"... In theory, in busy taverns, there are situations where they can't keep up. In about three or four days, results should show. Currently, it's not about finding people, but based on the wages for hiring, a tavern would probably only cost about two guan. With four taverns, selling sixty to eighty century eggs a day is quite easy. In terms of profit, each century egg should sell for about eight wen, so in a little over half a month, the investment could be recouped..."
The sound of the abacus clicked rapidly in the room as Ning Yi spoke continuously, casually calculating: "However, if the market expands too quickly and the pickling isn't sufficient, I'm afraid there will be a supply shortage. So, in my view, for now, we don't need to consider further expanding our target, but no matter what, it's still possible to open up a market for new products."
Kang Xian took a sip of tea and raised an eyebrow: "In these past few days, I've seen it too. I thought you had some brilliant method, but it turns out you're just using the simple tactic of hiring people as props."
"Ha, in warfare, there's both the conventional and the unconventional. When the conventional fails, then the unconventional will come into play. It's fundamentally a simple matter; as long as the problem gets solved, there's no need to overthink it," Ning Yi chuckled.
"That's true," Kang Xian nodded, "but is Li Heng's method considered conventional or unconventional?"
Master Qin laughed from the side: "Both. If we're just talking about methods, it's probably unconventional, but in this context, there's nothing extraordinary about it, so it's more conventional." He thought for a moment: "Li Heng mentioned selling for fifty wen each; what's his selling strategy?"
"Ha, once it goes above fifty wen, there are no limits. It's not just about selling century eggs anymore," Ning Yi smiled, "luxury eggs, jade eggs—if I owned a tavern, I'd decorate it in gold and jade, and hype up the symbolic meaning of these eggs. If I placed a bowl at every banquet, spoke about auspicious meanings, and casually wrote some little stories, then people wouldn't just be eating eggs; they'd be displaying them as symbols of wealth. At fifty wen, a hundred wen, or even one to two guan, that would just be the starting price. If someone like Master Kang were to serve a few bowls at a banquet and say a few words, naturally, their value would increase, and wealthy folks would flock to it; there's nothing strange about that."
"When I heard Li Heng mention fifty wen each, I thought it was going to be some amazing strategy, but it turned out to be this rather mundane approach," Kang Xian said, shaking his head with a smile. After thinking for a moment, he added, "But it does make sense."
Ning Yi laughed: "There are no amazing strategies in this world; at the end of the day, it's just about setting a goal and solving the problem. Just like on the battlefield, using both conventional and unconventional tactics, winning with the weak against the strong—in reality, there's no such thing as winning with the weak against the strong. If you truly say it, it's all about the strong winning over the weak."
"I've never heard that before," Master Qin frowned. "In military texts, while it's said that it's better to use the conventional than the unconventional, advocating the proper path and avoiding reckless tactics, any military strategy changes should still aim for the weak to overcome the strong. After all, if I'm strong and my enemy is weak, the strategy becomes insignificant whether it exists or not. I can't agree with Li Heng's statement."
"Uh, is there no such perspective?" Ning Yi paused slightly.
"Indeed, there isn't," Kang Xian chuckled. "As Li Heng said, if strategies are all meant to solve problems, then it's a case of the enemy being strong and us being weak—that's the problem. In a situation where I'm strong and the enemy is weak, what's the use of military tactics? Therefore, the military strategies recorded are primarily about exploring how to overcome the strong with the weak."
"That does make sense," Ning Yi nodded with a smile. "The difference in perspectives is just me talking in theory, ha ha, forgive me for that."
"That's all it is—talking theory. I'm not well-versed in military tactics either…" Master Qin took a sip of tea, seemingly recalling some past events, his smile becoming slightly complex. Then he said, "Since we have nothing pressing, it wouldn't hurt to elaborate on where Li Heng's viewpoint comes from."
Ning Yi thought for a moment, then pulled over a nearby chessboard: "It's really just a difference in perspective; the situation remains the same. The concept of the weak defeating the strong in military tactics, when viewed here, actually emphasizes how to turn the strengths and weaknesses of both sides around."
He took ten white pieces from the opposite side and five black pieces from his side, then began to divide the white pieces: "To put it simply, if the enemy has ten and we only have five, we can't defeat them directly. Instead, we can use strategy to split their forces into four parts, labeled one, two, three, and four, while we attack their four parts with our five, overwhelming them. Under our advantage, we might lose one, leaving us with four to engage three, then three against two, and finally two against one… the battle is decided. The weak win against the strong; in detail, every instance is a case of the strong winning against the weak."
Master Qin laughed: "What Li Heng said seems a bit too reasonable…" As he was about to finish his thought, he suddenly paused and looked at the pieces, frowning as if he wanted to jot something down. Kang Xian also seemed inclined to comment on how this viewpoint was overly idealistic, bordering on mere theory, but seeing Master Qin's expression, he fell into contemplation.
Ning Yi chuckled: "It is indeed overly idealistic." He reached out to gather the white pieces again. "In reality, battlefield formations are far too complex. Achieving such an ideal state is impossible, but this is just a way to view things; it doesn't imply precise calculations from the beginning. However, if we trace the results backward, every battle, whether the weak defeat the strong or vice versa, breaks down to this kind of situation. There's no true state where a weak army can defeat a strong one, as strength and weakness are determined by whether they can defeat or kill each other. Here, we evaluate heroes by success and failure. If the enemy is strong and we are weak, we need to find ways to isolate, divide, and manipulate them, making every battle occur in a localized context where the strong can defeat the weak. In detail, this can even apply to each soldier. Of course, no general could control the entire situation to that extent, but every army, when facing an opposing unit, ultimately knows whether it will win or lose, which is straightforward to assess."
"In business, on the battlefield, in interpersonal relations, and in doing things, I don't believe there's such a thing as the weak defeating the strong. Naturally, many unseen factors are likely part of the strength and weakness: intelligence, public sentiment, likes and dislikes, even luck. The target is set ahead; the path may not be visible, or there may be many routes. However, how to achieve the next step towards the goal can be reversed and broken down step by step, revealing that each step is quite simple—just solving the problem. Thus, I don't believe in any extraordinary strategies." He thought for a moment, pushing the chessboard back, then laughed at himself, "Of course, talking theory—those generals leading troops into battle, even if they don't think this way, will still be formidable. Ultimately, it's all about how one views the situation; it doesn't solve practical problems."
"However, in detail, it is indeed the strong defeating the weak. There's no principle where the weak can defeat the strong," Master Qin sighed. "Li Heng's statement is indeed simplistic but aligns well with the greater principle. Military tactics… are about the weak becoming strong, not about the weak defeating the strong. If we can clarify the distinction between these two, then…"
When a matter is laid out, how to view its underlying principles may seem useless to ordinary people, but for someone like Qin Siyuan or Kang Xian, the significance is different. While Master Qin was deep in thought, Kang Xian shook his head slightly.
"This perspective is too clear-headed. Li Heng values the study of principles more than others do. To gain such insight is indeed thought-provoking. But have you ever considered, amidst these calculations, what is a person? Even human emotions and worldly affairs—so many factors…"
Qin Siyuan is a practical person, but he also understands human sentiments. Perhaps troubled by past events, he felt somewhat emotional when he heard Ning Yi's perspective. Kang Xian, who places even more emphasis on human relationships, was the first to pick up on these subtleties. After he finished speaking, Ning Yi glanced at the chessboard, smiling as he shook his head, not answering.
In his past dealings, he operated within a modern analytical framework, viewing the world and everything in it as data pieces, with luck and surprises merely counted as probabilities. At a certain level, what people consider extraordinary strategies don't truly exist; they're merely distinctions between varying appetites—some larger, some even larger, and some excessively large. But things are different now: "The heavens are ever-moving; a gentleman should strive for self-improvement." Confucianism is an extremely moderate, conservative, and rigorous study, yet within it lies an extreme upward hope, demanding a strong affirmation of personal cultivation and effort, recognizing individual significance, and affirming the capacity to advance despite obstacles. The reasoning behind this is complex, but in a sense, it might explain why Confucianism diverges from the Western, coldly logical "if... then..." framework.
This topic could not be explored any further, so they naturally turned to trivial matters. Ning Yi casually inquired about the matter of Wu Liejun's Colonel Song Xian. Amidst the curiosity of Qin Lao and Kang Xian, he honestly admitted it was due to the Lantern Festival events. Kang Xian then laughed, "Haha, seeking him a thousand times in the crowd, seeking him a thousand times in the crowd! I initially thought Li Heng used this phrase to express his aspirations, but I didn't expect there really was someone to seek in the crowd. I wonder how others will laugh upon hearing this... But Li Heng, you actually have an interest in the heroism of warriors. That's not good; even the strongest can only fight against ten or a hundred. It's better to follow what you said earlier. Though there are some problems, it can develop into a Confucian general, and that's truly a force of ten thousand…"
"By the way, A Gui, come here."
Though he said this, he still called in his companion named A Gui. While this name sounded quite ordinary, his status was evidently not low; he was merely respectful in front of Kang Xian. Ning Yi knew his full name was Lu A Gui. Then Kang Xian inquired about the assassination attempt on Song Xian, and A Gui thought for a moment.
"I don't know much about Song Xian, but if Young Master Ning is interested in martial arts, it's said he indeed possesses profound skills, capable of fending off over ten attackers. In the Wu Lie Army, he's quite valued, now commanding the most elite Imperial Guard unit. However... this person's reputation isn't good; he's said to be arrogant and vengeful, having come from the green forest in his youth. To seek fame, he's killed many former companions. Young Master Ning is interested in martial arts, but if you're not familiar with him, I think it's better to avoid him. After all, in this field, there are many taboos in the Jianghu (rivers and lakes) world."
"Then... Brother Lu, do you know if there are many people with such profound martial skills in the Jianghu?"
"Profound martial skills, do you mean those who can topple trees and crush stones with their internal energy? Such people are indeed extremely rare. In various military units, there may be a few here and there. Among the various rebel armies and bandits, there might also be such strong individuals. Regarding the assassin who attempted to kill Song Xian, though I haven't seen him, I've heard about that day's events. This person didn't succeed in the first strike and started a massacre at the Feiyan Pavilion, later injuring over ten people, including Song Xian, before leaving. His injuries were not severe. Song Xian himself is a master, so this person is already a top-tier fighter in the Jianghu, but even so, I can't guess who he really is."
He paused for a moment; he had met Ning Yi several times and had chatted a bit, having some goodwill towards him. He clasped his fist and said, "Actually... forgive my frankness, most people with profound internal energy start training from a young age for it to be effective. Now, setting aside whether Young Master Ning can find such a person, even if he does, it would still be of no use. Moreover... even if it were useful, the marvel of martial arts is not merely in internal energy. No matter how powerful a set of boxing techniques is, even if one has extraordinary talent and trains in it for decades, if it's not practiced against real combat, it's useless. Such skills must be honed in the heat of battle, responding to an opponent's attack without overthinking it. Only then is it useful. What's important is speed, ruthlessness, and precision—the spirit of killing. Internal energy is just a means of exerting strength; if one only practices that, they cannot compete against an experienced old soldier who has survived numerous battles. Young Master Ning is a person of great talent, destined to be a leader, whether as an official or a general, commanding ten thousand troops. Why waste time on such matters?"
No matter how romanticized martial arts novels may portray it, in reality, who would truly yearn for a life where tomorrow is uncertain? The vast majority still hold the idea of mastering literary and martial arts to serve the emperor. Lu A Gui had been with Kang Xian for a long time, and he likely saw Ning Yi as extraordinary, feeling it would be a waste of time for him to train in martial arts. The meaning was simple: you are a scholar; there's no opportunity for fighting. Without an environment to integrate and apply your skills, practicing martial arts is equivalent to not practicing at all. Ning Yi understood that he spoke these words sincerely and promptly expressed his gratitude.
After chatting for a while, Ning Yi took his leave. The afternoon sun was just right, and the banks of the Qinhuai River were pleasantly warm. He strolled along the riverbank, still pondering martial arts. When he neared the small building where Nie Yun Zhu lived, he noticed a column of black smoke rising from the nearby bend of the river, resembling a fire.
He walked over and reached the front of the small building, where he saw thick smoke billowing from the kitchen. A figure was engulfed in the smoke, flailing about, fanning the air, coughing, and appearing intermittently. Eventually, the figure ran out of the room.
It was the disheveled Nie Yun Zhu, whose face was marked with streaks of black soot from the smoke. Despite the cool spring weather, she was drenched in sweat. Holding a large fan, she rushed to the corridor, casting a frustrated glance back at the smoke-filled kitchen, perhaps still contemplating how to charge in. Turning her head, she noticed Ning Yi on the road ahead, momentarily taken aback.
Ning Yi couldn't help but laugh, and soon after, Nie Yun Zhu chuckled too, bashfully wiping her cheek with the back of her hand, inadvertently drawing a more pronounced dark mark amidst her sweat.
Her smile had a hint of embarrassment, yet for some reason, combined with the streaks of soot on her cheeks, it only made her appear more pure and graceful...