APSIL -Chapter 160 The Real “Little Black Room”

At dusk, when Zhang Shou got off the carriage in front of the Imperial College, he immediately saw Lu Sanlang waiting beneath the great archway.

Remembering that this chubby fellow had been the substitute teacher in the afternoon, Zhang Shou was about to ask how things went when Lu Sanlang suddenly rushed over in a panic.

“Little Teacher, this is an emergency! My own mother secretly sent someone to deliver a message just now. She said my old man has taken a liking to some girl from some family, and he’s already preparing to arrange our engagement!”

Lu Sanlang looked as if the sky had collapsed.

“I never expected him to act so quickly! If I don’t find a way out, I’ll be thrown straight into a pit of fire!”

Zhang Shou was greatly surprised.

He had interacted with Lu Sanlang’s father, Minister of War Lu Wan, twice before. He had always thought that man was a deeply calculating and rather cunning high-ranking official.

Regardless of whatever grudges existed between him and Duke Zhao Zhu Jing, after discovering that his usually neglected youngest son had become a mathematical genius personally praised by the Emperor, he might not immediately change his attitude, but at the very least, he shouldn’t casually ruin his son’s life.

Besides, marrying a daughter-in-law was not like marrying off a daughter.

The woman would enter the Lu family and live together with the entire household. If he brought home a troublesome wife who caused endless arguments in the future, wouldn’t Lu Wan himself suffer headaches?

However, the words Lu Sanlang shouted next left Zhang Shou speechless.

“I don’t like those gentle, virtuous, obedient women! Someone like my mother, who listens to my father in everything, would drive me crazy!”

“Actually, Miss Zhu’s straightforward personality is quite good. It’s just that she’s too fierce. Aside from Little Teacher you, nobody else could handle her.”

“Besides, if a virtuous and gentle woman married someone like me who acts recklessly all day, she’d probably be angered to death within a few days!”

You actually know you can make people angry to death?

Seeing Zhang Shou staring him up and down, Lu Sanlang’s confident expression slowly weakened.

Then he muttered quietly: “Although arranged marriages don’t necessarily create unhappy couples, there are still many husbands and wives who treat each other like ice after marriage…”

“By ice, I mean actual ice.”

“I don’t want to spend my entire life dreading going home after marriage.”

“In short, Little Teacher, you must help me!”

As if worried this was not enough to convince Zhang Shou, he added: “Considering that you stole my fiancée and became my teacher, you have to help me!”

You really found the most shameless reason possible…

Do you think I won’t hit you with the ruler just because you’re my student?

Zhang Shou was completely amused.

“Yingying already helped you make plans to find a suitable match. Who would have thought your father would move so quickly?”

“Fine, I’ll ask A-Liu to send her a message later.”

“By the way, I finally have some free time. What about those craftsmen you mentioned before?”

“That?”

Lu Sanlang immediately brightened.

“I already invited all of them over!”

“I’m providing them with delicious food and drinks, letting them live in large houses, and they’re waiting anytime Little Teacher has time to meet them.”

Seeing Zhang Shou agree to notify Zhu Ying, the anxiety on Lu Sanlang’s face instantly vanished.

Clearly, this chubby fellow was thirty percent anxious and seventy percent pretending.

A marriage arrangement was not something settled overnight. Given Lu Sanlang’s former reputation, any family considering marrying their daughter to him would have to investigate for quite some time.

As long as Zhu Ying acted quickly, they should still make it in time.

Hearing this, Zhang Shou glanced at the sky and smiled.

“Then why wait? Today is already the right day. Take me to meet them now.”

“Now?”

Lu Sanlang looked at the sky, which was already darkening.

He hesitated.

“But what if Miss Zhu comes looking for you? Or what if the Duke Zhao’s residence sends dinner…”

Before he finished speaking, A-Liu’s calm voice came from beside them.

“Miss has gone to check accounts. Nobody will send dinner tonight.”

Zhang Shou immediately laughed.

“That’s right. I heard Yingying has been checking the Zhu family shops during the day these past few days.”

“Yesterday was an accident. Today she probably won’t have time to come find me.”

“As for dinner, if A-Liu says there won’t be any, then there definitely won’t be.”

“Since that’s the case, I’ll just go eat at your place.”

“You wouldn’t tell me that you have money and bookstores but cannot afford to treat me to one meal, would you?”

“How could that happen?”

Lu Sanlang smiled awkwardly.

But inside, he was crying.

How could Zhang Shou suddenly launch a surprise attack?

He had made no preparations!

This was going to become a disaster!

However, Zhang Shou had already noticed Lu Sanlang’s resistance.

How could he give this little fatty any chance to escape?

With A-Liu standing nearby, Zhang Shou easily crushed Lu Sanlang’s final attempts to delay things and dragged him onto the carriage.

Along the way, Lu Sanlang desperately tried to find excuses.

He said the bookstore where he had hired craftsmen was in a remote location and inconvenient to reach.

He said he needed to send messages to his managers and workers so they could prepare good food.

He said his mother was still waiting for his reply and he needed to send a servant home.

But no matter what excuse he gave, Zhang Shou calmly blocked them all.

Zhang Shou had already figured it out.

The place where Lu Sanlang claimed he was providing “good food, good drinks, and good housing” for the craftsmen clearly had something wrong.

Otherwise, why would he keep trying to send messages there first?

Sure enough, following Lu Sanlang’s unwilling directions, Zhang Shou discovered the carriage was actually heading south.

If he didn’t know that the inner city gates closed at night, he would have thought Lu Sanlang intended to take him outside the city.

Eventually, the carriage stopped in an alley near the city walls.

The moment the coachman opened the door, Lu Sanlang jumped down.

His eyes darted around.

It was unclear whether he wanted to escape or was thinking of some other trick.

But before he could move, someone silently blocked his path.

Seeing it was A-Liu, he immediately wilted.

Going against this mute young man with extraordinary martial skills?

Was he trying to die?

Thus, under A-Liu’s watchful “escort”…

(though it was really more like being guarded)

Lu Sanlang could only force himself to walk to the gate of a courtyard and knock.

Three knocks later, the black lacquered doors opened.

A middle-aged man with shifty eyes poked his head out.

When he recognized Lu Sanlang, his face immediately filled with a flattering smile.

“Young Master is here?”

“You’re here to check this issue’s manuscript, right?”

“Don’t worry. The brothers are taking turns watching them.”

“Once they finish writing, they get good food and drink. Whatever they want, they have it.”

“If they can’t write…”

“Then they don’t leave the little black room. They’ll stay inside until they finish!”

Lu Sanlang nearly died of fright.

Unfortunately, when he wanted to stop this tactless man, A-Liu was coldly staring at him.

He didn’t even dare make eye contact, much less interrupt.

Only when he realized this idiot was about to cause a huge disaster did he grit his teeth and shout: “What nonsense are you talking about!”

The middle-aged gatekeeper finally realized something was wrong and hurriedly shut his mouth.

Lu Sanlang had just breathed a sigh of relief when a voice came from behind him.

“Why didn’t you let him continue?”

“I’m actually very curious.”

“Lu Zhu, you said you hired many scholars to write books.”

“So this is how you make them write?”

Lu Sanlang turned around.

Zhang Shou’s expression was still gentle and calm.

But Lu Sanlang did not dare relax.

Because he knew very clearly—

Ever since he had expressed his deep dislike for his formal given name, Zhang Shou normally never called him “Lu Zhu” except in certain situations.

Now Zhang Shou had directly used that name.

It meant he was angry.

The fool’s words had exposed everything.

“Little Teacher, listen to my explanation!”

Lu Sanlang hurriedly said: “I provide food and lodging, and pay them according to the number of words written!”

“I really haven’t shortchanged them by even one coin!”

“But some people are simply lazy by nature.”

“Once they have money, they refuse to write another word. They indulge themselves in alcohol and women, spending recklessly without restraint.”

“Only after they completely run out of money do they want to start again.”

“But by then, continuing the previous story is already impossible.”

Watching Zhang Shou’s expression remain unchanged, Lu Sanlang could only continue.

“So several books that were originally very popular among examination candidates and young ladies ended up unfinished.”

“After suffering that loss, I decided to provide food and lodging, recruit everyone to my own place, and provide them with everything they need.”

“The condition is that they focus on writing.”

Although Lu Sanlang’s explanation was extremely convincing, Zhang Shou was not fooled at all.

Wasn’t this just a real-life “little black room”?

When Lu Sanlang made this decision, he must have been possessed by the resentment of countless readers from later generations.

Of course, perhaps the blame should go to Emperor Taizu for creating the tradition of irregular serialized releases.

Then again, when Journey to the West was written during a chaotic era, ordinary people probably didn’t have the time to complain about unfinished books…

Ignoring Lu Sanlang, Zhang Shou walked straight inside.

The gatekeeper, realizing he had made a mistake, wanted to stop him.

But one cold glance from A-Liu made him immediately retreat three steps.

He could only watch helplessly as Zhang Shou and A-Liu entered the courtyard.

And that wasn’t all.

When Lu Sanlang hurried after them, he angrily shouted at the gatekeeper: “Idiot!”

Then he quickly chased after Zhang Shou.

“Little Teacher, listen to me!”

“I prepared whatever those scholars like.”

“Fine wine, delicious food, beautiful clothes, exquisite items…”

“As long as they work hard writing, they have everything.”

“Really! They even have houses and farmland registered under their names now…”

Zhang Shou silently sneered.

But at that moment—

A door suddenly burst open.

A huge, muscular man charged out.

“I quit!”

“I have piles of woodworking jobs waiting at home!”

“I don’t have time to sit here doing nothing!”

“Even if you give me more money, I won’t stay!”

“I’m not like those powerless scholars!”

“If you don’t release me, I’ll fight my way out!”

After shouting this, the muscular man noticed the three young men approaching.

His eyes immediately locked onto Zhang Shou, who stood in the middle with an elegant and refined appearance.

He rushed forward.

His large hand reached out to grab Zhang Shou.

“Just because you’re the son of a minister, you can imprison people whenever you want?”

“My fine furniture is even ordered by officials like cabinet ministers…”

But before his hand could touch Zhang Shou—

Someone grabbed his wrist.

The next moment…

Before he could even feel what happened, his entire body was lifted into the air.

Only when he heard A-Liu’s voice beside him did he realize he was suddenly falling.

Then—

Bang.

He landed lightly on the ground.

Just as fear and shock surged through him, he saw the elegant young man crouching in front of him.

“Uncle, are you a carpenter?”