Money, Money, Money

"Finally, I've reached minor mastery!"

Delight filled Gu Sheng's eyes. Three days of effort had finally borne fruit.

With Chopping Wood at minor mastery, he could now easily borrow force and unleash most of his body's strength, splitting a log cleanly with a single axe blow.

Though it consumed slightly more strength in an instant, his overall efficiency had increased by at least fifty percent!

"At my current efficiency, I should be comparable to an ordinary adult. Chopping five hundred pieces of firewood a day won't be a problem."

Gu Sheng estimated inwardly.

Five hundred pieces of firewood meant five copper coins, which was already quite decent.

If Gu Sheng ate only one jin of rice bran a day, he could even save one copper coin.

"This is a good start. Minor mastery alone has improved my wood-chopping efficiency so much. If I reach major mastery, or even perfection, I'll earn even more."

"Eating two jin of rice bran every day costs a little over eight copper coins. It's only a matter of time before my income balances my expenses. By then, I might even have some left over."

"The only issue is how much firewood the main household needs, but there's no need to worry. Including the household's winter stockpile, there's more than enough for me to earn from."

Gu Sheng let out a soft breath and considered one final question.

"Now that Chopping Wood has reached minor mastery, how many logs do I need to chop for each 1% increase in proficiency?"

Very quickly.

Gu Sheng got his answer.

During the final two hours before sunset, at his previous pace, he could have chopped at most sixty or seventy pieces of firewood.

But now—

He had chopped over a hundred!

And his proficiency had successfully risen to 2%.

"After reaching minor mastery, chopping fifty pieces of firewood raises proficiency by 1%?"

Gu Sheng nodded to himself. At this rate, perhaps he would not even need ten days to grind Chopping Wood up to major mastery!

By then.

He would have truly gained a foothold in Gu Family Village and could slowly begin making plans for martial training afterward.

The steward's small courtyard.

Gu He looked at Gu Sheng in astonishment.

"How many did you say? Three hundred and sixty-four?"

Gu Sheng pursed his lips and nodded, looking at Gu He with an honest, simple expression.

Gu He carefully examined Gu Sheng several times, paying especially close attention to his arms. He was practically about to reach out and feel them.

"How strange. In only a few days, he's been chopping more firewood each day. Could he have been born with immense strength?"

He was startled inwardly and quietly became more vigilant.

He had already had others inspect Gu Sheng's firewood totals twice before. There had not been the slightest discrepancy, so Gu Sheng clearly was not deceiving him.

Gu He said nothing more and counted out four coins for Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng took the initiative to say,

"Thank you, Steward. I'll slowly make up the amount I owe."

Gu He nodded slightly and called over the next day laborer to settle accounts.

Gu Sheng paid it no mind and headed out of the courtyard. A few laborers watched him, perhaps because Gu He's attitude toward him had been somewhat different, or perhaps because Gu Sheng was simply too young.

Gu Sheng returned home.

He lit the fire and cooked a meal, eating a large bowlful of rice with wild vegetables. Remembering the taste of rabbit meat from before, he could not help licking his lips.

He then scooped out some pitch-black ointment from the earthen jar and rubbed it over his arms, waist, and abdomen.

A faint coolness spread through his skin, and the effects were remarkable.

Gu Sheng had been able to grind experience so smoothly largely because of this ointment. Otherwise, even with the panel's support, he might not have managed to chop two hundred pieces of firewood the next day.

He looked at the bottom of the earthen jar, where only a thin layer remained.

"It can barely be used one more time, but that's enough. Afterward, my body can recover on its own. Then I can return the jar to Brother Erniu."

In the night sky.

The distinctive cries of summer drifted faintly into Gu Sheng's ears with the wind. The heat made it hard for him to sleep.

Gu Sheng leaned against the kang bed with his hands behind his head, thinking about his plans for the future.

"I'm fourteen now. If I rely on chopping firewood, it isn't impossible to scrape together one tael of silver within a year."

"But after I start martial training, the expenses will be the greatest problem. The poor pursue learning, the rich pursue martial arts—it has always been that way. Chopping firewood alone consumes so much every day, let alone martial training."

"Once I've gained a foothold, I need to think of better ways to make money."

"Within a year, I need to earn as much money as possible! At the same time, I need to gradually build up my body. If I want muscles and strength, food alone won't do—I need meat. But meat is expensive."

"Money! Money! Money! In the end, it's still all about money!"

Gu Sheng could not help feeling a headache coming on.

Though he possessed the wisdom of a previous life, even the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice.

He was currently nothing more than a frail fourteen-year-old boy. At most, his minor mastery in Chopping Wood could raise his fighting ability a little. If he truly came up with some method to make a fortune—

He might end up lying dead in the wilderness the very next day.

"Gu Sheng! Are you asleep?"

The deliberately lowered voice immediately interrupted Gu Sheng's thoughts.

Gu Sheng rolled off the kang bed and opened the door, only to see Gu Erniu standing beyond the fence, calling softly.

At the sight of Gu Sheng, Gu Erniu's face brightened. He beckoned him over and handed him a small piece of smoked meat.

"Don't rush to refuse. Brother Erniu has something to ask of you."

Gu Sheng froze as the smoked meat was pressed into his hand. He brought Gu Erniu into the thatched hut, shut the door, and said solemnly,

"What kind of person does Brother Erniu take me for? Since my father passed away, you're the only one who has treated me sincerely. Of course I'll do whatever you ask."

Gu Erniu laughed heartily and patted Gu Sheng's shoulder.

"You're still as stubborn as ever, kid. Just take the meat and eat it. Starting tomorrow, I'll be heading into the mountains to take care of something. I may be gone for three to five days, or perhaps only one or two. While I'm away, if your sister-in-law needs anything, you have to help her out."

Gu Sheng nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Brother Erniu."

After hesitating for a moment, he asked,

"But Brother Erniu, if you're going into the mountains for three to five days, won't it be dangerous?"

Gu Erniu lowered his voice.

"No. This time, the village is organizing the hunters to enter the mountains. I'm only responsible for leading the way, and there'll be a great expert accompanying us! If we're lucky, we might make a huge haul. When I get back, I'll give you some meat so you can properly build up your body!"

His voice was filled with delight. Clearly, this was a fine assignment.

"Just don't spread it around."

Gu Sheng felt somewhat puzzled. Anyone Gu Erniu called a great expert was surely a martial artist, but he could not shake the strange feeling that Gu Family Village's martial artists had no reason to organize hunters for a mountain expedition.

But he was only an insignificant boy who chopped firewood. These matters had nothing to do with him.

Even if he wanted to interfere, he lacked the ability.

Gu Sheng still warned him,

"Brother Erniu, be careful."

Gu Erniu nodded and left with a smile.

He did not think he would face any danger. The village's martial artists seemed to have given him great confidence.

He had come to ask Gu Sheng for help that night partly as an extra precaution. Since he would be away from home for several days, if anything happened to his wife, it would always be better to have a grown male nearby.

The other reason was to find an excuse to give Gu Sheng some meat.

Gu Erniu knew that Gu Sheng, like his father, had a stubborn temperament and would not easily accept favors.

The ointment and small piece of rabbit meat he had given before were already the limit.

The next day.

Gu Sheng went to chop firewood for the main household as usual, while Gu Erniu entered the mountains.