You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

In Lin'an during the twelfth lunar month, the air is cold and damp.

Inside the New Army camp, the somber atmosphere dispelled the slight lethargy of the year's end.

Inside the central command tent, a charcoal brazier was burning brightly. Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian, brothers, were sitting around a simple wooden table with the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, frowning as they looked at the account books.

"His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate towards his soldiers; the year-end allowance will certainly be issued."

Guo Xiaotian's voice was calm and steady; as the elder brother, he was more of the one making the decisions: "It's just that the amount..."

"His Majesty's intention is to allow the soldiers to have a prosperous New Year, thereby boosting morale."

"But this expenditure needs to be regulated. There should be different levels for combat soldiers, auxiliary soldiers, and newly recruited soldiers to ensure fairness and avoid disputes."

Ke Zhen'e said, "The court has many expenses these days, and it is already a rare favor that His Majesty still remembers to give the soldiers a piece of meat and a pot of wine at the end of the year."

"Clearly define the rules, distribute them properly, and prevent lower-level officials from withholding them; this is accumulating virtue."

Zhu Cong, fanning himself with a folding fan, said with a smile, "Brother Ke is right."

"As for this charter, I think..."

Just then, a guard outside the tent announced loudly, "Reporting to the two commanders, an envoy from the Imperial City Guard has arrived outside the camp, carrying His Majesty's edict!"

The people inside the tent tensed up and immediately stopped talking.

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin exchanged a glance, both seeing the doubt in each other's eyes.

As the year draws to a close, His Majesty has sent people from the Imperial City Guard to the new army camp.

No one dared to be negligent; they immediately rose and led the people inside the tent to greet them outside.

The newcomer was dressed in the dark blue outfit commonly seen by the Imperial City Guard, with a windproof cloak over it. His face was ordinary, but his eyes shone with a sharp, inner light.

After verifying the imperial edict and seal and confirming its authenticity, he took out a long, rectangular box tightly wrapped in oilcloth and sealed with a tape from his bosom and handed it to Guo Xiaotian with both hands.

"Commander Guo, Commander Yang, His Majesty has something to bestow upon you."

Guo Xiaotian solemnly accepted it; it felt quite heavy in his hand.

He led the messenger into the tent, leaving only a few of the Seven Eccentrics present, before carefully uncovering the oilcloth, breaking the seal, and opening the wooden box.

Inside the box was a bright yellow silk lining, on which sat an antique-looking, dark-colored thread-bound book. On the cover were three characters written in vigorous ink: "Yi Jin Jing" (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic).

"The Yi Jin Jing?"

Zhu Cong gasped in shock, while Han Baoju, Nan Xiren, and Ke Zhen'e also looked surprised.

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin were also deeply shocked.

The Shaolin Yi Jin Jing, a supreme internal energy manual in the martial arts world, is a treasure of Buddhist martial arts. How did it end up in His Majesty's hands and be delivered to this new army camp?

"My lord."

Yang Tiexin looked at the Imperial City Guard envoy and asked in a deep voice, "Where did this scripture come from? What is His Majesty's decree?"

The envoy remained calm and composed, as if stating something utterly ordinary: "A few days ago, His Majesty traveled incognito through Mount Song and made a detour to Shaolin Temple to pay homage to Buddha."

On the way back, they noticed something amiss, so they led us back to investigate.

"Unexpectedly... Shaolin Temple had suffered a great calamity. Not a single monk survived, and the temple buildings were also burned down."

"Traces of Western Region Tantric martial arts and ritual implements were found at the scene."

"His Majesty has determined that it is a heretical monk from the Tantric sect who intends to steal Shaolin martial arts manuals and take them to the Western Regions."

He paused, then continued, "Fortunately, His Majesty foresaw the situation and pursued the enemy in time."

"At the northern foot of Mount Song, we intercepted a group of esoteric Buddhist sorcerers who were transporting scriptures. After a fierce battle, we annihilated them all and recovered some of the looted scriptures, including this Yi Jin Jing."

"His Majesty has decreed that since this scripture is a treasure of martial arts in the Central Plains, it should be used to strengthen the army and serve the country."

"Instruct the two commanders to immediately organize reliable scribes to copy this sutra three thousand times."

"Copies were distributed to four places: Marshal Han Shizhong at the Jianghuai Grand Camp, General Yue Fei at Jiangzhou, the Zhong family army in the Western Army, and various garrisons in the south."

"From this day forward, you shall teach the entire Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) to all new recruits, without any deletions or alterations, to help them strengthen their muscles and bones and solidify their foundation, so that they may become elite soldiers as soon as possible."

The complete text? Unedited and unrewritten? For all new recruits?

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin were deeply moved, feeling both the weight of His Majesty's trust and the incredible nature of the matter.

The Yi Jin Jing is so precious that it is intended to be popularized throughout the entire army.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty is truly blessed by Heaven!"

Yang Tiexin was the first to react, bowing and accepting the order: "We will do our utmost to accomplish this task!"

"This humble general obeys the order!" Guo Xiaotian also clasped his hands in a deep fist salute.

"The decree has been delivered; I shall take my leave."

The Imperial City Envoy was decisive and efficient. He bowed, turned around and left the tent. Led by his personal guards, he hurriedly left, and his figure quickly disappeared outside the camp gate.

.....

The tent fell silent again. Guo Xiaotian carefully picked up the Yi Jin Jing, feeling the texture of the ancient pages, still deeply moved.

Zhu Cong, Han Baoju, and others gathered around, looking at the legendary manual with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

Only Ke Zhen'e stood still, his brows furrowed tightly.

He looked in the direction the messenger had left, pondering to himself: Was he passing through Mount Song? Perhaps he was paying homage to Buddha along the way?

When did Your Majesty become a Buddhist?

Furthermore, Shaolin Temple is an ancient temple with thousands of years of history and countless masters. Even if the Tantric sect launched a full-scale attack, how could they be wiped out without a sound, without even a single one managing to escape?

This matter...

Very strange!

.....

Meanwhile, at the foot of Mount Song, in a stone house hidden in a secluded valley.

The stone house was simple, with only a table, a chair, and a couch.

Dozens of books, some new and some old, made of different materials, were scattered haphazardly on the table, the couch, and even the floor.

Many of these books have titles such as "Prajna Palm," "Flower-Picking Finger," "Great Vajra Fist," and "Arhat Staff Technique," all of which are secret manuals of the 72 Shaolin Arts.

Lu Zuo sat cross-legged on the only clean futon, closing his eyes and concentrating.

A moment later, he had a slight thought and gave an instruction to the being in his mind: "Cultivate the Prajna Vajra Palm."

[Consuming 27 cultivation points, the Vajra Palm technique has been mastered to its highest level.]

In an instant, a scorching and powerful torrent surged into Lu Zuo's body from nothingness.

Countless essential principles, techniques, variations, and practical insights of the "Prajna Vajra Palm" have been deeply imprinted into his soul and physical instincts, as if he had practiced it thousands of times.

The Laogong acupoint in my palm felt slightly warm, and I felt a tingling and trembling sensation in my arms, as if the power of Vajra was nurturing and polishing within me.

The entire process was silent and instantaneous, yet it was completed in the blink of an eye.

Lu Zuo opened his eyes, spread his hands, and a faint golden light seemed to flash across his palms before disappearing.

He lightly pressed his palm against the stone wall, but did not touch it. Yet, a clear palm print, about half an inch deep with smooth, carved edges, quietly appeared on the stone wall three feet away, and stone dust fell down in a flurry.

"As expected of one of the Seventy-Two Ultimate Skills, it is the most powerful and fierce, and is specifically designed to break through all kinds of hard skills and physical training."

Lu Zuo muttered to himself, feeling the true qi within his body become even more solid and powerful, and his control over the power becoming more refined.

"Unfortunately, just reading and understanding these manuals once will take a lot of time. Cola Novels' best multiverse novel, 'Wandering in the Multiverse as a Tyrant, You Don't Understand My Happiness,' ranked at the top!"

"Only my cheat system can ignore comprehension, innate talent, and time, and directly infuse perfection."

He stood up, stretched his muscles and bones, and felt his blood and qi surging like a great river, his true energy filling him like a furnace, making his skin, muscles and bones even stronger than metal.

Roughly estimated, the damage inflicted and sustained combat capability against heavily armored formations has significantly increased compared to a month ago.

"It should be no problem for them to match 1,500 heavily armored elite troops."

His gaze swept over the room full of Shaolin martial arts techniques, and Lu Zuo called out loudly, "Someone come here."

Two guards entered in response.

"These books were sorted, packed, carefully sealed, and transported back to Yingtian Prefecture, where they were stored in the Imperial City Guard's secret treasury and placed under strict guard."

"yes!"

.....

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, as the Lunar New Year approached, a faint festive atmosphere permeated Yingtian Prefecture. Even during wartime, there were more hurried pedestrians in the city as they prepared for the New Year.

Inside the Ministry of Works, things were busier than usual, but there was an irrepressible festive atmosphere amidst the busyness.

The person in charge of the daily profit distribution of the Glass Bureau was a Mr. Xu, who was about forty years old and had a shrewd appearance.

At this moment, he sat alone in the duty room, the latest glass sales ledger spread out in front of him, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the final number, and an uncontrollable smile creeping onto his lips. His eyes were filled with relief and excitement.

Thank goodness!

Fortunately, he listened to Minister Shen's subtle hints and witnessed the magic of the greenhouse vegetables. He gritted his teeth and secretly invested most of his family's savings, along with a dozen or so relatives, in the name of the greenhouse vegetables.

At the time, I felt a pang of regret for spending those hundred-odd taels of silver for the qualification, but now it seems like the wisest decision I've ever made!

Since its initial success, the reputation of glassware, especially its exquisite utensils and mirrors, has spread rapidly among the upper class, leading to a shortage of supply.

The Ministry of Works worked day and night to meet the demand, and the threshold of the official sales office was almost worn out by the crowds.

In less than twenty days, especially around the Lunar New Year, the demand for novel New Year gifts and luxury decorations exploded, and sales soared!

Although the Ministry of Works takes 30%, the remaining profits are spread across these two thousand-plus shares...

Xu Yuanwailang took a deep breath, suppressing his wildly beating heart, closed the account book, and instructed the clerk waiting outside the door: "Go and invite the twenty joint shareholders and the thirty-seven individual shareholders to the yamen for a meeting."

"So... it's almost the end of the year, and the Glass Bureau has some matters to discuss with you all."

.....

When the news spread, Fang Shouye and others, as well as the scattered individual shareholders, were puzzled, but they dared not delay in being summoned by the Ministry of Works. They all put down their work and braved the cold wind to rush to the Ministry of Works.

The group was led to a spacious main room, where a charcoal brazier was burning, making it warm and cozy.

Xu Yuanwailang was already seated in the main seat, with account books spread out on the table in front of him as usual, and a thick stack of things wrapped in red paper next to him, the contents of which were not visible.

"Fellow villagers, the end of the year is approaching and everyone is busy with their affairs, so I will keep this brief."

Xu Yuanwailang smiled broadly, even more amiable than usual: "Thanks to His Majesty's great fortune, the trust of everyone, and the support of the common people, the glass business has been quite prosperous since its opening."

"Minister Shen is considerate of everyone and takes into account the expenses at the end of the year. He has specially ordered me to bring forward the first official dividend distribution originally scheduled for the first month to today, so that everyone can have a comfortable New Year."

Early dividends?

Upon hearing this, everyone smiled and expressed their gratitude: "Thank you, Minister Shen! Thank you, Lord Xu!"

"That really hit the nail on the head!"

Everyone thought that even if business was good in less than twenty days, it would definitely not be as profitable as the opening day when all the products were luxury goods.

Even if we get a share in advance, even if it's just a few coins or ounces per share, it's a pleasant surprise. It's enough to buy a few pounds of meat and a few jugs of good wine.

Fang Shouye estimated that he would be lucky to get one or two taels of silver.

Xu Yuanwailang said, "From the opening on the 18th of the twelfth lunar month to yesterday, the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, it has been exactly ten days."

"The official sales office of the Glass Bureau has sold a total of 84,200 taels of silver for various glass items."

"After deducting all costs and expenses, the net profit is 41,900 taels."

"According to regulations, the Ministry of Works retains 30%, and the remainder can be distributed as profit, totaling 29,330 taels."

"Therefore, based on the total share capital of 2,037 taels, each share will receive a dividend of 19 taels and 8 mace of silver!"

The main room fell into absolute silence instantly.

A spark crackled and popped in the charcoal brazier, the sound exceptionally clear.

Nineteen taels and eight mace?

Invest one tael of silver and receive a dividend of nineteen taels and eight mace in less than twenty days.

Fang Shouye's smile froze, his eyes fixed on Xu Yuanwailang's mouth, as if he hadn't understood.

Lei Dachui opened his mouth wide, revealing his teeth stained yellow from smoking, but he couldn't make a sound.

The handkerchief that Aunt Sun was holding fell to the ground.

Everyone else, whether they were joint shareholders or individual shareholders, were frozen in place, their expressions fixed on their faces, their eyes vacant, as if their very souls had been shaken out of their bodies by that number.

A return of nearly twenty times?

Less than twenty days?

"How much?" A gaunt old man broke the silence with a trembling voice, his voice so faint it seemed it might break at any moment.

"Nineteen taels and eight mace."

Xu Yuanwailang repeated, "The accounts are here, and the silver is ready."

"The amount and corresponding share number are clearly written on the red envelope. You can collect and verify the shares by presenting your share certificates."

He gestured to the clerk beside him to begin calling out names and distributing the gifts.

When the first person whose name was called stepped forward as if in a trance and received the heavy envelope that made the red paper bulge, the real weight that came through their fingertips instantly shattered all feelings of unreality.

"what!"

The man suddenly let out a strange, inhuman scream, clung tightly to the red seal with both hands, squatted down, and trembled violently, it was hard to tell whether he wanted to cry or laugh.

This sound was like a command, and the deathly silent main room was suddenly shattered!

"Nineteen taels and eighty cents! It really is nineteen taels and eighty cents!"

"Mom! I'm not dreaming! Pinch me! Pinch me hard!"

"We've struck it rich! We've really struck it rich! Oh my God!"

"The initial investment! The initial investment has already been recouped! This is all profit! Profit!"

A wave of ecstasy swept over everyone.

Some people knelt down and kowtowed, some hugged their heads and wept, some jumped and danced while holding up the red envelope, and some repeatedly counted the silver ingots and broken silver inside, counting once, laughing foolishly once, and counting again.

When Fang Shouye received the huge red envelope belonging to their "Hundred Craftsmen for the Benefit of the People Alliance," which required two people to lift, he immediately sat down on the ground.

He leaned against the wall, staring at the gleaming silver ingots inside, tears welling up in his eyes, yet he grinned like a child.

From this day forward, the words "glass" and "shareholding dividends" will sweep through the entire Yingtian Prefecture like a fierce whirlwind, centered on the Ministry of Works, and then reach every corner of the Song Dynasty.