Chapter 355

If anyone were to ask the Emperor which of all his courtiers he admired the most, he would answer without a single moment of hesitation: the Royal Merchant, Wang. Across the entire realm, no one could be found more benevolent than this royal merchant. Not only did he voluntarily bestow the wealth he earned upon the imperial house, but he also willingly shared his money-making methods with the imperial princes. Where else in the world could such a man be found? Those hypocritical scholars who only knew how to plunder silver from the state treasury were each more falsely noble than the last. With their mouths, they claimed that worldly wealth was merely a transient thing—well then, why didn't they refuse to touch his silver? When he exacted vast sums of silver from enemy nations, they accused him of lacking the demeanor of a great power. Now that those who profited from his silver knew the truth, why did they never speak of the loss of a scholar's lofty integrity?

With the state treasury overflowing and the surrounding lesser nations bowing in submission as vassals, the Emperor was greatly pleased. From the foreign tributes sent by those small countries, he personally selected several fine items to reward Wang Xiujin, whom he held in such high esteem.

On the first day of the New Year, Wang Xiujin received a generous reward from the Emperor, sparking intense envy among certain circles. Yet no one now dared to whisper behind Wang Xiujin's back; who could know if their words might somehow reach the Emperor's ears? The cautionary tale was still fresh in everyone's minds, and none wished to court certain death by recklessly walking into a trap.

On the second day of the New Year, Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan returned to the Wang family estate. Seeing his eldest brother's children dressed in bright red New Year festive garments, they found them remarkably endearing. Yachang, dressed identically to the other children, stood awkwardly among the cousins while a portrait painter skilled in figures from the local academy meticulously brushed a complete family portrait of the Wang household. The same scholar was scheduled to paint a family portrait for the Li family the following day, and by the fifth day, he was to enter the imperial palace to paint portraits for the Emperor's vast household.

In addition to the family portrait, the scholar also painted an individual portrait for each family member. For the children, this served as a record of their growing years, while for the elders, it provided a lasting memory. As people aged, memories would gradually fade, and amidst the shifting tides of time, parting and death were inevitable. So that the likenesses of loved ones would not blur after their departure, painted portraits became the sole remaining path.

Upon hearing his father's suggestion that he move to the capital, Wang Wangbo discussed the matter with his wife for several days before finally giving his father an answer prior to leaving the capital. He wished to wait another two years before returning. There were still many matters in Fengcheng that required his attention, such as leading the people of Fengan toward a prosperous life. Ever since his younger brother had entrusted him with the aquaculture of marine products, he had harbored the ambition of using this method to uplift the fortunes of Fengcheng and its people. Although they were no longer plagued by Japanese pirates in recent years, life remained difficult, primarily due to the scarcity of arable farmland. His younger brother had once said, "Depend on the mountains if you live near the mountains, depend on the sea if you live near the sea." Fengcheng lacked fertile fields, but it possessed vast expanses of the ocean. Relying on what they could harvest from the sea to survive seemed easy enough, yet it was fraught with numerous perils.

His younger brother's methods could drastically reduce those dangers while filling everyone's coin purses. Why not embrace such an endeavor? During his years in Fengcheng, Wang Wangbo had achieved no grand accomplishments, and his minor successes were hardly worth mentioning. Even if he returned to the capital without anyone pointing it out, he himself felt that he lacked true ability and could only rely on the support of his father and brother. What would be the point of returning to the capital, only to be mocked and criticized behind his back? It was far better to accomplish something substantial first. When he eventually returned to the capital in the future, he would be able to hold his head high no matter what others muttered behind his back.

Though Wang Xiujin was unaware of his eldest brother's inner thoughts, he respected his decision. Nevertheless, he reminded his brother that their parents' bodies would inevitably age as the years passed, and he urged him to return to Fengcheng no later than necessary. Wang Wangbo nodded in agreement; he had no intention of remaining in Fengcheng forever. "At the latest, by next year, I shall ask Father to help secure a promotion so I may return to the capital."

After bidding farewell to his eldest brother's family, Wang Xiujin plunged back into his day-to-day routine, during which he also made a trip to Li Village. Wang Xiujin did not conceal this journey; he went together with Li Linshan to earnestly offer incense and burn spirit paper for the elders of the Li family. Praying for peace in the new year, Wang Xiujin's offerings of burnt paper far exceeded the sum of all previous years combined. The incense sticks he burned were also specially custom-made, thickened to the size of an adult's thigh and standing much taller than a man. Despite their immense length and girth, they emitted a remarkably fragrant scent when burned, demonstrating that Wang Xiujin had spared no expense, praying only that his ancestors would shield him so that the events of the past year would never repeat themselves.

From afar, the villagers of Li Village could see the massive incense sticks burning at the capital Li family's shrine and clicked their tongues in awe. The wealthy were truly different; such enormous incense sticks were something they had never laid eyes on, let alone been willing to spend money to purchase. Discussions concerning the capital Li family naturally arose from this spectacle, eventually drifting toward the local men who had the good fortune to work in the capital royal merchant's workshops. Everyone regarded these men with intense envy; the monthly wages earned from working in the workshops rivaled an entire year's income for the villagers, provoking profound jealousy.

The villagers thought to themselves: why did they not possess the same good fortune as those men? When one man's child was born, it happened to coincide with the arrival of messengers from the Li family, and furthermore, that royal merchant of the Li clan was a benevolent soul who immediately bestowed a red envelope of money. That man was truly shrewd; after receiving the red envelope, he had even feigned reluctance before returning it, thus catching the royal merchant's eye and convincing him of his honesty, earning himself a position in the workshop. The villagers unanimously concluded that the man merely looked honest, but was in fact deeply calculating.

When Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan arrived, they did not bring Yachang with them. If it were merely a routine visit to tend the ancestral graves, they would have brought Yachang, seeing as he was a descendant of the capital Li family. However, the current situation required them to stay in Li Village for several days, during which they would inevitably interact with the villagers. Wang Xiujin did not wish for his son to overhear any inappropriate remarks from the villagers' casual gossip. In Wang Xiujin's eyes, no matter how precocious his son might be, he was still a child. He did not want his son to develop psychological shadows regarding his birth. He would eventually tell his son about his origins, but certainly not now.

Returning from the burial grounds to Li Village, they stepped once more into the village chief's residence. Seeing the radiant, joyous expression on the chief's face, Wang Xiujin learned upon inquiry that the chief had just been blessed with a grandson. Wang Xiujin offered repeated congratulations and immediately handed the chief a generous red envelope filled with auspicious words, which delighted the old man immensely. At the same time, the chief began to calculate inwardly whether his grandson might catch the eye of the capital Li family. If the child could be adopted into the capital Li family, not only would his status within the village soar, but he would even be able to stand tall before the county magistrate.

Observing the subtle shifts in the emotional tags hovering above the village chief's head, Wang Xiujin's lips curved slightly upward, and the warmth of his congratulations deepened. To an outsider, it would have seemed as though Wang Xiujin was offering genuine felicitations. Li Linshan cast a faint glance at the village chief. Having shared a pillow with Wang Xiujin for so long, how could he not recognize Wang Xiujin's inner thoughts? Wang Xiujin was undoubtedly displeased with the village chief at that moment, though Li Linshan could not fathom how the chief had offended him. If it were merely because the chief had just gained a grandson, that did not quite make sense, for Wang Xiujin's initial presentation of the red envelope had been entirely sincere, and his demeanor had shifted only in an instant. Could it be that the chief had inadvertently betrayed some improper intention just then?

Unable to puzzle it out, Li Linshan decided to bide his time and watch how things unfolded. In any case, Wang Xiujin was never one to let himself suffer a loss. As for whether the chief would suffer or fall victim to one of Wang Xiujin's schemes, what did that have to do with him? As long as Wang Xiujin was not angered, all was well.

Wang Xiujin played right into the village chief's desires by casually bringing up the topic of adoption. Without specifying whether he sought a boy or a girl, he remarked that he had recently been troubled by recurring dreams in which a lovely infant constantly appeared. In his dreams, whenever he picked up the infant, the child would clutch tightly at his clothing and refuse to let go, wearing a most peculiar expression. If the illusory figure in his dream failed to appear, the infant would cry ceaselessly, weeping so bitterly as to break one's heart.

Upon hearing this, the village chief immediately assumed a deeply earnest expression, mentioning that several households in the village had recently welcomed newborns and suggesting they visit each family one by one. He even dropped broad hints that if the merchant happened to fancy a child from his own household, adoption would be entirely acceptable. At this, Li Linshan finally understood why Wang Xiujin's attitude had abruptly shifted; it seemed the chief's ambitions extended far beyond simple hospitality.

Wang Xiujin did not refuse the village chief's "kind offer," though inwardly he felt a pang of pity for the chief's newborn grandson. When the child grew up and discovered that his own grandfather had once attempted to bargain away his future by offering him up for adoption merely to climb socially, what would the boy think? Wang Xiujin very much looked forward to seeing how the chief would behave when that day arrived. Would he feel regret, or would he still believe his past decision had been correct? Wang Xiujin could not imagine, but he hoped that when the time came, he would still remember this incident so he might treat it as a pleasant diversion.

Accompanied by the village chief, Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan toured the entire village, visiting every household except one where a baby girl had been born, which they had missed. The chief had naturally assumed Wang Xiujin would only wish to adopt a boy, believing no one of standing would ever choose to adopt a girl and record her name in the ancestral lineage. Wang Xiujin expressed mild regret at not seeing the baby girl, whose father explained that her mother had returned to her maiden home, taking the child along so the infant would not miss her feedings.

With a beaming smile, the village chief asked Wang Xiujin if he would care to take a look at his own newborn grandson. Wang Xiujin smiled faintly at the chief's demeanor and made a polite gesture inviting him to lead the way. Walking closely behind Wang Xiujin, Li Linshan could distinctly sense that Wang Xiujin's mood was souring further. Glancing at the chief, Li Linshan mused that the old man's grand aspirations were bound to come to nothing; after all, Wang Xiujin had never harbored any genuine intention of adopting a child during this visit.

As they walked from the final household back toward the chief's residence, their path crossed a small stream. From a distance, Li Linshan caught a faint, delicate sound. Following the noise, he strode quickly toward a dense patch of weeds by the riverbank and discovered a poorly wrapped infant abandoned among the reeds. A sharp, fierce glint flashed in Li Linshan's eyes. Stemming from his own past experiences, Li Linshan harbored an extraordinary compassion for abandoned children. It was precisely because of this that whenever Wang Xiujin established orphanages and charitable halls in the capital, Li Linshan would frequently visit, deliver supplies, and even personally select the scholars to teach there.

"What a monstrous sin!" Wang Xiujin hurried over in a few swift strides, his face turning thoroughly grim as he looked down at the infant cradled in Li Linshan's arms. "Wrap the child tightly at once!" While speaking, Wang Xiujin moved to take the baby and immediately instructed their household servants to summon a physician.

The village chief stood frozen in utter stupefaction, a sudden, ominous foreboding gripping his heart. He realized with a jolt that his cherished schemes were doomed to fail. Inwardly, he cursed the heartless wretch who had abandoned the infant: if you had the ability to bring a child into this world, why couldn't you raise it properly? Why throw it away? And if you were going to abandon it, at least pick a sensible time—a day earlier or a day later would have sufficed, so why did it have to be today of all days?