Chapter 79

Chapter 79

No one could stop Li Baozhu from spending money.

To ease his conscience, he still exchanged his favorite gold ring for a pile of grain and sent it to the families of the deceased Wu Blades.

Qin Shisong and the remaining Wu Blades helped with the transport, leading the way.

After this incident, the relationship between the Wen and Wu Blades, while not exactly friendly, was no longer as confrontational as before, where neither side would yield an inch.

Back in Dashu Village, Song Zijuan lay on a recliner in the courtyard. Shen Xi sat on a small stool, clenching his little fists and acting as a good disciple by diligently massaging his idle master's legs.

Song Zijuan fanned himself with a large palm-leaf fan and said with a serious face to Shen Xi, "Now you've learned a few characters, but you're far less talented than your eldest brother. I heard he can learn a hundred characters in a day, while you only manage ten. You're too slow."

Shen Xi nodded in earnest agreement. "Yes, my eldest brother is truly amazing."

Song Zijuan hummed. "Indeed. However, you are still better than some less talented folks. Some take ten days just to learn ten characters. So, in my book, you pass."

"Of course, you must continue practicing and learning characters. If you're not born with a photographic memory, you need to practice more to boost your memory and remember them well."

Shen Xi obediently replied, "I understand, Master."

Song Zijuan, swaying his large fan, slightly raised his left leg. Shen Xi immediately moved his small stool to the left side and began massaging that leg.

Feeling at ease, Song Zijuan continued, "Next, your master will teach you how to devise strategies."

"Listen carefully. Suppose Shen Liushu from Dashu Village beats you up. What would you do?"

Without hesitation, Shen Xi answered, "Brother Liushu doesn't hit me anymore."

"Suppose, just suppose he does," Song Zijuan emphasized helplessly.

Shen Xi knew the answer to this too. "I'd go to my eldest brother."

"You can't go to your eldest brother."

"Then I'd find my second brother."

"You can't find your second brother either."

Song Zijuan was at a loss for words. Why did the boy have so many brothers to rely on?

Shen Xi was also unhappy. He had two brothers, and he couldn't seek help from either? That wasn't fair!

After silently reciting his duty to respect his teacher and the Dao a few times, Shen Xi said, "I'd take him on in a fight."

That's what he said, but in his heart, Shen Xi was still determined to find his eldest or second brother.

Song Zijuan shook his head. "Resorting to brute force is truly the worst strategy."

"Then what is the best strategy?" Shen Xi asked.

"He's a lot older than you, and his strength far surpasses yours. It would be extremely difficult for you to win. The outcome would either be mutual destruction or his victory and your demise. In such a situation, being too rigid leads to breaking. It's better to conserve your strength and first ensure your own safety. Later, seize the right opportunity to get rid of him for good. The timing needs careful planning; everything must be under your control."

Song Zijuan said a lot. Shen Xi listened with a pout, his mind filled with thoughts that it was all too much hassle and that finding his brothers was better.

"Master, everything you said is about relying on oneself," Shen Xi said discontentedly. "Does that mean when you have someone to rely on, you can't? Taking a beating for nothing is so unfair."

Song Zijuan was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, he said softly, "Yes, your master forgot. You truly do have people to rely on."

"My little fox disciple."

Shen Xi turned his head. "What's wrong, big fox master?"

Song Zijuan smiled and sat up, asking Shen Xi to hold out his hand. "Hold on to this and don't lose it."

Shen Xi looked at the small square jade seal in his palm. It was carved with a complex pattern on the bottom that Shen Xi couldn't decipher. "What is this, Master?"

Song Zijuan said, "It's the support your master gives you. Keep it safe."

Seeing that Song Zijuan didn't want to elaborate, Shen Xi didn't press further and obediently put away the small jade seal.

At Magistrate Pang's residence in Qingyun County.

"So, what did that storyteller Shen Yuan talk about today?"

In the study stood six Pang family servants. They each recounted the day's storytelling, filling in any gaps and trying to reproduce it word for word.

"He talked about the entangled rivalries and relationships among the various sects on Wuyu Mountain. To go up the mountain, one must have a justification. Han Ying felt that since he was traveling independently, he wasn't attending the Martial Arts Tournament with his sect. Since everyone except Liu Qingyu was from the Jiangnan region, and Liu Qingyu didn't want to recall the events of Liu'an County, the six of them participated under the identity of the Six Heroes of Jiangnan."

One person finished, and another continued, "The Heart Sutra was being watched by all sides—not only by orthodox sects but also by heretical ones. Wuyu Mountain was riddled with danger. Many disciples from orthodox sects vanished without a trace."

"The sects on Wuyu Mountain included those from within Wu Country and the surrounding nations. Since the missing disciples were from various countries, everyone was holding the Wuyu Sword Sect accountable, as the people disappeared on their mountain."

"Han Ying and his group were also investigating secretly. Han Ying disguised himself and didn't rush to reunite with the Unity Sword Sect. During this time, he taught Liu Qingyu cultivation techniques. Because Liu Qingyu was pregnant and seemed non-threatening, and they were the unremarkable Six Heroes of Jiangnan, no one was on guard against them."

"Finally, Liu Qingyu suddenly disappeared from her room. After Han Ying and the others reported it, they searched for her within Wuyu Mountain."

After hearing everything, Magistrate Pang dismissed everyone.

Recalling the content, there was still nothing he wanted to know.

A few days ago, Magistrate Pang had met with someone who loved storytelling. During the gathering, that person mentioned the Liu'an County chapter, bringing up how the Liu'an County Magistrate colluded with spies, which was accidentally discovered by Han Ying's senior brother, leading to a pursuit and a series of consequences.

Magistrate Pang didn't know how he had made it home that day or how much cold sweat he had broken out in.

He felt that such a coincidence was impossible. Shen Yuan must know something and was using storytelling to warn him.

Since then, Magistrate Pang had sent his servants to listen, demanding they report every word without omission.

But for several days now, as the story moved from Liu'an County to Wuyu Mountain, there had been no further mention of the matter.

This didn't put Magistrate Pang at ease; instead, it made him more anxious. Not knowing how much Shen Yuan actually knew was the most tormenting part.

Late at night, Magistrate Pang tossed and turned. He hadn't had a good night's sleep for days. Every time he remembered the line about the magistrate colluding with spies, he would wake up startled.

Magistrate Pang lost count of how many times he had turned over. This time, he sensed something was wrong.

Opening his eyes, he saw a masked figure in black sitting at the small table.

Magistrate Pang was so frightened he froze, not daring to move. After a while, he cautiously asked, "Who are you?"

The masked figure said, "Magistrate Pang, your memory really is failing you. Not long ago, didn't you hire me to kill the yamen scribe?"

Recognizing the visitor, Magistrate Pang felt a bit of relief instead. He sat up, alert, and asked, "What do you want?"

"Today, I've come to collect Cuiming Mountain, which you promised when you contracted me for the hit," the black-clad man chuckled lightly, as if teasing. "You haven't forgotten about that, have you, Magistrate Pang?"

At the mention of this, Magistrate Pang felt a vein throbbing on his forehead.

He retorted, "I paid you to kill Shen Yuan. Did you do it?"

The black-clad man nodded. "I sent men, but they botched it."

"Hmph, you sent men, and you picked broad daylight to do it. Were you worried no one would notice, or that no one would save him in time?" Magistrate Pang patted his chest, his face flushed with anger, and lowered his voice to a growl. "Were you afraid they wouldn't guess it was me?"

"With the job done like this, you still have the nerve to ask for Cuiming Mountain?"

The black-clad man calmly poured himself a cup of tea, his visible eyes dark and deep. "Magistrate Pang, are you sure you won't give it? Even if your collusion with spies and hiring assassins is exposed, you don't care?"

Magistrate Pang had been terrified by this matter for days, but now that it was brought up so plainly, he felt less fear, almost as if he had nothing left to lose. "Go on, tell them! What do I care? The moment you say it, I'll expose all your Westmoon spies. Let's see who comes out worse!"

As he spoke, Magistrate Pang sneered. "You spies take decades to embed yourselves and put down roots. If it comes to that, would you really be willing to be uprooted?"

The black-clad man twirled the teacup in his hand, the tea inside clinging to the rim without spilling a drop.

His tone remained unhurried. "You're not stupid. Unfortunately, you don't know yet—someone is already investigating you."

"Registrar Shen's mishap at the lake pavilion has been quiet for so many days. Do you really think nothing's happening?"

Magistrate Pang was skeptical. "Why should I trust a spy? What if you're bluffing me? Xie Yulin has already left. In Qingyun County, the only one who could investigate me is Ji Ping'an. The Ji family's influence isn't enough to touch me. What could they possibly uncover?"

"Xie Yulin left," the black-clad man laughed. "Who told you he left? Did you see him leave?"

Magistrate Pang was stunned. That's right, who saw him leave?

Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine. His speech faltered as he tried to force himself to think.

"If he didn't leave, how could the people you sent that day get close to Shen Yuan? They nearly injured him!"

"You said it yourself—nearly," the black-clad man's gaze turned cold, though a hidden excitement lurked deep in his eyes. "Let me tell you, none of the people sent that day returned alive."

"If Xie Yulin finds out you hired assassins to kill Shen Yuan, what do you suppose he'll do to you, Magistrate Pang?"

Magistrate Pang felt a chill all over his body. Xie Yulin hadn't left. If he hadn't left, why did he publicly claim he had? What was he planning...

If he fell into Xie Yulin's hands, he would likely find life unbearable and death unattainable.

The black-clad man continued, "Also, the Emperor of Wu plans to use the method from Shen Yuan's story to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and console the departed souls. If the Emperor learns you tried to kill Shen Yuan, even the Pang family, a century-old lineage, will be doomed. Then, we can keep each other company in the afterlife."

"Impossible, that's impossible!" Magistrate Pang panicked. "It's just a story, just something many people tell and listen to. How could His Majesty believe..."

*Because even his own Pang family members believed it, and not long ago, they had performed sacrifices following the method in the story.*

It's over. Everything is over.

Now, it's truly all over.

One wrong step and now I'm stuck on this pirate ship!

Suddenly, Magistrate Pang seemed to realize something. "Did you already know Xie Yulin hadn't left? And the person you sent to the Civil Blade Faction that day—was that you?"

Then he shook his head, correcting himself. "No, you were using this incident to confirm that Xie Yulin was still in Qingyun County and hadn't left. You were using me!"

The black-clad man chuckled. "You're not as dumb as you look, Magistrate Pang."

"Why go through such a convoluted scheme? What for? To get Cuiming Mountain? What's so special about Cuiming Mountain that you'd go to such lengths to obtain it?"

Magistrate Pang wanted an answer. Even if he was going to die, he wanted to know why.

The black-clad man looked directly at him, calmly saying, "I dare to say it, but do you really dare to listen?"

Magistrate Pang, with years of experience in officialdom, felt a sudden jolt of fear and shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, no. Don't say it. I won't ask anymore."

"But even if I give you the deed to Cuiming Mountain, if the court wants to reclaim it, it would be effortless."

In the end, it would be a wasted effort—like using a sieve to carry water.

The black-clad man said, "I'll take the deed, but the registered holder on the deed and the name recorded at the yamen must be Shen Yuan. I believe with Magistrate Pang's abilities, you can handle this discreetly without anyone noticing, right?"

Magistrate Pang was even more confused. "Why in his name?"

"Just do as I say."

Magistrate Pang didn't dare ask further and could only nod.

Then he thought of something else and still wanted to secure an escape route. "I'll handle this for you, but I have one condition. If things go wrong, you must find a way to take me away, to Westmoon."

The black-clad man asked, "Not taking your family?"

"As long as I'm alive, why worry about not having a family?"

The black-clad man didn't nod in agreement. "Getting you to Westmoon won't be easy. You'll need to help me with one more thing. Once it's done, I'll be exposed in Wu Country and will leave. You can come with me then."

Magistrate Pang knew that at the rate Xie Yulin was going, he wouldn't last long in Qingyun County. He immediately nodded. "What is it? Tell me."

"If you do this, the Pang family will be exterminated. Does that not matter?" the black-clad man reminded him.

After a moment's hesitation, Magistrate Pang's eyes turned cold and resolute. "I only care about my own survival."

"Good."

...

"Boss Qin, are you free today? I'd like to visit your nephew at your home."

Shen Yuan carried a large food box containing honeyed bean buns made by Shen Anniang, sweet steamed custard made by Auntie Chun, and some other dishes.

Hearing that Qin Shisong's nephew loved sweets, Shen Yuan had specifically asked Shen Anniang and Auntie Chun to add extra honey.

Qin Shisong's home was in Apricot Blossom Village, about ten li outside the county town.

Shen Yuan rode a horse directly, taking Qin Shisong with him. Qin Shisong, who had rarely ridden a horse before, reacted exactly like Wang Sanhu had back then after dismounting.

As soon as they reached the village entrance, he got off the horse and leaned against the large apricot tree, dry heaving uncontrollably.

Finally recovering, he composed himself and tried to save face. "I'm just not used to it. Please excuse me, Registrar Shen."

Shen Yuan didn't laugh. "I'll ride slower on the way back."

Qin Shisong coughed lightly and quickly waved his hand. "No need."

As they came, he could feel Shen Yuan slowing down for his sake, but slowing down meant the journey would take longer.

Better to go faster and get it over with sooner.

Qin Shisong’s home was at the far end of Apricot Blossom Village. When the two arrived, the village was quiet, with almost everyone busy in the fields. Only a few children were gathered together, running around and playing.

Their first reaction when they saw strangers was fear, and they all hid.

If they hadn’t seen the familiar face of Qin Shisong, they would have already run off screaming for the adults.

"Little Yuan, Third Uncle is back."

Qin Shisong pushed open the rickety wooden door of his home. The mud-brick courtyard wall had collapsed in several places, and the dirt ground inside was uneven.

The Qin family had three earthen houses—one for the uncle and one for the nephew, plus a kitchen.

At that moment, smoke was rising from the kitchen. In response to Qin Shisong’s call, a clear voice came from inside, "Third Uncle, why are you back at this time of day?"

"The Registrar Shen I told you about before came to visit you today."

As he spoke, Qin Shisong led Shen Yuan toward the kitchen.

The distance from the entrance to the kitchen was short, and soon Shen Yuan stood at the kitchen doorway. Backlit by the light, he saw a slender youth sitting in front of the stove.

The boy had no legs. Beneath him was a square wooden plank fitted with small wheels. Beside him were two small sticks, likely used to prop himself up and slide the plank forward for movement.

Qin Shisong placed the food box on the somewhat worn wooden table. "Little Yuan, greet our guest. Registrar Shen specifically asked what you like to eat. I said you have a sweet tooth, so he brought you some delicious treats."

Qin Xiaoyuan looked up at Shen Yuan with a smile. "Hello, Registrar Shen. My name is Qin Xiaoyuan—Yuan as in 'yuanbao' (ingot)."

Shen Yuan stepped forward naturally, crouched down, and extended his hand, smiling back at Qin Xiaoyuan. "Hello, Little Yuan. My name is Shen Yuan—Yuan as in 'wish.'"

Qin Xiaoyuan rarely got to look at people at eye level. This perspective made him feel unexpectedly comfortable, and he couldn’t help but stare at Shen Yuan.

Realizing this, he lowered his head in embarrassment, only then noticing Shen Yuan’s outstretched hand, somewhat puzzled.

Shen Yuan took Qin Xiaoyuan’s hand and gave it a shake. "This is my way of greeting. Once we shake hands, we’re friends, Little Yuan!"

Qin Xiaoyuan’s hands had a thin layer of calluses from long hours of wood carving.

He had never been treated so warmly before. The hand being held seemed to grow warm, and he said sheepishly, "Registrar Shen, my hands are rough and a bit dirty. They might hurt or dirty your hands..."

"Your hands aren't rough compared to your third uncle's. I’ve done farm work too, and even carried heavy sacks. A little callus won’t hurt me. I often stoke the fire and add firewood at home, so I won’t mind a bit of dirt. Relax, Little Yuan, don’t be afraid." Shen Yuan released Qin Xiaoyuan’s hand and said with a smile, "Little Yuan, you look younger than me. Just call me Brother Xiao Yuan."

Qin Xiaoyuan often heard his third uncle say that the yamen had no shortage of corrupt officials. He looked at Shen Yuan curiously—could such a gentle person really be a corrupt official too?

It didn’t seem like it.

Qin Shisong also thought of this and immediately chimed in, "Little Yuan, Registrar Shen is different from the other officials in the yamen. He’s a good official."

Qin Xiaoyuan’s smile widened. He knew it didn’t seem right!

"Brother Xiao Yuan, I have some malt sugar that Third Uncle bought for me in my room. I’ll go get it for you to try." Qin Xiaoyuan liked Shen Yuan and wanted to share his favorite things with him.

Qin Shisong stopped him. "You still have that malt sugar? It’s been almost two months. If you give it to Registrar Shen, it might have gone bad and make him sick."

Qin Xiaoyuan thought about it and agreed, then began racking his brains for what other good things he had.

"It’s getting late. Let’s eat first. After the meal, Little Yuan, you can show me the wood carvings you’ve made. I really liked the puppet you carved last time," Shen Yuan suggested.

Seeing that Shen Yuan genuinely liked his wood carvings and wasn’t just saying so to humor him, Qin Xiaoyuan smiled happily. "Okay!"

Qin Xiaoyuan’s daily meals were prepared by Qin Shisong in advance. He would reheat them when it was time to eat.

He could manage independently for short periods, propping himself up on the stove to place food into the pot or take it out.

Qin Shisong’s cooking wasn’t particularly good—it was just edible.

But he truly did his best for Qin Xiaoyuan, giving the child the best he could.

The meal he had left for him today was millet rice and steamed lamb.

This portion was only enough for Qin Xiaoyuan himself. Qin Shisong rummaged through the cabinets, saying he would find some meat to take to a neighbor for help with cooking. "Aunt Liu next door is a great cook. I’ll be back soon. Sorry to trouble Registrar Shen to wait."

Shen Yuan stopped him. "No need, Boss Qin. I brought food. It’s in the food box. Just open it and take the dishes out. They should still be warm."

Qin Shisong did as Shen Yuan said. No wonder the food box was so big and heavy.

Shen Yuan had brought five dishes: roasted duck, steamed chicken, braised pork belly, osmanthus glutinous rice stuffed lotus root, and a cold vegetable salad. Plus a whole layer of white rice.

There were also three servings of steamed sugar pastry and two portions of sweet bean buns.

Shen Yuan thought he might not be able to eat the sweet bean buns, so he hadn’t brought a portion for himself.

Qin Shisong and Qin Xiaoyuan stared at the table full of dishes. Qin Xiaoyuan had never seen so many or such fine dishes before, let alone white rice. He was utterly stunned.

"Let’s eat. I’m hungry," Shen Yuan said.

Qin Shisong hadn’t expected Shen Yuan to bring so much good food. He knew steamed sugar pastry was expensive and scarce—even the wealthy might not be able to buy it.

The words of refusal died in his throat when he saw the awe in his nephew’s eyes as he looked at the food on the table.

Registrar Shen was different from others. He wouldn’t laugh at them for this, nor was he showing off. He simply genuinely wanted to share good food with them, nothing more.

If Qin Shisong brought up the cost or his inability to repay the favor, it would only reflect his own narrow-mindedness.

Qin Shisong nodded. "Okay!"

The three ate heartily. It was Qin Xiaoyuan’s first time trying white rice—soft, glutinous, and sweet, with no hard bits. Each dish was unique in its own way—fresh, savory, salty, sweet, and soft...

The steamed sugar pastry and sweet bean buns were especially delicious, with flavors and textures Qin Xiaoyuan could never have imagined.

He never dreamed he would ever get to eat such a wonderful meal.

After they finished eating, Qin Shisong packed away the leftovers in the cabinet. He continued cleaning up the table while Qin Xiaoyuan took Shen Yuan to see his wood carvings.

Qin Xiaoyuan’s room was fairly large. Light from outside filtered through the small wooden window, illuminating the room—half bright, half dim.

On the table lay simple, plain carving tools. Apart from a narrow path for walking, the rest of the space was filled with various wood carvings.

Half of the bed was also covered with wood carvings, which were visibly more exquisite and detailed than those placed on the floor.

"Did you figure all this out on your own?" Shen Yuan asked.

Qin Xiaoyuan nodded. "Yes. Back when I lost my legs, I could only lie in bed all day, rotting away. Third Uncle couldn’t stand it. He took me outside to get some sun, borrowed tools to make me a plank, and said that from then on, wherever he went, he’d drag me along. I could just sit on the plank."

"Watching him work with wood, I found it interesting. With tools, you could shape wood however you wanted, freely, turning it into whatever you imagined. I wanted to try it too."

He tried it once and couldn't stop; instead, he actually managed to get the hang of it, and his skills kept getting better and better.

Shen Yuan looked around at the room full of wood carvings. "You carve so well, have you ever thought about selling them?"

At that, Qin Xiaoyuan sighed regretfully. "Once during the slow season, I asked a neighbor who was going into the county town to sell some for me. On the way back, the neighbor was targeted, and the money and unsold carvings were all stolen. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt. My third uncle paid his family back for the stolen money, and after that, I let the idea go."

Shen Yuan understood—times were chaotic, riddled with bandits and thieves. For regular folks, trying to do business was really tough.

"Xiao Yuan, I want to do business with you." Shen Yuan told Qin Xiaoyuan his idea. "I'll provide you with sketches, and you carve figurines for me based on them. I can supply the paint so you can try adding color. If the painting doesn't turn out, that's okay; the plain wood looks nice too."

"As for the price..." Shen Yuan pointed to a palm-sized figurine. "For one this size, without color, I'll pay you two hundred wen. If the painting passes muster, I'll give you five hundred wen per piece."

Shen Yuan had checked out the market prices for wood carvings before coming.

The ones for sale publicly all came from established artisans with a known pedigree. A simple, palm-sized, uncolored animal figurine would easily go for a hundred wen. They priced colored ones based on the complexity of the colors—simple colors doubled the price, and the more complex ones cost even more.

Shen Yuan hadn't seen any carvings of human figures; they were basically all flowers, plants, and animals.

He sized up the carvings in the shops, considering their size and complexity, and settled on the offer price he discussed with Qin Xiaoyuan today.

Qin Xiaoyuan gaped in surprise. His wood carvings could actually sell for two hundred wen each?!

"Brother Shen, you don't have to! I'll carve them for you for free!"

Shen Yuan said, " I need a lot of them, and I plan to sell them."

Qin Xiaoyuan thought for a moment and said, "Then just make it ten wen each. When I asked my neighbor to sell them before, it was ten wen each."

Shen Yuan was both amused and exasperated. "Xiao Yuan, do you really not know how good you are? Your carving is excellent!"

Shen Yuan pointed to the nearest small wooden cat, in a sleeping pose with its tail curled around its body, utterly charming.

"One about this size and shape sells for a hundred and fifty wen in the shops."

Qin Xiaoyuan's eyes widened. It could actually sell for that much!

Was his craftsmanship really comparable to those in the shops?

"Xiao Yuan, I'm doing business with you as an equal. You have great skill, I can tell, and I'm offering you a fair price to make things for me. Believe in yourself; you are very capable. The carvings you make are worth this price."

Shen Yuan's words made Qin Xiaoyuan's eyes redden. He could actually earn a lot of money now.

In the future, could he support his third uncle instead of being a burden?

Shen Yuan asked with a smile, "Master Woodcarver Xiao Yuan, are you willing to take this order?"

Qin Xiaoyuan stared blankly at Shen Yuan, tears uncontrollably streaming down his face.

He was Master Woodcarver Qin Xiaoyuan, not Useless Qin Xiaoyuan.

Seeing him suddenly cry, Shen Yuan was at a loss. "Why are you crying? Is your leg hurting?"

He had heard before that such amputations could cause phantom limb pain.

Shen Yuan grew very anxious, wiping Qin Xiaoyuan's tears and asking how he could alleviate the pain.

Qin Xiaoyuan shook his head, sobbing, "Brother Shen, I was just thinking how nice it would have been to meet you earlier."

Relieved that it wasn't his leg, Shen Yuan let out a sigh. "It's good you're not in pain."

Qin Shisong stood at the doorway, using his palm to shield his moist eyes.

Then he left quietly.

The next day, Ji Xingwang arrived at the Qin house with the contract, paint, sketches, half of the deposit, and a new set of carving tools.

Yesterday, Shen Yuan had agreed on a time with Qin Xiaoyuan, saying he would send his subordinate, Uncle Ji.

Hearing the knock, Qin Xiaoyuan checked the time. When the person outside identified himself as Uncle Ji, he used a small wooden stick to move his plank and open the door.

Following Shen Yuan's instructions, Ji Xingwang crouched down to give the items to Qin Xiaoyuan, then read out the contract and had it signed.

Everything was quickly settled. Ji Xingwang also left a small food box—a portion of steamed sugar pastry that Shen Yuan had asked him to bring specially for Qin Xiaoyuan.

When Qin Shisong returned in the evening, he found his young nephew's room still lit by an oil lamp, though he would usually be asleep by then.

He asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Under the oil lamp's glow, Qin Xiaoyuan's eyes sparkled, and the smile on his face was even brighter. "Third Uncle, I'm busy! I can earn a lot of money now. I can support you in the future!"

"I've calculated it. After I finish carving this batch, I can buy you a new knife. We won't wait for that awful county magistrate to replace it; Xiao Yuan will get you a good knife!"

Qin Xiaoyuan chattered on, saying whatever came to mind, his eyes never leaving the figurine in his hands.

Qin Shisong looked at his nephew. This was a Qin Xiaoyuan he had never seen before.

Vibrant, full of hope, brimming with vitality.

"Alright, Third Uncle will rely on Xiao Yuan from now on."

"Mm!"