Profit or Loss

"Greetings, Aunt." Fang Yun performed a formal salute.

"We're all family, no need for such politeness. Sit quickly." The Second Madam smiled and gestured for Fang Yun to sit, while she took a grand armchair in the seat of honor.

The First Madam did not sit in the seat of honor. Instead, she came over with a beaming smile, went straight to Yang Yuhuan, took her hand, and said, "What a Xishi of Jiang Prefecture. I'd say you're even lovelier than Xishi herself. It's truly letting Xiao Yun off easy for you to be his principal wife. I didn't prepare anything for our first meeting, so take this bracelet."

As she spoke, the First Madam slipped the bracelet from her own wrist and put it directly onto Yang Yuhuan's.

Blushing, Yang Yuhuan said, "I can't accept this. It's far too valuable." As she spoke, she tried to pull her hand away. Her hands were rough, and she was afraid others would laugh at her.

Yet the First Madam seemed utterly unaware of it. "It is only right and proper for an aunt to give something to her niece-in-law. You have to accept it, whether you want to or not."

Fang Yun politely declined. "Aunt, this bracelet is too valuable."

"Valuable? Worn by Yuhuan, I still think it isn't good enough. Once I go to Jade Sea City and choose carefully, I'll certainly pick out a better one. Otherwise, it would be a waste of such a beauty. Come, sit together." The First Madam reached out to arrange Yang Yuhuan's hair, seeming to like her greatly.

The First Madam sat in the lower seats with Fang Yun and the other two, while the Second Madam alone sat in the main seat.

Yang Yuhuan could not tell, but Fang Yun and Liang Yuan exchanged a glance and realized something was amiss between the two madams.

Just as Fang Yun was about to speak, the Second Madam beat him to it. "Sister-in-law is right. But the Fang Residence supports such a large household; money cannot simply be spent whenever one pleases. Elder Brother values Fang Yun, and so do I, but a ten-percent stake in a bookstore costs one thousand taels. Isn't that too much? With those thousand taels of silver..."

"Younger Sister." The First Madam cut off the Second Madam, turning to look at her. "Ying Li should be waking from his nap soon. If his mother isn't there, he'll start crying and fussing again. My husband has already decided the matter of the bookstore. We women should simply do as we are told. Yu Ye, go find the chief steward. Have him accompany Xiao Yun to the yamen to handle the bookstore's documents and contract."

"Yes, Madam." A maid immediately left.

The Second Madam smiled. "That's not how one should put it. The Fang Household's money wasn't blown in on the wind either. One thousand taels would be enough for us to open a new bookstore ourselves. Exchanging it for only one share is hardly worthwhile. Still, Fang Yun is family, and Elder Brother has spoken. I'm not insatiably greedy, so let it be three shares."

Disgust rose in Fang Yun's heart. He had already guessed that this was a struggle between the two branches of the Fang Household, and it had actually spilled onto him. If that was the case, he would rather not have the money at all. There was no need for him to teach at the Fang clan school either. If it came to it, he could sell a few poems for money and open a bookstore himself.

Fang Yun immediately rose to his feet. "Since the Second Madam puts it this way, Fang Yun shall not intrude any longer. Today, I will write a letter to Uncle, telling him to cancel our partnership with the Fang Household. Farewell."

Yang Yuhuan and Liang Yuan hurriedly stood as well.

The Second Madam immediately said, "This is your own decision. Don't tell Elder Brother that I forced you. I will not admit to something I never did."

"Shut up!" The First Madam suddenly shouted at the Second Madam. Then she hurried ahead to block Fang Yun's path and broke into a smile. "Your younger aunt has a temperament that makes a scene wherever she goes. Don't take offense. I manage this household; what she says does not count! Come, Aunt will personally accompany you to the yamen and settle this matter. Your uncle and I both think highly of you, so don't overthink it."

Seeing the First Madam's attitude, the anger in Fang Yun's heart subsided somewhat. On careful thought, it was obvious that the Second Madam had deliberately been picking at the First Madam, cursing the locust tree while pointing at the mulberry. She also seemed to want to ruin Fang Shouye's relationship with him. At first, the First Madam had not wanted to make too much of it, but with his attitude being so resolute, she had no choice but to fall out with the Second Madam.

If he had simply stormed off in anger, he would have played right into the Second Madam's hands.

Fang Yun smiled. "First Aunt, you worry too much. Your nephew's eyes are clear and his heart is bright; I know who treats me well. How about this? Since the Second Madam dislikes using the Fang Household's money, then let Uncle personally buy a share in my business. Within three months, I can provide at least one thousand taels in dividends!"

"Watch you don't throw your back out boasting!" the Second Madam muttered under her breath, but she no longer dared make things difficult for Fang Yun.

The First Madam smiled. "My husband is, after all, a fifth-rank general. It would be inappropriate for him to invest under his own name. Let us do this instead: I shall invest under my name, and those thousand taels will count as my personal savings. As for dividends, we can discuss that after the new year. There is no hurry."

"That works," Fang Yun said.

At that moment, the maid entered with Steward Fang.

Steward Fang was an ordinary little old man dressed in black robes, stern and respectful.

"First Madam, Second Madam." Steward Fang politely nodded in greeting.

The First Madam said with a smile, "I originally intended to have you represent the Fang Household at the yamen and sign the documents, but since I am going personally now, I will not trouble you."

When Fang Yun heard her use the respectful "you," he realized that this steward held no low position in the Fang Household.

Steward Fang swept a glance over Fang Yun and the others. "I handle such matters often. Allow me to accompany you."

"That is true. With you there, we can avoid quite a bit of trouble."

Afterward, the group headed outside, while the Second Madam cursed in a low voice, "May you all lose yourselves to death."

Everyone pretended not to hear.

The group first rented a property, then went to the yamen to complete the relevant procedures.

The clerks and officials at the prefectural yamen rarely saw the First Madam of a prominent household come in person, so they firmly remembered Three-Flavors Bookstore. In the future, they absolutely could not afford to offend this bookstore.

While Fang Yun was handling the bookstore's paperwork, the clerks of the Sacred Academy atop Upside-Down Peak Mountain were also busy at work.

Academy Students were important figures anywhere. Even great clans would not offend one for no reason. Yet within the Sacred Academy, their status was the lowest. Still, nourished by the Sacred Academy's Literary Qi, they found it easier than ordinary Academy Students to become Provincial Graduates, and the road ahead of them was longer. The Sacred Academy lineage wielded great influence in every nation.

Two Academy Student clerks carried two book chests as they hurried toward the Review Hall of the Sacred Way monthly journal.

"Hurry, hurry. The County Examination has just ended, and every state has County Examination poems recommended by Grand Academicians. These have already passed

the 'Sage Selection,' so we must not delay them," said the older clerk.

"Yes." The younger clerk ran with his head down.

The two clerks reached the Review Hall, straightened their clothes, and pushed open the door.

The Review Hall was exceedingly spacious, and the entire great chamber was filled with a soft white radiance.

On the east, north, and west sides stood long tables each two zhang in length. Behind each table sat a Confucian scholar in Grand Academician robes: one elderly, one middle-aged, and one unexpectedly young, only in his twenties.

Many sheets of paper floated in midair within the Review Hall. With a thought from the Grand Academicians, they would either fly away or drift before them.

"Nothing but Literary Qi, and utter nonsense!" The elderly Grand Academician snorted. Several sheets immediately curled into balls and flew into a wastebasket.

"This poem is not bad. It may be selected. Pass it. Elder, have a look."

After the middle-aged man spoke, a page flew before the elderly man. The old man lowered his head to look at it and said, "Pass." The page then flew before the young man.

The young man glanced up at it and said, "Reserve." The page was set aside.

The other two continued their review.

The middle-aged man looked toward the door and asked kindly, "Are these County Examination poems from the various regions?"

"Yes. More than two thousand poems were recommended by the ninety states. After the Sage Selection, only sixty-seven remained, with the lowest being County-Exceeding," said the clerk.

The elderly Grand Academician muttered in dissatisfaction, "In recent years, what qualified poems or essays have emerged from the County Examination or Prefectural Examination? The last Metropolitan Graduate among this generation's Four Great Talents was five years ago. Each generation is worse than the last, one crab worse than another! It makes no sense to select poems from the County Examination and Prefectural Examination for the Sacred Way! I won't read them. You two decide; I agree."

With a wave of the middle-aged Grand Academician's hand, the papers in the two clerks' book chests immediately flew out one after another with rustling sounds, spreading through the air into a long bridge of white paper before landing neatly on his desk.

After the two clerks left, the middle-aged Grand Academician ignored that stack of County Examination poems and essays, continuing to select from other writings.

Only after a full half hour did the middle-aged Grand Academician begin reading the County Examination poems and essays page by page.

One page, two pages, three pages...

Upon reaching the twenty-sixth poem, the middle-aged Grand Academician's expression shifted. He involuntarily read it a second time, then recited it aloud. It was precisely Spring Dawn.

The other two Grand Academicians had no reaction at first, but once he finished reading the final line, "How many blossoms fell, who could know?" the old and young Grand Academicians both raised their heads to look at the middle-aged Grand Academician.

"Whose work is this? It possesses the talent to ring through a state. Its freshness is rare, yet it leaves one with lingering savor. It may enter next month's Sacred Way," said the elderly Grand Academician.

The young Grand Academician nodded. "Pass."

The two had thought the middle-aged Grand Academician would give his judgment, but instead he continued by reading aloud the frontier poem Year's End.

"Good, a breast full of righteous qi. Two poems by one person? This poem too has the talent to ring through a state. Just who is it?" The elderly Grand Academician spoke bluntly.

"Do you remember this year's only Licentiate with Double-A Honor?"

The young Grand Academician, who had remained impassive all this time, widened his eyes slightly. He could not believe that a Licentiate could compose such fine poems.

"I did hear of him. Those youngsters refused to accept it and have all been asking around about him, but I paid little attention. These were all written by that Licentiate?" The elderly Grand Academician reached out and snatched the pages over. Spring Dawn and Year's End were written on them.

The middle-aged Grand Academician looked at the next page. "So Spring Dawn was composed in the examination hall. Year's End only had half a poem in the examination hall, then was completed at the Licentiate Literary Assembly. However, there is another astonishing matter. Dissatisfied with Jing Kingdom's crushing defeat last year, he actually said at the Licentiate Literary Assembly: 'The rise and fall of all under Heaven is the responsibility of every common man.'"

"Good! Good! That line alone can leave his name in the Historical Records! His name is Fang Yun? I shall remember it. If I ever meet him, I must speak with him by candlelight through the night. Great talent, great talent! He must be a late bloomer, then?"

The middle-aged Grand Academician said, "He is sixteen."

The elderly Grand Academician froze, while the young Grand Academician's gaze suddenly turned exceptionally sharp.

"Then these two poems, as well as 'The rise and fall of all under Heaven is the responsibility of every common man,' will all enter next month's Sacred Way?"

"Naturally," said the elderly Grand Academician.

But the young Grand Academician said, "Year's End is not a top-grade poem from the County Examination, so it may be inappropriate to publish it next month. Moreover, he is so young. For two poems and one line to enter the Sacred Way in a single month would be far too earthshaking. Since there are many poems to select this month, it would be better to delay Year's End by one month."

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