Chapter 26: Telling Stories to Ying'er

Upon returning to the Zhao estate, he was too exhausted even for dinner. He collapsed straight into his quarters and fell onto his bed, dead to the world.

...

The next day, before dawn had even broken, the door to Li Jin and Li Yin’s room was kicked open with a thunderous crash.

"You two useless curs! Get your backsides up! We’re heading out of the city!"

Outside the city, at the secret base, the scene had changed drastically in just one day. A wall over three meters high had risen from the ground, taking shape, with grooves left along the top for embedding shards of broken porcelain. Dozens of veterans brought in from the Zhao family village, stripped to the waist with their muscles rippling, were working at a feverish pace. Their rhythmic chanting and the rugged, battle-hardened aura they carried breathed life into the entire mountain hollow.

Li Jin and Li Yin, the two young rascals, each occupied a high vantage point, hands on their hips, barking orders at the men below like a pair of seasoned foremen.

Zhao Yi strolled around with his hands behind his back, feeling reasonably satisfied. At least they weren't entirely useless. Ignoring the two of them, he headed straight for the innermost independent kiln.

Master Zhang, the head craftsman, was huddled with his most capable apprentices at the kiln mouth. They were drenched in sweat, their faces a mix of excitement, anxiety, frustration, and stubborn refusal to give up.

"Master Zhang, how does it look?"

Hearing the voice, Master Zhang jumped. Seeing it was Zhao Yi, he hurriedly wiped the soot from his face with his sleeve and rushed over, looking deeply ashamed.

"Young General! You're here!" He pointed to something covered by a damp cloth nearby, his voice trembling. "We were so close! Last night, we were truly just a hair's breadth away!"

His face flushed with excitement. "We actually melted the sand! Just as you said, it turned into thick, syrupy liquid! But... but when it was cooling, we couldn't control the temperature, and with a 'bang,' it shattered!"

He whipped off the cloth to reveal a pile of broken, pale green, semi-transparent crystals. Despite being shattered, the crystalline texture and the way they caught the morning light gave them the unmistakable appearance of glass.

"We're almost there! Don't you worry, Young General!" Master Zhang pounded his chest, his eyes bloodshot and filled with fanaticism. "I have a feeling that in two or three more tries, we will definitely be able to fire that treasure for you!"

"Good!"

A heavy stone finally dropped from Zhao Yi’s heart. As long as the direction was correct, success was only a matter of time.

In high spirits, he was about to offer a few words of encouragement when an idea suddenly popped into his head. Glass was fine, but it was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and had a low yield. The Shadow Guards were starving for resources, and thirty thousand taels of silver wouldn't last long; by the time the glass was ready, the opportunity would have long passed.

He needed a way to make money quickly with a low barrier to entry!

His gaze landed on a few craftsmen resting nearby. They were sharing a small jar of murky, sour-smelling rotgut.

A brilliant money-making idea struck him like a bolt of lightning, instantly splitting his thoughts open.

"Li Jin! Li Yin!" Zhao Yi’s voice rang out, clear and resonant. "Get over here!"

The two brothers scampered over, looking like they were expecting a reward.

Zhao Yi pointed at the jar of cheap swill, his face darkening. "You’re feeding this to the men?"

"Young General, this... this is the best liquor we can buy in the nearby villages," Li Jin said, looking aggrieved.

Zhao Yi couldn't be bothered to argue. "Now, I’m going to teach you a way to make a fortune."

He beckoned for them to lean in and lowered his voice, acting like a peerless master about to impart the secret to slaying dragons.

"Go, get me a large iron pot and a set of copper pipes. Make sure they are airtight. Buy every bit of the best grain we can find and let it ferment! Once it’s fermented, dump it into the pot and boil it for all it’s worth!"

"Remember, we don't want the liquid in the pot; we want the vapor that comes out of it!"

"Use the copper pipes to channel that vapor out, then use cold water to cool it down so it turns back into liquid! That stuff is the real treasure! It’s the heavenly nectar that will sell for a sky-high price!"

Li Jin and Li Yin listened, completely bewildered. Turning vapor into wine? What kind of sorcery was this?

"Young General, is... is this really going to work?"

"Shut up!" Zhao Yi kicked them both in the rear. "If I say it works, it works!"

He held up seven fingers in front of them.

"I’m giving you seven days! If I don't see wine that can catch fire within seven days, I’ll twist your heads off and use them as chamber pots!"

After giving his orders, Zhao Yi felt refreshed. He dusted off his hands, turned, and walked away, leaving the two human tools behind, weeping in the wind.

...

In the afternoon, a spirited Zhao Yi headed once again toward the Duke of An’s estate.

It was the same familiar water pavilion. It was the same breathtaking figure in a pale green dress.

This time, Zhao Yi had learned his lesson and didn't attempt any surprise attacks. He cleared his throat twice before stepping forward.

Chu Yanran heard the noise and turned around. Seeing it was him, the coldness in her eyes clearly receded, replaced by a ripple of something indefinable. She didn't offer a formal greeting, merely giving a slight nod.

No slap.

Excellent. This was huge progress.

Zhao Yi sat down uninvited across from the stone table, a brilliant smile on his face.

"Sister Ying’er, what story would you like to hear today? I’ll tell you a legendary tale about seven great heroes."

Chu Yanran said nothing, but her beautiful eyes betrayed her curiosity.

Zhao Yi cleared his throat and began, his voice melodic and highly engaging.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful forest, but its peace was shattered by a demon lord known as 'Black Heart Tiger.' To defeat the demon cult and save the forest, a red cat named 'Rainbow Cat,' carrying his father’s dying wish, embarked on a journey to find the other six legendary heroes!"

The start of the story was filled with novelty and suspense. Chu Yanran was instantly hooked.

Zhao Yi threw himself into the storytelling. One moment he imitated Rainbow Cat’s heroism and righteousness, the next he mimicked Blue Rabbit’s gentleness and kindness, then shifted to Da Ben’s honest, boisterous nature. He recounted how the seven heroes overcame countless hardships, using both wit and courage to foil the demon cult’s plots time and again.

He was spitting with excitement, waving his arms and dancing about.

Outside the pavilion, a crowd of the Duke of An’s servants had gathered without anyone noticing. Those serving tea forgot to pour, those sweeping forgot to sweep; everyone stretched their necks, listening in a trance, completely neglecting their duties.

When Zhao Yi reached the part where Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit were driven to the edge of a cliff with the demon cult’s pursuit closing in, and the two shared a smile before leaping together into the bottomless abyss, he slammed his hand on the table and stopped.

"To know what happens next, listen to the next installment!"

"Ah?"

Chu Yanran was at the most critical moment, her heart gripped with tension. Seeing him suddenly stop, she was frantic.

"What happened later? Did they die?"

The surrounding servants also wore looks of anxiety, staring at him with wide, pleading eyes.

Zhao Yi chuckled, stood up, and stretched, looking smugly at her distressed expression.

"Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."

"I’ll come back next time."

With a flamboyant wave of his hand, he turned and walked away, leaving her behind in a flurry of frustration and impatience.