Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Nanny Fan was gone for three days straight, but Meng Die carried on with her usual routine of eating and sleeping. Lu Wei, Xing Huang, and Xue Qing were all restless. Xue Qing put aside her embroidery, Xing Huang lost interest in culinary experiments, and Lu Wei found it hard to concentrate on reading.

Meng Die couldn't help but chuckle. "What kind of nerves do you have? If I were to engage in an even bigger venture in the future, I suppose you wouldn't be able to eat at all."

Xing Huang grumbled, "We can hardly eat now."

Meng Die fell silent for a moment before suggesting, "Seeing how downcast you all are, why don't you go outside and lift your spirits? You could build a snowman, considering it snowed again the other night."

Lu Wei and her companions heaved a collective sigh of relief, not because they were about to go out and have fun, but because with the new snowfall, they knew that people would be in the market for fur blankets.

No sooner had they stepped outside than they saw Nurse Fan gliding in from the outside. Xing Huang leaped excitedly towards her, "Nurse Fan!"

Lu Wei and Xue Qing rushed to join them, "How was it? Did it work?"

Lu Wei's sharp eyes fixated on the small box in Nurse Fan's hand, "Did you sell it?"

The three girls accompanied Nurse Fan back into the room hurriedly. Only then did Nurse Fan announce, "It's sold, it's sold!" The trio cheered in unison.

Meng Die put down her pen and shook her head; there was still more practice to be done.

Nanny Fan entered the study with a small box in hand. "Second Lady, these are the banknotes from the sale of furs and blankets."

Lu Wei swallowed, then solemnly took the box, opening it to reveal a thick stack of banknotes, each worth a thousand taels. "Second Lady, take a look."

Meng Die glanced over them. "A total of one hundred thousand taels? Have the business taxes been paid?"

Nanny Fan replied, "Manager Rong has already taken care of it at the Board of Rites. Since we bought goods from a Hu merchant, the tax is different from that of running a shop. For shops, a third of the revenue is taxed, but for Hu merchants, it's one-fiftieth of the net profit. Our net profit this time was eighty thousand taels, so the business tax amounts to sixteen hundred taels. Manager Rong settled it in cash on the spot."

Meng Die asked, "How did Manager Rong fare in his negotiations with those prominent merchants?"

Nanny Fan chuckled. "Manager Rong said that when he first started talking to them, his calves were so tense they felt like they were cramping."

Born into the prosperous region of Yangzhou, Manager Rong had humble origins in a farming family. Despite this, due to the village's wealth and the presence of a clan school, he had the opportunity to read and write for a few days. His life trajectory was initially set to follow that of his ancestors—marrying locally, raising children, and living a peaceful life.

But life is unpredictable. One year, his father was bitten by a venomous snake while gathering firewood in the mountains. He passed away before even reaching home, leaving behind a widow and their young children.

At that time, Manager Rong was only seven or eight years old. His widowed mother was bullied by some ruffians in the clan. Instead of providing justice, the clan elders accused his mother of improper behavior. Already devastated by her husband's death and in poor health, this additional mistreatment worsened her condition. Within two months, she too left this world.

Virtuous Shopkeeper Rong was a male heir, so his clan didn't think much of it. He had two younger sisters, one aged five and the other two. The clan members planned to sell the girls. Originally, they intended to sell them as maidservants to a wealthy family. Shopkeeper Rong secretly followed them, hoping to learn which family they were sold to, so he could earn money in the future to ransom his sisters. Fortunately, he did, for he discovered that his clan intended to sell his sisters to a brothel.

Even at a young age, Shopkeeper Rong understood the implications. He risked his life to cause a commotion, and the elders of the clan, feeling disgraced, expelled all three siblings from the clan. His uncles even seized what little property his family had left.

What could an eight or nine-year-old boy do with two even younger children? Shopkeeper Rong had no choice but to sell himself into servitude. However, his insistence on taking care of his siblings made many brokers reluctant to take them in.

Perhaps there truly is a turning point after extreme adversity. After numerous hardships, Shopkeeper Rong and his siblings finally encountered a benevolent broker who brought them from Yangzhou to Huizhou. It happened that the Magistrate of Huizhou, Meng Tingyi, was looking to purchase servants at that time.

The broker was aware that this magistrate was an upright official who cherished his people like his own children. His household servants also generally showed compassion for the elderly and the poor. After some effort, the three children were eventually sold together to the Meng family.

Meng Tingyi admired Manager Rong's affection for his siblings and his literacy. Thus, he appointed him as a servant by his son's side. Later, when Rong grew older and married the esteemed head maid of the mansion, he became the manager of the cosmetics shop.

Both of Rong's sisters fared well in the Meng household. The second sister served by the current matriarch, Madam Shen, and her husband was a steward in the Meng estate. The younger sister's husband succeeded Rong as the shopkeeper after he took over. Occasionally, when she visited her brother, she caught the eye of the cloth merchant's son next door and eventually redeemed herself from servitude to marry him. They now led a harmonious life.

Manager Rong had always believed that managing a shop diligently with his wife for their master, earning a hundred or eighty taels of silver a year, was already an impressive feat.

When Meng Die started producing soap, due to the high demand, Nurse Fan sent over two younger women to assist with sales. In the shop, the new arrivals took charge of selling, while he entrusted the accounting to Madam Wang. He, on the other hand, assumed the responsibility of crafting various floral perfumes.

Each day, watching the easily obtained flower dew turn into soap and then into piles of silver, he felt that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck. Nurse Fan informed him that Second Madam had said they needed to sell the furs and blankets for a hundred thousand taels of silver. Manager Rong staggered, his legs weakening and his body going numb.

Nurse Fan looked at him silently, with profound sympathy in her eyes. Right then, his wife approached from the front. "Head of the household, the manager from the Yang family's trading company who came yesterday is here again, waiting for you up front."

Manager Rong involuntarily shuddered, taking a deep breath to suppress his fear. He straightened his clothes and went to greet the guest. Naturally, their meeting ended in dissatisfaction. Upon hearing the proposed price, the other party nearly lost their temper.

After bidding farewell to the manager, Manager Rong wiped his back, which was drenched in sweat despite it being the dead of winter.

Shopkeeper Rong was overwhelmed with worry, so much so that he couldn't even bring himself to eat dinner. When it came time for bed, he tossed and turned, unable to find rest.

Madam Rong gave him a kick. "Are you ever going to sleep?"

Shopkeeper Rong replied, "I would if I could."

Madam Rong asked, "What exactly are you worrying about? If they come back, just quote your price. Or are you planning to sell it for even more than one hundred thousand taels of silver?"

Shopkeeper Rong responded, "How could that be possible?"

Madam Rong: "Isn't that the issue? You can't sell it at a high price, and Second Lady won't agree to a low one. As a mere messenger, why are you so worried?"

...

Shopkeeper Rong: That's a valid point. I can't argue with it.

Madam Rong: "Hmm, I think I hear something outside. Go and have a look."

"Seems like it's snowing?" Shopkeeper Rong got up, put on his cloak, and stepped out into the adjacent room. Tiny snowflakes were gently falling from the sky, making the moonlight appear even colder.

Proprietor Rong nearly forgot to close the door behind him as he hurried back into the room. "It's snowing. The weather has turned even colder."

Wife Rong: "Are you still worried now?"

Proprietor Rong: "Heh heh heh, if anyone should be worried, it's them."

That night, Proprietor Rong slept soundly. The next morning, he was full of energy, looking at the sparkling white snow in the courtyard. This wasn't just snow – it was a sight of pure silver.

Not long after the shop opened, Wife Rong came to find him. "Quick, the head of the Yang Family's trading company has come in person."

Clerk Yong drew a sharp breath and promptly adjusted his attire before stepping out to greet the guest. "I apologize for not expecting the Chief Merchant's personal visit. Please forgive my lack of hospitality."

Manager Yang responded, "It was I who failed to present a visiting card. I hope Manager Rong will not hold it against me for this unannounced intrusion."

Manager Rong replied, "Please, Chief Merchant, come in."

Yang Mudu, the head of the Yang family's business in the capital, was roughly the same age as Manager Rong, both in their early forties. He was not the true head of the Yang family's extensive business empire, which spanned the north and south. Yang Mudu oversaw the warm hearth cuisine in the capital, yet he was respectfully addressed as the Chief Merchant.

After entering the reception room, they took their seats according to protocol. Lady Rong personally served tea, which Manager Rong received before presenting it to Yang Mudu with both hands. "This humble tea and modest abode, I hope, will not be found wanting by Chief Merchant."

Yang Mudé: "Master Rong, you're too polite."

Taking a sip of tea, Yang Mudé delved into the matter at hand: "Master Rong, that consignment of blankets and furs is quite substantial. Our Yang family doesn't have the need for so many. Therefore, I was thinking of purchasing half of them."

Master Rong: "That can be arranged."

Yang Mudé: "Regarding the price, my subordinate offered 25,000 taels yesterday, while your side requested 50,000. How about we both make a compromise? 35,000 taels, would that show sufficient sincerity?"

Master Rong chuckled: "Head Merchant, this isn't a matter of your sincerity. The master of our estate has specifically instructed for this amount. No matter how sincere you are, if the payment isn't 50,000 taels, there's nothing I can do. I am merely a messenger, after all."

Yang Mudé: "Don't sell yourself short, Manager Rong. Heroes don't concern themselves with humble beginnings. I believe you're being overly modest."

Manager Rong: This flattery really does make one feel a little dizzy.

"Owner Liao is too kind," Manager Rong pretended to sigh. "In this matter, I truly didn't add a single coin beyond what was said. The amount was entirely determined by the household."

The sound of snow being swept could be heard from outside. Manager Rong casually glanced out the window. "Times have changed. Another snowfall occurred yesterday, and the master of the house is well aware of it."

The major shareholder fell silent, deep in thought.

Madam Rong approached her husband's ear, seemingly in a whisper, "Dearest husband, the head merchants from the Wen and Liu family's trading houses have arrived and are waiting outside."

Though Madam Rong claimed to be whispering, Yang Mudu could hear every word clearly.

Shopkeeper Rong saluted Yang Mudu, "Head Merchant, we have guests. I must apologize for leaving momentarily."

Yang Mudu replied, "We're all acquaintances, I'll accompany Shopkeeper Rong outside."

The moment the representatives from the Wen and Liu families arrived, Yang Mudu knew their negotiations were at a disadvantage, or rather, they had lost the upper hand since the heavy snowfall and drop in temperature. Now, this establishment was the only one in the entire city with a large stock of furs and blankets.

This negotiation proceeded swiftly. As for how the three parties would divide their profits, Manager Shang didn't involve himself. His only concern was to provide goods in exchange for money. Once he received the silver, he immediately went to the Department of Ceremonial Affairs to pay the taxes and then handed the money over to Ama Fan, completing his task.