chapter 93

Chapter 93: Beware of In-house Thieves

During business competitions, Shen He had witnessed numerous shameless tactics.

Among the assets left to him by his parents was a commercial street. Whenever Shen He visited, he would often hear shopkeepers complaining to him, blaming each other.

On several occasions, Shen He even witnessed them displaying large banners berating the shop across the way. Some criticized the merchandise, while others directly launched personal attacks against the shopkeeper.

In short, it was a bewildering array of disputes, surprising anyone who witnessed it.

If the competition between the shops was this fierce, what his parents had endured was even more chaotic and varied.

While he had heard of such things, being personally subjected to them and having slander thrown at him to his face was a first for Shen He.

He almost couldn't hold back his reaction.

Shen He managed to keep a smile on his face, but internally, he was fuming.

Seriously! This is too much!

It's one thing to imitate my products in just half a month, to pirate them, or to undercut my prices, but to slander me behind my back and then act righteous while accusing me of piracy?

Utterly shameless!

Despicable and low!

Truly detestable!

Shen He gritted his teeth in anger.

Then, he realized another problem.

He had just arrived, and instead of introducing their own products, this waiter immediately began slandering others, clearly targeting him!

Inside, Shen He felt the urge to drag the shop owner out and give him a good beating, yet he maintained a kind smile on his face.

His acting skills were impeccable!

With an aptly curious expression, Shen He inquired, "What's this 'self-ringing bell'? I've never seen one."

The waiter immediately understood. Shen He hadn't visited the other shops yet and was asking about it here.

The waiter became even more enthusiastic, bowing slightly and gesturing inward, "Please come in, sir. We'll serve you some tea. Take your time and have a look."

Shen He entered the shop.

Immediately, someone served tea and refreshments; the service was impeccable.

A person brought forth a self-ringing clock.

Shen He paused, taken aback.

It wasn't identical, but it resembled their own by about 80-90%. The imitation was well-executed.

Shen He couldn't resist, he touched it and found the material almost identical, if not completely so, to theirs.

Holding his teacup, he took a small sip to moisten his throat and began estimating the cost of one such clock in his mind.

Excluding the R&D expenses from his cousin, just factoring in the craftsman’s labor, materials, and wear and tear... it would be close to two taels of silver.

The self-ringing clock, being a mechanical one, has requirements far beyond those of simple spring fans.

This was even considering that they had years of experience, skilled craftsmen, mature techniques, and efficient processes.

For an imitation to come close in craftsmanship would entail significantly higher costs.

Furthermore, when they initially planned to make a profit, Qi Yanbing had spent significant effort recruiting top craftsmen from the capital and even nearby counties. To secure these talents, their families were well-provided for; accommodations arranged, and teachers hired for their children. The initial capital for this was even provided by Zheng Xuezhe.

If these people were to find craftsmen now, the quality would be slightly inferior. How could they achieve such precision?

However, a superficial examination could only discern material and appearance. The crucial springs and gears would need a detailed look after disassembly.

Shen He observed intently for a while, touching it multiple times. Seeing this, the shop assistant became hopeful of a sale, enthusiastically saying, "Sir, I don't mean to boast, but aside from our shop, you won't find another like this. Well, of course, except those shameless imitators who dare to price at twenty taels. They're simply outrageous. Here, it's just two taels. For someone as distinguished as you, this amount is but a trifle. Buying it for its novelty seems worthwhile..."

Shen He interrupted, "I'll take it."

The shop assistant, overjoyed, replied, "Excellent! Sir, did you not bring attendants? We can have it delivered to your residence, so you won't be burdened."

Shen He responded, "Alright, deliver it... to the Heng Qin Prince's Mansion."

The shop assistant paused, his face breaking into a gleeful grin, "Of course, of course! We'll have it delivered promptly. If there's anything unsatisfactory about the clock, please return, and we'll happily replace it with a new one."

The Heng Qin Prince's Mansion! That's a royal residence!

He wondered if this man was the renowned young prince. Though by appearance, he seemed a bit young.

Regardless, he's unmistakably someone of high stature!

The shop assistant, beaming, promptly went to prepare the order and then escorted Shen He to the door. He quickly handed over the payment to the shopkeeper, exclaiming, "From the Heng Qin Prince's Mansion!"

The shopkeeper, having just come downstairs and not having seen Shen He's face, took a glance at his retreating figure and stroked his goatee, remarking, "The young master wears premium Fu Guang forged clothing. Only those of lesser status in noble families can't afford such attire. He truly is someone of distinction. We must tread carefully not to offend such individuals."

The assistant chuckled, "Fear not, boss. When have I ever been amiss with my words? The nobleman was quite pleased, and he's well aware that those other two shops aren't up to par."

The shopkeeper, satisfied, patted him on the shoulder, "Well done. Our goal is to ensure they can't maintain their business."

……

Shen He sent someone to the Heng Qin Prince's Mansion to collect the item, claiming it was a gift from Qi Yanbing.

The self-ringing clock had been on sale in the capital for about half a month. Lianqiao had accompanied them on a couple of trips and was familiar with it.

Heling, puzzled, asked, "Young Master Liu previously sent one to the young master. Why did the young prince send another? Isn't it a redundant gift?"

Lianqiao, with a resigned pat on Heling's hand, responded, "It might be redundant, but it's the thought that counts. The young master doesn't fuss over such details. We can simply place it in a different room."

Heling chuckled mischievously.

Lianqiao sighed. Even at this age, Heling retained her playful nature.

Shen He instructed, "Bring both to my room. I'd like to examine them."

Zhongyan carried both self-ringing clocks into Shen He's room.

Shen He fiddled for quite some time, unaccustomedly dismantling the outer casing, then closely inspected the gears and springs of the two clocks.

... They appear identical?

Skeptical, Shen He positioned a stool beneath the window.

The setting sun cast slanted rays into the room, illuminating it brightly. Under this vivid light, Shen He scrutinized the innards of the two clocks.

Can it be... they're exactly the same?

They really are identical!?

Wait a minute, let me think about this.

As a time-traveler, more specifically, one who transferred his consciousness, Shen He's first thought that popped up was: Could there be another person from my original world who has traveled here too?

Did he soul-travel from the very beginning and this fellow traveler arrived later?

And then this traveler mastered some technology, surpassing him, and established their own fortune?

It's possible. If he could time-travel, why couldn't others?

Perhaps this was a minor subplot in the original story that he had completely overlooked.

Shen He pondered for quite some time, even contemplating whether to meet this supposed fellow traveler and how they might communicate in secret codes.

Three minutes later, Shen He regained his composure.

Wait a minute, if this fellow traveler had technology and wanted to start a business, why would they want to undermine him and block his way of making money?

Let's just assume, for argument's sake, that this traveler is unscrupulous.

But how could they replicate their self-striking clock so perfectly?

Even down to its exact appearance.

Modern self-striking clocks come in various designs. The design they chose was something Shen He crafted, inspired by the various models he had seen in his original era.

Moreover, given that the technology had to be thoroughly researched from scratch by his cousin and considering the limited production capabilities, their clock's internal structure was actually quite different from modern mechanical clocks.

Shen He was certain when he noticed that these two self-striking clocks bore an uncanny resemblance of up to 99%, as if they were made by his own artisans.

Eliminating external factors and the possibility that the competitors could reach their technological level in just half a month, only one explanation remained.

There was an internal issue within his team.

Shen He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, feeling a surge of anger building up inside.

Once he confirmed the internal breach, Shen He could quickly deduce why the counterfeit was selling at such a low price.

They didn't even poach his artisans. Instead, someone within his ranks was bribed, stealing Shen He's self-striking clocks. With zero costs, they could naturally afford to sell at rock-bottom prices.

He needed to think about how to handle this.

One thing is certain: among the craftsmen, the responsible Zhao Zhizhong has not been in contact with these schemers. The problem doesn't lie with him.

Zhao Zhizhong is over forty this year. His elder son, like him, is a blacksmith. His younger son, about the same age as Shen He, took the imperial examination last year when Shen He did. He has since become a recognized scholar.

The entire family is profoundly grateful to Shen He and his group, utterly loyal.

His craftsmanship is the most exquisite among these artisans. Liu Zheng, Shen He, and their group have always only met with Zhao Zhizhong. He handles the prototyping and follow-ups.

Not to boast on Shen He's part, but if the adversary was collaborating with Zhao Zhizhong, he'd have to intentionally sabotage them by not revealing who truly stands behind the shop and workshop.

Otherwise, anyone who knows it's Shen He and their group wouldn't just dare to defame them but even imitating them would be audacious.

Shen He took a breath, not wanting this matter to escalate and affect his earnings.

It's truly infuriating.

Earning money on the side and still facing all these complications!

Currently, Liu Zheng and the others are in the examination hall and will need several days before they can emerge.

Even after coming out, they'll need a couple of days to recover their energy.

He lifted his foot in frustration and kicked a pillar, exclaiming, "Infuriating!"

This needs to be resolved quickly.

Otherwise, if rumors spread and others mistakenly view our genuine products as imitations, what then?

To steal from us is akin to taking money right out of our pockets!

I'm furious!

Shen He didn't stay at home that night. He told Lianqiao and the others that he was heading to the Duke's mansion, not even waiting for advice, and left.

Lianqiao and the rest found it odd, wondering, "Did the young master encounter some trouble?"

Heling playfully tapped Lianqiao with a handkerchief, teasingly asking, "Could it be that our young master has fallen for someone, and that's why he's acting this way?"

Hearing this, Lianqiao was about to laugh but suddenly thought of someone who had been visiting frequently at night, and the laughter froze in her throat.

... Has Heling, with her carefree nature, not noticed anything amiss?

Ever since the young master moved out of the Eastern Palace, why has the Crown Prince been visiting him night after night?

Meeting the young master is one thing, but they've not allowed anyone to tell the young master about these visits, even forbidding Zhonghong from entering, leaving only the young master and the Crown Prince alone together.

Lianqiao held her handkerchief, her fingertips gently digging into her palm, lifting her gaze to meet Zhongyan's.

Noticing he wasn’t smiling either.

She then realized, she wasn't the only one who felt something was wrong.

Lianqiao felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

The young master has always been well-mannered, never associating with the spoiled nobles of the capital. His friends and elder brothers have always protected him, keeping him away from any unsavory tales.

Lianqiao used to think this was good, but she never anticipated that one day, such sordid affairs might befall the young master whom they've lovingly raised.

... It is the Crown Prince, after all.

The Crown Prince, the future emperor.

What if the young master is unwilling? What if he realizes it one day?

Could he ever defy the emperor?

Pondering over these matters, Lianqiao felt her heart constrict, a trace of sorrow in her eyes.

……

The night deepened.

Qi Zhuoyun put aside his work, preparing to leave the palace as usual.

Zhonghong whispered, "Your Highness, the guards outside have sent word that the young master has returned to the Duke's residence today."

Qi Zhuoyun paused momentarily, then turned around nonchalantly, "Very well. Let's leave it for today."

*

Shen He met with Zhao Zhizhong to confirm their suspicions.

Upon hearing Shen He's words, Zhao Zhizhong was greatly alarmed, "Young Master, it's my oversight. I can't believe such an incident occurred under my watch without my knowledge..."

Shen He waved dismissively, "Enough of that. We detected it early; there's still time. Have your son keep an eye on the workshop in the coming days, watching for any suspicious behavior. Also, once you return, have them temporarily number each self-striking clock and then tally them."

Zhao Zhizhong was filled with remorse, "Young Master, we did maintain a count. I'm not sure how we missed this. I will certainly investigate thoroughly once I'm back."

Shen He nodded, "Just counting isn't enough to deter someone from hiding components and assembling them later. Over time, if they keep pilfering, they can accumulate quite a bit. Hence, the need for numbering each item."

To Zhao Zhizhong, this approach seemed futile. If they were stealing parts, what use would marking the whole item be?

What's vital is to catch the thief. Thorough body checks are needed.

In moments like this, Shen He's playful demeanor around family was nowhere in sight. He was notably composed. Glancing at Zhao Zhizhong, he whispered, "We shouldn't tip them off. Do you understand?"

Zhao Zhizhong paused for a moment, then nodded cautiously.

What use is it to guard against a petty thief? When there's a traitor within, constant vigilance is required. Better to expel the traitor and resolve the issue at its root.

Expelling the traitor isn't enough; they also need to identify who they're in contact with.

In the past, Shen He tolerated those who imitated their products. After all, the technology he introduced was modern, and he couldn't monopolize it entirely.

In the capital, some shops imitated their products, and Shen He even knew the families backing them.

Most of these establishments had some restraint. It's rare for a shop in the city not to have a powerful backer, ensuring they don't overstep.

Typically, imitations only appeared about half a year after Shen He's products had been on the market, and their prices weren't significantly lowered.

This time, the level of deceit was unprecedented in Shen He's experience.

The audacity of it was what truly shocked Shen He.

After Shen He's arrangements, most in the workshop remained unaware. Every day was bustling with the clanging of tools. Components were moved to the backyard, where a group swiftly assembled them.

An additional step had been introduced in the past few days: stamping a serial number on each component.

They weren't familiar with the numbers on the stamps and spent considerable time aligning these symbols with the actual counts.

Nightfall approached.

The craftsmen packed up, organizing the parts, and returned the assembled products to the storeroom.

Not many were tasked with assembling the chime clocks; in a small corner at the back, there were only five.

By the end of the day, only eight were assembled. They were carefully stored in the storeroom and locked up before leaving.

As they left, one man looked a bit uneasy, stealing several glances at the locked storeroom.

A colleague called out, "Zhu Tou, what are you looking at? Let's go. Your wife was just talking to mine the other day, saying you haven't been home in days. Where've you been?"

The one addressed as Zhu Tou, a skinny man with a scruffy beard, laughed upon hearing this, "What could I possibly be doing? Wives always have so much to nag about."

His colleague gave him a long look, then shook his head, "Your wife has it tough too. Be good to her. Enough said, I won't lecture you further."

With that, he walked away.

Zhu Tou sneered, watching his colleague's retreating figure, rolling his eyes disdainfully, "Such a show-off."

He wandered the streets, circling around several times.

The night market was bustling, with many stalls just setting up.

He casually ate a bowl of noodles at a stall, and after a few more rounds, returned near the workshop.

"I wonder what's gotten into that bastard Zhao Zhi Zhong these days, introducing these damn quality checks."

It's made things much harder for him.

After several attempts, he finally managed to jump over the wall. After searching for a while, he found some spare parts, slipped them into his sleeves, tied them securely, and with much effort, clambered back over the wall.