Chapter 3 I Hate Mathematics the Most

It was a buyout, not a purchase.

Gesheng looked at the figure at the very bottom of the agreement. Although he was young, he had managed the accounts for Fengmian Manor a few times after all, and he had a rough estimation of the manor's value.

An annual income of 500 gold leaf grass, and a flat offer of 9,000 gold leaf grass.

Yet the buyout figure written there somewhat surprised Gesheng.

Twelve thousand gold leaf grass.

This exceeded Gesheng's psychological expectations.

The opposing party was so overbearing and so determined to win, clearly capable of pressing for a lower price. Instead, they had offered a remarkably high premium.

Gesheng glanced back at Uncle Wu and Lihua. Uncle Wu had already read the contents of the agreement earlier, yet he had refused to sign it. When Lihua saw Gesheng looking at her, she turned her head slightly. Although she did not utter a single word, her meaning—refusal—was unmistakable.

Yet why was Lihua so terrified, and why would Uncle Wu refuse to put a single signature on that paper even after being tortured to such an extent?

Could there be a value to this manor that he was unaware of? Or. Gesheng thought silently, a cyan figure flashing across his mind.

Or perhaps? Did Mother leave them some instructions before she departed?

Otherwise, they would not be dragging things out blindly, clinging to the belief that as long as the mistress returned, everything would be fine.

Yet no matter how hard he racked his brains, Gesheng could not figure out how his mother could return and resolve the immediate crisis.

They possessed an absolute advantage in morality, power, and wealth all at once.

Gesheng looked at Lihua and Uncle Wu behind him. Although they were both much older than him, at this very moment, only he could step forward and shoulder this responsibility.

Therefore, when Gesheng spoke, he did not sound like a ten-year-old boy.

For some reason, at this moment, he was exceptionally calm.

Extremely, extremely calm, like the frozen sacred lake in the dead of winter.

"Cash delivery? Where will we relocate after the transaction is completed?"

"Cousin Gesheng is truly a sensible person," Gelian smiled with satisfaction from the other end of the long table, leisurely pulling a bronze key and a piece of yellowed mulberry paper from his bosom.

"This key is for the largest residence in Qingmu Alley of Lanyin City."

"This piece of paper," he stroked it gently with a smile, "is the title deed to that residence."

"When the transaction is completed, you may proceed directly there, and no longer need to live with a bunch of bumpkins in this godforsaken backcountry."

"This is included as a bonus with the transaction, so," Gelian said casually with his handsome face, "it is a free gift."

Gesheng stood unmoving, not uttering a single word.

"Besides that," Gelian continued, "the Ge family will grant you a recommendation quota, allowing you to enter Lanyin Academy without examination. You must know, the entire Ge family has only five such quotas."

Even Wu Xing could not help but raise his head in astonishment, and Lihua widened her eyes even further.

Clearly, these supplementary conditions had not been mentioned to them beforehand.

Twelve thousand gold leaf grass in cash, a prime residential property, and an admission quota without examination to the finest academy in all of Lanyin Prefecture.

Gesheng understood his conditions; they were exceedingly generous.

The trading strategy of the carrot and the stick: simple and effective.

Crushing your spirit with unparalleled dominance and power, driving your expectations to the lowest possible point, and then proposing a transaction with unimaginably lavish terms. Almost no one could refuse, and they could only accept with profound gratitude.

Therefore, they were absolute in their confidence regarding this transaction.

Therefore, Fengmian Manor indeed possessed an additional value that he had never considered.

However, his side had no desire to complete this transaction.

Gesheng quickly sorted all of this out in his mind, then spoke, "I agree to sign."

"Young..." Wu Xing beside him raised his still-movable hand, intending to dissuade him, but was gently pressed down by Gesheng.

"As expected of Cousin Gesheng," Gelian nodded with satisfaction. "Please..."

Yet Gesheng had not finished speaking.

Gesheng bent down, picked up a piece of broken porcelain from the floor, and forcefully slashed it across the palm of his right hand. A white line slowly appeared, followed by seeping blood. Lihua almost let out a shriek, but swallowing the scream raw when she caught sight of the benevolent old man standing in the shadows behind Gelian.

He displayed the bloody line cut across his palm toward Gelian, his voice calm yet resolute.

"But before that, Gesheng issues a challenge to Cousin Gelian."

"Oh?" Gelian stood up with keen interest, lifting a finger to trace a vertical slash down the tabletop as if an invisible blade had sliced through it. The final intact piece of chicken-wing wood collapsed flat down the middle. He walked slowly along the line he had drawn, coming before Gesheng. "This truly surprises your cousin. What shall we compare with?"

"May I use just a little finger, standing right here without moving?"

"No need," Gesheng shook his head calmly, gazing earnestly at Gelian, who had already stepped within a foot of him.

"What I wish to compare is far more than mere combat."

He tilted his head and said gently with a shy expression.

"What I wish to compare is the Imperial Oath."

The Imperial Oath.

One hundred and ten years ago, a great emperor arose, titled Yuantai, and founded the Lanyin Empire.

One hundred and fifty years ago, a great emperor arose, titled Shuhua, and founded the Aus Empire.

Four hundred and seventy-four years ago, a great emperor arose, titled Prime, and founded the St. Empire.

The Prime Emperor had reigned long ago, leaving no chance to meet the mortals of the world. The two emperors, Yuantai and Shuhua, rose side by side. Thus, when Emperor Yuantai established the Lanyin Empire and expanded its borders, he faced the risk of contending with the other two great empires.

To the east of the empire, Emperor Yuantai's army advanced as far as Yanshi before retreating, never seizing an inch of St. territory.

To the south of the empire, he met with the then-living Emperor Shuhua atop the Leaf Pagoda, and through the Imperial Oath, delimited the borders of the two nations.

Yet the Imperial Oath was not merely an oath, or rather, not entirely an oath.

It was combat.

The reason it was called the Imperial Oath rather than another name was simply because the alternative sounded truly unappealing.

Once the Imperial Oath concluded, the borders of the two nations were fixed where they ought to be, remaining unviolated through one hundred and ten springs and autumns.

Just like a pledge.

"Young Master," the benevolent old man spoke slowly from behind, seemingly reluctant to invite complications.

Upon hearing the words "Imperial Oath," for reasons unknown, a hint of malice flickered across Gelian's previously handsome face, though it vanished instantly.

Without looking back, Gelian gently raised a hand toward the old man behind him, and the old man stepped back, offering no further obstruction.

"I accept," Gelian nodded. "A lesser oath."

The Imperial Oath was divided into greater and lesser; the greater compared seven matters, while the lesser compared three.

Because the Imperial Oath had been passed down through generations, many lacked the capability to complete the greater comparison of seven. Consequently, in practical application, people often relied solely on the lesser comparison of three.

Literature, martial arts, and jade.

"If I win," Gesheng said earnestly, "the transaction is cancelled. You shall return from whence you came, and leave behind the medicine to treat Uncle Wu."

"If I win," Gelian smiled lightly, "the transaction is completed, you sign your name right there, and from this day forth, Fengmian Manor shall have no further relation to you."

"The oath is formed," Gesheng said.

"The oath is formed," Gelian replied.

Since the Imperial Oath was now established, the first comparison—literature—commenced.

"Please go ahead, Cousin," Gelian stood there, speaking with effortless ease.

Gesheng showed not the slightest hesitation as he spoke, "I have heard that the Saint Xiao possessed fine fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry groves, and spring wells. A single pond can nourish three fields and four groves; a single spring can nourish nine fields and seven ponds. Now, knowing that the total number of fields, ponds, groves, and springs combined is ten thousand, I ask: how many are the fields? How many are the ponds? How many are the groves? How many are the springs?"