"This kid... is really something..."

He gently placed the letter on the table and shook his head. "...So unconventional."

He looked up at Elder Wang, whose face was twisted in a knot. "Junior Brother Wang, what do you think?"

Elder Wang immediately shook his head vigorously, his voice thick with reluctance. "Brother Sang! This is outrageous! Since when does a disciple—a Chief Disciple, no less—ask an Elder to borrow money? And for such an absurd amount! Who knows what he’ll do with it? If it all just goes down the drain, then wouldn’t it be..."

He was clearly dead set against it, certain that any silver lent out would be gone for good.

Sang Yanping remained noncommittal and turned to Elder Li, who was also shaking his head. "Junior Brother Li?"

Elder Li hesitated for a moment before offering his measured opinion. "Chen Qing is the new Chief Disciple, after all. Since he has made the request, it would make us elders seem too cold if we were to ignore him completely. Why don’t we make a token gesture? Each of us could lend him a few thousand taels. We can consider it supporting the younger generation."

He was proposing a compromise.

Sang Yanping raised his teacup, took a leisurely sip, and then spoke slowly, "What Junior Brother Li says is reasonable. Chen Qing is our junior, after all. It’s only right that we lend him a hand."

Elder Wang took a deep breath and asked, "Then how much does Brother Sang intend to lend?"

Elder Sang said nonchalantly, "Ten thousand taels. Just a token gesture will do."

The corner of Elder Wang’s mouth twitched violently. He felt as if his heart were bleeding, but Sang Yanping had set the tone, so he couldn’t object any further. "We’ll do as Brother Sang says, then. Ten thousand taels it is."

Elder Li could only nod in agreement. "Very well."

The two elders rose, took their leave, and went their separate ways to make preparations.

Only Sang Yanping and his Direct Disciple remained in the hall.

Sang Yanping spoke. "He Ping, go prepare thirty thousand taels of silver and deliver it discreetly to the Cyan Wood Institute." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Thirty thousand taels!?"

He Ping was stunned, thinking he must have misheard. "Master, but didn’t you just tell Junior Martial Uncle Wang and the others..."

"That was for their ears."

Sang Yanping cut him off. "They are each lending only ten thousand taels. Who do you think that boy Chen Qing will remember? He’ll offer a generic, ’Thank you, Elders, for your assistance,’ and the favor will be so diluted it might as well not exist."

"But what if I give him thirty thousand taels in private? That’s providing help when it’s needed most—a unique gesture! And it’s three times what they’re giving! How could Chen Qing not carve a debt like that into his heart?"

"If you’re going to lend out silver anyway, why not be generous about it?"

The disciple’s eyes widened in sudden understanding, his face filled with sincere admiration. He bowed deeply. "Master, your insight is brilliant! I understand now! I’ll go at once!"

He sighed to himself. ’It’s true what they say: the older the ginger, the spicier it is. I could never hope to match my Master’s foresight, perspective, and methods.’

「Almost at the same time, in various locations throughout the Wutai Sect.」

One Elder, wiping the sweat from his brow after finishing his training, received a letter delivered by Yu Bao’Er.

He opened it, and his hand trembled so hard he nearly tore out his beard. "Borrow money? Does this kid think I’m made of silver?"

In the Treasure Tower, Elder Han looked at the signature on the letter and chuckled in spite of himself. He shook his head and said to the Steward beside him, "This Chief Chen... He’s certainly... resourceful."

A perpetually stern Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall received the letter, his brow knitting into a tight knot. "Absurd! As a Chief Disciple, he should be focused on diligent training and managing the institute’s affairs, not running around borrowing money! What has our sect come to!"

And yet, after careful consideration, this same Elder had his own disciple deliver a contribution all the same.

Li Wang, Chief Disciple of the Li Fire Institute, stared at the nearly identical letter in his hands, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Junior Brother Chen, oh, Junior Brother Chen... you really don’t do things by halves, do you..."

He took stock of his own finances and ultimately sent someone to deliver ten thousand taels.

When Li Lei, the Chief Disciple of the Kun Earth Institute, received his letter, his expression was complicated.

The memory of his defeat at the hands of Chen Qing’s spear was still vivid in his mind. He fell silent for a moment before having a trusted disciple deliver eight thousand taels.

...