Chapter 963
Different Preparation Methods
"I know many people at Wanping Wharf, but I don't have the connections to the head of Shenghe Trading Company. I only know a second-in-command who is in charge of watching the goods outside."
"That's enough," Zheng Yi said. "Take me to Shenghe first."
He Liang was clearly taken aback.
"Aren't you going to Wanping first?"
“No, not yet,” Zheng Yi said. “Wanping is a mixed bag of goods and people. If we go there first, we’ll be seen as a small group rushing to dump their goods in Beining City. Since Shenghe is so picky, let’s go and test their pickiness first.”
He Liang was finally somewhat convinced.
This young man not only knows how to talk, but also how to boost his own image.
If you approach Shenghe first, regardless of whether it works out or not, you'll be more confident when you try to go to Wanping later. Conversely, if you sell your products at Wanping first and lower your prices, then when you try to go to Shenghe, they'll just think you're nothing special.
“Okay.” He Liang nodded. “I’ll lead the way.”
……
Shenghe Dahang was indeed different from the shops they had seen along the way.
It wasn't located on the busiest main street, but rather at the end of a wide street on the eastern side of the city. High walls and deep gates, the plaque on the door was inconspicuous, with the words "Sheng He" written in gold on a black background. There were no vendors hawking their wares along the street, nor were there any haphazardly piled-up goods in front of the door, only two neatly dressed guards and a servant boy who was in charge of greeting guests and keeping track of the signboard.
When Chi Ya saw the door, his steps slowed down.
"This looks like a wealthy family's home, not a shop selling things."
Zheng Yi said, "Those who truly deal in bulk commodities don't rely on the hustle and bustle of the market."
He Liang stepped forward and handed over a name tag that resembled an invitation card, then whispered a few words. The servant at the door glanced at them, lingering particularly on the fur robes worn by Wu Chen and Chi Ya, before going in to announce their arrival.
While waiting for someone, Chiya felt extremely uncomfortable, unsure of what to do with his hands.
He asked Zheng Yi in a low voice, "Am I too unsophisticated?"
Wu Chen glanced at him: "You're only finding out now?"
For once, Chi Ya didn't retort, but muttered under his breath, "Even the doormen here are dressed more neatly than I am."
Zheng Yi heard this and said calmly, "Clothes are just a facade, not the foundation. What will truly make them take you seriously is the merchandise we bring."
Chiya nodded, but he still felt a little uneasy.
Before long, a servant came out and led them into a side hall.
The first person to come out to meet people was not the manager, but the second steward of Shenghe Trading Company, surnamed Lu.
Deacon Lu was in his early thirties, with a fair complexion and delicate eyebrows. His clothes were not ostentatious, but it was clear at a glance that they were made of fine materials. He entered the room and first looked at Zheng Yi, then at He Liang, before finally glancing over Wu Chen and Chi Ya, his gaze landing on the layer of northern snow dust that had not yet been completely washed off the edges of their fur robes.
"Deacon He said that he has a batch of rare northern goods and wants to go through Shenghe's channels."
Zheng Yi stood up and bowed: "That's right."
Deacon Lu did not offer him a seat, but asked first, "I heard that you entered the Beining border fence last night with Hongyun City as your guarantor?"
This problem arose faster than I expected.
Clearly, the news from the border region spread earlier and in greater detail than it did on the streets.
Zheng Yi remained expressionless: "Yes."
On what grounds should I vouch for this?
"Because I have a past relationship with Hongyun City."
Upon hearing this, Steward Lu showed no obvious expression on his face, only saying, "There are plenty of people who claim to have 'old' things. If a brick falls down in Hongyun City, it can hit half a street of people who claim to have 'old' things."
Zheng Yi smiled, took out the old wooden plaque, and placed it on the small table next to him.
Deacon Lu hadn't paid much attention at first, but when his gaze fell on the dark engraving on the edge of the card, his brow twitched slightly.
He didn't reach for it immediately, but looked at Zheng Yi and asked, "Where did this card come from?"
“Hongyun City West Ward, Qin Ji Foreign Affairs Office”
Deacon Lu finally raised his eyes and looked at him seriously for the first time.
He Liang, who was standing nearby, was also startled.
He only knew that this young man could mention the name "Hongyun City", but he never expected that he could also directly say "Qin Ji Foreign Affairs Association".
That's not a name that just any small merchant guild would know.
The area around Hongyun City's western ward is extremely remote and difficult to navigate; unless one is constantly involved in foreign affairs, long-distance trade, escorting, or railway maintenance, they would have no idea where to begin. Since Zheng Yi was able to point out this place and produce such a identification token, he was most likely not lying.
This time, Deacon Lu finally reached out, picked up the wooden plaque, looked at it for a moment, and then his expression clearly softened a bit.
"Since Young Master Zheng has a past relationship with Qin Ji, why doesn't he go directly through Hongyun City's distribution channel, instead of bringing goods to Beining first?"
“Because this isn’t just my shipment,” Zheng Yi said. “It’s the first time that several tribes from the North have actually shipped goods as a team. Hongyun City is too far, too deep, and too big. If we go directly there, we’ll either soar to great heights or suffer a complete loss. Beining City is closer, so let them see the way first, test the rules, and let the city see what kind of goods the North can actually produce.”
After a moment of silence, Steward Lu finally raised his hand to indicate, "Sit."
This means they're willing to continue the discussion.
He Liang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he was also more convinced of his superiority.
As soon as he was seated, Deacon Lu continued, "What do you intend to do?"
Zheng Yi said, "First, let's open a solid deal in Beining and let the people who came with me know what it means to inspect goods, set prices, and process contracts at a major firm. Furthermore, if Shenghe is interested, I would like to gradually integrate this route from the north into the southern route that you have in your hands."
Deacon Lu tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
"You're quite arrogant."
"Whether you're boasting or not depends on the goods," Zheng Yi said. "If the goods aren't worth anything, then everything is just empty talk. If the goods are worthwhile, then it's not that I'm boasting, but that this path is worth doing."
That was said with great composure.
Even Wu Chen, who had always disliked these southerners, felt a little more at ease sitting next to them listening.
Deacon Lu looked at Zheng Yi for a moment and said, "Alright. This afternoon, I will go to the outer freight yard to inspect it myself. If the goods are genuine, I can introduce you to the manager for a second inspection. As for whether we can connect to the southern route later, we'll discuss that later."
"it is good."
This marks the first opening in the discussion.
But Zheng Yi didn't leave immediately. Instead, he asked again, "What's the most important thing for Shenghe when dealing with goods from the north?"
Deacon Lu clearly hadn't expected him to ask that question, and raised an eyebrow slightly: "Why are you asking that?"
"Because I'm bringing more than just one shipment," Zheng Yi said. "I need to know how to prepare for the future."
This time, Deacon Lu didn't give a perfunctory answer and said seriously, "Whole hides are always in short supply, especially large hides with smooth winter fur and no tears. Next are complete sets of shavings and cold bones that can be used in medicine but don't carry too much death energy. After that, there are whole tendons and several kinds of cold herbs and frozen minerals unique to the North. But all of these are based on one premise—stability."
"What's there to be sure about?"
"Steady routes, steady quantities, and steady personnel," said Steward Lu. "It's not that no one wants the goods from the North, but rather that the goods that have come in the past have been too scattered. This year, this tribe might bring two hides, and next year, that hunter might bring half a bag of bones. It's sporadic, and the quality is inconsistent. Real big merchants won't waste their energy on such scattered goods."
"understood."
The line in Zheng Yi's mind became clearer.
Previously, he only had a general idea that the goods from the North were valuable, but it wasn't enough to "make it happen." Now, Steward Lu has revealed a bit of Sheng He's true intentions: the Grand Line doesn't reject them, but rather dislikes their scattered, chaotic, and unstable nature.
This proves that his previous plan to link several tribes into a single source of goods was not misguided.
When they left Shenghe Grand Bank, even the usually composed Wu Chen let out a soft sigh.
"This place is more intimidating than meeting the border official."
Chiya didn't dare to breathe heavily until he reached the doorway.
"That Steward Lu spoke even less smilingly than Bone Granny."
He Liang, who was listening nearby, almost burst out laughing, but then he thought that although the child was rustic, he was straightforward in his rusticity, which was also quite interesting.
Zheng Yi said, "He's intimidating because he has the confidence. In a place like Shenghe, people who are used to seeing people coming and going from all over the country naturally have high standards."
Chiya immediately asked, "So, does that mean he's taken a liking to us?"
"I'm only half satisfied," Zheng Yi said. "The real important thing is the inspection this afternoon."
He Liang then interjected, "Young Master Zheng, now that Shenghe has agreed, there will likely be people watching the inspection in Beining City this afternoon. If you don't mind, I can introduce you to two other companies. One deals in cotton fabrics, and the other in medicinal bone powder and thread. That way, even if you don't go through Shenghe for the entire batch of goods, you can still negotiate the replacement of daily necessities, fabrics, and seasonings along the way."
Zheng Yi glanced at him.
"Steward He is taking this seriously now."
He Liang smiled and said, "Because I've discovered that doing this with Young Master Zheng isn't just about making a small profit."
“Okay.” Zheng Yi nodded. “But first, let’s take them to see the inner city.”
Chiya was taken aback: "Can we continue shopping?"
“Of course,” Zheng Yi said. “Since we’re already here, what’s the point of just visiting Shenghe? It’s not like we’ve seen the world.”
So for the next half day, Zheng Yi simply turned what he had only considered a "side trip" into a serious arrangement.
He first took Wu Chen and Chi Ya to Bu City.
It was much larger than the one they had seen in Qing Shi Town. One side of the street was lined with coarse cotton and linen, while the other side was lined with ready-made clothes and all kinds of winter clothing. They didn't even know the names of many of the fabrics, only that some felt stiffer, some denser, and some were fluffy like they were filled with clouds.
Chiya was overwhelmed by the sights and wanted to touch them several times, but he was afraid of offending others, so he could only put his hands behind his back and watch longingly.
Zheng Yi saw this and immediately asked the shop assistant to bring down several of the most common and suitable materials for the northern region.
Thick linen, fine cotton, cotton-lined fabric, durable wool, and a type of velvet fabric that, while not particularly soft, is extremely windproof.
He let Wu Chen and Chi Ya touch them while explaining how to use them.
"This thick linen is suitable for the outer layer; it is wear-resistant and scratch-resistant."
"This kind of fine cotton lining is close-fitting and doesn't itch."
"The interlayered cotton is suitable for children and the elderly because it is light and warm, but it is susceptible to dampness and needs to be covered with an outer cover."
"If we could get this kind of velvet fabric back from the North, it would be best to make outer garments for those who patrol and guard the passes at night. It's much better at blocking the wind than a single layer of leather."
Wu Chen touched each layer, and when he touched the last layer of velvet, his eyes finally lit up.
"If this is worn over a fur robe, snow won't easily penetrate it."
"Correct."
Chiya's eyes were already drawn to the little child's cotton-padded jacket hanging nearby.
The jacket was small, with neatly sewn sleeves and hem, and a soft fur trim around the collar. It didn't look expensive, but it fit perfectly.
He looked at it for a long time, then suddenly whispered, "If those younger ones in the tribe wore this, it would be much easier for them to run around than wearing a big robe."
Zheng Yi glanced at him, a slight thought stirring in his heart, but said nothing, only making a mental note.
After leaving Bukit Mertajam, we went to the general merchandise and spice district.
This place is far more abundant than Qing Shi Town. Salt alone comes in coarse salt, fine salt, and salt for pickling; sauces come in several colors, with dried ginger, pepper, vanilla seeds, and dried roots and leaves bundled together and hung up. There are also soapberries, leather wax, sewing kits, bone buttons, copper buttons, wooden spoons, iron spoons, spatulas, oil lamps, flints, earthenware jars, wooden basins, and even small leather boots and earmuffs specially made for children.
Chiya kept gasping as he looked around, and the more he looked, the more he felt that the tribe's old way of life, where "a piece of skin to wrap around is considered clothing, and a mouthful of meat soup is considered food," was as crude as gnawing bones directly on rocks.
Wu Chen then began to ask very detailed questions.
"Why is this thread so much thinner than the thread we use for sewing leather?"
"Because it's for the fabric and lining."
"Won't this brass clasp go through too much trouble?"
"Making outer robes for adults is a bit wasteful, but making well-fitting inner robes for children and patients saves on rope."
"What's the use of this shallow little pot?"
"Decocting medicine, cooking snacks, rendering oil. Big pots have their uses, and small pots have their advantages."
As he watched, even He Liang was secretly alarmed.
He originally thought Zheng Yi had just brought a few people from the northern tribes to "see the sights," but he didn't expect the young man to be so observant and ask such accurate questions. It didn't seem like he was just browsing; it seemed like he was actually planning for a long-term trade route.
Around noon, Zheng Yi took them to a clean and spacious restaurant in the city for lunch.
This time it's not just the snacks at a roadside teahouse, but a whole table of hot dishes.
Braised pork with radish, braised fish with ginger and scallions, hot flatbread, braised beans with soy sauce, sauerkraut soup, and a plate of roasted meat sprinkled with spices.
When Chi Ya first sat down, he was almost frozen, even the way he placed his chopsticks was awkward. But when he took his first bite of the hot flatbread dipped in the meat gravy, his eyes widened in surprise.
"This is even better than meat broth..."
He couldn't find the words for a moment.
Even Wu Chen, who is usually very composed, was taken aback when he drank that bowl of sauerkraut soup.
"There isn't much meat in this soup, but it's very appetizing."
Zheng Yi said, "That's because the preparation methods are different. It's not that you can only eat meat if you boil it all in one pot until it's very tender."
Chiya took a bite of the roasted meat, then tried some braised beans, before finally muttering, "If only we could eat this more often in the tribe..."
Zheng Yi laughed and said, "Don't try to do it all at once. Let's start by making the broth less monotonous."
Wu Chen put down his chopsticks, looked at the dishes on the table, and remained silent for a while before saying, "I used to think that life was better in the south because the city was big and there were many people. Today I really realize that good things don't come from nowhere; they are built layer by layer."
Zheng Yi nodded: "So what you'll be taking back in the future isn't just cloth and salt. It's also your opinions."
"view?"
“You need to know how to wear clothes, how to distribute goods, how to cook meat, and how to live your life.” Zheng Yi said, looking at the two of them. “Experiencing the world isn’t about making you dumbfounded, it’s about letting you know where to focus your efforts when you go back.”
Wu Chen understood and nodded slowly.
Chiya seemed to understand half of it, or perhaps not quite, but he still nodded vigorously: "Anyway, I've remembered it. I must learn how to make this cake."
He Liang, listening from the side, didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he had to admit that after this meal, the light in the eyes of these northerners was completely different from when they first arrived in the city. (End of this chapter)