The Liu clan, even though Liu Qian was but a minor character in the grand scheme of the clan, could not take the lying down from the Zhang clan. Although having risen to prominence only in the last hundred or so years, had a stranglehold on a lot of businesses that had ties with the Zhang clan.

By the end of the month, the Liu clan had already severed several of the Zhang's clan several businesses, with these businesses rejecting the Zhang clans' escort attempts to continue with their contracts. Today's meal was a simple bowl of rice and salted fish. To put it frankly, a peasant's meal, but Zhang Chao cared not.

As long as you had food in your stomach, you're doing a lot better than other people.

The tea was bitter but at the dinner table, the laughter didn't subside. Zhang Qin talked about how the neighbours' kid had tried tricking Zhang Chao into falling into a pit filled with cow dung but he had turned the tables around instead as Zhang Tie laughed in approval.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chao spoke of what the tutor taught, which wasn't much, to be frank, as Zhang Chao's learning far exceeded that of the tutor, aside from refining calligraphy, where he has found his own style of writing as well, much to Zhang Qin's approval. Meanwhile, Zhang Chao has limited the production of paper to only be done at night, when his parents are asleep

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Now, he had stockpiles of paper, where each stack was secured by linen and stamped with the family's seal on top. The warehouse had perhaps several packets worth by now, with the small scale of production.

As time went by, Zhang Tie's hair whitened and Zhang Qin looked more worried as well but any topic of conversation about money or the hardships changed once Zhang Chao was in the room.

However, four months after the letter was sent, things changed.

As the autumn winds fell pitifully in front of the Zhang household, Hou Ning sighed as he swept the leaves to the side. The household was so gloomy that even the servants could feel trouble was coming even though the Zhangs made sure their wage was given on time and young master Zhao was never a bother aside from his insane orders in the night. By now, they had a huge pile of the weird thing in the warehouse and the young master wanted more and absolute secrecy.

Yet, in the distance, a procession of yellow and red approached, the person walking at the front knocking a gong loudly, with a reddish and yellow palanquin being pulled by two horses behind him rolls down the street. On the front, sides and back of the wagon were dozens of soldiers, clad in heavy plate armour, some flag bearers carrying the banner of the country, an Imperial Dragon.

Hou Ning stared for a few moments as the procession rolled in front of the house and stopped.

A man wielding a dragon sabre rode his horse to Hou Ning's side and asked, despite his rough-looking appearance, "Is this the house of the Zhang clan?"

"Y-Yes? How can we help you? The master and mistress is in the house..." Hou Ning stuttered as the man on the horse dismounted and knelt in front of the palanquin.

"Your Majesty, this is the Zhang household!"