The spring rains had washed the dust from the air, leaving the Westland shimmering under a crisp, blue sky. The grass in the pastures was tall and vibrant, swaying like a green ocean. The herd, now numbering over thirty head, moved through it like ships, the black hides of the Angus calves standing out starkly against the landscape.
Li Shun stood on the porch of the newly expanded ranch house. The log cabin had grown; a second wing had been added for storage and guest quarters, and a proper wooden deck now wrapped around the front, furnished with rough-hewn chairs and tables.
"Is it ready?" Li Shun asked, adjusting his leather vest.
"Everything is set, Boss," Li Ming replied, looking nervously at the roster in his hands. "The invitations were sent out three days ago. Merchant Chen confirmed. The Pavilion's Manager Liu is coming. And... Father-in-law sent word he will attend."
"Good."
Today wasn't just a sale. It was a spectacle. Li Shun was done chasing buyers. Today, he was making the buyers come to him.
He walked to the large fire pit in the center of the yard. It was no longer a primitive hole in the ground; it was a brick-lined hearth, designed for even heating. Beside it sat the prize: a whole rib primal from a steer that had been finished on the premium ryegrass.
"This is the 'Black Gold' auction," Li Shun told Han Qiang. "We don't sell meat by the pound today. We sell *prestige*."
---
The guests began to arrive just before noon.
They came in carriages and on horseback, a colorful procession of silk robes and fine leather. The contrast between the elegant city folk and the rugged ranch was jarring, but Li Shun had prepared for that.
He had laid out cowhide rugs on the grass. He had set up a tent made of canvas, shading a long table laden with wine and simple snacks—bread, cheese, and strips of the famous jerky.
Merchant Chen arrived first, stepping out of his carriage with a wide smile. "Li Shun! My boy! The road here is terrible, but the destination... impressive. The grass truly is green."
"Master Chen," Li Shun greeted him, shaking his hand firmly. "Welcome to the Westland."
Next came Manager Liu from the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Tastes. He looked around with a critical eye, nodding at the fences and the windmill. "Efficient. Functional. I see where the money goes."
Finally, the Zhao carriage appeared.
Magistrate Zhao stepped out, looking relaxed in casual clothes. He was followed by Madam Zhao, who held a handkerchief to her nose but looked interested.
And then, Zhao Lian emerged.
Li Shun's breath hitched slightly.
She wasn't wearing the heavy, embroidered silks of the city. Instead, she wore a dress of pale green linen, simple and flowing. Her hair was tied back with a single ribbon. She looked... free. She looked like she belonged here.
She walked over to him, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Husband. You've built a castle out of mud."
"A work in progress," Li Shun replied, offering his arm. "I have a job for you."
"A job?"
"The accounts. The bidding. I need someone with a sharp mind to record the sales. My writing is terrible, and Li Ming gets flustered by big numbers."
She raised an eyebrow. "You trust me with your finances?"
"There is no one else I would trust more."
She took his arm, her fingers squeezing his forearm gently. "Then I suppose I shall have to save you from bankruptcy."
---
The auction began with the lighting of the fire.
Li Shun didn't stand on a podium. He stood by the meat.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Li Shun's voice carried across the yard. "Thank you for coming to the edge of the world."
He gestured to the rib primal.
"This is the future of the Great Liang Dynasty's dining table. This is Westland Prime. Raised on grass that grows where nothing else grows. Aged for tenderness. Seared for flavor."
He pulled a knife and sliced a piece of the raw meat, showing the marbling.
"Today, I am not selling this meat to a market. I am offering *exclusive rights* to the first cuts of the season."
He looked at Manager Liu. "Manager, the Pavilion has been a good partner. But today, the highest bidder takes the 'Grand Reserve' cut—the best 50 pounds of this animal."
Manager Liu's eyes gleamed. "And the starting bid?"
"50 Silver Taels."
A gasp went through the crowd. 50 Taels for a side of beef? It was robbery.
But Li Shun held up a hand. "But first... a taste."
Han Qiang began grilling slices, passing them out to the guests.
The smell was intoxicating. The sizzle of fat, the char of the crust. As the guests tasted the meat, the skepticism melted away.
"By the heavens," Madam Zhao whispered, finishing her piece in two bites. "It is... decadent."
"I will bid 60 taels!" Manager Liu shouted, unable to wait.
"70!" Merchant Chen called out immediately. "My caravans need this for the capital trade!"
"80!" another merchant, a rival of Chen's, joined in.
Li Shun stood back, letting the numbers fly. He watched Zhao Lian at the side table, her brush flying across the ledger, recording every bid with calm precision.
"100 Taels!" Manager Liu roared, slamming his hand on the table. "And a contract for exclusive supply of the ribs for six months!"
The crowd went silent. 100 taels. It was an astronomical sum for a single animal.
Li Shun looked at Chen. The merchant shook his head, smiling wryly. "I cannot match that volume. You win this round, Liu."
"Sold!" Li Shun announced, banging a wooden gavel. "To the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Tastes."
The auction continued. Li Shun sold the brisket to Merchant Chen for dried beef production. The flank went to a local butcher who had come to watch. The bones and offal were sold for medicinal extracts.
By the end of the afternoon, the ledger was full.
---
As the sun began to set, the guests departed, their wagons loaded with their prizes. The atmosphere was jovial. They hadn't just bought meat; they had bought an experience. A story to tell their friends in the city.
The yard grew quiet. Magistrate Zhao and Madam Zhao had retired to the cabin for tea.
Li Shun and Zhao Lian were left alone at the accounting table.
Lian finished tallying the final column. She dipped the brush in the ink one last time and circled the total.
She looked up at Li Shun. Her eyes were wide.
"Do you see a mistake?" Li Shun asked, leaning over her shoulder.
"No mistake," she said softly. "Husband... do you know how much you made today?"
"Enough to fix the roof?"
"Enough to buy the entire mountain," she said, her voice trembling. "Three hundred and fifty Silver Taels. Li Shun... this is more than my father makes in a year from taxes."
Li Shun looked at the number. It was real. The power of the system, combined with modern marketing and a quality product, had shattered the local economy.
"It is a good start," he said, trying to sound modest, but a grin broke through.
Lian capped the inkwell. She looked at him, really looked at him.
"I thought you were a fool," she admitted. "When Father married me to you, I cried. I thought my life was over. I thought I would be the wife of a sickly scholar who recited poems while others worked."
She stood up, walking to the edge of the porch. She looked out at the pastures, where the cattle were settling down for the night.
"But you... you build. You create. You took a pile of rocks and turned it into gold."
She turned back to him.
"You are not the man I married."
"No," Li Shun agreed softly. "I'm not."
He walked over to her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. It was a key—the key to the main house.
"The southern ridge is expanding," he said. "I will be busy with the fencing. I need someone I trust to manage the house. And... I would like you to be here. Not just for the books."
He placed the key in her hand.
"Move here, Lian. Bring your things. Make this house a home."
She looked down at the iron key, rough and simple. It wasn't a jade ornament. It wasn't a diamond ring. It was a tool. A key to a kingdom of mud and grass.
She closed her fingers around it tightly.
"The city is stifling," she whispered. "The seasons change, but the walls stay the same. Here... the sky moves."
She looked up, her eyes shining.
"I will move in next week. But I have a condition."
"Name it."
"I want a horse. A good one. I want to learn to ride like you. No sidesaddle. I want to run."
Li Shun laughed, a full, hearty sound. "Done. Han Qiang will teach you."
He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It was a bold, intimate gesture.
"Welcome home, Wife."
"Welcome home, Husband."
---
**[SYSTEM ALERT]**
**[MAJOR QUEST COMPLETE: THE FIRST HARVEST AUCTION]**
**[FINANCIAL STATUS: SECURE]**
* **Current Funds:** 350 Silver Taels (Liquid)
* **Assets:** Westland Ranch (Level 5), Southern Ridge (Under Development), Herd (30+ head), Pigs, Horses.
**[RANCH LEVEL UP!]**
**[RANCH LEVEL: 6]**
**[TITLE UNLOCKED: BARON OF THE GRASSLAND]**
**[NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: BREEDING LAB (LEVEL 1)]**
* *Allows for targeted genetic selection without elixirs.*
* *Increases chance of desirable traits in offspring by 20%.*
**[NEW OBJECTIVE:]**
* **Build the Southern Ridge Fences.**
* **Establish the 'Westland Rider' Corps.**
* **Prepare for the Imperial Tax Audit.**
---
Li Shun looked at the system screen. *Baron of the Grassland.* It was just a title, but it felt like a promise.
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of purple and gold. The lanterns on the porch flickered to life.
In the distance, Hei Bao let out a low, resonant bellow, calling his herd to rest.
Li Shun stood with his wife, the smell of woodsmoke and grass surrounding them. The first arc of his new life was complete. He had survived. He had built. He had conquered.
Now, the real work began.