Finest Servant

Chapter 336 Two Consecutive Victories

Seo Jang Geum nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, sir. If that's the case, allow me to demonstrate first." At this point, the two sides were in competition. In order to assist Goryeo in achieving its wish, Palace Lady Seo would naturally be forthright with Master Lin.

She picked up a thick red candle, whittled it down to one-quarter its size, and then drilled a small hole parallel to the wick, threading a silk line through it, then sealed it with the wax. Following this, she cut off the portion of the thread embedded with the candle.

"Young sister, could you give me that Nine-Turn Jade Bead?" Palace Lady Seo turned to Cuiyun with a gentle smile.

The young palace maid handed her the jade bead, and Seo Jang Geum aligned the bead's small hole vertically to the ground, slowly threading the silk into the bead. The interior of the bead was filled with twists and turns, and the first part of the thread, hardened by the wax, struggled to pass through. Carefully, Palace Lady Seo lit the red candle and heated the bead a bit. The wax thread softened from the heat, and it started to slowly make its way into the bead.

What was clever about this technique was that by sealing the thread with wax, which would soften from the heat, the melted wax would flow downwards, leading the thread forward. However, it required precise control; even a moment's delay could cause the wax to block the hole. Seo Jang Geum was exceptionally skillful and patient. She worked with the utmost concentration, a faint bead of sweat appearing on her nose as clear as jade, a sight to behold.

Lin Wanrong chuckled at the ingenious yet cumbersome method. This technique could only be completed by someone patient and determined like Seo Jang Geum; anyone else would have failed. Yet, this was a perfect representation of the Goryeo people's national character, something truly worth learning from.

Navigating the rugged twists and turns inside the Nine-Turn Jade Bead was not an easy task. Seo Jang Geum spent a significant amount of time, having to backtrack several times, before she was able to thread the silk through the small hole, although the inside of the bead had become sealed with wax. Even so, her solution was unprecedented. The onlookers were in awe of her dexterity and determination, breaking into applause in celebration of her successful pass.

Palace Lady Seo responded with a shy smile and bowed to the young palace maid Cuiyun, "I'm sorry. Even though I've threaded it, the thread can't be pulled through. I've caused you trouble."

Cuiyun hurriedly responded, "Sister, since the thread is already through, you have naturally passed."

Palace Lady Seo smiled slightly, turning to Lin Wanrong, "Sir, it's your turn."

Cuiyun had already lit a candle, melting the wax obstruction inside the bead. After it had cooled, she rinsed the bead, and droplets fell from the hole, indicating no further obstructions. She then handed the bead to Lin Wanrong.

From his pocket, Lin Wanrong pulled out a slim bamboo tube, grinning as he said, "The tool I use might be a bit unique. Don't be scared, ladies." He opened the tube to reveal a tiny ant. Cuiyun let out a startled yelp, while Seo Jang Geum's eyes widened in curiosity as she watched him.

Lin Wanrong carefully tied the thread around the ant's leg, and then secured the jade bead with nine holes onto the table. He smeared some honey at the other end of the thread. Seo Jang Geum exclaimed in realization as the plan dawned on her.

When he reckoned that the scent of the honey had diffused sufficiently, Lin Wanrong placed the little ant into the jade bead's hole. With its keen sense of smell, the ant followed the scent of the honey, and in no time, made its way through the bead.

The onlookers blinked in astonishment. Could this actually work? If Seo Jang Geum's method was marked by its randomness and inability to be replicated, then Lin San's method was so simple that even a three-year-old could do it. How did he come up with this?

"Ha ha ha—" The Emperor laughed heartily. "Prince Cheng, you certainly have an eye for talent. Minister Xu, this Lin San is truly a talent."

"Your Majesty, to be frank. The more I interact with Lin San, the more I feel that there seems to be nothing in this world that can stump him," Xu Wei said with a smile.

"Is that so?" The Emperor responded with a deep smile.

"Sir, how did you think of this?" Seo Jang Geum asked Lin Wanrong curiously.

Lin San, with a profound smile, replied, "If you don't complain about me in front of the Emperor next time, I'll tell you." Seo Jang Geum's face flushed, and she found herself at a loss for words.

"The first question was answered by Mr. Lin and the Goryeo prince," the little palace maid Cuiyun announced.

"Lu Dongzan, what should we do? They've already answered one question," Ashile, visibly worried, said to his counselor.

"Don't worry, Ashile, there will always be opportunities, we still have three questions left," Lu Dongzan replied confidently.

"The second question," Cuiyun announced as she tore open another wax-sealed envelope. Suddenly, hundreds of soldiers appeared in the distance, each group of three carrying a log. There were about a hundred logs in total, all of similar thickness.

"For this question, there are one hundred logs of the same thickness present. Please distinguish the root end and the tip end of each log," Cuiyun said sweetly.

Upon hearing this, silence fell over the crowd. All the logs were of the same thickness. How could one tell the root from the tip?

Seo Jang Geum was deep in thought when she heard two voices simultaneously declare, "I can distinguish them."

One voice came from the distance, speaking in accented Chinese—it was Lu Dongzan, the counselor by Ashile's side. The other voice came from Lin Wanrong, who was standing right next to Seo Jang Geum.

Seo Jang Geum asked in disbelief, "Sir, can you really do it?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I might be able to. We'll only know if we give it a try."

Lu Dongzan also stepped forward onto the stage and greeted Lin Wanrong, "I am Lu Dongzan, a counselor under the Turkish Khan. Nice to meet you, Mr. Lin."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "Guests are always welcome. Since Brother Lu knows how to tell which end is the root and which is the tip, you should go first."

Lu Dongzan nodded with a slight smile, saying, "To differentiate between the root and the tip of a tree is not so difficult, albeit it might require some destructive measures. Just as people age, trees also have growth rings. The closer to the root of the tree, the deeper and more noticeable these rings are. We only need my Turkic warriors to saw off the tops and bottoms of these hundred logs, distinguish the colors of the rings, and we can then discern the head and tail, root and tip."

The concept of tree rings was a novelty to many in the crowd, who listened with confusion. Only Lin Wanrong nodded gently. It was no wonder the Turks had managed to endure for so many years; they truly possessed talent. While the concept of tree rings was common knowledge in future generations, hearing it from a Turkic person in this era made it all the more extraordinary.

"Minister Xu, is what Lu Dongzan says correct?" The Emperor asked, his brows furrowing.

Xu Wei nodded and replied, "Your Majesty, my daughter Zhishing once studied this. Indeed, it's true that trees have rings and they are more apparent closer to the roots. Lu Dongzan is not an ordinary man. He is the foremost advisor in the court of the Turkic Khan and holds the title of National Master. In this round, I fear he might win."

"What about Lin San? Does he stand a chance?" The Emperor suddenly asked, a glint of hope flashing in his eyes.

"Well, I dare not make a hasty judgment on that. To surpass Lu Dongzan, Lin San would have to come up with an even more ingenious method," Xu Wei said.

As they spoke, Lu Dongzan had already commanded his Turkic warriors to saw off the top and bottom of a log, indeed revealing deep tree rings on one side. Seo Jang Geum nodded as she watched, whispering, "The world is vast and filled with wonders. Today, I have gained new knowledge."

Seeing that Lu Dongzan was about to order another log to be sawn, Lin Wanrong quickly laughed and stopped him, "Brother Lu, as you said, your method is highly destructive. I have a method of verifying the tips and roots of trees as well. Let me do my verification first, then you can choose ten logs to saw. This way we can verify the accuracy of my method and also conserve resources. Planting trees is hard work, we should protect them and our forests."

Lu Dongzan nodded in approval, "That's an excellent method. How do you plan to verify it?"

Lin Wanrong slowly stepped forward, saluting the hundreds of soldiers carrying the logs, "Brothers, could you help me by rolling these logs into the river?"

Both Seo Jang Geum and Lu Dongzan curiously observed Lin Wanrong's every move. Xu Wei clapped his hands, regretfully saying, "Ah, why didn't I think of this? Congratulations, Your Majesty, we have won this round."

After the logs entered the water, they bobbed a few times before gradually settling down. Then, an unusual phenomenon appeared. Each log, identical in size, showed completely different levels of buoyancy at each end. Lin Wanrong, laughing, said, "Brother Lu, as I see it, the end of a log floating on the water surface is the tip, while the part submerged is the root. What do you think?"

Lu Dongzan gave a thumbs up, saying, "Master Lin, you are indeed learned and versatile. You have thought of such a simple method. I admire you greatly."

Ashile quickly came over and asked, "Lu Dongzan, what is the reason for this? Why is the part floating in the water the tip, and the part sinking the root?"

Lu Dongzan smiled and explained, "Trees reach towards the sun, drawing water from their roots. Therefore, the root is denser, while the tip is slightly lighter. On the surface, they appear the same size, but they are different on the inside. If we randomly select ten, we can confirm this by examining the rings."

Soldiers had already selected ten logs and sawed them open. Just as Lin Wanrong had said, the heavier part was the root and the lighter was the tip. Without a doubt, Lin Wanrong's method was simpler and more practical. Both Lin San and the Turks passed this round, but Lin San had clearly outshone the Turks. This was an indisputable fact, one even Lu Dongzan couldn't deny.

"Master Lin, where did you learn all this knowledge? May I study under you?" Seo Jang Geum couldn't help but ask, filled with admiration.

"Self-taught. Mostly self-taught," Lin Wanrong laughed. "Palace Lady Seo, do you wish to become my student? Oh my, this might not be a good idea. I have always struggled to control myself in the presence of beautiful women. If anything were to happen between us, how could I face the longstanding friendship between our two noble nations? It's better not to."

Palace Lady Seo's cheeks, as delicate as jade, bloomed with a beautiful blush. She lowered her head, not daring to speak for a long while.

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