Chapter 202: Scheming (III)

Chapter 202: Scheming (III)

Unexpectedly, as time passed, "Tonglu Snow" not only showed no signs of decline but instead sold even hotter and became harder to get.

Moreover, ever since the rule of "no sales after noon" was established, the doorstep of the cloth shop selling "Tonglu Snow" was worn thin by customers. Even the shops that had previously taken the "Jade Bridge" brand and sold exclusively "Jade Bridge" cloth were green with envy, wanting to get a few bolts in to sell, and in turn helping to boost business for other fabrics.

Even Yuan Zijin came running to Le Wuya to complain: "'Tonglu Snow' is too hard to buy!"

Le Wuya was studying new ways to play with the Thunderclap Bomb and didn't even lift his head: "Got yourself a new flame?"

Yuan Zijin's face turned bright red: "Pah! I'm about to do something big, where would I get a sweetheart from?! It's my mother! My aunt bought 'Tonglu Snow' and had an outfit made, which she wore to the capital. My mother saw it and liked it, so she wrote to me asking me to bring her back two bolts."

Le Wuya's eyes lit up: "Now that's what I like to hear! I'll have County Princess Qi cut out some of each new pattern and send them to your mother!"

"No way!" Yuan Zijin was stubborn on this matter. "My dad kicked me out of the capital precisely because I was throwing my family's weight around. If I'm still throwing my weight around now, then what was the point of coming here?"

Le Wuya kicked him: "You're sitting on a goldmine and can't figure out how to dig it up! What I need right now is exactly your family's influence! So, you lending it to me or what?"

Yuan Zijin rubbed his butt and finally got it: "...Oh. Lend it."

"But will there be enough cloth to sell?" After agreeing, Yuan Zijin couldn't help hesitating. "What if the folks can't get their hands on it?"

Le Wuya smiled: "I'll tell County Princess Qi to have her fake buyers deliver the cloth straight to the prefectural office instead of sending it back to the warehouse."

Yuan Zijin: "..."

He finally realized: "You hired people to buy it up under false pretenses?!"

"All's fair in war, and business is no different." Le Wuya tapped him on the head with the Thunderclap Bomb. "Kid, you've got a lot to learn."

The "Tonglu Snow" brand was being talked up like crazy, and every day there were people mixed in making fake purchases, carting off bolts of cloth by the roll, which took a load off the urgent shortage.

However, grey cloth was still scarce as hen's teeth.

According to Luan Yuqiao's calculations, the way Qi Hongzhuang was selling, it looked like a roaring business, but in reality she was bleeding money.

The more she hyped up "Tonglu Snow," the more orders piled up like snowflakes.

It was like a pot of tea with too many leaves—looked rich and fragrant, but there wasn't much actual tea to drink.

What good was a flash in the pan?

Unexpectedly, before he could watch the whole "Tonglu Snow" operation go belly up, he got hit with a lingering spring rain instead.

The rains came earlier this year than usual.

They say spring rain is worth its weight in gold, but if it comes too early, that's no good either—the ground's not warm enough, the soil loses its nutrients, and you end up with a bad harvest.

There's an old saying: "Early spring rain, empty grain bin." That's exactly what it means.

Luckily, with "Caressing Light" to guide him, Le Wuya studied the weather and the stars, and discerned that this spring would bring much rain. Before the imperial observatory could send out its yearly forecast to the whole country, right after the first month, he gave the order for every prefecture and county to get ready for the spring rains.

Qi Wuhu, the magistrate of Yunliang County, got out into the fields himself, clearing the drainage ditches and piling on fertilizer to keep the soil healthy.

With an old hand like that setting the pace, the other magistrates didn't dare slack off and followed his lead, rounding up the local gentry to pitch in, dead set on saving the year's harvest from this cold, wet spring.

While all that was going on over there, Luan Yuqiao had nothing to do.

Not only had his business been stolen out from under him and his shop left empty, he'd also picked up a brand new headache.

He walked into his warehouse, pinched the corner of a bolt of grey cloth that was starting to go moldy, and his face, against the gloomy gray sky, looked even darker than usual.

His servant, who usually had a smart mouth, now didn't even dare to breathe too loud.

In past years, the heavy spring rains didn't kick in until late February. But this year, for some godforsaken reason, right after February the rain started coming down without a break, like it was the middle of June's plum rain season.

By all rights, with the way Qi Hongzhuang was hemorrhaging money, she shouldn't have lasted till June.

Unexpectedly, this endless spring rain had thrown a wrench into Luan Yuqiao's carefully laid plans.

Grey cloth can't handle damp, and moisture gets into everything. In just a few days, the bolts on the outside had started sprouting mold spots.

He rubbed the damp cloth surface, his expression as heavy as iron, and gave a cold order: "Get wood ash water to wipe them clean."

The servant dared not make any witty remarks: "Yes."

But even the servant knew that wood ash water could only provide temporary relief. Even if the mold spots were wiped away, with no clear skies in sight and no way to dry the cloth, it was like carrying firewood to put out a fire.

He held back again and again, then cautiously offered a suggestion: "Master, in my humble opinion, the time is about right now. Why not go have a drink with Master Zhang?"

...

After hearing Luan Yuqiao's purpose, Zhang Kai, who was embracing a handsome young servant, said casually: "Look at the fine mess you've made."

Luan Yuqiao suppressed his inner anger and feigned composure: "The heavens are uncooperative. I truly didn't anticipate such a turn of events."

Zhang Kai patted the servant's waist, and the latter bent over and withdrew.

He asked Luan Yuqiao: "What do you need to do now?"

Luan Yuqiao: "These bolts of cloth can't be stored any longer—they need to be sold off quickly..."

As soon as he spoke, Zhang Kai interrupted him: "These are all your affairs. I don't care about them, as long as my Zhang family's dividends aren't short. What I'm asking is, since you came specifically to find me, what do you want me to do?"

At these words, Luan Yuqiao's heart turned cold.

During the opening banquet, it was clearly Zhang Kai who had suggested that Prefect Wenren might open the treasury to help Qi Hongzhuang, yet now he was playing dumb, as if he had never mentioned it at all.

...He simply wanted to extract more benefits from him.

Zhang Kai played dumb, so Luan Yuqiao had to take the initiative and spell it out: "Naturally, I want to ask for a letter from you. That Prefect Wenren, to fund Qi Hongzhuang, privately opened the treasury—that's no small crime."

He lowered his voice: "The Dayu Law states that officials in charge who steal from the treasury, regardless of whether they were the instigator or accomplice, are to be punished jointly based on the total value."

Zhang Kai adjusted his sitting position: "That's true, but this Wen Ren fellow has been doing quite well lately. Better to have fewer troubles than more—why offend this newly risen noble?"

Luan Yuqiao cursed inwardly: If my business hadn't been suppressed by Qi Hongzhuang and you hadn't been pressing me daily, why would I have spent so much to buy up grey cloth and done something so pointless?

Though furious inside, his smile remained unchanged: "Good Master Zhang, you've been put out, and I know it well. That's why I've brought you a fine little plaything to relieve your frustrations."

He waved his hand, and a youth of ambiguous gender stepped forward with dainty, swaying steps.

Just from the way he walked, one could tell he had been meticulously trained.

Luan Yuqiao introduced him: "A few days ago, I hired a troupe for my elders' birthday celebration. The moment this young dan actor appeared on stage, I spotted him at once and spent five hundred taels to buy him."

Zhang Kai narrowed his eyes, sizing up this young actor with flirtatious eyes, and praised in a neutral tone: "Brother Luan, you're quite fortunate in matters of the flesh."

"Ah, I'd meant to keep him for myself, but once the makeup was washed off and I took another look—well, I couldn't do justice to such a beauty." Luan Yuqiao pulled the youth to his side and said attentively, "He's a bit raw, but you can train him. If you're not satisfied, I'll take him back. In any case, I won't cause you any trouble."

Zhang Kai laughed heartily, "So you're saying I'm the one bearing the burden?"

Luan Yuqiao replied, "The more capable, the more they carry."

"That's true enough," Zhang Kai sighed. "I've had no luck in my official career, so I can only rely on my family connections to boldly ask Uncle Feng and the others for a few favors. If that doesn't work out, don't hold it against me, my friend Luan."

Luan Yuqiao wouldn't dare say a word about holding anything against him.

Having wrung a promise from Zhang Kai, the clouds of worry that had gathered in his chest over the past days began to disperse. He heaped on a basketful of pleasantries before taking his leave.

Zhang Kai spread out paper and picked up his brush, mulling over his words, when suddenly the steward hurried in, reporting, "Master, an honored guest has arrived!"

Zhang Kai came from a distinguished family of scholars and officials, steeped in refinement since childhood, but unfortunately he wasn't cut out for it—the scholarly atmosphere had tormented him endlessly, leaving his mind blank the moment he picked up a pen. Irritated as he was, the news made him set down the brush and ask, "Who is it?"

The steward had clearly rushed all the way, not even daring to carry an umbrella.

Panting, he handed over a name card: "It's the prefect!"

Zhang Kai shot to his feet.

Opening the card, the three characters "Wen Ren Yue" leapt into view, still marked with fresh water stains.

Zhang Kai exclaimed in surprise, "Wen Ren, given name Mingke? Visiting me?"

The steward urged urgently, "The prefect came on horseback, with no shelter from the rain. We didn't dare make him wait outside and get soaked, so we've brought him in. He's about to enter—please hurry out to greet him!"