Chapter 5: Growth (Part 2)
Time passed, and before they knew it, the grandfather clock in the living room chimed eleven times. It was already eleven in the morning.
“Is Hogg here?” A clear voice rang out. The Baruch family estate had no gatekeeper, so it was clear that this guest had already reached the front courtyard.
Hogg furrowed his brow and set down the thick book in his hands. “Linley, that’s enough for today.” Then, forcing a faint smile, he walked out of the living room.
“Oh, Hogg, my dear friend, that morning when I heard the song of the cloth-silk bird, I knew something joyful was about to happen. Sure enough, by noon I received your letter. Seeing it truly made me overjoyed.”
“Dear Philip, seeing you makes me very happy too. Hillman, quickly bring over the stone sculpture ‘Fierce Lion’ that I’ve prepared. Philip, come, let’s go to the living room first. The sculpture will be here shortly.”
Listening to the conversation, Linley’s heart ached.
“Selling off another family heirloom?” Linley knew that the stone sculpture “Fierce Lion” was one his father cherished deeply. But the Baruch family, which did not levy heavy taxes on Wushan Town, was truly struggling financially now.
Fortunately, the Baruch family was very ancient. Because of that, they possessed quite a few items with long histories.
Unfortunately, no matter how many items there were, they couldn’t withstand years of selling. Now, the valuable things in the family were very few. Linley couldn’t help but look at the grandfather clock in the living room: “I wonder when that clock will be sold off too.”
A middle-aged man with long golden hair and an air of nobility stepped into the living room alongside Hogg. Linley immediately guessed that this golden-haired man must be that “Philip.”
“Oh, this lovely boy must be your son, Hogg.” Philip smiled warmly, looking at Linley. “Linley Baruch, right? May I call you Linley?”
“It’s an honor, sir.” Linley placed his left hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.
“What a delightful child.” Philip seemed very pleased.
Hogg laughed from the side. “Philip, stop teasing the boy. The stone sculpture ‘Fierce Lion’ you’ve been dreaming of has arrived.” As he spoke, Hillman walked into the living room, easily carrying a stone lion sculpture in both hands, and gently set it on the ground.
A stone sculpture weighing nearly a thousand jin was like a toy in Hillman’s hands, showing just how formidable his strength was.
“Mr. Hillman, your strength amazes me. There’s no guard captain as capable as you in my estate, even though I hold twelve towns’ worth of territory.” Philip said with a smile, but the underlying intent to recruit Hillman was very clear.
Hillman replied coldly, “Wushan Town is my home, sir.”
“My apologies.” Philip immediately apologized.
Philip turned to look at Hogg. “Hogg, while I like this stone sculpture, I have to say the carving technique of ‘Fierce Lion’ isn’t top-notch, let alone comparable to those master sculptors.”
“Philip, if you don’t want to buy it, that’s fine.” Hogg was blunt.
Philip squinted his eyes, then burst out laughing. “Haha… Hogg, don’t be upset. I’m not saying I don’t want to buy it, just stating a fact. How about this—I’ll offer 500 gold coins for this sculpture. What do you think?”
“500 gold coins?” Hogg frowned.
This price was much lower than what Hogg had in mind. He was hoping for 800 gold coins.
On the Yulan Continent, 1 gold coin = 10 silver coins = 1000 copper coins. An ordinary commoner working for a year might earn twenty or thirty gold coins. Even a soldier’s annual pay was only 100 gold coins.
“The price is too low.” Hogg shook his head.
“Hogg, you should know that across the entire Yulan Continent, there are countless stone sculptures with ten-thousand-year histories. The true value of a sculpture lies in its artistry. As for the artistry of yours… well, I just happen to like it personally. 500 gold coins is truly my highest offer. If you don’t agree, then forget it.”
Philip smiled and turned his gaze to the grandfather clock in the living room, his eyes lighting up. “Hogg, if you’re willing to sell that clock, I’d offer 1000 gold coins.”
Hogg’s face immediately turned cold.
“Oh, 2000 gold coins would work too. That’s the highest I can go.” Philip quickly added.
Hogg shook his head firmly. “That clock is not for sale. As for the sculpture, 600 gold coins. Take it or leave it.”
Philip studied Hogg for a moment, then laughed. “Alright, Hogg, I’ll give you that courtesy. 600 gold coins. Steward, bring 600 gold coins.” The steward, who had been waiting outside the living room, immediately fetched the coins and brought them over.
Small yellow pouches—six in total.
“600 gold coins, Hogg. You can count them.” Philip said with a smile.
Hogg picked them up and weighed them in his hand. From the weight and volume alone, he confirmed they were six pouches of 100 coins each. He nodded with a faint smile. “Philip, would you like to stay for lunch?”
“No need. I have matters to attend to back home.” Philip said with a smile.
Philip’s old steward then arranged for two strong warriors to somewhat laboriously carry the stone sculpture away.
After Philip and his group left, Hogg looked at the six pouches of gold coins before him, a hint of gloom in his eyes. This time, it was selling a sculpture. Next time? Though the family still had some items, they would eventually run out.
“Father, I want to learn stone carving!” Linley suddenly said.
Linley understood clearly that across the Yulan Continent, famous master sculptors’ works were worth at least tens of thousands of gold coins, and some renowned pieces even reached hundreds of thousands. Not just in money, but in status, those master sculptors were held in extremely high regard.
“If I become a master sculptor, then… then Father won’t have to sell off the family’s things anymore.” Linley thought to himself.
“Stone carving?” Hogg glanced at Linley coldly.
“Linley, do you realize that across the entire Holy Alliance, with a population of several hundred million, at least several million people have studied stone carving at some point? Yet in the whole Holy Alliance, the true master sculptors can be counted on one hand. And in stone carving, without a good teacher, relying on yourself alone, success is impossible.”
“The circle of stone carving isn’t something just anyone can enter. You only see those master sculptors selling a single piece for tens of thousands of gold coins or more, but do you know that the vast majority of stone carving craftsmen earn only a few dozen gold coins a year?”
Hogg’s tone was very stern.
Linley was startled. He had only mentioned it because he thought stone carving could improve the family’s situation, but he hadn’t expected his father to say so much in such a harsh tone.
“Enough. The ancestral hall needs cleaning and tidying. After lunch today, you will clean it.” Hogg said coldly.
“Yes, Father.” Linley replied respectfully.
Hogg looked at Linley and sighed inwardly: “Stone carving? Child, do you know that I studied stone carving for a full ten years? Unfortunately, my works weren’t worth a single copper.” Hogg had once dreamed of becoming a master in the stone carving world, at least to greatly ease the family’s finances.
But he felt helpless. After ten years of study, his works were worthless. The circle of stone carving masters was like a pyramid.
Famous master sculptors stood at the pyramid’s peak, with status and works worth tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of gold coins.
Countless stone carving craftsmen, however, were at the very bottom of the pyramid. Their works were so cheap it was disheartening, at most sold to ordinary people for a few silver coins to use as decorations.