Lucrative Post

Sun Ping frowned, just about to ask something more when a burst of footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard gate.

Zhao Dezhu strode in, followed by two lackeys. Reaching the middle of the courtyard, he clapped his hands, signaling everyone to put down their bowls and chopsticks.

Once everyone's attention had gathered on him, Zhao Dezhu cleared his throat and said loudly, "Everyone, there's something I need to tell you."

He wore a relaxed, casual expression, and his tone was equally ordinary. "I've already spoken with Master Wang and the others. They're getting on in years, and their work has become less and less steady. Keeping them in the courtyard would only have them occupying positions. I gave each of them some settlement money and sent them home to retire. They won't need to come work in the courtyard anymore."

As soon as he said this, the courtyard fell silent for several breaths before breaking into low murmurs.

Some secretly trembled. Zhao Dezhu could make people leave whenever he wanted—even an old hand like Master Wang, who had worked in the courtyard for decades, could be kicked out just like that, without even waiting for the Young Master to return.

Such methods truly sent a chill through people's hearts.

Others could not help feeling envious. Though they had been driven away, they had at least received settlement money. Getting a sum of silver without having to work was not much of a loss.

Some younger apprentices even began secretly calculating that it would not be bad if they too could take a sum of money and leave.

Zhao Dezhu took in everyone's reactions and revealed a faint smile. He clapped his hands. "All right, stop talking about it. Go do what you should be doing. As long as everyone works properly from now on, I, Zhao Dezhu, won't treat you poorly."

Only then did everyone disperse and return to their places to continue eating, though each harbored their own private calculations.

Standing beside Shen Chu, Sun Ping listened to Zhao Dezhu's words, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

He turned to Shen Chu. "Do you think this is possible?"

Shen Chu still had not put down his bowl and chopsticks. Muttering, he said, "Who knows? But we shouldn't think too much about it. We should just focus on doing our own work well."

Sun Ping was stunned after hearing that.

Wasn't that what he had told Shen Chu before?

This brat was quite good at borrowing flowers to offer Buddha!

Sun Ping shot him an annoyed look, but he also felt Shen Chu was right.

Though something still felt off, after letting out a sigh, he turned and returned to his workstation.

Shen Chu said nothing, but he knew the truth perfectly well.

The time when Master Wang and the others disappeared happened to be the very night Shen Chu had run into Master Wang eagerly heading off to find Zhao Dezhu.

If this had nothing to do with Zhao Dezhu, Shen Chu would not believe it even if beaten to death.

But Shen Chu could not be bothered to investigate further. He had no friendship with those old men anyway, and he had no desire to wade into those muddy waters.

As the saying went, heaven and earth were vast, but eating was greatest.

He had better focus on his meal.

With that thought, Shen Chu continued dealing with the food in his bowl.

As he ate, he sensed someone approaching. Looking up, he saw Zhao Dezhu walking over with a smiling face, carrying a bowl of soup as though he had merely stopped by for a chat.

Zhao Dezhu squatted down beside him and handed over the bowl of soup first. "Master Shen, have a taste. The kitchen stewed bone soup today, so I brought you a bowl."

Looks like he had something to discuss with me...

Shen Chu glanced at him, accepted the bowl, took a sip, and thanked him, waiting for him to continue.

Sure enough, after exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhao Dezhu got to the point.

He sighed, his face growing even more troubled. "Master Shen, you've seen it yourself. Now that Master Wang and the others are gone, the courtyard is even shorter on capable hands. The burden on me as steward is heavy. I'm so busy every day that my feet barely touch the ground, and I can't even get a bite of hot food."

He paused, turned to Shen Chu, and smiled with a touch of sincerity. "So I was thinking, could I ask Master Shen to share some of the burden? You wouldn't need to do anything else—just help handle some purchasing. Coal, iron materials, that sort of thing. Make a few trips each month and coordinate with the suppliers. The work isn't heavy, but it would help ease my burden somewhat."

The moment those words came out, all the masters in the courtyard who had been pricking up their ears to eavesdrop froze.

Purchasing!

Everyone knew that purchasing for the Sword-Forging Courtyard was a position dripping with profit.

Coal and iron materials were bulk consumables. There were many suppliers, and prices had plenty of room to fluctuate. With the slightest bit of maneuvering, the grease in the middle was enough to feed an ordinary worker for half a year.

Previously, Steward Li had personally controlled this job. After Steward Li died, Zhao Dezhu took over and kept it tightly in his own hands, giving it to no one.

And now he was actually going to hand this lucrative post to Shen Chu?

For a moment, countless gazes focused on Shen Chu in unison.

Some were shocked, some envious, some jealous.

A few were even secretly considering whether they should try getting closer to Shen Chu.

Zhao Dezhu turned toward Sun Ping in the distance and asked with a smile, "Master Sun, you're a forging master and Master Shen's supervisor. I'd like to hear your opinion on this as well."

Sun Ping had also been startled by Zhao Dezhu's words. Only when Zhao Dezhu called to him did he come back to himself. Chuckling, he said, "It's his good fortune that Steward Zhao thinks highly of him. I have no objections. Young people should get more experience—it's a good thing."

Having spent so much time with Shen Chu, he knew the lad was steady and dependable. There was no reason to stand in the way of his prospects.

Holding his rice bowl, Shen Chu quickly weighed things in his mind.

He knew there had to be some scheme behind Zhao Dezhu suddenly offering him such a large meat pie.

But on second thought, purchasing really could bring in quite a bit of extra profit. Though he did not lack food or drink now, his pockets were not exactly full. Making more money could never hurt.

As for what Zhao Dezhu was plotting, he would block soldiers with generals and stem water with earth.

He put down his bowl and nodded at Zhao Dezhu. "Since Steward Zhao thinks so highly of me, I'll give it a try."

The smile on Zhao Dezhu's face immediately brightened. He patted Shen Chu on the shoulder and said repeatedly, "Good, good, good! With Master Shen helping out, I can rest easy!"

After taking on the work, Shen Chu initially remained on full alert.

Things were fine within the city, but especially outside it.

Every time he went purchasing, he deliberately brought one or two masters along. He also kept watch over the surroundings throughout the journey, afraid Zhao Dezhu might dig some pit for him along the way.

Yet after five or six trips in a row, nothing happened.

The suppliers delivered on time, the payments and accounts were crystal clear, and the roads were safe and peaceful. Every time Shen Chu returned to report back, Zhao Dezhu would take the receipts with a cheerful smile, put them away without even looking, and always praise him a few times.

Shen Chu gradually lowered his guard.

Perhaps he had seen too many schemes and intrigues and had thought too badly of Zhao Dezhu.

His preaching was one thing.

Perhaps Zhao Dezhu truly wanted to win over a promising prospect like him, which was why he had handed him such a lucrative position?