Chapter 1102
The Secret Meeting of Two Grandmothers
Chapter 1102 The Two Grandmothers' Secret Meeting
The moon and stars are scarce,
The bright moonlight shone through the window screen in front of the door, illuminating the room as if it were daytime. Everywhere you looked, there were bolts of fine brocade and silk, along with some untouched valuables, all gleaming brightly in the room. Many of these were things that money couldn't buy.
Laiwang blinked, quickly averting his gaze. After letting the servant leave the house first, he stayed behind and hurried out. Seeing his grandmother outside the door, he quickly greeted her.
“Grandma, everything is in the house. I checked it before I came. It was all freshly taken out. The people who came with Yun-ge’er are all business partners from the caravan. They won’t gossip outside. I will also have someone keep an eye on them.”
These words were not only spoken to Grandma, but also to everyone who came. The message was that to achieve wealth and status, one needed a good strategy; it seemed like a suggestion, and everyone who came bowed in agreement.
"Yes, Grandma, the people who came here are absolutely tight-lipped."
"Yes, Grandma, I would never say a word,"
The others also understood that the two matriarchs had conspired together. This was a huge matter. Even Jia Yun was somewhat surprised, but he would not say a word more than necessary. After all, his mother was now living a life of wealth and comfort.
"That's good. You all need to watch your mouth when you're doing things. From now on, you'll all be following Brother Yun on business trips. Remember what you should and can say. You've worked hard on this trip, Brother Yun. These people will all be with you from now on. If you need anything from the manor, just come to me."
Wang Xifeng took on a lot of responsibility, much to the delight of the Jia family members and their workers in the caravan, who nodded repeatedly in approval.
"Thank you, Second Grandma,"
"Alright, Yun-ge'er, take everyone back and let them rest. If the merchant guild wants to continue trading, send someone back to let them know. We still need to discuss the arrangements."
"Yes, Grandma, Jia Yun knows and will return now."
Jia Yun bowed, then cupped his hands in greeting, and led his men out of the secret door, pulling several carriages from the street entrance into the alley. Just as everyone was about to part ways, Jia Yun suddenly spoke up, giving them some instructions.
"Forget everything you did, saw, and heard today. From now on, you will all be members of the Chamber of Commerce. Your monthly allowance will be three taels of silver, and there will be additional rewards for good performance. If you are engaged in commerce, your monthly allowance will be five taels of silver, plus some smuggling, all of which I will be responsible for. The profits will be much higher. So, think about how to distinguish between them."
It was both a warning and an admonition; the group of people who had come along all nodded solemnly, their expressions stern.
"Don't worry, Yun-ge'er, we all know how to distinguish right from wrong. Who would turn down money?"
"Yes, Yun-ge'er, we've all grown up together since childhood, we'd never say a word,"
After several more replies, Jia Yun finally felt relieved.
"That's good. Jia Yun didn't mean anything by it. If it's really difficult, I'm easy to talk to, but it's not so easy to talk to Second Mistress and First Mistress. Let's go back."
Perhaps it was because the Second Madam usually held a great deal of authority, but everyone's expressions became somewhat unnatural upon hearing this, and some even trembled before dispersing and returning home.
Jia Yun, on the other hand, entered the alley and went into a small courtyard. Although there weren't many items in the courtyard, it was clean and tidy. Only the main room was lit by a faint candlelight. Jia Yun felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that his mother was not asleep, and quickly went into the room.
The room was empty except for some ordinary household furniture. The old mother was on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the inner room, embroidering brocade by the light of an oil lamp. Jia Yun's eyes reddened, and he quickly went forward.
“Mother, it’s late, how can you continue to work so hard? This time, I’ve earned several thousand taels of silver from the trade, which is enough for our household expenses. Moreover, I’ve already become the caravan leader, and I’ll receive ten taels of silver a month as a stipend. If…”
Before he could say anything more, he was stopped by Jia Yun's mother and fifth sister-in-law.
"Knowing that you've made something of yourself and earned money makes me happy, but being a merchant is never an easy business. It's fine in peaceful times, but it can be deadly in times of turmoil. Now that you have a way, do it for a few years and save up enough money to settle down. Getting married and having children is the most important thing. As for the rest, just be careful."
Putting down the silk thread in her hand, Fifth Sister-in-law looked tired and loving, and said again;
"Now, the Ning and Rong Duke's mansions seem to be thriving and enjoying great prosperity, but I don't think they are so secure. It was only after the Ning mansion had its incident that I realized that while titles and wealth are easy to obtain, their descendants may not be able to keep them. Not to mention that both mansions are now run by women, so we must be careful in everything we do."
The Jia family members know best about the Jia family's affairs, and there are quite a few dirty secrets within. It's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse that the two matriarchs are in charge. If they have the old matriarch's abilities, they won't have any worries, but if they don't have the old matriarch's foresight, it's more of a curse than a blessing.
Jia Yun was shocked, but upon reflection, her mother's words made sense. She frequently visited the Rongguo Mansion, where the inner court was rife with intrigue and backstabbing. The Ningguo Mansion, on the other hand, was ruled solely by Master Zhen. Now that the Ningguo Mansion was in trouble and the eldest mistress was in charge, things seemed to be improving, but the Ningguo Mansion's assets had already been divided up long ago.
There was only one estate left attached to the Ningguo Mansion. The entire clan's expenses were almost completely depleted. They had only the title, but how could they ever be reinstated? Not to mention that there were many clan members, and the position of clan leader was just a burden. Or, if the Rongguo Mansion were to split up, perhaps it would be no match for the Ningguo Mansion. This thought flashed through his mind.
“Mother is right, I understand. But if I don’t seize this opportunity, where will I earn money? It is said that once people of the same clan are separated by five degrees of kinship, they become strangers. Fortunately, the old lady is still alive. If she were gone, and the two dukes’ mansions no longer concern themselves with clan affairs, then we would have no future. Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to accumulate more money to build up my foundation.”
This is a rare opportunity. Life in the capital is expensive, and if we don't figure out a way out, how will we survive?
"You're right. Never mind, just know your limits. It's late, get some rest."
Fifth Sister-in-law nodded. Her son was decisive and what he said made sense. In that case, she should rest more and take care of herself.
"Yes, mother."
Immediately, the room fell silent.
In the backyard of Ningguo Mansion
Turning past the winding corridor, the hanging flower gate of the west courtyard was ajar, a sliver of dim yellow light filtering through the crack, illuminating the lotus pond in the center of the courtyard, creating a unique charm. Reaching the main house, Ping'er was about to raise her hand to knock when the door hinges suddenly creaked.
The eldest mistress, Li Wan, appeared in the light and shadow, accompanied by Granny Wang and Biyue. Upon seeing them arrive, she smiled and asked:
"It's the middle of the night, and Feng'er is really punctual, arriving half an hour earlier than agreed. Instead of resting in the courtyard, how will you explain if someone notices?"
Li Wan's voice was clear and crisp, and the silver hairpin tucked at her temple reflected the moonlight, giving off a cold gleam, as if she were somewhat resentful.
But Wang Xifeng smiled and took Li Wan's arm:
"Sister-in-law is indeed very thoughtful. I originally planned to come early, finish my work, and leave as soon as it was late at night, but I didn't expect to disturb you. Is Madam You here?"
As they talked, they entered the inner room. Ping'er and Suyun walked at the back, quickly closing the doors and windows and lowering the curtain in front of the main hall, but they could not dispel the stagnant atmosphere in the room.
Li Wan, now showing signs of pregnancy, was supported by Biyue and sat on the soft couch in the main seat. She then pushed a celadon teacup towards Wang Xifeng.
"Sister You isn't here. I was busy tidying up the yard all day, so I went to bed early. But you, you're in such a hurry today. I heard that Feng'er recently made a big deal?"
Before she could finish speaking, Wang Xifeng burst out laughing. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she made no attempt to hide it. What had just been brought into the room was all gleaming silver, amounting to over 60,000 taels of silver in cash. There was no way to conceal it.
"What business or not, it's just about finding a way to survive. Rumors are circulating that our two families have fallen apart, so we might as well take advantage of what we still have and do some real work. That way, if we split up one day, we won't just have the prestige of a Duke's mansion and be eating chaff and wild vegetables."
"You're quite clever, managing to get involved in something like this. It's manageable if you're just trading, but you might be able to keep it a secret once, but not every time. Besides, the roads outside the Great Wall are difficult to travel."
Li Wan stroked her teacup, her gaze fixed on the flickering candlelight. In the Ningguo Mansion, all the properties were clearly divided: there was the silver and estates provided by the Marquis's mansion, and the shops belonging to the Ning family. She, Jia Lan, and the precious child in her womb all had a place to settle down. Feng'er must also be considering her future, but this approach, keeping it from the Old Madam and the two masters, was too hasty.
"Putting aside the chaos of war, just consider the mouths of the traders we meet. Can they keep their mouths shut? There's also a restaurant in the south of the city. If the two of us open it together and invest secretly, there will be some explanation."
Li Wan had been thinking about this matter for many days. In the Ning and Rong mansions, only Wang Xifeng and Madam You knew these secrets. It was nothing more than spending some money; being greedy was fine. She paused, then lowered her voice...
"Moreover, regarding the Rongguo Mansion's wealth, you and Jia Lian truly don't own a single property. Back then, the master and the others..."
"Don't mention those dead people!"
Wang Xifeng slammed her hand on the table, splashing water from the teacup and leaving dark stains on the red lacquered surface.
“Sister-in-law, you know what’s going on with the Rongguo Mansion. The family property belongs to the second branch, and the title belongs to the eldest branch. But since the family hasn’t been divided yet, all expenses come from the mansion’s public accounts. Where does the annual deficit come from? If they weren’t so greedy, why would we be in this situation? We need to take advantage of the fact that we still have some face to quickly get the money working, otherwise how will we support this whole family? No, not how will we support them, but how will we support ourselves in the future!”
Ping'er glanced at her mistress discreetly and saw that Wang Xifeng's temples were throbbing slightly, her face flushed with anger. She quickly offered her a handkerchief: "Mistress, please calm down. Madam is just worried."
"I know my sister-in-law means well."
Wang Xifeng took the handkerchief and dabbed at the corner of her eye, her tone softening as she calmed herself. Things had come to this point; if she didn't come up with a solution soon, she wouldn't even be able to afford the monthly stipends for her own servants.
"To be honest, sister-in-law, sending Jia Yun to the Chamber of Commerce this time was a well-considered decision. That child is clever and hardworking, and my aunt also agreed to the Marquis's residence. Of the 30,000 taels of silver for this trip to the border region, 10,000 taels were borrowed from my aunt, 10,000 taels were contributed by myself, and the rest were borrowed from you, sister-in-law. The profit from this trip doubled, so it's not really a loan, but rather an investment."
She took a yellowed piece of paper from her sleeve and placed it on the table;
"This is the caravan's route map. We'll take the Grand Canal, heading straight north. We'll unload the goods at the northern section of Shuoyang County, then go through Luoyue Pass to Pingyao City. Because it's near the Marquis's residence, we can unload and exchange goods directly. We'll return via this route. If all goes well, we can make at least two or three trips a year. Unfortunately, the commercial taxes in the capital are too heavy. If it were before, this time it would have tripled. Next year, this route will be in our hands, and Jia Yun can lead the caravan on his own."
Li Wan was surprised that there was so much money to be made. She took the blueprints and unfolded them. The candlelight made her face appear even more hesitant.
"It seems like a huge deal, but things are fine as long as things are stable inside the pass. However, if there is a year of famine, it will take several months to travel back and forth, and there are too many variables on the way. We can only do it for a few more years. After all, the civil unrest in the south has just been quelled. If there are some shops for sale in the East Market of the capital, you can use this money to buy some. I won't ask for more. Since you are in charge of this matter, the expenses will be greater, so you will take half. The Marquis's Mansion will also need to give a return gift, so they will take 30%. My 20% will be enough."
Li Wan pursed her lips. She didn't lack these things, but she couldn't refuse them; she could only redistribute the profits. Wang Xifeng's face showed a thoughtful expression before she finally nodded, leaned closer, and pointed her fingertip at a certain spot on the blueprint.
"Next time, I'll double the goods and go this way. After we get back, we'll buy a shop in the East Market. But I'm worried about investing all the money; in the end..."
Wang Xifeng also hesitated. Although this trip had gone smoothly, she couldn't guarantee it would always be so. If something went wrong, all her hard work and planning would be for nothing. Li Wan knew about Wang Xifeng's worries, but gently shook her head.
"You've thought this through very well, but the opportunity is rare. If the Chamber of Commerce president personally leads the caravan again next time, there shouldn't be much of a problem. But next year, when Jia Yun leads the caravan, we should prioritize stability."
"This is exactly what I came to discuss with my sister-in-law. The next trading trip will probably be around the beginning of autumn."
Wang Xifeng's eyes were burning with determination. Since her sister-in-law wasn't afraid, why should she be? If they could make a profit in one go, it would make up for all the losses her business had incurred over the years.
"The Rongguo Mansion appears prosperous on the surface, but it's actually quite empty inside. The public accounts are almost empty, and many people are watching. The money for repairing the courtyard is still there, and the money from selling timber and stone has been used to pay the monthly salaries of the shopkeepers at the Chamber of Commerce. I'm thinking of using some of the old lady's personal funds first."
After all, she currently holds the keys to the treasury, and she's the one handling all the accounting and bookkeeping. Before she could finish speaking, she was immediately interrupted.
"Absolutely not!"
Li Wan suddenly stood up, her skirt sweeping over the incense burner on the low table. Incense ash fell in a flurry onto the blue bricks, like snow scattered on the ground, startling Su Yun and Bi Yue, who quickly came to help her up.
"The old lady's body must not be touched. Although the old lady does not interfere, there are no secrets in the world. If the Rongguo Mansion needs money one day, and the old lady takes the body to make up the difference, the accounts will be found out when they are checked."
“Sister-in-law, it’s not like we’re not going to pay it back. I was thinking that this time, we would gather enough goods to fill a ship, which would require at least 100,000 taels of silver. But right now, we only have 60,000 taels of silver at most, and the shortfall is too big.”
Wang Xifeng also stood up, her gold hairpin dangling above her head, scattering tiny lights. She grasped Li Wan's hand, her voice softening.
Li Wan was gripped so tightly it hurt, but she couldn't break free. Her memory suddenly returned to a few years ago, on a similar night, when Feng Yatou had embezzled money more than once or twice. Now, this tall woman wanted to drag her along to mend the sky.
Are you absolutely certain?
Li Wan lowered her eyelashes and looked at the two clasped hands. There was a slight caressing sensation between Wang Xifeng's palms, which was quite a sight for her.
"I wouldn't dare say 100%, but it's definitely 70% or 80%."
Wang Xifeng released her grip and took out a brocade box from her sleeve.
"This is my savings accumulated over the years, about five thousand taels. If my sister-in-law is willing..."
“You’re bold in your actions. Keep this five thousand taels of silver. A ship full of goods, at the market price in the capital, will be worth one hundred thousand taels.”
Li Wan smiled bitterly, looking at Feng'er who had lost a lot of weight, she still felt a little soft-hearted. She turned around, opened the camphor wood chest, and took out an oil paper package.
"I'll make up the remaining forty thousand taels of silver. As for the money that the Old Madam misappropriated, you should make up for it yourself first. Don't let a small thing cause a bigger loss."
As a kind of instruction, Wang Xifeng took the oil paper package, its touch icy cold. She thought of how her sister-in-law had scrimped and saved, yet how little she actually had. Even after dividing the Ningguo Mansion's assets, she hadn't received much cash. Now it was all given to her…
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I'll make sure we both get an explanation for what happened in this business."
Wang Xifeng carefully put away the silver notes, then lit the blueprints that had been on the table over the candlelight. Soon, they scattered on the floor.
"There's something else. Most of the courtyards in the Ningguo Mansion are currently empty, especially the backyard. I was thinking..."
"Feng girl, could it be that you're planning to set up the caravan's warehouse here?"
Li Wan frowned as she looked at the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window. Keeping the silver out was one thing, but these goods were a different story.
"But this place is too conspicuous, I'm afraid..."
"Therefore, we need to be discreet. We should keep some of the silver, as well as some rare items brought from beyond the Great Wall, and also store the money for social obligations."
Wang Xifeng lowered her voice and recited the plan she had already prepared.
"The cellar in the backyard hasn't been used for a long time. With a little repair, it can be used for storing goods. The old women usually pretend it's for drying vegetables, but in reality..."
The voice was soft, and Ping'er listened intently. Suddenly, she remembered the scene she had encountered in the back garden during the day: several workers were pushing a wheelbarrow full of wooden boxes, saying they were delivering charcoal to the kitchen, but the wooden boxes were so heavy that the axle was bent.
At the time, she didn't think much of it, but now that she thinks about it, she's afraid those boxes didn't contain charcoal. It's likely that the Second Madam arranged for them to be sent to Ningguo Mansion to help out.
"It's just about personnel."
Li Wan frowned, and then she realized that when the backyard was being renovated, a lot of stone and wood were used for the two large houses in the bamboo grove. So that was the reason.
"The servants in this mansion are a mixed bag, and it's hard to guarantee there aren't any gossipy ones. The back room has been renovated; it turns out you were the one who arranged it."
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I've already planned for this."
Wang Xifeng took out a small notebook from her bosom.
“I picked a few trustworthy people and had them sign a death contract. They all live at the Chamber of Commerce. If they dare to leak even a word of it…” She made a throat-slitting gesture, a ruthless glint in her eyes.
At this moment,
Suddenly, the drum sounded three times, startling the dust on the beams into falling down in a flurry.
Li Wan sighed, gazing at the crescent moon outside the window, and suddenly felt a chill. Feng Lazi, she really is Feng Lazi. Well, so be it.
"Let's do as you say. However, Heaven cherishes life, so please keep that in mind. It's getting late, so go back and rest early."
"Yes, I'll listen to my sister-in-law."
Wang Xifeng, beaming with joy, packed her things and led her people out through the side gate, leaving behind a moment of silence!
(End of this chapter)