The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 116 Someone is interested
"Dad, this is..." Shang Zishu and Shang Mingshu returned home and saw many tea merchants' heads being sent out by Shang Jinliang. Shang Zishu couldn't help but be curious, what were these people doing?
"Come to me to buy tea." Shang Jinliang walked inside with his two daughters.

"Buying tea?" Shang Zishu raised her eyebrows. "They shouldn't be out of tea, right?"

Their high-priced tea sales were frustrated by Xiangmingzhai's tea purchase restrictions. Huizhou Prefecture should be the place where the least tea was sold among all the tea merchants who heard the news, and Cheng She returned quickly enough.

No one is willing to buy their tea now, because they will have new tea next year.

"Mingshu, what do you think?" Shang Jinliang's eyes passed over Shang Zishu and fell on Shang Mingshu.

Shang Mingshu hesitated for a moment and said, "Be good friends with Dad."

Most people don’t know what role Cheng She played in making tea. Today, someone must have gone to the government to inquire why the tea transferred by the "imperial court" was only given to Xiangmingzhai.

Prefect He and Cheng She reached a tacit understanding. He would not say it in person, but he would let anyone who inquire get a convincing piece of news: Xiang Mingzhai worked for the benefit of the people during the time it was preparing tea for the court.

If these people think too much about it, they will start to suspect that Xiangmingzhai has connections in the imperial court.

Otherwise, where did Xiang Ming Zhai get the news? Didn't they participate in tea price speculation?
Where did Xiang Ming Zhai get the confidence to empty its coffers, arouse public anger, and even offend all its peers in the city in order to sell tea at a low price?

They don't dare to open the door to collect tea now, as they will be beaten by small vendors and ordinary people who follow the trend to stock up on tea. They can't really let the tea from Huizhou Prefecture flow into Xiangmingzhai. If Xiangmingzhai becomes the only one in the future, won't Xiangmingzhai be able to sell tea however it wants?
If they don't open the door to collect tea, they can collect it from Xiang Ming Zhai. So many people come together, and the price of tea collected by Xiang Ming Zhai is clearly displayed. Shang Jinliang will not be too greedy if he agrees. It's better to make a small profit by reselling it.
In this way, they can be considered to be on good terms with Shang Jinliang. More importantly, it allows the government to see that they are not only taking advantage of the difficulties to make money, but are also willing to help clean up the mess afterwards.

"How shameless." Shang Zishu couldn't help laughing after she figured out the reason. "They make a fortune by going in and out, yet they act like they've suffered so much injustice. This kind of behavior is disgusting."

The money was earned, the inventory was full, the reputation was cleaned, and even the purchase of tea was the hard work of Xiang Ming Zhai's servants...

"Zishu, it's okay to complain at home, but remember that your words can cause trouble when you are outside." Shang Jinliang warned in a stern tone.

Shang Zishu snorted lightly and didn't say anything back.

"Mingshu, do you think Dad should agree?" Shang Jinliang didn't bother with his second daughter and turned to ask Shang Mingshu on the other side.

"Father has his own plans." Shang Mingshu smiled. "Just do what he wants. Although I am a little clever, I can't compare to your worldly wisdom."

Shang Jinliang was flattered by his daughter's praise and chuckled softly, "Dad has agreed, but the price of the tea will be the same as when it's sold in Guangxi."

"Are they willing?" Shang Zishu didn't believe it. With the same price, they were obviously at a disadvantage.

"If you don't want to, forget it." Shang Jinliang didn't care much.

The prices must be consistent. There is no wall that is impenetrable. If he helps these merchants buy tea and then makes less profit, the small vendors and the people will think that they are in cahoots with each other if this gets out.

"If someone comes to make friends with me, won't Dad offend everyone?" Shang Zishu smiled secretly.

"Your father is giving concessions where necessary and speaking up where necessary." Shang Jinliang's eyebrows danced. "They've made a lot of money, but they've offended people. We'll have to stay away from them in the future."

Shang Jinliang sighed softly as he spoke, "The prefect also hopes that I will agree to let Huizhou Prefecture take the lead, so that everyone can make less money and recycle the tea leaves from small vendors and the people."

"It's a good thing." Shang Mingshu smiled faintly, "The people's lives are hard, and the business world is struggling."

Unlike the people in the border areas, tea is their lifeblood. Life is so hard, who buys these things? Isn't everyone just trying to make ends meet? Two flowers bloom, each with its own beauty.

At the Shi family's house, the gloomy and silent Shi Houqiong was slowly wiping a teapot.

Shi Guangbo walked in with a cold face: "Dad, are you just going to watch Xiangmingzhai steal the show?"

Ever since his brother Shi Guangchao was sentenced to beheading, Shi Guangbo has hated the business community for bringing a stain to his life. He is now unwilling to get together with his classmates and friends, for fear that they will mention his brother who was sentenced to beheading.

"Why are you so anxious?" Shi Houqiong said calmly, without much anger, "When God wants to destroy someone, he will first make him suffer."

"Dad!" Shi Guangbo was tired of hearing his father's useless harsh words. "Why don't you teach them a lesson? Ever since my eldest brother passed away, you seem to be afraid of them. You hide at home all day and don't allow anyone in the clan to argue with the merchants. You..."

He was so disappointed.

"You are a scholar, and scholars should be cautious and not impatient." Shi Houqiong raised his eyes and stared coldly at Shi Guangbo, "Go back and copy the Heart Sutra."

"father……"

"Go down!"

Shi Guangbo didn't dare to argue anymore and left angrily. Not long after he left, Shi Houqiong's butler came in with a few letters and handed them to him.

Shi Houqiong read it expressionlessly, then stood up and went to the study. He took out a box from the secret compartment and handed it to the butler: "Order it to be delivered to Prime Minister Yan's home as fast as possible."

"Yes."

After the housekeeper left, Shi Houqiong wrote two more letters and called his most trusted guards to deliver them. He stepped out of the study door and stood under the eaves with his hands behind his back. The bleak sunlight drove away the darkness on his face and illuminated the ruthlessness in his eyes.

He stood there for a long, long time, until dusk fell, then he slowly reached out to support himself on the pillar beside him, and walked away slowly, step by step.

Half a month later, the news came back that Xiang Ming Zhai's tea arrived safely in Guangxi and was sold at a fair price, so Shang Jinliang was so happy that he could have an extra bowl of rice.

The tea produced in Huizhou Prefecture did not cause any major unrest or livelihood problems. When he heard that someone in the neighboring prefecture had committed suicide by hanging himself in front of the government office after losing all his money buying tea, Prefect He was extremely relieved.

"The Shang family has made great contributions to this smooth journey, especially Madam Shang San." Magistrate He praised Shang Mingshu generously.

This reminded Mrs. He of something else: "I heard earlier that the Shang family was planning a marriage with the Cheng family. Now that Cheng Sanlang has passed the imperial examination for a long time, and the Cheng family has not made any move, has the marriage changed? If so, I will go to the Shang family again."

"What? You still won't give up? You want to marry Sanniang to Tianxing?" Magistrate He couldn't help but tease.

Logically speaking, since she had been rejected once, no matter how much Mrs. He liked Shang Mingshu, she would not think about her again.

"It's not that I won't give up, it's that someone else has taken notice." Mrs. He didn't expect that by accident, she had caused Xu Tianxing to really take notice of Shang Mingshu. After learning about it from Xu Shaoxing, she felt quite guilty.

If she could help her nephew get what he wanted, she would feel better.