Chapter 331

Wang Xiujin had numerous requirements for those serving in security. After listening to them, the Fourth Prince felt a slight headache. What kind of demands were these? Was Wang Xiujin sure he was looking for gatekeepers and not constables? He doubted even the constables possessed such a high level of skill. "My dear brother, aren't you making things difficult for me? A constable's ability to spot a thief is honed over many years. The men I've just recruited can perhaps put on a decent show if they’re just standing guard, but that’s about it."

"If it were only for show, what need would I have for them? I could just pick anyone from the household staff," Wang Xiujin rolled his eyes. "The other shops and workshops are the same! If the people you recruit are unusable, won't they just become mere ornaments?" Wang Xiujin had just begun to think the Fourth Prince was changing, but now he felt the prince’s mind remained as rigid as ever.

The Fourth Prince realized the truth and his headache worsened. How was he supposed to improve the discernment of these new recruits? His expression turned bitter, and he sighed that Wang Xiujin was nothing but a source of trouble.

Wang Xiujin, however, refused to accept the blame. "What does this have to do with me? I only made a passing suggestion; you were the one who thought it was a good idea and agreed to it." He could never admit to setting a trap for the Fourth Prince. "It’s simple: hire retired constables to train them. Teach your men exactly how they taught the new recruits. If you offer a decent monthly salary, they’ll likely share their best secrets." After offering a few more tips, Wang Xiujin took his leave.

Wang Xiujin had no idea that his casual words would lead the Fourth Prince to decisively establish a secret, innovative academy—the world's first "police" school. Aside from the initial batch of graduates who served the imperial merchants' various shops and workshops, only the most outstanding students thereafter had the chance to work in security. The underperformers were sent to the local magistrate's office to become the most ordinary of constables. Yet, in those early days, these "ordinary" constables repeatedly solved bizarre cases, becoming famous, eventually rising to become chief constables, then entering the Ministry of Justice, and finally returning to the academy as teachers.

At this moment, the academy was still just an idea in the Fourth Prince's mind. He was still contemplating which constables to seek out—men who possessed real talent and integrity, for if they were crooked, they would surely corrupt the students, and Wang Xiujin would never accept them. The Fourth Prince felt that Wang Xiujin was becoming increasingly devious. In the past, he was so easygoing, but now he would draw a circle around you and run off without giving clear instructions. He must have been corrupted by the Li family; their military tactics were famously treacherous.

After meeting the Fourth Prince, Wang Xiujin rushed to the teahouse where he was to meet his "Little Father" (his father's partner). Today was the engagement day for his two second-cousins. The two young women in question were quite different: one was the daughter of a local tutor who was somewhat famous, though not for his literary talent, but rather for his stubbornness. The other was the daughter of a martial arts instructor; since the instructor had no sons, his daughter had grown up practicing with blades and staffs. When Wang Xiujin first heard of their backgrounds, he was stunned. Would his second uncle and his family agree to this? Would they feel the elder branch was overshadowing the younger?

Wang Xiujin asked this quite directly, earning a light tap on the forehead from his Little Father. "Do you think I’m so careless? Naturally, I asked for the opinion of your second uncle’s household before deciding. Besides, there were other suitable daughters of high-ranking officials, but the boys didn't take a liking to them. It just so happens they fell for these two; what was I to do?"

The engagement ceremony was originally intended to be a grand affair, but the tutor had vetoed it, insisting on a simple meeting at a teahouse to exchange betrothal gifts. The martial arts instructor had no such qualms, but since his daughter was getting engaged on the same day as the tutor's, he agreed, planning to make the actual wedding day more elaborate later.

The engagement felt overly simple. Wang Xiujin felt sympathy for the two women. The martial arts instructor's daughter was merely suffering from the tutor's influence, and he wondered if the tutor's daughter would face a similarly bare-bones wedding. A woman’s wedding day is her one moment of glory, and to have it rendered so plain by a father's stubbornness seemed cruel.

During the engagement, one could not see the brides themselves. Seeing his two cousins looking so smug, Wang Xiujin wanted to cover his face in embarrassment. After the tutor finished the necessary formalities, he bowed toward Wang Xiujin. Startled, Wang Xiujin hurriedly stood up to avoid the gesture. "Sir, what is the meaning of this? You must not humble this junior so."

"This respect is deserved. I have seen the work coming out of the New Building Academy, and it has benefited me greatly," the tutor insisted, being a man whom not even ten horses could sway. "I only agreed to this marriage with the Li family because of you. Otherwise, I would never have let my daughter marry into a general's household."

Wang Xiujin raised an eyebrow. Either this tutor was socially inept, or he was intentionally trying to make enemies for him. Why would he say such a thing on this occasion? Wang Xiujin looked at his two cousins and his second uncle's family, feeling deeply concerned. Manager Mi’s expression darkened, and even the martial arts instructor found the comment unpleasant, though he could only awkwardly scratch his head.

The Second Master of the Li family laughed heartily and looked at the tutor. "Sir, those words are not very pleasant. If you look down on the Li family, you might as well say so plainly. While the guests haven't left and no rumors have spread, we can just call it off."

Wang Xiujin’s heart leaped into his throat. He regretted coming. He tugged at Li Linshan’s sleeve, wondering what to do.

"Master, Master! Fire, there's a fire!" Before Wang Xiujin could think of a solution, Manager Wang rushed in, heedless of decorum. "Our shipyard is on fire! More than half of it has burned down!"

"What!" Wang Xiujin jumped up. Dammit, even if he hadn't personally invested his own money into the shipyard, the funds from the national treasury were mostly earned through his hard work. To have it burned down like this—he could hardly remain calm. "Little Father, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I have an urgent matter and must leave." Not waiting for their response, he strode out after Manager Wang.

"Wait, I still have more to say!"

"Say what? Didn't you hear that my shipyard is half-destroyed?" Wang Xiujin wanted to roar. However, reason told him that if he started shouting vulgarities at a scholar like this, it would only reflect poorly on him. He simply left, pretending he hadn't heard the tutor at all.

"How rude! Truly, how rude! I thought someone capable of writing such excellent articles would be a man of culture, but I never expected such a mercenary person."

"Mercenary? I think you’re just an ignorant old man who only knows how to study. You probably don't even know the price of a catty of rice outside, or even how it’s grown! Perhaps you think those are things for 'lowly' people to do, but without those lowly people, you wouldn't even have excrement to eat. Father, Little Father, I’m not going through with this marriage. No matter how good the girl is, with a father-in-law like that, I don't want it."

"Well said!" The martial arts instructor slammed the table. "I’ve been holding back for a long time. If you’re so refined, why come to the most famous teahouse in the capital? You should have gone to a roadside stall. I see you’re just a hypocrite chasing fame." The instructor wasn't a fool; he saw that the Li family and the tutor were finished, and might even become enemies. He had to take a stand to make up for the grand engagement ceremony his daughter had missed.

Wang Xiujin left, and Li Linshan naturally followed. Turning back, he glanced at the tutor who had insulted Wang Xiujin. "A teacher like you would be better off staying home to retire, lest you mislead your students." With that, Li Linshan walked away, ignoring whatever the man might retort.

Once outside, Wang Xiujin, busy questioning Manager Wang as they walked, had no idea what the man had called him. After they quickly boarded the carriage, Manager Wang explained, "The message from the post station is that a group of refugees ran into the shipyard area, snuck in during the shift change at night, and set the fire. Fortunately, it was discovered in time, or the whole shipyard would have been lost."

Wang Xiujin immediately guessed the origin of the refugees—it had to be the remnants of the Kou Kingdom. He was furious, his hands balled into fists, slamming against the carriage wall. He had thought those refugees would only harass commoners, never expecting them to sabotage the shipyard. They likely believed the shipyard was responsible for the large ships that had led to the downfall of their kingdom.

Li Linshan pulled back the curtain and hopped into the carriage, catching Wang Xiujin mid-slam. "What happened?"

Manager Wang repeated the story. Upon hearing "refugees," Li Linshan also guessed the truth. "Were any of them caught? Was anyone hurt in the fire?"

"Some people died, but none were workers from the shipyard. It was a coincidence; the shift change happened, and there was maintenance work, so other than the guards, no one was there. The refugees exploited this gap; otherwise, they would have been recognized." Manager Wang felt heartbroken; the shipyard represented a massive fortune, and a large ship nearing completion was also gone.

"I’m going to the shipyard," Wang Xiujin decided. He wouldn't be at peace until he saw the extent of the damage with his own eyes.

"I'll go with you," Li Linshan said, worried that Wang Xiujin might be in danger if he went alone—the refugees might target him next.

Wang Xiujin didn't refuse. He turned to Manager Wang and asked, "Are all those refugees dead? Did you check if there were any insiders among the shipyard workers? Otherwise, how could they have known exactly where to light the fire?"