Chapter 317

The official who dispatched the assassins did not send anyone to watch outside the shop, nor would he inquire whether the attempt had succeeded. For someone who resorts to such underhanded tactics, he knew the men he sent were destined to fail. He had already contemplated the consequences, yet if he did not try, he would be restless with regret. In truth, he admired Wang Xiujin’s intellect; he acknowledged that some of Wang’s ideas were correct, yet they contradicted the teachings of scholars and, naturally, would not be accepted by them.

"My Lord, the Emperor has summoned you to the palace," the old servant said, standing behind the elderly man with a look of worry. The old man looked up at a bird's nest in the tree. Before the servant could speak again, he turned and walked toward his bedroom in silence. The servant’s anxiety deepened, and he could not help but sigh; if only he had stopped those men that day, perhaps his master would not be so troubled.

The assassins captured and brought to the Censorate confessed without the need for torture. Master Wang took the written testimony and headed to the palace. Upon learning that Wang Xiujin had been ambushed at his shop, the old General of the Li family slammed his table in anger and called for his robes, determined to face the Emperor himself. Wang Xiujin had originally wanted to go to the palace as well, simply to ask what he had done to offend that person and how he had stood in his way to warrant an attempt on his life. Even if human life was cheap in this era, one could not act in such a manner. Even if the culprit held high power, the Li and Wang families were no slouches, and they had no past grievances or recent grudges. Wang Xiujin felt a suffocating frustration, unable to vent it. He did not go to the palace to cause a scene not because of his composure, nor because he knew his father and the old General were already there, but because the workshop had come looking for him—the blacksmiths had finally crafted a bicycle out of iron. Wang Xiujin was dragged off by the workshop manager.

At the workshop, looking at the polished iron bicycle, Wang Xiujin felt as if he had been transported back to the fifties and sixties; all that was missing was electric light. He wondered what the group sent overseas would bring back. Transitioning from agriculture to industry was not as easy as he had imagined. Just as things were getting started, someone already wanted his head. He could not tell if it was jealousy or something else. Wang Xiujin could not summon any enthusiasm, so he let others deliver the first iron bicycle to the palace while he decided to go home. In his current mood, everything reminded him of the attempt on his life, so staying home was better.

Back home, Wang Xiujin ordered the steward to go to the estate, bring back some beef and mutton, and purchase fresh greens to have a hotpot and barbecue in the evening. When in a bad mood, only food could provide comfort. The steward complied, heading to the estate personally to oversee the slaughter and cleaning of the livestock. He brought everything back, keeping what was needed for the evening and freezing the rest.

To enjoy barbecue, Wang Xiujin had previously commissioned a thick iron plate stove. When he wanted to eat, he would just add charcoal, brush oil on the plate, and grill the meat. Barbecue was very popular in the Li household, mainly because the meat was thicker than that used for hotpot and tasted richer. At noon, Wang Xiujin sat around the table with his younger brothers-in-law, grilling meat. The younger brothers, not yet married, were quite polite and held Wang in great awe, yet there was little restraint as they sat at the same table.

The children of the second Li branch talked mostly about the customs of the borderlands where their parents were stationed, while the children of the third branch spoke of their studies and life in the military camp. Wang Xiujin was very curious about the border. The legendary Golden Triangle did not even have a name, let alone defined borders, and as for minefields... there were no landmines, so there were no minefields. However, without clear demarcations or guards, the border residents moved quite freely. Wang Xiujin remembered how, before the apocalypse in his previous life, some countries would send people into sensitive border areas—territory that clearly belonged to his country, yet was occupied by people from the neighboring nation—who would then brazenly claim that land as their own. Such territorial encroachment was infuriating.

Wang Xiujin thought he should warn the Emperor about such creeping encroachment, but he dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. The more one says, the more one errs. It was better to keep to himself and avoid trouble. He still could not fathom how he had offended that Grand Secretary to the point of being marked for death.

In the palace, the Grand Secretary faced the old General and Master Wang without a hint of panic. He could not say whether his actions were right or wrong. Standing with the scholars, he did not feel he was at fault; some of the Imperial Merchant Wang’s initiatives truly went against the teachings of the sages. Yet, viewed through common sense, Wang seemed to have done no wrong. Even in a street fight, there had to be a reason, and the one in the wrong should be sent to the authorities and pay compensation. This was the simplest logic; the same applied to wars between nations. The aggressor was the one without justification, and it made no sense for the victor to pay the defeated.

However, the Grand Secretary also harbored concerns about the Emperor's constant talk of money. With the treasury full, why not act as a benevolent ruler and earn a good reputation?

After hearing the Grand Secretary's argument, the Emperor pursed his lips. "Has the Grand Secretary ever heard the story of Master Dongguo and the Wolf?" The Emperor respected the man; otherwise, he would have simply had his house raided. The Emperor recounted the story his son had learned at Wang Xiujin's school. Upon hearing it, the Grand Secretary’s expression stiffened. He could not argue that those he had let go out of "benevolence" would not turn out to be the wolf in the story, nor could he dismiss it as mere fiction. What was the cause of the unrest and constant incursions at the border? The Grand Secretary uttered "I am ashamed" several times, then requested to retire, stating he was no longer fit to serve as Grand Secretary.

The Emperor sighed and did not insist on him staying, allowing him to retire to his hometown. The Grand Secretary had been one of his firmest supporters during his rise to the throne, helping him consolidate power and stabilizing the court in the early years. The Emperor was grateful, which was why he had taken no action despite knowing of the Grand Secretary's plot. He would not execute the man now, so for the sake of reputation, he had to wrong Wang Xiujin and compensate him in other ways.

How to compensate him was a headache. Master Wang’s position could not be moved, and the old General was already retired and rarely seen unless necessary. Wang Xiujin lacked neither money nor connections, and with his backing, few dared to act against him.

"Your Majesty, the workshop outside the palace has sent a new trinket. Would you like to see it?" A palace attendant, noticing his master’s foul mood, recalled the item that had arrived before noon. "It was sent by the Imperial Merchant."

"Oh?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What new toy has that boy come up with now?"

"It is not entirely new. You always complained that the wooden bicycle was unstable. This time, he sent one made of iron. He says it is the first from the workshop and even has a serial number. It is much more agile than the wooden one. Would you like to try it, Your Majesty?"

"Try? Of course, I must try it. Let us go and see." The Emperor became interested. Upon seeing the bicycle, he walked around it, inspecting it carefully before mounting it with the help of his attendants. "This seat is also more comfortable than the last." After pedaling a few times, the Emperor hopped off. "Not bad." He rubbed his hands. "The handlebars are more comfortable to grip, too; they aren't as hard."

On the way back to the study, the Emperor remarked several times that it was "not bad." By the time he reached the door, he had decided on the compensation: he would grant the title of First-Rank Noble Lady to Wang’s wife, Li Mishi, and Wang Xiujin himself, and ordered his attendants to issue the decree.

Upon hearing the imperial decree, Wang Xiujin’s mouth twitched, unable to summon a smile. He knew this was the Emperor's compensation, yet he felt dissatisfied. He had to endure it, pinching his thigh to force a smile as he had the steward present a large purse of money.

When the old General returned from the palace, he told his granddaughter-in-law the whole story. He did not offer much consolation, only advising him to be careful in the future and hinting that the Emperor would surely compensate him elsewhere.

Little did they know, the Emperor only offered titles, which was less practical than simply giving some money.

"Master Wang, His Majesty knows you have been wronged. Those two villains who sowed discord have been dealt with secretly," an attendant whispered to Wang Xiujin. Wang Xiujin took a silver ingot from his sleeve and pressed it into the attendant's hand, thanking him repeatedly. The attendant left with a smile, while Wang Xiujin waited with Manager Mi for the Ministry of Rites officials to arrive to measure him for new court robes.

Wang Xiujin had no fondness for the Ministry of Rites. The officials likely sensed the Li family’s coldness and left hurriedly after the measurements. Once everyone had dispersed, Manager Mi gestured for Wang Xiujin to sit, needing to have a word with him. He was not there to speak well of the Emperor, but because he worried that the young and hot-headed Wang would not be able to swallow his frustration.

After listening to Manager Mi, Wang Xiujin understood his meaning. He had no objections; he knew what kind of society this was. Some things had to be swallowed regardless of how infuriating they were. Perhaps he had been too smooth-sailing all these years, making him a bit arrogant. From now on, he would have to keep a low profile. No grand national cause was worth more than his own life—and it wasn't just his life, but those of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people. He had to consider others.

Wang Xiujin decided to lie low, but with such a large family business, he could not be entirely invisible; he could only distance himself from court affairs. Yet, he still felt aggrieved—he had never sought to get involved in the court, so why was he such a target?

Stepping out of the main hall, Wang Xiujin looked up at the sky and sighed, needing time to digest his frustration. For the time being, he did not want to see any court officials or members of the royal family, fearing his inner fire would only grow. As he started to walk away, a servant rushed over to report that the Fourth Prince had arrived.