Chapter 84: Eating and Taking Everything

This day, Liu Zheng was still working on his drill bits for the Well Mineral Salt, and the craftsmen at the Fine Iron Workshop had already forged the molds, meaning large-scale production could begin very soon. This also made him heave a sigh of relief; the core staff were still learning the manufacturing processes quite quickly.

Seeing that in another half a month, the Well Mineral Salt side would begin to enter mass production.

That topic began to flash through his mind again.

How to establish oneself in the world?

He chuckled, watching his Yintan City being built at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Salt?

Does this count as a foundation for establishing oneself in the world?

Recently, Zheng Yue Ru had already been negotiating with the Baiya Army. Several messages sent back by carrier pigeon had not mentioned any concrete results. But as for something like Refined Salt, who wouldn't be tempted? Clearly, the Baiya Army was also very interested, yet also very cautious; the final letter only said that Du Biao would personally come to Yinzhou on an auspicious day to discuss it with Liu Zheng, and Liu Zheng was still waiting.

Unexpectedly, he received news from Fengming Tower first.

"Young Master, Young Master, someone has come to Fengming Tower to wreck the place!"

That was what the manservant said.

"What?"

Liu Zheng was caught between laughter and tears. Wreck the place? In the current Yinzhou, was there still anyone who dared to wreck his place?

The manservant Xiao Wang looked depressed: "Young Master, you tell me, you tell me... she is a woman, yet she entered Fengming Tower and wouldn't leave. Several scholars were even talked to tears by her; isn't this wrecking the place?"

A woman entering a flower house, in this era, was truly shocking to the world.

Liu Zheng said nothing more and rode his horse back.

He had originally thought Xiao Wang was exaggerating a bit, but who would have thought that as soon as he walked into this Fengming Tower, he saw a scholar with a red face and ears, running out with snot and tears streaming down his face.

Liu Zheng was stunned.

The manager of Fengming Tower immediately came up to greet him: "Young Master, this, this, what should we do?"

At a single glance, Liu Zheng was amused.

A woman who looked plainly dressed was currently sitting in that Fengming Pavilion, alone, facing the talented scholars and literati of Yinzhou, with a cup of wine and some melon and fruit in front of her. What surprised Liu Zheng was that although this woman was not as exquisite as Shen Manqing, not as poised as Zheng Yue Ru, and not as delicate as Chen Ruoshi, she still possessed a unique temperament of her own... If one had to say what it was, two words popped into Liu Zheng's mind—spiritual aura!

From head to toe, she seemed to be all spiritual aura!

That spotless face, those eyes full of spirituality—at a single glance, one could actually ignore her beauty, which was enough to topple cities and countries.

Yes.

You would no longer notice what she looked like; this was truly a marvelous feeling.

She seemed to be a fairy who had walked out of a painting, untainted by the red dust; her eyes were so clear that one could not bear to profane them. At this moment, she sat there with a look of indifference, but in the depths of her eyes, she could not help but flicker with curiosity about this world.

Liu Zheng was stunned.

"Young Master, Young Master?"

The manager called out several times.

Liu Zheng shook his head: "No need to bother with her."

The manager looked bitter, and Liu Zheng did not go over there, but instead went to his exclusive private room again.

Fengming Tower was exceptionally lively today.

"You, you, you, you... my Senior Brother Zhou is overflowing with talent, how can you allow such humiliation?"

Several scholars were filled with towering rage.

The girl smiled faintly: "Did I say something wrong? That Zhou Liangcai began studying at five, and is now thirty-eight, yet he is still White-clothed, spending his days loitering in flower houses, ignoring his wife and children, and never touching fertile fields. He borrows money to drink wine and still needs a courtesan for company! What use is such a scholar?"

Someone said angrily: "You, you... yellow-haired girl, do you know what our State Marquis's son has written? How can we scholars write books just to seek food and clothing!"

Others echoed in agreement.

A scholar should have the pride and backbone of a scholar! Once this path is chosen, no matter how difficult life is, one must persist! Never take up a hoe to work the land; one would rather starve while reading than lose one's backbone!

How can one dig into the fields all day?

A scholar should be doing Learning, drinking wine, and finding courtesans!

Liu Zheng's eyes widened... Is that what that poem means? It can actually be interpreted this way? These scholars are too shameless, aren't they?

Sure enough.

The woman gave a mocking smile: "If your Young Master truly has this intention, then it is complete bullshit!"

"Pfft..."

Liu Zheng still couldn't hold it in, and a mouthful of distilled spirits sprayed out.

The entire Fengming Tower became enraged and began to curse loudly. This Liu Family Young Master had a widespread reputation; who didn't praise him? Leading a land of no governance to become prosperous step by step, yet in your mouth, it became bullshit; who wouldn't be angry? But the woman still smiled faintly, took a sip of wine, and remained undaunted.

Liu Zheng even laughed.

She really suited his temperament.

"Everyone, no matter what, we shouldn't stray from today's topic!"

"That's right, this young lady, why don't you tell us, can you answer my Young Master's topic?"

"If you can't, then today's wine bill will have to be settled!"

A group of people realized this, and the manager also walked over and said with a cold sneer.

The woman smiled lightly: "How to establish oneself in the world? This depends on what kind of talent your Young Master Liu has! As it seems now, he has more than enough talent to be a wealthy man. He does not yet have enough talent to be a feudal lord, and as for the talent of a king or hegemon, heh..."

Once these words were spoken, the whole place was about to explode.

Who knew that this woman would chuckle: "Today's wine bill can be waived, right?"

After saying this, she turned and ran, and those brothel guards couldn't stop her.

"Young Master, this..."

The manager looked over helplessly.

Liu Zheng waved his hand with a smile, but his heart was incomparably shocked. This woman's insight was definitely extraordinary. But this girl was definitely not the person who left that drawing for him. But she was certainly related to that person!

What kind of talent?

Over these past few days, Liu Zheng had indeed been thinking about this question.

In the current Yinzhou, in which direction should he head? This question seemed unnecessary at first glance; develop the territory, wait for the world to fall into chaos, and then contend for the world? Aren't all transmigrators like this?

But.

Liu Zheng felt that things were not that simple.

Take, for instance, those Feudatory Kings of the Longyan Dynasty who were eyeing the throne; which one of them didn't have hundreds of thousands of troops and dozens of prefectures under their control? How could he, with his mere two counties, be mentioned in the same breath as them? Even in the small Liangzhou, there was still Chen Ping and the Baiya Army.

If the world truly fell into chaos, he would very likely become cannon fodder, with not even a scrap left behind.

As for building guns and cannons... that was pure nonsense.

No matter how much of a top student Liu Zheng was, he couldn't produce those things, nor did he intend to; the impact of thermal weapons on the world's landscape was truly too great.

Today, this little girl had managed to enlighten him all at once.

How does one establish oneself in the world?

First, look at what kind of material you are! How big is your heart! Governing a county and governing a country are vastly different!

"Young Master, should I send someone to follow her..."

The manager asked from the side.

Liu Zheng chuckled and shook his head: "Absolutely not! She will come again."

"Remember, if she comes again, all food and drink at Fengming Pavilion shall be on the house!"

"Ah?"

Looking over here,

The girl in plain clothes, having left Fengming Tower, let out a burp, her dark, rolling eyes darting around. Satisfied, she ran to another street, mounted her chestnut horse, and sped away like lightning, not forgetting to giggle as she left.

"The taste of this Immortal Brew is truly richer than Father's fruit wine!"

"Hahahaha, haha—hic?"

The chestnut horse galloped toward the north of Yinzhou. After running for a full fifty or sixty li, they reached a main road where the surroundings were desolate and uninhabited. By the roadside stood a thatched hut with a flag hanging outside bearing the character for "Wine," and a few simple tables and stools were set up outside.

Upon approaching, the girl hurriedly scolded her horse to a stop, dismounted, and carefully led the horse behind the hut.

"Xi'er, did you go to Yinzhou?"

A cold voice came from inside the small tavern.

"Ah?"

The girl looked annoyed, then giggled: "Father, Xi'er went to get wine for you!"

"Heh..."

The man gave a cold laugh.

Hu Xi'er ran into the house to curry favor, came to the man's side, and handed over the wine she was holding.

This man was in his early forties. The light in the room was dim, but it could not hide his sharp, well-defined features. Dressed in white, he looked quite out of place in this dilapidated tavern. As he took the wine from Hu Xi'er, a hint of doting warmth appeared on his stern face. He let his daughter knead his shoulders and asked indifferently: "How is that Liu Family young master?"

Hu Xi'er looked shy: "Who went to see him? I went to buy wine!"

The man smiled, noncommittal.

A mere half a year... He had originally thought that this Yinzhou, a place beyond governance, would be a place to grow old in isolation. Who would have thought that Yinzhou would suddenly become prosperous... Originally, this tavern wouldn't see a soul for months, but in the last few months, passing merchants had actually made this place lively. The fruit wine he brewed in his spare time wasn't even enough to sell.

The name "Liu Family young master" also frequently appeared on the lips of passersby, mostly in praise.

Had an enlightened ruler appeared in Yinzhou?

At first, Qingyang Shuo had scoffed at this.

However, as time passed, various legends reached his ears, leaving him greatly astonished. Thus, he and Hu Xi'er often chatted about Yinzhou affairs, and so they couldn't avoid the topic of the Liu Family young master. When he heard something interesting, Qingyang Shuo would casually paint a few pictures.

"Didn't you see him?"

Qingyang Shuo asked with a smile.

Hu Xi'er looked annoyed: "Father, I wasn't there to see him!"

Qingyang Shuo laughed heartily, stood up, and said indifferently: "That is fine. Let's see if that Liu Family young master can answer the topic this month. If he cannot, we should move on; what else is there of interest in Yinzhou?"

"Ah?"

Hu Xi'er pouted, her eyes darting around, not knowing what she was thinking.

Sure enough, just as Liu Zheng had expected.

The next day, the girl came again. This time, Liu Zheng remained in his private room, listening as this young girl refuted all the scholars and literati of Yinzhou! The girl had a clear train of thought, covering everything from the near to the far, from statecraft, security, the people as the foundation, the hearts of the people, to governance, speaking with great logic.

Liu Zheng was astonished once again.

Who on earth had trained this girl? Even if this young girl were to govern Yinzhou right now, she would certainly be a hundred times better than his own father.

That day, Hu Xi'er drank for free again.

The third day...

She not only drank for free, but also wanted to pack some to go.

The manager was on the verge of tears.

Liu Zheng smiled at this, indicating it didn't matter.

He knew.

There must be someone behind this little girl.

They were waiting.

Waiting for his answer to this topic.

On this very day, Zheng Yue Ru and Du Biao finally returned.