All Heavens Strategy Game

The fifth day after the snow stopped.

Snow disaster relief efforts in Sishui Village are proceeding smoothly under Su Ming's guidance.

According to the previously agreed-upon terms, seven wealthy households in the village with surplus grain, with Su Ming as guarantor, would borrow grain from thirty-three poor households who were running out of food, and would return it after the summer harvest the following year.

The detailed rules for settling debts with wages have also been posted on the bulletin board outside the ancestral hall:

A able-bodied young adult can receive three units of grain per day, while women, children, the elderly, and the weak can receive two units.

This method, though it cannot feed everyone, is enough to keep them alive and help them get through the most difficult days.

The temporary porridge shed next to the ancestral hall is open twice a day, at 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Several elderly women from the village take turns tending the porridge, which is made by mixing borrowed grains with wild vegetables and beans.

The porridge wasn't thick, but it was steaming hot, enough to rekindle hope in the eyes of those shivering in the cold wind.

Su Dashun has been extremely busy these past few days.

He had to keep a close eye on the soup kitchen to ensure everything ran smoothly, coordinate the accounts of each household's borrowing and repayment, and also guard against anyone trying to take advantage of the situation—there were always a few households who wanted to take an extra bowl, or who borrowed food and then tried to renege on their debts.

That afternoon, he had just finished checking the grain loan book for the day in the ancestral hall. Rubbing his throbbing temples, he felt much more at ease.

"Thanks to Saburo..." he murmured to himself, gazing at the fine snow falling again outside the window.

If it weren't for the young man's strong push and his guarantee with his own reputation, those wealthy households who were usually stingy would never have opened their granaries so readily.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the ancestral hall.

"Who is it?" Su Dashun got up and opened the door.

Standing outside the door was a middle-aged man wearing a dark gray cotton cloak, with a fair complexion, no beard, and a smiling face. Behind him was a servant carrying a lantern.

The cloak was embroidered with fine cloud patterns along its edges, clearly not the attire of an ordinary villager.

Su Dashun was taken aback for a moment, then recognized the person and quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "Chief Yang? What brings you here? Please come in, please come in!"

The visitor was Yang Zhengxiong, the head of the pavilion in charge of the Sishui Village area.

According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, there was a pavilion every ten li, with a pavilion chief in charge of matters such as public security, litigation, and taxation. Although not a high-ranking official, he was still a proper official and had considerable authority in the countryside.

Yang Zhengxiong smiled and waved his hand as he stepped into the ancestral hall, with servants standing guard outside the door.

There was a charcoal brazier inside the ancestral hall, which was much warmer than outside.

Yang Zhengxiong took off his cloak, revealing an indigo cotton robe underneath, with a leather belt tied around his waist and a small copper seal hanging from it.

"Village Chief Su, you've worked hard." He looked around at the simple furnishings in the ancestral hall, his gaze lingering for a moment on the stack of grain loan books: "It's truly commendable that you're still working so hard for the village affairs on such a snowy day."

"It's my duty, it's my duty." Su Dashun hurriedly invited him to sit in the main seat, while he himself sat down at the lower seat, though he was a little apprehensive.

The village head rarely comes to the village, let alone when the roads are blocked by heavy snow.

Your sudden visit today must mean something important.

Yang Zhengxiong took the coarse tea that Su Dashun handed him, took a sip, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, then relaxed, and he sighed, "This snow is a once-in-a-century event."

"Yes," Su Dashun echoed, "many roofs in the village collapsed under the weight, and the crops are even worse..."

"As I traveled here," Yang Zhengxiong interrupted him, his tone heavy, "I have seen many villages already littered with the dead from starvation. Roads are cut off, grain carts cannot get in, and the little grain stored in the county granary is just a drop in the bucket. If this continues, I don't know how many more people will die."

Su Dashun remained silent.

He certainly knew the severity of the disaster.

If Su Ming hadn't taken the initiative, Sishui Village would probably be in a state of utter devastation by now.

Yang Zhengxiong observed his expression and continued, "My family still has some surplus grain."

"I cannot bear to see the people suffering."

"I have come here today despite the snow to discuss with Village Chief Su whether I may personally borrow grain from the disaster-stricken people of Sishui Village. The interest rate will be very favorable, only one percent, to help them overcome their difficulties."

"After all, human life is at stake."

He spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with pity for the people.

In the past, Su Dashun would have been extremely grateful and readily agreed.

The village head offered to lend grain at such a low interest rate; it was an incredible stroke of luck.

But at this moment—

Su Dashun raised his head, his face showing an apologetic yet firm expression:

"The village head is so righteous; on behalf of all the villagers, I thank you."

"but……"

He paused.

"The village has spontaneously organized relief efforts, with wealthy households lending grain to poor households and repaying debts with work. For now, they are able to maintain their livelihoods and there is no need to lend grain."

"I will always remember the kindness of the village head."

After he finished speaking, the ancestral hall fell silent.

The flames in the charcoal brazier crackled softly.

Yang Zhengxiong's smile froze for a moment.

He had no idea he would be rejected.

Loaning grain to disaster victims is something many villages would be more eager for!

He came to my door on his own initiative and offered such a low interest rate, how dare Su Dashun refuse?

Moreover, the sun rose in the west? Why would wealthy households be willing to lend grain?

Yang Zhengxiong knew the wealthy households very well.

These wealthy households in the village are all misers, not giving a penny. They wouldn't even care if someone starved to death. They are short-sighted. How could they possibly lend their grain to someone else for no reason?

Filled with doubt and unease, but showing no outward expression, Yang Zhengxiong picked up his teacup, took another sip, and asked casually:

"Oh? The village has actually organized itself? That's quite rare. I wonder which virtuous person took the lead? I'd like to get to know them."

Su Dashun had no suspicions, and a look of pride naturally appeared on his face: "I am Su Sanlang Su Ming, a young man from the village."

"It was all thanks to his guarantee that he persuaded the wealthy families, and that's how the regulations came about."

"Su Ming..." Yang Zhengxiong repeated softly, "The child of Widow Liu?"

"Hmm? How did you know, village head?" Su Dashun asked, puzzled. How could the village head know about the situation in his own village? But he didn't think much of it and nodded, saying, "Although Sanlang is young, he is capable and responsible."

"What a fine Su Sanlang!" Yang Zhengxiong clapped his hands in praise, his face beaming with joy.

But to those who pay attention, that smile always seemed somewhat forced and insincere.

A cold, calculating glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, so quick it was impossible to catch.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries and inquiring about the snow conditions in the village, Yang Zhengxiong got up to take his leave.

Su Dashun respectfully escorted them to the entrance of the ancestral hall, watching the two figures disappear into the snow, a strange unease creeping into his heart.

But then he thought that since his village was already able to save itself, it was only reasonable to refuse the village head's "kindness," so he shook his head and suppressed his unease.

Little did he know that Yang Tingzhang, hidden beneath the dark gray cloak, had lost all smiles, his face now only showing gloom.

……

The snow continued to fall on and off for two more days.

Su Ming was stuck at home, so he could focus on dealing with the jar of deer blood wine.

Following the recipe given by Su Shunfa, he put the prepared auxiliary materials—goji berries, angelica, astragalus, and more than a dozen other medicinal herbs—into a wine jar in proportion, and sealed it together with the slices of the century-old Ganoderma lucidum and the solidified deer blood.

The liquor was a strong, pungent spirit bought in town, perfect for infusing the medicinal properties.

He did a final check before sealing the jar.

In the dark brown liquor, slices of Linzhi mushrooms floated and sank, while the deer blood had mostly dissolved, turning the liquor a dark red.

The rich aroma of herbs mixed with the scent of wine wafted out from the cracks in the jar, making one feel a subtle surge of energy.

"It's done." Su Ming carefully sealed the mouth of the jar with clay and placed it in a cool, shady place inside the house.

The recipe says that it must be soaked for half a month to allow the medicinal properties to fully infuse into the wine before it can be consumed.

Drinking a small cup daily can strengthen bones and increase strength, as well as nourish the internal organs, making it a rare and valuable supplement for martial arts practitioners.

He didn't stay idle while waiting for the medicinal wine.

Name: Su Ming

Age: 13

[Technique: Xingyi Gong (Proficient 23/100)]

Martial Arts Skills: Xingyi Root Stance (Proficiency 16/100), Five Elements Fist (Proficiency 12/100)

[Skill: Basic Archery (Proficient 49/100)]

The data on the panel clearly recorded his progress over the past few days.

The Five Elements Fist has progressed from "beginner" to "proficient".

The movements of the fist are more fluid and the power is more refined.

The most significant progress was in archery.

"Proficient 49/100".

I'm only halfway to the "Mastery" level, and my proficiency is increasing faster than others.

This progress can largely be attributed to the battle at Eagle's Beak.

The arrows he fired under the pressure of life and death, especially the last one that scared away the wolf king, gave him a near-transformative understanding of his control over the bow and arrow and his grasp of timing.

Take the time to reflect on and digest the experience from that day's battle; your archery skills will likely improve significantly!

"It seems that life-or-death battles and real-world training are the fastest ways to improve."

Su Ming clenched his fist, feeling the internal energy slowly flowing within his body, and suddenly understood.

But when Su Ming thought of that silver-white wolf king, and its cunning, ghostly figure silently stalking through the snow-covered forest, a shadow fell over his heart.

Bows and arrows are good for long-range attacks, but their effectiveness is greatly reduced once the enemy gets close.

If the wolf pack had rushed in regardless of casualties, or if the wolf king had been a bit more cunning, I might not have been able to escape unscathed.

"Our close-quarters combat skills must be improved as soon as possible."

Thinking of this, he took the broadsword.

The blade was thick and heavy, and the edge gleamed coldly in the dim light.

The Five Elements Fist of Xingyi School was originally derived from knife techniques.

In modern society, which is a time of strict prohibition on martial arts and the prohibition of carrying weapons, the predecessors of the sect had no choice but to incorporate many essential sword techniques into fist and foot techniques, which is how the Five Elements Fist was later passed down.

In other words, the Five Elements Fist is essentially a "sword technique without a sword".

With such a foundation, Su Ming picked it up very quickly.

In just three days, he was able to wield the broadsword quite skillfully, executing basic moves such as chopping, slashing, parrying, hooking, and wiping with fluid transitions, carrying the fierce power of his fist techniques.

A new line quietly appeared on the panel:

[Martial Arts Skill: Five Elements Blade Technique (Beginner 3/10)]

Although it was only the beginning, with a knife in hand, I felt more confident in facing close-range threats.

Just as he was immersed in practicing his swordsmanship and silently waiting for the deer blood wine to be ready,

That afternoon, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

"Sister Liu, I apologize for disturbing you." Yang Zhengxiong smiled and handed the preserved fish to Liu, who opened the door. "It's just a little something for the New Year, nothing special."

"Yang Zhengxiong, the Pavilion Chief?!" Madam Liu, flustered, accepted the gift. "What is this?"

"I'm here to see your Su Sanlang," Yang Zhengxiong said with a smile.

Inside the courtyard, Su Ming heard that the other party had come to see him, and a warning bell rang in his mind.

Yang Zhengxiong?

Pavilion head?

I have no connection with this Yang Tingzhang, so why would he bring gifts to my door?

As the saying goes, "No one visits the temple without a reason," so we don't know what the other person's reason is.

"Is there something you need, Pavilion Chief?" Su Ming ushered the man into the main room and got straight to the point.

Yang Zhengxiong looked around the simple yet tidy room, then sat down in the main seat without any hesitation, his smile unchanged: "There are indeed some things I'd like to discuss privately with you, young brother."

Su Ming's gaze sharpened slightly, and he gave Liu a wink.

Liu understood and pulled the curious Su Yuyu and the two children into the inner room.

Only two people remained in the main room.

"Please speak, Pavilion Chief." Su Ming sat down opposite him, his expression calm.

Yang Zhengxiong leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "I have heard that you have been organizing relief efforts in the village, and your efforts have been quite effective. It is truly admirable."

"I've come today to discuss a collaboration with you, young man."

"cooperate?"

"Exactly." A glint of light flashed in Yang Zhengxiong's eyes. "With you acting as guarantor, the wealthy households are willing to lend grain, and the poor households trust you too."

"And I happen to have some grain here."

"How about... we join forces? Under the guise of disaster relief, we can actually engage in lending?"

"As for the interest rate, it can be lower than the current rate in the village, how about 20%? Then we'll split the profits 30/70, you get 30% and I get 70%. Young man, you only need to talk to me to reap the benefits, isn't that wonderful?"

Is it just lending?

Su Ming didn't think that the profits from lending were enough for a village head to come to him.

I suspect they have even deeper plans in store!

Su Ming frowned slightly, feigning ignorance: "What do you mean, village head? The village's relief efforts are meant to settle debts through work and help people through difficult times. How can there be any talk of 'profit'?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhengxiong's smile froze, and his eyes revealed genuine astonishment.

He scrutinized Su Ming's expression as if he were looking at something strange, and after a long while, he asked in a peculiar tone, "Young Brother Su... are you really only doing this for disaster relief?"

"Otherwise what?"

"Hahaha..." Yang Zhengxiong suddenly chuckled, but there was no warmth in his laughter. He shook his head, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Young brother, what can I say to you? What do you care if others starve or freeze to death? You're really going to let this god-given opportunity to make a fortune slip by?"

Su Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely understood something. His voice turned cold: "What does the village head mean by this 'opportunity to make a fortune'?"

Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, Yang Zhengxiong simply revealed the true purpose of his visit, his tone carrying a persuasive and enticing quality: "It's land, of course!"

"With this snow disaster, how many families have run out of food? We lend them grain at low interest rates, asking them to use their land deeds as collateral. How could they refuse if they had to save their lives?"

"If they can still pay their share next year, fine. But if they can't... hehe, then the land will naturally belong to us."

"Even if there are lucky families who can still pay their grain bills, we can secretly use some methods to make them unable to pay."

"In this way, after a snow disaster, all the fertile land will be ours! This is a business with no investment and huge profits!"

His eyes grew brighter as he spoke, as if he could already see vast fields of deeds piled up before him.

—In fact, as a village head, the reason why he knew the specific situation of Widow Liu's family in Sishui Village, and knew it was Widow Liu's family as soon as he mentioned Su Ming, was because he had long planned to seize the land of Widow Liu's family. He had long wanted to take over the land of this family. The family of a woman who had lost her husband was the easiest to grasp, and he had been looking for an opportunity to make his move.

"Young man, you are now highly respected in Sishui Village, and the people trust you."

"If you persuade them, they will surely listen."

"With my own grain and... a few tricks up my sleeve, wouldn't the fields of Sishui Village be at our disposal?"

"Once this is done, let alone land, you could easily move into the city and become a wealthy man, living a life of luxury!"

"Why would you refuse such a good thing?"

As Su Ming listened, a chill gradually rose in his heart.

He had long known that this world had a cannibalistic culture.

Unexpectedly, some people could make this "cannibalism" seem so natural, and even regard it as a "golden opportunity".

I used to not understand why ancient people would be wiped out so quickly by natural disasters, with so many deaths. I thought natural disasters were particularly terrifying. Now I realize that natural disasters are not only natural disasters, but also accompanied by man-made disasters!

—Man-made disasters are the most terrifying aspect of "natural disasters".

He looked at Yang Zhengxiong's seemingly refined face, which was now slightly distorted by greed, and slowly stood up.

"No need." Su Ming's voice was calm, but it carried a resolute tone. "Please go back, Pavilion Chief. I, Su Ming, will not do such a thing, and I advise you not to do it either."

The smile on Yang Zhengxiong's face vanished completely.

He squinted, looking Su Ming up and down as if he were seeing the boy for the first time.

His gaze held confusion, anger, and a chilling undercurrent of offense.

Is he an idiot?

Why not seize a perfectly good opportunity to make money?

"Brother Su, have you thought this through?" His tone turned serious. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once it's gone, it'll be gone forever. Going against me... will bring you no good."

"Please." Su Ming raised his hand and pointed to the door, his intention to dismiss the guest was clear.

Yang Zhengxiong's expression changed several times, and finally, he managed to force a smile, but it was a very cold smile.

"Good, good, young man, your righteousness is admirable. I admire you."

He stood up, dusted off his sleeves, and said, "Since young brother's ambitions lie elsewhere, I will not force you, however..."

He changed the subject, staring into Su Ming's eyes, and said slowly, "If you don't want to do it, you can't stop me from doing it, can you? I will still borrow grain from the villagers of Sishui, use their land as collateral, and the interest rate can even be lower than the regulations in your village."

"If any villagers voluntarily come to borrow it, young man... you shouldn't stop them, right?"

These words sound polite, but they are actually quite aggressive.

Su Ming remained silent for a moment.

The people do not fight with the officials.

Even though Yang Zhengxiong was a minor official, he was still a village head recognized by the imperial court, holding a certain official position.

Although he now possesses some strength and has some prestige in the village, it would be unwise to confront a scheming official head-on.

"If the village head lends money according to the rules, and the villagers borrow voluntarily, it's a matter of mutual consent, so I naturally have no right to stop it," Su Ming said slowly.

"That's great!" Yang Zhengxiong clapped his hands and laughed, as if the unpleasantness from before had never happened. "Then it's settled. Young brother, please stay a while. No need to see me off."

After saying that, he turned and went out, his figure quickly disappearing into the snow outside the courtyard.

Su Ming stood at the entrance of the main room, gazing calmly in the direction where the figure had disappeared.

I certainly won't stop the lending of grain.

However, if you want to borrow grain or make loans, and the villagers themselves are unwilling to lend, then that's fine; you can't blame anyone else for that!

If others refuse to lend you grain, you can't force them to!

He turned and went back into the house, saying to the worried Liu, "I'm going to the village chief's house." He then hurriedly went out, stepping through the snow, and headed straight for Su Dashun's house.

Some things must be prevented in advance.