"Daughter, are you absolutely sure? What you are asking for is not a small thing. I can have you enrolled within the competition, but you must know that there are rules and regulations for those involved, and although you are my daughter, I won't be able to help you openly with that. I advise you to think about it before going forward with this," Shang Yan Fei said. "Also, you would be joining late and would be at a significant disadvantage at this point."
She had already made up her mind, but it was clear that her father wanted her to think a bit more about it. "That's alright, Father. I will consider it," she replied.
The next day, she had another lesson with Fang Yuan. Before it could start, she expressed her intention to him. Fang Yuan was inwardly smiling.
Ordinarily, Shang Xin Ci would not enter the competition until about five years in the future. However, things had changed, and though he had not anticipated Liu Nan interfering, it looked like his actions had actually led to him benefiting somewhat in that it had accelerated his plans.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Fang Yuan asked. "You would be entering a few months later than everyone else even if you are approved rather quickly."
The Shang Clan Young Master competition was rather simple. Each year, ten Young Masters would be chosen by the clan to compete on an even playing field. They would be given an allowance of 100,000 primeval stones each and then asked to make more through their efforts and within certain guidelines. Those who did not perform well would be kicked out.
And in this, Shang Yan Fei could not openly intervene. Shang Xin Ci was one of his children, but so were many of the other Shang Clan Young Masters. She would have to do this on her own merit, merit that she, as a Rank One Middle Stage Gu Master, did not really have. Her siblings who she would be competing against were all at Rank Three.
Of course, there was one thing she potentially had that the others didn't: the support of Gu Yue Fang Yuan and, by extension, Bai Ning Bing.
That said, she had to know whether or not Fang Yuan would actually support her. She could not just go ahead and open her mouth and ask for his guidance only for him to turn her away later.
"I am resolute," Shang Xin Ci said. "I no longer want to remain cowering in the sidelines. I want to gain actual strength and influence, and I'm willing to work hard for this." She said this with a resolute expression. "But I have one thing to ask, Teacher. In this endeavor, are you willing to support me?"
Fang Yuan pretended to tap his chin and think about it. "Perhaps. Maybe. Definitely. I'll help you," he said at last with a smile.
And with that, Shang Xin Ci was confirmed to enter the Young Master competition. When the news reached her other siblings, many of them had mixed reactions. Certainly, no one was happy about there being someone else to compete against, let alone someone like Shang Xin Ci. Most of them thought that she had entered foolishly with no real chance of succeeding.
Shang Ya Zi muttered under his breath, frowning.
'She's entering at a massive disadvantage right now, though I wonder why she didn't wait for next year to start,' he thought to himself.
In the upcoming months, it would be quite difficult for her to make the kind of money that would be expected in order to get one of the seats, and when she lost in the competition she would face ridicule and might even be punished.
'Oh, but she has that Rank Five Gu Master with her. Is he going to be helping her? It almost feels like cheating!' he cursed to himself. There were rules regarding the competition about what was allowed and what wasn't. Fang Yuan, helping her out of his free will, was well within the competition guidelines. The services of a Rank Five Gu Master could carry one a long way.
'And worst of all, he still hasn't sold that inheritance to me!' He cursed. The Flesh Bone Lord's gu recipes were still up for sale, with neither of the two parties having settled on a price. It was something he had had his eye on. If he could have purchased it for a reasonable price, he would have done so to save his position, but time was running out on that.
'Does he intend to simply give it to Shang Xin Ci?' he thought to himself. No, that would constitute a violation of the rules.
He went by to see Fang Yuan one day about this.
"Fang Yuan, I see you still haven't sold that recipe," Shang Ya Zi said. "Having trouble with it?"
"Why bother going around trying to sell it when I knew the potential buyer would come here?" Fang Yuan asked with a smirk.
"Why you-!" Shang Ya Zi was about to say before calming down. There was a vast difference between the Fang Yuan of before and Fang Yuan now with a Purple Thorn Token. "Alright then - for a price, 650,000 primeval stones."
"Not enough," Fang Yuan said. "800,000 primeval stones."
"Eight hundred thousand! Are you mad! Even if I showed this as a result in the end, I would be castigated for giving such a poor result."
"Then don't show that," Fang Yuan said. "Simply give me the 650,000 first and the rest later."
"You want me to create a false account?"
"How could I, the righteous Fang Yuan ever demand that someone engage in something as underhanded as creating a false account?" Fang Yuan asked. "The first amount is the payment, and the rest is simply a gift you are handing me on account of my virtuous nature."
"..." Shang Ya Zi pondered it for a moment. "Are you going to use those funds to help my sister?" If he gave this amount to Fang Yuan, and he turned around to hand it to Shang Xin Ci, it would truly be penny-wise and pound-foolish. He would just be helping the competition.
"Don't you know your own rules? How can I possibly do something like that? Your clan elders are not stupid," Fang Yuan said. It was true - such blatant favoritism could not be counted as being good for Shang Xin Ci. The competition was about mercantile prowess - simply being given a gift could not be seen as having accomplished that. "We can even seal the deal via Poison Vow Gu."
"I will consider it," Shang Ya Zi said.
"Consider quickly, else I might raise the price by another 50,000."
Shang Ya Zi wanted to beat up Fang Yuan then and there, but knew that such a thing was beyond him.
He returned to his study. It wasn't that he couldn't give Fang Yuan the appropriate amount - it would have to come out of his own balance, but that was a small amount to pay in order to keep his Young Master position.
However, the fact that he had to do so filled him with rage. 'This Fang Yuan, I would like to swear my revenge against him, but what can I do against a Rank 5-'
Just as he was thinking about this, someone reached out to him.
"What is it? Can't you see that I'm busy?"
"Young Master, apologies for disturbing you, there is a Rank Five Gu Master here to seek an audience with you."
"Hmm? Fang Yuan again, what does he want?" Was he here to tell him that the price was even higher than before?
"No, Young Master, he says his name is Liu Nan. Shall I let him in?"