[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming":3,"chapter-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-196":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Unorthodox Sword of Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2337401,4570,"Chapter 196: Perseverance","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-196",196,"\u003Cp>Pan Yun sighed with relief and hung the remaining undamaged clothes on the rope to dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she wrote a large notice, pinned it to the rope, explaining that she had ruined the clothes left unair-dried on it, and had already entrusted someone to repair them—they would be returned no later than the day after tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied that she had handled the aftermath, she happily returned to Fengqi Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had no idea that the mountain base was in an uproar over her recent talisman sale, and that Zhang Guanshi was busy precisely because of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every September is the grand festival at Long Hushan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only because this month holds the Bestowal of Talismans Ceremony, but also because it features the Chongyang Ritual Assembly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On such days, Daoist companions have a fine opportunity to exchange cultivation insights and techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also trade magical artifacts, talismans, and other items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shenxian Pavilion has always dealt in high-end goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It never lacks fine magical artifacts or talismans; its wares are excellent and priced fairly, so nearly half its annual sales occur in September.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this year was strange: after the grand ceremony, the number of customers coming to buy top-grade talismans dropped by about sixty percent compared to previous years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t sell nearly all the top-grade talismans they had prepared; the mid-grade ones fared even worse—customers would ask the price and walk out immediately. Only the low-grade talismans saw little change in sales volume.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang, the shopkeeper of Shenxian Pavilion, found this odd and went out personally to investigate, only to learn that Pan Yun had held a massive clearance sale at the Celestial Master’s Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew she was selling talismans, but were they top-grade?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They were top-grade. She claimed they were painted by Master Xuanmiao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper: “That’s impossible. How could Zhang Li paint so many talismans?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not that she lacks ability—she simply isn’t that kind of person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we examined them closely—they truly are top-grade. She swore they were top-grade, and since she’s a direct disciple of Mount Sanqing, we trusted her word, backed by her sect’s reputation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper requested a few talismans to inspect and found they were indeed top-grade, with brushwork strikingly familiar to those Pan Yun had previously sold them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper frowned and mused, “Zhang Li… has she really become so obedient to Mount Sanqing? Back then, securing talismans from her was incredibly difficult. Now she’s selling so many at once… Where is her pride? Where is her dignity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps she’s run out of money,” said the Daoist. “Even heroes are brought low by a single copper coin. She may be proud and aloof, but times have changed—she needs money for her own healing, her cultivation, and Pan Yun’s little ones’ cultivation too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t Mount Sanqing always about the senior supporting the junior, and the junior supporting the even junior? Master Xuanmiao owes Mount Sanqing a great debt—now is the time to repay it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper felt sickened and replied coldly, “Don’t forget she trained at Long Hushan until she was sixteen. The Zhang family showed her no small kindness—why didn’t she ever repay them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Daoist smiled but said nothing—it was their affair, and he wouldn’t meddle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retrieved his own talismans and put them away, deciding to mind his own business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper glanced at the talismans he had tucked away and after a moment asked, “Have you bought enough top-grade talismans? If not, I can set aside a few good ones for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Daoist: “Twenty taels per talisman?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper’s face darkened. “Shenxian Pavilion’s top-grade talismans have always been priced between thirty and fifty taels. You know our quality is flawless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pan Yun’s are top-grade too. We trust Mount Sanqing’s quality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang the shopkeeper fell silent, then sold him several talismans unavailable from Pan Yun at twenty taels each—merely as a token of appreciation for his honesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Pan Yun had seized most of the top-grade talisman market, Shenxian Pavilion had to find sales elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Zhang the shopkeeper summoned many managers to brainstorm solutions and promote Shenxian Pavilion’s goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, next month’s ledger would look disastrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi, Zhang the shopkeeper’s daughter, naturally descended the mountain early to help her father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she returned to the mountain, exhausted, it was already night—she had no time to check the Laundry Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So early the next morning, someone pounded on her door. When she ran to the laundry yard, she saw that only a few scattered garments remained from those assigned to Pan Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone handed her a note: “Since Pan Shimei promised compensation, we trust her—but why is she handling this herself? Why just a note pinned to the rope? If we hadn’t noticed it carefully, who would have known?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How does your Laundry Bureau operate? No matter the condition of the clothes, it’s your bureau’s duty to report to us, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi nodded rapidly. “Yes, yes, yes—we were negligent. I’ll summon Pan Yun immediately to clarify.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, do you even need to ask? We already asked. From the moment the incident happened until this morning, where was your Laundry Bureau? Not one of you came to inform us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we hadn’t come looking for our clothes and spotted the note, would your Laundry Bureau still be clueless?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As Laundry Bureau manager, you don’t even know what’s happening in your own bureau? How do you manage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi blushed and quickly apologized. After seeing everyone off, she clenched her teeth. “Pan Yun!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun arrived punctually at the Laundry Bureau after class to collect today’s task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she entered, she met Zhang Guanshi’s fiery gaze—she knew Zhang had found out about yesterday’s incident, so she smiled at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi asked coldly, “What are you smiling about? Is it funny to ruin clothes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “No, no, no, Manager, you misunderstand—I’m smiling to be polite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. You, Pan Yun, being polite?” Zhang Guanshi glared. “Why didn’t you report the ruined clothes yesterday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I intended to report it, but you weren’t here,” Pan Yun said. “I came to check before dusk, and you weren’t there either. Manager, when did you return?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi glared at her, brushed off the question, and asked, “How did you wash the clothes to ruin so many? Were you doing it on purpose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun shook her head vigorously. “How could I do it on purpose? Manager, you know how much I love money—ruining clothes means paying compensation. You don’t know how much I bled financially this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi paused, recalling: it was true—she knew Pan Yun was stingy. Other students punished for a month and a half would have secretly hired someone to wash their clothes. Only Pan Yun didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t believe Pan Yun was sincerely accepting punishment—her behavior clearly showed she couldn’t bear to spend the money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our sect robes are extremely durable. I’m curious—how did you ruin them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just rubbed and rubbed, and gave them a few extra thumps—they broke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liar. One or two ruined is understandable. After the first few broke, didn’t you learn to ease up? Clearly you washed them all together—everything broke at once. Tell me—did you use magic to wash them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun lowered her head and said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi ground her teeth. “You have too much spiritual energy to waste. Starting today, you’re punished with three buckets of clothes daily. If you ruin more clothes, your punishment doubles!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun immediately protested. “There must be a limit. Not every garment can be perfect—what if their robes were already old and rotten, crumbling at the slightest rub?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible. Our sect robes are extremely durable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the most durable fabric wears out with time. So many single senior brothers wear the same robe for ten or twenty years—the threads loosen, the fabric rots. A little rubbing and pounding and it breaks. Even if it were truly durable, it wouldn’t survive being tossed around like a washing machine—it’s still not durable enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guanshi fell silent, then conceded: “No more than two garments may be ruined per batch. Otherwise, punishment doubles again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun finally agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lifted two wooden buckets, and with her other hand carried a third. Pan Xiaohei leapt nimbly onto her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun glanced at it. “I’m already exhausted. Why are you standing on me? Can’t you have even a cat’s dignity and independence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Xiaohei: “You’re taking it out on me. I’ve been standing on you for days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun snorted, carried the dirty clothes to the water’s edge, and immediately, Miao Zhen and Miao He rushed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Master, were you scolded?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this bucket your punishment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Pan Yun could answer, they nodded and commented: “Not bad—just one extra bucket of dirty clothes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He looked at her with tender affection. “Little Master Shu, why don’t we just be sensible and use magic to wash? The three of us together—only three buckets, we’ll finish in twenty minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He looked at her with pity and admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Master, why not just use magic? We three together could wash three buckets in twenty minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He glared: “Are you coming again today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Let’s conduct experiments. Occasional failure is normal. If we don’t test now, when my punishment ends, we won’t have this many dirty clothes to experiment with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He stared. “Still today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Not today. I’ve got a new idea—I’ll modify the bucket tonight and test tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen and Miao He exhaled, both touched by and awed at her perseverance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were them, they’d have given up long ago—they saw no practical benefit in this washing machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had magic—they could wash clothes faster and more efficiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Pan Yun’s modification was even greater. She dragged a double-layered wooden bucket back to Fengqi Courtyard, dismantled the four laundry paddles, removed the inner bucket, and reworked the inner walls of both buckets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She decided one bucket was enough—no need for a double layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she chose to engrave the array directly onto the bucket’s inner walls—and a different array entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been wrong. She shouldn’t have copied the modern washing machine’s principle—making the bucket move to agitate the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could keep the bucket still and make the contents inside move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant she needed a different array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a gravity array—something she’d never considered before. But after yesterday’s incident, she realized draining water wasn’t enough; she needed to compress moisture from the clothes using gravity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, gravity differences could increase the whipping force, enhancing stain removal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t that exactly what they do with laundry paddles—using gravity to beat the clothes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now, the gravity array turns the force from visible to invisible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun crouched inside the bucket, sketching with her brush how the two arrays should interact and integrate with the power talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once satisfied, she climbed out and prepared the materials to engrave the arrays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the arrays were to be drawn inside the bucket, she couldn’t use ordinary array materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun began rummaging through her Spirit Realm space, frowning. “I don’t have any blue gold stone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao He leaned over. “You used it all last time—I took it for my pill refining.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun and Miao He turned to Miao Zhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Zhen said: “I don’t have any either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the year-end exam is next month, everyone—rich or poor—must prepare elixirs and push hard; otherwise, if you fail and get held back, you won’t just lose face, you risk being expelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asked, and no one had any. Even if they did, they wouldn’t give it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[101] Next month is the year-end exam—everyone, rich or poor, must prepare pills to pass. Fail, and you risk being held back—or even expelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[102] Blue gold stone is a key ingredient in the Bodyguard Pill. All the blue gold stone Miao He took was used to refine Bodyguard Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the academy didn’t sell it, she’d have to go down the mountain tomorrow to buy it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But lapis lazuli had recently become very popular; herbal shops had raised their prices significantly, and even the Immortal Tower and other material dealers had hiked their prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun, adhering to the principle that wealth shouldn’t flow to outsiders, turned and asked at the general store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Master Chen heard she wanted lapis lazuli, he immediately said, “Three hundred cash per qian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “...Master Chen, the Immortal Tower sells it for three hundred cash too. How can your tiny shop charge the same and still sell it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen smiled and said, “Let this young immortal know: lapis lazuli in September and October sells itself. Our price matches the Immortal Tower’s, but our quality is far superior—don’t believe me? Take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened a box and showed it to Pan Yun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun leaned in, examined it, and pinched a bit between her fingers. “Indeed, the quality is better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a moment, she said, “Give me two liang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen beamed and asked, “Would you like more? This is the main ingredient for protective elixirs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two liang is enough. More than that, we’d eat ourselves to death—do you believe me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun decided to give one liang to Miaohe for pill refining, and keep one liang for array crafting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lapis lazuli has so many uses. I recall it’s also an auxiliary ingredient in several other medicines. Doesn’t that mean anyone with this mine would become immensely wealthy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen smiled and pointed toward the Celestial Master’s Mansion. “That’s exactly why they’ve become immensely wealthy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun raised an eyebrow. “The Zhang family owns a lapis lazuli mine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen lowered his voice. “Not just lapis lazuli—they have cinnabar and gold mines too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun: “Isn’t gold state-run? Can civilians mine it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen evaded, “The court claims to mine all gold and silver, but in truth, plenty of private miners operate. As long as they pay their silver tax, the court turns a blind eye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a silver mine in Jiangnan—I heard it paid only forty-eight taels in taxes last year, and the court never punished them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yun gasped. “How much did you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen chuckled at her, lowering his voice. “You think it’s unbelievable too? The mine produced only forty-eight taels of silver in a whole year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2404,"2026-06-20T22:03:57.478Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","72d013e41db330864b31c0d9f3ece46e288b1655f6558f74fc0c77c56e068712","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-197","the-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-chapter-195",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-unorthodox-sword-of-ming-cover.jpg"]