Chapter Twenty-Four: The Fruits of a Month

Time drifted slowly, like water flowing in a gentle stream. Everything proceeded in an orderly and measured pace.

Over the next month, Su Ziye indeed allowed Liu Ru to take a larger role in his entire operation. Regarding materials, Su Ziye no longer needed to fetch supplies himself from the Shining Gold Guild; instead, the guild dispatched dedicated staff to deliver goods to the academy’s designated exchange point, from where academy personnel transported them to the Sun Tower. All accounts and expenses for these transactions were handed over to Liu Ru for management.

For processing the raw materials, Su Ziye used the academy’s resources to construct thirteen so-called “Sparkling Water Integrated Machines.” Together with the original, there were now fourteen machines, all placed on the fifty-sixth floor of Sun Tower. Led by Senior Zhou Yi, a team of academy students was recruited to operate them in shifts. As chief instructor, Su Ziye kept nothing to himself, teaching them every detail of the operating procedures and the precise ratios for ingredients.

Though the production tasks were demanding, the machines greatly reduced the need for manpower. Typically, five people were enough to maintain the rhythm of production, but Su Ziye insisted on nine per shift. In fact, as this was something novel, applications from students eager to investigate numbered in the hundreds, and Zhou Yi was entrusted with screening them all.

It proved true that, despite seeming unreliable at times, Senior Zhou Yi could be incredibly dependable.

During the remaining month, Su Ziye tried to establish a small factory to standardize the manufacture of glass containers, specifically designed for bottling the sparkling water. The glassmaking process was already highly refined, so this factory was even simpler than the integrated machines.

Thus, within the academy, besides the self-serve sparkling water tanks, there were now many small bottled versions directly available for enjoyment.

“Currently, with ample supply of raw materials, the academy’s capacity for producing concentrated syrup is three thousand kilograms per day, which allows for about sixty thousand kilograms of academy sparkling water. At five hundred milliliters per bottle, that’s one hundred twenty thousand bottles daily. Of these, fifteen thousand bottles are sold internally, and the remainder are delivered in full to the Shining Gold Guild, which pays one Copper Sickle per bottle at wholesale. The daily gross profit is forty-five Gold Leaf, and current net surplus stands at twelve hundred Gold Leaf,” Liu Ru wrote smoothly, then took a deep breath and handed her final ledger to Qingyi.

Qingyi received Liu Ru’s report; for the past month, she had been reviewing all progress, but Liu Ru’s direct written summaries were always the most crucial. This monthly conclusion, even for her, could not be taken lightly.

“Twelve hundred Gold Leaf?” Qingyi exclaimed in astonishment.

To grow from one Gold Leaf to twelve hundred in surplus within just a month—given that a hundred Gold Leaf equates to the wealth of ten middle-class families—meant Su Ziye had conjured up the equivalent of twelve prosperous households out of thin air in thirty days.

With the initial investment being nearly negligible, the rate of return made Qingyi gasp in disbelief.

“Yes,” Liu Ru replied, nodding at Qingyi. “But since the Shining Gold Guild handles all sales on their own, we don’t know the exact figures. I suspect they haven’t managed to clear all inventory, but from their constant urging for more stock, their anticipated sales must be very promising.”

“There’s only one issue,” Liu Ru said, lowering her head.

“What issue?” Qingyi asked.

“It’s the supply problem from the Shining Gold Guild. Su Ziye has begun seeking sources from other guilds in the empire, but facing opposition from Shining Gold, and given the sensitivity caused by the rapid sales of academy sparkling water, there’s no compromise yet. Meanwhile, the guild’s supply has slowed—the raw materials Su Ziye needs may be ordinary, but the volumes are immense. It’s not yet the season for cane pressing, and even fresh white sugar is hard to procure, not to mention the many spices required in small but varied quantities.”

“And,” Liu Ru paused, “the Shining Gold Guild has also been trying to imitate the academy’s sparkling water.”

“So, have they succeeded?” Qingyi asked.

“Of course not,” Liu Ru replied coolly. “But I expect their attempts will continue, since they’re increasingly aware of the vast business potential. The inherent profit motive of merchants means they can hardly ignore such a tempting opportunity, especially when all they can get is the crumbs.”

“If not for the academy’s reputation holding them in check,” Qingyi laughed.

“Indeed, the academy’s name is simply too effective,” Liu Ru agreed.

After a month of practice, Liu Ru had grown more comfortable in her role. Su Ziye treated her almost like a house steward, entrusting her with all financial flows and personnel decisions. On top of that, Liu Ru maintained a heavy academic workload and her duties with the Snow Burial Society—a schedule so packed that even iron-willed people would struggle.

Yet Liu Ru gradually learned to seek balance, gritting her teeth and shouldering the burden.

“So, what’s he doing now?” Qingyi wondered aloud.

Yes, what was Su Ziye doing now?

He had built all the frameworks himself. Even at its most conservative, this business would yield twenty thousand Gold Leaf a year. That was only two percent of his ultimate goal, but it had only been a month.

If Su Ziye had new ideas or plans ahead, all these impossibilities would become increasingly within reach.

“Well,” Liu Ru was genuinely stumped by the question. “I’m not quite sure myself.”

“Will you go see him?” Liu Ru asked, looking at Qingyi.

“I suppose I could,” Qingyi nodded. “But is he available now?”

Recently, Su Ziye seemed both idle and overwhelmingly busy. No one had seen him about. In fact, since joining the academy, his class attendance was the lowest among all students.

From Liu Ru’s perspective, it was because Su Ziye, even at Nightleaf Academy, had little left to learn. He had come only because he needed to, and wanted to.

Moreover, what he wished to accomplish now could not be done anywhere but within the academy’s environment.

“He’s available,” Liu Ru replied simply.