73: The pancake was so big that Zhou Xuezheng almost choked.

Zhou Wenhai had a gaunt face, sharp eyes, a high-bridged nose, and lips pressed into a stern, straight line. He did not look at Su Ming; his gaze was fixed on an unfolded book.

He did not move, and the atmosphere in the study froze.

Su Ming felt as if he had walked into the lair of a fierce tiger. The tiger couldn't even be bothered to lift its eyes to look at him, but an invisible pressure had already enveloped his entire body.

"Apprentice, stay steady! This is a show of force!" Lin Yu hurriedly reminded him. "The more he acts like this, the more it shows he values you. Don't panic, just follow what we rehearsed!"

Su Ming steadied himself, took three steps forward, and bowed.

"Student Su Ming pays respects to the School Supervisor."

His voice was not loud, but his enunciation was clear, sounding exceptionally distinct in the quiet study.

Zhou Wenhai's gaze finally lifted from the scroll and landed on Su Ming.

What kind of eyes were those?

Deep, calm, like an ancient well with no visible bottom. Yet, they seemed capable of seeing through a person's soul.

Su Ming felt as if he had been seen through from inside out.

"No need for such formality," Zhou Wenhai said, his voice calm. "Yu Lin, get a seat for Su Ming."

"Yes."

Zhou Yulin brought over a round stool and placed it beside the desk.

Su Ming did not sit down immediately; instead, he cupped his hands again. "Thank you, School Supervisor."

He sat down, his back straight.

A flash of imperceptible approval crossed Zhou Wenhai's eyes.

Neither humble nor pushy, polite and measured.

"The 'Investigation of Things and Verification Method' you taught Yu Lin, he has told me all about it," Zhou Wenhai said, his fingers gently tapping the table, making a rhythmic tap-tap sound. "Using trivial principles to glimpse the wonders of the Dao. This method is excellent, and Yu Lin has benefited greatly. For this, I must thank you."

Su Ming stood up immediately. "School Supervisor, you are too kind. I merely repeated the wisdom of others, a few shallow insights I happened to acquire. It is my honor to communicate with Senior Brother Zhou."

"Master, how was that?"

"Not bad, not bad. Mutual flattery is a basic operation. Keep it up."

Zhou Wenhai gave a noncommittal "Hmm" and added, "The reason I had you come today, besides this matter, is for another. Your policy essay for this county examination has also been read by Professor Liu."

He paused, seemingly observing Su Ming's reaction.

Su Ming's heart tightened.

"Professor Liu said that your essay is the most practical and boldest one he has seen in his decades of teaching," Zhou Wenhai's tone finally carried a trace of emotional fluctuation. "He very much wants to meet you and ask where you learned those methods of dredging silt, reinforcing embankments, and channeling water."

Here it comes!

Su Ming knew the main topic had arrived.

"I am flattered by Professor Liu's undeserved praise. I come from a farming family and have listened to my father and brothers discuss farming since I was young. I have also been lucky enough to read a few miscellaneous books. It was nothing more than blending hearsay with the rigid theories in books into a chaotic mess. It is laughable to the School Supervisor and Professor Liu."

This response was watertight, explaining the source of his knowledge while appearing extremely humble.

Zhou Wenhai looked at him steadily, the scrutiny in his eyes deepening.

A fourteen-year-old village boy, facing him, the School Supervisor of the County School, could possess such a steady Heart-Nature and such meticulous rhetoric.

This could by no means be explained by the word "luck."

The atmosphere in the study became heavy once more.

Zhou Yulin, standing to the side, felt the pressure. He wanted to speak up to ease the tension but was stopped by a look from his father.

Su Ming knew this was his last chance.

If he waited any longer, the initiative would fall completely into Zhou Wenhai's hands.

He took a deep breath, as if having made a decision, took a sudden step forward, and bowed deeply to Zhou Wenhai.

"School Supervisor!"

His action was abrupt and resolute, causing both Zhou Wenhai and Zhou Yulin to be taken aback.

"I have dared to come today not only to thank the School Supervisor and Professor Liu for their favor, but also to offer a policy to you, Sir!"

Zhou Wenhai's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"Everything I said in the policy essay was merely empty talk on paper," Su Ming looked up, staring directly at Zhou Wenhai with burning eyes. "But in my village, there is a tangible industry that might verify the words of my essay and add to your policy of 'enriching the village and benefiting the people'!"

He emphasized the four words "enriching the village and benefiting the people" heavily.

Zhou Wenhai's pupils contracted imperceptibly.

He understood immediately that this youth had come prepared today.

"What industry?"

"Papermaking!" Su Ming said with resonance. "In my village, we accidentally discovered an improved method of papermaking that can use ordinary bamboo, wood, and grass as materials to produce high-quality, low-cost paper. We have already built a workshop, hired dozens of households in the village, and have already made a small profit last month."

"Oh?" Zhou Wenhai leaned forward slightly, a sign of genuine interest. "High-quality and low-cost? How does it compare to the toilet paper on the market?"

"It surpasses it!" Su Ming's tone was full of confidence. "The paper is equal to the worst Xuan paper, tough, and absorbs ink without spreading."

Zhou Wenhai's gaze suddenly narrowed.

"If this method can be promoted, the farmers in the Southern Five Villages won't have to worry about their livelihood after the autumn harvest. The bamboo and wood covering the mountains can all be turned into silver. If one village is rich, then five villages can be rich. If five villages are rich, then Qingshi Town can have full granaries!"

Su Ming's voice grew more impassioned.

"Apprentice, take it easy. Don't get too excited, watch out for bursting the bubble!" Lin Yu reminded him nervously.

Su Ming did not stop.

He knew that if you want to draw a pie, you have to make it big, round, and delicious!

"I am of low status, and the workshop in the village is just a small venture. Recently, it has attracted covetous eyes from all over the town. I fear it will not last long and might even bring a bloody disaster to Su Family Village." He shifted his tone, revealing just the right amount of difficulty and earnestness.

"I dare to beg the School Supervisor to step in!"

"Please, in the name of the County School, incorporate this workshop as a pilot for 'official-supervised, people-operated.' The workshop will still be managed by the villagers. I am willing to contribute the improved method, and the County School can send people to supervise the accounts."

"The profits from the workshop, after deducting the villagers' wages and costs, can be divided into three parts."

"One part to be handed over to the County School to cover public expenses, subsidize poor students, and repair the school."

"One part to remain in the village as a public fund for building bridges, paving roads, and water conservancy."

"The final part belongs to the villagers, distributed as dividends based on labor and shares."

He finished in one breath, and the entire study was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Zhou Yulin was stunned.

He gaped, staring blankly at Su Ming, as if seeing this village youth for the first time.

What a magnificent concept!

What a startling stroke of genius!

He actually wanted to offer up a secret, money-making method just like that?

Zhou Wenhai did not speak.

He just quietly watched Su Ming, wind and thunder churning in his deep eyes.

He had lived half his life, floating through officialdom, and had seen countless strange people and events.

But he had never seen a youth like Su Ming.

This was no longer just intelligence; this was a Prodigy!

This plan was interconnected, blocking almost all the loopholes he could think of, and perfectly scratching exactly where he itched.

Fame?

It was there! Led by the government, benefiting the locality—this was a massive political achievement! Even if it reached the ears of the Prefect or the Governor, it would be a stroke of great merit.

Profit?

It was there too! The County School benefited, and as the School Supervisor, he would naturally rise with the tide. Moreover, there was so much room for maneuvering within the words "supervise the accounts." That so-called "management fee" could be taken completely legitimately.

The key was that he barely had to pay any cost!

He only needed to nod and say a few words to bring a mature, golden-egg-laying chicken directly into his own courtyard.

And Su Ming and Su Family Village would get what they needed most—protection.

A golden banner strong enough to ward off all wolves and tigers!

"What a 'official-supervised, people-operated'…"

After a long time, Zhou Wenhai slowly spat out these words, his voice carrying a trace of complex emotion.

He looked at the youth before him, whose figure was still thin, and for the first time, placed him on an equal footing with himself.

This was not a Junior coming to ask for help.

This was an equal partner coming to negotiate.

"Aren't you afraid that I will swallow your recipe and your workshop in one gulp?" Zhou Wenhai suddenly asked, his tone carrying a hint of icy coldness.

The temperature in the study seemed to drop several degrees instantly.

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Su Ming's back.

He knew this was the final test.

"Apprentice! Hold on! The bet is that he is a decent person and won't have too ugly an appetite!"

Su Ming looked up, meeting Zhou Wenhai's gaze, and forced a slightly immature yet incomparably sincere smile onto his face.

"I am not afraid."

"Why?"

"Because I believe that the School Supervisor is a true scholar," Su Ming said, word for word. "What you seek is to leave your name in history and benefit the people. The profit of a mere workshop is not enough to catch your Dharma Eye."

"I also believe that a living Su Ming, who can constantly come up with new ideas, is more useful to you than a dead recipe that can only make paper."

"If I am fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination in the future and become an official, I will never forget the favor of your cultivation today."

This statement was three parts flattery, three parts confidence, and four parts naked display of value.

I am betting on your character.

At the same time, I am telling you that my future is worth your investment.

Zhou Wenhai laughed, and the face that had been tense all along revealed a heartfelt smile.

"Good!"

He stood up and walked to Su Ming. "I, Zhou Wenhai, accept you as my student! I agree to this matter!"

He released the hand he had been holding Su Ming with and let out a long breath himself.

Zhou Wenhai sat back down behind his desk, his posture completely different.

Previously, it was scrutiny and pressure. Now, it was the easygoing nature of an elder appreciating a Junior.

"You child, you have big courage and a meticulous mind." Zhou Wenhai's gaze fell on Su Ming's face, carrying a bit of playfulness. "I just don't know where all these wild ideas in your belly come from?"

Su Ming's heart tightened; he knew this was a probe.

He bowed, his expression calm. "In reply to you, Sir, 'Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.' I have no chance to travel ten thousand miles, so I can only wander in books and look and ask more in the countryside. When I think too much, I inevitably have some unrealistic wild thoughts."

"Wild thoughts?" Zhou Wenhai shook his head with a laugh. "If this is called wild thoughts, then fifty percent of the scholars in the world wouldn't even know how to think."

He waved his hand, no longer pursuing the question.

Everyone had their own secrets; pushing too hard would be counterproductive.

"It's getting late, you haven't eaten yet, right?" Zhou Wenhai changed the subject.

Su Ming was stunned and subconsciously said, "I am not hungry yet."

"You must eat even if you aren't hungry." Zhou Wenhai stood up, his tone brooking no argument. "Today, you will have a simple meal here at home."

He looked at Zhou Wenhai's matter-of-fact expression, and the equally shocked expression of Zhou Yulin beside him.

Lin Yu: "He is going to tie you completely to the Zhou Family's boat! A meal, a title—tomorrow the whole Qingshi Town will know that you, Su Ming, are Zhou Wenhai's student!"

"Isn't this exactly what we wanted?" Su Ming responded in his heart.

"Yes, but it also means that every move you make in the future will represent the face of the Zhou Family! It will be hard for you to be a little transparent and develop secretly anymore!" Lin Yu wailed. "My great cause of The Way of Cautious Survival! It died before it even began!"

Su Ming suppressed the waves in his heart and bowed deeply to Zhou Wenhai again.

"Student… obeys."

This "obeys" satisfied Zhou Wenhai more than any previous words.

He nodded and walked out the door first: "Yu Lin, go tell your mother to prepare an extra set of bowls and chopsticks. Tell her I have just taken on a new student."

"Yes, Father!" Zhou Yulin's face was filled with joy. He walked quickly to Su Ming's side, patted his shoulder, and said excitedly, "Junior Brother Su!"

This "Junior Brother Su" left Su Ming feeling a bit dazed.

The changes in the world are truly wondrous.

The atmosphere in the dining hall became strange because of Su Ming's return.

Lady Liu had already received the news; she wore a gentle and proper smile, personally serving dishes to Su Ming, asking after his well-being, and already treating him as a Junior of the family in her speech.

Zhou Yulin was even more enthusiastic, constantly introducing dishes to Su Ming, looking every bit the good Senior Brother.

Zhou Wenhai sat in the main seat, not saying much, but every time his gaze swept over Su Ming, it carried obvious appreciation.

This harmonious scene, however, was like needles pricking the two people on the other side of the dining hall.

Zhou Kang and his gaudily dressed wife, Zhao Chunlan.

Zhou Kang's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

He couldn't figure it out—how could a poor kid who was just borrowing the backyard turn into his big brother's student in the blink of an eye?

This was even more absurd than that "Investigation of Things and Verification Method"!

"Su Ming," Zhou Wenhai put down his chopsticks and spoke slowly, "I have discussed your policy essay with Professor Liu."

The hall went quiet.

Everyone's gaze was focused on him.

Zhou Kang pricked up his ears; he wanted to hear exactly what this kid had written to get his big brother so obsessed.

"The argument is lofty, the evidence is solid. For you to have such insight at such a young age is truly not easy," Zhou Wenhai commented.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the indignant Zhou Kang, and said indifferently: "In this county examination, barring any accidents, you shall be the top scholar."