Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 46: The Reason for Poverty

The Lin Family Patriarch was silent for a long time. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh and said, "Forget it, then!"

After speaking, he seemed a bit uneasy, got up, and walked toward the door. No sooner had he opened it than he saw Steward Lin.

"By the way, go inform Lu Tongsheng. Tell him not to wait any longer!"

Steward Lin quickly relayed the news that Lu Chang’sheng had already left.

Lin Xiaowen listened, silent for a long while, the discomfort in his heart growing ever stronger.

······

"If we can’t rely on these wealthy families like the Lins, then I’ll have to figure out another way to make money!"

On the way back, Lu Chang’sheng pondered to himself.

"Still need to find new income streams!"

The thought made him smile involuntarily.

"But what source should I open up?"

Martial Dao, scholarly advancement—those both take time to grind.

No way results will come in the short-term, but maybe with some other crafts or skills, things might be different.

"Folk crafts... carpentry, basket weaving..."

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly saw several people supporting someone as they walked into his yard.

"Mr. Zhao?"

He called out.

One of them turned around, and when he saw it was Lu Chang’sheng, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"What’s going on here?"

"Old Dog had a few fingers chopped off. I’m bringing him in to see a doctor. The gates at the city wall are about to close, so we stopped by to spend the night here. We’ll head out again tomorrow!"

Lu Chang’sheng glanced at him, his heart skipping a beat.

Both his hands and feet were wrapped in white cloth. That meant all the fingers and toes were chopped off.

"Young master..." Old Dog didn’t dare meet Lu Chang’sheng’s eyes.

He knew full well the young man’s status standing before him.

"How much did you spend?"

"Ai, not much actually... maybe 5 to 50 copper coins!" Wang Heihou quickly said.

He thought Lu Chang’sheng cared about spending money, but Lu Chang’sheng just slapped the back of his head and said, "Give me the real number, or I’ll have to make another trip tomorrow!"

"Ah, fine, it was 500 copper coins! Those doctors don’t have a shred of compassion. Just a few wraps of cloth and charged us that much!"

Hearing this, even Zhao Hu’s face twisted in pain.

He’d thought that after Lu Chang’sheng passed the Child Scholar exam, he could be like Mr. Chen and become a big shot, but turns out life was still hard. That’s why he had to reopen the archery practice ground.

Luckily, Lu Chang’sheng’s reputation as a Child Scholar had spread among the traveling folk, and Three Red Gang only took a token rent of a few copper coins.

That way, they actually started making money again.

"Why do you care?"

"New income streams!"

Lu Chang’sheng said, looking over at Old Dog, "Was it Shaving Knife Gang?"

"Yeah," Zhao Hu and Wang Heihou nodded, hatred in their eyes.

"This month, way fewer people are coming to practice archery. We were thinking about opening the archery grounds at the other gates, but when Old Dog went to scout the North Gate, he got his fingers chopped off by Shaving Knife Gang!"

"The Walking Team’s leader sent someone over to explain, said it wasn’t their doing! Screw those Shaving Knife bastards, I swear I’ll cut them up one day!"

Lu Chang’sheng nodded. He knew a bit about Walking Team. Rather than a real gang, it was more like people at the bottom sticking together for warmth. As long as no one inside the group was targeted, they didn’t meddle with other gangs’ turf wars.

Looking at Wang Heihou and Zhao Hu’s bitter, frustrated faces, Lu Chang’sheng said, "What’s Three Red Gang’s stance?"

"Three Red?" Zhao Hu frowned. "Doesn’t concern them. With Liang Yun being all sly, he’d probably be happy to watch us squirm—"

"Mr. Zhao, go talk to him tomorrow. Tell him I’ve got a six-year agreement. Ask if he wants in!"

"Six-year agreement?"

"Advance Scholar exam!"

No matter how shocked everyone looked, Lu Chang’sheng just smiled and pushed open the gate.

"Not coming in?" He glanced back.

At last, everyone snapped out of it, but still stared at Lu Chang’sheng like he was some kind of monster.

"Don’t make it so big, I can’t handle the pressure!"

"Yeah, Chang’sheng! I believed you could pass the Child Scholar exam, but this... it’s the Advanced Scholar!"

"Mr. Chen spent half his life trying to even touch the tail of the Heaven-Reaching List, and never managed it!"

Zhao Hu and Wang Heihou settled Old Dog and shook their heads.

Especially Zhao Hu—he’d been in Black Mountain Prefecture for years, and he knew how many promising Child Scholars got stuck at this step toward becoming Advanced Scholars.

"Mr. Zhao, I trust Chang’sheng!"

Li Nangua emerged from inside and poured Lu Chang’sheng a cup of tea.

It had been raining. Even the air felt damp. She’d gone shopping in the morning, saw someone selling tea leaves, and bought some back.

Not expensive, just ten copper coins for one tael.

She’d paid out of her own pocket.

As she spoke, she threw Zhao Hu and Wang Heihou a sidelong glare.

"Nangua, where’s our tea?"

Zhao Hu reached for the cup, wanting more, but Li Nangua just grunted and turned away.

"None left!"

She snapped.

"I trust Chang’sheng, too. He’s definitely gonna pass the Advanced Scholar!" Wang Heihou, quick-witted, hurried to chime in.

As Li Nangua turned around, she poured him a cup as well.

Zhao Hu finally caught on and repeated it, earning himself a cup.

"Unbelievable, really... kid’s not even old enough to marry, and look at them already! What will happen in a few years, we won’t even get a word in edgewise!"

Li Nangua’s ears went bright red at that.

Lu Chang’sheng shot Zhao Hu a look. "Quit it! Don’t ruin Nangua’s reputation!"

He didn’t notice that the girl behind him hurriedly turned away, rushing inside so no one could see how suddenly pale her face had become.

"Chang’sheng, Liang Yun sure is crafty. You think he’ll really help just because of a promise?"

"He will," Lu Chang’sheng said with a smile.

Though inside, he felt a bit helpless.

Zhao Hu really didn’t have the foresight, and even Wang Heihou wasn’t fully grown yet. Running one archery practice ground, sure, but opening new income streams—just didn’t have the skills yet.

If Liang Yun joined in, that would patch up the weakness.

The next day, Lu Chang’sheng headed to Jixia Academy. Those fellow Child Scholars who’d usually greet him all kept their distance, avoiding him like the plague. Only Du Meng still stuck close, asking why things were like this?

He protested, "Scholars are supposed to have a sense of loyalty! If you lose that, what good is your learning? If I, Du Meng, never got close to Lu Tongsheng to begin with, then I could keep my distance now. But since I did, then to cut ties just because of all this—well, that’d be my fault!"

Lu Chang’sheng was moved, and suddenly understood why the Du Family, with ten Child Scholars over generations, never managed to make a name for themselves.

That kind of person is truly rare!

But being out of sync with the world also means you don’t get any help from it.

That evening, Zhao Hu and Wang Heihou came by, arm in arm with two others.

"I’m Liang Yun!"

"Zhao Fan!"

"Greetings, Lu Tongsheng!"

Looking at the sunny-faced youth before him, Liang Yun suddenly felt something strange—as if the person before him wasn’t a twelve-year-old, but a young man full of vigor and ambition.

After exchanging some pleasantries, Liang Yun and Zhao Fan sat down. Liang Yun got straight to the point.

"Zhao Hu says you’re offering a six-year Advanced Scholar agreement. Is it for real?"

With both men staring, Lu Chang’sheng nodded.

"Of course it’s real!"

"So why should we believe you?" Liang Yun asked seriously.

He was shrewder than most, so he got what the unspoken meaning was.

Lu Chang’sheng talked about a six-year agreement, which meant that during those years, he’d be relying on their help to get through a vulnerable time.

It was a sort of support.

But the risks were huge!

Few knew, but Liang Yun had already tried this before, helping out some scholars to pass the Child Scholar exam. But—

Thinking about it, he felt a pang of jealousy toward Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu had wasted over ten years, clearly not very capable, but damned lucky. Only took one try, and he managed to support a rising Child Scholar. As for Liang Yun, he’d helped dozens, but not a single one had amounted to anything.

Pathetic, really!

Lu Chang’sheng smiled calmly, glancing at Zhao Hu. "Before I became a Child Scholar, Mr. Zhao asked me the very same question!"

Zhao Hu laughed, "Back then, I asked him—how confident are you? Hell—Chang’sheng answered, ’Not sure.’ That reply, really pissed me off! But then I thought, even if he’d said he was a hundred percent confident, I wouldn’t have believed it either!"

"So why did you say yes?" Zhao Fan couldn’t help but ask.

"Ah! Honestly? One word—"

He looked around at everyone, then said helplessly, "Desperation!"

"Desperate and out of options! Chang’sheng was the only road I had left. If I didn’t pick him, there was nothing left to pick from!"