Chapter 67

Chapter 67

The next day, Zhong Yizhu arrived at the entrance of the spice market at the appointed time to meet the man from yesterday.

As he and Pei Mu reached the market entrance, the wealthy young man was already waiting with his servant.

When he saw Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu, he immediately came forward to greet them.

Today he had changed his attire, wearing a scholar's robe with jade ornaments at his waist and a jade crown on his head, making him look even easier to fleece...

"I was in a hurry yesterday and didn't ask for your names. My name is Yan Wenqin. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Yan Wenqin cupped his hands and smiled.

He came from a wealthy family, yet he showed no disdain toward them, who were merely small merchants. That was also why Zhong Yizhu was willing to help him.

Zhong Yizhu gave his name and also introduced Pei Mu.

With clear objectives, they skipped excessive pleasantries and headed directly into the market.

Yan Wenqin, as if he hadn't talked enough, kept chattering about the spice knowledge he had learned from books, bombarding Zhong Yizhu with one question after another, his mouth never stopping. Zhong Yizhu had thought he was a scholar based on his appearance, but now he wasn't so sure—he had never met such a talkative person before.

Zhong Yizhu had to point at a spice on a nearby stall and ask, "What do you think of that one?"

Yan Wenqin looked carefully for a moment. "Is that Huangmu Xiang? The color is deep and glossy—it's definitely top grade. Young sir, do you think this one is suitable?"

Zhong Yizhu said lightly, "No, that's also fake."

Pei Mu paused beside him, unable to suppress a smile.

Yan Wenqin walked far away, still trying to discern the authenticity of the spice, but the stall owner glared at him several times, thinking he was causing trouble.

The spices in Quzhou Prefecture were mainly sold to prefectures in the north. Zhong Yizhu observed the merchants coming and going to purchase goods, noticing that different people had distinct preferences, which likely reflected the regional tastes for spices.

In the end, Zhong Yizhu helped Yan Wenqin pick a suitable piece of Wuyu Xiang at a larger spice stall. The quality was excellent, so naturally the price was high.

Zhong Yizhu helped negotiate the price, and the stall owner, recognizing his genuine expertise rather than bluffing, gave a fair offer.

But Yan Wenqin, being the young master whose family fortune was still intact despite swindlers, casually paid several hundred taels of silver.

One could only wonder how many swindlers he had kept in business.

After buying the spice, Zhong Yizhu intended to take his leave from Yan Wenqin.

Yan Wenqin, elated and delighted at having found a suitable birthday gift for his father, thought it worth celebrating properly. Despite their refusals, he dragged them into a nearby tavern.

Since Zhong Yizhu was male, Yan Wenqin naturally followed etiquette and didn't touch him, but his relentless chatter was overwhelming. Both Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu felt their ears buzzing as they sat in the tavern, still recovering from the assault on their senses.

It was mealtime, and the tavern was packed with customers. Yan Wenqin ordered a large table of dishes, showing sincere gratitude.

During the meal, Yan Wenqin offered to pay a fee, but Zhong Yizhu declined, only gesturing at the abundant meal before them. "This is enough."

If he had been after payment, he wouldn't have treated Yan Wenqin so casually. He had only helped out of goodwill, moved by the man's filial piety.

Yan Wenqin's eyes lit up as he looked at them. "You value neither wealth nor reward, helping so selflessly. Does that mean you two already consider me a friend?"

Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu both paused chewing. Their silence was taken as agreement, and Yan Wenqin warmly raised his cup. Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu silently drank their wine.

During their conversation, Zhong Yizhu learned that Yan Wenqin had come from Rongyang Prefecture. He was momentarily taken aback, searching his memory for any Yan family in Rongyang Prefecture but coming up with nothing.

His own family was merely ordinary wealthy folk, and they mostly associated with families of similar or slightly higher standing. He hadn't specifically paid attention to higher-status households, so naturally he couldn't recall any.

When Yan Wenqin learned that they were from Songyun County, he looked delighted and surprised and expressed regret that he was heading north, or else they could have journeyed back together.

The meal could barely be called a pleasant gathering for both host and guests. After they parted ways, Zhong Yizhu rubbed his full stomach, feeling the noise had been worth it.

They still had three days before they departed. Zhong Yizhu spent the afternoon wandering through various spice shops in the city, and the following two days they explored Quzhou Prefecture proper, buying some local specialties for the family.

During these two days, Pei Mu also visited a brokerage.

Although their business had only just begun, it was always better to plan ahead than to scramble at the last minute.

Claiming he wanted to buy a house for storing goods, he roughly learned the prices of houses near the spice market and the city gate. Since it was a prefectural city, prices were considerably higher than in Songyun County—a two-courtyard house cost three hundred taels of silver.

In Songyun County, where commerce was prosperous, a shop with two frontages on the main street cost three hundred taels, while residential houses were cheaper: a one-courtyard house cost about one hundred taels, and a two-courtyard house less than two hundred. That meant the cash on hand would barely cover one shop in Songyun County, let alone a house, and even that might not secure a property they were particularly satisfied with.

Liu's Fragrance Shop wanted to suppress them, so they would have to find a way to counterattack upon their return. He and Zhong Yizhu had already discussed opening a shop.

Since they now had a full supply of spices, there was no need to keep idle cash. It would be better to buy the shop outright to prevent anyone from tampering if they rented.

Given Liu Zhenhan's underhanded methods, he wouldn't hesitate to try such a trick.

As for the source of spices for the shop, they had already familiarized themselves with the trade route this time. Future trips would be easier. Since spices were cheap in Quzhou Prefecture, even if the spice business didn't take off, it would still be cost-effective to buy in bulk here—he could handle the transport himself.

After spending four days in Quzhou Prefecture, the two finally set off on the return journey.

The spices they had previously ordered were packed into boxes and tied securely, filling four carts stacked high. Fortunately, spices were light, or else they wouldn't have been able to stack them like that.

On the twenty-eighth day of the first month, Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu sat side by side on the cart shafts, turning to look back at the gates of Quzhou Prefecture, wondering when they would come again.

The other merchant group accompanying them was also sizable, but unlike Dong Sifang's convoy, which had fighting capability, they were only accompanied by ordinary workers, so they had hired armed escorts from the escort agency.

Pei Mu calculated in his mind: the carts and labor were rented from the escort agency, and despite Dong Sifang's connections giving them a discount, it still cost twelve taels of silver. With this expense, the trip wasn't especially cost-effective, but since it was their first time, it served as a scouting trip. In the future, they could follow Chen Fusheng's example and hire their own people for transport, ensuring the convoy's safety themselves.

With the experience from the trip here, the return journey was somewhat easier. However, perhaps because they hadn't seen a young man traveling with a merchant convoy, the people from the other convoy clearly resented them.

A few gossiping people badmouthed them behind their backs. Pei Mu overheard and beat them up. The convoy's foreman, losing face, gathered people to retaliate but they were all knocked down. When he tried to enlist the escorts' help, the escorts said that since both parties had paid, they could take neither side.

On the road, strength was the ultimate deterrent.

After that, the people from the other convoy quieted down.

Naturally, there were no terrifying incidents like the ones on the way there. Even the stronghold that had collected protection money was now clear after being wiped out by the bandits. The escorts, who knew the route, were surprised, thinking the gang had reformed.

Pei Mu and Zhong Yizhu didn't discuss the matter much. Although the authorities claimed they had wiped out the entire gang, there might still be fugitives seeking revenge. In any case, they knew the truth themselves. Neither of them cared about showing off such feats.

By mid-February, the two finally returned to the village one ordinary afternoon.