49: Money

The alley near the County School was much quieter. Xu Qing's father's stall was still simple, with a few books, several inkstones, and some worn brushes; business was slow. He was engrossed in reading an old book.

Village Head adjusted his collar, trying hard to make himself look more like an honest, simple farmer than a shrewd businessman. He bowed slightly, his face forming a sincere, slightly respectful smile.

"Mister Xu, I am the Village Head of Su Family Village."

Elder Xu raised his head, looking with some confusion at the unfamiliar farmer and the father and son behind him.

Village Head carefully took out the hundred best sheets of bamboo paper from the oilcloth bundle and presented them with both hands: "Elder Mr. Xu, I apologize for the intrusion. This is a crude paper that our village figured out how to make ourselves, using bamboo from the mountain behind us... It is quite rough, and I truly didn't dare to offend your eyes with it."

He changed his tone, speaking more earnestly: "But Third Son from our village—that kid right here," he pulled Su Ming forward, "he met your Young Master in town. When he came back, he said Young Master Xu has great scholarship and impeccable character, a role model for all scholars in Qingshi Town! He also said that you, Elder, run this stall and have the most compassion for poor scholars..."

Su Ming stepped forward at the right moment and bowed respectfully: "Elder Uncle Xu, I am Junior Su Ming. Although this paper is rough, it is thick and tough, not easily damaged. Junior thinks that there must be many students at the County School, like Brother Xu Qing, who study diligently but are short on funds. They spend a lot on copying books and practicing calligraphy. If you, Elder, do not mind, could you sell this on our behalf? The price is negotiable; we only hope to give poor scholars another option and earn some money for oil and salt for our village."

Elder Xu took the stack of paper and examined it carefully. The paper was indeed rough and yellowed, incomparable to the snow-white Xuan Paper on his stall. But he rubbed it with his fingers, then tried to tear it forcefully, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—the paper's toughness was truly unexpected.

He thought of his son copying books late at night by the dim oil lamp, and he thought of the students who, because paper was expensive, had to practice calligraphy on sand trays. His heart softened.

"This paper... is indeed rustic," Elder Mr. Xu said slowly. "However, the material is tough, and the price must be extremely low. It is usable for daily transcription and drafting calculations."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping past Village Head's expectant face and landing on Su Ming's clear and intelligent eyes. Finally, he sighed: "Alas, if this item had been available earlier, Qing'er wouldn't have had to copy books until midnight just for a few sheets of paper. Never mind, I will try selling it for you. How much per sheet?"

Village Head quickly said, "You decide the price, Elder. If we can provide convenience to those students, we're willing to earn a little less!"

Xu Qing pondered for a moment: "Even the lowest-grade rough paper at Literary Treasure Studio costs two Wen. This paper is rough but tough; how about three Wen per sheet? I will not raise the price, but sell it at cost, solely for the convenience of the students."

"Done! Done! Thank you, Elder Mr. Xu! You truly are a Living Bodhisattva!" Village Head was overjoyed, repeatedly bowing. This price was slightly better than he had expected, and more importantly, it opened up this rare sales channel.

Finally, Elder Xu kept two hundred sheets of paper and carefully put them away. Village Head received the heavy six hundred Wen and felt as if the money carried the scent of ink.

After leaving Elder Xu, the smile on Village Head's face became much more genuine. He patted Su Ming's shoulder: "Third Son, your mind is quick! This path you took was the right one!"

Next, they drove the ox cart, crossed the Main Street, and turned into a narrow, crowded alley full of fish and sweat smells, where they found the sundry goods stall.

The Stall Owner still looked indifferent. Village Head felt much more confident this time, but still put on his honest smile and handed over the paper.

"Brother, business is booming."

"Go away, go away, Village Head Zhao! What kind of stuff are you trying to fool me with now?" The Stall Owner took it and frowned, looking at it for a long time. "What is this thing? The color is yellowish, and it's so rough you could scrub yourself with it."

"Brother, you shouldn't talk like that." Village Head chuckled. "This is a genuinely good product! Thick and tough! For wrapping things, covering windows, or even for bathroom use, it's a hundred times better than that flimsy Rough Paper! And it's cheap! The lowest-grade Rough Paper at Literary Treasure Studio costs two Copper Coins, but I'll give you mine for two Copper Coins a sheet! You sell it for three, and you net one!"

The Stall Owner skeptically tore at it hard, and sure enough, it didn't rip. His eyes immediately lit up. A profit of one Copper Coin! That was more than he earned selling sundries all day!

"Give me three hundred sheets to start!"

Following that, they used the same pitch and the same price to sell two hundred sheets at another shop specializing in sewing supplies.

The oilcloth bundle, which had been bulging on the ox cart, was completely flat.

Meanwhile, Village Head's pocket held a heavy Money Pouch. Inside, there were not only the six hundred Wen in whole currency from Elder Mr. Xu but also one thousand Wen in loose change from the sundry goods stall and the sundry shop.

On the way back to the village, Village Head was in excellent spirits, even humming a tune off-key. He glanced at the silent Su Ming and said, "Third Son, you've earned merit today. The path through Elder Mr. Xu was brilliant! It sold the paper, earned us a reputation, and was stable."

Su Ming smiled without speaking. In his mind, Lin Yu commented with great satisfaction: "Disciple, well done! This is called 'Differentiated Marketing' and 'Market Segmentation'! Sell the most suitable product in the safest way to the people who need it most. Elder Xu's place is a long-term investment, and the sundry stall is quick cash. Grasp both hands, and both hands will be strong! This Village Head is also an intelligent person; he gets it immediately."

...Returning to the Workshop at the village entrance, the scene of dividing the money was no different from before.

That pile of dark, shiny copper coins still made people's hands weak and their hearts tremble.

But when Village Head placed a small, extra ingot of Silver (exchanged from Elder Mr. Xu's whole currency) separately into the Su Family's share, all the men looked at Su Shan and his son with not only the usual respect but also a solid sense of conviction.

Su Shan took the heavy Cloth Bundle, which smelled of ink and copper, his hands still shaking violently.

But mixed into that trembling seemed to be something different—a proven value, and a heavy hope that needed to be protected.

At the Su Family dining table, the scrambled eggs were still glossy with oil, and the Momo buns were still white and plump.

Su Shan tapped his Pipe, and when he pushed the heavier cloth bundle toward Su Ming, his tone was more resolute than ever.

"Third Son, keep this money safe."

"You need to think more about how our family should proceed in the future. Just like today, think further ahead, even further."

Su Ming gripped the cloth bundle tightly; the edges of the silver ingot still painfully pressed into his palm, but this time, his grip was steady.

He not only felt the family's gamble but also a heavy sense of trust and responsibility.