Qian Delu considered himself a shrewd businessman. In the town of Luye, he was undoubtedly the most astute merchant. When it came to striking deals, he was never at a disadvantage.
Originally, he thought dealing with a monk would be a piece of cake. Once the story was told, he planned to give the monk thirty or twenty taels of silver, which he thought would be enough to send him on his way.
Monks, after all, were known to be more concerned with their reputation than money. They weren't typically greedy. Qian Delu had his plans all worked out. He had already recognized the potential in this story. Whether he sold it as a book or performed it as a story for the people, it would definitely be worth much more—he was confident he could make thousands of taels.
However, he never expected this young abbot to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, someone who would devour a man whole without spitting out the bones!
How could this monk be such a good negotiator? He insisted on splitting the story into parts, each costing fifty taels. If Qian Delu wasn't willing to pay, the deal was off.
Qian Delu initially considered rejecting the offer, planning to listen to the monk's tale and later write it down from memory, but the problem was, the monk spoke too fast, and many of the terms in the story were unfamiliar. There was no way he could remember it all.
Left with no choice, Qian Delu reluctantly agreed to the monk's terms.
At first, he thought the story would be just a few chapters, but the monk said it would be a hundred chapters long.
For a businessman like Qian Delu, the more chapters, the better—more chapters meant more potential profit.
After much discussion, they finally agreed on a staggered payment plan.
This was the first time Qian Delu had heard of such an arrangement. He had to pay thirty chapters' worth upfront, then pay for the next forty chapters after the first thirty were completed, and then pay the remaining thirty after the entire story was finished.
Though this arrangement was new, Qian Delu had to admit it was reasonable and offered security for both sides.
After the terms were agreed upon, they signed the contract.
The monk, Ho Yuan, smiled broadly as he took the signed contract and invited Qian Delu to visit his mountain.
Yuzhai Mountain was steep and difficult to scale, with only one road leading up. According to Ho Yuan's memories from his past life, Shaolin Temple was situated on another peak. But after crossing into this world, he realized the strategic advantages of Yuzhai Mountain.
It was easy to defend and hard to attack, making it the perfect place to set up a base. The terrain was expansive, suitable for farming, and there was a lake for self-sufficiency. In case his sect attracted attention from the martial world or the imperial court, this steep mountain would be able to hold out for at least a year or more.
As they walked, Ho Yuan asked, "Master Qian, what do you think of the future development of Shaolin?"
Qian Delu sized up the monk, who was young but had a sharp, calculating look, almost like a shady businessman with the word "schemer" written across his forehead. He couldn't help but sigh before answering, "Shaolin has abundant resources, and with a leader like you, Master, the temple's future is certainly bright. Although I am not a martial artist, I can guess that Shaolin's success is inevitable. If you also possess profound martial arts skills, becoming a major martial sect is not an impossible dream."
Ho Yuan smiled faintly, "And how do you feel about our Shaolin teachings?"
On Mount Shaoshi, not only Shaolin existed, but also Zhongyue Sect and Fawang Temple. Although Shaolin was the smallest of the three, it had a good reputation. Qian Delu was somewhat familiar with Shaolin's teachings and responded, "Shaolin advocates for the salvation of all beings and practices compassion, so naturally, the common people will welcome it. However, its reputation is still small for now. If you make a name for yourselves in the martial world, your temple will surely flourish."
"Thank you, Master Qian, for your comments. I have an idea I would like to share."
"Please, Master, share it."
"We both agree that Shaolin will thrive in the future, but there are many challenges to overcome in the short term, especially financial difficulties..."
As soon as Qian Delu heard the mention of money, he immediately became wary. He didn't respond right away, fearing he would be roped into another one of the monk's schemes.
Ho Yuan was not in a rush. They continued walking toward the edge of the mountain where the view was open, allowing them to look down on the entire valley below. This area was directly connected to the road leading up the mountain.
"Master Qian, please look here. I plan to build a gate at this spot, but the road is in disrepair and needs silver to fix. I also want to enclose the area with a wall and pave it with stone. Unfortunately, as a monk, my funds are limited."
Qian Delu scoffed, thinking to himself, "Good thing you're a monk, or I wouldn't be able to survive in Luye Town."
Ho Yuan seemed oblivious to his reaction and continued, "So, I was thinking, perhaps we could make a deal. I will use Shaolin's future earnings as collateral and borrow some silver from your bank to repair the road and improve the temple. What do you think, Master Qian?"
"Use future earnings as collateral?" Qian Delu was taken aback. He had never heard of such an arrangement.
"Yes, exactly. Future earnings as collateral," Ho Yuan said with a smile.
"Master, forgive me for speaking frankly, but this seems unprecedented. Though I see the potential in Shaolin, it's still a guess. What if the temple doesn't earn anything? Then I would be left with nothing."
"Master Qian, there's no need to worry. Just like when you spot a business opportunity, no one can be certain whether it will make money or not, but it's worth taking the chance. This is just like any other business venture."
"Master, I understand the logic, but this business model using future earnings as collateral is something I've never heard of, so I'm hesitant."
Ho Yuan grinned, "Alright, here's an idea. If Shaolin doesn't earn anything in the future and can't repay your loan, I'll tell you another story. I guarantee it will be just as exciting as Journey to the West."
"Another story?" Qian Delu couldn't believe his ears. How could the monk have another story? And one just as exciting?
Ho Yuan laughed heartily and sat down on the spot, beginning to tell Qian Delu the tale of the Three Kingdoms.
The two of them went on talking until dusk, and by the time they finished discussing the Battle of Guandu, the sun had set.
Qian Delu, who had been absorbed in listening, couldn't help but clap his hands and shout, "That was incredible! Truly amazing! A thrilling story!"
"Master, I must have this story too!"
"No, selling it is not the point for now, but please consider my proposal, Master Qian," Ho Yuan said with a knowing smile.
Qian Delu, without further hesitation, said, "I've already seen the potential in Shaolin's future. With this story as a guarantee, I'm not worried. How much silver do you need?"
"Not much—just ten thousand taels."
Qian Delu hesitated, "Master, I don't have that much available right now. With the payments for the first thirty chapters, my funds are a bit tight. How about five thousand taels instead? If Shaolin doesn't earn anything in the future, then this story will be worth five thousand taels."
Ho Yuan was satisfied with this offer and nodded in agreement.
Thus, they signed another contract.
The thirty chapters of Journey to the West were sold for fifteen hundred taels, and Shaolin's future earnings were used as collateral for a loan of five thousand taels, with an interest rate of one percent per year.
In total, Qian Delu agreed to lend Ho Yuan six thousand five hundred taels, to be paid the next day.
Ho Yuan also asked Qian Delu to help find some workers to repair the road and the temple's facilities, as stone could be sourced locally, saving on costs. The only thing left was to pay the laborers.
As a businessman, Qian Delu had no problem with this and readily agreed.
With everything settled, Ho Yuan returned to his room to plan Shaolin's future.
Everything related to money had been arranged, and Ho Yuan was ready to begin building. Just then, a monk named Yi Kong returned.
Yi Kong had been sent out by Ho Yuan to roam the area for the day, and now he was back. Ho Yuan planned to rest, but Yi Kong suddenly approached.
"Master, are you still awake?"
"Oh, I was just studying the Dharma, I'll rest soon," Ho Yuan replied, feigning weariness.
"You work tirelessly for the temple. I really admire your dedication." Yi Kong's tone was different now, having changed his attitude completely after the arrival of two new monks.
Ho Yuan said nothing, and Yi Kong continued, "It's past midnight now. It's the Dragon Boat Festival. Tomorrow, I plan to go down the mountain to buy red dates and glutinous rice to make zongzi. I'll need some silver from you, Master."
"Oh, the Dragon Boat Festival, of course. You can come by tomorrow for the silver," Ho Yuan said casually.
Yi Kong left, plotting whether he could pocket a few extra coins.
As Ho Yuan prepared to rest, he suddenly felt a small fluctuation within his Abbot System. He hurriedly closed the door to check.
"Dragon Boat Festival, extra draw opportunity!"
Ho Yuan was overjoyed. Who knew there would be such benefits? Could there be sales during holidays too?