At this moment, hearing that Master Liu was not present caught Wang Guan slightly off guard. But he quickly regained his composure; even though Elder Qian had given a heads-up, Master Liu hadn't known he was coming today, so it was entirely normal for him to have stepped out.

The reality proved this: the young man said, "He's gone to the lakeside to fish. What do you need him for?"

"Just as I suspected…" Wang Guan felt reassured, then smiled, "I've come to ask Master Liu for help in casting a bell."

"Casting a bell?" The young man frowned, sizing Wang Guan up again, then chuckled, "You must be the Wang Guan Elder Qian mentioned."

"Yes, that's me." Wang Guan nodded quickly, asking curiously, "Brother, may I ask your name?"

The young man appeared to be around thirty, built rather solidly, with thick eyebrows and large eyes that gave him an air of simple honesty. Judging by his somewhat darkened skin and the thick calluses on his hands, Wang Guan suspected he might have inherited the family trade and could very well be a bell-caster himself.

"Liu Zhicheng." At that moment, the young man introduced himself, then beckoned, "Come in for a cup of tea. My grandfather probably won't be back until noon."

Wang Guan accepted graciously, following Liu Zhicheng inside to sit in the living room.

After pouring tea and water, Liu Zhicheng casually asked, "What specifications does the Buddhist bell you want cast require? Are there any special requests?"

The specifications for ancient bells varied widely in size and design were also very particular.

Take the most famous Yongle Great Bell as an example: it stands 6.75 meters tall, has a diameter of 3.7 meters, and weighs 46.5 tons. The lip is 18.5 centimeters thick, the body is smooth, without a single crack, and inscribed with 230,184 characters of Buddhist scripture inside and out, not one character missing. Its casting craftsmanship is exquisite, making it a treasure of Buddhist culture and calligraphic art.

Naturally, the bell's quality and tone are also key. Otherwise, even if one cast a ten-meter-tall bell, enough to secure a Guinness World Record, if the sound was muffled, harsh, and unpleasant when struck, and the bell warped or flattened after a few tolls, what good was such a massive bell?

So, before coming, they had already discussed the specific requirements for the Buddhist bell and written them down on paper. Now, Wang Guan simply presented this sheet of paper to Liu Zhicheng.

"The bell should be between three and four meters high. No special requirements for the shape; it just needs to look suitably ancient and rustic," Wang Wang Guan spoke at length, "The only requirement is speed—good and fast. While ensuring quality, the sooner it's finished, the better…"

"Understood." Liu Zhicheng nodded slightly, already beginning to deliberate.

"Oh, right."

At the opportune moment, Wang Guan asked again, "You'll be using traditional methods to cast the bell, correct?"

"Of course, purely handcrafted," Liu Zhicheng confirmed. "But as you know, things made by hand value slow work for fine results. Casting this large bell won't be done in three or five days; it will take at least a month to complete."

"Fine, a month it is," Wang Guan nodded, finding that understandable.

"We have guests?"

As the two were discussing, a thin, simply dressed old man slowly walked in, carrying a fishing creel and rod—evidently Master Liu, just returned from fishing.

"Grandpa, you're back." Liu Zhicheng looked up and immediately laughed, "Weren't you going fishing? Did you have luck so quickly? Oh, this gentleman is here through Elder Qian to cast the Buddhist bell…"

"Greetings, Master Liu." Wang Guan quickly stood up to pay his respects.

"And greetings to you." Old Master Liu smiled kindly, casually setting down his empty creel and rod, then turned to Liu Zhicheng and said, "Ah Liang will be here shortly; go pick him up."

"What?" Liu Zhicheng's face immediately fell. "Why is he coming again?"

"Watch your tone."

The old master glared. "He is, after all, the grandson of your second great-uncle. Can't he come visit his old uncle now?"

"Absolutely not."

Perhaps due to his intense displeasure with Ah Liang, Liu Zhicheng made no attempt to conceal his feelings from Wang Guan, stating bluntly, "That kid has certainly caused some trouble again and is here seeking refuge. Grandpa, you best stay out of this. Even Uncle and Auntie can’t be bothered with that scoundrel anymore, threatening to sever ties; why should you trouble yourself?"

"It’s precisely because you're too kind-hearted that the boy runs over here every few days. Gluttony and freeloading is one thing, but he also has sticky fingers—he takes whatever he sees."

As he spoke, Liu Zhicheng’s anger flared. "I won't even mention other things. He actually dared to take and sell our great-grandfather’s ashes box! That's sheer self-loathing and madness. If you hadn't stopped me, I would have beaten him until he was crippled."

"Alright, alright, don't be so angry," the old master consoled. "Your great-grandfather's ashes were moved to the grave long ago; only the empty box remained, gathering dust in the corner for decades, completely ignored. If he hadn't dug it out, I would have forgotten that box was even in the recess. A cursed box, useless to keep at home; it’s his skill if he could sell it…"

"We have guests, mind your words a little,"

Patting Liu Zhicheng on the shoulder, the old master then turned with a smile. "Young man, regarding the Buddhist bell, do you have any specific requirements?"

"Sturdy and durable, with a resonant tone…"

Every family has its own tangled issues. Wang Guan naturally didn't press further. After stating a few basic requirements, he added with a smile, "It’s all written down anyway; I’m sure for Master Liu, it presents no difficulty."

"It’s certainly not difficult."

Old Master Liu examined the paper for a moment and immediately chuckled, "You're too rushed. If you had the patience to wait three to five months, I could cast a Buddhist bell for you on par with the Yongle Great Bell."

"Is that so?" Hearing this, Wang Guan felt a slight stirring of interest, but hesitated.

"Are you truly in such a hurry?" the old master asked with a smile. "You could use a different bell for the time being, and swap it out once the great bell is finished."

Truthfully, Old Master Liu had a bit of selfish motive. After all, bell-casting was not a booming industry; getting an order once every two or three years was considered good. During quiet periods, business was scarce, and Old Master Liu was quite stir-crazy.

It should be known that bell-casting doesn't allow for practice runs. From melting the metal to completion, the process demands uninterrupted flow; pausing midway would likely ruin the bell. So, without an order, the old master couldn't just cast one for fun—it would cost a fortune.

Elder Qian had mentioned that Wang Guan was not short of money, and Old Master Liu was eager to swing a big hammer one last time while he still could, lest in a few more years, even the desire would be outweighed by inability.

The old master knew the state of his own health; aging and waning strength were natural laws that even he couldn't escape. While he still had some strength left to cast a bell with his own hands, he needed to cherish the opportunity. Otherwise, in the future, he could only stand by, directing and advising, acting purely as a strategist.

Wang Guan did not share the old master's sentiment regarding his own mortality, but the suggestion was certainly tempting. However, thinking of the urgent need of the monk on the mountainside, Wang Guan could only reply helplessly, "Master Liu, you don't realize, this is the foundational bell for establishing the temple. Once hung, it probably cannot be changed later."

"I see." Upon hearing this, although slightly disappointed, Old Master Liu understood. After all, stability was paramount in a monastery; the Buddhist bell should ideally last as long as the temple itself. Replacing it midway would not bode well.

"Then we'll proceed with that."

Despite his disappointment, something was better than nothing, and Old Master Liu had no reason to refuse. He nodded casually. "It should be done in about a month. You cover the material costs, and also…"

"One million is for the materials," Wang Guan said knowingly, handing over a check, smiling lightly. "The other five hundred thousand is your labor fee, Master Liu."

"Hmm, that will suffice." Old Master Liu accepted without ceremony, taking the check and passing it to Liu Zhicheng, then instructing, "Start tomorrow. You go make the preparations."

"Yes."

Unlike the old master's composure, Liu Zhicheng was quite pleased to receive such a substantial sum. After carefully stowing the check, he started to move toward preparation as instructed, but the old master called him back.

"Do you know what you need to prepare?" the old master asked.

Liu Zhicheng blinked, hesitating slightly. "Call Uncle-Master and the others to come help? And contact the suppliers to send over a batch of metal materials?"

"Didn't I say we start tomorrow?" The old master shook his head. "You stubborn boy, haven't you seen we have a guest? Hurry up and prepare lunch."

"Ah! Got it." Liu Zhicheng suddenly realized, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Since you know, go on. Prepare some local specialties."

While giving instructions, the old master turned back with a smile. "The whitebait from Poyang Lake is quite good…"

"It is excellent, I eat it often!" Wang Guan replied, not in Mandarin, but in standard local dialect.

"Oh?"

Hearing the dialect, Old Master Liu looked surprised. "Are you from Wuning?"

"Yes."

Wang Guan admitted readily. Since the business was settled, it was time to build rapport. Discussing business first then building rapport might cause aversion, but settling the matter first before discussing personal connections would more likely foster a good impression.

The difference in sequence yielded a different result. Upon discovering Wang Guan was somewhat local, Old Master Liu instantly became much warmer. Previously, his smiles, though amiable, held a trace of unfamiliarity, shown out of respect for Elder Qian. Now, his demeanor was entirely one of close friendliness.

"Uncle-Grandpa, I’m here."

Just as the two were chatting animatedly, a young man carrying two baskets of fruit peered around the doorway, his shifty eyes darting around. Not seeing Liu Zhicheng, his smile grew even broader. His slightly hunched back instantly straightened, and he strode into the living room as if on a mission.

"Ah Liang."

Seeing this person, Old Master Liu immediately smiled. "You're here so soon? I thought you wouldn't arrive until noon."

"Got lucky, no traffic jams," the young man explained, immediately placing the fruit baskets on the table next to Old Master Liu, then smiling slyly, "Uncle-Grandpa, where's Brother Cheng?"

"He's gone to fetch groceries."

The old master gestured. "We have a guest, and now that you're here, we should certainly have a good meal."

"Oh?"

The young man glanced curiously at Wang Guan—that look gave Wang Guan a decidedly bad impression…