Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Training Da Niu and Xiao Niu "Yao Yao, why do you want me to take in beggars and orphans?" "Raise them from a young age and cultivate their talents." Zhao Yao had a sudden inspiration. Liang Run immediately understood what Zhao Yao meant and nodded in agreement, saying, "That’s a good idea. This way, you’ll have more people to use in the future." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢 "I just thought of it too—to cultivate a group of loyal and talented subordinates. When I grow up, they will be usable to me." The more Zhao Yao thought about it, the more he felt that this sudden idea was excellent. Unlike his second and third brothers, who had the support of their maternal families with plenty of people at their disposal. Although when he comes of age and is titled as a prince, the emperor will grant him some people to accompany him to his fief, these people wouldn’t be entirely loyal to him nor willing to be used by him. Although his future fief will be small, it still requires management. He had long planned to be a hands-off manager, letting capable subordinates handle all matters of the fief while he travels around with his mother consort. If he adopts some orphans and beggars now and trains them well, they will grow to be not only extremely loyal but also very useful. "Yes, we also need to train a batch of suicide squad." Liang Run said, "I heard that those noble families all have a suicide squad." "It’s not just having a suicide squad, but also people who specialize in intelligence gathering." The reason noble families can remain unshaken for centuries is mainly due to their unique and advanced intelligence agencies. "Exactly, we must also train spies." Liang Run laughed, "Yao Yao, you’re really clever to think of these things." How could he, with a pig’s brain, forget something so crucial? The Liang family has been in business for generations, not only leveraging the entrepreneurial acumen of successive heads of the family but also information. The Liang family has people dedicated to gathering business intelligence. "Second Uncle, we need to cultivate talents in all aspects, such as scholars, business talents, military talents, medical talents, agricultural talents..." "Yao Yao, you’re saying so much all at once, I can’t remember it all." Liang Run interrupted Zhao Yao, "I’ll go get some paper and a pen to write down these talents you’re talking about." After Liang Run brought the pen and paper, Zhao Yao carefully explained again what talents they needed to cultivate. Liang Run very seriously noted down everything Zhao Yao said. "Oh, and we also need people like Uncle Zhang who can command animals." Although Uncle Zhang couldn’t understand animals speaking, he could command Da Niu and Xiao Niu to perform various tricks, which was also a talent he needed. "Yao Yao, I haven’t asked you yet, what do you want to keep them for?" Liang Run asked in confusion, "What can an old man and two monkeys do?" "Second Uncle, don’t underestimate them. They’re capable of many things, especially Da Niu and Xiao Niu. They can do things people can’t. Plus, people generally don’t guard against animals, so animals can easily get close to people and gather important information." Zhao Yao added, "They can also retrieve things that people can’t get." Lai Man, sitting beside Zhao Yao’s feet, suddenly called out softly: [Exactly, we animals are smart and capable, able to do many things people can’t.] Zhao Yao reached out to pet Lai Man’s head and said to Liang Run, "Just look at how capable Lai Man and the others are. They not only guard the Pei Mansion well but also gather information from all over the capital." Lai Man, who was being praised, wagged its tail happily, wearing a very proud and smug expression. Liang Run looked at Lai Man and laughed, "Indeed, Lai Man and the others are quite capable." As for what Zhao Yao just said about Lai Man and the others gathering information, Liang Run was a bit skeptical because, after all, dogs couldn’t speak. "Uncle Zhang and Da Niu, as well as Xiao Niu, will be useful in the future." After saying this, Zhao Yao suddenly remembered that he hadn’t had a proper conversation with Uncle Zhang and the others yet, "Second Uncle, you should take good care of this little beggar first. I’m going to find Uncle Zhang and the others; there are some things I need to explain to them." "Okay." Uncle Zhang lived in a room in the back courtyard with Da Niu and Xiao Niu. Seeing Zhao Yao approaching, Uncle Zhang hurriedly stood up to greet him, Da Niu mimicked Uncle Zhang’s movements, while Xiao Niu had already thrown itself into Zhao Yao’s arms. "Young master, do you have any instructions?" "Uncle Zhang, I want you to properly teach Da Niu and Xiao Niu." Zhao Yao had considered taking Da Niu and Xiao Niu into the palace for personal training and guidance, but he realized they had always been inseparable from Uncle Zhang. If he took them away, they wouldn’t be used to it, and Uncle Zhang would be reluctant too. Uncle Zhang was slightly stunned, then asked, "Young master, how exactly do you want me to teach Da Niu and Xiao Niu?" "Uncle Zhang, can you read?" Uncle Zhang shook his head and said, "I don’t know many characters." "I see, then I’ll first tell you some of the training tasks for Da Niu and Xiao Niu." Zhao Yao originally planned to write a detailed training plan for Da Niu and Xiao Niu for Uncle Zhang to follow, but since Uncle Zhang wasn’t very literate, he’d have to explain some things first. "Please guide me, young master." "First, train Da Niu and Xiao Niu’s climbing abilities well." "Climbing abilities?" Uncle Zhang was bewildered, thinking that Da Niu and Xiao Niu could already climb trees. Zhao Yao, naturally noticing Uncle Zhang’s confusion, said, "The climbing ability I’m talking about is not just simple tree climbing but enabling them to climb anything, especially being able to silently climb onto beams or places where people cannot access." "Huh?" Uncle Zhang was again puzzled. Beams, places where people couldn’t go? Was the young master asking Da Niu and Xiao Niu to steal things? "I’m not asking Da Niu and Xiao Niu to become thieves, but sometimes they need to reach places that people can’t climb or access to do something." Uncle Zhang seemed half-understood, "Young master, I’ve never taught Da Niu and the others these things." "No worries, as long as you teach them, they will learn, won’t you, Xiao Niu?" Zhao Yao looked down at Xiao Niu lying in his arms. Xiao Niu nodded repeatedly: [We will learn well.] "Young master, what exactly should I do?" asked Uncle Zhang, having never taught the things Zhao Yao mentioned and completely uncertain on how to proceed. "I’ll teach you..." Zhao Yao proceeded to explain in detail how to train Da Niu and Xiao Niu. Uncle Zhang listened very attentively, "Young master, rest assured, I will surely train Da Niu and Xiao Niu well." Zhao Yao told Uncle Zhang to first go find Liang Run since Liang Run had things to discuss with him. Zhao Yao then planned to talk closely with Da Niu and Xiao Niu. Da Niu and Xiao Niu were already very smart and perceptive, and now that Zhao Yao could understand their speech, communication was very easy. Zhao Yao informed Da Niu and Xiao Niu about the training methods. Da Niu and Xiao Niu listened very carefully. "If you train well, there will be rewards." Zhao Yao used a tone like coaxing a three-year-old to Da Niu and the others, "Whatever tasty things you want to eat or whatever you desire, I’ll give them to you." When Da Niu and Xiao Niu heard there would be rewards, their eyes immediately sparkled, with their pretty little faces glowing: [We will definitely train well.] "The next time I come to see you, I will check your training. If you train well, there will be rewards. Training poorly will mean punishment." Zhao Yao said, gently patting Xiao Niu’s bottom, "I’ll spank you hard." Da Niu and Xiao Niu were so frightened they immediately covered their bottoms. The mother and daughter shook their heads in unison, showing a look of fear as they spoke in unison: [It hurts, don’t spank.] "If you don’t want a spanking, train well." Zhao Yao pointed to Lai Man and told Da Niu, "If you need to find me, you can first go to Lai Man and tell him what’s up so that he can inform me." Lai Man wagged its tail and said: [We are already friends; you can come to me anytime if anything comes up.] "Lai Man, you have to visit Da Niu and Xiao Niu on my behalf often." He could only take leave once a month. The next time he could take leave would be the next month. Lai Man happily assured: [Don’t worry, Yao Yao, I will come to see them every day.] After finishing with Da Niu and Xiao Niu, Zhao Yao went to find Liang Run and Uncle Zhang. Liang Run had also finished his talk with Uncle Zhang. "Yao Yao, it’s still early; do you want to go for a walk?" Liang Run said, "I will have Uncle Zhang watch over the little beggar." "Of course, I want to go out." There wasn’t much time left before nightfall, so he needed to hurry and play. Once he returned to the palace, he wouldn’t be able to play.