“Calling you Uncle is only proper.”

Seeing Hu Ma’s somewhat surprised expression, Old Master Sun next to him smiled and said, “This is my youngest son. We are brothers who are equals. When he sees you, what else would he call you but Uncle?”

“With your great skill, there’s no need to act like a junior. If I acted high and mighty today, making myself a generation above you, how would I address your master when I meet him in the future?”

Hu Ma was speechless. “He’s certainly calculating things clearly.”

Although it felt strange to be called Uncle by someone older than him, since the other party was so sincere, he just accepted it.

Hu Ma knew what Old Master Sun was here for, so he quickly invited him into the valley. Old Master Sun had brought four or five carriages, three of which were empty. The other two were loaded with various gifts. He had the gifts taken inside, and the empty carriages waited.

Arriving at the valley entrance, they didn't rush in. Hu Ma first led them to the side, where they could see the coffins on the slope from a distance. These were the remains of the Yiqian Sect members from before, all properly collected there.

Old Master Sun sighed. His son next to him quickly led people forward to offer incense, then opened the coffins, verified the identities, and burned paper money in front of the coffins after confirming everything was correct.

“Overseer Hu is truly kind.”

Old Master Sun had come to retrieve the remains of his two disciples and the three Yiqian Sect members who had died in the valley.

When he left earlier, he had to prioritize the living, so he only took away the Yiqian Sect Dharma King and Zhuang Erchang. But the corpses of these dead people had to be retrieved and returned to their families so they could be buried and properly mourned.

He had been worried that when he arrived, he would find the bodies exposed in the wilderness or already burned. He didn't expect that they would all be properly collected in coffins, with even traces of incense and paper money offerings nearby. He was immediately moved.

His own people had died here, yet the other party had properly collected them. It wasn't repaying evil with good, but it was still a great kindness.

“We’re all just wandering the martial world, trying to make a living. Losing your life is just bad luck. Regardless of past grievances, the dead are the most important. Besides, they died at the hands of the Wu people, didn't they?”

Hu Ma said courteously, "So, we collected them right away, not letting them suffer, just waiting for you to come and take them away."

"Martial world people have martial world lives. Overseer Hu speaks well. I am ashamed. If I had known there was someone like you at this mine, I would never have gotten involved in this mess."

Old Master Sun actually bowed deeply to Hu Ma before ordering people to bring the carriages from outside the forest and load the coffins onto them, preparing to transport them back.

"This can be considered 'no discord, no concord.'"

Hu Ma laughed. "Don't rush off, Old Master. Since you're here, you must have some wine."

As he spoke, he invited him into the valley. This Old Master Sun didn't refuse at all, and happily followed Hu Ma in. However, before entering the valley, he saw the red lanterns on the archway and quickly stopped, saying, "We can't be lacking in etiquette."

He then respectfully bowed himself and called his son over, ordering him to kneel down and kowtow to the Hongdeng Niangniang (Red Lantern Goddess) a few times.

After entering the valley, they were first served tea, then people were ordered to prepare a meal. Before long, four tables of food were set up. Hu Ma and Old Master Sun shared a table, with Old Suanpan accompanying them. Zhou Datong, Liang, and Zhu accompanied Old Master Sun's son and the chief steward who came with them at another table.

The other servants and the newly selected, observant, and eloquent old butchers shared a table. All the available wine, dishes, vegetables, and fruits in the valley were brought out.

Old Master Sun glanced at the table without revealing any emotion, then raised his cup again to apologize. "Earlier, I was presumptuous and offended the majesty of Hongdeng Niangniang. I hope Overseer Hu will be generous and not take it to heart."

"Eh?"

Hu Ma was a little surprised. This matter was already cleared up, so why was he bringing it up again?

Old Suanpan next to him coughed and tapped the plate with his chopsticks, saying with a wry smile, "The meal is a bit shabby, but don't blame our mine for being negligent, Old Master."

"It's related to your disciple. Earlier, the Wu people sealed the mine, and no food or supplies could come in from outside. We almost ran out of rice. Just these past two days, we took the available silver and rushed to the nearby village to buy these few provisions."

"Also, I don't know if you've heard, but a corpse demon escaped from the mine before. We've been looking for it recently!"

Hu Ma understood now. The reason Old Master Sun was apologizing again was because he felt the dishes were too poor. He wasn't just greedy, but he thought the mine was deliberately setting up such a table to give him a hard time!

But being able to guess his thoughts required deep experience. Old Suanpan was better at it than him.

"It's all Zhuang Erchang's fault for being useless!"

Sure enough, when Old Master Sun heard that the mine was really short on supplies and wasn't deliberately preparing such a shabby meal, he felt relieved.

First, he sighed softly and said, "I took that wretch back with me, and he was seriously injured. I even sent him to Caoxin Hall in Mingzhou for medical treatment. Otherwise, I would have dragged him to the mine to kowtow and apologize."

"Regarding the corpse demon, I actually heard about it a few days ago. To be honest, I plan to spend some money and have people search for it in these mountains. After all, it was a problem caused by Zhuang Erchang, and the victim was my grand-disciple. We can't let your mine bear the risk alone."

"No need."

Having understood the situation, Hu Ma secretly praised Old Suanpan in his heart and took over the conversation. "But we still have to give you an explanation about the corpse demon, Old Master."

"To be honest, if it weren't for this thing appearing in the mine, and our Hongdeng Niangniang above..."

As he spoke, he pointed to the red lanterns on the archway outside and lowered his voice, saying, "She's petty and watches closely."

"Last time you came, Old Master, we let you see what you should see in the mine. Now that something has escaped from the mine, we were originally planning to tell you, so that there wouldn't be any misunderstandings!"

"Oh dear, oh dear."

Hearing these words, Old Master Sun's beard trembled, and he directly picked up his wine glass with both hands, saying, "Overseer Hu, what are you saying?"

"Each serves his master, that's only right. Besides, it was originally just a misunderstanding. Not to mention me, even the Yiqian Sect Dharma King, when he went back, only blamed those Wu people. We and your mine both suffered losses!"

"It all depends on the people of the mine being capable and Hongdeng Niangniang having high mana to subdue those Wu people. Otherwise, who knows what kind of disaster would have been caused!"

He knew very well that, according to the last performance, his side had suffered a complete defeat.

In the martial world, people talk about relationships, but in the end, it depends on strength. The people of the mine were stronger, and they were being so considerate afterward, which was to save his face!

Of course, for Hu Ma, if a few words could eliminate this grudge, it was exactly what he wanted. Anyway, Yin Jiangjun (General Yin) had already escaped, and the mine had suffered a "great loss" along with it. Why create another feud with the Yiqian Sect? It would be too much of a loss!

"It's good to clear things up, good to clear things up."

Old Suanpan chimed in from the side, raising his cup and laughing, "Our mine doesn't have enough food, but the wine isn't discounted. Since you're here, Old Master, you must drink a few more cups before going back."

"Of course, of course!"

For a moment, everyone was beaming with joy. Old Master Sun also finished his cup before suddenly slapping the table and saying, "Seventh, why haven't you come in yet?"

Sun’s seventh son, who was being honestly plied with wine by Zhou Datong and the others outside, wiped his mouth and ran in to greet Uncle Hu and Grandpa Suanpan, then said with a smile, "Dad, what did I do wrong again? Why are you scolding me again?"

"What did you do wrong?"

Old Master Sun glared at him and said, "I'm scolding you for being blind."

"Didn't you see that Uncle Hu's mine is short of food? It's all because of what your Senior Brother Zhuang did. Now that you know, why don't you go take care of it?"

"Eh?"

Hu Ma was a little surprised. Did this old master have a way to solve the mine's shortage?

That would indeed solve the immediate problem. He quickly raised his cup to thank Old Master Sun, but continued drinking. Unexpectedly, Sun's seventh son returned in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea and reported, "Everything has been arranged."

"I sent a messenger ghost to deliver a letter. Our family's trade association happens to have a mule train nearby, with a hundred dan of refined grain and twenty pigs and sheep on the carts. I told them to prioritize sending them to this mine first. They should be able to arrive here within two days, which should be enough for Uncle Hu's mine to get by for a while."

"What the hell?"

Seeing Sun's seventh son's sincere expression and Old Master Sun's nonchalant nod, Hu Ma was directly shocked.

So much stuff was more than enough to get by. It was enough to eat for three to five months.

The Sun family sent a messenger ghost to say a word, and they came over?

"Ah, it's nothing."

Old Master Sun looked nonchalant on the surface, but he was happy in his heart that his son had done such a beautiful job. He waved his hand and said, "For those of us with skills, who cares about these things?"

"I'm just an old man who practices martial arts, but my sons are disappointing. Not many can learn my skills, but they are good at earning money and doing business. Now, thanks to the support of my martial world friends, I've also raised a few mule trains, bought a few acres of land, and built a few warehouses."

"Overseer Hu, don't be polite. In the future, if your mine needs money or food, just let him run errands. It's also good for him to come to the mine more often and learn things from you."

As he spoke, he suddenly lowered his voice and said with a smile, "Not just money and food. If you need salt, iron, or talisman armor, just say the word, and we won't be short of it either."

"The salt and iron business in the Liuxian and Shixian areas of Gunzhou is also in my hands."

"Ah, this..."

Hearing this, Hu Ma was really a little impressed. He didn't expect that this Old Master Sun was not only a high-ranking expert who could enter the palace to guard the New Year, but also a wealthy local tycoon?

End of Chapter