Ya She

Chapter 31 Fixed Bead

In the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Southern County.

Liu Xiu, clutching the pocket money given to him by his elder brother, wandered aimlessly through the market. He was now quite wealthy, and in theory, he could buy anything he wanted. However, the problem was that most vendors dared not accept his large sum of money.

Ever since Wang Mang usurped the Han throne and established the Xin Dynasty, he ordered the abolition of the Wuzhu coin, which was the currency of the Han Dynasty, and replaced it with three newly introduced coins: Daquan, Qidao, and Jincuodao. The newly minted Daquan coin weighed only two or three times that of a Wuzhu coin, yet it was valued as fifty Wuzhu coins, and no merchant was willing to buy it. Not to mention the Qidao coin, which was equivalent to five hundred Wuzhu coins, and the Jincuodao coin, which was equivalent to five thousand Wuzhu coins—who would be blind enough to accept these seemingly unprofitable new coins?

However, Liu Xiu's uncle was the magistrate of Xiao County, and his salary was paid in new currency that ordinary people could not afford. Liu Xiu's father had passed away, and his two elder brothers were raised by his uncle. His eldest brother, Liu Yan, was generous and righteous, and although he spent a lot of money, the inheritance left by his father was still quite substantial. This was the daily necessities that his uncle had given them, so he naturally pretended to be generous and handed it to his younger brother, letting him worry about it himself.

Liu Xiu took out the gold-inlaid knife from his bosom and examined it closely. He thought to himself that if one didn't consider its value, the coin itself was quite unique.

This gold-inlaid knife consists of a copper coin and a blade, resembling a combination of a knife coin from the Warring States period and a Han Dynasty Wuzhu coin. It is made of bronze. The copper coin is inlaid with gold at the top and bottom, with the characters "一刀" (one knife) engraved on it, making it exquisite. The blade is inscribed with the characters "平五千" (equivalent to five thousand), so it is also known as "一刀平五千" (one knife equals five thousand) in folk tradition, meaning that such a gold-inlaid knife is equivalent to five thousand Zhu copper coins.

Five thousand zhu! Liu Xiu frowned deeply. This was a huge sum of money. You have to understand that although the political situation was unstable and the people were restless, a catty of meat would only cost twenty coins at most, and a cloth robe would only cost four or five hundred coins. Five thousand zhu could buy a decent house in their county!
The problem is, he can't spend such an expensive gold-inlaid knife!
Liu Xiu held the gold-inlaid dagger in his palm, feeling like crying but having no tears. He had been wandering around the market for a long time, but no one was willing to accept his coin. Even if he wanted to exchange it at a lower price, no one paid any attention to him.

This was to be expected; otherwise, why would his elder brother be so kind as to casually give him five thousand baht to squander? It was clearly a way to make things difficult for him.

Wang Mang usurped the Han throne and established the Xin Dynasty, but his rule was illegitimate and his subsequent reforms were astonishing, with no one following them. The coins he issued were also largely ignored; privately, people still used the Wuzhu coin. That morning, Liu Xiu saw that the clipped-wheel Wuzhu and Emperor Zhao's Wuzhu coins were in use, but the most common were the Yuan Shou Wuzhu coins issued during Emperor Wu's reign. These purple-blue coins made of copper were particularly popular, and their value was likely higher than that of regular Wuzhu coins.

Liu Xiu looked around the market aimlessly, but some calculations inevitably arose in his mind.

By his lineage, he was a ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. Although according to the custom of bestowing titles and ranks, by their generation there was no longer any honor of being a member of the imperial clan, and no title to inherit. Even his uncle was merely a minor county magistrate, a position he held through merit. Now, with Wang Mang usurping the Han throne, they had lost all their aristocratic status. Yet his elder brother consistently claimed to be the legitimate successor to the Han Dynasty, expressing extreme rejection and dissatisfaction with the Xin Dynasty. Recently, he had even begun to squander his family fortune, cultivating relationships with talented individuals with ulterior motives, suggesting he intended to do something significant.

Liu Xiu was only sixteen years old this year, but he was already an adult. He had traveled to Chang'an to study when he was young and had seen a lot of the world. He had seen his elder brother's thoughts when he returned this time. He wanted to dissuade him, but his elder brother was ten years older than him, and the elder brother was like a father to him, so he simply couldn't say anything.

With a troubled mind, Liu Xiu wandered around and found himself at the end of the market. There were a few stalls scattered on the ground. He strolled over casually and found that one of the stalls had some items on display. They all looked to be old and antique, and they were quite interesting.

Liu Xiu squatted down with great interest and couldn't resist reaching out to look through the items. There were some pottery containers, some that looked like Qin Banliang, the common currency of the Qin Dynasty, several bronze jue (wine vessels), a pair of jade bird-shaped ornaments, several bamboo scrolls... Among the pile of antiques, Liu Xiu saw an abacus haphazardly placed and suddenly remembered the messy accounts at home, so he wanted to buy an abacus to take home and do some proper calculations.

Putting everything else aside, my older brother's extravagance has been really excessive lately.

Liu Xiu weighed the abacus in his hand, finding the wood rather unremarkable. Only the rows of vertical, curved grooves on the wooden surface revealed round, lovely beads, seemingly carved from jade. The first bead and the four beads below it in each row were a different color, made of white jade, each bead representing five beads. Liu Xiu fiddled with them a few times, finding the texture smooth and pleasing to the eye, and grew increasingly fond of them.

"How much is this?" Liu Xiu shook the abacus in his hand, the beads clinking together melodiously. Looking up at the stall owner, he noticed he was dressed in a black robe. In the Zhou Dynasty, black was the most noble and dignified color, and it was also revered in the Qin and Han Dynasties, with officials wearing black robes. Liu Xiu knew that black fabric was so expensive because of its deep color, requiring multiple dyeing processes. Conversely, commoners wore white because it didn't require bleaching and was the cheapest.

Liu Xiu then realized that the man in black was very young, had a scholarly air about him, and was handsome, making him very pleasant to look at.

He must have fallen on hard times, which is why he had to sell his belongings... Liu Xiu felt a pang of sympathy and even considered buying his things to help him out. However, the thought of his only gold-inlaid knife gave him a terrible headache, so he spoke first, saying, "I only have this one gold-inlaid knife. Is it even usable?" As he spoke, Liu Xiu took out the gold-inlaid knife.

The young stall owner's gaze swept over the gold-inlaid knife, then he smiled slightly and said, "This abacus has a flaw, let's just forget about it."

Liu Xiu raised an eyebrow, examining the abacus in his hand closely from all angles, but finding no flaws, he assumed the other party refused to accept the gold-inlaid knife. He tossed the knife aside, saying, "Keep the change," and then, taking the abacus, rose and gracefully departed. He had calculated carefully; although the abacus looked nice, it was worth at most a hundred coins. The gold-inlaid knife, while harder to sell, was certainly worth far more than a hundred coins.

Feeling that he had done a good deed, Liu Xiu felt refreshed and also understood why his elder brother was so generous and righteous. This feeling was indeed very good.

Behind him, the stall owner stared speechlessly at the gold-inlaid knife lying on his stall, and after a long while, sighed and said, "Never mind..."

When Liu Xiu returned to Chunling carrying an abacus, he was naturally met with ridicule from his family.

It wasn't because Liu Xiu traded a gold-inlaid knife for an inconspicuous abacus, but because the abacus was actually broken!
Liu Xiu fiddled with the wooden bead in the middle of the abacus, which was completely immovable. He was a little embarrassed and angry. Everyone knows that abacus beads need to be moved, but there was one that just wouldn't move. Wasn't this abacus just unwanted?
Liu Xiu couldn't be angry with the stall owner, because the owner had clearly said the abacus was flawed, but Liu Xiu hadn't listened and had just thrown down the money and left. Liu Xiu felt that his second brother was looking at him with worry, probably afraid that he would become a spendthrift like his eldest brother, squandering the family fortune.

Feeling guilty under his gaze, Liu Xiu lowered his head, pocketed his abacus, and slipped back to his room. He planned to pry out the stuck abacus bead, grind it down a little with a whetstone, and then it would be usable. The bead was a lustrous white, delicate and flawless, as smooth as cream. Whether it was psychological or not, Liu Xiu felt that this bead was much more beautiful than the others.

Well, maybe it's because it's a size bigger?
Liu Xiu tried everything he could to pry the bead out, but he couldn't unless he damaged the abacus's wooden groove. Liu Xiu was sweating profusely, utterly baffled as to how this abacus was made. The bead was so large; how could it possibly fit into the groove? It seemed utterly illogical. In the end, despite his best efforts, he could only manage to get the bead to spin in place.

Do we really have to break up this plan?

Just as Liu Xiu had this thought, he suddenly heard a melodious female voice from inside the room lazily say, "I advise you to give up that idea."

Liu Xiu was startled and quickly turned around to look. He found a beautiful woman in white leaning against his bed. She was stunningly beautiful, with a face as exquisite as a traditional Chinese ink painting. Her long black hair was not tied up but was casually draped down, and she exuded a lazy and comfortable aura.

After staring at her for a while, Liu Xiucai realized that he had been too abrupt with the beautiful woman, so he quickly stood up and hurriedly asked, "You...who are you?"

"I am the bead in your hand." The woman in white raised her sleeve, covered her mouth, and yawned. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed as she stared at the abacus still in Liu Xiu's hand. She curled her thin lips and said sarcastically, "Ignorant child, you snatched me away with just a gold-inlaid knife. You really got off easy!"

Liu Xiu was dumbfounded. Could this beautiful woman in white really be the abacus beads in his hand? Liu Xiu had heard many legends from the mountains and fields since childhood, so while he was surprised, he wasn't afraid. He even explained with interest, "The gold-inlaid knife is very valuable, and besides, this abacus is completely unusable! In the end, I'm the one who's at a disadvantage." Liu Xiu noticed that the other person didn't use any classical Chinese phrases, so he went along with her tone.

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman in white raised her eyebrows and sneered, "Ignorant child! This is an abacus made by Fan Shaobo, and my true form is the abacus bead, the Golden Inlaid Knife... Hmph!" The beautiful woman in white narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and curled her lips as she calculated, "The Golden Inlaid Knife will probably be discontinued in less than two years. Look, in about a thousand years, it will become a priceless collectible. Wang Mang's coin design is not bad, but now it is far less valuable than the abacus bead."

Fan Shaobo? Liu Xiu was taken aback. Although he wasn't very well-educated, he knew of Fan Li, whose courtesy name was Shaobo. Fan Li was a legendary figure from the Spring and Autumn Period, who assisted King Goujian of Yue in defeating the state of Wu and achieving hegemony during that time, before departing without a trace. Legend has it that he later called himself Tao Zhugong, becoming immensely wealthy through business three times, only to dissipate his fortune three times—he was practically the patriarch of all merchants. If this abacus belonged to Fan Li, it wouldn't be entirely unreasonable.

It's been over five hundred years since Fan Shaobo passed away. For an object to develop sentience and form demonstrates its rarity. Liu Xiu smiled wryly and respectfully placed the abacus back on the table. Recalling the young stall owner's expression, he realized he had misunderstood. He wanted to offer to take her home, but his gaze fell on the beautiful woman in white, and Liu Xiu suddenly felt reluctant. He pursed his lips and said righteously, "But I bought this abacus. Honesty is paramount in business. Do you intend to renege on your debt?"

The woman in white resumed her sleepy appearance, pursed her lips, and said, "Fine, it doesn't matter where I sleep. If you hadn't tried to ruin my bed, I wouldn't have bothered to come out and see you!" With that, she transformed into a wisp of green smoke and floated toward the abacus on the table. The surface of the abacus bead flashed with light before returning to stillness.

Liu Xiu stared at the abacus on the table for a long time, but ultimately dared not say anything more. Everything that had just happened seemed more like a hallucination; even if he wanted to tell someone, he doubted anyone would believe him. Liu Xiu could only carefully wipe the abacus clean and place it in a corner of his desk, within easy reach.

From that day on, Liu Xiu developed a new habit: he would ramble on and on about trivial matters while looking at the abacus. He knew that what he was doing was very impolite, but he could no longer treat the abacus as an ordinary object. He also knew that the beautiful woman in white was probably asleep, but he still desperately wanted to see her again, and he even secretly gave her the name Zhu'er.

That day, as usual, Liu Xiu poured out his troubles to the abacus, sighing, "Zhu'er, my eldest brother says he wants to sell the ancestral home. What should we do?" Liu Xiu really had no one else to confide in. His second brother and eldest brother were arguing every day, his three older sisters had long since married, and his uncle was ultimately a distant relative. Even if he wanted to persuade him, he wouldn't take this young man, who was not yet twenty, seriously.

This ancestral home was filled with his childhood memories. Liu Xiu couldn't understand why his elder brother would really go to the point of squandering the family fortune. Ever since he learned that the abacus bead possessed sentience, Liu Xiu hadn't dared to touch it. But now, feeling completely lost, he looked at the abacus bead shimmering with a soft white light and finally couldn't resist reaching out to touch it.

"What difficulty is there in dealing with ignorant children who neither follow the old nor welcome the new?"

The moment that melodious voice appeared, Liu Xiu turned around immediately. He saw the beautiful woman in white, just as she had last appeared, leaning against the headboard, one hand supporting her head. Her graceful figure, revealed beneath her white robes, captivated Liu Xiu for a moment. Afterwards, she smiled bitterly and said, "But after selling this ancestral home and dismissing all the servants, I'll have to go back to farming to support myself."

"That's easy. I'll teach you the ways of business, and I guarantee you'll become one of the richest people in the world!" When the woman in white mentioned business, she was completely different from her usual drowsy self. Her almond-shaped eyes widened, and her expression immediately became lively, like a night-blooming cereus that blooms in an instant, captivating the heart.

Liu Xiu was taken aback, then immediately shook his head. There's a saying: "Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants." In this social hierarchy, merchants were only slightly above the lowest classes. No matter how wealthy a merchant was, they weren't allowed to wear fine silks and satins, ride in luxurious carriages, hold official positions, or purchase land in their own name. Furthermore, they had to declare their assets to the court and pay heavy taxes. If their declarations were false and exposed, all their property would be confiscated, and they would be sentenced to a year of exile on the frontier. Merchants were, in a sense, easy targets for anyone. Therefore, even if Liu Xiu felt helpless, the only thought that crossed his mind was to go back to farming, not to become a merchant.

Seeing Zhu'er purse her lips in boredom and yawn listlessly, Liu Xiu didn't want her to go back to sleep in the pearl's nest like last time, so he quickly said, "Zhu'er, don't be angry. I just can't bear to sell the ancestral home! Brother is being too reckless." Liu Xiu was a little resentful. He respected the order of seniority and naturally couldn't say much in front of his elder brother, but privately he still didn't approve of his elder brother's actions.

"Why not? Do you know the meaning of 'willing to give up'?" The white-collar woman was completely unfazed by the extra form of address she had received. Forcing a smile through her sleepy eyes, she said, "Willing to give up means you have to give up something to gain something. Your brother understands this very well. If he wants to gain the support of others, he must give up his own wealth. It's a win-win situation. Isn't that a great deal?"

"You...you mean..." Liu Xiu was slightly stunned. He couldn't possibly see this as a transaction. His elder brother clearly called himself Lord Mengchang, with three thousand guests under his wing...

"You look down on merchants, and many people look down on merchants, but everything in this world can be considered a transaction." Pearl wiped her crimson lips with her slender, white fingers, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "How about it? Learn from me and become a perfect merchant! Perhaps, you will become the most supreme being!"

Liu Xiu shook his head repeatedly. The sense of inferiority that merchants held was deeply ingrained in his heart and could not be changed overnight. But he was indeed poor at studying; despite years of traveling and studying in Chang'an, he had made no progress. Just as he was about to offer an explanation, he found himself alone in the room again. Seeing that he had no interest, the pearl, not wanting to waste even a moment, immediately slipped into the fixed-plate bead to sleep.

With a sigh, Liu Xiu wiped the dust off the abacus, thinking that starting tomorrow, he would probably have to learn how to farm.

After the ancestral home in Chunling was sold, Liu Xiu and his two elder brothers moved to a decent thatched hut, barely big enough for the three of them. Liu Xiu's eldest brother, Liu Yan, naturally did not live with them. He found the person who bought their ancestral home and rented it. On the surface, everything remained the same, and they continued to use the ancestral home to entertain relatives, friends, and wandering heroes. Liu Xiu and his second brother, Liu Zhong, lived in the cramped thatched hut.

Although Liu Zhong, the second brother, was powerless to stop Liu Yan from selling off the ancestral home, he still kept many antiques from the house, which he gradually sold off. When Liu Xiu saw his second brother doing this, he suddenly thought of the stall owner he had forced to buy the Dingpan bead from that day. How similar they were to his second brother now! Truly, fortunes change, and life is unpredictable.

Of course, Liu Xiu would never personally sell those antiques. He possessed a certain scholarly pride and couldn't bear the scrutiny and disdain he would receive in the market. So, he obediently picked up a hoe instead of going to the fields to farm. He vaguely sensed that the world was about to descend into chaos, and having numerous mansions, coins, and antiques would be useless. In times of hardship, even a fine jade pendant wouldn't be enough to buy a meal.

His eldest brother was the first to disapprove of his daily toil in the fields, insisting he give him a large sum of silver and promising to ask for more if needed. Liu Xiu wasn't actually short of money, but he had no interest in socializing with influential figures like his brother and idly criticizing the government. Sweat and toil under the scorching sun, however, brought him peace and contentment, far better than grappling with obscure books. Liu Yan disapproved of his younger brother's self-imposed poverty as a farmer, often mocking him for being unambitious, but Liu Xiu would simply smile sheepishly, completely unfazed. His second brother, however, observed him for several days, and after a deep conversation, left him alone.

His pearl never appeared again. Liu Xiu longed to see her and hear her speak in that languid tone again. However, Liu Xiu had his own principles. Since he had decided that he could not do business, he would not easily give in.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Liu Xiu had been a farmer for ten years. His slender frame had become strong and muscular, reaching a height of eight feet, with thick eyebrows and beard. His pale skin had turned a healthy wheat color, and calluses had formed on his hands. His originally somewhat impetuous personality had been tempered into caution and gentleness through the daily labor. In addition, his studies in Chang'an since childhood had given him a tranquil and serene scholarly air, making him unlike any ordinary farmer.

Liu Xiuzhong's farmland yielded excellent harvests thanks to his diligent cultivation and irrigation, resulting in a considerable fortune. He was already twenty-six years old, an age when children in ordinary families were already working the fields. Almost every neighbor had proposed marriage to him, but he had consistently declined, saying he would leave it to his elder brothers. His eldest brother, Liu Yan, was rarely seen, disappearing mysteriously every day, while his second brother, Liu Zhong, ran a shop in the county town and rarely paid him any attention.

Why didn't he get married? Liu Xiu himself didn't know either. Deep in his heart, a white figure still remained, and although ten years had passed, it hadn't faded in the slightest.

He's so stupid.

Occasionally, Liu Xiu would mock himself. He himself wasn't even sure what he truly hoped for. But he knew he didn't want to simply marry a peasant girl he'd never met, following the arrangements of a matchmaker. Although he now toiled in the fields every day, deep down he didn't consider himself just an ordinary farmer.

Since three years ago, continuous famine and locust plagues have led to the rise of dozens of rebel armies, including the Green Forest Army, the Red Eyebrow Army, and the Bronze Horse Army. War raged, and the people suffered greatly. This atmosphere of unease gradually spread to the vicinity of Chunling. Liu Xiu harvested the wheat in the fields and stored it in the warehouse, but couldn't help but feel worried.

His elder brother, Liu Yan, had amassed a large following and enjoyed considerable fame. With the world in chaos, many more flocked to him, drawn by his reputation. As the number of visitors surged, Liu Yan's resources dwindled, making life increasingly difficult for these江湖豪士 (jianghu heroes). Some began secretly engaging in shady activities like robbery and plunder, while others openly defied the government in Liu Yan's name. Like leeches, the yamen runners followed the trail, harassing the Liu family with all sorts of difficulties. Not only was his second brother's shop forced to close, but they even targeted Liu Xiu's household, seizing most of his stored grain. If this continued, even their last harvest might be lost.

Liu Xiu couldn't help but grip the abacus tightly. He had gotten used to carrying it with him at all times, occasionally stroking the main bead. "Bead, what should I do?" Liu Xiu murmured to himself, but as soon as he finished speaking, he felt a little embarrassed. He was already past adulthood, so why was he still as indecisive as he was when he was a child?
But Liu Xiu had grown accustomed to this lack of response over the years. He answered his own question, "With the yamen runners involved, no shop will dare to buy this grain. It will have to be transported to Xinye, where I can go to my second brother-in-law's place and escape the chaos on my elder brother's side..." As Liu Xiu spoke, he suddenly felt the fixed bead under his hand turn on its own. His heart pounded, and he held his breath. Sure enough, he heard that long-lost languid voice in the next moment.

"Huh? You've finally figured it out? You're not going to be a farmer anymore?"

Liu Xiu followed the sound and saw Zhu'er leaning against the warehouse door, her eyes still sleepy as if she had just woken up. Time seemed to have stood still for her, leaving no trace; she remained as graceful as ever, dressed in white, her skin as white as jade. Liu Xiu's heart suddenly ached slightly; he must have finally understood something. But he didn't have time to think about it. He put on a gentle smile and said softly, "Zhu'er, it's just that we're not farming for now. We've sold the grain, but we'll continue next spring."

Zhu'er covered her mouth with her sleeve, yawned with her almond eyes slightly curved, and said lazily, "Ignorant child, in this world, as soon as you leave, this land and house will be taken by others. You still want to cultivate it next year? How naive."

Liu Xiu froze, taken aback by her words, but had to admit they made a lot of sense. In these chaotic times, deeds and land deeds were nothing but worthless pieces of paper; whoever wielded the sharpest sword was the boss. Liu Xiu thought he had matured considerably after ten years, but Zhu'er still called him an ignorant child, making him blush and stammer, "Then...then what do you suggest?"

Zhu'er smiled slightly, her radiance instantly transforming the otherwise unremarkable warehouse into a magnificent sight. With confidence, she said, "I think your plan is excellent—to transport the grain to Xinye to sell. But I'll teach you the process; there's a lot to learn in the art of business!"

"This...this shouldn't be considered business..." Liu Xiu protested weakly, but seeing Zhu'er's sleepiness dissipate and her lively appearance, he ultimately did not resist to the end.

Since he's going to Xinye to sell grain anyway, isn't it wonderful that Zhu'er can go with him?
Liu Xiu packed his belongings, burying the things he couldn't take with him deep inside. Zhu'er, surprisingly, didn't return to the fixed pearl to rest. Instead, contrary to her usual behavior, she enthusiastically taught him the ways of business. Liu Xiu had initially looked down on merchants, believing they didn't put in hard work but simply transported goods from one place to another to make huge profits and become wealthy. However, through Zhu'er's lively and humorous explanations, he gradually changed his mind.

Those who engage in trade and commerce are called "shang" (商), while those who sell goods are called "jia" (贾). The term "shangren" (商商) originated in the early Zhou Dynasty. Because commerce was very prosperous during the Shang Dynasty, and the remnants of the Shang people were skilled in business, these merchants were commonly referred to as "shangren" by the Zhou people. In the Zhou Dynasty, this was a derogatory and discriminatory term, equivalent to "discriminatory people." Therefore, even if a merchant was extremely wealthy, no one would respect them, perhaps originating from this period.

Along the way, following Zhu'er's instructions, Liu Xiu arranged transportation by carts and horses, recruited drivers, evaded fleeing bandits, and dealt with officials... These short ten days were far more tiring than farming. He could accept why merchants would receive rewards; after all, they had also put in hard work, and it was only right that they asked for a return.

Having finally arrived in Xinye, Liu Xiu intended to rest at his brother-in-law's house, but Zhu'er kicked him out to gather information. Intelligence from various regions is crucial for business, and Liu Xiu put in some effort to find out that grain prices in the nearby metropolis of Wancheng were skyrocketing. He reasoned that if he transported grain there to sell, he could double his profit.

Liu Xiu was overjoyed. He planned to contact sellers in Wancheng, then return to his hometown to buy grain and resell it. He had overturned his original idea. When buying grain from the villagers, he could raise the purchase price significantly higher than the price offered by the grain store in Chunling County. This would benefit both the villagers and him—a win-win situation. Why not do it?
Liu Xiu realized that he had been too rigid in the past. If he had understood this sooner, he could have helped more people become wealthy. He excitedly shared his thoughts with Zhu'er, but she raised her eyebrows and said, "Don't rush. Don't you think there's a deeper meaning behind Wancheng's need for a large amount of grain?"

Liu Xiu was taken aback, then frowned deeply: "That's true. If the price of grain in Wancheng were so much higher, then someone in Chunling would have been doing this reselling business long ago. In other words, the soaring grain price is a recent phenomenon, so the root cause must be someone buying up large quantities of grain, which caused the price to skyrocket. So why would this person need so much grain? It must be a premeditated rebellion..." Liu Xiu was an intelligent man, and after being enlightened by Zhu'er, he had a keen understanding of the ways of merchants. By deducing the matter step by step, he actually guessed the truth of the matter.

"You're right. It seems Wancheng is recruiting soldiers, which is why they're stockpiling grain." Zhu'er's starry eyes sparkled, somewhat surprised by Liu Xiu's intelligence. He wasn't particularly outstanding in his studies, but he had a knack for business. Zhu'er was very pleased, feeling she had discovered a promising talent. Although she had wasted ten years, out of all the people who came and went, only he had chosen her from among all the goods; it truly seemed like fate.

"Then... should we still go to Wancheng? Perhaps we should just sell the grain directly in Xinye?" Liu Xiu was somewhat worried. To put it nicely, they were rebels; to put it bluntly, they were traitors. If these traitors refused to pay and openly robbed his grain, wouldn't he lose everything? Unconsciously, Liu Xiu had already begun to think like a businessman.

Zhu'er curled her lips into a sneer, saying, "Look at your pathetic ambition. Back then, Fan Shaobo sent his beloved woman to the State of Wu in exchange for more than ten years of recuperation for the State of Yue. In the end, the King of Yue endured hardship and humiliation, and his three thousand Yue soldiers defeated the State of Wu, achieving hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period. In the past, Lü Buwei, by exploiting a rare commodity, assisted King Zhuangxiang of Qin in ascending the throne of Qin, and then gave his dancer to the King of Qin. Even now, some people still question Ying Zheng's origins. Lü Buwei eventually rose to the position of Prime Minister, controlling the Qin court for thirteen years, wielding absolute power, and even Qin Shi Huang dared not touch him. These two are the most successful businessmen. You should learn from them."

Liu Xiu sensed something amiss and asked in surprise, "Could it be that you also know Lü Buwei and Zhu'er?"

Zhu'er stretched lazily, propped her chin on one hand, and chuckled nostalgically, "That's right, he was also once the owner of the Fixed Pearl." Liu Xiu's heart skipped a beat, and he almost lost his composure. He only knew of two owners of the Fixed Pearl, both of whom were renowned figures in their time. He felt a little ashamed, and he understood why Zhu'er had remained silent and ignored him for the past ten years. A peasant aspiring to be a farmer indeed had little future.

Zhu'er was unaware of Liu Xiu's thoughts and continued to instruct him earnestly: "Do you know why people look down on merchants?"

Liu Xiu was a scholar, so this question did not stump him. After a moment, he replied: "Since Shang Yang, the Qin Dynasty has emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, advocating that agriculture is the foundation and commerce is the secondary. Lü Buwei also included four chapters, including 'Shang Nong,' in his 'Lüshi Chunqiu,' advocating this view. After Emperor Wu of Han, this was even more pronounced."

The piglet sneered, "The idea that agriculture is fundamental and commerce is secondary isn't quite right. The essence of fundamental and secondary isn't like that either. To give an analogy, a country is like a towering, thriving tree. Agriculture is the tree's roots, and commerce is its profession. A tree can't live without roots, but what well-grown tree will have its branches and leaves fall and wither? Although Prime Minister Lü couldn't openly oppose the policies left by Shang Yang, as a top-tier merchant, he certainly understood these principles. It's just that Emperor Wu of Han, in order to keep the people ignorant, completely distorted this concept, truly putting the cart before the horse."

Liu Xiu was stunned by what Zhu'er said. Although he felt that some of her words were far-fetched, he had to admit that there was some truth to them.

Zhu'er smiled but didn't continue. She didn't expect him to change his deeply ingrained ideas overnight. She returned to the previous topic and said, "The highest level of business is to cater to people's preferences and provide them with what they need. Right now, you have an excellent opportunity. You happen to have what they need, so you can give it a try."

Liu Xiu didn't ask immediately, but pondered it carefully. On the surface, it seemed that the powerful people in Wancheng needed grain, which he did have and could trade, but Zhu'er couldn't possibly be referring to that alone.

What do powerful rebels lack? Food, weapons, manpower… they lack so many things. So, thinking about it from the other side, what else could he provide besides food? He wasn't very well-educated, and although he claimed to be a ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, his family was poor… Wait, what did he just think of? A ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang?
Seeing Liu Xiu's expression of sudden realization, Zhu'er thought to herself that this man was indeed a promising talent. "That's right, the other side lacks a legitimate reason for rebellion. If a member of the Han Dynasty's imperial family joins, they will surely welcome him with open arms."

Liu Xiu hesitated for a moment; he had never imagined getting involved in the war. But when he saw the bright, expectant look in Zhu'er's eyes, he steeled himself and nodded.

Since Pearl's two previous masters were both extremely famous, he absolutely cannot fall behind!

A month later, Liu Xiu raised an army in Wancheng, Liu Yan in Chunling, and Deng Chen, Liu Xiu's second brother-in-law, in Xinye. Among them, the eldest brother Liu Yan gathered seven or eight thousand members of the Liu family and guests, making his forces the most powerful.

In Liu Xiu's life, after beginning his education at the age of six, he spent ten years studying poetry and literature, and the next ten years working hard in the fields, never having been exposed to anything related to warfare. But Zhu'er told him that everything was very simple.

Everything in this world can be approached using the principles of business.

He couldn't fight, no problem; he could send skilled warriors to the front lines and then offer the desired official positions and wealth. He lacked weapons, no problem; he could find weapon forgers and exchange them for gold and silver. He gradually came to admit that merchants were indeed omnipotent. Everyone has needs in their hearts; as long as you can find what the other party needs, you can exchange it for what you want. Moreover, even if you don't have what the other party needs, you can obtain it from others through a series of transactions. This vast chain of interests gradually forms a behemoth, and Liu Xiu is the hidden mastermind behind it all.

You have to be willing to give up something in order to gain something in return.

Liu Xiu, heeding Zhu'er's advice, suggested that his elder brother Liu Yan find a stronger backer, because although their rebel army was valiant, it could not withstand the government forces alone. Liu Yan chose the Green Forest Army. Liu Yan was exceptionally talented, slaying generals and enemies, and within just two years, he rose rapidly in power within the Green Forest Army, putting considerable pressure on other factions.

Zhu'er had warned Liu Xiu long ago, and the latter had also advised his elder brother, but Liu Yan never listened to advice and ignored Liu Xiu's warnings. Liu Xiu could only keep a low profile, acting cautiously and unassumingly, appearing weak and cowardly in the eyes of others.

The relationship between Zhu'er and Liu Xiu has also subtly changed. It is no longer just Zhu'er guiding Liu Xiu. Liu Xiu will also make excellent judgments from time to time, making Zhu'er look at him in a different light.

This man has improved far too quickly compared to her two previous masters. Sometimes, Pearl couldn't help but admire him. How could someone, after being a scholar for ten years and a farmer for ten years, still be so successful as a merchant?
Well, strictly speaking, Liu Xiu is not a businessman now, but a ruler.

Liu Yan won battle after battle, gaining an increasingly high reputation in the army. To suppress Liu Yan's rising power, the Green Forest Army generals jointly nominated Liu Xuan, a relatively unknown member of the Liu clan, as emperor. This Liu Xuan was actually Liu Yan's cousin, and had originally been just a subordinate official. Such an emperor, lacking both power and influence, was best suited to be a puppet ruler in a high position.

Considering the overall situation, Liu Yan had no choice but to agree to support Liu Xuan as emperor, changing the era name to the first year of Gengshi, and calling him Emperor Gengshi.

Liu Xiu vaguely sensed that things were going wrong, but he was powerless to reverse the situation for the time being. He also realized that their strength was far from sufficient; otherwise, he could have easily supported his elder brother as emperor, instead of ending up in such a passive position. From then on, Liu Xiu no longer concealed his talents. In the Battle of Kunyang, he defeated the Xin Dynasty's army of 420,000 men with only 10,000 men, shocking the world.

This great victory at Kunyang, a triumph of the few over the many and the weak over the strong, shifted the balance of power between the government forces and the rebel army. Liu Xiu, who orchestrated this outcome, earned everyone's admiration. Simultaneously, Liu Yan captured Wancheng, a heavily fortified city of the Xin dynasty, and subsequently forced Emperor Gengshi to move the capital there.

"Your older brother is in danger," Zhu'er concluded upon hearing the news.

Liu Xiu's face was ashen. This was the first time he and his elder brother had acted separately. He was in charge of defending Kunyang, while his elder brother was in charge of attacking Wancheng. They had originally planned to support each other from afar, but his elder brother had not changed his sharp and ambitious nature. Now that he was second only to the emperor, he was bound to attract the hostility of various interest groups within the Green Forest Army.

"Well... what will you decide?" Pearl asked with interest.

Liu Xiu answered almost without hesitation, "I will go to Wancheng right away."

Zhu'er raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "You just defended Kunyang, aren't you going to calm the morale of the troops?"

Liu Xiu fiddled with the abacus beads in his hand and replied calmly, "You once said that there is gain in loss, and in my heart, my elder brother is the one I will never abandon."

Pearl was slightly taken aback by his matter-of-fact attitude and resounding words.

In the minds of the masters he had encountered in his previous lives, everything was something that could be given up, including the woman he deeply loved, his own possessions, relatives and friends... even himself who helped them...

Zhu'er knew that Liu Xiu must also know that as long as Liu Yan existed, there would be no room for Liu Xiu to rise. Liu Yan was born to attract everyone's attention, and Liu Xiu could only live in his shadow. Was he not tempted at all? Could he still maintain his original intention?
However, she, who had always been with Liu Xiu, was certain that he was telling the truth and that there was absolutely no hypocrisy in what he said.

Looking at the heroic and handsome Liu Xiu, Zhu'er suddenly felt that he was very reliable and had a trustworthy temperament. What kind of woman could win the heart of such a man who was both scholarly and martial?
Pearl's heart was in turmoil. The seeds that had been hidden in her heart began to sprout like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, catching her off guard.

Before she could think it through, a piece of bad news arrived in an instant.

When Liu Xiu learned of his elder brother Liu Yan's death, he was completely stunned. He could accept his brother dying on the battlefield, but he absolutely could not accept being stabbed in the back by his own people. What disobedience? He simply couldn't believe it!

Zhu'er leaned against the couch, closed the book in her hand, and said sarcastically, "Foolish. It's true that good bows are put away and hunting dogs are cooked, but it's not like the birds are all gone and the cunning rabbits are dead yet! Liu Xuan is really too foolish." Moreover, he acted too quickly. Zhu'er looked at Liu Xiu, who had already packed his luggage and was about to set off for Wancheng.

Liu Xiu pressed his temples together, forcing his grief-stricken mind to start thinking. He had indeed overestimated Liu Xuan, assuming he would use his elder brother to conquer the world before making his own plans, which was why he hadn't been too wary. He hadn't expected the other side to act so quickly. Wasn't he afraid of alienating his men?

"What do you plan to do? Incite your men to break away from Emperor Gengshi and go it alone?" Zhu'er narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, pondering as she looked at Liu Xiu's handsome profile. In the blink of an eye, she had been by this man's side for twelve years, and he had grown from a naive young man into a strong and upright man. For some reason, Zhu'er suddenly became lost in thought. Liu Xiu was already twenty-eight years old, yet he still didn't have a woman by his side…

Liu Xiu lowered his head, his brows furrowed, and muttered to himself, "I need to...think about it carefully..."

Pearl suppressed the wild thoughts in her mind again; this was not a good time.

Liu Xiu ultimately chose to feign compliance.

He immediately returned to Wancheng, voluntarily relinquished his army, severed ties with Liu Yan, showed no grief over the loss of his brother, and had no intention of wearing mourning clothes for his brother. He spent his days drinking and making merry, did not participate in politics, and even claimed that the Battle of Kunyang was all due to his subordinates. He even declared that "if I were to become an official, I would be the Commander of the Imperial Guards, and if I were to marry, I would marry Yin Lihua."

The Commander of the Imperial Guards, holding a rank equivalent to the Nine Ministers, was the supreme commander guarding the capital. This was all Liu Xiu expressed in terms of his ambition. Yin Lihua, on the other hand, was a famous beauty from Xinye, and Liu Xiu openly expressed his admiration for her.

However, no one could understand the bitterness in his heart when he uttered those two words.

You have to give up something to gain something. In other words, if you want to gain something, you must give up something else.

He knew this principle perfectly well when he was sixteen, but he never expected that he would come to such a profound understanding.

Zhu'er saw everything he did and knew that although he seemed to be drinking and behaving recklessly outside, he never ate meat at home. Every day when he woke up, his pillow was stained with tears. The woman named Yin Lihua was naturally beautiful, but what Liu Xiu valued was her illustrious family background.

The Yin family were descendants of Guan Zhong, a famous prime minister during the Spring and Autumn Period. At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the entire Yin family moved to Xinye. Moreover, the Yin family was not only of illustrious lineage, but also one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the area, with a status and wealth almost comparable to that of feudal lords.

Zhu'er knew that Liu Xiu was looking for a backer for himself. Although Liu Xiu was a ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, he had no foundation and was ultimately just a farmer.

Sure enough, even one's own marriage can be used as a bargaining chip.

Pearl sighed silently, secretly praising herself for having nurtured another exceptional businesswoman, yet also feeling a pang of regret.

Indeed, there's no such thing as having your cake and eating it too. It's just that Yin Lihua will likely become a political sacrifice as well…

"Reluctant to leave?" If Liu Xiu hadn't been busy arranging his marriage proposal, he would have been astonished to see this. For the person standing in his room was none other than the young stall owner from years ago. Twelve years had passed, yet his face remained unchanged from that day.

“What’s there to be reluctant about?” Pearl yawned lazily. “I taught him how to be a perfect businessman, to give up what he has in exchange for something more worthwhile, to trade anything, even his own family, marriage, and life…”

Pearl didn't say the rest of her words.

If things continue like this, what if one day, due to circumstances, he, like his two previous owners, also has to replace her?

Or perhaps, he simply doesn't want to see him get married and have children...

The stall owner reached out and picked up the abacus, weighed it in his hand for a few moments, and then smiled and said, "Tell me, if I were to take you and exchange you for the Imperial Seal of the State and the He Shi Bi jade, do you think he would agree to the exchange?"

Pearl glanced at him, snorted coldly, and said, "It's better not to try. I don't want to know the answer..."

"Actually, you already have the answer in your heart, don't you?" the stall owner said with a faint smile, putting the abacus into his pocket and leisurely pushing open the door to leave.

In June of the first year of the Gengshi era, Liu Xiu married Yin Lihua.

In September of the first year of the Gengshi era, Liu Xiu escorted Yin Lihua back to Xinye and went to Luoyang alone, intending to recover the lands of Hebei.

In the first month of the second year of the Gengshi era, in order to join forces with the King of Zhending, Liu Xiu, only half a year after marrying Yin Lihua, issued a letter to divorce his wife and make her a concubine, and then married Guo Shengtong, a noblewoman from the Guo family of Zhending.

In the third year of Gengshi (25 AD), Liu Xiu, who had already conquered multiple provinces and commanded a million armored soldiers, ascended the throne at Qianqiu Pavilion south of Ye City in Hebei Province with the support of his generals. He changed the era name to Jianwu and continued to use "Han" as the name of the dynasty, which is historically known as the Later Han or Eastern Han.

Thus began the Eastern Han Dynasty...

2012 AD.

"Huh? So, this abacus actually belonged to Emperor Guangwu of Han?" The doctor exclaimed in surprise, his long rabbit ears twitching back and forth. "And there was a stunningly beautiful woman sleeping inside? You were willing to bury her like that?"

Is the key point actually the last sentence? The boss smiled and said, "It's alright. She's been asleep for two thousand years anyway, so it doesn't make a difference if she continues to sleep underground." After the formation is broken, it won't hurt to dig her out. Besides, Pearl hasn't woken up even once in these two thousand years. The boss is actually quite willing to throw her away and see if she can wake up again.

"..." The doctor twitched his long ears in frustration and snorted, "Speaking of which, Liu Xiu is really something else! He became emperor in just a few years, and after ascending the throne, he didn't kill or reduce the number of his meritorious officials. He played the balance game so well! It seems that Zhu'er taught him well, using the wisdom of a merchant to be an emperor. Tsk tsk! This is an inspirational novel!"

The boss ignored the doctor's excited rant, merely raising an eyebrow and glancing at the iPad hidden behind the rabbit doll, which displayed Liu Xiu's life story.

The doctor coughed twice, turned off the iPad behind him, and put the stylus into his doll's bib. He casually changed the subject, saying, "But when you think about it, boss, you took advantage of Liu Xiu! You silently took away his beloved abacus later. Isn't that bullying?"

The shopkeeper wiped the abacus beads clean one by one and said calmly, "I followed Zhu'er's wishes. She wanted to leave, so I took her away. As for Liu Xiu, I left a few taels of gold, which should be enough to offset the value of his gold-inlaid knife. He won't lose out."

"..." The doctor could imagine that when Liu Xiu couldn't find the Dingpan Pearl, his expression when he saw those few taels of gold must have been quite interesting.

The boss gently stroked the fixed bead that couldn't be moved, lost in thought.

Actually, he and Pearl both knew the answer to that question from back then.

Not to mention the Imperial Seal of the State and the Jade Disc of He Shi Bi, Liu Xiu would have been willing to exchange them for the throne.

But what's the point?

Pearl was ultimately unable to grow old with him, unable to bear him children; their paths were destined to diverge...

The boss lowered his eyes and sighed softly, "A choice, perhaps..."

(End of this chapter)