The late spring sun warmed the stones of the new wall, radiating a gentle heat that kept the morning chill at bay. The construction dust had settled, replaced by the smell of wet mortar and fresh hay.
The "Citadel," as the workers had started calling it, was fully operational. The heavy wooden gates opened at sunrise and closed at sunset, controlled by a system of pulleys and counterweights Li Wei had designed. It wasn't just a barrier; it was a lung, breathing in the workers and cattle in the morning and exhaling them back to the safety of the village at night.
Li Wei stood by the weighing platform, watching the morning bustle. The "Co-operative Rearing" program was in full swing. A line of villagers stretched out the gate, leading animals or pushing carts of feed.
"Next!" Li Wei shouted, his voice carrying over the noise.
It was Uncle Zhang. He led a young steer forward. The animal looked decent—healthy, shiny coat.
Li Wei ran his hands over the steer's flanks. He checked the teeth. He felt the loin.
**[System Scan: Target.]**
**[Age: 8 Months.]**
**[Health: Good.]**
**[Diet Traceability: 60% Cloud Hill Feed / 40% Unknown Forage.]**
Li Wei frowned. "Uncle Zhang. You signed the contract. The feed mix ratio must be eighty percent Cloud Hill blend. This animal has been eating something else. Fresh clover and… corn husks?"
Uncle Zhang's eyes darted nervously. "I… I ran out of the mix for two days, Wei'er. My grandson was sick, I couldn't come down the hill. I gave him some scraps. Is it a big deal?"
"It is," Li Wei said sternly. "The fat composition changes. The meat quality drops. We sell 'Cloud Hill Beef', not 'Cloud Hill Plus Scraps Beef'."
He looked at the steer again. It was a good animal, just not up to the premium standard.
"I'll buy it," Li Wei decided. "But not at the premium price. I'll pay market rate—six coins per *jin*. That's one coin less than the contract price. I'll use it for the workers' stew meat."
Uncle Zhang's face fell. "But the profit…"
"The profit is for those who follow the rules," Li Wei said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Next time, come to me. I would have advanced you the feed on credit. Don't cut corners, Uncle. It devalues the brand."
Uncle Zhang sighed, shoulders slumping. "I understand. I won't do it again."
As Zhang led the steer to the holding pen, Li Wei made a mental note. The co-op was growing, and managing people was harder than managing cattle. He needed a dedicated Quality Control officer.
"Da Niu!" Li Wei called out.
Da Niu ran over, wiping grease from his hands. He had been oiling the gate hinges. "Yes, Boss?"
"You're the Foreman now," Li Wei said. "I'm promoting you. You handle the gate, the schedules, and the wall guards. I need someone here to check the feed mix consistency. I want you to spot-check the partners' barns randomly. If they cheat, we catch them before the animal gets here."
Da Niu puffed his chest out. "I won't let you down, Boss. I'll check every bag."
"Good. Now, get back to work."
***
**The Provincial Summons**
That afternoon, Li Chen arrived at the bunkhouse, holding a red envelope sealed with wax. He looked pale.
"The results from the Prefecture are out?" Li Wei asked, pouring tea for his brother.
"No," Chen said, sitting down heavily. "This isn't from the local Yamen. It's from the Provincial Education Commissioner."
He broke the seal and read the letter. His lips moved silently, then he gasped.
"What is it?"
"I've been recommended," Chen whispered. "Because I placed Third in the county, and because of the Magistrate's letter regarding my essay on 'Resource Management'… I have been invited to take the Provincial Exam (*Xiangshi*) this autumn. Directly. I don't have to do the preliminary rounds."
The Provincial Exam. The gateway to becoming a *Juren* (Recommended Man).
"That's good news!" Li Wei exclaimed, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "It saves time. It saves money."
"It's terrifying," Chen said. "The Provincial Exam is held in the capital city, three hundred *li* away. The competition isn't just local scholars; it's the geniuses from the entire province. And the cost… travel, lodging in the capital for a month, gifts for the examiners to even get a foot in the door…"
Li Wei leaned back. The finances of the ranch were strong, but not "capital city scholar" strong yet. They had sixty taels of silver. A trip to the capital for a scholar could easily burn through twenty.
"What do you need?" Li Wei asked.
"A guard," Chen said immediately. "The roads are dangerous. The bandits we fought were just a splinter group. The main roads are plagued by deserters. And… I need to look the part. I can't show up in this faded robe. I need silk. I need a servant. I need to network."
Li Wei looked at the map on the wall. The provincial capital was far.
"You won't go alone," Li Wei decided. "Mo Lie."
The hunter, who had been sharpening a knife in the corner, looked up.
"I need you to take a leave of absence from the training," Li Wei said. "I need you to escort my brother to the capital. You know the roads. You know the danger."
Mo Lie stood up, sheathing his knife. "I was getting tired of teaching farm boys how to hold a spear. A trip to the capital sounds… cleansing. I have old friends there. Debts to collect."
He looked at Li Chen. "If I take him, Scholar, you listen to me. You don't talk to strangers. You don't show your money. You walk behind me. If I say run, you run. Deal?"
Chen swallowed hard but nodded. "Deal."
"I'll pay for everything," Li Wei said. "We'll buy the silk. We'll hire a carriage. And Chen…"
He reached under his bunk and pulled out a small, leather satchel. He tossed it to Chen.
"There's ten taels of gold in there," Li Wei said. "Silver is heavy. Gold is light. Use it for bribes… I mean, 'gifts'. Network with the other scholars. Don't be shy. You are the brother of the Cloud Hill Rancher. You have backing."
Chen held the heavy satchel. "Ten taels of gold… Brother, this is too much. If I fail…"
"If you fail, you come back and manage my accounts," Li Wei grinned. "But I'm betting on you passing. I want a *Juren* in the family before the winter snows."
***
**The Dairy Initiative**
After the emotional planning session for Chen's departure, Li Wei turned his attention back to the ranch's internal needs.
The workers were growing in number. Eighteen men now ate lunch at the ranch every day. Buying supplies from the town was a constant drain on cash flow.
"We need to be self-sufficient in food," Li Wei told Li Jun as they walked towards the lower pasture. "We have the grain from the harvest, but we lack protein and fat. We rely too much on imported pork and oil."
"We have the cattle," Jun said. "But they're for breeding and meat."
"An is a cow," Li Wei said. "She produces milk. But it's barely enough for the calf. We need a dedicated dairy unit."
He had been thinking about this for a while. The System had unlocked "Dairy Cattle Knowledge" as part of the general husbandry package. He didn't have a purebred dairy cow, but he had the Gen II grass.
"I'm going to buy goats," Li Wei announced.
"Goats?" Jun made a face. "They smell. And they're trouble."
"Goats are efficient," Li Wei countered. "They eat less, they survive on rougher brush, and they produce milk that can be turned into cheese and yogurt. High value, good storage. We can feed the whey to the pigs. It closes the nutrient loop."
He pointed to the rocky outcrop on the far side of the hill—a section that was too steep and stony for cattle.
"Clear that brush. Build a shed. I'm going to the market tomorrow. I want ten milking goats."
"Ten?" Jun groaned. "That's a lot of smell."
"Better the smell of goat milk than the smell of poverty," Li Wei quipped.
***
**The Farewell**
Three days later, the preparations were complete.
A sturdy, covered carriage stood in the courtyard. Mo Lie sat on the driver's bench, dressed in a nondescript grey traveling outfit, a sword hidden in a bundle of blankets beside him. He looked like a common escort, but his eyes scanned the horizon with predatory focus.
Li Chen emerged from the house. He looked different. He was wearing a new robe of deep blue silk—a purchase that had cost three taels of silver alone. He carried a folding fan and a book satchel. He looked like a young lord on his way to take office.
Father Li Dazhong stood by the gate, his face grim but proud. He didn't say much. He just reached out and straightened Chen's collar.
"Don't shame the ancestors," Dazhong said.
"I won't, Father," Chen bowed.
Mother Zhao Lan was crying, tying a bag of dried meat and eggs to the carriage hook. "Eat well. Don't stay up too late reading. The lamp oil hurts your eyes."
"I know, Mother."
Li Wei walked over and handed Chen a small wooden token.
"What is this?" Chen asked.
"It's a branding iron mark," Li Wei said. "Cloud Hill's brand. In the capital, if you get into trouble, find a restaurant that serves our beef. Or a merchant dealing in livestock. Show them this. It might not save you from the law, but it might get you a meal or a horse. We have a reputation now."
Chen clutched the token. "I'll make you proud, Third Brother."
"You already have," Li Wei said. He looked up at Mo Lie. "Mo Lie. Bring him back safe. And yourself."
"Count on it," Mo Lie flicked the reins. "Hyah!"
The carriage rattled out of the gate, bouncing slightly on the stone path. The wheels crunched over the gravel, fading into the distance as they turned onto the main road.
Li Wei watched until the dust settled.
"Alright," Li Wei said, turning back to the ranch. "Back to work. The goats aren't going to buy themselves."
***
**The Breeding Program Update**
Later that afternoon, Li Wei checked on the breeding herd.
Hei Feng was currently in the upper pasture, grazing with the cows that had been brought in for the summer season. He looked like a king among his subjects.
But Li Wei's focus was on Bao.
The Gen 1 calf was now separated into a training pen. He was weaned.
"Time to see what you're made of," Li Wei muttered, entering the pen.
He wasn't gentle. He put Bao through a halter training session. The calf was strong—surprisingly strong. He pulled against the rope with the power of a much older animal.
**[Trait Check: Hump.]**
**[Function: The hump stores fat and water. It also anchors a massive muscle group for the neck.]**
Bao had a strength advantage. His loose skin made it hard for predators—or ropes—to get a grip.
"Good," Li Wei said, wiping sweat from his brow after the session. "Strong. Hardy."
He checked the breeding chart.
"We need to cross Bao with a local cow when he's older," Li Wei thought. "But the real goal is the next System upgrade. If I can get a Brahman bull and an Angus cow… or create a hybrid that has the hump and the marbling…"
He looked at the hills. He needed money. A lot of it. The provincial exam was expensive, but building a top-tier genetic herd was a generational investment.
"I need a big contract," Li Wei whispered.
As if on cue, a rider appeared at the gate. He wore the livery of the Zhang Family.
"Li Wei!" the rider shouted. "Steward Chen summons you! Master Zhang is hosting a banquet for a visiting General from the Northern Frontier. He wants beef. But not just any beef. He wants a whole roasted bull. And he wants it in three days."
"A whole bull?" Li Wei's eyes widened. That was a massive order. A logistical nightmare. And a huge payday.
"I'm listening," Li Wei said.
"Master Zhang says if you can deliver, he will waive the rent on the West Slope for an entire year."
Li Wei's heart skipped a beat. A year of rent-free land? That was worth fifty taels of silver alone.
"Tell Steward Chen I'll be there," Li Wei said. "And tell the kitchen to clear the spit. We're sending them a monster."
**[New Quest: The General's Feast.]**
**[Objective: Deliver a Whole Roast Bull (High Quality).]**
**[Reward: 1 Year Rent Waiver + 50 Taels Silver.]**
**[Time Limit: 3 Days.]**
Li Wei looked at Hei Feng.
"Sorry, old friend," Li Wei said. "We're not eating you. But we might be eating your rival."
He turned to Da Niu.
"Saddle the horses. We're going to the market. I need spices, and I need to borrow the town's biggest butcher."
The ranch was about to enter the big leagues.