How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

"I am dull-witted and cannot understand this at the moment. I hope you can explain it to me in detail!" Zhou Wenju said.

"His Majesty is pleased that your father has carried out the decree to pacify the people in accordance with His Majesty's wishes..."

Zhou Wenju's heart pounded wildly.

With just this one sentence, he declared that everything he had done in Qishan had been successfully accomplished!

No matter what kind of disaster they cause, it won't really become a disaster!

The initial scheme has come true in its entirety!

Chungpachi's gaze was incredibly deep as he met Chungpachi's eyes: "Your Majesty's concern is... that murder weapons are hidden among the people, which is ultimately a great threat to the law!"

Xin Shisan spoke up: "I wonder if Young Master Zhou could persuade the people of Hexi to offer their weapons to His Majesty?"

Zhou Wenju brought the teacup to his lips, slowly raising his gaze, but did not answer.

Zhongba pressed his advantage: "The sage said that weapons are instruments of death, and sages only use them when they have no other choice! I believe that when Lord Zhou made these deadly weapons for the villagers, it was also out of necessity. However, today, the situation has changed drastically. Every household in Qishan has land, everyone has clothes to wear, and they live in peace and prosperity. There is no longer any 'unavoidable' need to resort to arms. Why not put away the weapons and let the horses graze freely in the mountains?"

Zhou Wenju gently set down his teacup: "I and the 30,000 villagers of Hexi are all subjects of the Great Yu. It is only natural for us to share His Majesty's burdens and relieve the country's difficulties, but..."

The two were greatly encouraged.

Because the first half already conveys an attitude of approval.

What follows can only be conditions.

It's good to set conditions; as long as we can negotiate, that's fine!

"What troubles you, Young Master Zhou? Please tell me!" Zhongba said.

Zhou Wenju said, "Refining guns and ammunition requires materials, effort, and manpower... all of which are expenses. If we take them empty-handed, the villagers might complain. Therefore, I think it would be better if... the imperial court funded their purchase!"

"Buying it is not out of the question, but... what price do you think would be appropriate, Young Master?" Both of them felt their hearts skip a beat at the same time. Paying money was the way to solve the problem, but the imperial court's military funds were limited. If they asked for an exorbitant price, His Majesty would not be able to afford it.

During those ten days, their biggest concern was this gun.

They had already determined that this gun was truly a worldly artifact, and that it would cost an astronomical price to buy. Now, sure enough, they had brought up this sensitive issue.

"A gun costs 100 taels of silver, and a bullet costs one fen of silver. What do you two gentlemen think of this price?"

"100 taels?" Chung-hachi frowned.

Xin Shisan also spoke up: "Young Master Zhou, can you really get the villagers to sell their gun serial numbers at such a price?"

Zhongba was a scholar, and scholars tend to be somewhat reserved.

However, Xin Shisan was a pulse cultivator, and his mind was simpler; he directly expressed his inner joy.

Yes, they were both genuinely overjoyed.

On their internal price list, the gun was priced at ten thousand taels of silver.

This price is definitely not outrageous.

If sales to foreign buyers were permitted, which wealthy merchant who travels all over the country wouldn't want to buy one for self-defense? They would definitely be scrambling to buy it for tens of thousands of taels of silver.

But now, Zhou Wenju is offering only one hundred taels!

The price difference was a hundredfold!

How could they possibly be so excited?

Zhou Wenju smiled lightly: "In terms of value alone, it would not be unreasonable to ask for ten thousand taels of silver for this gun. However, serving the country and relieving His Majesty's worries cannot be equated with business. If it were not for the need for materials, labor, and craftsmen who could maintain their passion for forging weapons, I would rather not take a penny."

Zhong Ba said, "Your Majesty must be very pleased to hear of Young Master Zhou's dedication to serving the country! I wonder how many guns and bullets are in total?"

"We have 3,000 guns and about a million rounds of ammunition in stock."

"Tomorrow, my brother and I will bring 400,000 taels of silver. How about we collect this batch first?"

"Okay!" Zhou Wenju said.

"Then it's a deal?" Chunghachi stood up.

"It's a deal!"

"I'll take my leave tonight!" said Chunghachi. "I'll come to visit again tomorrow morning!"

"Please take care, gentlemen!"

The two left the red pavilion with light steps. When they reached the door, they turned back to bow and simultaneously burst into the air.

The two left.

Zhou Wenju felt extremely pleased.

One reason for the satisfaction: the farce in Qishan County ended perfectly, and the murder of the He and Li families was successfully averted because His Majesty's intentions were clear: as long as the gun matter went as he wished, all crimes would be forgiven. The two vice ministers had objections, so they went to the toilet to voice them—this is a modern interpretation of "the noise of others is like mosquitoes passing by."

The second reason for my satisfaction: the arms business is still the most profitable.

The cost of making a gun is no more than one tael of silver.

The cost of bullets is even more negligible.

The cost price he spoke of with great enthusiasm had actually increased a hundredfold in reality without him even realizing it.

They were overjoyed and afraid he would change his mind.

A voice came from behind me: "Should I congratulate you?"

Zhou Wenju turned around and saw Mo Ziyi. At that moment, a blush hadn't yet faded from her face, showing that she was truly happy...

"Congratulations are indeed in order!" Zhou Wenju smiled.

"You've caused a huge mess this time, but the price you've paid is also huge!" Mo Ziyi said, "Selling such a divine artifact for a hundred taels of silver, doesn't it hurt?"

"That's incredibly painful, but what can we do? We'll just have to pay back the money to avoid further trouble," Zhou Wenju sighed insincerely.

"That's incredibly painful, but what can we do? We'll just have to pay back the money to avoid further trouble," Zhou Wenju sighed insincerely.

"What do you mean by 'returning money to avoid disaster'? That can't be..." a voice came from the air: "I'm counting on your money to listen to your music. If you return the money to avoid disaster, what am I supposed to do?"

As the sound faded, a beautiful woman climbed over the wall and entered.

Mo Ziyi turned around, a little confused. She saw a beautiful woman behind her, a charming and lovely young woman—Zhou Shuang!

Zhou Shuang was stunned when she saw the ethereal beauty in black purple suddenly appear in the courtyard...

"Brother, who... is this?"

The word "brother" instantly dispelled all of Mo Ziyi's doubts.

Zhou Wenju said, "This is... my senior sister."

"Senior sister? From Mount Huding?" Zhou Shuang asked.

"Hmm..." Mo Ziyi nodded in agreement, "This is your sister?"

"Hmm!" Zhou stretched out his hands and pulled Zhou Wenju aside, lowering his voice, "Brother, tell me the truth, is this really your senior sister? Not my sister-in-law?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? What's going on in your head all day?" Zhou Wenju raised his hand and gave her a flick on the forehead. You blockhead, you have no idea how terrifying this girl's ability to eavesdrop is. Anyone who dared to gossip within a hundred feet of her was kicked off a cliff by her to find rabbits.

Zhou Shuang breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that it's not my sister-in-law! My little nun Suxin is still on Lonely Mountain, striking the wooden fish and chanting, 'The most hurried day was when I left the temple, the music hall still played farewell songs, tears streaming down my face as I faced... the wooden fish.' Brother, do you really think she's striking the wooden fish? Not at all! She's striking your philandering heart! If you dare to start something and then abandon me, find some girl to keep in your courtyard and mess around with..."

Zhou Wen raised his hand slightly and handed her three hundred-tael silver notes: "Go, go, go to the Drunken Pavilion and order your courtesans. Don't cause trouble for your brother here!"

Zhou Shuang accepted the silver note, her face brightening considerably: "Brother, I just heard you say that returning money can avert disaster, but that idea is absolutely wrong. The great families of the world have taught us through their millennia-long traditions that returning money won't avert disaster. To avert disaster, you need to make more money. With more money, the disaster will naturally disappear, really..."

"I know, I know! Even if I return the money, you can still keep your share, okay?"

"Alright!" Zhou Shuang climbed over the wall and went out...

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Wenju sent them away on the spot with three silver notes...

He really didn't dare let his sister stay by Mo Ziyi's side.

That girl has such a sharp tongue, who can stop her?

Her master even shed tears while facing the wooden fish!

Holy crap! What is this even talking about?

Zhou Shuang is gone.

Zhou Wenju turned around.

Mo Ziyi, standing in the red pavilion, smiled enigmatically: "The day I hastily left the temple, the music hall still played farewell songs, tears streaming down my face as I faced the wooden fish. Your sister's poetic talent is quite remarkable."

"jump?"

"The first two lines are exquisitely used to describe the nun's longing for worldly life, but the rhyme scheme of 'shedding tears while facing the wooden fish' seems... worth considering."

"My God, your interpretation is way off track!" Zhou Wenju rubbed his forehead. "This has absolutely nothing to do with nuns. The temple in the poem is not a nunnery, but a temple for the state and the nation. The line 'weeping to the wooden fish' is a complete misinterpretation by her. It should actually be 'weeping to the palace maids.'"

"The temple of the nation's mountains and rivers...shedding tears before the palace maids? That rhyme is right, and the sentiment is consistent... Did you write that?"

"You don't know?" Zhou Wenju said.

"I don't know!" Mo Ziyi said, "Read this poem to me..."

"This is a new poem I wrote about half a month ago, and it's this poem that changed the way things were in Qishan..." Zhou Wenju said, "The poem is called 'Po Zhen Zi': For forty years, my home and country, eight thousand miles of mountains and rivers..."

Mo Ziyi closed her eyes and silently recited the poem in her heart.

In an instant, my mind wandered thousands of miles.

For a moment, my thoughts were racing...

Finally, she slowly opened her eyes: "Why recite such words to a nun?"

"Because... she was a palace maid from the previous dynasty!"

"A palace maid from the previous dynasty! She was actually a palace maid from the previous dynasty..." Mo Ziyi sighed softly, "Young Master Zhou, I still have to give you some advice! Your world is already complicated enough, don't get involved in anything more complicated."

Her meaning was very clear.

The previous dynasty was always a taboo subject.

If you can avoid it, then do not.

"I understand your good intentions!" Zhou Wenju said, "but I have ulterior motives."

"You have ulterior motives?" A clear hint of something else appeared in Mo Ziyi's eyes.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not after her 'bald head' or her 'alluring figure.' What I'm after is... the Mountain and River Cauldron, which was once hailed as an ancient divine artifact."

The Mountain and River Cauldron vanished from the world along with the "resignation from the ancestral temple" of the previous dynasty.

The person most likely to know the whereabouts of the Mountain and River Cauldron is undoubtedly a survivor from the previous dynasty's royal family.

"The Mountain and River Cauldron!" A glint flashed in Mo Ziyi's eyes. "Any results?"

"She said the Mountain and River Cauldron has fallen into the hands of demons!" Zhou Wenju said. "I was just about to ask you, is there a different answer in the Mo family's intelligence system?"

"At least what I know matches her answer!" Mo Ziyi gently shook her head: "Why do you have such a strong interest in the Mountain and River Cauldron?"

"Is it abnormal for someone from the Mohist school to have such a strong interest in the Mountain and River Cauldron?"

"Finally, I have an answer I like!" Mo Ziyi smiled gently. "You still consider yourself to be from the Mo family after all!"

"I had already left the Mohist school, but your brother put immense pressure on me to stay. If I don't acknowledge my Mohist origins, wouldn't I be betraying your brother's kindness?"

Suddenly, his gaze drifted outwards.

Outside the courtyard wall, it bounced up like a ball.

After landing and bouncing a few times, Rou'er returned, carrying two rabbits, two very fat ones...

"Miss, I've been pondering this all the way here, and I feel like there's something hidden in your words." Rou'er was conflicted. "You said you wanted to eat rabbit, and you even called me 'little rabbit.' Do you actually want to eat the rabbit, or are you subtly hinting that you want to stew me?"

Puff!

Mo Ziyi laughed so hard she bent over.

Zhou Wenju laughed too: "Rou'er, give the rabbit to Hong'er. Forget stewing it; stewing rabbit directly makes it taste earthy. Let's braise it!"

Hong'er ran up to Rou'er, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and faced Zhou Wenju. Mustering her courage, she spoke earnestly, "Young Master, I am Lü'er. Hong'er is over there..."

Oh my god, I made another mistake!

Zhou Wenju was so embarrassed that he dug his feet into the ground, creating a four-bedroom, two-living-room structure...

A whisper from Mo Ziyi slipped into his ears: "You really can't recognize your two maids?"

"Ahem... I'll tell you this quietly, but don't tell them, okay... This is really a bit hurtful."

"well!"

"If they were even half as good-looking as you, I definitely wouldn't mistake them. I'd recognize them even if they were standing right in front of me, across the East River..."

Mo Ziyi glanced at him sideways.

The two words lingered in her mind, but she simply wouldn't say them.

These two words are: pervert!

Do you think this girl is only attracted to looks?

Just because someone is ugly, you wouldn't even remember if they bumped into you a hundred and twenty times...

Mo Ziyi's beautiful eyes flickered slightly: "Since you're not very satisfied with their appearances, why did you buy them?"

"These aren't what I wanted to buy, they're my sister! She took my money and wandered around the market all day, rejecting all the girls with good figures and all the pretty ones. It really took her a lot of thought to choose these two."

"What do you call this? Don't trust your true nature? No one knows a brother better than his sister?" Mo Ziyi laughed so hard she bent over.

After a series of serious matters and some playful banter, Zhou Wenju suddenly felt that his little courtyard had come alive.

Where is Mo Ziyi?

Suddenly, I didn't feel awkward staying in this little courtyard anymore.

It's very comfortable.

That night, she lay in her hotel room, gazing at the half-moon in the sky, and two lines of poetry inexplicably floated into her mind: "I wonder if Lingnan is not a good place? Where my heart finds peace is my home."

Lingnan has absolutely nothing to do with her hometown.

But tonight, in this little courtyard, she felt strangely at all...

The next morning.

A flying shuttle descended from the sky and landed in front of Zhou Wenju's courtyard.

Zhou Wenju boarded the shuttle.

Chungpachi and Shinjiro bowed simultaneously.

Behind them was a group of people who looked like servants.

"Young Master Zhou, everything is ready. May we enter the Hexi Valley?" Zhong Ba asked.

"Can!"

"Should we inform your father?" Xin Shisan asked.

"I already reported this to my father last night. My father said that it is my duty to be loyal to His Majesty, and everything should be based on the opinions of the two gentlemen."

"Although your father's official career has been fraught with difficulties, he has never changed his original aspirations, which is truly admirable! Now that we have returned to the capital, my brother and I will certainly tell the Chief Justice the truth," Zhongba said.

Zhou Wenju smiled gently: "Let's go!"