051 Pawnshop and sell wine (Part 1)

Shen Tang's words caused Chu Yao's steps to falter momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure, the faint bitterness on his face transforming into calmness. "In this journey of life, one must believe in something to navigate through, perhaps as a form of self-consolation. It's akin to 'a gentleman conceals his talents and bides his time for action.' Otherwise, life becomes unbearably arduous."

Each passing day is endured, each one soaked with his toil. From the year before his coronation, when he was replaced as the court poet and had that dream, to the various trials and tribulations since then, it has been fifteen long years.

Shen Tang sighed, "But enduring such hardships is too bitter."

Clearly, one could avoid such hardships, rather than clinging to an unreliable 'prophecy,' it's better to tread the path laid out before us.

Chu Yao shook his head in silence.

Has he truly never wavered in the face of reality?

Certainly not.

He is merely a common man, who, when faced with endless trials, will inevitably falter, not just once.

However, each time the seeds of doubt sprout, he quashes them himself. Firstly, his temperament does not allow him to give up halfway. Secondly, that dream was the only time in his life he employed the 'way of the literati.' How could he be content without knowing the outcome and his destiny?

To know one's destiny, to cure stubborn ailments...

If the prophecy on the prescription in his dream comes true, it means his life will truly be turned around for the better, from adversity to prosperity, rather than rolling and crawling through the mud at the bottom of the mundane world all his life.

The only thing he didn't anticipate was—

Chu Yao subtly turned his head, stealing a glance at Shen Tang.

The Fifth Young Master's destiny is far from what he imagined.

He thought his destiny would be that of a hero, a bandit leader, or a gallant knight... That person should have been magnanimous, unconstrained by conventions, unbiased, and not foolish enough to think that losing one's literary talent renders one worthless. Moreover, he wouldn't mind letting a person of his background shine.

Yet, reality often differs from ideals.

The person destined to ride the white mule seems no older than eleven or twelve, an inexperienced young lad, far from the countless plans Chu Yao has devised over the years.

He seemed rather lively, naive, and innocent.

Shen Tang lacks the ability to read minds, naturally unaware of what Chu Yao is pondering.

Muttering to herself, "Ginseng, rhubarb, aconite, rehmannia... These must be the four precious herbs? Does it refer to the Four Treasures Prefecture?"

Coincidentally, Xiaocheng is the seat of the Four Treasures Prefecture government.

Chu Yao responded lightly, "Yes."

Shen Tang comprehended.

"Then I understand how to interpret this prescription."

"Moonlight Three Liang" is the easiest to understand.

On the surface, it sounds like some peculiar herbal remedy—because according to common medicinal recipes, 'moonlight' should refer to the dew collected from leaves or flower petals, enriched with the essence of the moon.

Gather three liang of it as a medicinal decoction.

But it can also be interpreted from another angle.

'Moonlight' could refer to the Moonlight Pavilion, and 'Three Liang' might have another explanation. It's just that Chu Yao believes 'Three Liang' refers to 'three liang of redemption silver.' Hence, his previous remark. But there's one thing she doesn't understand.

"Why destiny? What does 'stubborn ailments' mean? Just from a literal interpretation, I would assume I am the 'destiny,' but I don't know medical skills. How could I cure stubborn ailments? Is there another scenario?"

Chu Yao lowered his gaze, speaking softly, "I don't know."

"Truly don't know?"

Chu Yao remained composed, "Truly don't know."

Shen Tang refrained from further questioning, thinking, "Mr. Chu is quite pitiable, without any support. If they get along well, considering the future 'half-master's kindness,' they should care for him in his old age. After all, she's young and strong, capable of supporting an elderly person."

With that thought, she was almost moved by her own kindness, feeling she deserved a 'Five Good Youth' award.

"Mr. Chu..."

Silent throughout the journey, Shen Tang exhibits mild restlessness.

Whether fidgeting or conversing, she either engages in physical activity or her mind races, feeling uncomfortable when idle, always seeking topics to engage others.

Chu Yao, unlike Qishan, sometimes responds to her, the latter sometimes humors her, but the former is quite accommodating, always providing a response promptly.

"Does Wu Lang have any instructions?"

"Uh..." Shen Tang hesitated for a moment. She didn't really have anything to say, but she couldn't sit still. When Chu Yao responded, she didn't know what to ask, but in the blink of an eye, she thought of her encounter in the Moonlight Pavilion, "Do you know the art of mind-reading?"

"I do, why does Wu Lang suddenly ask about this?"

Thinking about that 'Mr. Gu,' Shen Tang felt stifled. For someone as mentally active as her, 'Mr. Gu' is forever on her blacklist. She said, "I met a literatus in the Moonlight Pavilion, his mind-reading skills are quite formidable..."

"Formidable?"

"In just one glance, he read through me, leaving no privacy." Shen Tang sought advice, "How should one deal with this?"

"The heart is separated from the belly." Chu Yao's response was calm.

Shen Tang exclaimed in realization, momentarily at a loss.

"What does 'heart separated from the belly' mean?"

"It's a mind-reading technique. Whether or not to learn it is of little significance, as it's rarely necessary in ordinary circumstances. While there are many literati who practice mind-reading, few can master it. Each use imposes a significant burden on one's literary talent. If the person being read is also a literatus and has a certain level of defense, the cost is even greater. One slight oversight can also lead to the danger of backlash."

Similar mind-reading techniques, he secretly learned after replacing the court poet, and has become proficient.

"I see, no wonder that person looks like he's on his last legs, making people suspect he'll fly away like a kite at any moment. But with such a heavy burden, is it necessary to overuse it on me? Or does he think his own lifespan is too long?"

Heavy burden?

Can't see it.

Shen Tang felt that person was quite adept.

Chu Yao has never seen the literatus Shen Tang mentioned, so he can't judge, but one thing is certain—

"Avoid those who mean ill."

Regardless of whether that literatus is powerful enough to ignore the burden, or if his 'way of the literati' is mind-reading, neither is a good sign.

"I understand, but wanting to avoid trouble doesn't mean it will stay away. I just hope I don't get unlucky and end up in the crossfire."

Some things can't be avoided just by wishing.

Considering her

 relationship with Gong Cheng, that servant and 'Mr. Gu' won't truly trust her. Perhaps they will even secretly investigate her.

It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow.

Thinking of this, Shen Tang shook her head—

She's not the original owner, and she has no intention of meddling in messy affairs. Gong Cheng won't betray her, as in a sense, they're like two fleas on the same rope.

If she gets caught, can Gong Cheng sleep soundly?

As a simple and law-abiding commoner, rather than worrying about the troubles of the big shots, it's better to think about how to make money.

Which part of life doesn't require money?

Once she dismantles the bridge with Qishan, she can only rely on Mr. Chu for survival, and the responsibility of feeding two mouths will fall on her shoulders. As a young and strong person, she can't expect Mr. Chu to go out and wash dishes to support them both, right?

Still need to earn money.

With a flash of inspiration, Shen Tang had an idea.

"Let's go, we'll buy wine barrels wholesale."