The steward staggered backward several steps, utterly flustered, until his back hit the edge of the street. His legs went weak, and he nearly slid to the ground.
Flat Rabbit snorted twice, clapped the dust from his hands, and continued strolling down the street. He even began humming a little tune, wandering along without a care in the world.
Ahead of him, a beggar lay curled up by the roadside, looking miserable and pitiful.
Flat Rabbit paused.
He reached into his inner pocket and rummaged around for a long time—but couldn't find a single piece of silver. A rare hint of embarrassment flickered across his face.
After a moment's hesitation, he took off one shoe.
Three copper coins tumbled out.
Flat Rabbit bent down, placed the coins into the beggar's hand, nodded with satisfaction, and ambled off.
The instant the beggar closed his fingers around the coins, a powerful stench assaulted his nose.
With a thud, he collapsed backward onto the ground.
For a long while, he couldn't get back up.
Flat Rabbit walked away cheerfully, disappearing around the street corner.
Only then did Wang Tang cautiously emerge from his hiding place.
He first glanced in the direction where Flat Rabbit had vanished. Then he lowered his head and looked at the gift box still clutched in his hands.
In that instant, shame washed over him so strongly that he almost wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole.
At last, he understood.
Why Flat Rabbit was the main leader.
And why he himself was merely a subordinate.
In terms of ideological awareness, he was still far, far behind.
Taking two deep breaths, Wang Tang walked briskly forward. He placed the gift box back into the steward's hands.
"If you want work," he said calmly, "come to us openly and honestly. As long as your price is reasonable and your work is solid, we'll naturally give your master the business. Relying on gifts and connections—this is not the right path."
The steward stammered, "H-Hey? Hey?!"
Wang Tang ignored him. He took a few more steps forward, pulled a piece of silver from his pocket, and placed it into the beggar's hand—the poor fellow was still half-unconscious from the copper coins' aroma.
Then Wang Tang broke into a run, rounded the corner, crossed onto another street, and soon caught up with Flat Rabbit.
"Lord Rabbit!" Wang Tang called loudly.
"What a coincidence! Are you also out for a stroll?"
Flat Rabbit laughed heartily. "Just wandering around, seeing if there are any heroic deeds to be done! Hahaha! I just ran into a beggar who was so poor he couldn't even eat. In my great spirit of chivalry, this Lord Rabbit gave him a silver ingot."
He gestured with his hand, indicating something fist-sized.
"An ingot this big! Hahaha! He was overjoyed when he saw it!"
Wang Tang smiled. "Lord Rabbit truly is a model for our generation."
"A real hero of the jianghu must be bold and generous!" Flat Rabbit laughed again and reached out to clap Wang Tang on the shoulder.
"If the silver is too small, why even give it? When helping the poor, you give big pieces of silver! You, lad, should learn from your elder—this is how you walk the jianghu and become a true great hero! Hahahaha!"
Wang Tang said sincerely, "I still have much to learn from you."
"Oh, right," Flat Rabbit suddenly turned his head. "Xiao Tang, that first tavern we took over… hasn't it been losing money these past few days?"
Wang Tang nodded with a smile. "Yes. It has started losing money."
Flat Rabbit looked mortified. "That's terrible! When Dao Xuan Tianzun ordered me to take over that place, he warned me that randomly appointing people could lead to losses. That's why I only made the waiter an assistant manager and hired a middle-school graduate from Gao Family Village as the head manager."
He scratched his head, utterly baffled.
"How could it still be losing money? Middle-school graduates are incredible! They study the Heavenly Books—their knowledge is ten thousand times greater than mine! I really didn't expect even him to lose money."
Wang Tang smiled. "That's because this batch of middle-school students lacks social experience. In that regard, they still need to learn from older, seasoned people."
He continued, "Would you consider inviting back that somewhat fierce head manager we dismissed last time?"
Flat Rabbit frowned. "That fellow is nasty—very harsh with his subordinates."
Wang Tang replied gently, "But perhaps it's precisely because he's harsh that his subordinates obey him strictly and follow regulations. Our middle-school graduates are fresh out of school. They're easily deceived by junior staff—procurement tricks, stolen ingredients… with all these small schemes, losses are inevitable."
Flat Rabbit slapped his forehead. "So that's how it is!"
Wang Tang went on, "Speaking of which, the truly troublesome issue is the coal mine we're operating jointly with the Prince of Qin's Residence."
Flat Rabbit blinked. "Oh? What's wrong with it?"
Wang Tang spread his hands.
"The stewards from the Prince of Qin's Residence want more control. After shares were delineated, we sent our technical personnel to build the factory on their land. But once the factory was completed and running smoothly, they suddenly grew bold again—constantly scheming to force out our people and seize full control."
Flat Rabbit looked completely lost. "Then… what should we do?"
Wang Tang shook his head. "I don't know either."
At that moment, the Dao Xuan Tianzun puppet on Flat Rabbit's chest chuckled.
"The Baqiao Iron Mine has two pits, and two factories, correct?" it said.
"Since the Prince of Qin's Residence wants control so badly, just give them one."
"Withdraw all technical and management personnel from one factory. Hand that mine over entirely. We'll simply wait for our sixty percent share of the profits."
Flat Rabbit hesitated. "Is… is that really alright?"
Dao Xuan Tianzun laughed.
"I've said it before—backward systems restrict advanced productive forces. Let the Prince of Qin's Residence manage an advanced factory with backward methods. We'll see how long it lasts."
"Also," it added, "inform Wu Shen and Shi Kefa. Have them witness the outcome with their own eyes."
Flat Rabbit still didn't quite understand.
But Wang Tang did.
"If Wu Shen and Shi Kefa personally witness how backward systems restrain advanced productivity," he said slowly, "they'll be forced to reflect. The more people who think about this, the faster the nation can change."
"Exactly," Dao Xuan Tianzun replied.
That evening, Wang Tang visited Wu Shen and Shi Kefa and explained in detail the Prince of Qin's Residence's attempt to seize control of the coal mine.
The two civil officials had no good solution.
They weren't afraid of the Prince of Qin's Residence—but they were helpless against them. After all, the Baqiao Coal Mine lay within the Prince of Qin's fief. Fundamentally speaking, it was originally their property.
Forceful intervention was simply impossible.
Wang Tang said, "Our Master Li is deeply angered by their conduct. He has decided to withdraw all technical and management personnel from one factory, cease involvement in its construction and operation, and remain only a shareholder—collecting dividends."
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa sighed.
"Master Li has truly been placed in a difficult position," they said.
"That coal mine was originally theirs. With two factories, it's natural they'd want one back. Since they insist, let them have it."
"As long as they still deliver the agreed sixty percent of profits, there's no need for us to clash with the Prince of Qin's Residence."