"If Grandpa Shen likes it, I’ll make it for you every day, with a different style each time." Little Shan said, blushing.

She knew the relationship between this old man and her young master.

"You really know how to talk, girl. I like that." Shen Yu lifted the porridge, took a sip, and his eyes suddenly brightened: "This porridge..."

"It contains Centennial Black Ginseng." Chu Ming said with a smile, "Brother Shen, weren’t you living with Lord Xiao? How come..."

Previously, Shen Yu had always stayed at Xiao He’s residence.

"You still don’t know me? I’m used to doing things my own way. Living at Old Xiao’s place makes me uneasy." Shen Yu took another sip, then asked uncertainly, "Did that housekeeper give it to you?"

He couldn’t imagine anyone other than the housekeeper who was taken in as a Tiger Armor Army Personal Attendant could acquire Centennial Black Ginseng.

Something like Centennial Black Ginseng is nearly impossible for common people to obtain. Even if someone possesses it, it would be kept as a treasure. How could anyone just put it in their breakfast porridge?

"Mm." Chu Ming nodded and watched as Shen Yu finished a bowl before asking Little Shan to get another.

"No more, no more. Such potent tonic isn’t good for the body in excess. My body can’t handle it..." Shen Yu waved his hand again and again.

Indeed.

Chu Ming looked at Shen Yu, a thought arising in his heart as he wondered whether to suggest a suitable cultivation technique for this old friend.

"Brother Shen, Housekeeper Fang gave me a cultivation technique. Would you like to..."

"Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique, right? I won’t practice it—can’t learn that sort of thing! I’d rather spend the time working on the Mountain Scripture." Shen Yu interrupted as soon as he heard ’cultivation technique’. "By the way, Chu Ming, there are a few things I came to tell you today."

"First, the matter of your recent promotion to Senior Eighth Grade Imperial Scholar. In these last two days, all of Xirong County is talking about it. Do you know what they are saying?"

"What are they saying?" Chu Ming truly didn’t know about what was being said outside.

"They say you, Chu Ming, are Xirong County’s most talented scholar in a century—sure to be promoted to Seventh Grade within a year, Sixth Grade in two years, and Fourth Grade in ten."

"Ten years. By then, you’ll only be twenty-six. A twenty-six-year-old Fourth-Grade Official..."

Shen Yu paused, then said pensively: "Do you realize how many people will be offended by these words, how much jealousy and hatred they will provoke?"

"More importantly, if your story spread only among the high officials and nobles, it wouldn’t matter. What puzzles me is that it is spreading among commoners as well, as if..." Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming.

"Brother Shen, you mean someone is deliberately spreading my story—and exaggerating it?" Chu Ming replied calmly.

"Isn’t that so? How many days have you been in Xirong County? How many days since your promotion? How would commoners even know?" Shen Yu’s expression grew grave. "I believe someone wants to harm you, to make you a target for all." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"The greatest suspect is the Wan Family. Next are those who cannot bear your talent and bear a grudge." Shen Yu analyzed, "But no matter who, you must be extremely careful in your actions from now on. Don’t give anyone a handle to use against you."

Chu Ming nodded. "Thank you, Brother Shen, for your concern."

"Don’t thank me... Now for the second matter," Shen Yu didn’t dwell on it and continued, "I made an oath before Old Xiao and His Highness: to finish decoding the entire Mountain Scripture within three years."

"Three years..." Chu Ming’s expression turned thoughtful.

Currently, Xirong County has completed just over half the decoding. According to the current pace, Xiao He, as the leader, estimated that the latter half will need at least another ten or even fifteen years to complete.

This is because the Ancient Shell Script in the latter part of the Mountain Scripture becomes increasingly complex.

This explains why, whether it was Feng Yuan of Baiyuan County or Xiao He, the County Magistrate of Xirong, they have always attached great importance to those with the talent to interpret the Ancient Shell Script.

Only by finding enough people capable of interpreting the script could the decoding time be shortened.

Yet Shen Yu had actually sworn before the Prince to finish it within three years; this truly exceeded Chu Ming’s expectations.

Of course, this surprise was only with regard to the current state of decoding—not including the fact that Chu Ming himself had already finished deciphering the Mountain Scripture.

"Yes, three years," Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming, his face solemn. "Before, I’d only dare to promise five or six years. But your talent surpasses mine—if the two of us work together, we can surely finish in three."

"I know three years is a bit tight, but Old Xiao and His Highness gave their word: if we succeed, I will secure my position as Fifth-Grade Chief Historian, and as for you, His Highness promised to take you to the capital for imperial audience—in future, you’ll be a high official in Qin Capital."

Imperial audience?

Chu Ming’s eyes flickered, and his own face grew solemn as he said, "I will do my best."

"Good," Shen Yu picked up a piece of pastry, seemingly to ease his mood. After eating a few bites, he said, "The last matter—this time, not only Your Seventh Highness has come to Xirong County. The Fifth Prince is also arriving tomorrow."

"You should be able to guess the relationship between the princes; it isn’t exactly harmonious." Shen Yu lowered his voice. "With Your Seventh Highness bestowing on you a Red Book Iron Certificate, you are considered part of his faction."

"As for the Fifth Prince’s side, you must be extra cautious."

"In a couple of days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival. Both princes will surely invite all civil and military officials of Xirong County. Make sure you do not stand out at that time."

Chu Ming nodded in agreement.

Afterward, Shen Yu told him many other things.

For instance, that every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a prince would come from Qin Capital. The festival is also known as the Lantern Festival, when the streets are bustling and many wealthy ladies come out in search of a suitable husband.

Sometimes the princes would disguise themselves as commoners to enjoy the ’lanterns.’

But these ’lanterns’ are not ordinary lanterns.

The princes would even pose riddles and compose poems, rewarding those with clever answers, sometimes even with official positions and promotions.

Near noon, Shen Yu finally left, but he soon returned with a bundle—indeed, intending to stay long-term at Chu Mansion.

Meanwhile, outside Chu Mansion, talk of Chu Ming as the greatest talent in a hundred years was spreading faster and faster.

...

Xirong County, the residence of County Governor Baili Xinghua.

A man in an ornate golden robe was seated in the high seat above, while Baili Xinghua stood below him.

"Your Fifth Highness." Baili Xinghua bowed in salute.

The person in the hall was none other than the Fifth Prince of the Great Qin Dynasty.

"Rise." The Fifth Prince lowered his gaze, his voice calm. "I hear there is a once-in-a-century genius in Xirong County, someone called Chu Ming. How does he compare with Lord Baili?"

Baili Xinghua paused, then replied respectfully, "Imperial Scribe Chu is still very young, but has already been personally commended as Imperial Scholar by Your Seventh Highness and Lord Xiao. His talent in Ancient Shell Script is considerable."

He neither said Chu Ming was less talented than himself nor that Chu Ming was more gifted.

The Fifth Prince’s eyes flashed with amusement. "So Old Seventh conferred the title personally... Interesting."

"Old Seventh is really running out of options—trying not only to recruit two old and dismissed officials but now even focusing on the illegitimate son of a merchant from a small county."

Baili Xinghua remained silent.

An illegitimate merchant’s son—so what if he’s talented?

Without a strong background, so-called talent is, in the eyes of those in power, often worth less than a corrupt official with real authority.

Baili Xinghua, who managed to become a Junior Fourth-Grade County Governor before forty, relied on far more than just talent.

After a brief silence, the Fifth Prince rested his head on his right hand and asked offhandedly, "How goes the decoding of the Mountain Scripture?"

"Your Highness..." Baili Xinghua hesitated. "Chief Clerk Shen made an oath before Your Seventh Highness and Lord Xiao, that he and Imperial Scribe Chu would finish decoding it in three years."