Su Wenqian summoned the clerk, glanced at the prices in the fish scale pattern catalog, and then looked up at Jin Shanyao, "Buy it all at once, or in batches?"
Jin Shanyao took the fish scale map and stared at several barren hills, asking, "How much per acre?"
"Three taels of silver... that's the lowest price."
"So expensive???" Jin Shanyao in shock, "My lord... I don't earn money easily, three taels of silver, are you trying to kill me?"
Seeing that she was clinging to the fish scale picture book and wouldn't let go, Su Wenqian said helplessly, "Give me back the book first."
"I won't... Sir, give me two taels of silver today, and I'll return the green hills and clear waters to you tomorrow."
Su Wenqian gritted his teeth, "This is a mountain belonging to the imperial court, Non-Self personal property. How can you lower the price so easily?"
Jin Shanyao at him sideways, "Nephew... don't lie to your aunt. I found out everything before I came. The prefect has the right to set prices; this is called collusion between officials and merchants."
"In the shadow puppet show 'The Execution of the Corrupt Official,' the prefect sells prime farmland at a low price to others, profiting from it... This is called embezzlement."
Su Wenqian silently picked up the gavel, weighed it in his palm, and his expression darkened.
With Jin Shanyao speed, Jin Shanyao snatched the gavel from the court, declaring, "Then we'll exempt you from taxes for three years."
Su Wenqian's face darkened further. He pulled out a token with his backhand, but Jin Shanyao snatched it away again.
"Two years, how about two years?"
Su Wenqian was so angry that veins throbbed on his forehead. He reached for the official seal on the desk, only to find it empty. Jin Shanyao, holding the heavy seal, smiled insincerely, "Two years is the minimum."
Su Wenqian gritted his teeth, "One year, at most one year of tax exemption."
"Alright, sign the contract." Jin Shanyao with joy and shoved the official seal into Su Wenqian's hand.
Su Wenqian gripped the official seal, stunned and somewhat bewildered. Had... he been tricked by Jin Shanyao?
Back at the Anzhi Hall, Jin Shanyao handed the land deed to Meng Anzhi, placed a chair outside the shop, and lay down directly on it...
Sunbathing, first the front, then the back, then the left side.
When Xiao Huzi arrived, he saw her sprawled on the chair like a live fish, jumping around wildly. He went up to her, poked Jin Shanyao his cheek. " Shopkeeper Jin..."
Jin Shanyao opened her eyes and was startled by the sight before her.
One, two, three, four, five... A bunch of kids surrounded her, making it impossible for her to get through. "Why aren't you all at the private school? What are you doing out here?"
Xiao Huzi waved to the younger children, "You all go in first, I need to say a few words to Shopkeeper Jin."
Upon hearing this, a group of young boys swarmed into the Anzhi Hall.
Jin Shanyao and Xiao Huzi stared at each other, "What's going on? Did you skip school?"
Xiao Huzi shushed, "Auntie, keep your voice down, don't let my third grandfather hear..." He glanced at the rouge shop, grabbed the sleeve of the Jin Shanyao, and covered his face.
He whispered, "Those are all my classmates. I thought the Beating-Resistance Talisman Paper you drew were especially effective, so I told them."
Shopkeeper Jin, we're both businessmen. If I bring five people over for you, you'll give me a one-cent commission.
"I won't take this penny for nothing. I'll use it to buy some talismans from you later, how about that?"
Jin Shanyao chuckled, sitting up straight to meet his gaze. " Beating-Resistance Talisman Paper, one coin each. If you bring in five people, not only will I not make any money, I'll have to pay you for one too?"
Xiao Huzi gave him a look that said, "You just don't understand," and mimicked his father's business-like tone, " Shopkeeper Jin, you need to think long-term. My classmates get beaten up every day at the academy, and they get beaten up again when they get home."
"I'm building a long-term business for you, a steady stream of income. Isn't that much faster than you making money penny by penny?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Shanyao's smile faded slightly. She pulled out her sleeve, startling Xiao Huzi, who cried out and hurriedly grabbed his clothes.
Unexpectedly, her hand was caught by Jin Shanyao. She flipped open Xiao Huzi's palm and was shocked to see a large red ruler mark.
"I got hit..."
Xiao Huzi then held out his other hand to show her; both hands were covered in marks from the ruler. " Shopkeeper Jin... see this? This is a business opportunity... grab it, and you're not far from becoming rich!"
Jin Shanyao rubbed his little head and stood up. "That makes sense. Come on... I'll draw you a talisman."
Xiao Huzi followed behind Jin Shanyao, grinning from ear to ear until they entered the house, at which point he finally closed his mouth, his face stern as he addressed the group of little rascals.
"I've already spoken with Shopkeeper Jin, and he's agreed to sell it to you for one copper coin. But you can't reveal this price to anyone, understand?"
"Don't worry, Tiger, this is all my secret stash of money. Nobody knows... Even if my family asks, I'll just say I picked up the talismans on the street."
Xiao Huzi nodded in satisfaction, "Line up... one at a time."
"Brother Tiger, you go first..."
Xiao Huzi pushed him to stand at the front, saying, "I'm your big brother, I can make you suffer, go ahead and line up," and then he stood at the back of the line.
Jin Shanyao gave Zhou Xiaosi a look, and Zhou Xiaosi turned and went to the shop next door.
At the table, a four- or five-year-old boy stared curiously at the Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "Stretch out your hand, let me see the extent of the beating."
The little boy didn't understand anything, so he did whatever he was told. He stretched out his hands, and two clear marks from the ruler were imprinted on them. Jin Shanyao picked up a pen, drew a talisman, and handed it to him.
"Keep it close to your body... it will keep you from feeling pain."
The little boy's eyes sparkled as he asked, "Is it disposable?"
Uh... I guess so.
The little boy took out another coin, "Then I'll take two..."
"Alright!"
Jin Shanyao drawing the talisman and handed it over, the second child obediently sat down.
She paid special attention to each of her young customers, always taking their hands to check the severity of their injuries before she began drawing the talismans.
Within fifteen minutes, the little ones who had been queuing up obediently began to disrupt the order.
They swarmed around Jin Shanyao, clinging to the edge of the table, craning their necks to watch her draw talismans, their chattering so loud it made their ears burn.
"Auntie... if I draw your talisman, can I make Beating-Resistance Talisman?"
Jin Shanyao handed the talisman to the cub, "This probably won't work, I infused it with Spiritual Power..."
"How can I gain Spiritual Power..."
"Yes, get more sunshine and drink more water..."
Jin Shanyao was talking to them when Wang Jinlian's apologetic voice came from outside the door, "Don't worry, everyone... the child won't be lost."
"They can't be lost... If someone hadn't informed us, we wouldn't have known your son had taken my child to skip school," Anzhi Hall said as the door opened.
Four or five women rushed in, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that their children were all there. But when they saw the copper coins on the table, they were furious.
" Shopkeeper Jin, are you so greedy you've gone mad? You'd even swindle a child out of a single penny!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Huzi stepped in front of Jin Shanyao and shouted, "We used our own money to buy our own talismans, how can you call it cheating? If you dare to slander my aunt again, I'll report you to the government office!"
Jin Shanyao gently pressed her hand on Xiao Huzi's head, her gaze slightly somber.
"First of all, I haven't lied to anyone. Secondly, instead of blaming me, you should ask them why they came here, and take a look at their hands."
Jin Shanyao spoke, she opened Xiao Huzi's hand and showed it to everyone.
"If one child is naughty and gets beaten, I believe it. But if all the children in the school are beaten," she paused, looking at the parents with different expressions, "Then you should ask the teacher whether he knows how to teach this child at all."
Wang Jinlian frowned. "Isn't it right for the teacher to be strict?"
"Being strict doesn't mean you can hit them. Besides, they're only four or five years old, which is a very active age... Would you be happy if you made them sit like puppets, not moving at all?"
Hearing her words, everyone looked at their own children and found them standing there with red eyes, tears streaming down their faces.