The Company

Chapter 31: Abacus Master Bead

AD 10, Nandun County.

Liu Xiu wandered aimlessly through the marketplace, clutching the pocket money his elder brother had given him. Though he now carried what could be considered a fortune, the problem lay in the fact that most vendors dared not accept this particular form of wealth.

Since Wang Mang usurped the Han throne and established the Xin Dynasty, he had abolished the widely circulated Han wuzhu coins, replacing them with three new currencies: Daquan, Qidao, and Gold-Inlaid Knife. The newly minted Daquan coins, weighing only two to three times more than wuzhu coins, were forced to circulate at fifty times their value, making merchants universally reluctant to accept them. This was even more true for the Qidao (equivalent to five hundred wuzhu) and Gold-Inlaid Knife (equivalent to five thousand wuzhu) - only the blind would accept these clearly impractical new currencies.

Yet Liu Xiu's uncle served as the county magistrate of Xiao, receiving his salary in these unpopular new coins. With Liu Xiu's father deceased, his two elder brothers were raised by this uncle. His eldest brother Liu Yan, known for his generosity despite considerable expenses, had inherited sufficient wealth from their father. When their uncle provided household funds, Liu Yan ostentatiously passed them to his younger brother, leaving Liu Xiu to deal with the complications.

Liu Xiu drew the Gold-Inlaid Knife from his robe for closer inspection. Setting aside its nominal value, he had to admit the coin possessed unique craftsmanship.

This Gold-Inlaid Knife combined elements of Warring States period knife money with Han dynasty wuzhu coins, cast in bronze. Using gold-inlay technique, the characters "one knife" were meticulously engraved in gold on the upper and lower sections of the coin component. The blade portion bore the inscription "worth five thousand", earning it the common name "one knife worth five thousand" - indicating this single piece equated to five thousand wuzhu coins.

Five thousand wuzhu! Liu Xiu frowned deeply. This represented a substantial sum, particularly in these politically unstable times when popular sentiment wavered. Currently, one jin of meat sold for twenty coins at most, a cloth robe for four to five hundred coins. With five thousand wuzhu, one could purchase a modest residence in their county town!

The crux remained: this valuable Gold-Inlaid Knife was utterly unspendable.

Clutching the coin in his palm, Liu Xiu felt tears of frustration welling. After hours wandering the marketplace, no one would accept his currency, not even when he offered it at discounted rates.

This outcome was predictable - otherwise, why would his generous elder brother casually hand him five thousand wuzhu to squander? Clearly, this was meant to challenge him.

Wang Mang's usurpation of Han rule to establish the Xin Dynasty lacked legitimacy, and his subsequent reforms proved so astonishing that few followed them. The newly issued currency found no users, as people continued using wuzhu coins privately. Throughout the morning, Liu Xiu had observed clipped-rim wuzhu and Emperor Zhao wuzhu in circulation, though Emperor Wu's Yuanshou wuzhu remained most prevalent. These purple-copper coins, known as zigan money, were particularly favored, often trading at values exceeding standard wuzhu coins.

As Liu Xiu aimlessly browsed the market stalls, various calculations began forming in his mind.By lineage, he was a ninth-generation descendant of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. Although according to the custom of enfeoffing princes and marquises, by their generation, there was not a trace of imperial clan glory left, with no titles to inherit. Even his uncle only managed to become a minor county magistrate, and that through his own genuine ability. Now, with Wang Mang usurping the Han throne, they had lost even the nominal status of nobility. Yet his elder brother always prided himself as a legitimate descendant of the Han dynasty, harboring extreme resentment and rejection toward the Xin Mang regime. Recently, he had even begun to exhaust the family fortune to befriend talented individuals with clear intentions, showing signs of wanting to take some action.

Liu Xiu was only sixteen this year, considered an adult. He had traveled to Chang'an for studies in his youth and had seen much of the world. Upon returning this time, he clearly noticed his elder brother's ambitions. He wanted to dissuade him, but his brother was ten years older than him, and as the saying goes, "the elder brother is like a father"—he simply had no way to broach the subject.

Wandering aimlessly in his troubled state, Liu Xiu found himself at the end of the marketplace. A few scattered stalls were set up on the ground, and he casually strolled over. To his surprise, one of the stalls displayed various artifacts, all appearing to be antiques, which caught his interest.

Kneeling down with curiosity, Liu Xiu couldn't resist reaching out to examine them. There were pottery containers, what seemed to be Ban Liang coins from the Qin dynasty, several bronze ritual wine vessels, a pair of green jade bird-shaped ornaments, and a few bamboo scrolls... Among the pile of antiques, Liu Xiu spotted a carelessly placed abacus. Suddenly reminded of the messy accounts at home, he thought of buying an abacus to sort them out properly.

If nothing else, his elder brother's recent extravagance had truly gone too far.

Liu Xiu weighed the abacus in his hand, finding the wood rather unremarkable. However, the rows of vertically curved grooves on the wooden frame held round, smooth beads that seemed to be crafted from green jade. The first bead in each column, used as a substitute for five, was made of white jade, distinct from the four below it. Liu Xiu flicked a few beads, finding them smooth to the touch, and grew increasingly fond of it.

"How much for this abacus?" Liu Xiu shook the abacus, producing a delightful clinking sound from the beads. He looked up at the stall owner and noticed the man was dressed in a black robe. According to Zhou rituals, black was the most noble and orthodox color. The Qin dynasty also revered black, and the Han dynasty emphasized it as well, with officials' robes being black. Liu Xiu knew that black fabric was expensive precisely because the dyeing process required over a dozen steps to achieve the deep color. In contrast, commoners wore white clothing because it required no dyeing and was the cheapest.

It was then that Liu Xiu realized the man in black was very young, with a scholarly demeanor and handsome features that made him quite pleasant to look at.

He must have fallen on hard times, forcing him to sell family heirlooms... Liu Xiu felt a pang of sympathy and was even more inclined to buy something to help. However, the thought of his only Gold-Inlaid Knife made him anxious. He decided to speak up first: "I only have this one Gold-Inlaid Knife. I wonder if it will suffice?" As he spoke, Liu Xiu took out the Gold-Inlaid Knife.The young stall owner's gaze flickered over the Gold-Inlaid Knife for just a moment before he curved his lips into a slight smile and said, "This abacus has flaws. Let's forget it."

Liu Xiu raised an eyebrow, turning the abacus over and over in his hands for a careful inspection, yet he found no imperfections. Assuming the other party was unwilling to accept the Gold-Inlaid Knife, he tossed it down and declared, "Keep the change." With that, he picked up the abacus and gracefully walked away. He had calculated it clearly: although the abacus looked decent, it was worth at most a hundred coins. The Gold-Inlaid Knife might be harder to spend, but it was undoubtedly worth far more than a hundred coins.

Feeling pleased with himself for having done a good deed, Liu Xiu was in high spirits and even began to understand why his eldest brother usually enjoyed being generous and charitable—the feeling was truly quite satisfying.

Behind him, the stall owner stared speechlessly at the Gold-Inlaid Knife left on the stall. After a long while, he finally sighed and murmured, "Never mind..."

When Liu Xiu returned to Chunling carrying the abacus, he was met with various taunts from his family.

It wasn't because he had used a Gold-Inlaid Knife to exchange for an unremarkable abacus, but because the abacus was completely broken!

Liu Xiu fiddled with the stuck bead in the middle row of the wooden frame—the one that refused to budge no matter what—and felt a mix of embarrassment and irritation. Everyone knew that abacus beads needed to be movable, yet one of them was completely stuck. Wasn't this abacus essentially worthless?

He couldn't even blame the stall owner, who had clearly stated that the abacus had flaws. It was Liu Xiu himself who hadn't listened and had thrown down the money before leaving. He noticed his second brother watching him with a worried expression, probably fearing that he, like their eldest brother, would become a spendthrift who squandered the family fortune.

Feeling guilty under such scrutiny, Liu Xiu lowered his head, tucked the abacus under his arm, and slipped back to his room. He planned to pry out the stuck bead and grind it down slightly with a whetstone, thinking that should make it usable. The bead was a glossy, flawless white, as smooth and lustrous as congealed fat. Whether it was psychological or not, Liu Xiu felt this bead was much more beautiful than the others.

Well, perhaps it was because it was slightly larger?

No matter what he tried, Liu Xiu couldn't manage to pry out the bead without damaging the wooden frame. Sweating from the effort, he couldn't understand how the abacus had been made in the first place. How could such a large bead have been fitted into the frame? It made no sense. In the end, after exhausting all his ideas, he could only make the bead spin in place.

Would he really have to dismantle the abacus?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Liu Xiu suddenly heard a melodious female voice in the room lazily remark, "I advise you to abandon that idea."

Startled, Liu Xiu quickly turned around and saw a beautiful woman in white reclining casually on his bed. Her features were as exquisite as a fine ink painting, with long, unbound black hair cascading freely around her. Her entire demeanor exuded an air of lazy contentment.

Staring at her for a long moment, Liu Xiu finally remembered how impolite it was to gaze so intently at a lady. He hurriedly stood up and asked in a fluster, "You... who are you?""I am that bead in your hand." The white-robed beauty raised her sleeve to cover a yawn, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly as she gazed at the abacus still held in Liu Xiu's hand. With a faint curl of her thin lips, she mocked, "Ignorant child! You snatched me away with just one Gold-Inlaid Knife—what a bargain you got!"

Liu Xiu stood dumbfounded. Could this white-robed beauty truly be the bead from his abacus? Having grown up hearing countless folk legends, he felt more curiosity than fear. With keen interest, he explained, "The Gold-Inlaid Knife is quite valuable, and besides, this abacus is completely unusable! If anything, I’m the one at a loss." Noticing her informal speech, Liu Xiu naturally matched her tone.

The white-robed beauty’s willow-leaf eyebrows shot up in anger. She snorted coldly, "Ignorant child! This abacus was crafted by Fan Shaobo, and my true form is the Abacus Master Bead. As for the Gold-Inlaid Knife... hmph!" Her almond eyes narrowed slyly as she calculated, "That currency will likely cease circulation within two years. Mark my words—millennia later, it’ll become a priceless collector’s item. Wang Mang’s coin design isn’t bad, but right now, it’s nowhere near the value of the Abacus Master Bead."

Fan Shaobo? Liu Xiu froze. Though not widely read, he knew Fan Li’s courtesy name was Shaobo—a legendary figure from the Spring and Autumn period who assisted King Goujian of Yue in defeating Wu and achieving hegemony before departing unobtrusively. Later, he reportedly called himself Tao Zhugong, amassing immense wealth three times through trade and giving it all away thrice. He was revered as the patriarch of all merchants. If this abacus truly belonged to Fan Li, it made perfect sense.

Calculating silently, Liu Xiu realized Fan Shaobo had passed away over five centuries ago. For an artifact to develop spiritual consciousness, it must be extraordinarily precious. With a wry smile, he reverently placed the abacus back on the table. Recalling the young vendor’s expression, he now understood his own misinterpretation. He considered offering to return her, but his gaze lingered on the white-robed beauty, stirring an unexpected reluctance. Pressing his lips, he declared righteously, "But I’ve already purchased this abacus. Commerce values integrity above all—do you mean to renege?"

The white-robed beauty resumed her drowsy demeanor, pursing her lips. "Forget it. I can sleep anywhere. If you hadn’t tried to destroy my bed, I wouldn’t have bothered appearing!" With that, her form dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke that drifted toward the abacus. A glimmer flashed across the Abacus Master Bead’s surface before stillness reclaimed it.

Liu Xiu stared at the abacus for a long while, not daring to utter another word. The events felt more like a hallucination, and he knew no one would believe him if he spoke of it. He could only carefully wipe the abacus clean and place it at the corner of his desk, within easy reach.

From that day onward, Liu Xiu developed a new habit: chattering to the abacus about trivial matters. He knew it was terribly impolite, but he could no longer treat the abacus as a mere object. Though aware the white-robed beauty was likely asleep, he yearned to see her again, secretly naming her Zhu'er.One day, Liu Xiu was pouring out his troubles to the abacus as usual. He sighed and said, "Zhu'er, my eldest brother wants to sell our ancestral home. What should we do about this?" Liu Xiu truly had no one else to confide in. His second brother and eldest brother argued every day now, his three older sisters had long since married away, and as for his uncle—there was ultimately a degree of separation there. Even if he wanted to mediate, they wouldn't take a youth who hadn't yet reached the age of capping seriously.

This ancestral home was filled with his childhood memories. Liu Xiu couldn't understand why his eldest brother would truly go so far as to scatter their family wealth to the winds. Ever since learning that the Abacus Master Bead possessed intelligence, Liu Xiu hadn't dared to touch it again. But now, feeling utterly lost and helpless, he gazed at that abacus bead shimmering with a faint white light and finally couldn't resist reaching out to gently touch it.

"Ignorant child, if the old does not fall away, the new cannot gather. What is so difficult about this?"

The moment that pleasant, melodious voice sounded, Liu Xiu immediately turned around. There, just as during her last appearance, was the beautiful woman in white, half-reclining against the head of the bed, propping her head up with one hand. Her graceful figure, wrapped in the white robes, was clearly outlined, causing Liu Xiu to momentarily lose his senses. After a good while, he finally smiled bitterly and said, "But if this ancestral home is sold off, the servants will scatter, and I'll have to farm the land myself just to survive."

"That's easily solved. I can teach you the ways of commerce—guaranteeing you'll become one of the wealthiest men in the land!" The moment the topic turned to commerce, the woman in white completely shed her usual drowsy demeanor. Her almond eyes widened, and her entire expression instantly became vivid and lively, like a night-blooming cereus suddenly bursting into bloom, utterly captivating.

Liu Xiu was stunned for a moment, then immediately shook his head. As the saying goes, "Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants"—merchants and traders in this world were ranked only slightly above the lowest classes of occupations. No matter how wealthy a merchant became, they were not permitted to wear light, thin silk fabrics, nor were they allowed to ride in ornate carriages. They could not become officials, could not purchase farmland in their own name, and were required to declare their assets to the imperial court and pay heavy taxes. If their declarations were found to be false and someone reported them, all their property would be confiscated, and they would be sentenced to a year of garrison duty on the frontier. One could say merchants were soft persimmons that anyone could squeeze. So, even in his desperation, the only thought that arose in Liu Xiu's mind was to farm the land, not to become one of the merchant class.

Seeing Zhu'er pout boredly and listlessly cover a yawn with her hand, Liu Xiu, not wanting her to immediately retreat into the bead to sleep like last time, quickly said, "Don't be angry, Zhu'er! It's just that I can't bear to see the ancestral home sold off. My eldest brother is simply being too reckless." Liu Xiu's words carried a hint of resentment. Observing the proper order between elder and younger, he naturally couldn't say much to his eldest brother's face, but privately, he did not approve of his eldest brother's actions.

"Why not? Do you know the meaning of the phrase 'to give is to gain'?" The beautiful woman in white showed no reaction to the new nickname he'd given her. Struggling to keep her sleepy eyes open, she smiled faintly and said, "To give is to gain; to give is to gain. That is to say, if you want to gain something, you must first give something up. Your eldest brother sees this very clearly. He wants to gain the support of others, so he must give up the wealth he possesses. Mutual benefit—isn't that a rather good transaction?"

"You... you mean..." Liu Xiu was slightly dazed. He simply couldn't view this matter as a transaction. His eldest brother always prided himself on being like Lord Mengchang, with three thousand retainers at his gate..."You look down on merchants, many people look down on merchants, yet everything in this world can be considered a transaction." Zhu'er wiped her crimson lips with her slender, pale fingers, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. "How about it? Learn from me and become a perfect merchant! Perhaps you'll become the most supreme existence!"

Liu Xiu shook his head repeatedly. The deeply ingrained belief that merchants were lowly remained firmly rooted in his heart, impossible to change overnight. Yet it was true that he had performed poorly in his studies—after years of traveling to Chang'an for education, he had made no progress. Just as he was about to offer some explanation, he found himself alone in the room again. Seeing his complete lack of interest, Zhu'er couldn't even spare a moment more and immediately vanished into the Abacus Master Bead to sleep.

Sighing softly, Liu Xiu wiped the dust off the abacus, thinking that starting tomorrow, he would likely have to learn how to farm.

After selling their ancestral home in Chunling, Liu Xiu and his two older brothers moved into a passable thatched cottage, barely large enough for the three of them. Liu Xiu's eldest brother, Liu Yan, naturally did not live with them. He had approached the buyer of their ancestral home, rented it back, and maintained the appearance that everything was unchanged, continuing to host clan relatives and wandering heroes there. Meanwhile, Liu Xiu and his second brother, Liu Zhong, dwelled in the cramped thatched cottage.

Although Liu Zhong had been powerless to stop Liu Yan from selling the ancestral home, he had managed to preserve many antiques from the estate, gradually selling them off. Watching his second brother do this, Liu Xiu suddenly recalled the stall owner from whom he had forcibly purchased the Abacus Master Bead—how similar his second brother's situation was now! Truly, fortunes shift like the wind, and the ways of the world are unpredictable.

Of course, Liu Xiu would never step forward to sell those antiques himself. He retained some scholarly pride and could not bear the thought of being scrutinized and scorned in the marketplace. So, he had no choice but to obediently pick up a hoe and head to the fields to farm. He vaguely sensed that the world was on the brink of chaos—no matter how many estates, coins, or antiques one possessed, they would be useless. In truly desperate times, even a fine jade pendant couldn't be exchanged for a single life-saving meal.

His daily toil in the fields was the first thing his eldest brother found intolerable. Liu Yan forcefully pressed silver into his hands, thumping his chest and insisting that Liu Xiu come to him if he needed more money. But Liu Xiu truly wasn't short on funds. If asked to idly befriend influential figures and criticize the government like his eldest brother, he simply had no patience for it. Instead, swinging a hoe under the scorching sun and sweating profusely brought him a sense of peace and contentment, far preferable to struggling with obscure texts. Liu Yan constantly disapproved of his younger brother's willingness to become a farmer, often mocking him for his lack of ambition. Yet whenever this happened, Liu Xiu would merely offer a foolish smile, utterly unbothered. It was his second brother who, after observing him for many days, eventually had a deep conversation with him and thereafter left him to his own devices.

His Zhu'er never appeared again. Liu Xiu longed to see her, to hear her speak in that languid tone once more. But Liu Xiu had his own principles—since he had resolved not to engage in commerce, he would not easily yield.Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, Liu Xiu had been a farmer for ten years. His once slender frame had become sturdy and robust, standing eight chi tall with thick, handsome eyebrows and a dense beard. His pale complexion had transformed into a healthy wheatish tone, and calluses had formed on his hands. His originally somewhat reckless temperament had been tempered by day after day of labor into caution and gentleness. Coupled with his early years of scholarly travels in Chang'an, he carried a serene and tranquil scholarly aura, utterly unlike an ordinary farmer.

Thanks to Liu Xiu's diligent plowing and irrigation, the harvest from his farmland was exceptionally abundant, and he had accumulated considerable assets. At twenty-six, an age when children in ordinary families could already work in the fields, he remained unmarried. Neighbors had repeatedly proposed matches, but he consistently declined, deferring to his elder brother's authority. His eldest brother, Liu Yan, was rarely seen and seemed to vanish mysteriously every day, while his second brother, Liu Zhong, ran a shop in the county town and seldom concerned himself with Liu Xiu's affairs.

Why did he not marry? Even Liu Xiu himself did not truly know. Deep in his heart, the faint silhouette of a figure in white lingered—though ten years had passed, it remained as vivid as ever, not blurred in the slightest.

He was truly too foolish.

Occasionally, Liu Xiu would mock himself. Even he wasn't clear about what exactly he was hoping for in his heart. But he knew he didn't want to casually marry an unknown farm girl through a matchmaker's arrangement. Though he now worked the fields daily, tending to farm chores, he fundamentally refused to accept that he was just an ordinary farmer.

Since three years ago, successive famines and locust plagues had ravaged the land. Dozens of rebel forces like the Greenwoods Army, Red Eyebrows Army, and Bronze Horses Army had risen across the country. With war spreading everywhere and people suffering immensely, this unsettling atmosphere was gradually creeping toward Chunling. After harvesting all the wheat from his fields and storing it in the granary, Liu Xiu couldn't help but grow worried.

His eldest brother Liu Yan had taken in many retainers and gained considerable fame. As the world descended into chaos, more people came seeking his reputation. However, with the sudden increase in numbers and Liu Yan's limited funds and grain, the treatment of these wandering heroes became increasingly strained. Some began secretly engaging in shady activities like robbery, while others even openly used Liu Yan's name to oppose the government. Those leech-like constables, following the scent, came to cause trouble for the Liu family with all sorts of harassment. Not only had his second brother's shop been forced to close due to the disturbances, but even Liu Xiu wasn't spared. Most of the grain he had stored was seized by the constables. If this continued, even this last bit of harvest might not be safe.

Liu Xiu couldn't help but tighten his grip on the abacus in his hand. He had grown accustomed to carrying it with him, often stroking the Abacus Master Bead. "Zhu'er, what should I do?" Liu Xiu murmured to himself. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt somewhat embarrassed. He was already past the age of capping ceremony, yet he still seemed as indecisive as he was in childhood.

But over the years, Liu Xiu had grown used to receiving no response. He answered his own question: "With the constables involved, no shop would dare buy this grain. I'll have to transport it to Xinye. This way, I can also seek refuge with my second brother-in-law and avoid the chaos around eldest brother..." As he spoke, he suddenly felt the Abacus Master Bead beneath his fingers rotate on its own. His heart leaped violently. Holding his breath, he indeed heard that long-unheard lazy voice in the next moment.

"Oh? Finally come to your senses? Giving up farming?"

Liu Xiu followed the voice and saw Zhu'er leaning against the granary door, as if she had just woken from a deep sleep, her eyes still drowsy. Time seemed to stand still for her, leaving no traces. She remained as graceful as ever, dressed in pure white, with skin like ice and bones like jade. Liu Xiu's heart suddenly ached dully—perhaps he had finally realized something. But before he could ponder it, he raised a gentle, refined smile and said lightly, "Zhu'er, it's just a temporary break from farming. After selling the grain, I'll return to tend the fields come spring."

Zhu'er lifted her sleeve to cover her mouth as she yawned, her almond-shaped eyes curving slightly. Lazily, she replied, "Ignorant child. In times like these, once you leave, your land and home will be taken by others. And you still think you'll farm next year? How naive."Liu Xiu stiffened at her words, but had to admit there was truth in them. In these troubled times, property deeds were nothing but scraps of paper—whoever wielded the sharpest blades ruled. Though Liu Xiu thought he'd matured over ten years, Zhu'er still called him an ignorant child, making him blush and stammer, "Then... what would you suggest?"

Zhu'er smiled, her radiance instantly transforming the dreary warehouse into a splendid hall. With unwavering confidence, she declared, "Your plan to transport grain to Xinye is sound. But I'll guide you through the process—the art of commerce holds profound wisdom!"

"This... this hardly counts as commerce..." Liu Xiu weakly protested, yet seeing Zhu'er shed her drowsiness and come alive, he ultimately didn't resist further.

After all, he was heading to Xinye to sell grain anyway—wouldn't having Zhu'er accompany him be wonderful?

Liu Xiu packed his belongings, burying what couldn't be taken deep underground. Unusually, Zhu'er didn't retreat into the Abacus Master Bead to rest but instead enthusiastically taught him commercial principles. Initially dismissive of merchants—viewing them as profiteers who merely moved goods without hard labor—Liu Xiu gradually revised his perception through Zhu'er's lively and witty explanations.

Transporting goods for trade was called "shang" (commerce), while stationary sales were "gu" (merchandising). The term "merchant" originated in the early Zhou Dynasty: because commerce flourished during the Shang Dynasty, and Shang remnants excelled at business, Zhou people collectively referred to these Shang-descended traders as "merchants." In the Zhou era, this was a derogatory term akin to "outcasts." Thus, even if merchants amassed great wealth, they garnered no respect—perhaps rooted in this historical prejudice.

During the journey, following Zhu'er's guidance, Liu Xiu arranged transport, hired carters, avoided bandits, and managed officials... These brief ten-plus days exhausted him far more than farming ever had. He came to understand why merchants deserved compensation—they endured hardships and rightly sought returns.

Finally reaching Xinye, Liu Xiu intended to rest at his brother-in-law's home, but Zhu'er sent him out to gather intelligence. Commerce hinged on local information, and after some effort, Liu Xiu learned that grain prices in nearby Wan City were soaring. Transporting grain there could double their profits.

Overjoyed, Liu Xiu planned to contact buyers in Wan City, then return home to purchase grain for resale. He'd completely overturned his prior mindset: when buying grain from villagers, he could offer higher prices—far above those in Chunling County's shops. This would benefit both the villagers and himself—a win-win situation worth pursuing.

Liu Xiu realized his former self had been too rigid. Had he grasped this earlier, he could've helped more people prosper. Excitedly sharing his idea with Zhu'er, she arched her elegant brows and remarked, "Don't rush. Don't you sense the deeper implications behind Wan City's massive grain demand?"Liu Xiu was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed his long brows. "You're right. If grain prices in Wancheng were significantly higher, someone in Chunling would have already engaged in this speculative trade. This means the price surge must be recent, likely caused by someone purchasing large quantities of grain, driving up prices. The reason such a person would need vast amounts of grain must be in preparation for raising an army to rebel..." Being inherently intelligent, Liu Xiu, after Zhu'er's guidance, had developed considerable insight into commerce. Step by step, his deductions led him to uncover the truth.

"You're correct. It seems someone in Wancheng is recruiting troops, hence the grain stockpiling." Zhu'er's starry eyes sparkled with a hint of surprise at Liu Xiu's natural brilliance. Though he had shown little distinction in scholarly pursuits, his grasp of commerce was immediate once pointed in the right direction. Zhu'er felt pleased, as if she had unearthed a promising talent. Despite wasting ten years, among the countless people who had come and gone before her, he was the only one who had chosen her from among a pile of objects—truly a matter of fate.

"Then... should we still go to Wancheng? Why not just sell the grain in Xinye?" Liu Xiu grew concerned. Those so-called rebels, if described generously, were uprising forces; put bluntly, they were traitors. If these rebels refused to pay and simply seized his grain by force, wouldn't he lose everything? Unconsciously, Liu Xiu had begun thinking like a merchant.

Zhu'er curled her lips, her tone tinged with disdain. "Look at your lack of ambition. In the past, Fan Shaobo sent his beloved woman to the State of Wu in exchange for over a decade of recovery for Yue. Eventually, the King of Yue endured hardships, and with three thousand Yue soldiers, defeated Wu, achieving hegemony during the Spring and Autumn period. Then there was Lü Buwei, who seized a rare opportunity to assist King Zhuangxiang of Qin in ascending the throne. He even presented his own dancer to the king, and to this day, some still question Qin Shi Huang's origins. Lü Buwei rose to become chancellor, controlling the Qin court for thirteen years, wielding absolute power—even Qin Shi Huang dared not act against him lightly. These two were the most successful merchants. You should learn from them."

Liu Xiu caught a hint of something deeper and asked in surprise, "Could it be that you, Zhu'er, also knew Lü Buwei?"

Zhu'er lazily stretched, propping her chin with one hand, and chuckled softly with nostalgia. "Indeed, he was once the master of the Abacus Master Bead."

Liu Xiu's mind reeled, nearly losing his composure. So far, he only knew of two masters of the Abacus Master Bead, both renowned figures of their time. He felt a pang of shame and understood why Zhu'er had remained silent and indifferent to him for ten years. A farmer aspiring to till the land truly held little promise.

Unaware of Liu Xiu's thoughts, Zhu'er continued her earnest instruction. "Do you know why people throughout history have looked down upon merchants?"

As a scholar, Liu Xiu was not stumped by this question and replied after a moment, "Since Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, agriculture was prioritized over commerce, with farming regarded as the foundation and trade as secondary. Lü Buwei also included essays like 'Honoring Agriculture' in his Spring and Autumn of Lü Buwei, advocating this view. After Emperor Wu of Han, this sentiment grew even stronger."Zhu'er gave a disdainful smile and said, "The principle of 'agriculture as the foundation and commerce as the lesser' isn't meant to be understood that way, nor is the essence of foundation and lesser truly so. To draw an analogy, a nation is like a thriving towering tree—agriculture serves as its roots, while commerce represents its branches and leaves. A tree cannot survive without roots, but what flourishing tree has withered or shed all its branches and leaves? Although Chancellor Lü couldn't openly oppose the policies left by Shang Yang, as a top merchant himself, he naturally understood these principles. It was only later, when Emperor Wu of Han distorted this concept to deceive the people, that it truly became a case of putting the cart before the horse."

Liu Xiu was stunned by Zhu'er's words. Though he felt some of her arguments were forced, he had to admit there was a certain logic to them.

Zhu'er smiled but didn't press further, nor did she expect to change his deeply ingrained beliefs overnight. She returned to their earlier topic: "The highest principle of commerce is to offer what people desire and provide what they need. Right now, you have an excellent opportunity—what the other party needs is exactly what you possess. You should give it a try."

Instead of immediately asking for clarification, Liu Xiu pondered carefully. On the surface, the powerful families in Wancheng needed grain, which he indeed had and could trade. But Zhu'er couldn't possibly be referring solely to that.

What do rebellious powerful families lack? They lack grain, weapons, manpower... they're short of too many things. So, thinking conversely, what else could he provide besides grain? He wasn't highly educated, lacking extensive knowledge. Though he bore the title of ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, his family had no wealth... Wait, what had he just thought of? Ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang?

Seeing Liu Xiu's expression of sudden realization, Zhu'er thought to herself that this man was indeed promising. "Exactly. What they lack is a legitimate justification for rebellion. Having a descendant of the Han imperial house join them would surely make them welcome you with open arms."

Liu Xiu hesitated; he had never imagined getting involved in war. But then he met Zhu'er's bright, expectant eyes and resolutely nodded.

Since Zhu'er's previous two masters had achieved great fame, he absolutely couldn't fall behind!

A month later, Liu Xiu raised troops in Wancheng, Liu Yan in Chunling, and Liu Xiu's second brother-in-law Deng Chen in Xinye—all launching their uprisings separately. Among them, Liu Yan gathered seven to eight thousand clansmen and followers, making his force the most formidable.

In Liu Xiu's life, after beginning his education at age six, he spent ten years immersed in studying classics, followed by another decade laboring diligently in the fields. He had never been exposed to anything related to warfare or military strategy. Yet Zhu'er told him everything was quite simple.

All matters in this world could be approached through the principles of commerce.He didn't know how to fight battles, but that didn't matter—he could let those who did lead the charge, then grant them the official positions and wealth they desired. He had no weapons, but that didn't matter either—he could find craftsmen to forge them, exchanging gold and treasures for their services. Gradually, he came to acknowledge that merchants were indeed omnipotent. In every person's heart lay desires; as long as one could identify what others needed, they could trade for what they themselves wanted. Even if he lacked what others sought, he could acquire it through a chain of transactions with others. This vast network of interests would slowly coalesce into a colossal entity, with Liu Xiu lurking as its hidden master.

To gain, one must first be willing to give.

Guided by this principle taught by Zhu'er, Liu Xiu advised his elder brother Liu Yan to seek a more powerful ally, as their rebel forces, though brave, were no match for the government army alone. Liu Yan chose the Green Forest Army. With his exceptional talent for slaying generals and defeating enemies, Liu Yan rapidly rose within the Green Forest Army in just two years, simultaneously putting pressure on other factions.

Zhu'er had long warned Liu Xiu, who in turn cautioned his brother. Unfortunately, Liu Yan never heeded advice, dismissing Liu Xiu's counsel as empty words. Liu Xiu had no choice but to keep a low profile, acting cautiously and unassumingly, appearing weak and timid in the eyes of others.

The relationship between Zhu'er and Liu Xiu also subtly shifted. It was no longer just Zhu'er guiding Liu Xiu; Liu Xiu occasionally made astute judgments that earned Zhu'er's newfound respect.

This man progressed far more rapidly than her two previous masters. Zhu'er sometimes marveled inwardly: How could someone who had spent ten years as a scholar and another ten as a farmer adapt so seamlessly to being a merchant?

Well, strictly speaking, Liu Xiu was no longer a merchant but a ruler.

Liu Yan won battle after battle, gaining increasing fame in the army. To curb his rising influence, the Green Forest generals collectively nominated an obscure Liu clansman, Liu Xuan, as emperor. Liu Xuan, a distant cousin of Liu Yan's, had previously been a minor official. Such a rootless and powerless emperor was perfect for serving as a puppet on the throne.

For the sake of the greater good, Liu Yan had no choice but to agree to support Liu Xuan as emperor, ushering in the Gengshi era with the title Emperor Gengshi.

Liu Xiu sensed that the situation was turning unfavorable, yet he was powerless to change it for the time being. He also realized that their strength was far from sufficient; otherwise, he could have advocated for his brother to become emperor instead of ending up in such a passive position. From then on, Liu Xiu no longer concealed his talents. In the Battle of Kunyang, he led a mere ten thousand troops to defeat a four hundred and twenty thousand-strong New Dynasty army, stunning the entire realm.

This decisive victory at Kunyang, where the few triumphed over the many and the weak overcame the strong, shifted the balance of power between the government forces and the rebels. Liu Xiu, the architect of this outcome, earned everyone's admiration. Meanwhile, Liu Yan captured Wan City, a heavily fortified stronghold of the New Dynasty, and subsequently persuaded Emperor Gengshi to move the capital there.

"Your brother is in danger," Zhu'er concluded upon hearing this news.Liu Xiu's face was ashen. It was the first time he and his elder brother had operated separately—he was responsible for defending Kunyang while his brother led the assault on Wancheng. Originally intending to support each other from afar, his brother had failed to curb his habit of flaunting his abilities. Now, positioned just below the emperor but above ten thousand subjects, he was bound to attract hostility from various interest groups within the Green Forest Army.

"Hmm... What will you decide?" Zhu'er inquired with keen interest.

Without hesitation, Liu Xiu replied, "I will go to Wancheng immediately."

Zhu'er raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback. "You've just defended Kunyang. Shouldn't you stabilize the army's morale first?"

Liu Xiu flicked the beads on his abacus and responded calmly, "You once said that to gain something, one must be willing to sacrifice. But in my heart, my elder brother is the one I will never abandon."

His matter-of-fact tone and resolute words left Zhu'er momentarily stunned.

In her previous experiences with masters, everything had been expendable—beloved women, personal wealth, relatives and friends... even herself, who had helped them...

Zhu'er knew Liu Xiu must be aware that as long as Liu Yan existed, there would be no room for his own advancement. Liu Yan naturally drew everyone's attention, leaving Liu Xiu to live in his shadow. Could he truly remain unmoved? Could he steadfastly maintain his original intentions?

Yet, having spent so much time with Liu Xiu, she was certain his words were sincere, without a trace of falsehood.

Gazing at the valiant and handsome Liu Xiu, Zhu'er suddenly found him exceptionally reliable, possessing a quality that inspired trust. What kind of woman could ever claim such a man—accomplished in both literary and martial arts, graceful and imposing?

Zhu'er's heart was in turmoil. A sprout long hidden within her began to emerge like bamboo shoots after rain, catching her off guard.

But before she could ponder further, devastating news arrived abruptly.

When Liu Xiu learned that his elder brother Liu Yan had been killed, he froze completely. He could accept his brother dying in battle, wrapped in a horsehide shroud, but he could never accept this outcome—a stab in the back from his own people. What accusation of defying the emperor's decree? He absolutely refused to believe it!

Zhu'er reclined on the couch, closed the book in her hand, and remarked sarcastically, "Foolish. 'Store the good bow when the birds are gone; cook the hounds when the hares are caught'—that's true, but the birds aren't yet gone, nor the hares caught! That Liu Xuan is utterly foolish." Moreover, he had acted too quickly. Zhu'er glanced at Liu Xiu's already packed luggage—he had been about to depart for Wancheng.

Liu Xiu pressed his temples hard, forcing his grief-stricken mind to think. He had indeed overestimated Liu Xuan, assuming he would wait until his brother had conquered the realm before making a move, which was why he had remained relatively unguarded. He never expected the other to strike so swiftly. Did Liu Xuan not fear chilling the hearts of his followers?

"What do you plan to do? Rally your men to break away from Emperor Gengshi and raise your own banner?" Zhu'er narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, studying Liu Xiu's handsome profile thoughtfully. In the blink of an eye, twelve years had passed by this man's side. He had grown from a green youth into a man of stature. For some reason, Zhu'er found her thoughts wandering—Liu Xiu was already twenty-eight, yet there was still no woman by his side...

Liu Xiu bowed his head, furrowed his brow tightly, and murmured to himself, "I need... to think carefully..."Zhu'er once again suppressed the wild thoughts in her mind—this was not an appropriate time.

Liu Xiu ultimately chose to feign compliance.

He immediately returned to Wancheng, voluntarily relinquished command of his troops, and distanced himself from Liu Yan. Showing no outward grief for his brother's death nor any intention to observe mourning rites, he spent his days drinking and reveling, abstaining from political affairs. He even claimed that the victory at the Battle of Kunyang was solely due to his subordinates' efforts, and publicly declared, "A man should aspire to be the Capital Commander, and take Yin Lihua as his wife."

The position of Capital Commander, equivalent to the Nine Ministers, was the highest military authority guarding the capital. Liu Xiu's ambition extended no further than this. As for Yin Lihua, she was a renowned beauty from Xinye, and Liu Xiu openly expressed his admiration for her.

Yet no one could comprehend the bitterness in his heart when he uttered those words.

To gain something, one must first relinquish something. In other words, achieving any goal requires sacrifice.

He had understood this principle clearly since he was sixteen, but he never anticipated he would come to grasp it so profoundly.

Zhu'er observed all his actions. She knew that despite his outwardly dissolute drinking, he never touched meat at home. Every morning, his pillow was stained with tear marks. While Yin Lihua was undoubtedly beautiful, what Liu Xiu truly valued was her prominent family background.

The Yin Clan were descendants of Guan Zhong, the renowned chancellor of the Spring and Autumn period. During the late Qin and early Han dynasties, the entire Yin family relocated to Xinye. Not only was the Yin Clan of illustrious lineage, but they were also one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the region, their status and fortune nearly comparable to that of enfeoffed feudal lords.

Zhu'er knew that Liu Xiu was seeking a powerful backer for himself. Although Liu Xiu was the ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, he had no foundation to speak of and was, in essence, merely a farmer.

Indeed, even his own marriage could be used as a bargaining chip.

Zhu'er sighed silently, inwardly praising herself for having cultivated yet another exceptional merchant, while also feeling a pang of regret.

In this world, there truly were no situations where one could have both the fish and the bear's paw. It seemed Yin Lihua would likely become a pawn in political games as well...

"Reluctant to leave?" If Liu Xiu hadn't been busy seeking marriage alliances, he would have been astonished by the scene before him. The person who had appeared in his room was none other than that young stall owner from years ago. Twelve years had passed, yet his appearance remained completely unchanged from that day.

"Why would I be reluctant?" Zhu'er lazily yawned. "I taught him how to become a perfect merchant—to give up what he possesses in exchange for something more valuable. Anything can be traded, even his own family, marriage, life..."

Zhu'er left the rest of her words unspoken.

If things continued this way, would he, like his two previous masters, eventually trade her away if circumstances demanded it?

Or perhaps... she simply didn't want to see him marry and have children...

The stall owner picked up the abacus, weighed it in his hand a few times, and smiled faintly. "Tell me, if I were to trade you for the Imperial Jade Seal and the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, do you think he would agree?"

Zhu'er shot him a glance and snorted coldly. "Better not test it. I don't want to know the answer..."

"In truth, you already know the answer in your heart, don't you?" The stall owner smiled faintly, tucked the abacus into his robe, and leisurely pushed the door open to leave.

In June of the first year of the Gengshi era, Liu Xiu married Yin Lihua.

In September of the first year of the Gengshi era, Liu Xiu sent Yin Lihua back to Xinye and went alone to Luoyang, intending to reclaim the territories of Hebei.

In January of the second year of the Gengshi era, merely six months after marrying Yin Lihua, Liu Xiu divorced her, demoting her to concubine, and married Guo Shengtong, the noble daughter of the Guo family of Zhending, to form an alliance with the Prince of Zhending.

In the third year of the Gengshi era, corresponding to 25 AD, Liu Xiu, who by then controlled multiple provinces and commanded a million troops, was proclaimed emperor by his generals at the Thousand Autumns Pavilion south of Yecheng in Hebei. He established the Jianwu era and retained "Han" as the dynastic name, historically known as the Later Han or Eastern Han.

Thus began the era of the Eastern Han Dynasty...

2012 AD.

"Huh? So this abacus actually belonged to Emperor Guangwu of Han?" The Doctor exclaimed in surprise, his long rabbit ears twitching back and forth. "And there's a peerless beauty sleeping inside? And you're still willing to bury it?"

Is that really the main point here? The Boss curled his lips into a light smile. "It's fine. She's been asleep for two thousand years anyway—continuing to sleep underground won't make much difference." Once the Formation is broken, they could always dig her up again. Besides, in these two thousand years, Zhu'er had never once woken up. The Boss was quite tempted to throw her away just to see if she would ever awaken."……" The Doctor twitched his long ears unwillingly and snorted lightly, "Speaking of which, that Liu Xiu is truly extraordinary! He became emperor within just a few years, and after ascending the throne, he neither executed nor demoted any of his meritorious officials. His mastery of balance is truly remarkable! It seems Zhu'er taught him well—using merchant wisdom to rule as emperor, tsk tsk! This feels like an inspirational novel!"

The Boss ignored the Doctor's excited rant, merely raising an eyebrow as he glanced at the iPad hidden behind the rabbit plushie, which displayed Liu Xiu's biography.

The Doctor coughed twice, turned off the iPad behind him, and tucked the stylus into his plushie apron before casually changing the subject: "But come to think of it, Boss, you took advantage of Liu Xiu! Quietly making off with his beloved abacus later—isn't that bullying?"

The Boss wiped each abacus bead clean one by one and said calmly, "I was following Zhu'er's will. She wanted to leave, so I took her away. As for Liu Xiu, I left him several taels of gold, which should cover the value of his Gold-Inlaid Knife. He didn't lose out."

"……" The Doctor could imagine the expression on Liu Xiu's face when he couldn't find the Abacus Master Bead back then and saw those few taels of gold—it must have been priceless.

The Boss gently stroked the immovable Abacus Master Bead and fell into deep thought.

In truth, both he and Zhu'er had known the answer to that question back then.

Not to mention the Imperial Jade Seal or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm—even the imperial throne itself, Liu Xiu would have been willing to exchange for it.

But what would have been the point?

Zhu'er could never grow old with him, nor bear him children—their paths were destined to diverge...

The Boss lowered his eyelids and sighed softly, "Choices and sacrifices..."

(End of Chapter)