45
The servant brought in hot tea, and Xu Ying held the cup, his cold fingers slowly warming up. His rapidly beating heart also began to calm a little.
“The news came this morning, carried by a fast horse from the capital,” Xu Ying swallowed, his voice hoarse as he spoke. “Five days ago, during the morning court, an imperial censor suddenly impeached King Duan, accusing him of harboring disloyal intentions and plotting rebellion.”
Mu Peixuan gasped in shock. King Duan was the current young emperor’s uncle, known for his virtuous reputation and held in high regard in the capital. There had long been rumors that the late emperor originally intended to pass the throne to King Duan, but it was Prime Minister Lin who had altered the will, allowing the seven-year-old prince to ascend to the throne.
When Mu Peixuan had been in the capital, he had met King Duan a few times. King Duan was gentle and easygoing, and during the time when the late emperor was still alive, King Duan enjoyed his full trust. The idea that he would conspire to rebel seemed unbelievable to Mu Peixuan, even from far away in Ruizhou.
Mu Peixuan furrowed his brow tightly and asked, “What happened next?”
Xu Ying took a deep breath and replied, “King Duan was detained in the palace. On that day, the Imperial Guard burst into the King Mansion and found several letters exchanged with ministers in the court.”
He paused before continuing, “Among them, there were several addressed to Marquis Yongping, who is stationed in the northwest.”
Marquis Yongping, Qin Fengyuan, commanded an army of 200,000 in the northwest, a powerful and influential figure with true military authority, almost akin to a king of the northwest.
Xu Ying said, “Afterward, King Duan was imprisoned in the imperial prison.”
Mu Peixuan replied, “Just because of a few letters, they convicted King Duan? It’s ridiculous!”
Xu Ying let out a bitter laugh and said, “Who can argue with that? It’s clear someone has framed him. Several senior officials in the court have already submitted memorials, and even Old Lord Zhang from the Hanlin Academy defended King Duan’s innocence. But in the court, all the officials belong to the Lin family faction, and with the eunuch faction also taking advantage of the situation, they forced Old Lord Zhang into a rage. He struck the pillar in the palace, and blood splattered on the spot.”
Mu Peixuan asked, “What’s going on with the Yu family? Did Big Brother Yu get involved?”
Xu Ying replied, “Yes, Big Brother Yu had dined with King Duan a few times. One of the letters found among King Duan’s correspondence was from Big Brother Yu.”
“Now, Big Brother Yu has also been arrested by the Jinyiwei (The Jinyiwei or the Embroidered Uniform Guard was the imperial secret guard that served the emperors of the Ming dynasty in China.) and imprisoned in the imperial prison. His fate is unknown.”
Currently, the Jinyiwei and the Eunuch Party are closely aligned. Yu Yi, who was the top scholar of the 18th year of Taifeng, comes from a faction of upright officials. The upright faction has always been at odds with the Eunuch Party. His arrest and imprisonment in the imperial prison could have dire consequences.
However, both the Yu family and the Mu family mainly operate in the local regions, not in the capital.
Mu Peixuan made a decisive decision: “I will go to the Yu family.”
Xu Ying hurriedly responded, noting that Mu Peixuan’s expression remained calm, which helped steady his own anxious heart. The two of them headed towards the door. Just as they reached the hallway, Mu Peixuan called over a servant and instructed, “Go tell Liu Guang who was by Junwang Fei’s side, when Junwang Fei wakes up, let him know I went to the Yu family.”
The servant responded respectfully, “Yes, Your Highness.”
Had it been usual, Xu Ying might have teased him a bit, but now there was no time for that. The families had been connected for years. Yu Jing’s elder brother, Yu Ming, was much older than them, and though they didn’t interact much, Yu Jing had grown up alongside them. If King Duan was convicted of treason, once Yu Ming was implicated, the Yu family would either face the death penalty or be exiled, depending on the severity of the charges.
Duan Linzhou woke up late. When he had regained some consciousness, he heard Liu Guang say that Mu Peixuan had gone to the Yu family.
Duan Linzhou paused for a moment and asked, “Did His Highness mention why he went to the Yu family?”
Liu Guang shook his head. “I heard from the servants that Young Master Xu came to the Marquis Mansion this morning, and he looked quite unsettled.”
Duan Linzhou nodded thoughtfully and then asked, “Has the snow stopped?”
Liu Guang replied, “Yes, the snow has stopped.”
Duan Linzhou let out a long breath and said, “It’s finally stopped.” He then instructed Liu Guang, “Take the invitations I wrote yesterday and send them to each residence.”
“Prepare the carriage, we’re going to Weixiang Lou.”
Liu Guang quietly said, “Young Master, although the snow has stopped, it’s freezing outside, and the ground is slippery. How can you go out in this condition…”
Duan Linzhou glanced at him, his expression calm and firm as he said, “Go.”
The snow had fallen for three or four days straight, and the heavy snow had caused many of the homes in the eastern part of Ruizhou City to collapse.
Even in Shuizhou City, the situation was dire, let alone the rural counties under its jurisdiction. Due to the continuous heavy snow, the roads were covered in thick snow and ice, making it impossible for merchant caravans to pass. The prices of goods in the city were rising steadily, particularly the price of rice and firewood for heating. If the prices continued to climb, the common people would either freeze to death or starve.
Natural disasters are inevitable, but man-made misfortunes are not necessarily uncontrollable. What Duan Linzhou needed to see at this moment were the big merchants of various trades in the city.
46
The carriage left Marquis Annan Mansion and made its way towards the Weixiang Lou. The road was slippery, and the guards of the city had already begun clearing the thick snow accumulated on Shuizhou’s main street. Passersby were bundled up in heavy clothing, moving hurriedly with somber expressions on their faces.
The coachman, Duan Jiu, took care to navigate cautiously. Through the carriage window, Duan Linzhou could see that most of the shops along the street were desolate. Occasionally, they passed by a few grain shops, where people had crowded into the streets, fighting to get their hands on the scarce supplies.
Duan Linzhou looked at the wooden sign hanging up. The sign was crudely made, with ink written on it: Today’s rice price is one shi for one tael and seven qian.
It was one qian higher than yesterday.
Duan Linzhou furrowed his brow tightly.
Liu Guang said, “Young Master, please close the carriage window.”
The snow wasn’t cold, but the melting snow brought a biting chill. Even though the carriage was lined with thick velvet blankets, Liu Guang had placed a warming stove inside. However, as soon as they entered the main street and heard the sounds of people, Duan Linzhou opened the car window, and the biting cold wind, like a knife, cut through the air. The colder it got, the more prone Duan Linzhou was to falling ill. These days, he had been worried about the snow disaster in Ruizhou. Letters from the city’s merchants were being sent one after another to the mansion. Duan Linzhou also met with a few of the managers under the Duan family’s command, making Liu Guang increasingly anxious.
Liu Guang had reminded him that the family physician, Old Physician Ji, had explicitly advised that his health required complete rest, and he should not exert himself any further.
Duan Linzhou snapped back to his senses. Just as he was about to speak, the sudden jolt made him stagger a bit. It turned out that Duan Jiu had hurriedly pulled on the reins, and the road was slippery, causing the horse to nearly slip.
Duan Linzhou steadied himself and asked, “What happened?”
Duan Jiu answered, “Young Master, a child suddenly ran out and almost collided with the carriage.”
Duan Linzhou lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked outside. He saw a child lying on the ground, using his hands to sweep the scattered millet. The millet appeared to be old and of the poorest quality, yet the child, ignoring his hands that were red from the cold, carefully collected the grains into a worn-out cloth bag.
Duan Linzhou coughed a couple of times from the cold wind, then said to Duan Jiu, “Go help him gather it up.”
Duan Jiu responded and jumped off the carriage. However, as he took a couple of steps forward, the child immediately raised his eyes in vigilance and glared at them.
Duan Linzhou paused for a moment, then tilted his head to glance at the crowded rice shop a few steps away. The rice price in the city had risen steeply, yet many common folk still couldn’t afford to buy it. It seemed this child had rushed to grab the handful of old rice, afraid it would be taken from him, which explained why he had nearly bumped into their carriage in his haste.
Duan Linzhou sighed and handed a small piece of silver to Duan Jiu, saying, “Give it to him. Let’s go.”
The private room with the “Tian” character at the Weixiang Lou had been reserved for Duan Linzhou. By the time he finished speaking with a few of the stewards and entered the room, several people were already inside. They were some of the most prominent merchants in Ruizhou. As soon as they saw Duan Linzhou, they all stood up and greeted him in unison.
“Boss Duan!”
“Boss Duan, Happy New Year!”
Duan Linzhou smiled faintly, walked in slowly, and cupped his hands, saying, “Happy New Year, Bosses. I apologize for being late.”
“Happy New Year, Boss Duan.”
“Not at all, not at all. It’s we who arrived early.”
Voices of greeting rose one after another. Duan Linzhou responded to each of them, exchanged a few polite words, and then calmly took the empty main seat. The Duan family had originally dealt in the spice trade, but once it fell into Duan Linzhou’s hands, he made a fortune through traveling merchants and reselling goods. Later, he formed his own merchant caravans, somehow acquired several large cargo ships, ventured out to sea, and came to dominate both land and water routes, gradually gaining control over the flow of goods in Ruizhou.
Now, the largest cargo ship docked at Ruizhou’s Qinghe Wharf flew a tall black flag emblazoned with a golden “Duan” character. In almost every trading firm in Ruizhou, the majority of goods brought in from outside arrived via Duan Linzhou’s merchant caravans.
The world was in turmoil, bandits ran rampant, and the weather had been strange this year. Several prefectures north of Ruizhou had suffered heavy snow for days, causing severe disasters. Under the thick snow, trade routes were nearly impassable, leading to soaring goods prices within Ruizhou City. After their initial delight, the merchants grew uneasy, and since before the New Year, they had been sending letters to Duan Linzhou one after another. Now that even Ruizhou itself was affected by the disaster, their anxiety deepened. Seeing Duan Linzhou arrive but only exchange pleasantries, a few of the older merchants exchanged glances and quietly set down their teacups.
The first to speak was Li Chou, owner of Ruizhou’s largest grain business, Fengnian Grain Store. He said, “Boss Duan, I’m sure you’ve heard about the snow disasters in Fengzhou, Longzhou, and several other prefectures. Fengzhou has already fallen into famine — rice is as costly as gold. But with the trade routes blocked, grain merchants can’t get supplies into Fengzhou. The people of Ruizhou are panicking and hoarding food, so we had no choice but to raise the rice prices. But if this continues, even the grain warehouses will eventually run empty.”
Duan Linzhou said nothing, slowly rubbing the hand warmer in his hand. Another man spoke up, “We just want to ask, when will the Duan caravan leave Ruizhou?”
Duan Linzhou pondered for a moment and said, “Setting aside the weather making travel difficult, the snow disasters in Fengzhou and Longzhou have scattered the refugees. Where there are refugees, there will be bandits. Starving people care neither for rules nor for their lives. Just yesterday, I heard a group of about a hundred bandits had taken over Linyang Pass.” He looked at Li Chou and said, “Linyang Pass is the only way from Cangzhou into Ruizhou.”
The region of Cangzhou was the granary of Daliang. Places like Ruizhou, Fengzhou, and Longzhou were not suited for growing rice and had poor yields, always relying on shipments from Cangzhou.
Li Chou frowned as well and asked, “What about the waterways?”
Duan Linzhou answered calmly, “Water routes are passable, but with the current weather, it’s not favorable for merchant ships to travel…”
“Not favorable doesn’t mean impossible—” Someone interrupted Duan Linzhou impatiently.
Duan Linzhou glanced at him and smiled lightly, saying, “Indeed, that’s the case, but it would require my brothers from the Duan family to risk their lives…”
The people present were all shrewd, and at this point, no one was unclear about the meaning. Those sitting closer started whispering among themselves. Li Chou and several other merchants exchanged glances, hesitating before asking, “Does Duan Boss mean…?”
Duan Linzhou smiled slightly but said nothing.
Li Chou stared at him for a while, then gritted his teeth and said, “We understand the situation outside is chaotic. We are willing to offer the Duan family an extra ten percent…”
Duan Linzhou shook his head and replied, “Twenty percent.”
Li Chou widened his eyes, his expression darkening. He said, “Twenty percent is simply too high.” The others echoed in agreement, complaining about how difficult things were. However, Duan Linzhou remained unmoved and said, “Everyone, as I was coming here today, I passed by several rice shops.”
His voice wasn’t loud or soft, but it carried a certain weight, effortlessly suppressing the noisy discussions around him.
Duan Linzhou continued, “Today’s grain price is one dou, one liang, and seven qian.”
He deliberately glanced at a few of the grain merchants who were causing the most noise. All of them instinctively avoided his gaze. Duan Linzhou didn’t mind and smiled, continuing, “Half a year ago, before the flood in Ruizhou, the price of rice in Ruizhou was one dou and seven qian. After that, it soared to one liang and five qian. After the autumn harvest, the price of rice fell slightly to nine qian.”
“Yet in just a few short days, the rice price has already risen to one liang and seven qian, with even a tendency to increase further,” he paused, raising his head to survey the room. “But as far as I know, the rice price in Cangzhou, although it has risen slightly over the past two years, is still negligible compared to the rice price in Ruizhou.”
“Meanwhile, the price that the Duan family offers to all of you has remained the same as it was three years ago. Three years have passed, and the situation has drastically changed, whether by waterway or land route, things are no longer the same as they were back then.”
He took a moment to steady his breath, sitting up straight and looking directly at Li Chou. “On this matter, Boss Li should be quite clear.”
Li Chou looked at Duan Linzhou with an unsettled expression. The young man in front of him, calm and composed, had a pale face, appearing weak and frail. Yet, as he sat there, he exuded a poised, unshaken presence, one that no one in the room could surpass.
Three years ago, the news of Duan Linzhou’s serious illness spread throughout the city, and although there were those who entertained thoughts of taking advantage of the Duan family’s weakened state, none of them ended well. Their attempts were quickly quelled, effectively dampening anyone else’s ambitions.
In the past year, Duan Linzhou rarely appeared in public. It wasn’t until the end of last year when rumors of his marriage to Mu Peixuan circulated, shocking everyone in Ruizhou. Yet, this action led many to speculate that perhaps Duan Linzhou was truly on the brink of collapse, attempting to seek protection from Marquis Annan Mansion out of desperation.
The hearts of the people were once again stirred.
Now that Duan Linzhou appeared before them again, his demeanor was the same as it had been three years ago, reminding everyone present of how he had risen from obscurity to his current position.
Li Chou said, “Boss Duan, twenty percent is truly too much.”
Duan Linzhou smiled and replied, “But compared to all of you, grain, firewood, coal, and even cloth, they are hardly worth mentioning.”
Li Chou furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, “This matter… we need to discuss it further.”
Duan Linzhou replied, “Feel free to take your time, but I’m afraid my health isn’t in the best condition, so I may not be able to wait for all of you for too long.”
After saying this, Duan Linzhou relaxed his back and leaned against the chair. Once he finished speaking, the merchants in the room began discussing among themselves in small groups. While there were other merchant groups and escort services in the city, none could compare to the influence of the Duan family. Over the years, Duan Linzhou had gathered many people from the martial world, and even the bandits who roamed the trade routes had to steer clear of the Duan family’s convoy.
They had no other choice.
Liu Guang poured another cup of tea for Duan Linzhou.
After a moment, the murmurs gradually quieted. Li Chou, looking troubled, said, “Duan Boss, it’s not that we are unwilling, but twenty percent is too high. As you mentioned the flood last year, we too have suffered considerable losses.”
Duan Linzhou lowered his eyes, his long, slender fingers idly tapping the teacup in his hand, not saying a word. Li Chou gritted his teeth and said, “Duan Boss…”
“Only ten percent, that’s all we can accept.” Li Chou said.
Duan Linzhou slammed the teacup down with a soft thud, his tone indifferent, “If everyone has no sincerity, then there’s nothing left to discuss.”
He stood up, and one person, caught off guard, retorted, “Duan Boss, raising your price like this, have you forgotten that without the major merchants of Ruizhou, what would you use to support your caravan?”
Duan Linzhou’s gaze landed on the man, and he suddenly smiled, saying, “I believe it’s Boss Zhang who has forgotten something.” The person singled out by him turned pale, and Duan Linzhou slowly continued, “Is it really the river trade that supports the Duan family’s ships?”
The crowd stiffened in shock, instantly recalling that Duan Linzhou’s true wealth had come from sea trade, not river transport.
Duan Linzhou smiled, then lifted his leg to leave. Li Chou spoke up, saying, “Fifteen percent! Boss Duan, how about fifteen percent?”
Duan Linzhou turned to look at Li Chou and asked, “Fifteen percent?”
Li Chou replied in a deep voice, “Fifteen percent.”
Duan Linzhou pondered for a moment before saying, “It’s acceptable, but—”
“I have one more condition.”
Duan Linzhou said, “The rice price must not rise any further, and it should gradually decrease.”
Li Chou and the others were taken aback, hesitating before replying, “If the price isn’t raised, the people will rush to hoard it—”
Duan Linzhou said, “Then it will depend on all bosses.” He said slowly, “The reason the people rush to hoard is because they’re worried there will be no grain in the city. But once there is grain, why would they buy expensive rice?”
Li Chou pondered for a moment and asked, “Will there truly be grain, firewood, and coal in the city?”
Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “Naturally.” He raised his hand and pointed to the closed window. “The merchant ships of the Duan family have already set sail, and the caravan is already at the gates of Ruizhou. As long as everyone agrees, the caravan can depart at once. In less than ten days, it will bring back new grain from Cangzhou.”
“The same goes for firewood, coal, and cloth.”
The merchants in the room suddenly felt a sense of being caught in Duan Linzhou’s words, but compared to the benefits that Duan Linzhou’s agreement would bring, it was nothing worth mentioning.
Duan Linzhou said, “Liu Guang, bring the new contract for everyone to review.”
Liuguang responded, “Yes.”
Li Chou pressed his fingers to his brow and said, “…Boss Duan, you knew we would agree…”
Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “It benefits all of us, so why not agree?”
“Everyone’s noble intentions, Duan will thank you guys on behalf of the people of Ruizhou,” He lifted his teacup, and said, “Let this tea serve as a toast. I offer you all a drink.”
The merchants in the room sighed and all lifted their cups, saying, “Boss Duan, please.”
“Please.” Duan Linzhou said, taking a quick drink.
After drinking, he continued, “There is one more thing I need to trouble all of you with.”
Li Chou responded, “Boss Duan, please, speak.”
Duan Linzhou said, “Outside of Ruizhou City, a group of refugees has gathered. The Duan family intends to use the name of the Ruizhou merchant’s association to organize a charitable donation, setting up a porridge stand and shelters outside the city through the government to provide relief for the displaced. I would like to know everyone’s opinions on this.”
One person said, “Since Boss Duan has spoken, as fellow citizens of Ruizhou, how could we not follow suit?”
Others chimed in, whether for the sake of reputation or because they had no choice, and they all willingly contributed to the charity.
Duan Linzhou looked around, finally feeling a sense of relief. He turned to Li Chou, who raised his cup. Duan Linzhou also smiled at him and lowered his voice, saying, “Thank you, Boss Li.”
Li Chou smiled knowingly and replied, “It’s Boss Duan who truly has the high ground.”
He took a sip of wine and then asked, “Boss Duan, we are merely merchants. Whether it’s the grain prices or disaster relief, why should you go to such lengths?”
Duan Linzhou smiled and replied, “Firstly, as Boss Qiu said, we are all citizens of Ruizhou. How could we sit idly by when Ruizhou is suffering?”
“Secondly,” he winked and said, “Has Boss Li forgotten who I married?”
Li Chou: “……”
By the time everything was settled, Duan Linzhou and the merchants stepped out of Weixiang Lou, and the sky had already darkened.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a tall figure standing by the carriage. The young man had a stern expression, draped in a dark cloak, arms crossed, and his gaze lifted to meet his.
The two locked eyes, and as Duan Linzhou looked at Mu Peixuan, a subtle stir passed through his heart, but a smile already appeared on his lips.
Obrigada pela tradução !!💕