"I know that Master Luo of Hongxiuzhao taught you some skills, and His Majesty had a good impression of you when you entered Changchun Garden last time. But that doesn't guarantee you'll enter the Martial Arts Academy. Since you're also from the Sui Dynasty's military, you naturally know that Dean Zhou of the Martial Arts Academy is a very strange and special person. What His Majesty likes, he may not like. And as for the Martial Arts Academy... His Majesty will absolutely not interfere too much."
Wu Yidao beckoned to a maid to come and change the tea. This pot of single-stem Da Hong Pao tea had only been steeped three times before being thrown away. It has to be said, the life of the richest man is incredibly extravagant. Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao is said to retain its osmanthus fragrance even after nine infusions. Such expensive tea being thrown away after only three infusions made Fang Jie's lips curl into a slight sneer. Wu Yidao didn't care about his little gesture, and smiled, saying, "I'm reluctant too, because I bought it with real money. But when you reach a certain height, many things are beyond your control, even if you pretend to be carefree. For example, drinking tea. If people knew I really brewed a pot of tea nine times, it would immediately attract a lot of ridicule."
He stood up and walked to the lotus pond, taking a deep breath of the damp air. He was about to say something, but then remembered that Fang Jie had urinated nearby, so he immediately turned back. "I'm never afraid of ridicule, but my business is. You can imagine, at my level, any bad news can affect my business… For example, if I really brewed this pot of tea nine times before throwing it away, people would immediately and seriously deduce that I don't have much money left, otherwise I wouldn't be so stingy."
"And then what?"
He asked Fang Jie. Fang Jie answered without hesitation, "Then those who have given you the goods but haven't received payment will immediately come to test you. Testing is fine, but some fools will believe the rumors. When there are more and more fools, even if you have a vast network of goods and immense wealth, you can't withstand the ants slowly eroding your resources. The worst thing… is when too many ants dig, and a single wave will cause the dam to crumble."
"Smart."
Wu Yidao smiled, pointed to his courtyard, and said, "Now that I hold a title, I need to be discreet. But being discreet depends on the context. In small, trivial matters, maintaining a high profile is beneficial."
Fang Jie nodded and said, "Actually, I've always felt that businessmen are quite terrifying."
"Why?"
Wu Yidao asked. "It seems that businessmen don't hold a high position in the Sui Dynasty. Even if they encounter a destitute farmer on a narrow road, a businessman will have to give way. But that's just on the surface. Behind the scenes, businessmen have plenty of ways to make that farmer suffer a terrible fate."
"That's too cynical."
Wu Yidao shook his head slightly, not wanting to dwell on the topic any longer: "I heard you somehow managed to win over even the most respected Grand Secretaries in the court. A few days ago, when you were having tea with Grand Secretaries Niu Huilun of the Wenyuan Pavilion and Zhuang Chuyu of the Shuhua Pavilion, both of them spoke highly of you."
"Pure scholars are much more endearing than pure officials."
Fang Jie smiled and said. "Why is your perspective on people and things always so dark..."
Wu Yidao rolled his eyes at him and said, "But you're right. Those Grand Secretaries, although they all come from prestigious families and are unsettlingly arrogant, are actually the least concerned with social status in officialdom. It's said that scholars are jealous of each other... but that's not always true. Those Grand Secretaries, at their level, have no need to compete with others. Besides academic knowledge, the only thing they can compare is their magnanimity. So they're tolerant, and even if they can't, they have to. They like to recruit talented young people to their ranks, ostensibly to mentor and promote promising young scholars, but really, it's also to enhance their own prestige."
He laughed and said, "You haven't seen it—when several Grand Secretaries sit together comparing who has the most disciples..." "How tedious are these flirtatious scenes. Those with fewer disciples compare whose disciple holds the highest official position. Those whose disciples are less successful compare their disciples' talents, until they argue until they're red in the face and almost come to blows with their canes."
"But there's one thing..."
Wu Yidao concluded, "They are tolerant and willing to show their magnanimity by helping rising stars. But they cannot tolerate young people climbing over them before they die. Of course, if they had a way, they wouldn't even want anyone to climb over them after their death. So... no matter how powerful you become in the future, you must show them sufficient humility and respect. Seemingly powerless, the greatest asset of the Grand Secretaries is the number of disciples... Who hasn't produced a Minister or Vice Minister? A General or Grand General?"
"Thank you!"
Fang Jie bowed sincerely. Wu Yidao waved his hand and said, "I'm just in a good mood today, so I'm chatting with you for a bit. If you thank me so formally, it'll be boring. I won't accept your money for information or knowledge, and you don't need to say thank you. Of course, if you really feel bad and insist on giving me some money, even just a tael, I certainly won't mind."
Fang Jie smiled, feeling a warmth in his heart. Although he knew that a merchant like Wu Yidao, who could become the richest man in the Sui Dynasty, would never waste time and breath on an unknown nobody, Wu Yidao's previous words, intentionally or unintentionally, were all subtle hints—that was a favor.
"Besides, I'm a merchant."
Wu Yidao smiled slightly. "I only care about profit. I'm telling you all this because I think you have potential. It's always better to do a favor in advance than to try and get close to you later when you're successful. Chatting with you now, while not exactly a lifeline, is still better than adding to your success a few years later—it'll make you remember me more easily."
Frankness, a rare honesty among merchants.
"It's not necessarily true that I'll achieve the meteoric rise you describe."
Fang Jie answered honestly.
"Hypocritical."
Wu Yidao rolled his eyes at him, smiled, and asked, "Do you know what my biggest secret to success is?"
Wu Yidao had mentioned this topic to Fang Jie before, and Fang Jie remembered. Wu Yidao had talked about his three failed business ventures, how he lost everything, and how he gradually rose to prominence by relying on his experience of failure, asking questions, and thinking critically.
"Is it keen insight?"
Fang Jie answered tentatively. "Bullshit!"
Wu Yi laughed, "Cast your nets wide, build good relationships. Who knows which net will catch a big fish? Things that require little investment but might yield great returns are always welcome. Don't be averse to trouble, and don't look down on a young man for being poor… Even if he remains poor his whole life, he'll still remember my kindness, won't he? For example, today, I didn't give you a single copper coin, nor did I place any bets on you; I just chatted with you. There was no investment, yet there might be a return. That's why I never hesitate to spend time talking with young people. Of the nine managers at Huotong Tianxia, four were recruited through this method."
…
…
Wu Yinyu was seething with anger. When she first met Fang Jie outside Chang'an, she felt this young man was somewhat unusual, so she couldn't help but be curious, even considering teasing him for a bit of fun. After returning to the capital, she had no further contact with him, and coupled with her own worries, she forgot about Fang Jie.
But today, she was truly enraged by the young man's urination.
The thought of that lotus pond made her nauseous. She could no longer take off her shoes and go barefoot to catch fish and shrimp in the pond, which only fueled her already uninteresting anger. The more she thought about it, the more nauseous and furious she became.
A fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl is still at an age where she doesn't act according to reason. Moreover, with her pampered, spoiled temperament, how could she possibly swallow this insult? "Dujuan."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, biting her lip, she asked, "Do we still have the laxative we gave that spendthrift son of the Marquis of Yuyang? That silly fool who kept chasing after me and fawning over me when he came to visit last time."
"It seems there's still some... Miss, what are you going to do?"
"Go and take some snacks to Father and the others later, and put the laxative in them."
"Ah?"
Dujuan exclaimed, "Wouldn't that mean Master got poisoned too?!"
"Silly!"
Wu Yinyu pouted and said, "Father only eats snacks with a slightly salty taste, he never eats sweets. When you take the snacks up, just take the sweet ones, the sweeter the better."
"I forgot!"
Dujuan was also annoyed by Fang Jie's shameless act of urinating in the lotus pond, and she and Miss Wu Yinyu immediately agreed. The two maids immediately got to work; Dujuan went to the kitchen to get the sweets, while Wu Yinyu used a small hammer to crush the laxative Dujuan had found into even smaller pieces. When Du Juan returned, panting, carrying a plate of desserts, the two little girls grinned wickedly at the powder on the table.
Wu Yinyu closed her eyes, her mind filled with images of that rascal rushing into the outhouse again and again.
By the lotus pond.
Wu Yi pointed to the sky and explained, "The sky you see in Fangu City appears no different from the sky you see in the capital. But you should understand that in Fangu, the sky is very high, but in the capital, the sky is definitely not as high as it seems. Perhaps given a chance, you could touch the sky and soar upwards. But in Fangu, even if you stand on the city wall, you can't touch it."
"However… precisely because you might be able to touch the sky, it's very dangerous. One moment it's a clear blue sky, the next it could be dark clouds and thunder. If you stand high, you must first stabilize your foundation to avoid falling." "The Martial Arts Academy is a foundation for you."
Wu Yidao turned to Fang Jie and said, "Don't waste it."
He pondered for a moment and said, "I won't spend money to bribe the examiners to get you a way in. Everyone knows the professors and examiners at the Martial Arts Academy are infuriatingly honest, but I know that the people at the Martial Arts Academy are actually not honest at all; they're ruthless when it comes to taking bribes… Of course, there's a big difference between the Martial Arts Academy taking bribes and corrupt officials taking bribes. You know, seven or eight out of ten people recommended by various cities don't have any real skills. If it weren't for the fact that taking the Martial Arts Academy's exam would give them something to brag about, they wouldn't bother traveling thousands of miles to get here." "Come here to suffer."
"It's precisely because many people want to make their mark at the Martial Arts Academy, increasing their fame and future qualifications, that they offer a considerable amount of money. Principal Zhou of the Martial Arts Academy never secretly refuses money offered, and he's generous enough to open a back door for anyone who offers a large sum. It's said... His Majesty greatly appreciates Principal Zhou's actions, because Principal Zhou always gives the money to His Majesty untouched. I reckon the amount is so large it makes His Majesty beam with joy."
"Even though I'm very wealthy, and even though I admire you, I'm not at the point where I'd willingly offer you tens of thousands of taels of silver. There's not much I can do to help you, let me tell you..." "Who deserves attention is one of them."
He sat down and said gently, "First, you need to cultivate good relationships with those also recommended by the Ministry of War. Most of these people come from humble backgrounds, so they are extremely united. Once you get along with them, it will greatly benefit you in the future. This year, among the military candidates at the Martial Arts Academy, there are three who are most noteworthy; at least on the submitted materials, they appear far more accomplished than you."
"Wang Wei, a military commander in the border troops of Baishui City. It is said that he already possesses the cultivation of a fourth-rank official. If it weren't for his humble origins, such cultivation would at least qualify him as a captain. Baishui City is located in the southern border region, where many barbarian people live, known for their violence and savagery, and they are not submissive..." "Education is ineffective; every year there are rebellions. Wang Wei's name sounds refined, but he acts decisively and ruthlessly. Since becoming a brigade commander two years ago, he has led troops to massacre several unruly villages every year, killing countless people. Baishui City is under the jurisdiction of Yong County, so he is considered a subordinate of General Luo Yao of the Left Vanguard."
"Arrogant, the army on the border of Anyuan City. This person seems much milder than Wang Wei, but you must remember one thing… Anyuan City borders the northeast of the empire, with the Ten Thousand Mountains on one side and the territory of the Northern Barbarians on the other. The Northern Barbarians are far more barbaric than the people of the Northern Liao region. The Northern Liao region is led by Khan Wanyan Yong, but the Northern Barbarians have no unified affiliation, just like…" "Like a pack of wild beasts. Zhang Kuang once lived in a tribe of Northern Barbarians for several years, even marrying the daughter of that tribe's chief. After gaining the Northern Barbarians' trust, he immediately led the border troops in an attack, killing tens of thousands in a single battle, bringing two years of peace to the northern border. He was still cautiously living among the Northern Barbarians during the last Martial Arts Academy exam and missed it."
"He personally killed the chief of that Northern Barbarian tribe and his Northern Barbarian wife."
Wu Yidao added, then continued, "Mo Xidao, the head of the scout team at Phoenix Terrace on the eastern border, has a similar background to you, but the difference is..." His achievements far surpass yours. Two years ago, a general from the Eastern Chu Kingdom, harboring hatred for the Sui Dynasty, planned to launch a surprise attack on Phoenix Terrace with his troops. The Phoenix Terrace garrison commander, somehow obtaining this information, sent Mo Xidao to infiltrate Eastern Chu to investigate.
"As a result, after arriving, he slaughtered the entire Eastern Chu general's 116-member family overnight. For the next thirteen days, he miraculously escaped from countless pursuers, even managing to draw a map of Eastern Chu's troop deployments along the border. Upon his return to Phoenix Terrace, this achievement certainly wouldn't be openly rewarded, and of course, the Sui military would never acknowledge the existence of someone who had harmed the relationship between the Sui Dynasty and its allies." "These three people have something in common: their cultivation is very high, especially Mo Xidao... he might have reached at least the sixth rank. Moreover, all three are very intelligent, even frighteningly so. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to complete their mission alive. Managing these three well can be a great help to you."
Fang Jie was listening intently, carefully memorizing the three names, when Wu Yidao's words were suddenly interrupted by a pretty young maid. This petite maid, barely reaching Fang Jie's shoulder, carried a plate of snacks, her hands trembling slightly, and her voice quivering as she said, "Master, Young Master Fang, would you like some snacks?"