Chapter 10 Inexplicable Dislike

Although he concealed many of his skills, an expert was still an expert. The temporary foreman, supposedly with a good reputation, and his construction team, hired by Ye Tao, worked for over ten days but were criticized relentlessly. The problem was that neither the foreman nor the workers who thought their skills were decent could find any room to retort. Wherever Ye Tao pointed out a problem, there was inevitably a problem. At first, they argued and tried to find excuses, but then Ye Tao brought in a special operations camp soldier from a workshop to supervise the work. This soldier, named Wen Ping, would have found a good job anywhere, as he had already earned a technician certificate in a Danyang workshop, if he hadn't loved military life so much. He personally demonstrated in front of the foreman and the workers. He didn't need ink lines when sawing wood, but the resulting lines were perfectly straight. He could chisel a mortise three times faster than the workers. Wen Ping acted as if he was instructing apprentices in a workshop and reverted to his old way of addressing Ye Tao, saying casually to the workers, "Listen to our young master, and you can't go wrong. If you like doing this, then do it; if you don't, then settle your accounts and leave. Damn it, you can't even saw wood properly, and you dare to act tough here?"

In those days, communication between craftsmen was that simple: superior skill gave you the right to speak. From then on, the foreman and his workers listened obediently to Ye Tao or Wen Ping, who occasionally came to supervise. They gradually discovered that the things the "Young Master Lü" casually pointed out were incredibly effective.

Not only the foreman and workers, but also Xiao Xingyuan, developed an increasingly keen interest in Ye Tao. When he first bought this piece of land and then subleased the unused courtyard behind it to him, Xiao Xingyuan thought that this guy named Lü Zhen, although gentle in manner, was indeed quick in his actions. But later, it was Lü Zhen who came directly to him, relying on Jin Yuan Trading Company and his local connections in Xiling to help him organize miscellaneous items: a dozen or so different kinds of tea from different origins and grades, many kinds of petals and fruits, and various medicinal materials or similar plants such as dried tangerine peel, platycodon, rosemary, white chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, and so on. Xiao Xingyuan, hearing Ye Tao say he was preparing to open a teahouse, understood the teas, but he didn't understand the other strange things. In those days, blended flower teas were still uncommon.

However, after a few more days, Ye Tao had a newly hired worker bring him several kinds of tea to taste, such as chrysanthemum pu-erh and rose oolong, which made him realize that this was what he was aiming for. And it was true, pure and simple tea had its merits, but blended tea also had its own unique flavor. Xiao Xingyuan greatly praised Young Master Lü's business acumen and then spent a few days doing his own thing: organizing supplies, promoting sales, visiting familiar officials and heads of aristocratic families, and so on, looking as if he was preparing to make a big splash in the local area. However, just as he was about to take a breather for a day or two, Ye Tao had already invited him to sit down at Yuan Yuan Garden. In less than a month, all the renovations were completed and it was ready to open at any time.

"Little brother, your teahouse is so elegant, and the taste of your tea is also very unique, so you naturally don't have to worry about business. However, your movements are a little too fast. In the blink of an eye, it's almost ready to open." Xiao Xingyuan couldn't help but marvel.

Ye Tao shook his head and said, "In the beginning, it was because people were always one step ahead of me that I couldn't compete with them in business. I brought my family all the way from Zhenzhou in decline and reflected a lot on the way. When it comes to wealth, power, and connections, I can't compare to others, so I can only put more effort into speed and dedication."

Ye Tao's feigned sighs resonated with Xiao Xingyuan. Xiao Xingyuan also saw that, from the decoration of the teahouse to the standards and methods of hiring people, Lü Zhen's style of doing business was very Dongping-like. It was very similar to the proactive, fast-paced, and versatile merchants of Dongping, who had already prospered in the commercial atmosphere there, or rather, the Dongping Internal Affairs faction and the emerging commercial families represented by the Ye family. And that way of doing business was what many merchants and aristocratic families in Chunnan, Beiliao, and Xiling wanted to imitate but couldn't.

"Ah, yes." Xiao Xingyuan sighed, "Ever since Dongping created those two trading companies that specialize in transporting goods, my colleague in Dongping has had a hard time. We wanted to follow their example, but they also made it clear that those who learn from me live, and those who imitate me die… How to learn, how to not only be similar in form but also in spirit, the bosses don't have the courage to decide."

Xiao Xingyuan patted Ye Tao on the shoulder and said, "Little brother, you're a good person, and we can now be considered business partners. Although the teahouse business can be done, there will be no shortage of dealings with all kinds of people. You're new here and not familiar with the local scene, so come with me for a round later. What kind of person to see, what kind of gift to give, this old brother has been running around in Xiling for many years and has some experience."

Ye Tao cupped his hands and thanked him, "Then I'll be grateful for your care, Brother Xiao. I'll remember this favor."

Ye Tao's straightforwardness greatly pleased Xiao Xingyuan. Although he was from Chunnan, his personality was still relatively straightforward. If Ye Tao was hesitant and said this wasn't good and that wasn't possible, he would frown and reconsider. And what Ye Tao said about "remembering the favor" carried a lot of weight among the northern merchants. With Ye Tao's forthright character, the future reward would certainly not be low.

Xiao Xingyuan was indeed very familiar with Anqing, and his connections among officials at all levels were not bad. He was even able to bring Ye Tao into a third-rank official's birthday banquet, where he met the Vice Minister of Revenue and two captains from the Anqing Garrison. With just this relationship, the opening of Yuan Yuan Garden should not be a problem. After all, the gifts had been given and the greetings had been made. But Xiao Xingyuan unexpectedly discovered during this visit that Lü Zhen, this fallen merchant, did not change his expression in the face of a room full of Xiling officials and did not show any signs of nervousness. Whether he was talking to the Vice Minister of Revenue or the two captains, he quickly got them talking, and after two cups of wine, they were already considered close friends and began addressing each other as brothers.

Xiao Xingyuan paid attention to this and immediately became slightly suspicious of "Lü Zhen's" identity. However, he didn't think too much about it, only assuming that "Lü Zhen" was the kind of scion of a family who used to have some status in Zhenzhou. Such scions of families who had seen the world should be able to show this kind of performance. But later, when inviting those two captains and the Vice Minister of Revenue to the not-yet-opened Yuan Yuan Garden, Xiao Xingyuan saw some clues from Ye Tao's clothing. The weather was gradually getting cooler, and Ye Tao was no longer wearing the cotton-linen robe he had worn when running around with Xiao Xingyuan, but had changed into a blue-gray cotton coat. Xiao Xingyuan had been in the cotton cloth business for a while and immediately felt that something was wrong. The cotton robe Ye Tao was wearing was woven thicker than ordinary homespun cloth, and the fibers were more tightly packed, but the feel was unusually soft. This was definitely not ordinary homespun, or anything that any weaving shop in Xiling could produce. If this was a garment that "Lü Zhen" had prepared in the past, then it could only be said that this guy's background was very unusual. It was common for young masters of aristocratic families to wear silk and satin; bright clothes and spirited horses were the nature of young people. But those who truly came from powerful and influential families, those who truly held power and had great influence, and those who had a lot of taste but could completely ignore others' opinions of them, would pay great attention to wearing comfortable clothes, wearing low-key clothes, and not attracting attention.

If this "Lü Zhen" really came from Zhenzhou, and if "Lü Zhen" was his real name, then in Xiao Xingyuan's speculation, Ye Tao's identity would be obvious. People in Anqing now knew very little about the situation in the north, but they knew a little about the famous Lü family. After the Battle of Guiyuan, the Lü family had a lot of disputes over whether to completely side with Yunzhou or return to Xiling, which led to a sensational family division. Although many members of the Lü family took their property and returned to Xiling via Taizhou, they were suspected of disloyalty and did not receive assistance from the government. Instead, those Lü family members with large amounts of wealth were treated as cash cows. After several twists and turns, no one knew what happened to the Lü family. One theory was that the Lü family split up again in Xiling, and each branch of the family made their own way.

If this was the case, then this "Lü Zhen" must have a high status in the Lü family. You should know that the young members of the Lü family were notoriously arrogant. It was not easy to be able to be low-key at a young age in such a family. Xiao Xingyuan did not have any evidence to prove it, and of course, he did not think that there was anything wrong with this matter. Now that he knew "Lü Zhen" and had become business partners, no one could say that either of them had climbed the other's high branch. But Xiao Xingyuan still re-evaluated this young man in his heart, treating him as a friend he could make deep connections with, and as an equal and important business partner.

"Brother Xiao, in a few days, there will be a full moon celebration for the grandson of Lord Sun, the Minister of Revenue. Should we go or not?" After setting the opening date for Yuan Yuan Garden, Ye Tao asked Xiao Xingyuan with a smile.

Xiao Xingyuan hesitated. Meeting the Vice Minister of Revenue was already quite unexpected. In his opinion, their business was far from the point where they should know the Minister of Revenue. However, it was also true that the Vice Minister of Revenue, who addressed him as brother, patted his chest and said that he would take them to meet some friends. This kind of opportunity might never come again.

"Go," Xiao Xingyuan made up his mind, "We'll prepare a generous gift; we must go to this banquet."