The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

Grandpa Lu slumped in his armchair, his mind a complete mess.

He stared intently at his granddaughter. Lu Mingyue was usually as cold as ice, and those young masters from prominent families in Jiangnan couldn't even get a second glance from her. But now, looking at Su Shi, she was practically drooling, as if she wanted to stick to him right then and there.

"Mingyue! Step back!" Seeing that things had completely gone off track, Old Master Lu quickly raised his voice to stop them.

Lu Mingyue acted as if she hadn't heard. She even took two steps forward and gracefully bowed to Su Shi, her voice so gentle it could melt water: "Lord Su, you are a man of great talent. This poem is one I have never heard of before. Your magnanimity is beyond my comprehension."

This display of a devoted fan left Su Shi completely stunned.

He quickly returned the greeting, a secret sense of satisfaction rising within him. He had long heard that Lu Mingyue was an exceptionally talented woman, and meeting her today, he was indeed a kindred spirit who could appreciate heavenly music.

The talented scholar Su immediately adopted the demeanor of a top literary figure, his humility revealing his composure: "Miss Lu, you flatter me. I was merely expressing my feelings through the scenery; please forgive my imperfections."

The two of them, one after the other, actually started discussing the rules and regulations of poetry right in front of Grandpa Lu, as if no one else was around.

Jiang Lin, always eager for a good show, leisurely pulled up a chair and sat down. He expertly crossed his legs, took a sip of tea, and turned to grin at Old Master Lu: "Old Master, look how well these two match! A talented man and a beautiful woman, it's practically a match made in heaven. I think this marriage should be settled today."

Old Master Lu was so angry that his beard trembled. He slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, glaring at Jiang Lin: "Jiang Lin! Don't play dumb with me! I'm the one who wants a marriage alliance with you! Su Shi is just a prefect sent to another region; do you think he can make decisions for your business?"

Jiang Lin's smile vanished instantly.

He slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud thud.

"Old man Lu, I think you've really lost your mind." Jiang Lin's voice turned cold, carrying an unyielding sharpness. "Su Zizhan is an official of the imperial court, and he's my first disciple! The political resources he holds far surpass those of a commoner like me! Your granddaughter marrying him is a stroke of incredible luck for your Lu family! What? You're being picky now?"

Old Master Lu gritted his teeth: "I don't care about any imperial officials! What I want is the rules of the Jiangnan trade route in your hands! If you don't agree today, none of you will leave this island alive!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a loud crash came from outside the door, and more than a dozen guards wielding gleaming steel knives rushed into the main hall like wolves and tigers, instantly surrounding the three of them.

The sudden turn of events instantly brought the atmosphere to a freezing point.

Seeing the flash of the blade, Su Shi didn't hesitate and pulled Lu Mingyue behind him to protect her. Looking at the not-so-robust but determined back of the man before her, Lu Mingyue's eyes welled up with tears, and the last bit of her pride completely crumbled.

On the other side, Zhao Lingjun didn't even lift her eyelids, letting out a cold sneer as she drew her sword from her waist. She stepped forward, blocking Jiang Lin's path, the tip of her blade pointed directly at Old Man Lu, her tone chilling to the bone: "Old man Lu, daring to lay a hand on a high-ranking official, do you want to exterminate your entire family?"

Jiang Lin, who was being protected in the very center, didn't even move an inch, let alone draw his sword.

He sat lazily in the chair, picked at his ear with his little finger, and looked at Grandpa Lu as if he were an idiot.

"Old man, we're all adults here, what are you playing at?" Jiang Lin slowly blew the crumbs off his fingertips. "Do you really think that I, who dared to come to this trap with the prefect alone, wouldn't have any backup plans?"

He leaned forward, lowered his voice, but every word was piercing: "Believe it or not, if the three of us get even a scratch here today, the Imperial Guards of the City Guard will fill up this Taihu Lake of yours first thing tomorrow morning. At that time, your Lu family's century-old foundation will be reduced to ashes because of this one tremor you made today. The embers of your Lu family can't be hidden in the dust."

A layer of cold sweat instantly seeped out from Lu Taigong's forehead.

He was well aware of the existence of the Imperial City Guard of the Song Dynasty, and also knew the grave crime of killing a court official. He had originally only intended to put on a show of force, applying maximum pressure to force Jiang Lin to submit. But this young man before him showed absolutely no awareness of being at Jiang Lin's mercy.

Jiang Lin stood up, straightened the hem of his long robe, and strolled over to Old Master Lu: "Don't be too ambitious. By marrying your granddaughter to Su Shi, your Lu family is essentially on the cusp of the prefectural government. From now on, you can do whatever you want in this Jiangnan region without anyone bothering you. You'll make a killing on this deal."

"If you really push me too far, we might as well flip the table." Jiang Lin stared into his eyes, his smile chilling. "I'll just pack up and go back to Bianjing, leaving the mess in Jiangnan to the imperial court. When the court sends down a large army to quell the rebellion, guess how many days your Lu family's vast wealth will last the army?"

Grandpa Lu was struck dumb.

He stared into Jiang Lin's unfathomable eyes, a chill running from his feet to his head. This wasn't just a scholar without connections; he was a monster who had calculated human nature and the bigger picture to the core!

Grandpa Lu looked over Jiang Lin's shoulder, glanced at his granddaughter who was being fiercely protected by Su Shi, and then at Zhao Lingjun, who was wielding a knife like a ghost.

His tense back instantly collapsed. He knew that in this game, he had been utterly defeated.

"What...what spirit." Old Master Lu seemed to have all his strength drained away in an instant, and slumped back into his armchair. He waved his hand weakly, signaling all the guards around him to leave.

"Jiangshan Chang's strategic planning is flawed; I admit defeat." Old Master Lu took a deep breath, his tone filled with resentment and helplessness. "Since Mingyue and Lord Su are mutually attracted, the Lu family agrees to this marriage."

Hearing this, Su Shi quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to look at Lu Mingyue behind him, and their eyes met, understanding each other without words.

Jiang Lin slapped his thigh and burst into laughter.

"That's great! The old man certainly has a broad vision! I love dealing with sensible people!" Jiang Lin smiled like a smug fox, then changed the subject, "Now that our personal matters are settled, let's talk about business."

Old Master Lu was suddenly taken aback, his eyelids twitching wildly: "Official business? What official business could I possibly have to discuss with you?"

Jiang Lin grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth, his eyes transforming into those of a hungry wolf in the business world.

"When does your Lu family plan to settle the three million guan penalty for breach of contract owed to the Lin family?"