Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

Chapter 55: Chapter 54 Hongshan Trading Company (Please Follow)

In the moment he decided to make a breakthrough, Shen Qing felt as if he was in the torrent of time, countless fragments of driving memories surging into his mind like a tide.

These memories encompassed many driving skills from the past to present, from handling a regular horse-drawn carriage to racing ancient chariots, nothing was left out.

Each image was so vivid and clear, as if he had experienced them firsthand.

As these memories slowly merged and turned into a powerful stream of knowledge for Shen Qing to digest, his understanding of horses and carriages deepened, providing him with a sense of confidence that came from clear comprehension.

[Skill: Driving Skill (Skilled)]

[Progress: 1/200 points]

[Status: Unimprovable]

[Note: The way of driving requires persistent effort, its essence lies in repetitive practice, where skillfulness is born from familiarity. Continue to break through, and you will handle it with even greater ease, control, and unity between driver and vehicle.]

Shen Qing sat calmly on the cart, the reins in his hand seemed to come alive, each slight pull carrying a precise intention.

As he gradually approached the vicinity of Hongshan Village, he left the imperial road, and the mountain terrain started to become complex and varied.

But whether it was a steep slope or a narrow bridge, the breakthrough Shen Qing managed it with ease.

Every turn, every acceleration was just right.

Such performance made Shen Xiaohu and Tian Xiaohu, sitting on the cart, sense the difference.

In the blink of an eye, the cart seemed even steadier.

Looking at a section of water ink text in his line of sight, Shen Qing remembered something and asked Tian Xiaohu and Shen Xiaohu, "Do you two know how to drive?"

Tian Xiaohu and Shen Xiaohu looked at each other, shook their heads, and said, "Not yet."

"When there's time later on, I'll teach you how to drive," Shen Qing said, gazing ahead, lost in thought.

Currently, he had made two trips to Hongshan Village and played the role of a merchant twice.

Calculating the profits carefully, if it weren't for the boss and external thieves, it was quite considerable.

In Hongshan Village, hunting in winter, selling exotic plants in spring, and gathering fruits and chopping wood in summer and fall could all be considered income.

It's not much for each household, but when added together, it's still significant.

Once things stabilize, if the opportunity is right, he could attempt to establish a stable commercial route from Hongshan Village to Taiping County.

As long as the route is established, the business could last a long time.

"I do have tens of taels of silver in my hands, but in the future, martial arts training, living expenses, and making friends will all involve significant expenditure.

This money may seem like a lot, but it won't last if I don't manage it well. I can't afford to consume without producing.

Starting a business in Hongshan Village is a good beginning."

It might seem small at first, but looking into the future, even the Four Great Eastern Families in the county started from small and built up their businesses over generations.

In the future, I might as well establish a business on the same scale and make a name for Hongshan Trading Company," Shen Qing was full of confidence.

To make this business work, in addition to establishing a stable commercial route, he also needed to have sufficient martial strength.

Having witnessed the murky environment of Taiping County, he knew that without strength, it would be difficult to gain a foothold amidst the interwoven relationships and numerous factions within the city.

Shen Qing knew that his current foundation was purely because he had fought for it with his own strengths and prowess.

Rowing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back.

If he did not actively strive for progress, it would be hard to make advances later; at best, he would only be a local notable limited to Hongshan, unable to step beyond the bounds of that substantial mountain.

"Brother Qingzi, why are you suddenly teaching us to drive?" Shen Xiaohu sat up, asking Shen Qing with curiosity: "I think you drive just fine, even steadier than bookworm."

"I previously promised your aunt and uncle that I would bring you and Shanwa into this business of selling mountain goods. Now that I've run the route a couple of times and am familiar with it, I thought I'd teach you both some."

Shen Qing turned his head and glanced at Shen Xiaohu and Tian Xiaohu, and said solemnly, "In the future, I will be spending more time and effort on Linfeng Hall, and I might not be able to take care of this side of things. When the time is right, I plan to let you both help manage this mountain goods business; I don't trust anyone else with it."

After pondering for a while, Shen Qing said: "At that time, I can give you both a twenty percent share for each trip."

"Ah, twenty percent? You're entrusting such an important business to us?"

Shen Xiaohu was somewhat incredulous; after following on a few trips, he had some understanding of the profits involved.

In his eyes, it was no small amount—at least four to five hundred wen.

Even at twenty percent, each person would get forty to fifty wen, equivalent to the income of an adult laborer in the village; for a single person, one trip could double that.

If they moved quickly, it wouldn't even take a day's time.

"You're not willing? Is it too little?"

"No, no, no, this business was started by you, Brother Qingzi. Just having a taste of it is already more than I deserve, how can I be so ungrateful. I actually feel like I'm taking advantage of you," said Shen Xiaohu quickly.

Shen Qing looked at Tian Xiaohu and asked, "And you?"

"I didn't have much to do in the village to begin with; if you, Qingzi, are willing to bring me along, of course, I couldn't ask for more." As he spoke, Tian Xiaohu's face showed a touch of happiness.

Such opportunities to work outside of their village were not common for them.

Having this additional income during spare times would undoubtedly make his life much more comfortable.

Shen Qing turned to Shen Xiaohu and instructed, "Hu Zi, you keep an eye on this matter for now. Now that you've entered Linfeng Hall, focus primarily on practicing martial arts."

"Understood," he acknowledged.

"Let's settle on this for now. Go back and explain everything to your aunt, uncle, and Shanwa," Shen Qing instructed. "Xiao Hu, you prepare too. I'll take you with me on every trip to deliver the mountain goods from now on."

"Understood."

The journey from Hongshan Village to Taiping County was about fifty to sixty li, taking just over an hour one way—it really was a bit of a time-waster.

Especially since before spring, the buying and selling of mountain goods only happened about once every ten days.

If he went fewer times, it would inevitably reduce his training.

Simply practicing blindly at home ran the risk of doing it wrong without anyone to correct him.

He needed to practice in the city.

After all, Shen Qing was only one person with limited energy; he couldn't juggle everything at once.

Shen Xiaohu and Tian Xiaohu had followed him on two trips, so they should be familiar with the process by now.

Having them assist would not only increase their income but also free up some of his energy—a win-win situation.

Shen Qing remembered Ouyang Tiezhu saying that it was best to do stretching and bone-strengthening before the age of sixteen; it wouldn't be as effective once the muscles and bones had set.

Though this seemed to leave plenty of time according to the Progress on the Water Ink Panel,

he didn't dare let that cause him to slack off.

Shen Qing planned to go to Linfeng Hall in Taiping County to practice martial arts whenever he had the chance, at the very least to complete all of the movement technique training.

After another half-an-hour's journey, Hongshan Village's silhouette gradually came into view for the trio.

Shen Qing lifted his whip but hadn't even brought it down on the nag,

when the nag, as if anticipating, already picked up its pace and began to run faster.