Chapter 24: Sun Shangxiang Encounters an Assassin

  On the construction site of Shangfang Mountain, a worker accidentally fell from the beam and landed on a wooden board. The wooden board bounced back and hit another person's head, resulting in one death and one injury.

  Zhuge Jun rushed to the scene, and all the workers were waiting there to see how the master would handle this matter.

  During the Han Dynasty, craftsmen were in a low position. When this happened, ordinary families would hastily bury them. Those with good intentions would give some consolation to the deceased's family members, while those who were heartless wouldn't care at all, thinking that people were abundant anyway.

  Zhuge Jian personally examined the wounded man's injuries and saw that his right arm was injured, it seemed that this arm was disabled.

  He instructed Fu Bo to buy a coffin and bury the deceased, pay 30 years' worth of wages to his family according to their current salary, guaranteeing their living. The injured were arranged for treatment, medical expenses reimbursed. Additionally, two years' living allowance was issued. A position as a workshop leader was arranged at the furniture factory.

  The craftsmen were so moved by the master's kindness that they knelt down and vowed to be loyal to him. The house servants did the same.

  Zhuge Jun ordered the person in charge of the construction team to pay attention to safety during the construction. The matter was then dropped.

  After nearly two months of research and repeated practice, the glass was finally successfully developed. Considering that the Battle of Red Cliffs is imminent, he discussed with Huang Yueying to sell the product after some time, and only sent some samples to military and political leaders.

  Since the glassware was born, it has been sought after by people for its pure transparency and smooth texture. Zhuge only sent samples, and the practice of not putting products on the market also highlighted the preciousness of glass.

  Zhuge Jin took the sample of horse lamp produced by his brother to show Sun Quan and Zhou Yu, which aroused their interest. This horse lamp is windproof and rainproof, with a long illumination distance, long usage time, and convenient operation. Zhou Yu immediately said that he wanted to order a batch for the army. But worried that it would be too expensive, he suggested ordering a small quantity for use by high-ranking officials.

  Zhuge Jin said that his brother was willing to share the country's worries and was preparing to sell it to the army at a price of two taels of gold per bowl.

  Sun Quan and Zhou Yu were both very moved. To know that the Han Dynasty's iron production was not high, the horse lamp alone was worth a lot of money just for the iron, let alone it also used expensive glass. Suddenly, he ordered 5,000 lamps.

  Zhuge Jin was worried that his brother had lost too much, so he asked his brother about the cost of the horse lamp. Zhuge Jun whispered a few words in his ear. When Zhuge Jin heard that the cost of one horse lamp was only 6 qian of gold, his eyes widened in surprise, staring at him as if looking at a monster, thinking: "Little Jun is really capable."

  He advised his brother to hand over the glass to the government for exclusive operation, keeping the technology secret, so that others would not interfere. Zhuge Jun smiled and said: "Big brother doesn't have to worry, there are shares of County Princess Sun Shangxiang in this, no one dares to interfere with her."

  Zhuge Jin admired his vision, and in his heart he was also puzzled: "When did his own brother get together with the county master?"

  At Yueliang Mountain Villa, Sun Shangxiang gazed at the entire box of gold and her beautiful apricot eyes also revealed a greedy look, saying: "This is my share, so much!"

  Zhuge said: "This is just the beginning, later you can use gold bricks to build houses."

  Sun Shangxiang ordered the female soldiers to take 200 taels, and the rest were handed over to Huang Yueying, saying: "Just put it here, I don't need it either."

  He wanted to find something for her to do, so he said: "Now the border is at war and there are many refugees. Why don't you go outside the city and open some porridge sheds to relieve the refugees?"

  She had nothing to do, and Erniang and Ling'er were also going, so the three women began to make arrangements for this matter.

  Sun Shangxiang now basically lives at home for a day and then stays at the Inviting Moon Mountain Villa for three days. Madame Wu has an opinion about this, saying that her daughter is grown up and doesn't even want to accompany her anymore.

  As she was going out of town to provide relief to the victims, she might not return for several days, so she went back to the mansion to inform Wu Guotai, lest she worry.

  At this time, Sun Quan was chatting with his mother Wu Guo Tai, and Sun Shang Xiang came forward to pay her respects to the two of them.

  Sitting on the sofa, she said to her mother and second brother: "I want to go out of town to open a porridge shed and relieve disaster victims. I won't be back for several days."

  Madam Wu said: "You've been away from home for a few days, and now you're even more unattached."

  Sun Quan said, "You should spend more time at home with your mother. Why are you often away from home? I heard that you usually live in some mountain villa outside the city. What's so attractive about it?"

  Sun Shangxiang said: "It's an invitation from the Moon Mountain Villa, where everything is novel and unusual. The sofa we're sitting on now was also produced there."

  He said: "The disaster relief is handled by the government, you don't need to get involved."

  She said: "I'm spending my own money for disaster relief, it has nothing to do with your government."

  Sun Quan smiled and said: "You go to relieve the disaster, but it's still taking money from home, how can you have nothing to do with it?"

  Madam Wu said: "Our Xiaohuang knows to care about the disaster victims, it's a good thing. Mother supports you. I have some money here, take it all."

  "Needn't," said Sun Shangxiang proudly, "I have money, a lot of it. I'm a capitalist now."

  Neither of them knew what a capitalist was. Wu Guotai asked: "Where did you get so much money from? What is a capitalist?"

  Sun Shangxiang explained for a while. She still didn't understand some things and after talking for half a day, the two finally understood.

  According to Sun Shangxiang, the people who came and went were Zhuge Jin's younger brother and his family. They didn't seem to have any worries.

  Sun Shangxiang and others set up four porridge sheds. For three consecutive days, they took care of the victims at a location closest to their home.

  On this day, Zhuge Jun finished his work and also came to help.

  There were indeed many disaster victims, and under the organization of the female soldiers, they lined up to receive rice porridge.

  Sun Shangxiang was busy, saw him coming, wiped the sweat on his forehead with his hand, smiled at him and said: "Come and help."

  He walked over and took the spoon from Li'er's hand, standing together with Sun Shangxiang to help her scoop porridge.

  At this time, it was the turn of a man in his thirties. He suddenly threw away the bowl in his hand, pulled out a dagger from his bosom and stabbed towards Sun Shangxiang.