The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 99 isn't enough!
Master Qingyi was caught in a deep dilemma: whether or not to jump over a potential pitfall.

Zhao Mansion.

After reviewing and sending out all the New Year's greetings, we continued to revise the post-New Year's development plan.

There's still a lot to do. The album was indeed a little surprise for this year's Lunar New Year. I didn't expect to meet the right person. I also asked the Taoist priest to put some effort into the paint.

The Taoist priest is probably unwilling now, but for the development of Qingyun Temple, these things will have to be done sooner or later. Then, Taoist priest, please put in the extra effort!

Zhao Han's brushstrokes are simple, and his painting skills are immature, so wealthy families wouldn't even look at him. But with a little embellishment, some added colors, and some upgraded catalogs to raise his prestige, I believe those rich families would be very willing to spend money on him.

We shouldn't underestimate the resilience of wealthy families who have accumulated wealth over generations in times of chaos; they still have considerable reserves of food and supplies. We should also give them some consumption options.

While the picture book raises everyone's awareness of epidemic prevention, Wen Gu also wants to use this as a test.

Seeing that it was almost time, Wen Gu tidied up before heading with Tie Tou to the venue for today's grand banquet.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, a grand banquet was held at the Zhao family residence.

Those invited to the banquet were people of high status in Xinzhou, or people who had shed blood and sweat for Xinzhou and made important contributions.

The Zhao family's New Year's Eve banquet focused on the "family," while the grand banquet on the first day of the Lunar New Year emphasized the political significance of the "family clan."

The guests attending the banquet included not only close relatives and friends of the Zhao family, but also important generals, strategists, noble families, and important figures like the wealthy merchants of Sihaifang who brought supplies to seek refuge with the Zhao family.

Today, guests can bring their families, but there are limited spots available. Guests are bringing their wives and children, respected elders, or valued juniors, so the number of people is quite large.

Wen Gu didn't wander around; he went straight to his destination.

By this time, quite a few people had already arrived.

The young people were hot-tempered and couldn't stand being restrained. Instead of waiting in the warm pavilion, they chatted in groups of three or five in the outdoor veranda.

Wen Gu had only walked a few steps when he was stopped.

"Review! Here it is!"

The voice came from the Shen family's side.

The brothers Shen Qing and Shen Liu waved their hands dramatically, as if afraid that Wen Gu wouldn't see them.

They sought out Wen Gu to discuss something.

This year, glass products were all the rage during the Spring Festival. However, production was limited, and even the Shen family, apart from the initial batch of glass windows they bought, might not be able to buy more immediately if they wanted them later.

Shen Qing lowered his voice and asked Wen Gu, "Could the glass kilns in Qingyunfang produce another batch?"

Zhao Family Workshop is too hard to book, the queue is so long. Even if there are no glass windows, other glass products, such as door curtains, or some exquisite ornaments that can be used to show off, are all acceptable as long as they can be bought!

Wen Gu sighed softly, glanced around as if he were about to reveal a secret.

The Qingliu brothers couldn't help but gravitate towards each other.

Wen Gu said, "The glass kilns in Qingyunfang will probably have to be dismantled after the New Year!"

"what??"

The Qingliu brothers were greatly surprised.

Wen Gu explained: "The craftsmen were all recruited to the Zhao family's workshop."

The artisans associated with the "Mirror" project were immediately transferred to the new workshop.

The original owners of those craftsmen were also summoned for questioning.

Those who knew about the craftsmen's whereabouts did not spread the news, but anyone who wanted to find out could find out, so it was no longer a secret.

The Qingliu brothers were filled with regret. They had originally planned to find another way to get some goods from the glass kilns in Qingyunfang, but now it seemed that it was too late!

But they quickly forgot about their regrets and began to worry:
"Wanfu Garden is about to start construction again. A lot of glassware will be used for the decoration. As for the budget... is it enough?"

From now on, all glass products must be ordered from Zhao's workshop. I wonder what the price will be?
If the price is high, they'll grit their teeth and buy it even if it hurts!

Wen Gu gave them a reassuring look: "We'll talk about this in detail when we have time, but don't worry too much."

The Shen brothers felt somewhat relieved. That's true, the Zhao family's behavior wasn't too outrageous.

Then they inquired about the progress of Wanfuyuan.

Although the construction site supervisors were sent by them and had an understanding of the project's progress, they trusted Wen Gu's judgment more.

Wen Gu said, "Some carpenters work indoors during the winter, and a batch of prefabricated parts are stockpiled in the warehouse. If we hire more laborers to speed up the work, the first phase of the project should be completed in six months."

"Great!"

The two members of the Shen family were overjoyed.

"I recently met some new friends, but I don't have a place to welcome them."

It's inconvenient to host a banquet.

Once the first phase of Wanfuyuan is completed, there will be a suitable gathering place. That's where they can truly showcase their talents!
Their mood improved, and with even greater anticipation, the Shen brothers became more energetic.

As they chatted, the time came and someone announced that they should enter.

The women were in another hall next door. Shen Liu craned his neck to look over there, then obediently followed the elders of the Shen family into the banquet hall.

Wen Gu asked Tie Tou to sit with the Shen family and said to the Shen brothers, "Please help take care of them."

"Ah? Oh, okay! Don't worry!" Shen Qing agreed, then, seeing Wen Gu walk in the other direction, asked, "Wen Gu, where are you going?"

Wen Gu raised his finger and pointed ahead.

Then, the Shen family watched as the servants led Wen Gu to the front row table.

???

"Are you kidding me?!"

Shen Liu let out a startled cry and, just in case he was mistaken, stood on tiptoe to confirm it again.

I thought we'd sit together at the "kids'" table, but I didn't expect you to go to the VIP section all by yourself!

Uncle Shen heard Shen Liu's voice and looked over, his eyes narrowing slightly.

There are specific rules about which table you sit at at this banquet!
After staring at him for a while, he turned to Shen Qing and Shen Liu and told them to take good care of Tie Tou.

Shen Qing's mind raced, and he pulled Tie Tou aside to ask, "Tie Da Sha, your brother..."

“My brother is up ahead!” Tie Tou said.

"I know, I know, I was asking about..."

Shen Qing wanted to find out more information.

However, Tie Tou was stubborn; if he didn't know, he simply didn't know, and if he couldn't say, he truly wouldn't.

Shen Qing had a toothache and could only glance at Wen Gu every now and then to observe his movements.

Did Wen Gu sit in the wrong seat?
There are two large tables closest to the head of the table. Those who can sit here must be the Zhao family's absolute confidants and the people they value most! They represent the power that can most influence Xinzhou's decisions!

It wasn't just the Shen family who were staring at that side; everyone else present, who had been paying attention to who was sitting in front, were filled with surprise and doubt when they suddenly saw such a young face. Whether they knew Wen Gu or not, they were all filled with doubt.

Why is this person sitting at that table? If the occasion isn't inappropriate, I should definitely go over and ask them!

After Wen Gu arrived in Xinzhou, he indeed made quite a splash, with his honeycomb briquette stove and glasswork. As the head of the neighborhood, he caused quite a stir, and the official Xinzhou newspaper helped publicize it. He also had the advantage of being a relative of the Zhao family, so he was indeed riding high.

But in everyone's impression, Wen Gu can only be considered a newcomer at best.

Who deserves to sit in that position?
At the grand banquet early last year, Pei Jun was the most eye-catching person.

Pei Jun, who is not yet thirty, wields great power and is quite conspicuous.

What's even more astonishing this year is that Wen Gu, who is not even twenty years old and doesn't seem to have much real power, is actually sitting at the same table with those big shots!

Pei Jun, as the chief officer of the Patrol Guard, brought his family to the banquet. His younger brother, Pei Jing, could only sit at another table with the rest of the Pei family and could not sit in the front seats.

The puzzled guests all had the same question in their minds: What is the basis for this review?
Based on the things he did in Jingxingfang and Qingyunfang.
There are definitely more than that.

He also invented glass and honeycomb briquette stoves. Based on that?

There should be more!
The big shots at the first two tables are not the type to swallow their pride. If they feel they've been humiliated, those with a more impulsive and straightforward personality will definitely retaliate.

However, as the guests took their seats, the powerful figures at the same table in front of him, despite their different personalities, all treated Wen Gu with the same amiable attitude!
Seeing the situation over there, Shen Qing poured the tea at an angle.

After hastily wiping himself, Shen Qing looked completely bewildered.

"Did we... miss some important news?"

Look at the other people.

The same shock and confusion.

The banquet began in an eerie atmosphere.

The world has changed; there are fewer rules and regulations, processes are shortened, and efficiency is improved.

Newly made charcoal-fired copper pots were brought out, serving fresh vegetables and meat.

In the northern winter, fresh vegetables are a luxury. Even in the greenhouses of nobles, the vegetables growing there are not very sturdy. But the vegetables supplied today are much more robust!
The guests whispered among themselves and quickly figured out the reason—the greenhouse renovation had introduced glass windows.

Several wealthy families from the south, who had plenty of money, were planning to build a greenhouse in their homes as well.

His gaze swept over the fresh vegetables and landed on the charcoal-fired copper pot.

With the epidemic raging, no matter where people attend banquets, they all want to eat and drink hot food and drinks, and charcoal-fired copper pots are just what everyone wants.

The pot had a rather novel design, complete with a detachable chimney. Normally, everyone would have taken a closer look at it. However, today, many people's attention was only briefly drawn to it before they settled on a certain table at the very front.

Wen Gu behaved with humility and politeness, but judging from his eating posture, he showed no sign of restraint or apprehension. He seemed very confident.

The person at the table was very gentle; even though they were usually serious, they seemed more lively at that moment.

They had seen telescopes and microscopes before. The Zhao family head had summoned them that day, and they had all seen them with their own eyes, knowing what kind of amazing tools they were!
Even if Wen Gu does nothing afterward, the Zhao family is willing to support him.

The credit cannot be disclosed to the public for the time being. Everyone present is aware of Wen Gu's contributions, and that is why they have no objection to Wen Gu sitting at this table. In fact, they are happy to see him!
Someone subtly inquired about Wen Gu's work, hiding key words, asking if it was difficult to make and how long it would take to complete one piece.

It's impossible to treat everyone equally, and there's always an order to distributing military equipment. But for the sake of yourself and your men, and to get access to this powerful weapon as soon as possible, isn't it reasonable to pull some strings behind the scenes?
The chief officers and deputy officers of the three major military departments—the city defense army, the hunting army, and the patrol command—were all plotting something.

A middle-aged scholar looked at the book with admiration and exclaimed, "The younger generation is truly formidable!"

Another burly military officer grinned and said, "What do you mean by 'youngster'? I can't stand you guys calling this 'youngster' and that 'junior.' We only know that the accomplished come first! Age is not a problem, and seniority can be ignored!"

He looked at Wen Gu and laughed heartily, "As long as we sit at the same table, we're like brothers, even if we're not from the same father!"

He insisted on calling Wen Gu a brother, his gaze sincere and ardent.

Recall the past with humility, and return the favor with a more sincere gaze.

The military officer smiled outwardly, but sighed inwardly.

Tsk, I couldn't get anywhere with Boss Zhao, so I was thinking of trying this kid to see if I could get some benefits from him.

It’s not easy!

It seems unlikely that we'll gain anything from reviewing the past!
The powerful figures at the table took turns praising him, some with refined and artistic flair, others with blunt and straightforward remarks.

Wen Gu showed no restraint or awkwardness, only an exceptionally clear and enthusiastic gaze.

The general sitting to the left of the room looked to be around forty years old, with deep frown lines between his brows, and appeared to be a very serious and rigid person.

However, when he turned to speak to Wen Gu, he immediately started talking about some shady deals that couldn't be made in the open...

For example, could we get a pair of binoculars first? Even a defective one is fine, as long as it works!

Before Wen Gu could speak, an arm reached out from his right, pulling him to the other side: "Brother Wen, let's make a deal..."

Such and such, such and such.

With arms around each other's shoulders and glasses raised, they engage in a conversation that bridges the generation gap, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

A servant pushed a small portable stove with a pot of medicinal porridge on it, which was bubbling away.

Nowadays, people believe in eating everything hot, so they simply pushed the stove over and respectfully served porridge to the distinguished guests.

A martial artist standing to the side glanced at the porridge on the stove.

"This porridge doesn't look like enough to go around!"

“That’s right! We all have big appetites, this isn’t enough!” another person said.

The others chuckled, their expressions ambiguous.

When they clinked glasses, the sound of the glasses colliding was as if they were about to shatter, as if there was an invisible fire burning within them.

Wen Gu didn't say much, mostly just listening except to respond to other people's questions. Given his junior status and lack of seniority, this behavior was quite normal.

These powerful figures were talking about how several new big clients had joined the company this year, and how they had made a lot of money from external transactions...

When talking about these things, these people would not forget to give Wen Gu an appreciative look or a few words of praise.

Aside from their own inner thoughts, they genuinely acknowledged the ability to review.

Transactions between major players have been ongoing, and this year they've made exceptionally much more money. For example, there are still many orders lined up for glass windows.

Everyone was naturally happy that Xinzhou had earned an extra batch of grain and supplies.

However, upon closer listening, it became clear that these people, whether seemingly shrewd or reckless, were all speaking with hidden meanings.

Especially when talking about the extra batch of grain and supplies earned at the end of this year, his smile held a deeper meaning.

Of course, this isn't about reviewing the past.

After thinking it over and analyzing it, he realized that these people seemed to be, probably, just like him, also eyeing Lao Zhao's account!

In addition to earning food and daily necessities, major powers also traded goods such as carts, horses, minerals, medicinal herbs, and flammable oil.

In these chaotic times, these are all treasures!
The three major military institutions in Xinzhou are keeping a close eye on things!

Wen Gu sipped the nourishing porridge made from precious medicinal herbs.

It tastes pretty good, and he wanted to get more.

(End of this chapter)