《Chronicles of Hui Yuan》


 The Zhang House

    "Zhang Chao, can you have the CPA of the recent advertisement to my table by 7pm?"


    Zhang Chao looked up from his keyboard, his eyelids already heavy from the overtime he had to endure in order to enjoy his annual holiday properly. The hulking figure before him had a stomach that rivalled the Buddha Himself, the buttons strain against the fabric that holds them together and with each breath, it seemed as if his boss'' shirt was going to erupt and send the buttons flying.


    "Yes, boss!" Zhang Chao immediately replied and his boss gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    "That''s what young men are good for! That''s a good spirit!" His boss smiled, moving on to the colleague beside him.


    Ah... I''m almost done anyway...


    Or at least that was what Zhang Chao thought to himself.


    Click clack... Click clack... The sound of the keyboards being typed in unison in the office got softer and softer as the night went on, until it was only a single keyboard moving. He was going to get his 13th-month bonus soon... Just a bit more... A few more lines of data...This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The blueish light from the computer illuminated his face and after several more hours, he finally sent out the email.


    Standing up to stretch, Zhang Chao picked up his jacket and dragged his feet out of the office and the lift door creaked open ominously, the metallic clanging that he is so familiar with. Entering the lift, he pressed for the first floor. That familiar grinding sound of the cable lowered the lift. And that was going to be his last day at work before the ten days long holiday.


    That was when he heard a massive crunching sound, a creaking that scraped against his ears. He found himself being thrown to the side as he felt himself slowly floating into the air. The last thing he felt was a massive slam against his back and the crunching of the metal driven into his back.


    <hr>


    "Sir! Sir! Madam is going to give birth!" Hou Ning hurriedly ran into the main manor and shouted as he looked for his employer. The other servants stared at him and there was a brief moment of silence as Hou Ning caught his breath. That was when everyone started shouting for Zhang Tie, the lord of the manor and head of house.


    "What!?" A booming voice echoed from his study and the paper doors flung open, a man in red robes that barely concealed his muscular stature stumbled out of his room, clutching a book as he sprinted towards Hou Ning, coming within inches of the servant.


    "Y-Yes, sir! The midwife is with her! I think you shou-" Hou Ning was barely able to finish before Zhang Tie grabbed the servant''s shoulder and spun him around and gave him a push. A signal to run.


    That day, as the midwife held up the baby who was crying and Zhang Tie and his wife who had endured hours of childbirth, the muscular man flipped through the Ancestral Book.


    "Your name shall be Zhang Chao!"

 Zhang Chao: The One Who Doesnt Cry

    "Zhang Chao''s life force is very strong. The stars and signs under which he is born is very auspicious. He is destined for great things, I am certain..." The Shaman said, her hair dressed under a heavy ornate crown made from the feathers of a rooster, her ceremonial robes giving the strong scent of pig blood that she had slaughtered for the calculations of his "Ba Zi" or Eight Characters.


    Zhang Qin, Zhang Tie''s wife, was sitting intently and listening the Shaman spoke. Zhang Tie looked as if he was bursting from excitement. After trying for three years, the heir of the Zhang clan was finally born. The Arte of the Lion Fist finally had an heir. The money he had set aside for all the tutors can finally be spent.


    "Woaho! I knew it! Darling, I knew Zhang Chao was a man of talent just from his face! He looked so much like you!" Zhang Tie said, gripping his wife''s shoulder. Zhang Qin glared at her husband, who swallowed his saliva and placed his hands down.


    "Thank you, Shaman. That will be all." Zhang Qin said and the Shaman bowed, leaving the room, the servants bustling into the room carrying a tray, holding a pot of tea and two cups.


    The mother of Zhang Qin, stood up, her red robes decorated with swans flowed elegantly. Her skin a pale white, it glowed gently under the sunlight as she stared at Zhang Tie, before shaking her head.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "What is wrong, dear?" Zhang Tie asked and Zhang Qin pointed at the kid, who was in the crib at the far end of the room.


    "Do you remember Li Guang''s daughter? He Bie''s son?" She asked, sipping her tea as she stared at the crib, narrowing her eyes and Zhang Tie nodded immediately. They were members of the great clans in the city of Luoyang.


    "You heard them cry, right? This one of ours only cry when he needs cleaning and feeding. That''s all. I''m worried he isn''t that smart," Zhang Qin sighed and Zhang Tie shook his head furiously.


    "No son is mine is going to be a fool! How can this be possible! Isn''t it a good thing that he is filial and wants to give us more sleep? Hahahaha!" Zhang Tie roared with laughter, much to the indignation of Zhang Qin. She sat beside her husband and sighed deeply.


    "How is it going with the business? I noticed you were unusually quiet when the Shaman talked about her fees earlier on and took a while to agree," she smiled gently at her husband who hesitated for a few moments before opening his mouth.


    "It is bad. The escort business is going to hell to put it charitably. The Bao clan, the Xie clan are all muscling into it. But the elders of the city still insist on us taking the main bulk of the city''s patrolling, so this means we can''t send all our guys to work... And the demonic situation outside is just getting worse..."


    He sighs, clenching his fists. He felt useless. He wanted to give his wife and child a blissful life.


    Zhang Qin smiled at him, embracing him, her slender arms wrapping around him.


    "We''ll be fine. Maybe he will be a great kind of weird?"

 Growing Up

    Zhang Chao understood everything being said around him. Was this reincarnation? But the constant talks and reports that his father''s underlings made to his father in front of him alarmed him. Demonic hordes? Favour of the Gods? What was this world? The city name was definitely familiar. Luoyang.


    Luoyang was the ancient capital of China in the period of the Han Dynasty, which was later sacked and razed to the ground by the warlord, Dong Zhuo, as he fled the incoming coalition army led by Yuan Shao. The Han Emperor then managed to flee the clutches of Li Jue and Guo Si and returned to the capital but was later forced to leave by the warlord, Cao Cao.


    However, he heard nothing about the Han court, but simply heard talk again and again about the Council of Elders who were putting more and more pressure on the Zhang clan to do more even though the family was barely keeping their head above the water.


    In fact, to Zhang Chao, this was a clear case of favouritism. Yet, he knew that wherever he was, his past life was now all for nothing. Zhang Tie was his father, the head of the Zhang clan.


    The clan specialized in caravan protection and escort against demonic creatures and bandits. The family''s fortune has dwindled as more and more clans muscled into the business and the clan struggled to diversify as most of the other clans kept a monopoly on their businesses.


    However, as demons became tougher, the clan''s escort business was directly affected as merchants dwindled from other cities and the clan had to make the scope of the escort area smaller in order to avoid the far tougher demons. Yet, other clans banded together to operate in those areas, effectively cutting up the share of the Zhang clan.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The elders, on the other hand, seem to want the Zhang clan to do more about the contribution to the city, be it finances or security against the demonic forces, yet, are seemingly not handing more lucrative contracts and projects down to the clan.


    As Zhang Qin nursed him, she would often sigh and tell the young Zhang Chao, who was not supposed to understand, the problems of the clan and how she is sorry that his crib couldn''t be made of more lavish items like how the Li clan plastered the crib''s exterior with flakes of gold while his own was a simple wooden crib with a comfortable hand-me-down blanket.


    As three months went by, Zhang Chao learnt to differentiate the footsteps of the servants and his parents. Zhang Tie''s footsteps were akin to stomping while Zhang Qin''s was soft and elegant. Zhang Chao learnt when his father went to work and timed his cries accordingly, almost like clockwork, based on the shadow of the potted plant that sat in his room. So much so, that the servants themselves knew when he was going to ask for food or a change of clothes.


    On the fourth month, as Zhang Qin and Zhang Tie entered the room exhausted.


    "Pa, Ma..."


    The two parents froze as Zhang Chao uttered the words from the crib.


    The two rushed over, Zhang Qin almost tripping over herself as she reached the crib. She lifted the baby up and her eyes widened.


    Zhang Tie was beside himself with excitement.


    "One more time! Zhang Chao! You can do it!"


    The baby obliged.


    "Pa... Ma..."


    Zhang Qin''s eyes swelled with tears.


    "This one is a smart one... It is just four months!" Zhang Tie roared with laughter as beads of tears rolled down his cheek as he held his wife and gently caressed the forehead of Zhang Chao. Zhang Qin kissed the child''s forehead gently and whispered, "All our hopes are on you, okay?"

 Betrothal

    News spread of the boy genius of the Zhang clan, who at four months, learnt to speak and at six months, spoke in complete sentences and at three, began to read books that were way too advanced for his age. How did the news spread? Zhang Tie often went drinking in a tavern where he would always boast of his child''s accomplishment, while Zhang Qin and the servants of the household would not stop talking about it in the market.


    Yet, in the household, Zhang Chao did his best to act like a child, even though he already has had some twenty-five years in past experience. In his hand, however, was a copy of Li Gui''s Art of War, a supposedly famous strategist in this world. However, in the world that Zhang Chao came from, this man''s writing was almost exactly to Sun Zi.


    In the business world, Sun Zi''s Art of War was almost considered a must-read, so this was something he already has read before. Not only this, Zhang Chao''s traditional Chinese upbringing had ensured he had many poems memorized from his era, along with other books on strategy.


    Most of the books were written on bones or bamboo scrolls. Some were even on made of silk, but judging from the way they were kept and stored separately, their value can be guessed. Zhang Chao displayed extraordinary manners that impressed everyone.


    However, even as four years went by, with his eyes, Zhang Chao could tell of the worsening conditions of the Zhang clan. Zhang Tie''s hair greyed and Zhang Qin sometimes sighed when she thought she was alone. The servants constantly had worried looks on their faces whenever members of another clan visited and today was no exception.


    Clan rivalry was extremely strong in this world and it reminded Zhang Chao of the Chinese Triads in Hong Kong in the 1970s, just that these were all permitted by law. As he sat in his chair pretending to be innocent and not really listening to the conversation, he side-eyed Liu Qian, the second-in-charge of the Liu clan.


    "If your son is betrothed to my daughter, you can get our investment! You can live in much greater wealth and riches! What do you have to consider, Patriarch Zhang!" Liu Qian spat out his words, his moustache trembling as he spoke with such force, his blueish merchant robes swaying ever so slightly as the man spoke on his toes.


    Looking troubled, Zhang Tie said, "They are still very young, we shouldn''t rush into-"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Zhang Qin nodded as her husband spoke but almost had a look of disgust as Liu Qian resumed his talking, cutting the host of the meeting short.


    The Liu clan were excellent merchants and their wealth came from selling everyday commodities. Within Luoyang and the encircling regions, trade houses supported one another and they were all owned by the Liu clan. Banks were owned by the Liu clan as well. In fact, marrying into the Liu clan would be a decent proposal.


    Aside from the fact that Zhang Chao had overheard that the Liu clan''s business was taking a beating from their competitors and the new patriarch wasn''t a man who was particularly good in business. The demons have taken a severe toll on the Liu clan as well, with their rampages wrecking Jiangxia, almost obliterating the clan owned port there.


    The Zhang clan to put it frankly was a martial arts clan with an ancient name that people respected.


    "If such a genius boy came to us, we could offer the best tutors and whatever that money can buy!" Liu Qian said and Zhang Tie furrowed his brows. Zhang Chao could tell he was tempted by this offer but the only thing holding back was his own thoughts on this.


    Liu Qian turned to the young boy and rubbed his greasy hands on his head, "What about you? Don''t you want to be able to eat candy all day long? Play with people that is on your class!?"


    A fire burned inside the young boy.


    "Let''s ask Zhang Chao what he thinks then?" Zhang Qin sighed, smiling at her son sadly. This means that her mind was more or less contingent on whether the young boy said yes or no.


    "Father, if I may speak." Zhang Chao jumped down from his chair and placed his hands together, asking for permission to speak. Liu Qian looked on approvingly as Zhang Tie nodded sadly, with the smallest smile on his lips.


    "I will like to reject this matchmaking by Uncle Liu."


    His parents'' eyes widened and Liu Qian''s mouth fell open and no words came out.


    "Father, I am young so please forgive me if I sound foolish. The Liu clan is made up of exceptional merchants, but recent times have taken a toll on them, especially the demons. They need the help of our martial artists to protect the Liu clan''s trading interests."


    Liu Qian opened his mouth to speak but Zhang Tie raised his hand and the merchant fell silent. If anything, Zhang Qin looked impressed as she sipped her tea, watching silently.


    "If we agree to the marriage, we will be honour-bound to defend the Liu clan wherever they expand to. This is akin to tying father to the front of a war chariot. Wherever they drive to, you will have to defend. Therefore, your son humbly rejects the proposal." Zhang Chao said as he bowed, before tidying up his red silken robes.


    Liu Qian shouted, "You are audacious, young man! You think the Liu clan cannot hire other people!?"


    As he did this, Zhang Tie roared, his booming voice shaking the room and Zhang Chao''s ears rung as his father shouted.


    "Don''t you dare talk to my son like this!"

 The Boy Genius

    Liu Qian''s face turned pale under Zhang Tie''s glare. Zhang Qin, on the other hand, stood up and looked at her servant and spoke, "My son is right and I will like to respect his wishes. I believe this meeting is over. Please see the guest out."


    Liu Qian glared at Zhang Chao, who returned his gaze. The merchant, as he left, muttered under his breath, "Brat, your family will regret the day they offended the Liu clan..." Zhang Chao, bowed and watched as Liu Qian left the home. If he was going to survive this world, the Zhang clan needs to at the very least, stop their downwards descent before things become too late to salvage by his generation.


    "Son, you really showed the Liu clan! See? My son is so smart!" Zhang Tie walked to his son and clapped him heavily on the back, causing Zhang Chao to almost topple forward as the servants nearby hurriedly expressed their admiration. Zhang Qin, on the other hand, her response was much more muted.


    "You did well to protect this clan''s honour, but we have offended someone, maybe when you get older, you will know the consequences of actions. Think before you act, don''t be like your father," Zhang Qin said, side-eyeing her husband as she went to rub Zhang Chao''s head.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Over dinner, the young Zhao Chao nimbly used his chopsticks to pick apart the fish and it''s bones. The dinner was by himself. His father has gone out to one of the escort service agencies and his mother was doing sewing with the female servants to earn some extra money.


    What can he do?


    In Ancient China, several inventions changed the world. He had no idea how to make gunpowder, nor should he, which could escalate violence. He needed something that he''d know he can make with his limited abilities, or within the family''s limited abilities. It needed to be something that people needed, easy to make, easy to scale and highly profitable.


    Gunpowder, Compass... What else...


    Paper?


    Zhang Chao set down his chopsticks and he gazed out of the window, where beyond his house lies a small bamboo grove. That''s it. That''s it!


    Zhang Chao spoke loudly, "Men! Is anyone there!?"


    A servant opened the door, Hou Ning. He had short, neat black hair and was supposedly the one who had delivered the news of his birth to father. He had helped Zhang Chao often, carrying his things or bringing food to him.


    "Get me a big tub! A big tub! Axes and batons! Get some servants who are not doing any work!" Zhang Chao instructed that Hou Ning bowed, replying, "Understood."


    He stayed in his stance of bowing for a few moments before looking at the young master.


    "What?"


    "You heard me! Get me those things and people, Hou Ning!"

 The Unlikely Hero

    As the house bustled in the evening, the servants assembled themselves, armed with axes, hatches or batons. There were several empty vats as well, by equally worried and confused looking servants.


    "The young master must have gone mad, he must have finally lost it. All that studying was going to do him in one of these days." One of the servants sighed, the hope of his future in the household dimming by the minute as the young master issued instructions.


    The servants had to first cut down bamboo, soak them and then pound them until they turned to mush then strain the slurry through a cloth screen that they crudely made by hammering four frames together and then leaving them out to dry. Not only this, they had to do this in absolute secrecy while their parents slept and in silence in the small warehouse that they used to store dried goods.


    Zhang Chao, on the other hand, took part enthusiastically, waving his servants on as he held on to a machete-like a warlord, "Go forth, my men! You will bring great glory to this household!"


    As the bamboo was brought down, Zhang Chao watched as they were submerged into the huge tubs and then pounded with large poles that were used in construction by several servants. The process took about ten to twenty minutes per tub but that was to be expected without machinery.


    Zhang Chao watched as the servants hung the dripping wet cloth frames out to dry and he brought his brush and inkset and sat in the warehouse, waiting for it to dry impatiently. However, he had another question on his mind. How can he bring this to widespread use within the country? In a land filled with demons, how can Zhang Chao force this item to be so good and popular that people will transport it at whatever cost because it simply had to be used by bureaucracy?


    Who can use it that will endorse this?


    As he fell asleep and morning came, the rooster''s call woke up the young man and he shuffled over eagerly to the cloth frames and as he touched it, a small smile came to his lips as he took his first prototype and with his brush, it flowed in a calligraphic style that he had learnt to write with.


    He rolled the paper into a tube and affixed it to his raven. The raven cocked its head but nodded at the destination, as if bamboozled by the young master''s own demand.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    <hr>


    In Xiangyang, in a palace built with towering monuments of the previous emperors, Emperor Jian Kang read the memoirs, heaving stack upon stack of memoir as reports came in one after another about the economy, threats of war and unrest.


    Sighing, he rubbed his temple, the beads atop his royal crown give off a faint noise that can be heard clearly throughout the whole court as his courtiers stood, awaiting the Emperor''s instructions.


    Then, the Emperor looked up curiously as a eunuch ran in carrying a simple bamboo casing. Most of the time, reports came in colourful tubes. The duller the tubes, it usually reflects the poor standing of the family. However, unknown to these nobles, Emperor Jian Kang actually disliked frivolous displays although he did not publicly object to them.


    The eunuch bowed, slowly walking forward with the scroll on hand. The Imperial Guard beside the Emperor accepted the scroll and opened it, checking the content. The guard handed the scroll to the Emperor after a brief look of puzzlement.


    "What can possibly confuse you?" The Emperor asked in amusement as he took the scroll and opened it. Inside it was a brownish "slice" if that was the term to describe it. He curiously pulled it out. It felt soft, though a bit rough. It seemed like cloth made for writing but different and was folded.


    As he unfolded the thing, beautiful calligraphy could be seen on it.


    The august house is resplendent as if dwelling in Heaven;


    from myriad directions they come, gathering like stars.


    The honoured and favoured fan their fires of lust even hotter;


    all guard profit without ceasing.


    When a front coach overturns not far ahead,


    the rear teams dash forward, racing to catch up.


    They exhaust their multifarious craft on terraces and towers,


    while the people dwell in the open, sleep in the wet.


    They waste fine grain on birds and beasts,


    while those below eat chaff and husks without the kernels.


    They grandly bestow liberal generosity on fawning flatterers,


    but in impeaching loyal protest, they are swift and sure.


    "Amazing calligraphy! Amazing poetry!" Emperor Jian Kang marvelled as he read, smiling a little at the cheekiness of whoever had sent this. The signature was that of a man by the name of Zhang Chao. However, the content of the letter was more worrying.


    "Sima Lin, come take a look at this material, tell me if you know what it is!" He held up the odd object that the calligraphy was written on and an old man dressed in blue robes with the symbol of a crane atop it stepped forward, handling the object gently.


    The poem implied corruption and favouritism. But... What was this paper and who was the man of talent that wrote this?

 Unbent and Unbroken

    The Liu clan, even though Liu Qian was but a minor character in the grand scheme of the clan, could not take the lying down from the Zhang clan. Although having risen to prominence only in the last hundred or so years, had a stranglehold on a lot of businesses that had ties with the Zhang clan.


    By the end of the month, the Liu clan had already severed several of the Zhang''s clan several businesses, with these businesses rejecting the Zhang clans'' escort attempts to continue with their contracts. Today''s meal was a simple bowl of rice and salted fish. To put it frankly, a peasant''s meal, but Zhang Chao cared not.


    As long as you had food in your stomach, you''re doing a lot better than other people.


    The tea was bitter but at the dinner table, the laughter didn''t subside. Zhang Qin talked about how the neighbours'' kid had tried tricking Zhang Chao into falling into a pit filled with cow dung but he had turned the tables around instead as Zhang Tie laughed in approval.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Chao spoke of what the tutor taught, which wasn''t much, to be frank, as Zhang Chao''s learning far exceeded that of the tutor, aside from refining calligraphy, where he has found his own style of writing as well, much to Zhang Qin''s approval. Meanwhile, Zhang Chao has limited the production of paper to only be done at night, when his parents are asleepThis book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Now, he had stockpiles of paper, where each stack was secured by linen and stamped with the family''s seal on top. The warehouse had perhaps several packets worth by now, with the small scale of production.


    As time went by, Zhang Tie''s hair whitened and Zhang Qin looked more worried as well but any topic of conversation about money or the hardships changed once Zhang Chao was in the room.


    However, four months after the letter was sent, things changed.


    As the autumn winds fell pitifully in front of the Zhang household, Hou Ning sighed as he swept the leaves to the side. The household was so gloomy that even the servants could feel trouble was coming even though the Zhangs made sure their wage was given on time and young master Zhao was never a bother aside from his insane orders in the night. By now, they had a huge pile of the weird thing in the warehouse and the young master wanted more and absolute secrecy.


    Yet, in the distance, a procession of yellow and red approached, the person walking at the front knocking a gong loudly, with a reddish and yellow palanquin being pulled by two horses behind him rolls down the street. On the front, sides and back of the wagon were dozens of soldiers, clad in heavy plate armour, some flag bearers carrying the banner of the country, an Imperial Dragon.


    Hou Ning stared for a few moments as the procession rolled in front of the house and stopped.


    A man wielding a dragon sabre rode his horse to Hou Ning''s side and asked, despite his rough-looking appearance, "Is this the house of the Zhang clan?"


    "Y-Yes? How can we help you? The master and mistress is in the house..." Hou Ning stuttered as the man on the horse dismounted and knelt in front of the palanquin.


    "Your Majesty, this is the Zhang household!"

 On His Majestys Service

    The procession outside was no doubt of someone of great power, judging from the many gongs that Zhang Chao could tell that it was someone of great import. But then again, in Luoyang, most families that have a decent-sized house has an entourage that would greatly rival a king.


    Therefore, no one in the house gave it any great mind whenever a large procession moved around the house or was heard near the house. However, today was different. The procession seemed to have stopped in front of the house. Zhang Tie tensed up. Was this the Liu clan here again? To force him to give up his son?


    Zhang Qin stared at the door in a tired manner. Were the debt collectors here to make a scene again? Zhang Chao on the other hand, closed his book, taking a sip from his teacup and narrowing his eyes. Is it time at last?


    The door burst open, Hou Ning''s face was pale, trembling at his knees. From the open doors, a legion of soldiers stood there, as a man in imperial robes decorated with dragons and the sun.


    "Master! Mistress! T-The Emperor is here! The Emperor is here!" Hou Ning shouted as he scrambled into the main hall. Zhang Tie and Zhang Qin stood up immediately, kneeling in front of his own masters.


    The couple knelt down immediately, with Zhang Tie grabbing his son and making kneel on the ground instantly as the music entourage started playing a song that signalled the arrival of the Emperor.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Emperor Jian Kang was dressed in nobles'' robes, but his shoes had patterns of that of the dragon, which only the emperor was allowed to wear. Anyone attempting to do so was regarded as encouraging sedition or even harbouring treasonous intentions. He stepped into the house, scanning the environment.


    "How thrifty of this family..." He remarked as he scanned the barren walls and simple plants that seem to have been kept neat by amateurs. Walking into the hall, Zhang Tie shouted loudly as he kowtow-ed.


    "Zhang Tie, Head of the Zhang clan! Pay his respects to his Majesty! Long live his Majesty! May he live long!" Zhang Tie yelled as his forehead touched the floor. Zhang Qin kowtowed as well, "Your servant, Zhang Qin, pays her respects to his Majesty. Long live his Majesty! May he live long!"


    Zhang Chao kept silent as he knelt. Zhang Tie moved to quickly teach his son how to pay his respects but Emperor Jian Kang raised a hand to stop it.


    "He is only a child, he can learn this later and slowly," the Emperor smiled as he automatically moved to assume the seat of the head of the family before remarking, "All of you may rise!"


    As all of them stood up, and not daring to look at the Emperor, moved to sit at the seats on the left.


    "All of you are good servants to the dynasty and the empire. I am here to ask you to do more and I am here to hear your grievances." Emperor Jian Kang said as he held up the letter that Zhang Chao wrote on his own invention.


    Zhang Tie and Zhang Qin narrowed their eyes as they scanned the letter with the flowing calligraphy.


    "Yes, Your Majesty! I, Zhang Chao, has much to say!"


    The young boy stood up and knelt before the emperor.


    "It is you?" The shocked Emperor exclaimed as the entourage whispered furtively amongst themselves.

 Going to Market

    "Indeed, it is I, Your Majesty! Zhang Chao, son of Zhang Tie, at your service! I have charges against the elders of the city of Luoyang as well as the Liu clan! They are working together to stop the betterment of the realm!" The young boy shouted impassionately and his parents froze.


    "Hoh... A young one, are you?" Emperor Jian Kang said as he leaned forward, eyeing the small frame of the boy curiously. As far as he was aware, the Zhang clan was a martial clan of no great achievements in recent years. If anything, they were a type of "old rich" clan, which was the meaning of a family that was still leeching and barely holding onto their noble statuses because of their ancestors'' accomplishments.


    Zhang Tie hastily knelt down beside his son.


    "Your Majesty, the young one doesn''t know what he is doing-"


    Emperor Jian Kang raised a hand, signalling for him to stop talking and gestured for Zhang Chao to continue talking. From there, Zhang Chao took a deep breath and he launched into a tirade about how there was a monopoly on contracts within the city that was choking not just the Zhang clan, but the poorer folks in the city that had no choice but to fold up their livelihoods and join the bigger clans because they were being wrestled out of the business instead of working together for the betterment of the realm.


    Zhang Chao also stated the Zhang clan''s contribution in protecting nearby trade routes and how the Liu clan attempted to force a betrothal upon the Zhang clan.


    As the young boy finished, Zhang Tie and Zhang Qin were eyeing the Emperor in sneak glances, as the Emperor listened to the boy speak eloquently.


    As the young boy finished, Emperor Jian Kang nodded slowly.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Okay, I have heard your case. Before that, I have two questions. Did you write the poem in the letter? Answer this first." The Emperor said as he waved the letter again to the young boy who nodded, confidence in his eyes.


    "You have to forgive me if I find it hard to believe, young one. This is a poem that even learned scholars may have trouble believing."


    "Your Majesty, I swear on all the Gods that this was written by me," Zhang Chao said and the Emperor looked into the air, as if thinking, his free hand reaching for a teacup placed on the side and drinking the tea in it that was prepared by a servant for him.


    "Very well. I will believe you if you pass this. You made a complaint about how the great clans and elders are not working together. If you can come up with a poem on unity in seven steps, I will grant your clan preferential treatment and thoroughly dig up, root and stem, the corruption in Luoyang. However, you cannot mention the word, clans or even elders in your poem."


    "Your Majesty!" Zhang Qin said as she knelt down immediately. Sima Lin, his Minister of Education and State Exams stepped forward beside Zhang Qin and knelt down as well.


    "Your Majesty, that is too demanding a test for even the most learned scholars let alone-" Sima Lin protested but Zhang Chao stood up and bowed.


    Taking his first step, Zhang Chao took a deep breath. Zhang Tie rushed forward and grabbed his son''s arm.


    "Ask His Majesty for forgiveness now!"


    Zhang Chao flung his father''s arm aside as he took his second step and Emperor Jian Kang called out, "It is the second step!"


    Taking a deep breath, Zhang Chao opened his mouth.


    "People burn the beanstalk to boil beans, filtering them to extract juice." Zhang Chao said as he moved onto his third step.


    "The beanstalks were burnt under the cauldron, and the beans in the cauldron wailed..." Zhang Chao said dramatically as he moved onto his fourth step.


    "We were originally grown from the same root..." His feet moved to the next step before he turned to face his parents and then the Emperor and took his final step.


    "Why should we hound each other to death with such impatience?"


    Everyone present froze, but the silence was broken by Sima Lin.


    "Fantastic poem! Young man, you are something!" The old man laughed as he clapped the young man on his back.

 Baby Steps

    Emperor Jian Kang hasn''t felt this way about talent in a very long time. Though he has spent time to often find and meet people of talent, few have been as young and impressive as the young man. The way he threw off his father''s hand to accept the royal challenge was a move of guts and confidence.


    He was destined for greatness.


    "Very well. You have done well and I must commend you. Next, the letter on which you deliver the message to me to. This is not silk, nor is it cloth or bamboo. What did you write it on?" Emperor Jian Kang said as he once again waved the fateful letter that will change the Zhang clan''s fate.


    "Your Majesty, your servant has been making these using a combination of bamboo, rags and other materials. I have taken to calling the material, paper. It can be easily written on. With your permission, I will ask my servant to get the item along with ink and brush for you to write upon." Zhang Chao replied and with a nod to Hou Ning, the servant stumbled on his way out and an Imperial soldier reached out to stabilize him as the servant quickly moved to the warehouse and gathered a box that the young master had set aside, which contained stacks of paper and writing material, namely a brush and an inkstone along with an ink pad.


    As he returned, Emperor Jian Kang was no fool and noticed the box. Did this young man, Zhang Chao, foresee all of this?


    The Emperor ran his hand along the paper when it was opened and noted how smooth it was and he gestured for Sima Lin to touch it as well.


    "His Majesty, your servant is certain that this is first of it''s kind." Sima Lin noted as he began grinding the inkstone against the ink pad for the Emperor. After a few moments of silence, Zhang Chao, Zhang Qin and Zhang Tie who were all on their knees had different emotions. Zhang Qin was proud of her son though at the same time, worried that he was overconfident. Zhang Tie was fearing for his whole family''s life and the uncertainty of what the Emperor was doing made him afraid for his family as he eyed apprehensively, the swords of the Imperial Guards. Zhang Chao however, felt that this was his moment.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As the Emperor dipped his brush into the ink and started writing, his eyes lit up as the ink dried up almost instantly as it sank into the paper. After a few moments, he held it up, eyeing how thin it indeed was and lightweight. It did not seem to tear easily as well.


    "Zhang Chao, only you know of the technique?" Emperor Jian Kang asked and the young man answered loudly, "Yes, Your Majesty. I have been making these at night."


    The Emperor pondered for a few moments before speaking.


    "We recognize your great contribution and your talents. If you were to continue making paper for us, the Imperial Dynasty was begin making use of it immediately. However, we will need it in significant numbers. We will help fund your manufacturing for a certain period of time until you are self-sufficient. However, you will need to pay an Imperial tax for any sale aside from the Imperial family."


    "Additionally, should you agree, you will be made a Standard class, Rank 4, Upper grade official and you will be given compensation as such, yearly, to the equivalent of 220 bushels a year."


    Zhang Qin and Zhang Tie looked at each other upon the Emperor saying that. This effectively meant that Zhang Chao was only four grades away from being the upper echelon of society, making him part of the elites.


    Zhang Chao thanked the Emperor by kowtowing, his heart seizing with joy. With the Imperial backing, he can finally get into expanding the Zhang clan''s influence and stability as well as their arresting wealth.


    "Sima Lin, work with Zhang Chao to see that things are done. I will go sightseeing. Zhang Tie, you will be my guide." Emperor Jian Kang said as he stood up and immediately, Zhang Tie got to his feet. However, as he left, Emperor Jian Kang turned to look at the kneeling silhouette of Zhang Chao before leaving.


    "The new waves always push the old ones forward... Huh..." Emperor Jian Kang mused to himself.

 From the Ashes

    As Sima Lin and Zhang Chao spent nights setting up their plans, a different rumour about the Zhang clan was sweeping up the streets, courtesy of nosy housekeepers watching the Emperor¡¯s entourage enter the Zhang residence and leaving with Zhang Tie at his side.


    ¡°It must be a crime!¡± Some of them said, but Zhang Tie wasn¡¯t in chains and Zhang Chao could be seen eating with Sima Lin from time to time as well. That wasn¡¯t the treatment that someone under investigation will be like.


    ¡°Perhaps they approached the Imperial Family for assistance because they are suffering?¡± Another servant mused. However, as the lower ranked ones murmured in agreement, the lords and merchants knew better. There was no way in hell that the royal family will bail out a small suffering family under any circumstances whatsoever. There must have been something that made a big difference that captured the Imperial Emperor¡¯s favour.


    Then, amongst themselves, the merchants and nobles debated.


    ¡°Could it be a city or region wide public project that the Zhang clan is spearheading and levying the household under them for? ¡°One mused, but the others shot down the idea quickly. There were far bigger families to levy for any public project. Throughout the country, households can be levied as a form of tax payment for large construction projects such as building cities, or even building dams.


    The merchants however, were aware of the huge quantities of purchase in certain materials that made no sense. Bamboo is understandable. However, why were they ordering so many custom made large wooden basins? What were they for? No construction or pet project works out this way.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Then, an Imperial purchase in the coming days for a massive series of warehouses in the city, which were promptly given to the Zhang family and the various clans almost coughed up blood after their household sizes were cut and the news that the young boy was the one who got promoted and had all their households assigned to him. Moving about, Zhang Chao was surrounded by eagle eyed soldiers as well, that bore the emblem of the Imperial Ever Victorious Army, with soldiers¡¯ hands on their weapons as they eyed any potential threats to the young man and his family.


    Some of the martial artistes that the Zhang clan employed to protect the trade routes from bandits and demonic attacks had helped to guard the house. However, most of them have now been reassigned for more work and the household is almost completely replaced with Imperial soldiers guarding. A scaffolding has been raised behind the Zhang household wall, with soldiers carrying bows and arrows keenly observing anyone nearing the house.


    Meanwhile, tonight, for dinner, Zhang Chao had used just a tiny bit of the clan¡¯s newfound wealth to lay out the most lavish meal, for not just his family, but for the servants and everyone the clan employed, as well as paying off all their back pay and giving them a huge bonus.


    As Zhang Tie raised the cup of rice wine from the Linyu Tavern that they had never been able to afford, he looked at the contents of the cup, smiling softly.


    ¡°My son is the best.¡± He muttered under his breath as he downed the cup, a tear quietly rolling down his cheek as he watched the eager employees devouring their dinner spread.