Chapter 108: Banknotes

In her previous life, You Fangyin had never used such a method.

But she had mentioned it, and Jiang Xuening remembered.

The matter of Ren Weizhi and the Zigong salt field was full of ups and downs, a typical case where ordinary people could predict the beginning but not the middle, and the middle but not the end. It was a perfect opportunity to make money using this method.

However, this was Jiang Xuening’s first time doing such a thing, with no precedent to follow, so she was extremely cautious at all times.

She feared missing the right moment.

But compared to others, she had the advantage of foresight, so she wasn’t as anxious or excited as others, needing to sit in the lobby of the Shuxiang Inn to feel at ease.

Zhou Yinzhi knew that Jiang Xuening had a connection with You Fangyin from the Earl of Qingyuan’s residence, but he didn’t know what they were planning. However, there were some rumors in the market that had reached his ears. He knew You Fangyin was going to marry Ren Weizhi, and he had heard about the salt field shares in Sichuan.

He hadn’t initially connected it to Jiang Xuening.

But hearing her now, Zhou Yinzhi had a flash of insight and guessed that most of the remaining fifteen thousand taels of salt field shares might be in Jiang Xuening’s hands. He also remembered the ten thousand taels extorted from the marquis’s legitimate daughter for Jiang Xuening, and he was shocked.

The ancient qin, played for years in the presence of incense, still emitted a faint scent even without incense burning.

After pLucking the string, the vibration hadn’t stopped.

Jiang Xuening watched the strings and asked, “Any news from the court recently?”

Zhou Yinzhi replied, “The case of the Yongyi Marquis’s residence is still under trial…”

It was said that the three judicial offices argued incessantly.

One side believed that although the marquis’s residence had correspondence with traitors, it was mostly to find out the whereabouts of the heir of Dingfei from twenty years ago, driven by familial ties, and should not be considered treason. Confiscating the family property and demoting them to commoners would suffice.

The other side insisted that searching for the heir was just an excuse.

Everyone knew that the heir of Dingfei from the Xiao and Yan families had died twenty years ago. If they wanted to find him, they should look in the ‘Righteous Children’s Tomb.’ The Yongyi Marquis, Yan Mu, knew the other party was a traitor but still contacted them, clearly harboring rebellious intentions. Even if not sentenced to extermination, Yan Mu and his family should be executed to serve as an example.

Jiang Xuening was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, “Master Xie now heads the Hanlin Academy and has increasing power in the court. His intelligence network should be extensive. Do you have suitable people under you who can ‘hear’ some news?”

Zhou Yinzhi was stunned.

Jiang Xuening slowly added, “After the Tianjiao sect members get the money from me, they will definitely leave the capital secretly. You are a Jinyiwei, but your authority is limited and can’t handle this. Why not let someone else do it?”

This money was originally prepared for the Yongyi Marquis’s residence, but she didn’t want it to fall into the hands of scoundrels.

However, she feared she couldn’t stop it alone.

Moreover, she feared the other party might take the money without giving the letter, leaving her with nothing. The letter must not be lost, so she needed an additional layer of security.

Zhou Yinzhi couldn’t quite grasp her intention.

Master Xie was not a simple person. To discreetly let people think they accidentally heard the news was not easy.

But he thought of Jiang Xuening’s relationship with Xie Wei. They were teacher and student, right?

If she wanted Xie Wei to know, why not tell him directly?

Perhaps their relationship was more complicated than he could understand. It was better to act as if he knew nothing and focus on getting the job done.

After meeting Jiang Xuening, Zhou Yinzhi left with the ten thousand taels of banknotes.

As he left the residence, he saw a plain carriage at the door.

He looked up and saw You Fangyin getting off the carriage.

They exchanged glances.

You Fangyin was startled but then smiled and greeted him. It wasn’t convenient to talk at the Jiang residence’s door, so she walked in.

You Fangyin was about to get married.

Jiang Xuening had been thinking of finding a chance to meet her and give her some instructions, but she didn’t expect You Fangyin to come first, which surprised her.

Looking closely, You Fangyin seemed different.

Knowing she was getting married, the marquis’s residence had to make some effort. They made her a few decent outfits, not costing much, and hoped Ren Weizhi would make more money, so they treated You Fangyin better.

Wearing a new water-red dress, her complexion was much rosier, making her look quite beautiful.

Jiang Xuening was pleased and said, “I thought Ren Weizhi was just so-so, but seeing you looking so different and not suffering in the residence, I think he might be a good match for you.”

You Fangyin bLushed and stammered, “It’s a fake marriage.”

Jiang Xuening remembered and sighed, “Marriage is a big event, often once in a lifetime for many girls. Doing this is out of necessity, and it’s a great grievance for you.”

You Fangyin didn’t feel aggrieved. Marriage was a big event for many, but her life in the marquis’s residence was miserable. Escaping was a blessing she never dared to dream of.

She hadn’t dared to sleep deeply these days.

Fearing that if she slept, she would wake up to find it was all a dream.

She didn’t know how to express her feelings, so she shook her head earnestly and said, “No, no grievance. It’s Master Ren who is troubled by this…”

Troubled?

Getting a good girl with some money, even in a fake marriage, was a rare blessing. How could Ren Weizhi feel troubled?

Jiang Xuening hummed lightly.

But she didn’t say it aloud, only said, “You came at the right time. Soon, someone from Sichuan will come to take you for the wedding. If you were late, I might not have had the chance to give you this.”

She spoke and opened a box.

Inside were more banknotes.

Jiang Xuening took them and put them in You Fangyin’s hand, saying, “On the day you leave, I might not be able to see you off. Your sister You Yue hates me, and she might try to harm me. Knowing the marquis’s residence and your mean sister, they won’t prepare much dowry for you. I had prepared more, but unexpected expenses came up, so I only have these three thousand taels left. Take them and keep them hidden. Don’t tell anyone, not even Ren Weizhi. Wealth attracts trouble. Even if you trust him, it might bring other problems. When you get to Sichuan, if anything happens, I can’t help you from the capital. Having some money will help you in an emergency.”

Three thousand taels as dowry!

You Fangyin was shocked, feeling the banknotes were burning her hands. She didn’t dare take them and quickly pushed them back, panicking, “You’ve been very kind to me. How can I take your money?”

Jiang Xuening expected her refusal.

But she insisted, firmly saying, “This is not just for you. It’s also a precaution for the salt field. It’s always good to be prepared. If the salt field succeeds and Ren Weizhi gives you dividends, you won’t need this money. You can repay me later. Consider it a loan, okay?”

You Fangyin hesitated.

After much persuasion, she finally accepted the money, her eyes red with tears, not knowing how to express her gratitude.

Jiang Xuening had to give her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

Feeling both helpless and amused, Jiang Xuening changed the topic, “How have you been in the residence lately? Has your sister been giving you any trouble?”

You Fangyin replied, “No, Second Sister was angry for a few days when she heard the shares at the Shuxiang Inn had dropped, but then they went up again, and she was happy all the time. She even took me out to buy new clothes and jewelry, treating me very well.”

It seemed You Yue was quite pleased with herself.

Jiang Xuening thought to herself that You Yue could enjoy her triumph for another two months, but there would be tears later. However, she didn’t say this to You Fangyin and just smiled, “That’s good to hear.”

Jiang Xuening was waiting for the right moment and, after thinking about her plan, gave You Fangyin a few instructions.

Zhou Yinzhi quickly completed his task.

For the next ten days, there was no news from Sichuan, but everyone was eagerly anticipating something. The closer it got to the day the concubine’s daughter from the Earl of Qingyuan’s residence was to leave, the more merchants frequented the Shuxiang Inn.

It was obvious—

The Ren family from Sichuan would send someone to escort the concubine’s daughter to Sichuan, and they would surely bring the latest news about the salt field. If the Zhuotong Well could indeed extract new salt from the “abandoned” salt wells, the price of the Ren family’s salt field shares would skyrocket!

Everyone waited eagerly as the days passed.

Finally, it was the twenty-third of December, the day before You Fangyin was to leave.

The people from Sichuan arrived to escort the bride!

That morning, the lobby of the Shuxiang Inn was packed with people. Even those who hadn’t bought shares in the Ren family’s salt field, and knew they probably couldn’t, came to witness this unprecedented spectacle in the business world.

Everyone kept glancing at the door.

Every time someone entered, they turned to look, but by noon, the people they were waiting for hadn’t arrived.

As noon approached, some people left.

Those who lived nearby went home for Lunch.

Others grew impatient, but many stayed, ordering food and continuing to wait.

At the second quarter of noon, a burly man in short, sturdy clothes rode up on a horse, threw the reins to a servant at the door, and walked into the Shuxiang Inn, wiping sweat despite the cold. Speaking in a Sichuan-accented official dialect, he loudly asked, “Where’s the innkeeper?”

Everyone perked up.

The innkeeper, who was urging the waiters to hurry the food, turned and saw the man, his eyes lighting up, “Are you from Master Ren’s salt firm?”

The burly man laughed heartily, showing a row of white teeth, clearly pleased, “Yes, I am Master Ren’s new servant, here to escort the future young mistress to Sichuan. Seven days ago, Master Ren’s Zhuotong Well extracted brine from an old, abandoned salt well and produced new salt. The entire Zigong salt field came to see it. Master Ren sent me to inform the inn and ask you to write this news on the board to reassure those who bought our salt field shares!”

His voice was loud, and everyone in the lobby heard it.

The place erupted in excitement, with everyone talking at once, making it impossible to hear clearly.

The man, having other tasks, left after delivering the news.

Everyone was thrilled by the news.

Some doubted if Ren Weizhi was faking it, as it sounded too legendary to believe.

But by the afternoon, other news confirmed it.

Salt merchants, the most informed, quickly verified the truth.

In Sichuan, brine was deep underground. Traditional salt wells were only three to four zhang deep, and deeper drilling was impossible. Wells that couldn’t produce brine at that depth were abandoned.

But the Zhuotong Well could reach ten zhang or even deeper!

Drilling with bamboo tubes, brine gushed from the bottom, turning into white silver!

Salt merchants in Jiangnan, relying on sea salt, were less affected, but Sichuan’s major salt merchants couldn’t sit still. They rushed to Zigong to see for themselves.

The Zhuotong Well was set to change Sichuan’s salt industry!

As more news spread, doubts diminished, and enthusiasm for the Ren family’s salt field shares soared, driving prices up!

Six hundred wen was no longer enough.

People in the lobby bid seven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred wen, but no one sold.

The next day, a thousand shares appeared on the market and were snapped up at a thousand wen per share, equivalent to one tael of silver!

Jiang Xuening’s moment had arrived.

The price of the Ren family’s salt field shares would continue to rise, but the matter of the Yongyi Marquis’s letter was urgent, and the Tianjiao sect’s patience was running out. Even knowing she could earn more later, she couldn’t wait.

The thousand shares on the market were her test.

Neither she nor the buyer revealed their identities.

Jiang Xuening had extorted ten thousand taels from the Earl of Qingyuan’s residence, all invested in the Ren family’s salt field shares, making her the largest shareholder with twenty thousand shares.

She had also bought the few hundred shares from Master Liu when prices were low.

But that was just a small part.

After selling a thousand shares, she still had nineteen thousand, worth nineteen thousand taels at current prices. She had nearly forty thousand taels before, but after giving some to You Fangyin as dowry and keeping some for emergencies, she was still short fifteen thousand taels.

A significant amount.

Few could afford it.

If she released fifteen thousand shares at once, it would raise suspicion. Why sell when prices were rising?

Prices might drop.

So Jiang Xuening released the news in batches, a thousand shares at a time, waiting for the right buyer.

Everyone in the capital’s business community was interested, and many expressed willingness to bid.

The news quickly reached Lu Xian.

Others didn’t notice anything unusual, but Lu Xian sensed something was off, his eyes gleaming, “Something’s not right. The Ren family’s salt field shares are rising, yet someone is selling a thousand shares at a time. It must be a major shareholder! Selling now means either they don’t believe in the salt field’s future or… they need money urgently!”

The Youhuang Pavilion was quiet.

Xie Wei, sitting cross-legged opposite Lu Xian, watched him fiddle with his abacus and said, “So what if someone needs money?”

Lu Xian’s eyes twinkled, and he laughed, “It’s the perfect time to strike!”

He had been considering this for a while. Halfway through his calculations, he stood up, “I can’t miss this opportunity!”

Xie Wei frowned, “I wanted to discuss the Tianjiao sect…”

Lu Xian waved him off, “You have their information, and they’re leaving the city soon. Capturing them is easy. No need to discuss. I’m off to make money. Whatever you have to say, wait until I get back!”

It was snowing outside.

It had been snowing for days.

Before leaving, uü Xian thought for a moment, then took his banknotes and seal, grabbed an umbrella from a servant, and headed to Baiguo Temple in the capital.

He had been keeping an eye on the Earl of Qingyuan’s residence.

He knew You Fangyin’s movements well.

Tomorrow, You Fangyin was set to leave the capital for Sichuan. As a bride-to-be, she naturally had to visit a temple to pray for a smooth marriage. Although her marriage was fake, she still had to go through the motions without showing any flaws.

This time, she was accompanied by a young maid from the residence.

Lu Xian didn’t consider such a small character worth his attention. He sent someone to keep the maid occupied outside and then knocked on the door, saying, “Is Miss You Fangyin inside? I am Lu Xian, and I have a business proposition to discuss with you.”

You Fangyin was examining a fortune stick she had drawn at the temple when she heard the knock and almost jumped. Hearing the name, a face came to mind.

Second Miss was right; he had indeed come.

She admired Jiang Xuening’s foresight but was also nervous. She steadied herself and said, “Please come in.”

Lu Xian entered.

The simple meditation room was very plain, with only a simple “emptiness” character hanging on the wall.

Seeing You Fangyin, he was momentarily stunned. He had seen her before at the Shuxiang Inn, dressed in a maid’s coarse clothes, looking pale and thin. Now, she was slightly pLumper, with a rosy complexion. Perhaps because she was about to get married, her demeanor was gentle and serene, with a radiant glow. Her gaze made him feel a bit uneasy.

Only then did Lu Xian realize—

Yes, she was getting married tomorrow, and he dared to come and talk business today. He was indeed bold.

You Fangyin asked, “I don’t recall making an appointment with you. What business do you want to discuss?”

Lu Xian snapped out of his thoughts and smiled, dispelling his momentary discomfort. “Others may not know, but you and I do. Let’s not beat around the bush. The person who released the news about selling shares at the Shuxiang Inn today must be you, or rather, the person behind you.”

You Fangyin said nothing.

Lu Xian confidently continued, “I don’t know why you need so much money, but you must be eager to sell the shares. Although many merchants in the capital are interested, few can come up with such a large sum quickly. I’ve been in business for years and have a good reputation. Instead of selling a thousand shares at a time, which is troublesome and risky, why not sell them all to me? I’ll take them all. What do you think?”

Remembering Jiang Xuening’s instructions, You Fangyin asked, “Can you pay a thousand wen per share?”

Lu Xian’s lips curled into a faint smile. “The shares are scarce, so the price is high. That’s not surprising. But if you sell all your shares at once, the price won’t be that high.”

Taking advantage of the situation was the key.

Lu Xian understood this well.

Hearing this, You Fangyin felt a surge of anger, but she remembered Jiang Xuening’s words and wasn’t too upset.

She thought, Second Miss truly foresaw everything.

Even predicted this man’s attempt to lower the price after taking the bait.

She frowned and asked, “How much are you offering?”

Lu Xian countered, “How many shares are you selling?”

You Fangyin replied, “Fifteen thousand shares.”

Lu Xian secretly gasped and raised his eyebrows. “Thirteen thousand taels.”

You Fangyin’s face turned cold. “You’re not sincere about buying.”

Lu Xian smiled. “I’m very sincere.”

You Fangyin wanted to send him away.

Lu Xian, however, refused to leave, tapping his fingers on the table casually. “You, or the person behind you, need fifteen thousand taels.”

You Fangyin’s eyes flashed with anger.

Seeing this, Lu Xian knew he was right.

The feeling of control made him feel triumphant, as if he had grasped her weakness. He leisurely added, “No need to look at me like that. Business is business. Everyone has tight times. I’m always willing to help. Since you need fifteen thousand taels, why not sell me seventeen thousand shares and settle the deal? It saves you the trouble of worrying about small amounts.”

Perhaps his words struck a chord with You Fangyin. She seemed to hesitate, seriously considering his offer.

Lu Xian, sensing an opportunity, continued to persuade her.

He spoke earnestly, warning of the consequences of flooding the market with shares, which might raise suspicions about the salt field and make them unsellable.

But You Fangyin didn’t relent.

Finally, Lu Xian played his trump card, sternly saying, “I’ve said enough. You clearly don’t want to sell. It seems this deal won’t happen. I’ll take my leave.”

He stood and bowed.

You Fangyin didn’t stop him.

Lu Xian left the meditation room, counting silently. Sure enough, he had only reached three when he heard a hurried voice behind him, “Master Lu, please wait!”

A satisfied smile spread across Lu Xian’s lips.

He knew the deal was done.

This method of bargaining, though old, never failed!

However, as he turned his back to You Fangyin, he didn’t see the relieved smile that briefly crossed her face.

One was eager for money, the other for shares.

Both parties quickly reached an agreement. Lu Xian had come prepared with banknotes and seals, determined to succeed. To his surprise, You Fangyin also had her seal with her and immediately signed the contract.

One hand stamped the seal, the other exchanged money.

Lu Xian left with the contract, and You Fangyin left with the banknotes.

Leaving Baiguo Temple, Lu Xian was elated, thinking that most of the Ren family’s salt field shares were now in his hands, just waiting for the profits to roll in.

But three miles down the road, his smile froze.

With the contract in his pocket, he suddenly recalled the moment when the concubine’s daughter from the You family took out her seal. His mind buzzed: if she wasn’t equally determined and prepared, who would bring a seal when going to a temple?

He had come to take advantage.

But wouldn’t they know someone might try to take advantage?

This realization chilled him. He knew he had acted too hastily: “They must be desperate for money! If I had been more patient, I could have driven the price down further. Damn…”

He had fallen into someone else’s trap!

Lu Xian’s face turned green. A journey that should have taken half an hour stretched into hours as he walked, stopping frequently. By the time he returned to the Youhuang Pavilion, it was dark, and he looked utterly defeated.

Xie Wei was still there.

Hearing the door, he looked up to see Lu Xian, cold and dejected, enter. He raised an eyebrow, “What happened to you?”

Lu Xian, face ashen, said nothing, placing the contract on the table.

Xie Wei glanced at it, “Didn’t you close the deal?”

Lu Xian replied, “I paid too much.”

For a businessman, paying more than necessary for a deal was a great humiliation!

Reflecting on it, Lu Xian realized he had been too eager.

Xie Wei understood why Lu Xian was so upset: Lu Xian was the type who wouldn’t settle for nine parts if he could get ten. He had secured the shares but at a higher price than necessary, hence his anger.

Lu Xian couldn’t stop thinking about You Fangyin’s face and the earlier silk business he had missed. The more he thought about it, the more bitter he felt, knowing this grudge ran deep.

It took him a long time to calm down.

Noticing Xie Wei still there, he asked, “Why are you still here?”

Xie Wei looked out the window, “I’m waiting for news tonight.”

Night fell.

The fifteen thousand taels of banknotes passed from You Fangyin to Jiang Xuening, then to Zhou Yinzhi, and finally to two masked men in black.

Zhou Yinzhi brought only Wei Xi.

The other side also had only two people.

Both sides were cautious, given the sensitive nature of the transaction. After verifying the letter and the banknotes, they exchanged without a word and parted ways.

The two masked men disappeared into the night.

Halfway to their destination, they changed into ordinary clothes in an alley, revealing unremarkable faces.

Gongyi Cheng was missing.

They had the banknotes.

These men, thinking the Yongyi Marquis’s residence was loyal and had once considered collaborating with the Tianjiao sect, felt they had done a good deed by selling the letter. But staying in the capital was risky, so they planned to leave that night using their connections.

However, as they approached the city gate, signaling to their contact, they were met with arrows from above!

Whoosh!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Arrows gleamed in the darkness, piercing their heads easily. The banknotes in their pockets hadn’t even warmed before they fell, eyes wide open, dead.

On the city gate tower, Dao Qin, who had been lying in wait, put away his bow and ordered, “Search them carefully. See if they have what the master wants.”

Shadows descended to search the bodies.

The search of the bodies yielded no letters, only a thick stack of banknotes, which were handed to Dao Qin. He frowned, puzzled by the presence of so much money on these men, who were supposed to be under Gongyi Cheng’s command.

Dao Qin had a bad feeling and quickly rode to the Youhuang Pavilion.

Inside, Lu Xian was angrily working his abacus, while Xie Wei, holding a white jade chess piece, stared at the board, lost in thought. When Dao Qin arrived and presented the banknotes, Xie Wei’s eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent.

Dao Qin reported that they found no letter, only fifty thousand taels in banknotes. Xie Wei immediately realized that the men had likely sold the letter for the money.

Lu Xian, glancing at the banknotes, recognized them as the same ones he had used to buy the salt field shares earlier. This meant the person who bought the letter was connected to the concubine’s daughter from the Earl of Qingyuan’s residence.

Xie Wei noticed small ink marks on the edges of the banknotes. Arranging them in order, he found a message: “Sir, it’s me. I know I was wrong,” with a small turtle drawing at the end. This made Xie Wei laugh, his anger dissipating.

Previous

Next