HE With the Cold Male Protagonist C25

Chapter 25: Opening a Workshop, Learning to Read

Yet Jiang Baiye acted as if he hadn’t noticed their little tricks at all. Looking at the villagers of Qingshui Village, he said, “The reason I didn’t tell you about the shortcut or take you in wasn’t because I wanted to hog it all to myself. There truly are risks in there, and if something happened to anyone, it would still have some connection to me.”

Hearing this, many of the Qingshui villagers felt disappointed. Though most of them only knew how to farm and not hunt, the thought of a new hope had tempted them. After all, going into the mountains wasn’t only for hunting. But now that the mountain already belonged to him, they no longer had the right to interfere.

Jiang Baiye took in their expressions, then turned his gaze to the other villagers, who looked on with smug contempt as if to say I knew it. He laughed. “But besides entering Daheng Mountain, it’s not as if I have no other way to help you earn money!”

In an instant, everyone perked up, eyes fixed on him, burning with eagerness.

This tied directly into how he had managed to buy Daheng Mountain all at once. The other headmen also turned their attention to him, their eyes sharp with curiosity.

“That’s right, I go into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs. Now I plan to set up a workshop to process them.”

Without giving them a chance to be astonished, Jiang Baiye went on, “At that time, building the workshop and handling the herbs will require hiring a great many workers. Once those twenty mu of wasteland have been reclaimed, I’ll also hire people to help plant herbs. Add to that the stewards in charge of various affairs, and at a rough estimate, I may need fifty to sixty people.”

“To build the workshop and plant herbs, I plan to pay sixty copper coins a day. For processing the herbs, seventy to eighty coins depending on the work. As for stewards with ability, one hundred coins at minimum, no cap on the maximum!”

At a time when the average wage of young craftsmen was only fifty coins a day, here was work that didn’t seem nearly as strenuous, that both men and women could do, right at their doorstep—yet with higher pay?

The crowd erupted with excitement!

“If the workshop thrives, we’ll only need more and more hands, and the wages will rise with it. I can’t promise to make everyone rich, but at the very least, I believe you’ll all live comfortably. Work well, earn promotions and raises, maybe even save enough to send your children to school. Who knows, perhaps in the future, a tongsheng or xiucai may arise from your families!”

At that final line, his words were laden with meaning. Madam Li’s glare could have killed him a thousand times over.

But the others were roused to fever pitch by his speech.

If one had the money, who wouldn’t want to send their child to study, to seek a better future? Even if they failed to gain titles, literacy alone meant easier, more profitable work. With each generation, fortunes could change entirely!

Though this had nothing to do with other villages, at this moment they too grew impassioned, joining the fervent discussion.

But then, a bucket of cold water was poured over them.

“As for who I’ll hire, I’ll of course prioritize my own villagers. With a headman like Uncle Wang, who has a clear conscience, I trust most of our folks here have good character—not like the scoundrels and bullies of certain other villages, rude and petty as they are!”

Headman Wang looked at the other villagers—especially their headmen. Their faces darkened, while his own lips curved into a smile. This boy… how does he talk so well?

“And character is my most important standard of judgment—it’s my bottom line,” Jiang Baiye stressed. “So, anyone interested can go and register with my parents first.”

“Ah?” Jiang Dazhu and He Shi were still staring in shock and confusion, when suddenly they were swarmed by a wave of “enthusiastic” villagers. Many weren’t even from Qingshui, hoping to slip in unnoticed, some even claiming to be from Qingshui, or that their relatives were.

The headmen of the other villages could no longer bear the humiliation. They stormed off in a huff, muttering along the way, “He’s going to choke on those wild boasts sooner or later!”

“Can this even work? Opening a workshop isn’t easy!”

“Processing herbs? If he had that skill, he wouldn’t still be stuck in this remote corner of the mountains!”

“Probably just dug up a couple of wild ginseng roots and made a fortune, now thinks he can rely on herbs forever. He has no idea how hard he’s going to fall. A calf unafraid of tigers, that’s all.”

The headmen unanimously dismissed him, soothing themselves while ignoring a possible truth—that Qingshui Village, under Jiang Baiye’s workshop, would only flourish. And with such success under his belt, Headman Wang might even regain the position of town chief!

“You little rascal…” Headman Wang was at a loss for words, finally giving his shoulder a heavy pat in gratitude.

“The reason I help you, aside from knowing you’re in the right and doing what I should, is mainly because of Lizhi. As long as you treat him well, it doesn’t matter what happens to me. Don’t worry about me.”

But Jiang Baiye grew solemn. “The way I treat Lu Lizhi isn’t because of you. You’ve helped us so much, and suffered because of it. I couldn’t just stand by. Besides, this benefits both sides—it’s a win-win.”

Headman Wang laughed, freer than ever. This win-win—it truly is satisfying!

After that, Jiang Baiye discussed buying land for the workshop with him.

The best place would be open, flat, and full of sunlight. Many herbs needed to be dried and steamed, requiring large open spaces to spread them out.

Sieves, bronze mortars and pestles, knives for slicing herbs, woks for roasting them—all the tools needed preparation. Another sizable investment.

But properly processed herbs sold at far higher prices. Moreover, with his advanced and efficient techniques, the quality and appearance of his herbs would be leagues ahead.

Meanwhile, Jiang Dazhu was still a little awkward with all the attention, a bit socially timid. He Shi, however, stood boldly atop a boulder, hands on hips, calling out names with authority.

“Brother Guozi, one spot. Ergou’s wife worked at a dye workshop, has experience, so she’s in. Sister-in-law Hua, you too—quick hands, surely efficient at work…”

Everyone she called was overjoyed.

“As for the rest, don’t bother hanging around. My son made it clear—don’t embarrass yourselves!”

Jiang Baiye saw how bustling they were and simply smiled, heading off first, hurrying back to cook lunch for Lu Lizhi.

But as he reached the Lu household’s gate, he saw a tall, slender figure standing there. His expression was cold, ascetic, tinged with sternness. The sight made Jiang Baiye recall the morning’s reckless imaginings… his gaze slid uncontrollably to those flawless, jade-white hands, and his chest burned hot!

Before his thoughts could wander further, Lu Lizhi frowned and gestured for him to come in.

“What’s wrong?” For the first time, Jiang Baiye felt less than carefree, hanging back a little, watching the straight, elegant lines of his back. Because he was thin, his walking revealed faint hints of a waistline, giving Jiang Baiye an urge to seize and hold it firmly…

Lu Lizhi led him into his room. The writing desk stood by the window, just a few steps from the bed. Ink, brush, and paper were already prepared—he intended to fulfill his promise of teaching Jiang Baiye to read.

When he turned, he saw Jiang Baiye standing there in disbelief, his expression tangled, then suddenly pinching himself.

Lu Lizhi: “?”

Jiang Baiye coughed lightly, hiding his hands behind his back, and returned to normal. Seeing the preparations, his eyes lit up. “Even if you hadn’t called me, I would’ve come find you! If I don’t learn to read soon, I’ll become the village laughingstock!”

But Lu Lizhi noticed the bruise forming where he’d pinched his own hand, already purpling. How much strength did he use? How ruthless with himself…

He began by teaching him to wash the inkstone and grind the ink, then pointed to the brushes on the rack—varied in type. He gave no explanation, but demonstrated through writing, letting Jiang Baiye feel their differences.

Jiang Baiye had some foundation thanks to his grandfather’s influence. Yet brushwork required calm focus.

As a child, Jiang Baiye had been restless, preferring to follow his grandfather up mountains gathering herbs. Many of those herbs were rare or extinct in modern times, so he had grown familiar with the wild.

Now, under Lu Lizhi’s cool presence, he gradually stilled. As Lu Lizhi demonstrated, Jiang Baiye asked questions to confirm his own understanding.

Lu Lizhi often nodded, admiration glinting in his eyes. Yet he was more puzzled that this young man seemed to understand him better than even his own parents did.

Just now, for instance—Lu Lizhi had only given him a look, hinting at what character he wanted him to learn, and Jiang Baiye had understood at once.

“Lu Lizhi.”

“?”

“Teach me to write your name first. Mm, start with what’s closest. Like your name. Once I’ve learned it, I’ll move on to words for tables, stools, and such.” Jiang Baiye spoke with utter seriousness.

Lu Lizhi almost laughed. Could he truly not read? He clearly knows so many things…

Still, he picked up the brush and swiftly wrote three characters.

Jiang Baiye’s mouth twitched. Once the ink dried, he pointed at the jagged, forceful “Jiang” character and asked slyly, “This is ‘Lu’?”

Lu Lizhi watched him replace his own surname with his, eyes flickering, and nodded solemnly.

Jiang Baiye smothered a laugh. “So this one’s ‘Li’? With so few strokes?”

Though his tone hadn’t changed, the way his defined fingers brushed lightly across the character gave it an indescribable weight.

Lu Lizhi pressed his lips together and nodded again.

“‘Li’ is this easy to write?” Jiang Baiye murmured with a smile that seemed to linger by his ear. Lu Lizhi, suddenly uneasy, lowered his slender neck, its once-rigid strength softening faintly.

Tracing the last character, “Ye,” Jiang Baiye asked deliberately, “And this is ‘Zhi’? Why does your name look so much like mine?”

Lu Lizhi couldn’t endure it any longer, glaring at him as if to say, So you do know how to read after all!

Jiang Baiye dared not admit it. “I only saw these three characters in the genealogy after my disownment was finalized. Could it be your name was added to my family’s record?”

Lu Lizhi fumed. What nonsense—he’s just taking advantage of me!

In anger, he picked up the brush and wrote three new characters beside “Jiang Baiye.”

—“Is a pig.”

Jiang Baiye’s smile froze.

—“Bastard.”

Jiang Baiye held his tongue.

—“Thank you.”

Jiang Baiye: …

Author’s Note:

Ahhh tomorrow is the clip that decides life or death. Might need to update later—new chapter at 11 p.m. tomorrow, 10,000 words!