Chapter Eighty-Three: Yuhua Academy

Outside the western courtyard, Yang Cheng was compelled to purchase another plot of barren land adjacent to his own in order to establish a distillery. This time, unlike before, he planned on a grand scale from the very beginning. Previously, constrained by financial limitations, he could only expand his business bit by bit. Now, with money in hand and confidence in his heart, he could act with much greater ambition.

Some industries were unsuitable for trade between city-states—staple foods, for instance, were difficult to preserve and could not be produced locally and then transported for half a month to neighboring cities. Snacks could be traded, though they had not yet reached significant scale; it was already fortunate if they fostered consumption habits within Xianwu City itself. But wine was different—it was easily stored and transported. So, from the outset, he resolved to lay out the distillery on a broad scale, staffing it for five hundred workers right away.

He commissioned Lord Le Yin to create trial porcelain vessels, intended as wine bottles. He designed containers in three grades—high, medium, and low—with the wine’s name and the Yang Family Distillery’s insignia baked onto them, to help establish a brand. He had already paid a deposit of ten thousand, and the samples were ready, awaiting his order for mass production.

Meanwhile, he had just completed the factory buildings on his side: soaking pools, large iron cauldrons, fermentation tanks—all were in place. The equipment for distilling alcohol, however, was still under trial manufacture by the smiths of the family workshop, not yet fully finished. After all, no one truly understood this technology, so he could only give them a rough idea and have the blacksmiths experiment repeatedly. It would likely be another month before he could attempt brewing, but he was in no hurry—he had time to experiment. He believed in the power of strong spirits, certain that those who were used to drinking cloudy yellow wine would find themselves dazzled.

His previous industries had avoided competition with others, a strategy for discreet development. But once strong spirits hit the market, nearly every wine-making business would become a competitor, and it was inevitable he’d provoke some powerful families. He needed to prepare for this. Beyond the strength of his own family, the distillation equipment and brewing process were vital secrets to safeguard.

Standing atop the rear mountain, overlooking the entire Yang estate, Yang Cheng mused that the family’s expansion was now nearly enveloping a fifth of the mountain. If it continued, eventually they would surround the mountain entirely, and he would need to spend a considerable sum to purchase the mountain’s deed, making it the Yang family’s private domain. Then, many residences and facilities could be built against the mountain, much like the grand families described by Bai Muyun.

At present, only a small parcel of the mountain had been bought, intended for the opening of the academy.

Now the academy was about to begin operations, named by him as “Rainflower Academy”.

Rainflower Academy was built according to Yang Cheng’s design: nestled against the mountain, overlooking the Yang estate, with tranquil surroundings. Besides the classroom building, there were dormitories for teachers and students on either side. In the center, a vast plaza was laid with wooden flooring, featuring a fountain. The fountain’s waters scattered like raindrops into the pool below. He had also specially designed gardens, making the scenery quite pleasant.

The scholars who had been recruited were thoroughly satisfied, all praising it as a sanctuary for learning and nurturing talent.

Unexpectedly, six hundred children were sent from the various workshops—a number that caught Yang Cheng off guard. Fortunately, his plans could accommodate nearly a thousand. It seemed that with the establishment of the distillery, he would soon have to add another teaching building.

The academy was temporarily short on staff, so Yang Cheng himself acted as headmaster. Fifteen teachers each took charge of literacy, mathematics, and civil service exam courses. Only in time, after observing their performance, would he select future administrators from among them.

On the opening day, besides the visiting parents, Yang Cheng also invited Lu Baichuan, Liu Changqing, Bai Muyun (with a cloth-wrapped head), as well as his friends Le Yin and Zhu Buhuo to tour the academy.

The three, Liu Changqing in particular, were widely traveled, but their innate curiosity about Yang Cheng’s creations prompted them to visit together. They kept a low profile, mingling quietly among the crowd.

All expenses at the academy—including lodging and food—were provided free of charge, which delighted the parents; everyone was beaming with joy.

Watching these children from humble families, Le Yin and Zhu Buhuo were deeply moved, and their admiration for Yang Cheng grew. As businessmen, they understood that this was more than just an act of charity; it was a long-term investment. Among these children, some would eventually succeed in the civil exams and become officials, others would prosper in business. These opportunities were forged by Yang Cheng. Year after year, the children leaving this academy would bear the imprint of Rainflower Academy—and perhaps even the mark of the Yangs of South Hill.

That was the reality; yet few businessmen had the foresight, the courage, and the means to accomplish such a feat.

Others saw it differently: only Yang Cheng was willing to devote his energy and resources to children from the lowest strata of society.

Lu Baichuan was no longer surprised by Yang Cheng’s actions; in fact, he felt that nothing Yang Cheng did could astonish him anymore, so frequent were such marvels. In contrast, Liu Changqing, usually unrestrained and irreverent, was today uncharacteristically silent, abandoning his usual jesting for deep contemplation.

Bai Muyun, well versed in the ways of great families, found Yang Cheng, the young master, impossible to fathom.

Running a school was indeed a virtuous undertaking, but Yang Cheng’s thinking was not that of a saint. Everything he did was calculated for mutual benefit—not only to help these families and give their descendants a chance to rise, but also to closely bind their interests to his own. Though these ordinary people were insignificant in the world of cultivation, he understood that it was they who truly built society.

Moreover, he increasingly discovered the shortage of talent—a capable steward like Su was already stretched thin. Even little Wu, who had been with him for only two or three months, was suddenly forced to take on responsibilities beyond his experience. If he wished to extend his influence further in the future, he would need more talented and loyal people.

He could tailor their education to their abilities, training them as warriors, merchants, officials, or at the very least, as managers or technicians for his workshops. No matter how far they traveled, the students of the academy would carry the Yang family’s imprint. The rewards from this would far exceed his current investment.

Besides the standard curriculum, he also added courses in business studies, selecting students with aptitude in this area. He invited Zhu Buhuo and Le Yin, along with himself, to occasionally lecture on their commercial experience. Both agreed, feeling that they were helping a friend and performing a virtuous deed.

He also instructed loyal family warriors, like Zhong Qiang and his peers, to carefully screen the children for talent, and those with promise would receive special training in cultivation. Since Zhong Qiang and his men were direct family retainers, he made no secret of it, requiring them to raise a group of young warriors loyal to the Yangs, thus injecting fresh blood into the family.

Naturally, Zhong Qiang and his fellows eagerly accepted the task. Though the process would take years and yield little immediate effect, it was a worthy effort to strengthen the Yangs. Only with a powerful family could they secure their own futures, and never again endure the heartbreak of wandering or family separation.