Chapter 248
Seeing the young girl’s confusion, Yin Wuyan’s clear voice rang out, “Sent by Scholar Gu.”
“Teacher?” Zhan Feiyu’s eyes widened, and she picked up the letter again.
The sharp strokes of the calligraphy were unlike her teacher’s usual cursive script. “To yield and pacify the people, this looks like a policy question.”
“Which chief examiner do you think would dare to pose such a question?” Yin Wuyan’s voice was even, but his phoenix eyes flashed with disdain. What did it mean to yield? It was merely weakness and incompetence.
Although Zhan Feiyu had never met the Emperor, the Great Qing Dynasty had enjoyed peace and prosperity for many years. This was not due to the Emperor’s benevolent rule, but because externally, the Great Qing army deterred the barbarians, preventing them from acting rashly. Internally, the court had the Three Judicial Offices to monitor officials, and the unseen, elusive Imperial Dragon Guards. Corrupt officials dared not show their faces, which was why there was such peace and prosperity. The Emperor was a wise ruler, skilled in both civil and military affairs, and decisive in his actions. In his early years, he had personally led troops into battle. Unless they were naturally frail, the royal family of the Great Qing were generally accomplished in both civil and military arts. Several princes had retired from the battlefield. Therefore, the Emperor and the Great Qing imperial family would never be associated with the words “to yield and pacify the people.”
Zhan Feiyu nodded in agreement, her eyes lighting up as she smiled, “If this were the final imperial examination question, how would it be if I answered with ‘The Son of Heaven guards the nation’s gate, and the ruler dies for the country’? Would I be appointed as the top scholar?”
With the Emperor, Scholar Gu, and the generals on the border, how could the Great Qing possibly face the danger of national annihilation? Yin Wuyan glanced at the smiling young girl. Her disposition seemed to please the Emperor.
“Oh, wait. Why would Teacher write this sentence to you, Big Brother?” Almost led astray, Zhan Feiyu returned to the main topic. Her teacher had changed his handwriting, and this abrupt sentence hinted at what?
“You can ask Scholar Gu when you go to the capital later,” Yin Wuyan said, gently stroking the young girl’s head. He concealed the sharpness and coldness in his eyes. It seemed that some matters indeed needed to be expedited.
…
The morning light in October carried warmth. Although yellow leaves adorned the branches, the potted chrysanthemums in the courtyard were in full bloom.
Deng Zhiwu stood by the window, glancing at the small courtyard opposite. “Uncle Huang, you’ll accompany me later.”
“Second Young Master need not worry. Since Liu Heyu dared to stay in the small courtyard that day, she must have some request from Miss Zhan. This trip will surely be successful.” Uncle Huang had been prepared to die then, but even in death, he wanted to ensure Deng Zhiwu was taken away. Upon returning to the capital, with the general’s intercession, Second Young Master’s life would surely be saved. Uncle Huang was surprised that Liu Heyu was merely a merchant, and a woman at that. Yet, under the First Prince’s kill order, she still stayed. Regardless of the reason, her courage was worthy of respect.
“I understand,” Deng Zhiwu nodded, but the thought of asking for money from a young girl made him scratch his head, his face filled with embarrassment and awkwardness.
When Deng Zhiwu and Uncle Huang arrived at the entrance of the small courtyard, before they could even knock, they heard voices from within. Zhong Guang, who had moved a round-backed chair to the corridor, sat with his legs crossed, exuding an air of learned authority as he lectured, “Great virtues should not be transgressed; minor virtues may be allowed to deviate. Fatty girl, those who achieve great things are not bound by trivialities. Your vision is too narrow.”
Zhan Feiyu, who was reading “Commentaries on the Analects,” lifted her eyelids and cast a disdainful glance at Zhong Guang. “I don’t discuss academics with someone whose palms were spanked red by the teacher during their studies.” Zhu Xi once said: If the major aspects are correct, even if the minor aspects are not perfect, it is acceptable. Confucianism states that the Way is divided into major and minor, and virtue is also divided into major and minor. If one chooses the great Way, even minor deviations are inconsequential; the flaws do not obscure the jade.
Zhong Guang abruptly sat up straight and smoothly snatched the book from Zhan Feiyu’s hand. “Fatty girl, in a group of three, there must be one who can be my teacher. You are not like this.”
Zhan Feiyu glared at the disruptive Zhong Guang. “Great virtues should not be transgressed; minor virtues may be allowed to deviate. There was a county magistrate who governed effectively and often accepted generous gifts from merchants, offering them convenience. He was lenient with his people and, during natural disasters, even compelled wealthy merchants in the county to donate grain and medicine for relief. Tell me, is he an honest official or a corrupt one?”
“He cannot be called an honest official, but he can be considered a good official. If water is too pure, there will be no fish. As long as the people under his governance live and work in peace, what does it matter if minor virtues deviate?” Zhong Guang concluded with a definitive statement. Exploiting the people would lead to their suffering, but accepting some money from merchants was harmless.
Zhan Feiyu did not argue and continued, “This county magistrate’s performance evaluation by the Ministry of Revenue was ranked highest every year. After twenty years, he rose to the rank of second-grade official, becoming a Provincial Administration Commissioner. The officials under his jurisdiction followed suit, exploiting merchants and offering annual tributes, causing a large number of merchants to move away from this region.” The remaining merchants, to cope with the local officials’ exploitation, either sold inferior goods or inflated prices. Ultimately, the once prosperous region became barren, with no merchants willing to come, and eventually devolved into poverty.
Zhong Guang, stumped by the question, was taken aback. Although he knew Zhan Feiyu’s words were exaggerated, the court was fond of following the lead of superiors. If the Emperor praised a certain book, that book would definitely sell out in major bookstores in the capital. If a concubine in the palace wore a new hairstyle, within a few days, noblewomen in the capital would all sport that hairstyle when they went out. Whether it was a county, a prefecture, or even a province, if there were no merchants, Zhong Guang could imagine the consequences. The grain grown by the people would not be sold, and there would be no money to buy daily necessities. Isolation and poverty would eventually lead to the saying that poor mountains and treacherous waters breed difficult people.
Zhan Feiyu smiled triumphantly and said crisply, “If those in positions of power have any flaws in their virtue, it will eventually lead to a thousand-mile dike being destroyed by an ant’s nest. However, it is inconsequential for ordinary people.” This was like ordinary men being attracted to beauty. At most, they would flirt verbally and glance at beautiful women passing by on the street. However, if officials in the court were infatuated with beauty, even if they did nothing themselves, their subordinates seeking favor would inevitably find ways to send them beautiful women. These women might have been forcibly taken, or they might have been coerced into prostitution, or their families might have been broken apart, or they might have suffered ruin.
“You are twisting words. I won’t argue with a child,” Zhong Guang said stubbornly, then stood up and walked towards the entrance of the courtyard. Upon seeing Deng Zhiwu, who had failed the martial arts imperial examinations eight times, Zhong Guang immediately felt like a learned scholar again. “Little Deng, are you here to find Fatty girl to help you get money from the Liu family?” Even with Deng Zhiwu’s thick skin, he was now blushing profusely, stammering, “I’m not… I…”
“Explanation is concealment,” Zhong Guang tutted and shook his head, placing a hand on Deng Zhiwu’s shoulder. “You won’t do it like this. Since you’re going to collect a debt, you need to be thick-skinned. Look at Fatty girl. Although she’s a scholar, when it comes to shamelessness, I admit defeat.” In the courtyard, Zhan Feiyu looked speechlessly at Zhong Guang, who was ruining her reputation. Uncle Zhong Guang always bullied honest people! Although Uncle Huang was highly respected by Deng Zhiwu and was considered his half-teacher, he was still a guard in terms of status. At this moment, he stood silently by the side, watching the flustered Deng Zhiwu being teased and Zhong Guang laughing heartily. Uncle Huang once again sighed that Deng Zhiwu needed more tempering. He usually didn’t notice it, but after leaving the capital, he realized that compared to others, Second Young Master was like a little rabbit that could be kneaded at will. Not to mention his martial arts skills, his temperament was not stable enough, and his skin was not thick enough.
A quarter of an hour later, a carriage and three fine horses headed straight for Liu Family Town outside Huaian Prefecture.
Yesterday, Zhan Feiyu had received a post delivered by someone. If it were before, the Liu family would have at most sent Liu Heyu to receive guests. Although they were merchants, they were imperial merchants. Moreover, the head of the Liu family and the eight clan elders, proud of their status and age, were unwilling to lower their dignity to meet Zhan Feiyu. However, upon learning that the First Prince had suffered a setback at Zhan Feiyu’s hands, the Liu family dared not slight Zhan Feiyu.
When they saw the three fine horses galloping towards them, Liu Hejin shed his dissolute demeanor, tidied his clothes, and then strode forward. “Miss Zhan, your esteemed presence graces the Liu family’s humble abode.”
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Yin Wuyan still wore an ordinary face, appearing to be in his thirties. Only his phoenix eyes were sharp and piercing, making it clear that he was no ordinary attendant. Zhan Feiyu smiled slightly at the Liu siblings, then took Yin Wuyan’s hand and jumped off the carriage. This childlike action revealed that despite being a child prodigy, she was still a nine-year-old girl. “Miss Liu, Young Master Liu.” Zhan Feiyu greeted them, then introduced, “This is Second Young Master Deng Zhiwu of the General’s Mansion.” Although they had already investigated Deng Zhiwu’s identity, both sides exchanged pleasantries.
The Liu family’s grand residence opened its main gate to receive guests, which was the highest form of etiquette. As Zhan Feiyu and her entourage arrived at the main courtyard, the head of the Liu family personally came out to greet them. After a few more pleasantries, they were seated in the main hall.
“Miss Zhan, if I may be so bold to say…” The head of the Liu family directly brought up Liu Hefeng’s inheritance. His proposal was the same as Liu Heyu’s earlier: instead of withdrawing fifty thousand taels of silver from the Liu family now, it would be better to leave the silver in the Liu family to generate more wealth, which was the long-term approach.
Hearing this, Deng Zhiwu fell into thought. The head of the Liu family explained it in detail. For example, Liu Hefeng owned a tea mountain of over five hundred mu. If sold at a discounted price, it would only be fifty thousand taels. However, if managed properly, the harvested tea, divided into high, medium, and low grades, would fetch at least one hundred wen per jin for the lowest grade. The top-grade tea, harvested before the Qingming Festival, would sell for at least ten taels of silver per jin, depending on the tea tree variety and the roasting technique. Therefore, as long as this tea mountain was managed properly, it could earn at least ten thousand taels annually.
“What the head of the Liu family says is true. Taking the money away is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs,” Zhan Feiyu said, her fair, round face filled with agreement, nodding from time to time. At first glance, she seemed to be persuaded by the head of the Liu family’s words. However, her tone shifted, and Zhan Feiyu said, “As the saying goes, one cannot understand a profession without being in it. I am young, and my talent lies only in my studies. As for the Zhan clan members, they are all simple farmers who only know how to cultivate crops and cannot help.” The Zhan clan in Jinlin Village was doing well now, but only compared to the villages adjacent to Shangsi County. The imperial merchant Liu family, such as this merchant, would have the Zhan clan members sold and still be counting the money for them.
Is Miss Zhan decided to make money generate money? But Deng Zhiwu, thinking of his elder brother who urgently needed money, clenched his fists nervously.
“According to ‘The Classic of Tea,’ after picking tea leaves, they undergo complex processes such as steaming, unfolding, pressing, roasting, stringing, and sealing. Then they must be priced and sold,” Zhan Feiyu said, picking up her teacup and smelling the fragrant tea. “If even one step goes wrong, this tea mountain might incur losses.” Liu Hefeng could be a hands-off owner because he was a direct descendant of the Liu family, and from the main branch of the family. The tea garden workers and the tea shop managers dared not embezzle. However, with Zhan Feiyu as the owner, it was uncertain whether it would be profitable or result in losses. The head of the Liu family, although not involved in daily management, was once the helmsman of the Liu family. Zhan Feiyu, as she said, might be good at studying, but she was only a nine-year-old girl with limited experience. However, the head of the Liu family and the eight clan elders did not expect Zhan Feiyu to be so difficult to deal with. After a battle of wits, Zhan Feiyu proposed a solution: “I will go to the capital in the future. If the head of the Liu family is sincere in cooperating, why not exchange goods for goods? I only want properties in the capital, or properties in Nanxuan Prefecture. If the total price exceeds fifty thousand taels, the Liu family and I can operate jointly.” As imperial merchants, the Liu family’s base was in Jiangnan Dao, but their business spanned the entire Great Qing Dynasty, including the capital. If they had no shops in the capital, could they be called imperial merchants? Moreover, shops in the capital, besides making money, were also for gathering information and paving the way for the Liu family’s business. Zhan Feiyu’s exchange was equivalent to tearing a piece of flesh from the Liu family.
“This is absolutely impossible! You are simply wishful thinking!” The hot-tempered eighth clan elder was the first to voice his objection, glaring furiously at Zhan Feiyu. If he had not known her identity, the eighth clan elder would have definitely thrown his teacup at her. She really dared to think like this! She had actually set her sights on the Liu family’s shops in the capital!
…
However, with Zhan Feiyu as the owner, it was uncertain whether it would be profitable or result in losses. The head of the Liu family, although not involved in daily management, was once the helmsman of the Liu family. Zhan Feiyu, as she said, might be good at studying, but she was only a nine-year-old girl with limited experience. However, the head of the Liu family and the eight clan elders did not expect Zhan Feiyu to be so difficult to deal with. After a battle of wits, Zhan Feiyu proposed a solution: “I will go to the capital in the future. If the head of the Liu family is sincere in cooperating, why not exchange goods for goods? I only want properties in the capital, or properties in Nanxuan Prefecture. If the total price exceeds fifty thousand taels, the Liu family and I can operate jointly.” As imperial merchants, the Liu family’s base was in Jiangnan Dao, but their business spanned the entire Great Qing Dynasty, including the capital. If they had no shops in the capital, could they be called imperial merchants? Moreover, shops in the capital, besides making money, were also for gathering information and paving the way for the Liu family’s business. Zhan Feiyu’s exchange was equivalent to tearing a piece of flesh from the Liu family. Absolutely impossible.
“This is absolutely impossible! You are simply wishful thinking!” The hot-tempered eighth clan elder was the first to voice his objection, glaring furiously at Zhan Feiyu. If he had not known her identity, the eighth clan elder would have definitely thrown his teacup at her. She really dared to think like this! She had actually set her sights on the Liu family’s shops in the capital!