The air in the main room seemed to have solidified.

The morning mist outside the window hadn’t dispersed yet, and the light filtering in was gray and murky, casting an indistinct shadow on everyone’s face in the room.

Only that piece of rough yellow paper lying quietly on the table seemed like the still center of a vortex capable of swallowing everything.

Zhao Dequan did not sit down.

He paced back and forth in the small open space with his hands clasped behind his back. His cloth shoes made almost no sound on the compacted earth floor, yet with each of his footsteps, Su Shan’s heartbeat thumped heavily against his chest, once, then again.

Su Shan’s hand, without him realizing, had once again gripped the tobacco pipe on the table, his knuckles turning white from the force. He had never been this nervous in his entire life, not even when facing the county yamen’s tax collectors.

Su Ming stood ramrod straight, breathing slowly and deliberately, his eyes fixed on the tip of his nose, his mind focused inward.

“Steady, disciple.” Lin Yu’s voice rang in his mind, carrying a hint of leisurely observation. “Don’t be intimidated by this old fox’s aura. Right now, his mind is more chaotic than yours. Half of him sees a gold mountain, the other half sees a pit of fire. He’s weighing whether he has the capability to hold this bowl of rice. Every step he takes is a calculation of gain and loss.”

Su Ming understood in his heart. His master was right. Whoever spoke first now would lose the upper hand.

Zhao Dequan paced about seven or eight times back and forth before finally stopping.

He didn’t look at the Su father and son; his gaze remained fixed on the piece of paper on the table, as if trying to bore a hole through it with his stare.

“This method,” he spoke, his voice hoarse as if rubbed by sandpaper, “is it easy for others to learn?”

This was the first question, striking directly at the core.

Su Shan’s heart leaped into his throat.

Su Ming took a step forward and replied respectfully, “Uncle Zhao, it’s not easy. That old book I found mentioned this is called ‘Heavenly Craft and the Creation of Things.’ It looks simple, but in reality, each step is intricately linked. When to cut the bamboo, what heat to use for boiling, how to filter the plant ash, what proportion to dilute the filtered lye, and finally how to scoop and form the paper pulp—every step has its intricacies. If you’re off by even a hair, what comes out won’t be paper, but a puddle of mud. I was just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse; it took me dozens of attempts to barely produce this one passable sheet.”

His words were nine parts truth and one part fabrication, packaging all the chemical principles Lin Yu had taught into the mysterious and profound “ancient method intricacies.”

“Well said!” Lin Yu praised. “Keep the key information vague, exaggerate the technical barriers! Let him know this technology is our family’s unique secret skill, something others can’t steal or learn! You are the indispensable pillar of this workshop!”

Zhao Dequan turned around, his sharp eyes finally looking directly at Su Ming. “Kid, you’ve thought this through thoroughly.”

He walked to the table and began tapping his fingers lightly on its surface, producing a “tock, tock” sound.

“Second question. If we really do this, how many people, how much money, and how much land will we need?”

This was assessing feasibility.

Su Ming felt a wave of relief in his heart, knowing the other party was already interested. He immediately answered, his speech not fast but clear and logical, obviously the result of deep prior consideration.

“Answering Uncle Zhao, the money, the initial investment isn’t large. Mainly, we need to build a few sheds, construct a few large stoves and lime pits. Our village has plenty of strong laborers and masons; it won’t cost many copper coins. For land, that barren riverside area is most suitable, convenient for fetching water and doesn’t occupy good farmland. For people, cutting bamboo, burning lime, pounding paper pulp—these are all labor-intensive tasks. The uncles, brothers, and idle men in the village can all do it; we can pay them daily wages.”

With each sentence he spoke, Zhao Dequan’s eyes grew brighter.

Not occupying good land, using the village’s idle labor force, the startup cost shockingly low. This business seemed tailor-made for Su Family Village!

Zhao Dequan’s breathing noticeably grew heavier. He stared at Su Ming, his gaze no longer scrutinizing a half-grown child, but examining a treasure capable of turning stone into gold.

He remained silent for a moment before finally asking the most crucial question.

“So, you father and son… how exactly do you want to do this?”

As these words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room instantly tightened again.

Su Shan looked at his son.

Su Ming took a deep breath. He knew success or failure hinged on this moment.

“Uncle Zhao,” his voice grew steady, devoid of any adolescent timidity, “this formula belongs to my Su family. But this immense fortune, my Su family dare not and cannot swallow it alone.”

He paused, looking sincerely at Zhao Dequan, and spoke word by word, “So my idea is, this can’t be just the Su family’s business. It must be the business of ‘Su Family Village’!”

The three words “Su Family Village” struck Zhao Dequan’s heart like a heavy hammer.

He jolted violently, an incredulous light bursting forth in his eyes.

Su Ming didn’t give him much time to think, pressing his advantage while the iron was hot, laying out the plan he had long since memorized.

“You are the backbone of our village. This matter must be spearheaded by you! You will be the face, organizing the manpower, handling official matters. In the future, if any fool dares to cause trouble, you’ll be the one to deal with it. This is called the stabilizing pillar. The workshop’s net profit—you get a twenty percent share!”

Zhao Dequan’s fingers stopped moving.

Twenty percent! Without contributing anything, just based on his status and prestige, he gets twenty percent!

“The uncles and brothers in the village who contribute labor shouldn’t toil for nothing. Cutting bamboo, carrying water, tending fires, pounding pulp—pay them according to their work, daily wages. Besides that, from the remaining net profit of the workshop, take out another fifty percent to distribute among all the fellow villagers who participate in the workshop’s work! Year-end dividends based on work contribution!”

Zhao Dequan’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his eyes becoming incredibly complex. He understood now. Su Ming was trying to tie the entire village’s interests to this venture!

“And what about my Su family?” Su Ming straightened his chest, his voice not loud but carrying an undeniable confidence. “My family provides the formula. I am responsible for teaching everyone this paper-making craft exactly as it is, ensuring the workshop can be established and produce paper that can be sold for money. Our family gets thirty percent of the profit.”

Thirty percent!

Doing nothing, just based on a formula, moving their lips, they want to take thirty percent? This appetite is bigger than the sky!

Zhao Dequan narrowed his eyes. The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.

He stared at Su Ming for a long time before slowly speaking, his tone carrying a dangerous edge. “Thirty percent? Kid, do you know how much thirty percent is? I, as the Village Chief, bearing immense responsibility, only get twenty percent. The entire village, over a hundred people working themselves to the bone, only split fifty percent. Your Su family, just moving your lips, wants to take thirty percent?”

Pressure, like a mountain, pressed down.

Sweat beaded on Su Shan’s forehead. He instinctively wanted to say, “That’s too much, we can take less.”

“Hold firm, disciple! This is a negotiation! You retreat one step, he’ll advance ten! This thirty percent is the value of the technology, not a single coin less!” Lin Yu’s voice shouted sternly in his mind.

Su Ming clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms. He met Zhao Dequan’s gaze without retreating.

“Uncle Zhao, you can’t calculate it that way.”

“Without my family’s formula, the bamboo on the back mountain will forever remain just bamboo, worthless.”

“It is my family that provides this pot that can turn bamboo into gleaming silver! We provide the opportunity for the entire village to get a taste of meat soup! We take thirty percent, leaving the remaining seventy percent entirely for the village, for you! Isn’t that fair?”

He took a step forward, his voice suddenly rising. “Furthermore, I am the only one who understands this technology! Once the workshop is up and running, how do we improve the paper’s quality? How do we increase production? What do we do if defective or waste products appear in the future? All of that falls on me! My thirty percent is payment for the technology, payment for peace of mind! Tell me, should this money be taken or not?”

His words, resounding and forceful, left Zhao Dequan speechless.

Yes, the technology was the core! Without Su Ming, this “Technical Director,” all of this was a mirage!

Su Shan stared dumbfounded at his younger son, mouth slightly agape, his face full of shock. Was this still his son, who usually only knew to bury his head in books and was somewhat shy around people? These words, this boldness—he could probably say them even to the county magistrate!

Zhao Dequan’s chest heaved violently.

His shrewd, calculating mind raced.

Twenty percent management shares, thirty percent technology shares, fifty percent labor shares.

This distribution plan, on the surface, seemed to give the Su family the lion’s share, but in reality, he, Zhao Dequan, was the biggest winner! Not only did he gain twenty percent profit out of thin air, more importantly, he turned the entire village into his “supporters” and firmly controlled the Su family, this treasure holding the core technology, in his grasp!

This political achievement, this prestige, this tangible benefit…

This was immense wealth falling from the heavens!

Having thought through all the connections, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished, replaced by an uncontrollable surge of wild joy and excitement!

*SLAM!*

A loud crash echoed as Zhao Dequan slammed his palm heavily onto the Eight Immortals table, causing the teacups on it to jump.

Su Shan was startled by this, his whole body trembling.

“Good!” Zhao Dequan’s eyes widened, his face erupting into a booming laugh that pierced through the house, startling the old hen in the yard into frantic clucking. “Good! What a great ‘business of Su Family Village’! What a great ‘technology shares’!”

He grabbed Su Shan’s shoulders and shook them vigorously, his face flushed. “Shanzi! You, Su Shan, quiet and unassuming, actually raised such a fine son! Courageous! Strategic! I, Zhao Dequan, am impressed!”

As the laughter subsided, his face instantly regained the Village Chief’s stern authority.

He swept his gaze around the room, sharp as a knife, passing over Su Shan’s face before finally settling on Su Ming.

“This matter is settled!”

“But, let’s be clear from the start!” His voice suddenly turned icy. “From today, until the first sheet of paper from the workshop is sold and turned into money, this matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me! If anyone dares to leak even half a word, no matter who it is, they become my, Zhao Dequan’s, mortal enemy! The public enemy of our entire Su Family Village!”

“Shanzi, Xiao Ming, do you understand?!”

These words, spoken by him as the Village Chief, carried weight heavier than Mount Tai.

It was no longer just the Su family’s secret; it was an iron law established by the core power of the entire Su Family Village.

Su Shan nodded heavily, his voice hoarse. “Understood!”

Su Ming also bowed respectfully. “Your nephew understands!”

Zhao Dequan looked at Su Ming, his eyes filled with appreciation and a trace of barely perceptible wariness.

This thirteen-year-old youth could no longer be viewed with the eyes one uses for a child.

He waved his hand, his tone brooking no argument.

“Go back. Starting tomorrow, do what you normally do, don’t let anyone notice anything unusual. I’ll handle the rest!”

Father and son walked out of Zhao Dequan’s gate. The morning mist had mostly dissipated, golden sunlight piercing through the clouds, coating the entire Su Family Village in a layer of warm light.

Su Shan walked ahead. The back that had been perpetually hunched under the weight of life now stood straight and tall.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep