Chapter 20: Sudden Misfortune

Zhao Mengcheng had no idea about the scheme unfolding behind him.

He was busy munching on tanghulu. These tanghulu were made from the wild hawthorn commonly found around Changhe Town, coated in a layer of shiny sugar that made them look bright red and very appealing.

Zhao Mengcheng popped one into his mouth after another, but once the sugar coating was gone, the sourness made him grimace.

He glanced over and saw the three little ones all sticking out their tongues, slowly licking their tanghulu, reluctant to finish them too quickly.

A mischievous idea popped into Zhao Mengcheng’s head. “Ah Chun, tanghulu tastes best when you eat it in big bites, like your dad does.”

Zhao Chun was an honest child. He immediately copied his father and took a big bite. The next moment, his little face scrunched up like a wrinkled ball.

Zhao Mengcheng stifled a laugh, reaching out to cover his mouth and giving him a wink.

The poor kid had fallen for his mischievous father’s trick. Even though the sourness made his teeth ache, he couldn’t bear to spit it out and forced himself to swallow it.

After swallowing, Zhao Chun looked at his younger brother. “Ah Mao, Dad’s right. Tanghulu tastes better when you eat it in big bites. Licking it slowly isn’t manly at all.”

Zhao Mao shot a glance at his elder brother and instantly saw through the guilty look on his face. He knew this was a setup.

But then he looked at Zhao Mengcheng, who was smiling at him with anticipation, clearly waiting to see his reaction.

Zhao Mao gave his tanghulu a lick, then took a bite. Sure enough, his face twisted into a bitter gourd expression from the sourness.

Zhao Chun couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. “Got you this time, didn’t I?”

“Brother, you tricked me,” Zhao Mao said on purpose, playing along with the prank.

Zhao Chun was thrilled to finally outsmart his twin brother and laughed so hard he nearly rolled off the donkey cart.

Zhao Mengcheng, however, saw through his younger son’s act. As the often-overlooked middle child, Zhao Mao always tried to please those around him in subtle ways. His early maturity made Zhao Mengcheng’s heart ache.

He reached out and affectionately ruffled Zhao Mao’s hair. “You don’t have to do that.”

Zhao Mao realized he’d been seen through and looked a little embarrassed. He stole a glance at his father. Seeing that he wasn’t angry, he leaned in and nestled quietly against him.

Feeling confident after fooling his brother, Zhao Chun turned to trick his sister. “Little sister, tanghulu tastes best when you eat it in big bites. Licking it like that doesn’t count.”

Zhao Xin licked her tanghulu and snorted. “You think I’m stupid? Wild hawthorn from the mountains is super sour.”

When he saw he couldn’t fool her, Zhao Chun grew anxious and scratched his head. “I’m your brother. Would I lie to you? Really, the hawthorn in this tanghulu is sweet. Super sweet.”

“I don’t believe you. I like licking it like this,” Zhao Xin said, refusing to fall for it.

Zhao Chun looked disappointed and could only go back to eating his own.

Zhao Xin wasn’t done with him. “Big brother, why aren’t you eating in big bites then? Hmph, all you do is try to trick me.”

“I’m just afraid I’ll finish it too fast and have nothing left,” Zhao Chun muttered weakly.

Zhao Xin snorted through her nose. “Yeah right. You looked exactly like you did the last time you tricked me.”

Even though the hawthorn was sour, none of the three kids wanted to waste it. After finishing the sugar coating, they nibbled the hawthorn slowly, savoring every bite.

Zhao Mengcheng worried the sourness might damage their baby teeth and said, “If it’s too sour, don’t eat it. When we get home, I’ll stew some sweet soup with hawthorn for you.”

Zhao Chun held his cheek. “It’s not sour. I can still eat it.”

“Really?” Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Chun took another bite, and his face scrunched up again.

Zhao Mengcheng sighed inwardly. Clearly, the boy was just trying to save money. According to the book, the second son Zhao Mao was supposed to be the miserly one, like Grandet. But from what he could see, the eldest seemed even more frugal.

Then again, thinking about how Zhao Mao hoarded money, Zhao Mengcheng figured the two brothers were about the same.

He decided to ask, “Ah Chun, Ah Mao, Xin Xin, why do you think Dad works so hard to earn money?”

The three children looked at each other.

Zhao Mengcheng continued, “Dad works hard so our family can eat well and dress warmly. Now that we’re doing better, we should enjoy what we have. There’s no need to pinch pennies over things like this.”

“It’s true we shouldn’t waste, but we also shouldn’t make ourselves suffer. Otherwise, what’s the point of me earning all that money? Just to count it for fun?”

Zhao Chun giggled. “Dad, I like counting money for fun.”

Zhao Mengcheng gave him a light tap on the forehead. “I’m being serious. Don’t interrupt.”

Zhao Mao, still nestled in his arms, looked up and said, “Dad means we should spend money where it matters. Eating well and dressing warmly is where it matters.”

“Ah Mao, you’re so smart.” Zhao Mengcheng smiled and pinched his cheek, turning it redder than the tanghulu.

Zhao Mengcheng went on, “Only when we eat well and dress warmly can we be healthy. And only with a strong body can we do other things. We can’t lose sight of what’s truly important.”

Zhao Chun hesitated, not saying anything.

Zhao Mengcheng encouraged him, “We’re father and son. Say what’s on your mind. I won’t be upset.”

Zhao Chun lowered his head. After a long pause, he said, “But before Mom passed away, she said we had to save more money. Back when you were an accountant, you made money, but we spent too much, so we didn’t save any.”

“If we had saved more back then, Mom wouldn’t have had to work in the fields. Maybe she wouldn’t have died.”

The color drained from Zhao Mao’s face. “It’s my fault. I was always sick and needed medicine. That cost a lot.”

The children had always believed that the family’s poverty was due to the cost of Zhao Mao’s treatments, and that their mother’s death was somehow related.

Even Zhao Xin stopped licking her tanghulu, looking at them helplessly.

Only now did Zhao Mengcheng realize how deeply Liu Yunniang’s death had affected the children. They blamed themselves, thinking their spending had led to poverty and ultimately to their mother’s death.

In truth, Liu Yunniang’s death was an accident. She had fallen and injured a vital spot, passing away too quickly. If anyone was to blame, it was the original Zhao Mengcheng. If he hadn’t shut himself away in grief, Liu Yunniang wouldn’t have had to work the fields alone.

He didn’t know how to comfort them, so he simply pulled all three children into his arms and gently patted their backs.

Aside from the sound of the donkey cart moving forward, only the children’s soft sobs could be heard.

After a while, Zhao Chun sniffled and wiped his tears. “Dad, I’m sorry.”

Zhao Mengcheng saw his red, puffy eyes and nose, and gently patted his small shoulder.

When he first arrived, the three kids had been skin and bones. After all this time, they finally had some meat on them. “Ah Chun, you’ve already done a great job.”

“When Dad was sick, you took care of your siblings and even found a doctor for me. If it weren’t for you, I might not be here. This family owes it all to you.”

But Zhao Chun suddenly burst into tears. “But I sold our good farmland for cheap. Now we don’t have land and have to buy grain. Dad has to get up in the middle of the night to make tofu. It’s all my fault.”

Getting up at night was exhausting. Grinding soybeans was hard work. Dad wasn’t even fully recovered and still had to work day and night. Zhao Chun had seen it all.

Zhao Mengcheng scrambled to comfort him, but Zhao Chun’s imagination ran wild, and he cried even harder.

Suddenly, Zhao Mengcheng kissed his forehead.

Zhao Chun froze.

Zhao Mengcheng pinched his nose. “Is farmland more important than Dad’s life? You did the right thing.”

Zhao Chun dumbly held his forehead.

“If we lost the land, we’ll just buy it back when we have money. Ah Chun has always been Dad’s good son and a great big brother to your siblings,” Zhao Mengcheng said loudly.

Zhao Chun finally stopped crying. His face turned red as he grinned, looking even sillier.

Zhao Mengcheng then looked at the second son, who had been keeping his head down. Zhao Mao was trying to make himself invisible.

With a helpless sigh, Zhao Mengcheng patted his little head. “Ah Mao, being born weak isn’t your fault. If anything, it’s because your parents didn’t take good enough care of you. That’s why you suffered so much from birth.”

“How can I blame you and Mom? It’s my fault. My body’s too weak. That’s why I’m always sick. Every time I get sick, it costs a lot of money. I’m the one who used up all the family’s money,” Zhao Mao said anxiously.

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled. “Well, now that we’re not short on money, let’s focus on getting healthy. We’ll build you up until you’re stronger than an ox. That way, you won’t get sick anymore.”

“Dad knows you’re really smart. Once you’re healthy, I’ll send you to school. You’ll study hard and earn a title to bring honor to our family.”

Zhao Mao’s big eyes sparkled. For the first time, he had a clear goal for the future.

“What about me?”

Zhao Xin raised her tanghulu. “Dad, what should I do?”

She was sensible for her age, but still too young to fully understand.

Zhao Mengcheng smiled and ruffled her hair. “Let me think… What should Xin Xin do?”

Zhao Xin pressed her lips together, waiting with a serious look on her face.

“Xin Xin will be in charge of making sure we all stay healthy,” Zhao Mengcheng declared.

Zhao Xin immediately nodded hard. “I’ll make sure you and second brother get healthy!”

Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “Good. From now on, Xin Xin is our little housekeeper.”

Zhao Xin puffed out her chest and glared at her two brothers. “Big brother, second brother, you both have to behave. Especially you, big brother. Stop running off into the mountains and rivers all the time. If you don’t, I’ll punish you.”

Zhao Chun couldn’t take it and whispered to his brother, “Dad’s just playing along to make her happy, and she actually believes it.”

“Shh.” Zhao Mao hushed him, not allowing the mood to be ruined.

That evening, after returning home, Zhao Mengcheng still went ahead and stewed the leftover hawthorn into a sweet soup.

He tossed the hawthorn into the pot and simmered it until it turned soft and mushy. Then he added a spoonful of white sugar, along with a few red dates and longans¹. The result was a bowl of sweet dessert soup.

Once the children had a taste of the hawthorn soup, they no longer felt it was extravagant. They buried their heads in their bowls, licking them clean down to the last drop.

After the kids were done eating, Zhao Mengcheng brought out a camphorwood chest² from the house. It had been part of Liu Yunniang’s dowry.

“From now on, we’ll spend half of our money and save the rest for emergencies.”

As he spoke, Zhao Mengcheng placed a piece of broken silver³ into the chest. “Starting today.”

Zhao Mao took one look and ran into the house, then came back out hugging his own little wooden box. “Dad, let’s put our money together.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t refuse. He solemnly placed the small box inside the larger one.

Once the children were settled, Zhao Mengcheng finally had time to check on the tofu workshop.

By then, dusk had already fallen. Inside the tofu workshop, several buckets of soybeans were soaking. When Zhao Mengcheng arrived, they were in the middle of grinding the beans.

“How much have you ground today?” The tofu made from this batch would be ready to sell by morning.

“About two hundred pieces, I think.” The one who answered was Liu Lei, the eldest son of Doctor Liu. He was tall and strong, with plenty of muscle, but not much brains. He could never grasp his father’s medical skills.

Knowing Zhao Mengcheng needed help, Doctor Liu had sent his son over.

“Don’t worry, brother. We’ll have it all done by morning,” Liu Lei said, clearly planning to work through the night without rest, grinding tofu non-stop.

Zhao Mengcheng had hired only two workers. The other was He Shuiqing, the only son of Widow He from the village. He was small and thin, and had a stutter, making it nearly impossible for him to find work outside.

The mother and son lived a hard life in the village and had long relied on charity.

At first, Zhao Mengcheng didn’t think he could handle such physically demanding work, but Widow He came to plead in person, and even the Village Chief spoke on her behalf, so he finally agreed.

He Shuiqing knew Zhao Mengcheng wasn’t satisfied with him, so he worked especially hard. When he saw Zhao Mengcheng now, he just grinned sheepishly.

Zhao Mengcheng led the donkey to the stone mill and got to work himself, scooping soybeans as he said, “If you’re tired, take a break.”

Liu Lei chuckled. “Not tired. This is way easier than the autumn harvest.”

“Still, we can’t be harvesting every day,” Zhao Mengcheng joked.

Liu Lei replied, “You’re paying us so well, I’d be ashamed to slack off.”

Even He Shuiqing chimed in, stammering, “R-right… c-can’t… slack… off.”

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow slightly. To think that just twenty wen a day could get him such diligent workers… it was enough to make a capitalist weep.

By midnight, people had already started coming by to buy tofu.

Zhao Mengcheng stood at the door with a ledger, keeping track. Only those who had settled their previous day’s bill could buy again today.

He was willing to help out the villagers who had no capital, but he’d made it clear from the start that credit could only be extended for one day. No more than that.

With more people, the results varied. Some, like Liu Bingkun, were savvy and good at business. Others would push a cart of tofu around all day without knowing how to sell, ending up with spoiled tofu and no sales.

Zhao Mengcheng genuinely wanted to help the villagers, but he had laid down the rules from the beginning.

A steady stream of tofu went out the door. By the time Wang Ming arrived, half the tofu had already been sold.

Wang Ming had grown a lot since he started working, moving with much more confidence now. “Brother Mengcheng, Boss Wang said there’s a new shipment today. I’ll deliver it to him later.”

Wang Ming handled deliveries not just for Yingbin Lou, but for other restaurants as well. Zhao Mengcheng still paid him twenty wen a day as a delivery fee.

Wang Ming didn’t want to take the money, but after much persuasion, he agreed. Still, he often bought meat and fish for the Zhao family.

“Here, this is dried tofu. From now on, Boss Wang gets exclusive supply for a month,” Zhao Mengcheng explained.

Wang Ming didn’t ask questions and quietly loaded the goods.

By dawn, no more customers came to pick up tofu. Only then did Zhao Mengcheng close his ledger. “You two can go home and rest now.”

“I’ll soak the next batch of beans before I leave,” Liu Lei said, still busy.

He Shuiqing didn’t say a word, just kept working silently, as if he wanted to sweep every speck of dust off the floor.

The two of them earned their wages every day, but some villagers were jealous and made snide remarks. A few even claimed Zhao Mengcheng had gotten rich and was now treating his fellow villagers like beasts of burden.

The worst was Zhao Dasao. She couldn’t stand to see Zhao Mengcheng doing well and constantly slandered him around the village.

She said things like Zhao Mengcheng looked down on his neighbors now that he had money, calling him arrogant and snobbish. Some people actually believed her.

He Shuiqing wanted to say that Zhao Mengcheng was kind and fair, never shortchanging them, but he wasn’t good with words. All he could do was work even harder.

Seeing that the two insisted on staying, Zhao Mengcheng didn’t stop them. He just reminded, “Don’t forget to take your tofu when you leave.”

That was a special benefit he set aside for them.

“Thanks, brother! You go rest first, we’ll head back soon,” Liu Lei called out with a smile.

He Shuiqing didn’t speak, but his eyes were full of gratitude.

Zhao Mengcheng nodded and went home to rest. When he woke up, someone was already waiting outside.

He stepped out to find the Village Chief and Liu Bingkun. Clearly, something was up.

“Eat something first, get some food in your belly,” the Village Chief said with a smile.

Zhao Mengcheng followed his advice, ate a little, then sat down and asked, “Uncle, what brings you here?”

Liu Bingkun instinctively opened his mouth to speak, but the Village Chief stopped him with a glance.

The old Village Chief smiled and said, “Here’s the thing. Akun’s been running around lately and made quite a bit of money. You know he can’t keep a secret, so now everyone knows he made it selling tofu.”

“Some folks from nearby villages heard about it and asked me if they could come buy tofu to sell too.”

“I figured we’ll still need to buy soybeans from them later, so better not sour relations. That’s why I came to ask.”

Liu Bingkun added, “Brother, those are all my buddies. They said they’re willing to pay more than our village does, as long as there’s profit to be made.”

Zhao Mengcheng thought for a moment. “I don’t mind, but the tofu workshop can’t produce that much. If we give it to them, what about our own villagers?”

The old Village Chief frowned at that and glared at his son. “Did you hear that? Are we supposed to stop doing business with our own people just to help outsiders? That’s not how the world works.”

Liu Bingkun drooped, clearly discouraged.

He had obviously made promises to others, thinking it would be a win-win for everyone. He hadn’t expected things to fall through.

“Brother, maybe you could hire a few more people?” Liu Bingkun suggested.

The Village Chief perked up and said, “There’s no shortage of people in our village. If we can expand the tofu workshop, that’d be great.”

“Exactly! Just say the word, and I’ll find you honest, reliable workers,” Liu Bingkun promised, patting his chest.

Zhao Mengcheng had considered it before, but deep down he knew that the tofu recipe wouldn’t stay secret for long. It wasn’t a technical craft, and the more people involved, the harder it would be to keep it under wraps.

Once the operation grew, and the recipe leaked, how long could his tofu business really last?

His thoughts turned. “Uncle, actually, I have another idea.”

The Village Chief quickly asked, “Let’s hear it.”

“I want to select a few families in the village to partner with. I’ll teach them the tofu recipe. That way, they can make tofu at home and sell it themselves. It’s a win-win.”

His words left everyone stunned.

The Village Chief exclaimed, “What? You’re going to teach others the tofu recipe?”

Liu Bingkun’s eyes widened. “Brother, are you out of your mind? That recipe is like a goose that lays golden eggs. How can you just give it away?”

But at the same time, both father and son felt their hearts pounding.

Liu Bingkun had made plenty just by reselling tofu. If he got the recipe… he didn’t even dare think about it, afraid he might be tempted to steal it while Zhao Mengcheng wasn’t thinking straight.

Zhao Mengcheng got up and went inside. When he came back out, he was holding a bowl of dried tofu. “Uncle, Akun, have a taste.”

Neither of them had much appetite, but they absentmindedly took a bite.

Liu Bingkun, ever sharp, asked immediately, “This is tofu too? It tastes totally different!”

“This is called dried tofu. It’s also made from tofu, but with a different flavor and texture. Shopkeeper Wang in town already placed a big order. That means we need even more tofu, and we just can’t keep up with demand.”

Zhao Mengcheng explained, “Our household is small. Even with a donkey, we can’t make enough tofu in a day. We’re already falling behind on orders. Expanding the business is getting harder and harder.”

“I could hire more people, sure. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt I shouldn’t just think about myself. Since there’s money to be made, I should help the villagers too. That’s why I’m willing to teach others the recipe.”

The old Village Chief was moved to tears. He grabbed Zhao Mengcheng’s hand and said, “Mengcheng, you’re a righteous and generous man. Most people would guard a money-making secret with their lives, but you’re thinking of your neighbors instead.”

Zhao Mengcheng gripped his hand in return. “Uncle, I’ve never forgotten that during the hardest times at home, it wasn’t outsiders but our fellow villagers who lent a helping hand and got me through. A single tree doesn’t make a forest. If I’m doing well alone, that’s not truly good. Only when everyone in Qingshan Village is doing well, that’s real success.”

“I just want to lead everyone to prosperity together, to make our Qingshan Village famous far and wide as the Tofu Village.”

The Old Village Chief was already overwhelmed by this heartfelt speech. He felt this young man couldn’t be better. Zhao Wencheng had cut ties with such a good younger brother, and he’d probably regret it so much his guts would turn green⁴.

The two of them held hands, eyes brimming with tears.

Liu Bingkun couldn’t hold back anymore and quickly asked, “Brother, can I learn too?”

The Old Village Chief glared at his son and scolded, “Learn, my foot! You’ve got money on the brain. Why don’t you try learning some of your Brother Mengcheng’s generosity and vision?”

Liu Bingkun was dumbfounded. “What did I even say?”

Zhao Mengcheng smiled and said, “Uncle, I trust both you and Akun’s character. Of course you can learn.”

But the Old Village Chief said, “No, Mengcheng. Even if you’re going to teach the secret recipe, you need to think carefully about who you teach it to.”

Zhao Mengcheng replied, “I’ve already thought it through. I’ll choose from the people who were willing to lend me money after Yunniang passed away.”

“As long as they’re willing, I’ll teach them. But let me be clear upfront: once they learn, they can’t pass it on. If other villages learn how to make tofu, and everyone can do it, then our tofu won’t sell anymore.”

“Of course. If anyone dares to betray us, I won’t let them off.” The Old Village Chief’s gaze was sharp.

Then he added, “Are you really going to do this? All they did was lend a hand. You already paid back the money and even added interest. You’re giving up too much.”

“We’re all from the same village. When someone’s in trouble, everyone helps out. That kind of kindness doesn’t warrant giving away a secret recipe.”

The Old Village Chief had seen the world. “If you sold this recipe, it could probably fetch eighty to a hundred taels of silver. Mengcheng, are you really willing to give it up?”

“Eighty or a hundred taels is short-term. Keeping the recipe is long-term. It can feed us for a lifetime,” Zhao Mengcheng said.

“Uncle, how about this? I need tofu to make dried tofu. I can’t grind and make all the tofu by myself. Why don’t I just buy it directly from everyone? They’ll have to sell to me first, and the price should be one wen cheaper than retail.”

He had thought this through long ago. After all, the secret recipe couldn’t be given away for free.

If he gave it away with no strings attached, people might just think he was a fool.

The Old Village Chief nodded. “That’s not an unreasonable request. Honestly, they should be paying you a fee to become your apprentice.”

After thinking it over, he added, “If you trust me, I’ll handle this. That way, those who don’t get to learn won’t resent you. They should still pay a small apprenticeship fee. Otherwise, if they get it for free, they might not value it.”

Zhao Mengcheng was delighted. “Alright, then I’ll thank you in advance, Uncle. If Uncle Wang and Auntie Wang next door are willing, they can come too.”

That was clearly opening the back door for the Wang Family.

The Old Village Chief laughed, looking at him with satisfaction. “No need to thank me. It’s us who should be thanking you on behalf of the villagers.”

In his heart, he felt Zhao Mengcheng was truly kind. The Wang Family had helped him for a while, and now he was thinking of them in every good opportunity. He’d heard the Wang Family’s youngest son could earn two hundred wen a day, far better than his own son.

With that, he couldn’t sit still and rushed out to take care of things.

Liu Bingkun quickly followed, stammering, “Dad, so I can learn how to make tofu?”

The Old Village Chief gave him a look of utter disappointment. “Are you stupid? Go get your apprenticeship gift⁵ ready.”

Liu Bingkun’s eyes lit up, and he skipped off joyfully.

The Old Village Chief shook his head. Comparing people really is infuriating. His own son looked like a bumpkin next to Zhao Mengcheng.

In his heart, he was already considering how to select the right people. He had to choose carefully, picking the most reliable ones, preferably families with strong laborers who could do the work.

The news that Zhao Mengcheng was going to teach the tofu recipe to villagers spread like wildfire, and all of Qingshan Village was in an uproar.

Everyone now knew tofu could make money. Those who went door-to-door selling tofu and reselling it could earn at least thirty to fifty wen a day if they were bold enough to hawk it.

After a month, these tofu resellers were eating meat and wearing new clothes. Life was clearly improving.

Even those too shy to sell could still tidy up their soybeans and sell them to Zhao Mengcheng for a profit.

And then there was Wang Ming. Just look at how he was a few months ago, and how he was now.

Now, Zhao Mengcheng was actually going to teach the tofu recipe to others. Wasn’t that like giving away the goose that laid golden eggs?

In no time, the Zhao household was bustling with people. Villagers came knocking, eager to learn the recipe on the spot.

Zhao Mengcheng felt grateful to the Village Chief. To the public, he simply said he was young and inexperienced and left the selection process to the Chief.

With the Village Chief taking charge, he felt much more at ease.

Uncle Wang and Auntie Wang also rushed over. As soon as they entered, they asked, “Mengcheng, is it true what they’re saying outside? That you’re giving away the recipe? Did someone threaten you into this?”

Auntie Wang was even angrier. “Who’s the heartless gossip spreading this? I’ll rip her mouth off!”

Zhao Mengcheng quickly calmed them down and repeated what he had said about the Village Chief.

“Uncle Wang, Auntie Wang, if you want to learn, come too. Once you’ve learned, you can make tofu yourselves and sell it. The profit will be even higher.”

Uncle Wang frowned. “But this is your secret recipe. Are you really going to teach us?”

Zhao Mengcheng nodded. “From now on, I’ll focus on buying tofu to make dried tofu. If I could come up with one recipe, I can come up with a second, even a third.”

He knew they were only trying to look out for him.

Sure enough, after hearing this, they felt more reassured. In their eyes, Zhao Mengcheng was a capable young man. If he could figure out tofu, he surely had more tricks up his sleeve.

They exchanged a glance, and Auntie Wang hesitated. “If we learn the recipe, you won’t be at a loss?”

“Auntie, if you don’t learn, someone else will. I promise I won’t lose out.” Zhao Mengcheng smiled.

Auntie Wang gritted her teeth. “Alright, then we’ll learn.”

Before leaving, she added, “We know you’re doing this for our sake. If you ever need anything, just say the word. Your uncle and I won’t say no.”

The Old Village Chief worked fast. The next day, he brought five households to Zhao Mengcheng’s place. With the Wang Family, that made six in total.

Zhao Mengcheng took one look and knew the Chief hadn’t chosen blindly. These five families were all hardworking and well-regarded in the village.

Three of them were surnamed Liu. Since Liu was the biggest surname in Qingshan Village, most people were related in some way. With these three families involved, the other Lius wouldn’t dare stir up trouble.

The remaining two households were also known for their diligence and kindness. Without exception, they had come to help when the Zhao Family was at its lowest.

In front of everyone, the Old Village Chief sternly reminded them, “Let me be clear: Mengcheng has a kind heart. He’s grateful for the help you gave him before, which is why he’s willing to teach you this money-making recipe.”

“You must kneel and bow to him as your master. From now on, treat him with the respect a master deserves. Follow the proper customs and bring a token gift⁶. These rules can’t be broken.”

Everyone nodded. “That’s only right.”

Elsewhere, apprenticeship rules were even stricter. Usually, apprentices had to serve for three years, working like beasts of burden, and still might not learn the real skills. Here, they’d get the recipe just by becoming disciples, so no one objected.

The Old Village Chief added, “One more thing: the recipe is for your own use only. You must never pass it on. If word gets out, it’ll ruin the tofu business for everyone.”

They agreed even more firmly. “Absolutely. We won’t tell a soul, not even our in-laws or parents.”

Only then did the Old Village Chief nod and allow them to bow and serve tea.

The six families knelt down without hesitation, kowtowing with loud thuds. Zhao Mengcheng was so startled he nearly stood up.

Even Uncle Wang and Auntie Wang joined in, which made him even more uncomfortable.

Since they had gone through the formal apprenticeship, each household brought six symbolic gifts⁷: celery, lotus seeds, red beans, jujubes, longan, and strips of dried lean meat.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t delay. That same day, he taught them the recipe and gave each household a portion of brine.

In the tofu workshop, Zhao Mengcheng supervised them as they made tofu, only relaxing once everyone had succeeded.

“From now on, this is how it’s done. The quality of the tofu must be consistent. If the reputation gets ruined, it’ll drag down the whole village, and no one will want to buy from us.”

The families all nodded eagerly and rushed home to start making tofu.

Once the crowd had cleared out, only Liu Lei and He Shuiqing remained, still grinding soybeans.

Those households certainly wouldn’t be able to produce much tofu today, so the tofu for sale still had to come from the temporary workshop.

Liu Lei looked uneasy, glancing at Zhao Mengcheng from time to time.

He Shuiqing kept his head down, working silently, though his expression wasn’t relaxed either.

Zhao Mengcheng understood their worries and asked, “There won’t be as many soybeans to grind from now on. What are your plans?”

Liu Lei didn’t respond. He Shuiqing lowered his head even further.

Zhao Mengcheng continued, “I’m planning to make dried tofu next, and maybe some other products too. There aren’t many people at home, and the kids can’t do much. If you’re willing, you can stay on and keep working.”

He paused, then added, “Or, if you’d rather sell tofu yourselves, that’s fine too.”

Liu Lei hesitated for a moment and asked, “Brother, can I learn the secret recipe?”

Realizing how that sounded, he quickly added, “I’m not saying I have to learn it, I just want to.”

Zhao Mengcheng paused, then said, “Not right now. Wait until the others have their tofu businesses up and running. If tofu is still selling out, then I’ll teach you.”

Liu Lei perked up immediately. “Thanks, Brother.”

He Shuiqing stayed quiet. He knew he wasn’t as strong as Liu Lei, and with only him and his elderly mother at home, they simply didn’t have the manpower to run a tofu business.

Besides, he stuttered. If he couldn’t even speak smoothly, how could he do business?

After thinking it over, he said, “Brother, I’d like to stay and keep working. I’ll do whatever you need.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t object. He needed help anyway, and He Shuiqing was honest, dependable, and tight-lipped. He was happy to keep him around.

And just like that, the matter was settled.

The families who had learned the secret recipe threw themselves into the work with great enthusiasm. To Zhao Mengcheng’s surprise, by the very next morning, they had already produced a large batch of tofu.

He was pulled from house to house to inspect the results. Once he confirmed the tofu was up to standard, they began selling it.

Liu Bingkun had the most connections. As soon as it was confirmed he could learn to make tofu, he had already lined up buyers. The moment the tofu was ready, the vendors showed up at his door.

They didn’t even need carts. They used shoulder poles and baskets, perfectly balanced on each side, making it easy to carry the tofu around and peddle it.

After Liu Bingkun sold out his own batch, he directed the buyers to the other families making tofu.

For a while, the village bustled with people coming and going.

Zhao Mengcheng was finally free from the torment of waking up in the middle of the night to make tofu, never getting a full night’s sleep. Now, all he had to do was place his orders in advance, and his apprentices would deliver the tofu to his door.

Once the tofu arrived, Zhao Mengcheng would start making Dried Tofu with He Shuiqing. The technique was simple, and once you learned it, it was easy to do.

He Shuiqing was especially diligent. After learning the process, he quietly focused on the work, never once thinking about striking out on his own.

Just as Zhao Mengcheng had hoped, in just half a month, Qingshui Village had become famous far and wide as the “Tofu Village.”

People even came from other places to buy tofu, saying it was cheaper to buy directly here than outside.

Some of the more enterprising villagers who hadn’t learned to make tofu started picking their homegrown fruits and vegetables to sell. The tofu buyers, seeing the fresh and affordable produce, often bought some as well.

Surprisingly, the vegetable business was doing well.

Zhao Mengcheng suggested to the Village Chief that they should level out the area at the village entrance and build a small shelter to serve as a dedicated marketplace. That way, buyers wouldn’t have to go door to door.

The Village Chief agreed immediately and brought people to clear the area. Before long, it had turned into a small farmers’ market.

With good food and drink and no more sleepless nights draining his body, Zhao Mengcheng finally entered a period of rapid recovery.

Quantity had finally led to quality. One night, Zhao Mengcheng suddenly woke from a dream.

Tendrils of Mental Power spread out in all directions, densely filling the small room. One even accidentally pierced the already fragile wall.

Zhao Mengcheng’s heart sank. His Mental Power was about to break through.

He didn’t even stop to get dressed. He jumped up and ran straight toward the back mountain, afraid that if he delayed even a second, the Mental Power tendrils would lash out uncontrollably. Damaging the house was one thing, but if the three kids next door got hurt, that would be a disaster.

Zhao Mengcheng gritted his teeth and ran as fast as he could.

He didn’t stop until he had reached deep into the mountains. There, stumbling to a halt, countless tendrils burst out from within him, weaving rapidly into a massive web, radiating from him in all directions with a fierce howl.

Having experienced a Mental Power eruption once before, Zhao Mengcheng was far calmer than in his past life.

Back then, he had lost control and hurt someone close to him. The resulting commotion drew too much attention and landed him in serious trouble.

But this time, Zhao Mengcheng was prepared.

Under his conscious guidance, the surging Mental Power became gentler, and the rampaging tendrils softened.

The Mental Power was like a curious child, full of interest in the world around it.

It spread in all directions, exploring and claiming everything, understanding its surroundings in vivid detail, as if turning it all into an extension of his own body.

He felt like the master of the world, a god of the land, holding power over life and death.

Zhao Mengcheng had to summon all his willpower not to lose himself in this overwhelming sense of control.

He didn’t know how much time had passed before the excited and energetic Mental Power finally tired itself out and slowly returned to his body, curling up like a sleeping kitten and beginning to snore.

Zhao Mengcheng let out a long breath.

The first stage was over.

When he opened his eyes, even though he had been extremely careful this time, the area around him was still a mess. One particularly unlucky tree had been pierced straight through, leaving a gaping hole in its trunk.

Zhao Mengcheng was relieved he had left the house in time. Otherwise, the commotion would’ve drawn attention, and the safety of the three little ones couldn’t have been guaranteed.

The culprit was now wagging its tendrils like a tail, completely unaware of the destruction it had caused.

Zhao Mengcheng had never been able to do anything about it. During an outburst, it could destroy everything, but most of the time it was as docile as a rabbit, completely harmless.

In his past life, during his darkest moments, Zhao Mengcheng had wished for a massive eruption to wipe everything out.

Unfortunately, Mental Power came with too many limitations. He had never been able to unleash it freely.

He walked over to the unfortunate tree and placed his palm against its trunk.

“Behave,” Zhao Mengcheng said softly.

The Mental Power reluctantly extended a tendril, as if bestowing a favor, and touched the tree. In the next moment, the nearly dead tree began to grow rapidly.

The hole in its trunk didn’t heal, but the tree, fueled by its powerful life force, shot upward and transformed into a towering, majestic tree with a strange but beautiful hollow.

Zhao Mengcheng looked up at the wondrous sight and patted the trunk. “We’re even now.”

The Mental Power didn’t like his friendliness toward the tree. It slapped at the leaves with two quick tendrils, but having just come off an outburst, it was too weak to do any real damage and only knocked off two leaves.

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled like he was coaxing a child. “Alright, alright. I’ll eat more from now on and store up energy for you. Then you can use as much as you want.”

That was the biggest limitation of Mental Power: its host. Every use consumed energy, and since he was just a regular human, it could easily drain him dry.

Come to think of it, the Mental Power had it rough too. Even when it wanted to go all out, it had to be careful.

But the little guy clearly didn’t see it that way. It rubbed affectionately against his cheek and refused to let go.

Zhao Mengcheng could feel the difference in his body. The benefits of the fully awakened Mental Power were obvious. The body that had been worn down by the original host was fully restored overnight.

Everything he had eaten during this time had been converted into energy. Zhao Mengcheng looked even thinner than before, but he knew just how much explosive power his body now held.

He flexed his arms. “Time to add training to the schedule.”

Before, his body had been so damaged that even basic exercise risked broken bones.

Seeing that dawn was approaching, Zhao Mengcheng quickly made his way back. He didn’t want the three kids to wake up and worry if they didn’t see him.

He hurried down the mountain, and by the time he reached the base, the sun was already fully up. Zhao Mengcheng picked up his pace, worried about the children.

“Brother!” Before he even reached the door, Wang Ming spotted him. His face changed drastically as he rushed over and grabbed Zhao Mengcheng. “You have to go. Now.”

Zhao Mengcheng was confused, but before he could react, a loud shout came from behind.

“Stop! By order of Lord Huang⁸, arrest the criminal Zhao Mengcheng. Anyone who resists will be punished accordingly.”

Translator’s Notes