Chapter 7: One must be assertive in life

Lin Xiangru let out a sigh and said, "Zhao Kuo, what is he here for?" Lin Xiangru clearly recognized that with the victory of Zhao She in the battle, Zhao She’s rise in the Zhao state was already unstoppable. This would inevitably increase the power of the noble factions and their influence before King Zhao. In such a favorable situation, what could Zhao Kuo possibly want to discuss with him?

Zhao Kuo walked while contemplating ways to make money. Money is not omnipotent, but without money, nothing can be achieved. Although he had been teaching at the university for a long time, with his intellect, making money in this era was as easy as child's play.

The residence of General Lian Po was already in sight. The moment Zhao Kuo thought of meeting the great general Lian Po, his heart began to race uncontrollably. During the late Warring States period, the State of Zhao was able to barely survive thanks to the support of Lian Po and Li Mu. Such a figure, capable of turning the tide, was immensely appealing to him

Zhao Sheng saw Zhao Kuo's arrogant demeanor, as if he looked down on everyone with his nostrils pointed skyward, which made him feel quite angry. Especially when he thought that Zhao Kuo might have obtained the secret teachings of the Mo family, his feelings were even more unpleasant. After settling Zhao Kuo, he called over a trusted retainer and whispered a few words to him. After finishing, he looked at Zhao Kuo in the distance and let out a few cold laughs.

Zhao Kuo saw his servant standing there in a daze and shouted, "Are you all deaf? Hurry up and go." When he saw the servant running off to sell something, Zhao Kuo felt a bit more at ease. However, just thinking about the upcoming visit to Zhao Sheng's residence made his head spin even more.

Zhao Sheng never expected that Zhao Kuo would come to visit. Upon hearing from his subordinates, the assassins, that it was Zhao Kuo who rescued the young man possessing the secrets of the Mo family, he ordered the assassins not to be cautious of Zhao Kuo's identity, prioritizing the acquisition of the Mo and the Tushuzhe family secrets. To his surprise, Zhao Kuo returned to Handan City unscathed, while none of the assassins returned to report back. This left Zhao Sheng somewhat perplexed about the depth of this young man before him.

The retainer listened as Zhao Kuo mentioned he would send 10,000 gold. His heart raced intensely. When he took the wooden tablet and looked at it, he saw the words "Zhao Kuo presents 10,000 gold" inscribed on it, along with the two characters at the back—"on credit." This completely stunned the retainer; he couldn't believe that a gift could actually come with a credit note, and he was at a loss for what to do.

As a powerful minister of the Zhao state, the residence of Zhao Sheng, a noble of the temple, not only boasts a favorable location but is also quite imposing. The grand entrance features the four large characters "House of Lord Pingyuan" embedded above, with bronze door rings set into the striking red doors. Flanking the entrance are two stone sculptures, each standing a person high, which deter even the faint-hearted from approaching.

Looking at the few characters on the wooden plaque, Zhao Sheng laughed heartily and said, "Nephew has great ambition; I shall accept this gift." Zhao Sheng was aware of Zhao Kuo's family circumstances; even if Zhao Kuo searched every corner of his home, he could not produce this sum of 10,000 gold. This act was merely for show, but Zhao Sheng could not take it too seriously for fear of being criticized. This 10,000 gold was destined to become a bad debt.

Zhao Kuo quickly realized that this was a trick played by Zhao Sheng. Zhao Sheng did not care who had infiltrated the royal palace to assassinate King Zhao; he intended to use the state machinery of Zhao to achieve his own goals. It seems that he would not relent until he obtained the secret texts of the Mo family.

How is it that the esteemed family of Lord Ma can’t even produce one hundred gold? Zhao Kuo pouted as he looked at the meager three gifts before him. Yan Shu even claimed that the gifts were presentable. If he were to take these gifts to visit the homes of the three powerful figures, he would likely be met with disdain, even from the doormen. He had known that his family was not affluent, but he never expected it to be this impoverished.

Several servants, upon hearing Zhao Kuo's words, nearly lost their composure and wanted to silence him. Ten thousand gold? The entire Zhao residence could hardly produce one hundred gold, yet the second young master casually offered ten thousand gold. Their hearts raced to the point of almost bursting

A few servants listened to Zhao Kuo's words, looking at each other, yet none of them moved.

Where could Zhao Kuo find ten thousand gold? Even the gifts meant for Zhao Sheng were sold off by the household servants. However, since Zhao Kuo had decided to be arrogant to the end, he naturally had a way. He took out his military knife, asked a retainer for a piece of wood, and swiftly carved a few strokes, saying: "Take good care of this; it is worth ten thousand gold."

The visiting guests and diners were all taken aback. First, they were surprised by Zhao Kuo's identity; at this moment, the news of Zhao She and Da Sheng had become widely known, and everyone was aware that the Zhao family was about to soar to great heights. Naturally, the second son, Zhao Kuo, attracted much attention. Secondly, the gift Zhao Kuo brought was actually one thousand gold, a gift of extreme value. However, they were puzzled as to where the one thousand gold was, as they had not seen it anywhere.

The steward of the Lian residence said, "The young master arrived a step late; my master left the city before dawn, as ordered by King Zhao, to garrison at Wuan..."

Zhao Kuo saw several servants enjoying their meal so much that he couldn't help but want to taste the distinctive dishes in front of him. Just as he picked up his chopsticks, an unexpected event occurred

Lin Xiangru set down the earthenware pot and said: "Who?"

The portrait on the cloth was extremely lifelike. Zhao Kuo immediately recognized it as the image of Li Mu. It was only when Zhao Kuo approached that he realized what was nailed to the wall was a wanted notice, which essentially called for the capture of the assassin who had infiltrated the royal palace to assassinate King Zhao. What on earth is going on! How did Zhao Kuo, who inexplicably appeared in the royal palace and was being pursued by the black-clad guards, end up being associated with Li Mu?

Upon thinking of this, Zhao Kuo summoned a servant and instructed, "You return to the residence and inform the lady to maintain calm in the face of action." Zhao Kuo believed that Yan Shu's intelligence would certainly allow her to understand his meaning. Although the likelihood of Zhao Sheng directly going to the residence to seize someone was low, it is always prudent to be prepared for any eventuality, to avoid confusion when the time comes.

A sudden rush of footsteps interrupted Zhao Kuo's thoughts, as over a hundred soldiers came running towards him like a gust of wind. They banged against the wall by the street, creating a clamor. Once the soldiers dispersed, a piece of cloth depicting a portrait appeared on the wall. Zhao Kuo glanced at it and stood there in a daze.

In front of Lord Pingyuan, there were over a hundred people. Zhao Kuo's act of sending gifts on credit quickly spread, and most people dismissed it with a smile, while a few others showed a thoughtful expression. Just as the ripple effect began to unfold, Lord Pingyuan Zhao Sheng made his appearance

Within the Zhao State Prime Minister's residence, Lin Xiangru watched as the tea leaves in the clay pot swirled up and down with the infusion of hot water. Through the rising steam, he observed the amount of water in the pot, but his thoughts were not on the tea.

The second son of Zhao She, the Marquis of Fu, Zhao Kuo

Zhao Kuo was led to the chief's side by Zhao Sheng. Here, apart from the Zhao Sheng family, Zhao Kuo held the highest status, and no one could find fault with him sitting in the chief position

Zhao Kuo, who was turned away, felt quite discontented. He did not meet Lian Po because Lian Po was not in Handan. However, Lin Xiangru never left Handan throughout the year and had recently been in secret discussions with King Zhao! Why is it that when he comes to visit, he falls ill? Is it possible that he is a harbinger of misfortune, bringing bad luck upon himself?

Zhao Kuo let out a sigh, envisioning the map of the area near Wu'an in his mind. Since the King of Zhao had ordered Lian Po to take command in Wu'an, it seemed that Zhao She was about to return triumphantly. This was indeed good news

Thud thud thud ... ...

"Master Xiang, Zhao Kuo is still waiting in the living room." The old servant, noticing that Lin Xiangru was lost in thought, inquired, "Does Master Xiang wish to see him"

To become someone of importance, one must step on others and be more arrogant than them. After Zhao Kuo established the principle of being high-profile, he chuckled and stepped forward, saying: "I would like to announce that Zhao Kuo, son of Lord Ma Fu, has come to pay a visit with a fortune of ten thousand gold..."

The several servants who accompanied Zhao Kuo would surely wish to sing "The Song of the Reborn Serfs" if given the chance. Although their status was not prominent, Zhao Kuo arranged for them to have a separate table filled with delicious dishes they had never tasted before. After receiving encouraging glances from Zhao Kuo, they indulged heartily, becoming a "striking" scene.

Zhao Kuo looked at the residence of Lord Pingyuan and thought to himself that this was truly a place fit for human habitation. In comparison, the place he currently lived in was nothing short of a pigsty. Observing the endless stream of visitors and diners, he felt an even stronger urge to become someone of higher status.

Zhao Kuo assessed Zhao Sheng, who is in his early forties this year. Perhaps the genes of the Zhao clan are exceptionally good, as Zhao Sheng, having passed his fortieth year, still appears quite presentable. He has thick eyebrows and large eyes, a nose that is slightly hooked like an eagle's, and a thin mouth adorned with a not overly dense beard. The overall impression he gives off is quite charismatic, suggesting that it is not without reason he is referred to as one of the Four Young Masters of the Warring States.

Lin Xiangru slowly took a sip of tea and said, "You go out and tell Zhao Kuo that I am unable to meet him due to illness. Speak politely and exchange some pleasantries, do not neglect him." Lin Xiangru believed that Zhao She, a law-abiding person, was still worth winning over. If he could resolve the rift between Zhao She and Lian Po, and deliberately cultivate a relationship, he could certainly prevent Zhao She from siding with the aristocracy. The absence of a significant figure like Zhao She, who held military power, would greatly weaken the ability of the royal family to intervene in state affairs. Lin Xiangru felt that it was not yet the right time to meet Zhao Kuo, and there were some matters that were not suitable to discuss with him. Everything should wait until Zhao She returned! At that time, he would have a good talk with Zhao She.

The old servant said with a flushed face: "My lord, there is a guest visiting"

The attendants saw Zhao Sheng coming out and hurried over to present the wooden carving made by Zhao Kuo, saying: "Your Excellency, this is a gift from Young Master Kuo..."

You, you, and you, take these items and sell them. Zhao Kuo pointed at those gifts and said: No matter how much you sell them for, take the money to buy drinks.

Last night, Lian Po came to inform Lin Xiangru that he would soon be stationed in Wu'an. From Lian Po's expression, Lin Xiangru sensed the other's helplessness. As someone within the same camp as Lian Po, Lin Xiangru also felt that fate was playing tricks on them. Initially, he had believed that Lian Po's analysis was reasonable; saving Yan was fundamentally impossible. Who would have thought that Zhao She would achieve victory in a single battle? This left both him and Lian Po in a very awkward position, to the extent that even King Zhao believed that their earlier warnings were alarmist.

Zhao Kuo was invited inside by Zhao Sheng, where he truly understood what it meant to have a bustling entrance and what it meant to have three thousand guests. Zhao Sheng's residence resembled a venue for an illegal assembly, with all kinds of people from various walks of life present. The banquet was a flowing feast, creating an atmosphere of great liveliness.

Lin Xiangru saw the old servant rush in and frowned, saying: "I have told you many times, do not disturb me no matter what happens while I am drinking tea"