Looking north towards the rivers and mountains

Chapter 184 Post-New Year Miscellaneous Matters

Inside the Huangtian Trading Company's signing room, Lu Chaoen had just received his first paycheck: thirty strings of cash.

There's nothing we can do. Although the first month of the lunar calendar has passed, the head of the community still hasn't arrived, so no one can sign off on the distribution of money. We can only wait.

After receiving his wages, he planned to take a day off, including the holiday on the tenth day of the second lunar month, to go back to his hometown, but he was refused – he was too busy to go back to work.

On the ninth day, Manager Huang was the first to arrive at the trading company, followed by an oxcart, which brought a total of one hundred bolts of cotton cloth.

"Cao She, take a look at this cloth first, see if it's any good." Manager Huang handed over a sample bolt and said eagerly.

Shao Shuyi felt helpless. He had no idea whether the cloth met their requirements, but he took it anyway, pretended to look at it for a couple of seconds, and said, "It seems acceptable, but whether we accept it or not depends on them, understand?"

"I understand, I understand," Manager Huang nodded repeatedly.

"In a few days, a batch of livestock will be transported back to Taicang. I'll find you a good spot on the boat to wrap these hundred bolts of cotton cloth, put them into tubes, and take them back with you to show them. If there are no objections, you can prepare more. How many can you weave at most?" Shao Shuyi asked.

When will Cao She be ready?

"That depends on you," Shao Shuyi said. "It can't be later than mid-May."

Manager Huang hesitated when he heard the time.

"Don't always try to take all the benefits for yourself," Shao Shuyi said. "How did you weave these fabrics?"

"I'll hand it over to the villagers to spin and weave, and I'll send someone to collect it," Manager Huang said. "Some villagers grow their own cotton, spin their own yarn, and then weave their own cloth. Others just give them the yarn and let them weave a piece of cloth."

It turns out that it was still a rural handicraft industry, not a centralized workshop system. To put it bluntly, these textile workers were all farmers doing it part-time, simply spinning and weaving in their spare time.

"Then let's find more people," Shao Shuyi said.

Shopkeeper Huang looked troubled. Generally speaking, the fabrics in his shop are processed by villagers he has long-term cooperative relationships with. He doesn't dare to use fabrics from unfamiliar people, firstly because he can't guarantee the production time, and secondly because the quality is inconsistent, which could damage his reputation.

Seeing the troubled look on his face, Shao Shuyi thought for a moment and understood. He immediately said, "You don't necessarily want to buy all the cotton cloth, do you? Tell me honestly, how much cloth can you produce before mid-May?"

Manager Huang thought for a moment and said, "There should be ten thousand bolts."

"Then ten thousand bolts," Shao Shuyi said. "If that's not enough, find someone else. You've been in the cloth business for so many years, you must have people you know who you can contact, right? Have them come and meet me. This matter is urgent, don't delay."

"Yes." Manager Huang felt bitter, but there was nothing he could do.

Whose fault is it? I can only blame myself. After inheriting my father's business, I've been just drifting along for the past ten years or so. The business hasn't grown much, and I've remained in this mediocre state. When opportunities come, I can't seem to seize them and have to share the profits with others.

At the same time, he secretly resolved to visit more villages after returning home, especially those where his relatives could speak, to reach agreements with local elders and gradually expand the scale of his business.

Of course, this is on the premise that his goods can be sold in Liujiagang and that there is consistently strong demand there.

Manager Huang left that afternoon. In the evening, Master Yang, having received the news, hurriedly arrived, bringing with him a batch of raw silk.

His business was much simpler than Manager Huang's, because Old Mo had said last time that silkworm cocoons and raw silk were available for purchase, but at a discount.

The raw silk that Master Yang brought this time was of much better quality. According to him, it was carefully sourced from Jiangyin and Wuxi. "Although I've never done this business before, I can tell that this batch of raw silk is of good quality," Shao Shuyi said. "How much can you supply?" "Five hundred shi (a unit of dry measure)." After saying this, Master Yang hesitated slightly and asked, "Cao She, are these foreign merchants and seafarers really going to buy raw silk?"

"Really buying." Shao Shuyi nodded, then asked, "You don't think they can't weave silk, do you?"

Master Yang smiled awkwardly.

Shao Shuyi felt somewhat helpless. This was typical of businessmen from small towns; they lacked experience, vision, and perspective.

"Do you think Koreans could weave silk?" Shao Shuyi asked.

"Yes. Not only can they weave silk, but they can also make high-quality Goryeo brocade, which is practically a tribute to the imperial palace."

"And what about the Annamese?"

After pondering for a moment, Master Yang nodded uncertainly and said, "I think so."

"Let me tell you," Shao Shuyi said, "it's not just the Annamese who know how to weave silk; people in India, Persia, and even the ancient lands of Daqin (the Roman Empire) also know how." He continued, "India itself produces silk, called 'Punjab silk,' made from wild silkworm cocoons. However, its texture is rather coarse and tough, inferior to that of China. The same applies to Persia. During the Tang Dynasty, Persian brocade entered China, and the Tang people considered it a rare and exotic item, buying it extensively and calling it 'foreign brocade.' Persian brocade follows the same principle as Indian silk; the silk is too coarse, so they would buy large quantities of Chinese silk and transport it back to their local artisans to weave—every little bit helps, understand?"

Master Yang was greatly impressed.

It turns out that silkworms are not unique to China; they also exist in other countries, although their quality is far inferior.

"You shall contribute five hundred shi," Shao Shuyi said. "But there is one condition: you cannot submit a substandard offering. If I discover any dishonesty, I will come to your door to demand an explanation."

Master Yang felt a chill run down his spine.

If you're doing business with a merchant, you might cheat them once and that's it—you've already got the money, what can they do to you? But dealing with this Cao She is a different story, because he really will gather his men and storm into your house to take his anger out on you.

You absolutely cannot offend them, you really cannot offend them.

Fortunately, he's a respectable businessman and doesn't have the intention of selling inferior goods as high-quality ones or making a quick buck. Now that he's back, he definitely needs to keep a close eye on things and prevent silkworm farmers from mixing in substandard raw silk.

After discussing this matter, Master Yang left without delay, departing as soon as it got dark, refusing to stay overnight at the Huangtian Trading Company, clearly in a hurry. On the morning of the ninth day of the second month, Master He, who owned a dye shop and traded printed fabrics, arrived…

On the tenth day of the second month, the monk Huiyong, who had disappeared for two days, quietly reappeared at the Huangtian Trading Company.

"I went to the Ganming Guangfu Zen Temple to investigate. The abbot and Huinian and Huiwang are in the temple," Huiyong said quietly. "The abbot doesn't know what happened at Chongsheng Temple, but he doesn't want to see me. So, if we want to capture the two, we have to get them out of the temple first."

"What is the background of Ganming Guangfu Zen Temple?" Shao Shuyi asked.

"I heard that it was first built in the Southern Tang Dynasty. During the Song Dynasty, Ganming Temple and Guangfu Temple were merged to form 'Ganming Guangfu Zen Temple'," Huiyong said. "This temple has an excellent relationship with Chongsheng Temple, but I have never heard of it having any strong connections with the upper echelons of the government."

"It doesn't matter if they have connections." Shao Shuyi waved his hand and said, "Who could they possibly know? They're just some officials' families who come to offer incense. Besides, there are other temples in the city, which are much better than the Ganming Guangfu Temple in terms of size and number of worshippers. This temple can't stop me."

"Cao She is right," Hui Yong said with heartfelt agreement.

"I have always advocated eradicating evil completely," Shao Shuyi said. "Tomorrow you will lead the way, and I will have someone follow from a distance. If we can get into the mountain gate, this matter will be settled. After it is settled, you can return to Chong Sheng Temple and become the abbot. I only trust you."

"Thank you, Cao She, for your guidance," Hui Yong said sincerely.

"It's nothing." Shao Shuyi hummed in agreement and said, "When you go back, please also inform Gao Jian, the head of Xiama Tuosha Village, and ask him to come to Huangtian Port for a chat. If he really can't get away, a nephew or niece will also be fine."

"Yes, ma'am," Huiyong replied.

"Have you heard any other news?" Shao Shuyi asked again.

"Some members of the Wang Zongsan family have repeatedly gone to the Ganming Guangfu Zen Temple to offer incense and pray for a change of fortune," Huiyong said.

Why?

"I heard that he has recently had several conflicts with Zhao Yangui and others, and has also fought with salt merchants from Huainan. Because he lost a lot of men and the matter became too big, he was reprimanded by Judge Ma Yuanchong. Feeling that he has been having a lot of bad luck, he often burns incense and prays for the protection of the Bodhisattva."

Shao Shuyi laughed and said, "What did he do that he has the nerve to ask the Bodhisattva for blessings? What a joke. But this reminds me that temples are secluded places, and it's easy to find out information that's usually hard to get. When you return to Chong Sheng Temple, I have no other requests, just to gather as much information as possible for me."

"Yes," Huiyong replied on the spot without saying another word.

"Let's get back to Wang Zongsan," Shao Shuyi said, stroking his chin. "I just got back yesterday and learned that salt traders in Huangtiangang and Jiangxia City were beaten by Wang's gang during the first month of the lunar year. One of them suffered multiple fractures and is currently resting at home. It's outrageous." Hui Yong lowered his head and didn't speak. Such a complicated situation was beyond his ability to comment.

However, he could see that a conflict between Cao She and Wang Zongsan was inevitable and difficult to avoid.

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the signing room. A moment later, Yu Yuan's voice rang out: "Brother Gongming, Yang Fucai has brought a guest to visit."

Shao Shuyi waved for the monk Huiyong to step aside and asked, "Who has come to visit?"

"Ji Wu, one of the Twelve Protectors under Zhu Ding," Yu Yuan replied.

"Bring him in," Shao Shuyi ordered, slightly surprised.