Although he’d been cursed out, when he thought of his own son, Zhou Qiucheng had no choice but to swallow it down.
Amid the cursing, the vermilion gate creaked open, and a little girl in coarse linen clothes, with features like carved jade and porcelain, adorably pretty, poked her head out from inside the gate: "You’re the ones knocking in the middle of the night?"
"Little miss, we wish to pay our respects to Young Master Zhang. We’ve come so late and disturbed you without warning; please forgive the discourtesy." Wang Chong hurriedly bowed at the side.
If he didn’t bow, was he supposed to wait for Zhou Qiucheng to go apologize?
Zhang Tuowei opened the gate and said lazily, "Come with me then."
The two followed close behind Zhang Tuowei into the courtyard, only to see the entire compound pitch-black and deathly quiet, without the lively air of a wealthy household. The sight made both of them pause inwardly, but without showing anything on their faces, they followed Zhang Tuowei to the front of Zhang Chen’s study. She pointed at the lit study and said, "My big brother is inside. Just go on in."
Finished speaking, Zhang Tuowei left with the lantern. Wang Chong and Zhou Qiucheng exchanged a look, then Wang Chong stepped forward and knocked on the door: "Young Master, I am Wang Chong, here to pay a visit together with the dean of Chongzheng Academy."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen, who was inside the room, stood up and opened the door. His gaze brushed past Wang Chong and landed on Zhou Qiucheng: "So it’s honored guests at my door. Please, come in."
Zhang Chen invited the two into the room and poured them tea before finally asking, "For you two to call at such an hour, is there something you need?"
At this point, Zhou Qiucheng took over the conversation: "I am Zhou Qiucheng of Chongzheng Academy. The ginseng you sold that day is of great use to me. I wonder if you still have any left. I am willing to pay a high price."
"I still have ginseng, but I’m not short of money right now, so I’m not selling." Zhang Chen said.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng spoke with a sincere expression, "As long as you’re willing to name a price, I will not bargain. Even if it’s one hundred thousand taels, a million taels, I’ll accept it."
Hearing Zhou Qiucheng, Zhang Chen shook his head: "No matter how much money, I won’t sell. If you two have come to buy ginseng, then please, go back the way you came."
At this moment Wang Chong said from the side, "Young Master, Dean Zhou’s son is waiting on the ginseng to save his life. His injuries can only be treated by your ginseng. Please, show some mercy and sell us one root. As long as you’re willing to sell, whatever conditions you state, with Dean Zhou’s influence he can see them done. Seeing that he has only one son under his knee, and in his old age and frailty still must run around for his child’s life, please, have pity."
At this moment Zhou Qiucheng’s expression was also sincere, his eyes reddening as he said, "Young Master, I have only this one son. If you are willing to lend a hand and sell me that ginseng, I will not bargain over the price. Whatever conditions you have, just name them. I beg you!"
Zhou Qiucheng stood up directly and bowed deeply to Zhang Chen, his words full of earnest pleading.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng, then put down his teacup: "Very well, very well. Since you have shown such sincerity, I will name one condition. If you can agree to it, I will sell you the ginseng. If you cannot, then please return to where you came from."
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng hurriedly said, "Name it."
"I’ve heard that the court is planning to establish an Inner Courtyard within Chongzheng Academy. I am quite interested in this Mysterious path—would I have the fortune to become a disciple of the Academy?" Zhang Chen asked, "I have only this one request. If you can satisfy it, I’ll give you the ginseng outright."
Zhou Qiucheng was stunned: "Just this request?"
"Just this request," Zhang Chen said.
Zhou Qiucheng smiled when he heard this: "I agree. There will be a place for you in the Inner Courtyard."
Zhang Chen was taken aback, staring at Zhou Qiucheng in astonishment, not expecting him to agree so easily: "I heard that the slots to enter Chongzheng Academy’s Inner Courtyard are extremely scarce. Even the Shen Family only got a single slot."
Zhou Qiucheng was a straightforward man and didn’t bother to hide anything. He explained, "It’s true that the slots are ’scarce’, but who gets to join the Inner Courtyard and how resources are allocated—aren’t those all decided by a word from me?"
"The Inner Courtyard intends to open a class. Whether they enroll fifty disciples or sixty makes no difference to me," Zhou Qiucheng added in explanation.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen was speechless for a moment. So this fellow Zhou Qiucheng had been playing at hunger marketing, and he himself had taken it so seriously.
Without hesitating, Zhang Chen went to the cabinet beside him and took out a jade box he had long prepared. The box was about a meter long and twenty centimeters wide. He handed it to Zhou Qiucheng: "This ginseng is what you’re looking for."
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng opened the jade box, and in the next moment his pupils couldn’t help but contract. The ginseng inside had already taken on human form—its age must be at least a thousand years.
"This is an eight-thousand-year-old ginseng. Even its fingers have taken shape." Wang Chong, being someone who knew his goods, looked at the ginseng’s palm; its five fingers were clearly visible, and even the toes on its feet could be seen distinctly. The ginseng’s facial features were clear, lifelike, like a little child sleeping soundly.
It’s a pity this ginseng hasn’t awakened any consciousness. It’s a "mutant product" that Zhang Chen hastened with time and nurtured by drawing in Innate Qi, and it doesn’t meet the conditions to open spiritual wisdom.
"This is far too precious. How could a single academy slot be enough? You should提出 another condition; otherwise I won’t feel at ease taking this ginseng." Zhou Qiucheng glanced at the ginseng, hurriedly closed the box, and a touch of solemnity appeared in his eyes.
Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng in surprise. This man was truly an honest gentleman, a straightforward person.
If it were someone else, they would be eager to take advantage. Yet Zhou Qiucheng actually felt that what he offered was insufficient. It could be seen that his disposition was indeed simple and sincere, worthy of Zhang Chen befriending him deeply.
"If you could look after me more in the academy in the future, I would be endlessly grateful," Zhang Chen said.
Cradling the ginseng, Zhou Qiucheng frowned, his eyes roaming up and down over Zhang Chen. Only after a moment did he speak: "Do you have a teacher lineage?"
Hearing this, Zhang Chen replied, "I have already taken a master."
Zhou Qiucheng scratched his chin. "You don’t necessarily have to acknowledge only one teacher. How about you take me as your teacher as well? I will teach you all I have without holding anything back—only then can my heart be at ease. A ginseng like this can no longer be measured by mundane things; only the Great Dao and learning that I have studied all my life can compensate for such a treasure."
Zhang Chen’s eyes lit up at these words. Hearing Zhou Qiucheng speak, a brilliant idea suddenly came to his mind: "If you truly feel ill at ease, I have a younger brother, a younger sister, and a little senior sister. How about letting them take you as their teacher and study learning under you?"
Zhang Chen had long been somewhat worried that his younger brother, younger sister, and Chengyu had not undergone any systematic education. Although they had refined Divine Techniques and skills, they ultimately had never been steeped in culture; their future accumulation of foundation would be lacking. Now that Zhou Qiucheng had spoken up, it stirred a thought in Zhang Chen’s heart.
Hearing Zhang Chen’s words, a trace of surprise flashed through Zhou Qiucheng’s eyes, then he nodded. "That would not be impossible."
"Then I must trouble you, Sir," Zhang Chen said, bowing respectfully to Zhou Qiucheng.
Even as he held the ginseng in his arms, Zhou Qiucheng still felt somewhat ill at ease. This was an eight-thousand-year ginseng with inconceivable effects; holding it, he felt as if it were scalding hot. Thus he asked again, "You truly have no other requests? Name any amount of gold and silver you like, I won’t bargain."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen shook his head. "They’re nothing but some filthy lucre."
"Since that’s the case, tomorrow send your younger brother and younger sister to the academy to formally take me as teacher," Zhou Qiucheng said.
Zhang Chen nodded, and saw Zhou Qiucheng take out a Jade Token from his sleeve and hand it to him. "Tomorrow, come seek me at the academy."
Then, holding the ginseng, Zhou Qiucheng took his leave. His heart was preoccupied with his son’s injuries, and he dared not delay even a moment.
Zhang Chen walked the two of them out of the courtyard, then turned and headed toward the room where the three little ones were sitting in meditation and cultivating. He still needed to tell them about tomorrow’s matter of taking a teacher. Only, Chengyu’s identity was somewhat troublesome, but Zhang Chen already had a countermeasure in mind. He now grasped the Power of Reincarnation, and that Power of Reincarnation could shield Chengyu’s Qi Mechanism.
As for Zhou Qiucheng and Wang Chong, upon leaving the courtyard, Zhou Qiucheng got into the carriage and said to Wang Chong, "What do you think of this young man?"
Without even thinking, Wang Chong replied directly, "His bearing is extraordinary; he has great courage and scope."
"This one eight-thousand-year ginseng is enough to make a Ninth Rank Yang God expert be treated like a beast of burden. Even a Tenth Tier expert would be willing to take action for it, yet he doesn’t take it to heart in the least. It shows he is someone with real boldness," Wang Chong said.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng nodded, acknowledging the other’s words, then sighed softly. "Let’s just hope this ginseng can save a life, otherwise it will truly be beyond salvation."
The two of them quickly returned to the academy, and then Wang Chong personally decocted the ginseng into a medicinal broth and administered it to Zhou Qiucheng’s son. This was an eight-thousand-year ginseng; Wang Chong did not trust anyone else to handle it, afraid that if they mishandled the heat, they would ruin such a good thing.
As the ginseng soup was poured into the youth’s mouth, in the next instant the Qi Mechanism in his body grew stronger at a speed visible to the naked eye. His Life Force began to flourish; his Essence, Qi, and Spirit grew ever more robust. Before long, the youth actually opened his eyes.
"He’s better! He’s actually better!" Seeing his own son regain consciousness, Zhou Qiucheng was so excited his breathing became disordered.
"Father, I feel like I slept for a long time. In my dream someone kept tugging at me, wanting to drag me into a dark place. I kept struggling; I’m so tired." The youth on the bed spoke; though his voice was still weak, his words were clear.
"There’s still over half a bowl of ginseng soup here. Once you drink it you’ll definitely recover. Come, open your mouth, quickly." Holding the ginseng soup, Zhou Qiucheng poured it down his son’s throat, his eyes filled with excitement.
"Father, you seem to have grown much more haggard." The youth looked at Zhou Qiucheng and spoke with some distress. "Your child has caused you worry; your child is unfilial."
"What foolish things are you saying, child? You were also backlashed by that Mysterious power; you didn’t want this either, did you?" Zhou Qiucheng said with a squinting smile, comforting him.