Chapter 82 The Wang Family Incident

Chapter 82: The Wang Family's Transformation

At night, Wang Huanzhi and his strategist, Wang Zhang, came to the Eastern Market.

The Eastern Market, located in the commoners' district, was bustling, but it paled in comparison to the opulence of the Western Market.

Even the passersby and the various taverns and theaters could not match the splendor of the Western Market, yet the vendors' cries and the flow of people were plentiful, giving it a more vibrant and down-to-earth atmosphere.

However, it was now deep into the night, and winter had set in. Even though it was not yet the curfew time mandated by Great Ning, most of the stalls on the Eastern Market streets had already closed, and many shops along the street were shut as well. Only a few taverns, gambling dens, and brothels still had their lights on.

Wang Huanzhi, who considered himself a man of high society, rarely visited the Eastern Market.

Or rather, he had almost no dealings with the common folk.

As soon as he stepped onto the main street of the Eastern Market, he frowned slightly, but mindful of his demeanor, he continued walking forward without much fuss.

Wang Zhang was somewhat better at handling the situation, but he too kept glancing around nervously.

Seeing the entwined figures reflected in the windows of a brothel, he quickly averted his gaze, thinking how vulgar it all was.

Even the heavy hemp curtains hanging at the entrance of a tavern seemed to dirty his eyes, and a look of disdain lingered in his eyes.

Ahead of them walked a man dressed as a tavern waiter.

He bowed slightly, neither daring to walk too fast nor too slow, always keeping an eye on the two noblemen behind him.

The streets of the Eastern Market were narrow, making it difficult for carriages to navigate, so they had to walk.

Moreover, their destination was deep within the market, so they hurried along, braving the cold wind and snow.

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang, wearing fox fur cloaks with hoods, were shivering all over as they walked.

Had they not known that the person they were meeting about the new paper wished to remain anonymous and had chosen this location for that reason, Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang would have thought someone was messing with them.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the server finally stopped.

Before them stood a two-story tavern named "Silver Floss Pavilion," looking neither new nor old, much like the other taverns on the street—and possibly even shabbier than the one at the entrance.

"Right here, honored guests," the server said, lifting the door curtain and pushing the door open.

Warmth from inside instantly spilled out, and Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang stepped right in.

The interior of the tavern was relatively clean and tidy, with many tables and chairs on the first floor and a few groups of guests dining.

Those who noticed their entrance glanced over. Some, seeing their luxurious attire, looked at them with curiosity and interest, while others averted their gaze, not daring to look too long.

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang instinctively pulled their hoods tighter, covering their faces more completely.

Meeting with the papermaker was not a disgraceful matter, but as the Wang family head and elder, they felt it was beneath them to be seen in such a modest tavern.

The server led them upstairs.

The second floor consisted of private dining rooms and guest rooms.

Stopping before one of the rooms, the server lightly knocked on the door. Hearing a response from within, he pushed the door open, ushered Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang inside, then closed the door and left.

As soon as he entered, Wang Huanzhi looked toward the person seated at the table in the room.

It was a middle-aged man wearing a face covering and a straw hat, making it hard to see his face. His build appeared short and stout, with a prominent belly.

"Please, have a seat," the man said, rising and gesturing to the two other chairs by the table.

Wang Huanzhi walked over and sat down, as did Wang Zhang.

The man waited for them to be seated before sitting down himself.

Then he poured hot tea for both Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang, handing it over and saying, "You've had a tough journey through the snow. It's my fault I couldn't meet you openly, which put you both out. I hope you can forgive me."

His words and actions showed plenty of respect, which dissipated much of the irritation Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang had felt after braving the wind and snow.

However, they were still somewhat annoyed, so they dispensed with the pleasantries and got straight to the point: "We won't drink the tea. Since you had someone bring us here, you must be ready to work with the Wang family, right?"

The man also dropped the formalities and said, "The Wang family is the top scholarly family in the world, and with products like Langya Gold Paper, of course I wish to cooperate. However..."

He deliberately paused and looked up at Wang Huanzhi.

Meeting his gaze, Wang Huanzhi noticed the man’s pupils were brown, his eyes deeply set—clearly not resembling someone from the Central Plains, but more like a person from the Western Regions.

So he was from the Western Regions.

Wang Huanzhi made a mental note and let down his guard a little.

"What is it?" he asked.

The man replied, "It's just that two factions from the Wang family have been in contact with me. I wonder if there’s any particular reason for that?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Huanzhi exchanged a glance with Wang Zhang.

It seemed the rumors they had heard were true—that troublemaker Wang Qichen had also found a way to connect with the papermaker.

But now it was clear that Wang Huanzhi, as the head of the family, had the upper hand.

Wang Huanzhi’s eagerness to secure the new paper contract grew stronger, afraid that if he played hard to get, Wang Qichen might beat him to it.

If that happened, he would truly be pushed aside.

However, in negotiations, one must not show their cards too early. So instead of stating his offer directly, Wang Huanzhi said, "Both parties are indeed from the Wang family. We simply wanted to cover more ground, hence the two separate approaches. I didn't expect both paths would lead to you."

The man seemed reassured by this and smiled, "With your assurance, Family Head Wang, I feel much more at ease."

Wang Huanzhi remained silent, so Wang Zhang spoke up, "We're talking about a major paper deal. Could you show us some of the paper so we can see if we're getting our money's worth?"

As he spoke, his gaze fell on the table.

On the table lay a rectangular wooden box, the same size as the paper currently used in Great Ning. Wang Zhang had noticed it as soon as they entered, guessing it contained the "Yaotai Blue Paper."

But they still needed to see the Yaotai Blue Paper with their own eyes and size up whether this Western Regions merchant truly had the new paper.

The merchant from the Western Regions said, "Rest assured, gentlemen. I’ve been in business for decades and never deal in counterfeits."

With that, he reached out and opened the box, carefully taking out a sheet of paper from inside.

It was white, pliable, smooth, and exquisite—almost divine.

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang looked at it, their gazes freezing in astonishment for a moment.

It truly was exceptional paper!

Few in the Wang family did not appreciate literature and ink, and naturally, they also valued fine writing supplies.

The Wang family were involved in producing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, but what they were most famous for was the paper they produced.

Yet the sheet before them completely shattered their previous conception of what "paper" could be.

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang finally understood why this paper had gained such renown in the capital even before being sold—it was truly not an exaggeration.

Noticing their expressions, the Western Regions merchant laid the paper out on the table and said, "You may examine it closely."

Wang Huanzhi immediately reached out and gently touched the smooth yet subtle texture of the paper.

Wang Zhang did the same.

"Such paper appears smooth but feels slightly rough to the touch, making it perfect for writing," Wang Zhang mused admiringly.

Wang Huanzhi couldn't put it down either.

Indeed, only paper of this quality was worthy of his poetry.

Once he acquired the method for making this paper, he would surely rewrite all his previous poems.

When passed down to future generations, they would surely be revered.

Seeing the two of them completely engrossed, the Western Regions merchant spoke up, "What do you think?"

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang startled back to awareness, realizing they had been somewhat uncomposed, and quickly composed themselves.

"Not bad," Wang Huanzhi said calmly. "What's your asking price for this papermaking technique?"

"Papermaking technique?" The merchant laughed. "I'm afraid there's a misunderstanding. I don't sell the formula—only the finished paper."

Wang Huanzhi and the others had already guessed this.

With such a lucrative business, holding onto the formula and process would ensure a steady stream of income, far more advantageous than a one-time sale.

"What, then, is the price for the finished paper?"

The three of them talked in the room for the better part of an hour before Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang left.

However, they now carried with them the rectangular box containing two sheets of the new paper, given by the Western Regions merchant.

In return, they had given the merchant ten gold ingots they'd brought along as a deposit.

Before dawn the next morning, the Wang family would need to send three cases of gold to a small inn in the western part of the city, where they would receive the first batch of new paper.

Thirty sheets in total.

Scarcity drives value.

Each of these thirty sheets could undoubtedly be sold by the Wang family for an exorbitant price, further enhancing their reputation.

Moreover, with the rights to sell the new paper, Wang Huanzhi's status would far exceed Wang Qichen's. Not only would his position as family head be secure, but he might also find a way to transfer the heir position to Wang Wenyao.

Given all this, the value of these thirty sheets of Yaotai Blue Paper far exceeded that of the three cases of gold.

Both Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang felt they'd made out well. However, worried the merchant might have second thoughts, they kept their composure even after signing the contract and leaving the eastern market.

Everything would be settled once the transaction was completed the next morning.

About fifteen minutes after they left, the Western Regions merchant rose from his seat, exited the booth, and headed toward the inner rooms.

Knocking on one of the doors and entering, the merchant removed the disguise from his face and head.

Had Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang been present, they would have been astonished to see that the man clearly resembled a Central Plains native, with only slightly deeper-set eyes that gave him a passing resemblance to someone from the Western Regions.

After removing his disguise, the man bowed respectfully to the figure reclining on the couch by the window and said, "Young Master, the contract has been signed."

He stepped forward and placed the ten gold ingots on the table, adding, "This is the deposit they paid, just as you anticipated. Tomorrow, they will deliver three cases of gold."

A young man in pink robes rested his chin in one hand, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as his sly, fox-like eyes slowly opened.

He glanced at the stern-faced man and said lazily, "Well done. Take two of the ingots and buy yourself some wine."

The man had always known the Young Master was generous, but he still felt a surge of delight.

Two gold ingots! That could buy plenty of wine!

"Thank you for your reward, Young Master," the man said with a bow.

"Go now. Get there early tomorrow so as not to keep anyone waiting," Wang Qichen said.

The man turned and left.

The next day.

Noon, after lunch.

The Wang family's assembly hall was unusually full with nearly all the elders. At the head of the room, two seats were occupied by the Family Head Wang Huanzhi and Minister of Rites Wang Zhiyuan.

Further down, rows of chairs with side tables were arranged according to rank and status.

Young Master Wang Qichen sat in a lower seat, with Vice Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi opposite him. Behind them were other elders, while those of higher status sat closer to the front.

Familiar faces included Vice Minister of Justice Wang Ruzhen, Director of Personnel Wang Yu, Elder Wang Zhang, and others.

Also present was Wang Wenyao, Wang Huanzhi's second son, on whom he pinned his hopes and had doted on since childhood.

Wang Wenyao held no official position and was not an elder, so he was only present because of being the family head's son, seated at the very end.

He lifted his gaze, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the figure in light pink robes at the head of the room.

Only by becoming the Young Master could one sit in that high seat and have a chance to compete for the position of the next Wang family head.

As if sensing something, Wang Qichen suddenly glanced in his direction.

Wang Wenyao kept a stern face, copying Wang Huanzhi's aloof manner.

Wang Qichen gave a slight smile and coolly looked away, not giving him a second thought.

His opponent was never Wang Huanzhi's son but Wang Huanzhi himself.

There was no evidence linking Wang Huanzhi to his mother's death, but it didn't matter—he would still seek revenge.

And the Wang family matriarch, who had ascended to her position over his mother's body, would also get what she deserved.

Once everyone had gathered, Wang Zhiyuan turned to Wang Huanzhi and asked, "Family Head, you've called us all here today. Is there something important?"

He had noticed earlier that an oblong wooden box, roughly the size of a sheet of paper, was placed on the table between him and Wang Huanzhi.

It seems Wang Huanzhi has obtained the "new paper" and deliberately gathered everyone here to show it off.

Wang Huanzhi had been waiting for this very remark. Upon hearing it, he smiled faintly, exuding a calm and refined demeanor.

"Indeed, there is a matter I wish to discuss with all of you," Wang Huanzhi said. "The Yaotai Blue Paper that has been widely rumored in the capital lately actually originates from the Western Regions. After searching high and low, I finally hammered out a deal with the papermaker yesterday. This morning, I spent three chests of gold to acquire the latest thirty sheets of Yaotai Blue Paper."

His words caused the room to erupt.

"That papermaker is so hard to find, yet the Family Head managed to track them down. Truly remarkable."

"Thirty sheets of new paper! My god. A single sheet is already worth a fortune these days, and to exchange just three chests of gold for thirty sheets—it's simply unbelievable!"

Some jumped at the chance to butter up Wang Huanzhi, while others began seeing dollar signs. But someone raised the most critical question.

"Once this paper is sold for astronomical prices, will the papermaker regret it and refuse to sell to us anymore?"

Hearing this, Wang Huanzhi raised his hand to call for quiet before responding, "Don't worry, everyone. I have already signed an agreement with them, pre-ordering a hundred sheets of new paper, and I have also had people follow them back to their residence."

Though he did not elaborate, most read between the lines.

Wang Huanzhi had no intention of engaging in a long-term business partnership; his goal was to obtain the secret to making the paper itself.

By placing a large order, he forced the papermaker to continue production, while his men secretly followed them to uncover the papermaking location and find ways to either steal the technique or learn it covertly.

A venture with immense profits at minimal cost.

Everyone grasped the situation, but the matter was downright shady if word got out. The Wang family valued their reputation above all, so no one said a word.

In truth, if they genuinely cared about their reputation, they could have simply urged Wang Huanzhi to do business on the up and up.

But faced with such profits, their sense of honor seemed utterly worthless.

Praise and flattery poured in for Wang Huanzhi. Though his expression remained cold and distant, he did not humble himself in response, clearly relishing the admiration.

Wang Zhiyuan, Wang Pengyi, and other elders aligned with the Young Master looked on with disdain.

Wang Qichen, however, found it amusing.

He indeed laughed.

His laughter was quiet, but Wang Huanzhi, who had been closely watching his reactions, noticed immediately.

"Wang Qichen," Wang Huanzhi said, his tone calm yet stern, "why are you laughing?"

He maintained the facade of a "strict father," as if unaware of the strained relationship between them.

But everyone in the hall knew full well the two were like fire and water.

Yet, if Wang Huanzhi could pretend, Wang Qichen was an even better actor.

The young man beamed at Wang Huanzhi and said, "Laughter naturally comes from happiness. I am simply happy for you, Father."

Wang Huanzhi’s lips twitched slightly, as if seeing through his "impotent rage."

"Rulers and subjects, fathers and sons," he said. "You are still young. It would be best to heed your father’s advice to go further in life."

His words implied that no matter how much influence Wang Qichen gained, he would never surpass his father.

Yet Wang Qichen showed no anger, still smiling warmly as he replied, "Father, after all this talk, why not show us the new paper? You're not pulling a fast one on us, are you?"

His words drew everyone’s attention to Wang Huanzhi.

None believed Wang Huanzhi would lie, but they were eager to see the legendary new paper.

Wang Zhiyuan cast a deep glance at Wang Qichen before turning to Wang Huanzhi with a smile. "The Young Master speaks wisely. Perhaps the Family Head could grace us with a look at the new paper."

Since he had spoken, Wang Huanzhi could hardly refuse.

Besides, he had always intended to show it to everyone—seeing was believing, and he wanted to demonstrate his capabilities before them all.

So he opened the box on the table, revealing pure white, supple paper that drew gasps of admiration at first glance.

Wang Huanzhi smiled faintly and glanced toward the end of the seating area, saying, "Wang Wenyao, bring the new paper for the elders to see."

He deliberately showcased his favor toward Wang Wenyao, giving him a chance to get noticed among the assembly.

Wang Wenyao showed no timidity. He stood up, acknowledged the request, and walked to the table, lifting the lightweight wooden box. He first presented it to Wang Zhiyuan.

Then he proceeded down the line.

Wang Wenyao made a deliberate round, eliciting exclamations of wonder from everyone before returning to the front to show Wang Qichen.

But Wang Qichen only glanced at it and chuckled, "Father, how amusing. Are you trying to fool everyone with just this single sheet?"

"What?" Wang Huanzhi frowned.

Wang Wenyao also fixed his gaze on Wang Qichen and said solemnly, "Elder Brother, this paper is supple and pure white, neatly cut without any frayed edges. In every way, it is leagues better than our Langya Gold Paper. How can you call it a deception?"

"Why are you so anxious?" Wang Qichen crossed his legs, his slightly curled long hair cascading over his shoulders, exuding an air of lazy nonchalance.

He pointed to the paper in the box and said, "I didn’t say the paper was inferior. I meant there is only one sheet here, not thirty."

Then he turned to Wang Huanzhi and smiled faintly. "Father, have you been tricked?"

Wang Zhang had been closely observing Wang Qichen’s reactions all along. Hearing this, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

But Wang Huanzhi scoffed coldly. "Ignorant. The remaining sheets are naturally beneath this one. How could there be only one?"

At this moment, Vice Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi suddenly stood up and said, "The Young Master’s words have a point. What if the merchant placed only the new paper on top and filled the rest with ordinary sheets?"

"Vice Minister Wang, you worry too much," Wang Huanzhi replied. "For such an important transaction, I inspected each sheet personally."

Perhaps to prove his point, he stood up and walked to Wang Wenyao, gently lifting the top sheet.

Just as he was about to instruct Wang Wenyao to show the remaining sheets to everyone, he froze abruptly, his pupils contracting sharply.

Wang Wenyao also saw the condition of the second sheet and paled dramatically.

"What’s going on?" Wang Pengyi feigned confusion and leaned in for a look before exclaiming in surprise, "Wait, why is this paper moldy?"

Hearing this, everyone crowded around to see.

Wang Pengyi had already snatched the box from Wang Wenyao’s hands and dumped the remaining twenty-nine sheets onto the ground.

The papers fluttered noisily as they scattered across the floor.

Everyone could see the yellowish, coarse sheets, dotted with faint bluish-black mold, looking even worse than ordinary paper left to rot in storage.

"What in the world?"

Everything was chaotic among the crowd, though they had a pretty good idea what had happened, all eyes turning to Wang Qichen.

"Wang Qichen! It's you! You screwed me over!" Wang Huanzhi, clearly having deduced the cause, was shaking all over with rage, completely losing his usual cool and pride. "How dare you pull this on me!"

He had personally inspected every sheet of paper—they were perfectly fine at the time. How could they now have gone moldy and yellow?

It had to be Wang Qichen who had been messed with them!

Wang Wenyao, worried his father might lose it from anger, hurried over to support him.

Wang Qichen had indeed tampered with the papers.

He nodded and admitted freely, saying with a smile, "Father, you should thank your stars it was me you encountered this time. Had it been anyone else, our Wang family’s money would have been gone for good."

Wang Huanzhi was shaking all over, stammering, "You—you—"

Wang Qichen didn't give him a chance to continue his outburst.

He turned toward the hall entrance, clapped twice, and the doors opened. Several servants entered, hauling four large chests.

The chests were placed on the floor. At a glance, everyone recognized three of them as the ones used in the Wang family’s treasury to store gold.

The fourth chest bore the inscription "Yaotai Bookstore."

In an instant, everyone understood what had happened.

The servants who had hauled in the chests opened the three containing gold. The piles of shiny gold drew no one’s attention.

All eyes were glued to the contents of the fourth chest.

Inside lay pure white, supple paper—was exactly the priceless Yaotai Blue Paper.

"No... impossible," Wang Huanzhi stammered, his teeth chattering. "His must be counterfeits!"

But Wang Zhiyuan and Wang Pengyi had already went over. They carefully took out sheets of the new paper from the chest, one by one.

Each sheet was all the same pure white, like snow or moonlight. Wang Huanzhi felt blood rush to his head, nearly fainting on the spot.

Wang Qichen glanced at him and said with a faint smile, "Father, are you so excited because you’re proud of me?"

"If that’s the case, let me make you even happier." Watching Wang Huanzhi’s expression get worse and worse, his smile deepened. "The Yaotai Blue Paper has been my operation from the very beginning."

Wang Huanzhi, was so mad, he could no longer hold on and truly fainted.

Whether from rage or humiliation, no one could tell.

"Father!" Wang Wenyao clung tightly to him, but being frail himself, he couldn’t support a fully unconscious man. Stumbling, he fell to the floor, the father and son looking more and more pathetic by the minute.

Wang Qichen immediately put on a worried act, calling to the servants, "Can’t you see the family head has passed out from excitement? Hurry and take him back to rest!"

The servants complied, quickly carrying Wang Huanzhi out.

Wang Wenyao rose from the floor, his eyes red with fury as he glared at Wang Qichen, but he said nothing. Shooting a dirty look, he hurried out after his father.

Wang Qichen didn't even bat an eye. Turning to the elders in the hall, he said cheerfully, "Thanks for coming to see the show today. Later, I will send over two sheets of the new paper to each of you for your enjoyment."

With that, he bowed respectfully to the assembly.

Previously, the conflict between father and son had remained beneath the surface, leaving everyone with their own allegiances.

But after today’s open confrontation, it was obvious to everyone who held the upper hand.

The young master was way better than the family head.

He was also far superior to Wang Wenyao, the second son whom the family head had placed such high hopes in, yet who only knew how to bury his head in books.

The elders all wore smiles as they chatted with Wang Qichen. Even those who had previously been cold toward him now showed amiable expressions, clearly beginning to favor him.

Wang Qichen handled them with ease, moving through the elders like a pink butterfly, chatting and laughing effortlessly.

Wang Pengyi and his grandfather Wang Zhiyuan stood at the back of the crowd, watching for a while. Wang Pengyi said with a smile, "He’s really grown up."

He still remembered when the former family head’s wife died—Wang Qichen had been so small then, dressed in white mourning clothes, kneeling on a cushion. At an age when he should have been oblivious, his beautiful fox-like eyes were instead full of this deep sadness and helplessness.

Back then, Wang Pengyi had thought, "I must protect this child."

Wang Zhiyuan glanced at his tenderhearted grandson and chuckled softly before turning to leave.

Wang Pengyi followed, hearing his grandfather say, "You were really perceptive, seeing his extraordinary qualities early on."

"Not really," Wang Pengyi replied with a smile. "Earlier, I just thought the child was pitiful and wanted to take care of him. Over time, we became as close as brothers."

"Good," Wang Zhiyuan sighed, his once straight and tense back seeming to relax slightly, as if he had finally let go of a big weight.

That night.

Chu Jiubian was just about to sleep when the system alerted him that Wang Qichen asked to see him.

He instructed the visitor to enter the Divine Realm.

Qin Xiao changed into a fresh inner robe, leaving it untied. Turning around, he saw Chu Jiubian already curled under the covers, only his eyes visible.

He walked to the bedside and lay down, pulling the quilt over himself but leaving his chest and above exposed.

The dim lamplight in the room cast a suggestive glow on the man’s honey-toned skin, making it all the more enticing.

Chu Jiubian’s gaze kept going to the man’s defined collarbone, then slowly lower.

It had been the same yesterday. He had thought it unintentional, but today it happened again.

How could the angle be so perfect every time?

Moreover, muscles are soft when relaxed, but Qin Xiao’s muscles always felt firm whenever Chu Jiubian touched them.

So, Qin Xiao was totally showing off his toned muscles in front of him.

Chu Jiubian lifted his eyes to meet the man’s gaze.

Their eyes locked, and suddenly they spoke at the same time.

Qin Xiao: "Want to touch?"

Chu Jiubian: "Are you coming onto me?"

Chu Jiubian: "..."

Qin Xiao chuckled softly, suddenly turning over and moving closer to Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian instinctively retreated, but Qin Xiao easily pulled him close, taking his hand and pressing it against his chest.

"I said it before," Qin Xiao said, "go ahead and touch if you want."

Chu Jiubian started to speak but stopped himself, and in the end, he closed his eyes and decided to follow his heart.

"Let's go to sleep," he muttered.

Qin Xiao chuckled, the vibration from his chest passing through his palm to Chu Jiubian, making his heart flutter slightly.

The lamp in the room went out, plunging them into darkness.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes, feeling the steady, powerful heartbeat beneath his hand, and gradually relaxed.

After some time, Qin Xiao’s grip on his wrist loosened slightly, and the man’s breathing grew long and even.

He had fallen asleep.

Chu Jiubian opened his eyes, met with complete darkness.

He waited until his eyes adjusted to the dark, then could barely make out Qin Xiao’s blurry outline.

After watching quietly for a while, he closed his eyes and entered the Divine Realm.

Wang Qichen was examining the chairs of Situ Zhaoling and Jiang Shuoye when he heard the High Priest’s voice. He quickly stood up and bowed. "Greetings, High Priest."

"Mm," Chu Jiubian asked, "What do you need?"

"I took care of something today," Wang Qichen said, his eyes bright, as he recounted the events at the Wang family that day.

He added, "The Yaotai Blue Paper has already gone on sale, and we sold over a dozen copies this afternoon."

Rarity increases value. Wang Qichen aimed to profit from the wealthy and powerful, so the price was naturally sky-high.

Even so, many people were clamoring for it. If Wang Qichen hadn’t controlled the supply, we could've sold hundreds that day.

He brought most of the money he received into the Divine Realm.

The reason for seeing the High Priest so urgently was to hand over the money, knowing that the Northern Desert needed money.

When Jiang Shuoye had entered the Divine Realm earlier, his clothes were still patched—obviously strapped for cash.

What Wang Qichen didn’t know was that even if Jiang Shuoye had money, he'd rather spend it on new uniforms and extra rations for his soldiers than on himself.

Chu Jiubian considered it. He was indeed strapped for cash at the moment, so he accepted the money.

However, he told Wang Qichen to hold off on sending more money for now, and to wait until it was needed.

The national treasury was in a slightly better state than before, but after the palace exam, the court would implement more changes, and expenses would only increase.

Thus, he needed to line up more business deals for Qin Xiao.

In the southern frontier, the silk trade had stabilized. With spring approaching, cotton planting would begin, bringing in another big revenue stream.

But that wasn’t enough. Chu Jiubian thought about having Situ Zhaoling search for "rubber trees."

Rubber was incredibly versatile. If they could find and utilize it, combined with Situ Zhaoyao and the engineering scholars’ inventive abilities, it would bring significant advantages.

In Hexi County, Han Yuandao would also have people plant sweet potatoes.

Once high-yield crops were introduced, more people would rush to plant them in the second half of the year, which would mostly solve the food shortage.

With food, money, and an army, Chu Jiubian was already gearing up for potential war.

But that alone wasn’t enough—he also needed military equipment.

Warhorses and weapons.

Weapons were the easier part. Jiang Shuoye would continue building more steel refineries to produce more weapons, which could then outfit other armies besides the Northern Desert Army.

As for warhorses, they couldn’t directly seize them from the Tatars yet, so they had to start by trading with the Jurchen.

But this wasn't urgent. Chu Jiubian planned to discuss the specifics with Qin Xiao after the palace exam.

As the palace exam date drew nearer, Chu Jiubian was swamped with work, not only with the exam itself but also with the post-exam "honors procession," commonly known as the "procession on horseback."

However, he hadn’t informed the scholars about this, only having them practice horseback riding. Even Qin Xiao and Baili Hong didn’t know what he was busy with all day. When asked, he'd just say, "You’ll find out when the time comes."

Thus, the two grew more and more excited about the palace exam day.

More and more people arrived in the capital; even martial artists came to see the excitement.

Qin Chuan spotted many friends and also some with dubious reputations, telling Qin Xiao about them, who then instructed An Wuji to keep an eye on them.

As the palace exam approached, the scholars, aside from practicing horseback riding at the City Defense Force camp, mostly stayed inside Qingyun Tower, discussing potential exam questions and formats.

Since they were all confirmed to enter the Imperial College, and many were potential believers from Chu Jiubian’s cards with assured character, the scholars easily bonded and grew close.

Unknowingly, these sixty-five individuals had already formed close bonds before officially becoming "classmates."

They stayed organized despite the chaos.

On the first day of March, in the second year of Jingrui, the long-awaited palace exam was finally here.