Matsutake

Biodata

Background / History

To avoid accidentally exposing inconsistencies in conversation, Matsutake unified his Other World identity, Zi Yi, under the Main World name Matsutake. 74

He developed a business around matsutake procurement and secret-seasoning production. Once the pavilion had produced sufficient seasoning, he transferred the local purchasing business to An Ye as a means of income; future plans involved adding matsutake to the recipe and expanding purchases beyond the Cloud Mist Mountain Range. 74

Matsutake also expanded a coal-mining operation. Seeing coal stoves already in use across the county, he concluded that cheap, durable coal could progressively replace firewood and began arranging the recruitment of tens of thousands of miners. 74

After becoming a Bright Moon Pavilion disciple, Matsutake began systematically studying its cultivation knowledge, including mental-cultivation methods, combat moves, and methods of exerting force. 74

Personality

Matsutake is pragmatic and forward-looking. He evaluates ventures in terms of long-term supply, production capacity, and how they can improve local livelihoods, such as using the mine to provide winter wages for surrounding villagers. 74

He is also cautious about information control, changing the identity used by those around him to reduce the chance of revealing secrets. 74

Abilities & Skills

Business Management

Matsutake manages accounts, procurement arrangements, and large-scale expansion plans for both matsutake-related production and the coal mine. 74

• Directed An Ye's matsutake purchasing business after pavilion seasoning production became sufficient. 74
• Estimated that annual dried-matsutake collection could rise from slightly over 100 tons to 700–800 tons. 74
• Planned to use trade income to support the mine's expansion and recruitment. 74

Cultivation Study

As a Bright Moon Pavilion disciple, Matsutake studies the sect's cultivation system in a structured manner. 74

• Began with introductory cultivation instruction, including the Great Yin Long Fist and Moonlight Covering the Sky swordsmanship. 74
• Uses recorded, multi-angle teaching materials to preserve and review swordsmanship instruction. 74
• Recognized that Bright Moon Pavilion's terminology and Inner Breath circulation differ from conventional cultivation methods. 74

Strategic Planning

Matsutake links industrial expansion, seasonal production, and labor demand into a single long-term plan. 74

• Identified coal as a scalable replacement for firewood in Linze County. 74
• Considered miner wages as a way for local families to afford winter clothing and heating. 74
• Chose to recruit miners directly rather than first consulting County Magistrate Li He about their settlement. 74

Relationships

• An Ye — Matsutake's matsutake-procurement partner; An Ye received the seasoning-related purchasing business as a source of income. 74
• Fengping — Registrar who discusses miner recruitment, settles matsutake accounts, and provides receipts. 74
• Xue Fei — Associated with Matsutake's use of cultivation teaching materials and Bright Moon Pavilion studies. 74

Story Role / Major Arcs

Matsutake and Secret-Seasoning Trade

Matsutake oversees the transition from small-scale matsutake purchases to a broader seasoning business. At first, production relies on yellow croaker; matsutake is intended to be incorporated into the recipe later, enabling purchases from more distant mountains. 74

Coal Mine Expansion

Matsutake treats the coal mine as a county-scale industrial opportunity. He seeks a workforce in the tens of thousands and expects the spread of coal use to widen the mine's market beyond its immediate area. 74

Bright Moon Pavilion Enrollment

Matsutake becomes a Bright Moon Pavilion disciple and begins absorbing its cultivation methods, terminology, and practical techniques rather than relying on incomplete understanding. 74