The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 104: Stockpiling tea is difficult to sell, and selling tea is risky

"What did you say?" Shang Jinliang looked up suddenly at Shang Mingshu's words, his eyes piercing. "How did you know the court would intervene?"

He is now in the good eyes of Magistrate He. In this tea incident, Magistrate He specifically sought him out to discuss countermeasures. Obviously, even Magistrate He did not know that the court would intervene, but Shang Mingshu knew. He never doubted that Shang Mingshu was making random comments, but was just curious about the source of Shang Mingshu's information.

Shang Mingshu's eyelashes drooped slightly. This matter was of great importance, so she decided to be honest with her father: "It's just my guess..."

She was involved with Cheng She in the murder case of a wealthy businessman outside the city that day. This time, Cheng She came to tell her not to interfere, and she did not hide anything about the several times she met Cheng She.

Shang Jinliang was both anxious and furious after hearing this. "You've learned martial arts, and you're so bold, you even dared to get involved in such a thing? Have you ever thought about what your aunt and I would have done if something had happened to you that day?"

"Father, I will be more careful and cautious in the future and will never show off my power..." Shang Mingshu knew that if she told the truth, she would be scolded by her father. "Let's put this matter aside for now. I suspect that Master Cheng is working for the court."

Shang Jinliang wanted to lecture his daughter a few more times, but she was too bold. When he met her pitiful, wet eyes, he swallowed all the reproaches. He had feelings for his first wife, and he loved Shang Mingshu even more because of her. He couldn't help but care for her even more because of her. Just one look from her made him lose his temper.

"Your guess is not without reason." Shang Jinliang shifted his focus. "Since Second Master Cheng has instructed us to do so, whether it has anything to do with the imperial court or not, we should help each other."

Cheng She had spoken about becoming a family in the future, and Shang Jinliang had no reason not to show some mercy.

He just couldn't understand: "Given the relationship between our two families, he should have told me about this. Why did he tell you?"

If I tell him, will he disbelieve Cheng She's words for the sake of immediate benefits? Will Shang Mingshu have to persuade him?

Shang Jinliang was puzzled, but Shang Mingshu had a guess: "It is precisely because of this that my daughter is even more certain that Master Cheng is working for the court."

This made Shang Jinliang even more confused: "Please tell me in detail."

"Second Brother Cheng is looking for Dad for the public good. If he's truly working for the court, does Dad count as meritorious? Should he be rewarded?" Shang Mingshu softly voiced her suspicions. Shang Jinliang, after all, had much more experience and knowledge than she did, and she wanted to ask him for advice on whether her suspicions were correct. "He's looking for his daughter, and it's a matter of friendship between the two families, but it's also for his own benefit. It wouldn't be good to look for Dad and then tell him it was a private request."

Shang Jinliang put his thumbs together and rubbed them.

This was Shang Jinliang's usual action when he was lost in thought. Shang Mingshu watched quietly without saying a word.

After a while, after thinking through all the possibilities, Shang Jinliang reluctantly agreed with Shang Mingshu's reasoning. Now it was his turn to be undecided, so he asked Shang Mingshu for advice: "Since that's the case, do you think Dad should remind the prefect?"

Prefect He was very angry about this and had been extremely anxious these days. As soon as the news of the tea tree insect plague in Guangdong and Guangxi came, Prefect He knew what would become of the tea market in Huizhou Prefecture, but he was powerless to stop it.

This is not chaos nor is it illegal. The government has no room to intervene and cannot inexplicably prevent the people from using real money to buy what they need.

"What if the prefect asks how father got the news?" Shang Mingshu asked back.

Even if she wanted to persuade Shang Jinliang to face the Shang clan, she had to confess everything.

How should Shang Jinliang gain the trust of Prefect He?
"Forget it..." No matter how grateful and admiring Shang Jinliang was to Magistrate He, he couldn't risk his family. But when he thought of Magistrate He's troubled state these past few days, he felt sorry for him.

Shang Mingshu knew her father best. If others treated him well, he would want to return the favor. So he said, "Dad, you might as well tell the prefect what Master Cheng said to me. You can make the final decision yourself."

Shang Jinliang's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Good idea! I'll go right away." He couldn't wait to trot out, but suddenly stopped. Shang Jinliang stepped back, pointed his index finger at Shang Mingshu in the air, his eyes full of warning: "Don't do this again!"

Knowing that he meant that she was not allowed to run out and take risks again, Shang Mingshu responded obediently: "My daughter understands."

Shang Jinliang smiled with satisfaction and strode away.

Shang Mingshu turned around and watched Shang Jinliang disappear from her sight with a high-spirited stride, with the corners of her lips slightly raised.

Her father is the easiest to coax.

The next day, the tea market was bustling with people, traveling merchants, ordinary peddlers, and even ordinary people who never did business, all crowded the tea market. Some people were desperate and emptied their savings to stock up on tea.

These are people who heard the news and acted to make a profit.

Tea is not rice, and those who don't want to profit from it are just joining in the fun and standing outside the tea market to watch the show.

Ordinary coarse tea was sold from 20 wen per jin to 100 wen per jin, and some people were scrambling for it.

Under Shang Jinliang's strong intervention, Xiang Ming Zhai closed down and neither sold nor bought anything.

The Shang clan members were so anxious that they immediately blocked the door, still led by the clan leader.

Perhaps because he was concerned about the importance that Magistrate He placed on Shang Jinliang, the clan leader was not as aggressive as before. He learned to use courtesy before force and sat in the main hall of the Shang Mansion with his men, smiling.

"Wu Lang, Xiang Ming Zhai has been thriving under your management these years, and the people in the clan are living a better life with you." The clan leader took a sip of hot tea, "We all know your hard work and great contributions. We are all thanks to you for our current situation. We will remember all of this in our hearts."

The three Shang Mingshu sisters stood behind Shang Jinliang and Xiao Yu, and Shang Zishu rolled her eyes to look at the roof.

"Third uncle, you're embarrassing me," Shang Jinliang said politely. "Before my grandfather passed away, he repeatedly told my father and me that if the clan hadn't raised money and entrusted it to him, there wouldn't be Xiang Ming Zhai today. I, your nephew, am following my grandfather's wishes and giving back to the clan. It's my duty to do so."

The Shang clan leader was very satisfied to hear this and nodded frequently: "People of the clan should help each other. This is the foundation of the clan's prosperity."

"Third uncle is absolutely right." Shang Jinliang knew exactly why he came, but he didn't mention it and pretended to be dumb, treating it as if he was just chatting with an elder. He was very good at this.

The two men began to practice Tai Chi, and eventually the other members of the Shang family couldn't help but cough continuously to remind the Shang clan leader. Seeing that Shang Jinliang didn't take the initiative to ask them why so many people came, the Shang clan leader had to take the initiative to speak.

"Today, my uncle has been asked by the clan to ask you why you neither store nor sell tea."

Shang Jinliang made full preparations: "Third uncle, it is difficult to sell tea that is hoarded, and selling tea is risky."

The Shang clan leader and the Shang clan members were confused: "Why?"

"My nephew has received news that the Cheng family has already stockpiled tens of thousands of kilograms of tea, which will arrive at the dock soon," Shang Jinliang explained patiently. "If we stockpile tea now, once the Cheng family's tea arrives, we won't be able to sell our tea."