Chapter 76

The Yu family was shrouded in gloomy clouds, and the rain gradually began to fall. However, this was the spring rain, which did not bring a chill. In one of the hall rooms, two people sat, discussing the accounts.

"I have checked, and the Lost Pearl Pavilion is now fully constructed. It has thirty suites and a hundred rooms on either side, totaling two hundred and thirty rooms," one of them said.

"It cost fifty-seven thousand taels of silver!" Mr. Kou sighed, "Currently, fifty-three people have been verified to enter, and the monthly expenses are expected to be five thousand taels."

Yu Fan put down the account book, pondered for a moment, and said, "The expenses are quite high. No wonder others don't engage in this. Although the clan gave me one hundred and thirty thousand taels of silver, it's impossible to get more. Don't think that my family is a large clan; our expenses are also significant, and we need to raise funds ourselves."

Mr. Kou immediately understood.

Yu Fan was a respected figure in Nanchang County, with eight hundred hectares of good land, a thousand clan members, three thousand servants, and a hundred loyalists. Even the governor had to give him a wide berth. However, when it came to individual shares, even as a legitimate son, he wouldn't have much.

Mr. Kou pondered for a moment and asked, "I heard that the lord wants to open a copper mine, is that true?"

After Yu Fan passed the scholar examination, Mr. Kou no longer called him the third young master but referred to him as the lord, which was self-explanatory. Yu Fan nodded, "Yunnan produces copper, with an annual output of twenty million pounds, but this only meets thirty percent of the current dynasty's needs. Recently, the court finally allowed the opening of mines in various counties, and our family might get one."

"But this is a business for the entire clan, not just for me. Moreover, managing thousands of copper workers is a significant task. One mistake could lead to trouble, and all the responsibility would fall on our family."

"In the short term, it might not bring any profit and could even require more investment."

Mr. Kou now understood the lord's thoughts and continued, "The lord is right. It seems we can't rely on this business. What about the waterway?"

Yu Fan smiled, "The waterway still has some potential, but I can't say more about it now. It's almost time, and the rain has lessened. Let's go down."

Just as Mr. Kou was about to leave, Yu Fan said, "Wait, did you find any outstanding talents in the Lost Pearl Pavilion, given the amount of silver spent?"

"I was just about to report to the lord," Mr. Kou said, rubbing his forehead and taking a deep breath. "It's not that there are no talents; each person has some skills and specialties. However, there doesn't seem to be any outstanding talent, perhaps because it's too early for them to stand out." Mr. Kou looked somewhat troubled.

Yu Fan smiled, "In my view, the Lost Pearl Pavilion will definitely be a mix of fish and dragons. Don't worry; we will find talents eventually!"

Mr. Kou shook his head, "I'm not worried about that, but I am concerned about the lord. You built the Lost Pearl Pavilion to gather talents, but you have offended many people. If it doesn't work out soon, I will have no face to face the lord."

Yu Fan remained calm on the surface, but his heart was churning. He indeed had this concern, but he couldn't show it now. He waved his hand and said, "You are in charge of the Lost Pearl Pavilion. You have thoroughly investigated each scholar who entered, cared for them, and only slept for three hours a day. You have been diligent and responsible."

"If we find talents, you will be the first to receive credit. If we don't find any, it's not your fault; it's due to my lack of virtue and fortune!" Yu Fan spoke confidently, feeling a sense of sadness, but it quickly passed, and he regained his composure, sipping his tea.

After being consoled by his uncle, the matter with Lu Shangjing was resolved (investigated). The emptiness he felt gradually subsided.

However, in the past few days, especially today, a deeper sense of emptiness and oppression had been spreading in his heart, making it hard to breathe.

Thinking about this, he suddenly stood up, pacing back and forth restlessly. After a long while, he stopped, turned around, and said, "Fate is something we must strive for. Take it step by step. As long as we treat people sincerely, there will always be talents willing to join us."

"Master, Master!" At that moment, Yu Fan's personal maid entered.

Yu Fan was taken aback and said unhappily, "What is it? Didn't I tell you not to interrupt when I'm discussing matters with Mr. Kou?"

"Master, I wouldn't dare to disobey, but the seventh master has summoned you," the maid replied.

The seventh master was Yu Pingzhi. Yu Fan was startled, feeling a sense of foreboding. He immediately got up and left. Seeing the lord depart, Mr. Kou stood there for a moment, then sighed.

The hot spring was only four hundred meters away, forming a large garden. It took only half a moment to reach the main road. A servant was already waiting there. Yu Fan asked, "Where is Uncle Seventh now?"

"At the hot spring bamboo pavilion," the servant replied, leading the way without another word. Yu Fan felt a sense of impending disaster and followed closely.

In front of a quiet room, Yu Fan knew he had arrived. He said, "Nephew Fan requests an audience."

"Come in!" a voice came from inside, clear and distinct. Yu Fan felt somewhat relieved and entered. The room was small, only a few dozen square meters, but it was very elegant and serene.

On the southern side of the wooden bed, there was a bookshelf with a jade flute. On the western side, a table by the window held a vase with an unknown flower. Yu Pingzhi was holding a book, reading intently.

Yu Fan bowed again, noticing that Yu Pingzhi's complexion was rosy, which made him feel more at ease. Yu Pingzhi looked somewhat melancholic, put down the book after a moment, and asked about the situation at the Lost Pearl Pavilion. He then fell silent, walked around with his hands behind his back, and sighed after a long while, "I still think the Lost Pearl Pavilion is a good idea, but the key is the silver. Without silver, it's all talk."

"You don't need to think about the copper mine. It's a major policy of the clan. Unless you become the head of the family, it's not your place to speak about it!" He turned to Yu Fan and said, "The waterway is more practical..."

As he spoke, Yu Pingzhi looked at Yu Fan with a sharp gaze, sighing inwardly.

Yu Fan, as a legitimate son of a noble family, not only had a prestigious background but also inherited a bit of fortune through his bloodline. Although it was just a small amount, it was golden. As he grew, he could absorb white and red qi, quickly becoming powerful. This was not something a nouveau riche could compare to.

However, now there were ominous signs. After a long pause, he said, "I told you before that we made great sacrifices to obtain a dragon pearl. Today, I will tell you the whole story."

"The dragon pearl contains dragon qi and a series of causes and effects. The Dragon Lord's Banquet is one of them. Although we lost the top position, we still have half of it."

"Now that you have passed the scholar examination, I originally planned to wait and stabilize things before proceeding. However, time is not on our side, and we can't miss this opportunity."

"Go to Luhua County and find a fortune-teller. He only appears at dawn on the 15th of each month, when the sun first rises."

"The 15th of this month has passed, so you should go on the 15th of April. This person is crucial to your success. You don't need to ask for details. No matter how harshly he speaks to you, you must show respect and courtesy."

Yu Fan's eyes lit up. What Yu Pingzhi said today was far beyond what he had been thinking. He couldn't help but laugh at his own worries and said, "Uncle, what opportunity is there?"

"You will know when the time comes. No matter how he insults you, you must show respect and courtesy. As long as you do this, he will eventually give you an opportunity!" Yu Pingzhi's eyes flashed, "As long as you act cautiously, not only can you resolve the cause and effect of the dragon pearl, but you can also use these connections to open a waterway."

"You must understand that everything depends on logistics. With this waterway, you can gain a large amount of wealth. The expenses of the Lost Pearl Pavilion will be insignificant, and you can attract and use talented people, train soldiers... and fortune will come."

"If you can't achieve this, what else can you talk about? Even if it doesn't completely cut off your future, it will be difficult and bumpy."

Yu Fan pondered Yu Pingzhi's words, feeling both excited and bitter. He had no idea about these secrets until now. He realized there were many more secrets in the clan that he didn't know.

As he was thinking, Yu Pingzhi continued, "That's all. Don't delay. Go to Luhua County now!"

"Yes, nephew will take his leave."

Seeing Yu Fan leave, Yu Pingzhi's face turned pale, and he started coughing, using a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, which was stained with blood. His heart sank.

"It seems I don't have much time left. I really wish I could stay with Fan for a while longer and help him establish a solid foundation."

"Thirty years ago, the celestial changes began, and the dragon qi in various regions started to rise. However, our clan's sorcerers infiltrated the capital and spent three years before they could spy on the dragon qi of the Great Cai. They found that the dragon qi of the Great Cai was not declining but strengthening, a rare and unprecedented situation."

"The dragon qi in Yingzhou also began to rise. To deal with this, our clan spared no expense, even risking enmity with the dragon clan, to obtain a dragon pearl to respond to the celestial changes."

"Ten years ago, I observed that the dragon qi in Yingzhou, though thin as a hair and weak, was still dragon qi, which could bring the status of a king or a marquis. I originally wanted it for Fan, but something went wrong."

"Is it really that human plans cannot match the will of heaven? Is this a backlash from the celestial order?"

"Regardless, the Dragon Lord's Banquet is just the beginning. Opening the waterway is the key. If Fan succeeds, his fortune will greatly increase. However, if he fails, even with the dragon pearl, it will be difficult to resonate with the dragon qi of Yingzhou."

"Unfortunately, I can no longer make accurate predictions. If I do, I might die immediately. But what is this ominous premonition?"

"No, we have paid such a high price, and the clan's resources are almost depleted. We must succeed!"

The dragon pearl can give one person the qualification to pass the imperial examination, but only one person has the opportunity.

In the struggle for the dragon, after learning about the dragon qi of the Great Cai, the decision was made without hesitation. However, if one becomes a king or a marquis, they can protect many people, which is far more beneficial than one person's success.

Not just Yu Pingzhi, but many clan members were counting on this!

"I hope this succeeds. If it does, I will have one more chance to predict the last opportunity for Fan."

"Heaven, please grant my wish!"

At this moment, even Yu Pingzhi, who had resented fate all his life, silently prayed to heaven, hoping to achieve his wish.