Growth (Part 2)

Time passed, and the grandfather clock in the living room struck eleven.

“Is Hogg here?” A clear voice rang out. There was no gatekeeper at the Baruch Clan estate, so the visitor had clearly already entered the front courtyard.

Hogg frowned and set aside 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, I heard the call of a brocade bird and knew that good news was sure to come. Sure enough, I received your letter at noon. I was overjoyed when I read it.”

“Dear Philip, I am very glad to see you as well. Hillman, have the stone sculpture I prepared—the Fierce Lion—brought over. Philip, come. Let us go into the living room first. The sculpture will be here shortly.”

Hearing the conversation, Linley's heart ached.

Is Father selling another family possession? Linley knew that the Fierce Lion was one of his father's favorite stone sculptures. The Baruch Clan did not levy heavy taxes on Wushan Town, but its finances were truly in dire straits.

Fortunately, the Baruch Clan was very old, and its long history meant that it possessed quite a few ancient objects.

Unfortunately, no matter how many possessions there were, they could not withstand years of being sold off. Few valuable items remained in the clan now. Linley glanced at the grandfather clock in the living room. I wonder when even that clock will have to be sold.

A middle-aged man with long golden hair and the bearing of a noble entered the living room alongside Hogg. Linley immediately guessed that this blond man must be Philip.

“Oh, this lovely boy must be your son, Hogg.” Philip smiled warmly as he looked at Linley. “Linley Baruch, correct? May I call you Linley?”

“It would be an honor, sir.” Linley placed his left hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.

“What a lovely child.” Philip seemed very pleased.

Hogg smiled from the side. “Philip, don't tease the child. The Fierce Lion you've been longing for is here.”

As he spoke, Hillman entered the living room carrying a stone lion in both hands with ease, then gently set the sculpture on the floor.

The stone sculpture weighed nearly 1,100 pounds, yet in Hillman's hands it seemed like a toy. His strength was plain to see.

“Mr. Hillman, your strength astonishes me. I do not have a guards captain as formidable as you on my estate, even though I hold twelve towns as my domain.” Philip smiled, but his underlying intention to recruit Hillman was obvious.

Hillman replied coldly, “Wushan Town is my hometown, sir.”

“My apologies,” Philip said at once.

Philip turned to Hogg. “Hogg, though I like this sculpture, I must say that the Fierce Lion's craftsmanship is not outstanding, much less comparable to the work of a Grandmaster Sculptor.”

“Philip, if you do not want to buy it, then forget it.” Hogg was direct.

Philip's eyes narrowed, then he smiled. “Hogg, don't be angry. I am not saying that I do not wish to buy it. I am merely stating a fact. How about this? I will offer 500 Gold Coins for the sculpture.”

“500 Gold Coins?” Hogg frowned.

That was far lower than Hogg had expected. In his mind, the sculpture was worth 800 Gold Coins.

On the Yulan Continent, 1 Gold Coin equaled 10 Silver Coins, or 1,000 Copper Coins. An ordinary commoner could earn twenty or thirty Gold Coins in a year of work. Even a regular soldier in the army received only 100 Gold Coins in annual pay.

“The price is too low.” Hogg shook his head.

“Hogg, you should know that there are plenty of stone sculptures on the Yulan Continent with histories of ten thousand years. The true value of a stone sculpture lies in its artistry, and the artistry of yours...” Philip chuckled. “I only like it personally. 500 Gold Coins truly is my highest offer. If you do not agree, then let us forget it.”

Philip smiled and turned toward the grandfather clock in the living room. “Hogg, if you are willing to sell that clock, I would offer 1,000 Gold Coins for it.”

Hogg's face immediately turned cold.

“Oh, 2,000 Gold Coins would do as well. That is my highest price,” Philip added hastily.

Hogg shook his head with finality. “The clock is not for sale. As for the sculpture, 600 Gold Coins. Take it or leave it.”

Philip studied Hogg for a moment, then smiled. “Fine, Hogg. I will do you this favor. 600 Gold Coins. Steward, bring 600 Gold Coins.” The old steward, who had been waiting outside the living room, immediately ran over with the coins.

Six full yellow pouches.

“600 Gold Coins, Hogg. You may count them.” Philip smiled.

Hogg lifted a pouch in his hand. From its weight and volume alone, he could tell there were indeed six pouches of Gold Coins, one hundred in each. He nodded with a smile. “Philip, would you like to stay for lunch with us?”

“No need. I still have matters to attend to when I return,” Philip said with a smile.

Philip's old steward then directed two strong warriors to carry the stone sculpture away with some difficulty.

After Philip and his party left, Hogg looked at the six pouches of Gold Coins before him. This time he had sold a stone sculpture. What would it be next time? The clan still had many possessions, but they would eventually all be sold.

“Father, I want to learn stone sculpture!” Linley suddenly said.

Linley knew that the works of famous Grandmaster Sculptors on the Yulan Continent were worth at least ten thousand Gold Coins, while some renowned works could fetch hundreds of thousands. Those Grandmaster Sculptors not only had money, but also great status.

If I become a Grandmaster Sculptor, Father will not have to sell the family's possessions. That was what Linley thought.

“Stone sculpture?” Hogg looked at Linley coldly.

“Linley, do you know that among the hundreds of millions of people in the Holy Alliance, at least several million have studied stone sculpture? Yet in the entire Holy Alliance, the true Grandmaster Sculptors can be counted on one hand. In stone sculpture, without a good teacher, success is impossible if you rely only on yourself.”

“The circle of stone sculpture is not one ordinary people can enter. You see only that the work of a Grandmaster Sculptor is worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins or even more. But do you know that most stone sculpture craftsmen earn only a few dozen Gold Coins a year?”

Hogg's tone was severe.

Linley was startled. He had only suggested it because he thought stone sculpture could improve the family's circumstances. He had not expected his father to say so much or speak so sternly.

“All right. The ancestral hall needs cleaning as well. After lunch today, go clean it,” Hogg said coldly.

“Yes, Father,” Linley answered respectfully.

Hogg looked at Linley and sighed to himself. Stone sculpture? Child, do you know that I studied it too? I studied stone sculpture for a full ten years, yet my works are worth nothing. Hogg had once dreamed of becoming a master in stone sculpture, if only to greatly improve the clan's finances.

But he was helpless. After studying for ten years, his works were worth nothing. The circle of stone sculpture masters was like a pyramid.

Famous Grandmaster Sculptors stood at the pyramid’s peak. They possessed status, and a single work could be worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins.

Countless stone sculpture craftsmen stood at the pyramid's base. Their works were so cheap that it chilled the heart; at most, ordinary people would spend a few Silver Coins to buy them as decorations.