all listen to Executive Sir's orders.

We have many people, as long as we patrol together, we may not necessarily be afraid of this Plum Blossom Fiend."