“Master! Honored Masters! This lowly one failed to recognize the great mountain before him! The best room! The top-tier Tianzi room at Fu An Inn has been reserved for distinguished guests all along!”

The shop assistant bent his waist at nearly a ninety-degree angle, his facial muscles contorted. The speed of his change in attitude left Zhao Rui utterly dumbfounded.

Zhao Dequan’s mind was reeling. Pulled along by the assistant, his steps felt unsteady as he muttered, “Top scorer… top scorer…” Su Shan and Su Yang, father and son, felt as if they were walking on clouds.

Su Ming supported his father, his expression calm, yet inwardly alert. The title of top scorer was proving more dangerous than he had imagined.

“Disciple, the tendency of human hearts to fawn on the powerful and curry favor with the noble, today you have tasted its first flavor.” Lin Yu’s voice sounded in Su Ming’s mind, steady yet carrying a hint of warning. “This is a common worldly phenomenon, not surprising, yet one must be vigilant. Fame is a double-edged sword; it can protect, but it can also invite disaster. From now on, you must be even more cautious in your words and actions. Do not become addicted to such empty, superficial honor.”

Lin Yu inwardly wailed, “Ah, I wanted to lie low and develop discreetly! Forget it, forget it! Since we can’t hide, then we can only tearfully cling to this thickest thigh!”

The inn’s two best rooms were located at the innermost end of the second floor. Pushing open the window, one could see a small half of Qingshi Town’s street scene. The rooms were clean and tidy, the tables and chairs polished to a shine, the bedding carrying the scent of sunshine. It was a world apart from the small room they had stayed in for so long. The assistant brought hot tea and snacks, bowing and scraping as he retreated, earnestly instructing them to call if they needed anything.

The door closed, shutting out the noise. The atmosphere inside the room, however, felt somewhat stagnant. Su Shan stood awkwardly, unsure where to put his hands. Su Yang circled the room once, running his hand along the edge of the wooden bed frame, his eyes full of novelty and joy. He walked over to Su Ming, pressed down firmly on his shoulder, his voice trembling, “Third Son, you… you really…”

“Yes.” Su Ming nodded.

“Good! That’s great!” Su Yang’s eyes reddened, so excited he could only repeat these two words.

Zhao Dequan finally snapped out of the immense shock. He plopped down on a chair and gulped down a large mouthful of tea. He looked at Su Ming, his gaze completely transformed.

He suddenly remembered the strategies in Su Ming’s letter. Before, he thought they were the wild ideas of a young man, a fool’s talk. But now, a fourteen-year-old top scorer, Zhou Wenhai’s student… those strategies suddenly seemed perfectly reasonable, even unfathomably profound.

“Zhao Rui,” Su Ming suddenly spoke, looking at the smug-faced Zhao Rui, “take my father and Second Brother to the next room. Let them wash up and rest their feet. I have a few words to say with Uncle Zhao.” Zhao Rui was taken aback. Looking at Su Ming’s calm eyes, the boastful words stuck in his throat. He responded, “Uncle Su, Brother Yang, come on, I’ll take you next door.” Though Su Shan and Su Yang didn’t understand, they still followed Zhao Rui out.

The door closed again, leaving only Su Ming and Zhao Dequan in the room. Zhao Dequan’s heart inexplicably tightened. He felt he wasn’t facing a half-grown child, but a meticulous, far-sighted schemer, a person of higher status.

“Uncle Zhao, please sit.” Su Ming personally refilled his tea. Zhao Dequan was overwhelmed by the favor and hurriedly stood up, “This won’t do, this won’t do.”

“You are my elder.” Su Ming pushed the teacup in front of him and sat down opposite. “You read what I wrote in the letter, right?”

“Read it, all of it.” Zhao Dequan sat down, his back ramrod straight.

“So, what do you think?” Su Ming’s gaze rested calmly on his face. Fine sweat beaded on Zhao Dequan’s forehead. He opened his mouth, his voice dry, “Su Ming, you… your ideas are too bold. Giving away shares of the workshop, and to the Zhou family and the county yamen people… isn’t that inviting the wolf into the house? How can we just give away what we worked so hard to create…”

“Uncle Zhao,” Su Ming interrupted him, “then do you think, as we are now, Su Family Village can still protect the workshop?”

Zhao Dequan was left speechless.

“The county yamen clerk’s inquiry is not a good sign.” Su Ming’s voice was soft, yet each word struck like a hammer. “Today it’s the clerk, tomorrow it might be the County Lieutenant, the day after, it could be powerful families from the prefecture. We are the sheep, the workshop is the fat meat. Surrounded by a pack of wolves, what do you think our fate will be?”

Zhao Dequan’s face gradually paled.

“What we’re giving away are not shares, they are a ransom for our lives.” Su Ming continued. “They are buying a protective talisman. I have already become Director Zhou’s student, and I have settled this matter with him.”

He explained the “officially supervised, privately operated” plan in its entirety: how to place the workshop under the County School’s name, how to distribute the profits, how Zhou Wenhai would gain both reputation and tangible benefits from it.

Zhao Dequan listened, his heart pounding with fear, his eyes growing wider and wider. He realized this plan was far more meticulous than he had imagined, practically flawless!

“By placing the workshop under the official government’s name, anyone who wants to reach out for it in the future isn’t just opposing Su Family Village, they are opposing Director Zhou, opposing the County School! Opposing the County School, would the scholars inside agree? In this Qingshi Town, who would have the guts?”

“Director Zhou gains political achievement and reputation, the County School gains money and supplies, our village gains protection. All three parties win. That’s the kind of business that can last!”

“As for the dry shares given to Zhou Kang and Clerk Sun, that’s another layer of insurance. Director Zhou is a respectable man. There are some things he can’t personally handle, but someone like Zhou Kang, once he gets the money, will treat the workshop as his own property. If some fool tries to snatch it, he’ll be the first to jump out and bite. This is called driving away wolves with tigers.”

Zhao Dequan listened, cold sweat streaming down his back. He considered himself shrewd, but compared to Su Ming’s interlocking schemes, his own thoughts were like a three-year-old’s play. “But… but Director Zhou, would he really do this for us…” Zhao Dequan still found it hard to believe.

Su Ming smiled. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling street below. “Uncle Zhao, do you think Director Zhou values our little paper-making workshop?” Zhao Dequan was stunned.

“What he values, is me.” Su Ming’s voice was not loud, but filled with undeniable confidence. “A fourteen-year-old top scorer, a student who can provide him with the political achievement of ‘enriching the village and benefiting the people.’ His protection of me today is an investment in my future. As long as I achieve something in the future, this bond of gratitude will be far more valuable than a few hundred or thousand taels of silver.”

“I… I understand.” Zhao Dequan let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He stood up and gave Su Ming a deep, formal bow.

“Su Ming, from now on, the village’s affairs, no, the future of our Su Family Village, depends entirely on you! You say how we should proceed, and that’s how we’ll proceed!” This bow came from genuine respect and admiration.

Su Ming quickly supported him, “Uncle Zhao, this won’t do. I am young and inexperienced. Village affairs still rely on you and the other uncles to make decisions. I am merely outside, helping to scout the path.” His humility made Zhao Dequan even more moved. “Good, good child.”

“Disciple, you handled this matter well.” Lin Yu’s voice carried a hint of praise, but more so a reminder. “Using strength against strength is a method your master often used in the early years. You have glimpsed its threshold. But remember, Zhou Wenhai is not an easy person to deal with. Today he values your potential. If in the future your progress falls short of expectations, or if you touch upon his fundamental interests, this relationship may not remain solid. Your own strength is the true foundation for standing firm.”

“Master, I understand.” Su Ming responded in his heart. “The current crisis is not yet resolved.”

“Speak!” Zhao Dequan immediately said.

“That merchant Chen who came to the village to buy paper, what exactly is his background?” Su Ming’s gaze turned sharp. “You didn’t elaborate in your letter. How did he find you?” Mentioning this, Zhao Dequan’s expression turned grave. He carefully recalled, “It was the shop on West Street in town that sells needles, thread, and sundries. The owner, Manager Wang, introduced him.”

“Manager Wang?”

“Yes.” Zhao Dequan nodded. “About ten days after we last sold our paper to the sundries stall before the New Year, he sent someone to the village with a message. Said there was a big merchant from the north passing through Qingshi Town. He saw the paper in his shop, thought it was good, and wanted to buy in large quantities. Asked if we had more.”

“I was also a bit cautious at the time.” Zhao Dequan frowned. “I specifically went to town to ask Manager Wang about that merchant’s background. Manager Wang said he was just a traveling merchant passing through, surnamed Chen, driving several large carts, seemed to be transporting leather goods south. Because the tarpaulin on his cart was torn, he wanted to buy some sturdy paper to patch it up, to block wind and rain. He also said that Merchant Chen seemed quite generous and probably wasn’t a bad person.”

“When I heard that, I thought it was an opportunity. Our paper, doing small business in town is fine, but to sell for a good price, we need to rely on these merchants traveling north and south.”

“So you went to meet him?” Su Ming asked.

“Met him.” Zhao Dequan sighed. “In the backyard of Manager Wang’s shop. That Merchant Chen was around forty, with a shrewd face, speaking with a northern accent. He looked at our paper, was indeed very satisfied, didn’t bargain much, ordered a thousand sheets, and paid the silver on the spot.”

“What else did he ask?” Su Ming pressed.

“He asked how far our village was from town, if the mountain road was easy to travel. Also asked if we could keep making this paper consistently.” Zhao Dequan recalled. “I said the village was in the southern mountain valley, the road wasn’t good, and the paper was also accidentally made when burning, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I was still being cautious at the time, didn’t dare tell the whole truth.”

“He also said he travels from the north about every three or four months. Next time he passes by, if he still needs it, he would come directly to the village to find me. For convenience, he also wanted to set up a collection point in the village, specifically for buying paper.”

Hearing this, Su Ming’s eyes turned completely cold. Patching windows? Blocking wind and rain? What merchant would use bamboo paper, which is more expensive than grass paper, to patch a cart window? How big a hole would that be? And wanting to set up a point in the village? This wasn’t any merchant; this was a scout probing the way! His so-called “buying paper” was precisely to ascertain Su Family Village’s situation, confirm the paper workshop’s location and output! And that Manager Wang who sold needles and thread, he was either a fool or an accomplice!

“The problem lies with this Merchant Chen.” Su Ming stated decisively.

Zhao Dequan was shocked into a cold sweat. “You mean… he’s after our formula?”

“Most likely.” Su Ming nodded. “Behind him, there must be a major force.” Zhao Dequan’s face lost all color, feeling as if he had just walked along the edge of a cliff.

“Then… then what should we do?” His voice trembled.

“Proceed according to our plan.” Su Ming’s eyes regained their calm. “It’s easy to enjoy the shade under a big tree. As long as we become Director Zhou’s ‘officially supervised, privately operated’ pilot project, no matter who is behind him, anyone wanting to move against us will have to think twice.”

“Tomorrow morning, you return to the village with my father and the others. The first thing is to stop the workshop as I said in the letter! Tell outsiders that there’s a problem with the raw materials, the technique is unstable, we can’t make good paper anymore.”

“Second, prepare two copies of the ‘dry shares’ contract. One for Zhou Kang, one for Clerk Sun. Once I complete the procedures at the County School here, send them over immediately. The gifts must be sent quickly, proactively, to make them think we are sensible.”

“Third, and most important, the core technology must be held in the hands of the most reliable people. It absolutely must not be leaked!”

Zhao Dequan nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice, committing Su Ming’s words to heart. “You and my father and the others stay at the inn for the night, rest well, and leave tomorrow.” Su Ming finally instructed. “I leave the village affairs to you.”

“Don’t worry!” Zhao Dequan stood up, his gaze firm. “Su Ming, you focus on studying in town! With me in the village, there won’t be any chaos!”

After seeing Zhao Dequan off, Su Ming went to the next room. Su Shan and Su Yang had already washed up and changed into clean clothes, but they still seemed restrained. Zhao Rui was animatedly boasting to Su Yang about his “heroic” performance at the examination. Su Shan sat to the side, silently smoking his pipe tobacco, smoke swirling, obscuring his expression. Seeing Su Ming enter, the room quieted down.

“Father, Second Brother.” Su Ming walked over. Su Yang grabbed him, looking him up and down, unable to suppress the joy on his face, “Third Son, you finished talking with Uncle Zhao? You… you really got first place?”

“Yes.” Su Ming nodded.

“Good! That’s wonderful!” Su Yang was so excited he didn’t know what to say. He looked back at Su Shan, “Father, did you hear? Third Son got first!” Su Shan tapped his pipe, raised his clouded eyes, and gave Su Ming a deep look. Finally, he only exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his voice hoarse, “…Good.” That single word carried more weight than any speech. A warm feeling surged in Su Ming’s heart. Knowing his father was not good with words, this “good” contained all his pride and relief.

“Father, Second Brother, you’ve had a hard journey. Rest well here tonight. Tomorrow morning, return to the village with Uncle Zhao.” Su Ming said.

“What about you?” Su Yang quickly asked.

“I won’t be returning for now.” Su Ming said. “Tomorrow I need to handle the County School enrollment documents.”

“The County School has dormitories. I’ll eat and live there. As the top scorer, my tuition is fully waived, and I get a monthly subsidy for writing materials.” Su Ming said lightly, not wanting his family to worry, hiding the perilous struggles behind it.

Hearing this, Su Yang and Su Shan finally felt at ease. In their simple understanding, being able to study at a government-run school without spending money was already an immense blessing.

The night grew late.

Su Shan and Su Yang lay on the soft bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

The bed was too soft, the blankets too clean, everything felt like a dream.

Su Ming sat cross-legged on his own bed, circulating the Aura Concealment Art to calm the turbulent emotions of the day.

This time, he had not only successfully tied Zhou Wenhai to his chariot but also extracted the crucial clue from Zhao Dequan.

That mysterious Merchant Chen hung over Su Family Village like a shadow. He needed to quickly improve his own strength, whether in worldly power and position, or… real power.

“Master,” he silently recited in his heart, “I feel that relying on Zhou Wenhai alone might not be enough.”

“Naturally not enough.” Lin Yu’s voice sounded lazily. “But for now, Zhou Wenhai is our best shield. What you need to do is make good use of this shield, seize every moment, and develop discreetly!”

Su Ming gathered his thoughts and slowly sank into cultivation.

Outside the window, the lights of Qingshi Town also extinguished one by one.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep