Chapter 70: Trade

Chapter 70: Business

The two lay in bed, Yu Lanyi nestled in Zheng Shanci's arms, drifting off to sleep. Zheng Shanci absentmindedly scratched his hair, his mind as calm as a still lake.

Zheng Shanci felt a bit concerned.

He was only twenty-two, and next month would be his birthday, turning twenty-three. It shouldn't be time for him to start losing hair yet, even if it was just a little. Who knows what the future holds.

He looked at Yu Lanyi's jet-black, glossy hair and softly complimented, "Lan Yi, your hair is so dark and thick."

Yu Lanyi responded eagerly, running his fingers through his own hair, "Of course, I eat Polygonum multiflorum (also known as Fo-Ti), black sesame, and walnuts."

After a moment's thought, "I also have a few boxes of horse mane ointment."

This ointment was developed by imperial physicians for the royal family. It contains astragalus, angelica, duhuo, dried rehmannia, and black sesame oil, among other traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients. It can clear heat and promote blood circulation, with miraculous effects on treating hair loss. The name derives from the idea that hair can become as flowing as a horse's mane.

Zheng Shanci noted to himself.

Yu Lanyi said, "I'll give you two boxes. When I go back for the New Year this year, I'll bring back a few more." The ointment was expensive and required connections to obtain, but for the Marquis of Changyang's household, it was nothing.

"Alright, I should take better care of my hair too," Zheng Shanci said.

Yu Lanyi was amused. He ran his fingers through Zheng Shanci's hair, which was also dark and smooth. Why the sudden interest in hair care? Such things were usually favored by young men and ladies, but it was good that Zheng Shanci was paying attention to it. Everyone wants to live with a refined gentleman, and they would be together for a lifetime. He was already thinking that far ahead.

"Zheng Shanci, you really should take better care of yourself," Yu Lanyi said earnestly.

Zheng Shanci silently cheered himself on.

With thoughts of potential baldness, Zheng Shanci fell asleep.

...

Amidst the chirping of birds and cicadas, the weather was too hot, so Yu Lanyi and the others went to the Xia family's estate to play. They took along his elder brother, sister-in-law, and younger brother, leaving Zheng Shanci alone to guard the house.

He noticed the flowers in the official estate, which had already begun to bud. He hired two gardeners to tend to them. Flowers suitable for sandy soil included carnations, corncockle, cockscomb, February orchid, pot marigold, and snake plant. Most of the flower seeds Zheng Shanci bought in Lan County were pot marigolds.

Pot marigolds typically come in purple, white, and pink, with petals that curve downward at the edges and a golden center, making them rather unremarkable in appearance. The leaves are typically oblong-ovate with wavy edges and slight serrations.

Not all flower seeds are fragrant; some even have an unpleasant odor. The scent of pot marigolds is subtle, resembling the smell of grass. Additionally, pot marigolds are a medicinal herb that can improve appetite and sleep, lower blood pressure, and enhance heart activity.

They can be planted in either spring or autumn. Zheng Shanci chose to plant them in spring, calculating that by autumn, Yu Lanyi would return to the capital for the New Year. He could then bring back the perfume he had crafted to showcase to the noble ladies and young men of the capital, not wasting a good promotional opportunity.

Osmanthus (also known as sweet olive) thrives in sandy soil. It prefers areas with good water retention, strong aeration, and loose soil. Zheng Shanci set aside a plot of land near the lake for planting osmanthus. Since the land belonged to the county government, Zheng Shanci had no issues with site selection. To improve fertility, he planned to first apply more farmyard manure and then use dung pellets.

"Several layers of autumn clothes, but the osmanthus fragrance is the strongest." The fragrance of osmanthus can carry far, but if made into perfume, its aroma should be toned down to become more elegant, making it suitable for wearing. Some prefer a subtle perfume, which can use pot marigold as the top note. Younger men and ladies might prefer a stronger scent, making osmanthus a better choice for the top note. Zheng Shanci took the target audience into account when selecting and cultivating the plants, as only by accurately understanding the target market could the product be successfully marketed.

One gardener remarked, "Lord Zheng, we fertilize the pot marigolds every half month, and they are flourishing. As for the osmanthus, it naturally adapts to the soil here and is quite resilient, requiring little maintenance to thrive."

"Look, the pot marigolds have even grown lateral roots."

Zheng Shanci bent down to look and indeed saw small lateral roots beside the main stem of the pot marigolds. The flowers were flourishing, and Zheng Shanci offered a few words of encouragement to the gardeners. He thought that once the perfume was ready, he would need to hire more gardeners. Everything had to start small, and only after achieving results could it be expanded. Starting with a factory and large-scale production without buyers would only lead to unsold stock.

After seeing Zheng Shanci off, the two gardeners filled their watering cans and tended to the flowers, one watering and the other pruning. One was a middle-aged woman, and the other was a young woman, both with round, kind faces. The younger woman wore a floral top and trousers, which were more convenient for working in the flower beds.

They had their own plot of land where they grew flowers and also cultivated crops. However, as women, their strength was less than that of men, and after paying taxes, the remaining grain was barely enough to feed themselves. They didn't have much land, as more would be too much to manage and would attract unwanted attention. Fortunately, she had loved planting flowers and plants since childhood, and the flowers she grew could be sold at the market for some extra money.

Aunt Duan and her daughter, Duan Niang, worked here for Zheng Shanci, managing the flowers. A house had been built nearby, and they lived there comfortably.

"Mom, I'll go buy some ribs today. Let's have ribs for dinner and buy some white radish to stew," Duan Niang said cheerfully. Since coming here, they had been undisturbed, quietly tending to the flowers. Their monthly wages were paid on time, and they were free to come and go. The place was secure; who would dare to trespass on an official estate? Only someone with great audacity.

"Then go buy it. The radish and pork ribs need to be stewed for a long time until the radish is soft and mushy."

In the past, they could never have afforded to eat like this. They only ate homegrown vegetables, sparingly using oil and salt. Usually, they would just drip a little oil and add more water to cook the vegetables. Now that they are earning money, they indulge a little more. From time to time, they buy pork, chicken, or duck to enhance their diet and satisfy their cravings. Occasionally, they even eat out at Lord Zheng's restaurant. Doing what they are good at and enjoy, Lord Zheng gives them freedom and even lets them live in the house for free, paying them fair wages.

Aunt Duan couldn't help but feel happy inside. She only hoped that Lord Zheng would remain in office as the magistrate of Xinfeng County for a long time. But then she thought, how could someone as capable as Lord Zheng stay in such a backwater forever? He would surely move to more prominent locations in the future. No matter where Lord Zheng goes or if he no longer remembers them, they will always remember him. He is their benefactor, and they must show their gratitude.

Duan Niang responded and, when the time came, she grabbed a basket to the market to buy pork ribs. She picked a well-marbled cut of ribs, then selected two pounds of white radish, spending a total of forty wen altogether.

She also needed to buy a few spices. Since they were out of them at home, she bought a jar of oil and a jar of salt. The price of oil had dropped, a wen less than before. She bought extra for later use.

Duan Niang also selected a few vegetables and bought half a chicken, planning to make Kung Pao chicken when she got back.

"Forty wen altogether."

Duan Niang opened her purse and handed the money to the vendor, who took it with a smile. The basket was now full, and Duan Niang was about to return home when she heard someone call her name.

"Duan Niang, there you are." The speaker was Aunt Yue from her former village. She looked Duan Niang up and down, barely recognizing her. Duan Niang was wearing a floral top, and her pants appeared to be cotton instead of hemp. Her complexion was fair, and she even wore a silver hairpin, quite different from her appearance in the village.

Aunt Yue also noticed how easily Duan Niang parted with her money, handing over forty wen without hesitation. The basket even revealed a bit of meat. It seemed Duan Niang had made it big.

"Aunt Yue, what a coincidence. I have things to do at home, so I'll head back now. Let's catch up another time." Duan Niang exchanged a few pleasantries and then left with her basket. She and her mother had no one to rely on in the village. Her father was gone, and her mother was a widow with a fair complexion. Some unmarried men or shameless old men in the village had wanted to take her mother as a wife.

Such people were no good, only hoping to offer a meager dowry, maybe one or two taels of silver, to take both mother and daughter into their homes to serve the whole family. It was a pit they couldn't jump into, so Aunt Duan had always insisted on staying with her daughter, refusing to remarry. Life was harder for two women in the village, but they lived honestly, though always on edge. Sometimes, even the slightest noise would make them tense, fearing someone might suddenly appear in their house.

Thinking of her days in the village, Duan Niang still felt a chill. In the county town, no one knew them, and gossip had no basis. They had escaped the village, no longer trapped under others' prying eyes. Living quietly like this, doing their own thing, was much more enjoyable.

Duan Niang smiled again at the thought and quickly returned to the flower garden with her mother.

Aunt Yue watched Duan Niang walk away so quickly and couldn't catch up. She went back to the village and told everyone about it. In the village, even the smallest matters were exaggerated, let alone something as sudden as becoming wealthy. Everyone had their own speculations, their tones tinged with envy, and they spoke in vague, unclear terms.

"What kind of business are they running? Two women out there, how are they making so much money?"

They spoke ambiguously, as it didn't concern them.

Aunt Yue returned home still thinking about the Duan family. It was pitiful. The villagers had initially been kind and sympathetic to them, but because the mother and daughter were so attractive, they had offended most of the women and young men in the village. Aunt Duan's refusal to remarry had also made the men in the village covet her, leading to jealousy and, over time, strained relationships.

"Mom, do you think I could find a job like Duan Niang's in the county?" The young girl always dreamed of living the good life like others in the city. Born and raised in a farming family, how could they survive in the city? They only knew how to work the fields. Even their embroidery skills couldn't compare to the trained seamstresses in the city. They could only embroider for fun and sell their work in the town.

In the city, without a livelihood, they would be pushed along, seeing the glamorous city life but always feeling inferior, hunched and timid. The city was good, but only if you had work and money. Otherwise, it was no better.

Aunt Yue scolded, "If you want a good life, then finish your farm work and practice your embroidery. Maybe you can work in a textile factory. At the very least, when you get married, you can embroider a few things to supplement the family income. As for Duan Niang, don't think about it. Who knows what kind of business she's in? You can't follow her example."

The girl responded, but her eyes still sparkled. She wanted to go to the city and find a proper job.

Aunt Yue urged her daughter to get back to work, "Go cut the pigweed. When you come back, you'll need to put the chickens in their coop. There's a lot to do. Don't waste time thinking about these things. Just listen to what's said and don't take it to heart."

Meanwhile, Lord Zheng was still thinking about the perfume. The perfume needed to extract the essence from the petals, which could be done by pressing the petals to extract the juice and storing it. Alcohol also needed to be added, usually about a quarter of the mixture, to ensure the perfume would evaporate properly and have some lasting power. Distilled water was needed for a lighter perfume, as it would make the scent more subtle. The ratio was something Lord Zheng couldn't quite grasp, so he had to experiment step by step.

For the perfume bottles, he planned to use small ceramic bottles. There was no need for straws or spray nozzles, which required rubber. Lord Zheng intended to combine the lid and brush. When perfume was needed, the lid could be opened, and the attached brush could be lightly brushed on clothes to leave a scent. It could also be applied to the wrists and behind the ears.

The ceramic bottles needed to be small and delicate. Large ceramic bottles might look impressive, but they lacked the charm of small, cute items. These small, exquisite objects were more appealing and gave off an air of luxury. He noticed that the bottles and jars on Yu Lanyi's dressing table were all small, about the size of a palm, lined up like soldiers on duty.

Lord Zheng had Wang Fu brew him some goji berry and ginseng tea to drink while he worked. He needed to work, but he also had to take care of his health. When he had free time and finished his work, he would do some push-ups in his large office.

His mind was always busy. Having the support of the Yue family was a great help and a motivation for him. To say that he and Yu Lanyi were forced together, Lord Zheng would be lying if he said he had no thoughts about it.

Everyone envied Yu Lanyi's family background. Even if Lord Zheng had just arrived, if it were before the Pei family's banquet, he wouldn't have gotten involved. But he happened to arrive and immediately became connected to Yu Lanyi. Behind Yu Lanyi stood such a powerful family, and in ancient times, a good family background was crucial.

Thinking of this, Lord Zheng smiled again. Now, whether he had a family background or not didn't matter. His heart was already given away.

"Lord Zheng, there are several merchants who want to discuss a big deal. They are after the formula for the concrete road," Scribe Jiang entered to inform Zheng Shanci. These out-of-town merchants couldn't get to Zheng Shanci directly, so they turned to Ding Xuan and Scribe Jiang. They even approached Tan He, but Tan He was too busy with the concrete road to socialize with them. He understood that only by completing the concrete road could he achieve his goals. Socializing was of little use to him now.

Scribe Jiang was different. A long-time county office veteran, he was a seasoned hand in Xinfeng County. Such old hands were often crafty. He knew when to delay the merchants and how to network without spending money. Lord Zheng disliked corrupt officials, so he restrained himself from becoming one; Lord Zheng disliked slick individuals, so he sometimes played the fool, acting naive; Lord Zheng wanted to build Xinfeng County well, and he followed his lead. He would mold himself to fit his superior's expectations.

If his superior wanted him to be a certain way, he would be that way.

Zheng Shanci listened and said, "Set up a meeting for us."

Scribe Jiang nodded, agreeing.

He sensed Lord Zheng's interest in the matter. Although Lord Zheng was stringing the merchants along, Scribe Jiang believed it was likely to succeed. Otherwise, having only Xinfeng County with the concrete road would be too conspicuous. If Lord Zheng aimed higher, he needed to make a bigger impact, so that those above would notice. Such feats would be impossible to overlook.

Heh, in the future, Lord Zheng's rise might even owe something to Scribe Jiang.

Scribe Jiang left, his steps light and brisk.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Fang of Lan County was still playing with the parrot in his cage at the county office. A few days ago, the Deputy County Magistrate had mentioned that many merchants had come to Lan County. Magistrate Fang's interest was piqued—merchants meant profit. The Great Yan Dynasty imposed two taxes: the residence tax and the transit tax. The residence tax was levied on merchants who settled and sold goods, usually at a rate of three percent. The transit tax was a two percent tax on goods passing through. Merchants paid taxes at every city, accumulating over the year. These taxes were then passed on to the price of the goods, making them more expensive. And that was just the official taxes—there were also under-the-table fees.

The under-the-table fees were much higher than the official ones. To pass through a city, merchants often faced demands for bribes from corrupt officials. They had to bribe everyone from top to bottom, or else their goods would be seized, and they wouldn't be able to deliver on time, resulting in significant losses and damage to their reputation. Merchants traveled far and wide, relying on the two words: integrity. Traveling merchants valued these words highly, while some settled merchants didn't care as much.

Wherever they went, money was needed.

Magistrate Fang awaited the merchants' dinner invitation when the Deputy County Magistrate came in with a grim face and reported, "Magistrate Fang, they've all hired carriages and headed to Xinfeng County."

Magistrate Fang was dumbstruck, his hand freezing mid-play with the bird.

The walls of the county office were white, but Magistrate Fang's face turned green.

The Deputy County Magistrate dared not speak further, lest he provoke Magistrate Fang's wrath. In truth, some merchants from Lan County had also gone to Xinfeng County to seek opportunities, but since the two counties were close, nothing major had happened.

The Fan family was highly renowned in the Qingzhou region. Not long ago, they had returned from Xinfeng County with a full load of goods, which they then sold throughout Qingzhou, making a fortune and boosting Xinfeng County's reputation. It was a win-win situation.

Magistrate Fang paced back and forth in his room, feeling uneasy. It was like having meat at his lips, only to see it fly to someone else's mouth. There was nothing he could do but accept his bad luck.

"This new guy is quite impressive," Magistrate Fang muttered to himself.

Impressive indeed. Some people had heard about the concrete road and, for no other reason than its novelty, wanted to visit Xinfeng County just to boast about it later.

Fan Ping had brought goods from Xinfeng County back to Qingzhou. The silk was sold directly to silk merchants, which was straightforward. As for the liquor, medicinal herbs, and spicy sauce, the Fan family had their own shops and could handle the goods themselves.

After traveling so far, they needed to maximize profits by selling the goods at higher prices. When Fan Ping returned to the Fan family's main house in Qingzhou, he called for the manager of the wine shop. "Sell this liquor. One tael of liquor for six qian of silver."

In Xinfeng County, one tael of liquor sold for thirty wen, but in Qingzhou, Fan Ping sold it for six hundred wen.

The manager saw that the wine jar was unremarkable and thought it couldn't possibly be worth six qian. With Fan Ping's permission, he opened the jar and smelled the liquor. His eyes lit up. "Master, I'd like to taste it."

Fan Ping, holding his daughter and peeling a grape for her, nodded.

The manager drank a bowl of the liquor and felt a fiery sensation in his throat. This liquor was incredibly strong. With this liquor, what could other liquors even be called strong? Not only was six qian reasonable, but even seven qian would be acceptable.

The manager took his leave.

Back at the wine shop, he devised a plan. He placed the customers' favorite liquor behind the Xinfeng County liquor and had a clerk hire a shill to act out a scene.

Regular customers came to buy liquor and saw their favorite liquor placed in the back, seemingly neglected. They were displeased. "Why is the liquor placed so far back? It sells well here, doesn't it?"

"Exactly. This makes me not want to come back. Are you pushing some new liquor and neglecting my favorite?" The speaker, dressed in a long robe, was a famous wine enthusiast in Qingzhou. He was the second son of the wealthy Xiao family, who spent his days idling with only one hobby—drinking. The Xiao family had tried everything to control him, but to no avail. In the end, they let him be, as the family was wealthy, and his elder brother was capable. The second son could afford to be a bit foolish.

Xiao Er pounded the table in dissatisfaction.

The manager of the tavern hurriedly said, "Xiao Er, this is genuine liquor, newly acquired. Wanna give it a shot? If it doesn't stack up to what you've had before, our tavern will let you drink for free this entire month."

Xiao Er raised an eyebrow, and the crowd instantly erupted in excitement. Xiao Er was not short of money, but being provoked like this made him eager. The manager shook his head at the decoy on the street; having Xiao Er cause a scene was more credible than any decoy. The manager smiled even more kindly.

"Since you've said so, if I don't accept, it would seem as if I'm afraid of you," Xiao Er said, extending his hand, signaling the clerk to pass him the liquor. The clerk handed it over with a smile. The clerk had also tasted how strong this liquor was.

Xiao Er opened the jar, and a strong aroma of liquor hit him. Those beside Xiao Er also caught the scent. He took a deep breath. Could this stuff really be that good? His craving for liquor was stirred.

Pouring the liquor into a large bowl, the rich aroma of top-shelf liquor spread. It smelled incredible, and the crowd began to get restless. Most of those gathered here to watch the spectacle were people who enjoyed drinking.

Xiao Er couldn't wait and downed a big gulp from the bowl. He couldn't hold it all in his mouth, and some liquor dripped down his chin onto his clothes, wetting the front of his robe.

After drinking, he wore a look of pure bliss. He was good-looking and didn't appear vulgar; instead, he had the charm of a handsome youth. He wiped his mouth boldly and laughed heartily, "It's like liquid gold, with a lingering taste that warms you up inside. If I drink this a few more times, I probably won't be able to drink any other liquor. This liquor is worth it!"

Hearing this, the manager seized the opportunity and said, "Folks, we have three jars of this fine liquor here. Go ahead and give it a try. Taste it first, and if it suits your taste, then buy it."

The crowd went wild. Xiao Er bought two jars of the fine liquor, planning to come back for more after finishing these. He was still not quite accustomed to the purity of the liquor but found it exhilarating.

He carried the liquor home and indulged in it in his courtyard, living in a drunken stupor.

"To make such fine liquor, the brewer must be a true lover of liquor. I must meet him; perhaps he has some treasured liquor not yet revealed," Xiao Er thought decisively. The next day, he set off with his personal attendants to find the brewer.

The manager of the Fan family explained everything in detail, "Xiao Er, it's a long haul to Xinfeng County. If you really want to go, perhaps wait for my master. He will be leaving after resting for half a month."

Xiao Er waved his hand, "I can't wait for him. Besides, he's got a whole merchant caravan in tow, and the speed of the journey depends on the caravan. I'm traveling light and will reach Xinfeng County faster than him."

Xiao Er informed his father, who assigned him a few strong servants skilled in martial arts to accompany him.

Xiao Er treated it as a casual trip and, without much thought, took his attendants and set off in a carriage.

Xinfeng County

Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci, Boss Guan, and Boss Qian were dining and socializing at Zheng's eatery. As they were enjoying their drinks and food, Boss Guan raised his glass to toast Lord Zheng, saying, "Lord Zheng, we came all the way from Lan County and were blown away by the concrete road. Learning that it was your doing made us even more impressed. We've been wanting to meet you since arriving in Xinfeng County, and today we finally have the chance. We're here seeking business opportunities. Could you sell us the formula for the concrete road? If you sell it to us, we promise not to disclose it to anyone else. We know how the game is played."

"Boss Guan, you're too kind. Please, sit down. I can sell you the formula for the concrete," Zheng Shanci agreed with a smile, then added, "However, when it comes to road construction, don't jack up the prices. If I sell you the formula and you use it to make high profits while exploiting others, I might end up bearing the blame. If others ask, you should say I raised the prices, or I would be wronged."

Zheng Shanci couldn't control the prices of other commodities, but the price of concrete couldn't be set too high.

"Lord Zheng, rest assured. You set the price, but please ensure we still make a profit," Boss Guan agreed.

"The price of concrete in Xinfeng County is ten wen per jin. Since you've come from afar, we naturally won't shortchange you. Your price should not exceed sixty wen per jin."

He left them fifty wen for bargaining. Originally, the unscrupulous merchants wanted to set the price at one qian of silver per jin, taking advantage of the rarity of the item to sell it at a high price. But as long as they seized the opportunity to obtain the formula first, they could contract road construction and have the government pay for it.

"Additionally, I will present the formula to the Emperor," Zheng Shanci said, causing the merchants' expressions to change. He continued calmly, "Who knows how the court will react? Moreover, as you know, the Great Yan Dynasty is vast. If we wait for the court to build the roads, it could take years. You still have many opportunities to make money. I also have another business proposition to discuss with you."