75: Source and Development

"Sirs! Esteemed sirs! This humble one has been blind! The best room! The best 'Heavenly' room at Fuan Inn has always been reserved for honored guests!"

The Waiter bent nearly ninety degrees, his facial muscles contorted, and the speed of his change of expression left Zhao Rui stunned.

Village Head's mind was in a daze. Pulled by the Waiter, he mumbled with unsteady steps, "top scholar...top scholar..." Su Shan and Su Yang felt like they were treading on clouds.

Su Ming supported his father, his expression calm, but his heart was vigilant. The title of top scholar was more dangerous than he had imagined.

"Disciple, the human heart follows power and wealth. Today, you have had your first taste of it." Lin Yu's voice echoed in Su Ming's mind, steady with a hint of warning. "This is the normal state of the secular world, nothing strange, but it requires vigilance. Reputation is a double-edged sword; it can protect you, but also bring disaster. Your words and actions in the future must be even more cautious. Do not indulge in such superficial honor."

Lin Yu wailed inwardly, "Oh dear, I wanted to hide and develop quietly, but never mind, since I can't hide it, I can only embrace this thickest thigh with tears!"

The two best rooms in the inn were on the innermost side of the second floor. Pushing open the window, one could see a good portion of Qingshi Town's streetscape. The rooms were clean and tidy, the tables and chairs gleaming, and the bedding smelled of sunshine, a world apart from the small hut they had lived in for so long. The Waiter brought hot tea and snacks, then bowed and retreated, repeatedly reminding them to call if they needed anything.

The door closed, cutting off the noise, but the atmosphere in the room was somewhat stagnant. Su Shan stood awkwardly, not knowing where to put his hands. Su Yang walked around the room once, touching the edge of the wooden bed, his eyes full of novelty and joy. He walked to Su Ming's side, pressed his shoulder hard, his voice trembling, "Third Son, you...you really..."

"Mm." Su Ming nodded.

"Good! So good!" Su Yang's eyes reddened, too excited to say anything more than these two words.

Village Head finally recovered from the huge shock, plopped down on a chair, and took a big gulp of tea. He looked at Su Ming, his eyes completely changed.

He suddenly remembered the strategies in Su Ming's letter. Before, he thought they were youthful ambition, a fool's dream, but now, a fourteen-year-old top scholar, Zhou Wenhai's student... these strategies seemed to become natural, even unfathomably profound.

"Zhao Rui," Su Ming suddenly spoke, looking at the smug Zhao Rui, "take my father and second brother to the room next door, let them wash up and rest. I have a few words to say to Uncle Zhao." Zhao Rui was startled, looking at Su Ming's calm eyes, the words he wanted to boast about stuck in his throat. He responded, "Uncle Su, Brother Yang, let's go, I'll take you to the next room." Although Su Shan and Su Yang didn't understand, they still followed Zhao Rui out.

The door closed again, leaving only Su Ming and Village Head in the room. Village Head's heart inexplicably tightened, feeling that he was not facing a half-grown child, but a meticulous and far-sighted superior.

"Uncle Zhao, please sit." Su Ming personally refilled his tea. Village Head was flattered and quickly stood up, "I can't, I can't."

"You are an elder." Su Ming pushed the teacup in front of him and sat down opposite him. "You've read what I wrote in the letter, right?"

"I've read it, all of it." Village Head sat down, his back straight.

"Then what do you think?" Su Ming's gaze calmly fell on his face. Village Head's forehead seeped with fine sweat. He opened his mouth and said dryly, "Su Ming, your... your ideas are too bold. Giving away shares of the Workshop, and to the Zhou Family and people from the County Yamen... Isn't that inviting wolves into the house? How can we give away what we've worked so hard to create...?"

"Uncle Zhao." Su Ming interrupted him, "Then do you think that now, our Su Family Village can still protect the Workshop?"

Village Head was speechless.

"The inquiry from the County Yamen's Advisor is not a good thing." Su Ming's voice was light, but every word was like a hammer. "Today it's the Advisor, tomorrow it might be the County Lieutenant, and the day after tomorrow, it might be the powerful families from the prefecture. We are sheep, and the Workshop is fat meat. Surrounded by a pack of wolves, what do you think our fate will be?"

Village Head's face gradually turned pale.

"What's given away is not shares, but life-saving money." Su Ming continued, "It's to buy a protective talisman. I have already acknowledged Prefectural Instructor Zhou as my Master, and I have discussed this matter with him."

He explained the 'government-supervised, civilian-run' plan in detail: how to register the Workshop under the County School, how profits would be distributed, and how Zhou Wenhai would gain both reputation and tangible benefits from it.

Village Head listened with a pounding heart, his eyes widening. He found that this plan was far more meticulous than he had imagined, practically flawless!

"By putting the Workshop under the government's name, if anyone wants to reach out in the future, they won't be going against our Su Family Village, but against Prefectural Instructor Zhou, against the County School! If they go against the County School, will the scholars there agree? In this Qingshi Town, who would dare to do that?"

"Prefectural Instructor Zhou gains political achievements and reputation, the County School gains money and provisions, and our village gains protection. All three parties win; this is a long-lasting business!"

"As for the dry shares given to Zhou Kang and Advisor Sun, that's another layer of insurance. Prefectural Instructor Zhou is a respectable person, and there are some things he can't openly deal with, but someone like Zhou Kang, once he takes the money, will treat the Workshop as his own property. If some ignorant person tries to snatch it, he will be the first to jump out and bite them. This is called 'driving away tigers by luring wolves'."

Village Head broke out in a cold sweat. He considered himself shrewd, but compared to Su Ming's interlocking strategies, his own were like a three-year-old's tricks. "But... but Prefectural Instructor Zhou, would he really do it for us...?" Village Head still found it hard to believe.

Su Ming smiled. He stood up and walked to the window, looking at the bustling street below. "Uncle Zhao, do you think Prefectural Instructor Zhou values our small papermaking Workshop?" Village Head was startled.

"What he values is me." Su Ming's voice was not loud, but it was full of unquestionable confidence. "A fourteen-year-old top scholar, a student who can provide him with the political achievement of 'enriching the county 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 mentorship will be far more valuable than hundreds or thousands of taels of silver."

"I... I understand." Village Head let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He stood up and bowed deeply to Su Ming.

"Su Ming, from now on, the affairs of the village, no, the future of our Su Family Village, will all depend on you! Whatever you say we should do, we will do!" This bow came from genuine respect.

Su Ming quickly supported him, "Uncle Zhao, you mustn't. I am young and inexperienced. The village's affairs still rely on you and the other uncles to make decisions. I am just out here, helping to scout the way." His humility made Village Head even more emotional. "Good, good child."

"Disciple, you handled this matter well." Lin Yu's voice carried a hint of approval, but more of a reminder. "Using strength against strength is a tactic I often used in my early years, and you have begun to grasp it. But remember, Zhou Wenhai is not an easy person to deal with. Today he values your potential, but if your progress falls short of expectations in the future, or if you touch upon his fundamental interests, this relationship may not be reliable. Your own strength is the foundation for standing firm."

"Master, I understand." Su Ming replied in his mind, "The current crisis has not yet been resolved."

"Tell me!" Village Head immediately said.

"What is the background of that Merchant Chen who came to the village to buy paper?" Su Ming's gaze was sharp. "Your letter didn't elaborate. How did he find you?" At the mention of this, Village Head's expression became serious, and he recalled carefully, "It was the shop on West Street in town that sells needles and threads, that Shopkeeper Wang introduced him."

"Shopkeeper Wang?"

"Yes." Village Head nodded. "After we sold the last batch of paper to the general store before the New Year, about ten days later, he sent someone to the village to relay a message, saying that a big merchant from the north, passing through Qingshi Town, saw the paper in his shop and thought it was good, wanting to buy a large quantity. He asked if we still had any."

"I was also cautious at the time." Village Head frowned. "I specifically went to town to ask that Shopkeeper Wang about the merchant's background. Shopkeeper Wang said he was just a traveling merchant, surnamed Chen, driving several large carts, seemingly transporting furs south. Because the tarpaulin on his carts was torn, he wanted to buy some thick paper to patch it up, to shield against wind and rain. He also said that Merchant Chen looked quite straightforward and shouldn't be 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 it for a high price, we still need these merchants who travel all over."

"So you went to meet him?" Su Ming asked.

"I did." Village Head sighed. "It was in the backyard of Shopkeeper Wang's shop. That Merchant Chen was about forty, with a shrewd look on his face and a northern accent. He looked at our paper, was indeed very satisfied, and didn't haggle much, asking for a thousand sheets and paying on the spot."

"What else did he ask?" Su Ming pressed.

"He asked if our village was far from town, and if the mountain road was easy to travel. He also asked if this paper could always be made." Village Head recalled, "I said the village was in a mountain hollow to the south, the road was not good, and this paper was made by chance, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I was still cautious at the time and didn't dare to tell the truth."

"He also said that he would travel from the north about every three or four months, and next time he passed by, if he still needed it, he would go directly to the village to find me. For convenience, he even wanted to set up a collection point in the village specifically for paper."

Su Ming's eyes completely chilled at this point. Patching windows? Shielding from wind and rain? Which merchant would use bamboo paper, which was more expensive than straw paper, to patch car windows? How big of a hole would that be? And he wanted to set up a point in the village? This was not a merchant at all, but a scout! His so-called "buying paper" was just to ascertain the Su Family Village's situation, to confirm the location and output of the papermaking Workshop! And that Shopkeeper Wang, who sold needles and threads, was either stupid or an accomplice!

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

Village Head broke out in a cold sweat, "You mean... he's after our formula?"

"Most likely." Su Ming nodded. "He must have a big power behind him." Village Head's face completely lost its color, feeling like he had walked along the edge of a cliff.

"Then... then what should we do?" His voice trembled.

"Follow our plan." Su Ming's eyes returned to calm. "It's good to enjoy the shade under a big tree. As long as we become Prefectural Instructor Zhou's 'government-supervised, civilian-run' pilot project, no matter who is behind him, they'll have to think twice before trying to touch us."

"Tomorrow morning, you and my father will return to the village together. The first thing is to shut down the Workshop as I said in my letter! Announce to the outside that there's a problem with the raw materials, the technology is unstable, and good paper can no longer be produced."

"Second, prepare two 'dry share' contracts. One for Zhou Kang, and one for Advisor Sun. As soon as I finish the County School procedures here, send them over immediately. Giving gifts should be quick and proactive, to make them feel that we are sensible."

"Third, and most important, the core technology must be in the hands of the most reliable people. It must never be leaked!"

Village Head nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking rice, taking Su Ming's words to heart one by one. "You and my father should stay at the inn for a night, get a good rest, and then leave tomorrow." Su Ming finally instructed, "The village's affairs are entrusted to you."

"Don't worry!" Village Head stood up, his eyes firm. "Su Ming, you just focus on your studies in town! With me in the village, nothing will go wrong!"

After seeing off Village Head, Su Ming went to the next room. Su Shan and Su Yang had already washed up and changed into clean clothes, but they were still reserved. Zhao Rui was excitedly boasting to Su Yang about his "heroic" performance in the examination hall, while Su Shan sat aside, silently smoking his dry tobacco, the smoke swirling, obscuring his expression. When Su Ming entered, the room fell silent.

"Father, Second Brother." Su Ming walked over. Su Yang grabbed him, looking him up and down, his face unable to hide his joy: "Third Son, are you done talking with Uncle Zhao? You... you really came in first?"

"Mm." Su Ming nodded.

"Good! So good!" Su Yang was too excited to say anything else, turning to Su Shan, "Father, did you hear? Third Son came in first!" Su Shan tapped his pipe, raised his cloudy eyes, and looked deeply at Su Ming, finally exhaling a thick puff of smoke, and hoarsely said: "...Good." This single word, however, carried more weight than any other. A warm current surged through Su Ming's heart, knowing that his father was not good with words, and this one word "Good" already contained all of his pride and relief.

"Father, Second Brother, you've had a tiring 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 going back for now." Su Ming said, "I still need to handle the enrollment documents for the County School tomorrow."

"The County School has dormitories, so I'll be eating and living there. As the top scholar, my tuition is waived, and I even receive a monthly allowance for ink and brushes." Su Ming said lightly, not wanting his family to worry, concealing the dangerous power struggles involved.

Su Yang and Su Shan finally felt relieved after hearing this. In their simple understanding, being able to study in a government-run school without paying was already an immense blessing.

Late at night.

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

The bed was too soft, the quilt too clean, all of it felt like a dream.

Su Ming, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on his own bed, circulating the Breath Concealment Art, calming his agitated mind after a day's events.

This time, he not only successfully tied Zhou Wenhai to his war chariot but also obtained crucial clues from Village Head.

That mysterious Merchant Chen, like a shadow, loomed over Su Family Village. He had to quickly increase his strength, whether it was worldly power or... true strength.

"Master," he murmured in his heart, "I feel that relying solely on Zhou Wenhai might not be enough."

"Naturally, it's 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 stealthily!"

Su Ming composed himself and slowly sank into Cultivation.

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