Miao Chu

Chapter 191 Path and Connection
The "Brother Xiang" mentioned by this person is naturally Xiang Yuan, who urged the carriage and horses on that day, carrying medicinal herbs and goods, and ran away as fast as he could.

Fearing that he would be introduced to that Prefect Cen by Song Miao, he was forced to demand a large quantity of medicinal herbs and then hurriedly fled under the pretext of having family matters to attend to.

However, the road to Huazhou was blocked, and the caravan could not pass through at all. Heaven would not open a special road for them, so they had no choice but to find a place to stay in the towns and counties below and wait.

Fortunately, Xiang Yuan had been a merchant for many years and had a wide circle of acquaintances. He soon found an acquaintance in the medicinal herb trade in Wang County.

The floodwaters had only recently receded, and it was early summer. The hot weather and flooding naturally led to a surge in diseases. Furthermore, due to impassable roads, the prices of many things skyrocketed, especially medicinal herbs, which were in short supply.

The acquaintance was worried, but when he saw that Xiang Yuan had brought a large quantity of useful licorice, angelica, and other herbs, which could be used to prevent and treat epidemics, relieve diarrhea and stop dysentery, and dispel wind and evil, he immediately agreed to buy them all.

Xiang Yuan refused to sell all of them, only giving away two carts.

The herbal medicine merchant was still thinking about buying the other half of the herbs. Knowing that he couldn't leave for a while, he immediately offered to vacate a courtyard for him to stay in temporarily.

Xiang Yuan immediately declined.

He had more than one acquaintance in the area, and soon found a cloth trader to stay in. He also discussed with the previous herbal medicine merchant that although he would not sell much of the merchant's goods, it was not to put on airs, but because he had another business to ask the merchant to help him sell his own herbs and find suitable buyers. He would spread the word that if he could sell them at a high price, he would give the merchant a commission.

Sometimes, the smaller the place, the more expensive things are, and medicinal herbs are no exception.

The herbal medicine merchant was no pushover. Having been in the area for many years, he knew the place inside and out. First, he attracted herbal medicine merchants from the county to come and inquire about prices. After two days, people from the surrounding counties and towns came to inquire about prices.

Xiang Yuan had inquired earlier and found that, apart from himself, all the herbs that were supposed to be sold had already been sold, and no one else had brought in any herbs.

Knowing that his goods were rare and valuable, he didn't set a price but let everyone bid against each other, releasing a little bit each day. The price kept rising, and he made a fortune from this shipment.

Once all the goods had been sold, he indeed gave the herbal medicine merchant the full amount of the kickback.

The herbal medicine merchant made a profit from this deal, losing only a bit of face. It was much easier than doing business honestly, so he was quite satisfied and eager to get closer to Xiang Yuan to see if he could do something else that would make money faster.

Therefore, as soon as he heard about the recruitment of porters on the Huazhou River, he immediately went to their door.

Grains are the most filthy of the crop, yet the profits from them are enormous.

Where is the land not fertile?

It is said that every profession is like a mountain to climb. He knew he didn't have the ability, but Master Xiang did. He could just invest some money and effort and then enjoy the profits.

When Xiang Yuan arrived in Wang County, he initially inquired about the situation in Huazhou City. However, he was busy with business. Since he had sold out of medicinal herbs and his cart was empty, he was focused on finding goods that he could buy low and sell high to make a big profit. He didn't pay attention to anything else for the time being.

Upon hearing these words, and considering the time, he assumed the magistrate had finally conceded and asked, "How many people are there on the river? Do you have any connections?"

The man said, "I heard that there are three or four thousand people, and they have built sheds that can house about a thousand people. They urinate and defecate day and night."

He added, “I have some influence in the county, but I’m completely lost in the prefecture. But that’s because I have Brother Xiang here! With your abilities, you can easily find some acquaintances in the prefecture to lend a hand! I’ll just run errands and do my part, and I’ll only take a small share.”

Seeing the smiling face of the person opposite him, Xiang Yuan felt extremely disgusted.

His willingness to share a portion of the profits from selling medicinal herbs this time is certainly not for charity.

After all, I'm new here and it's a high-priced business, which is like snatching food from a tiger's mouth. If someone targets me, it will be very difficult for me to get away. It's better to find a local to help me fend off the threat, run some errands, and pull some strings. That will save me a lot of effort.

That money was used to pave the way.

But if you go to Huazhou City, there will naturally be other people in the city to clear the way. A medicinal herb merchant from a small county town actually has the nerve to talk about "dry shares"!
But he still smiled and said, "I'm new here too, and I only know a few people. I might not be able to get a word in edgewise in the prefectural government."

He added, "I wonder who's in charge of the construction site in Huazhou City right now? If it's Qian Zhongming, the clerk, I have a long-time friend who I might be able to get in touch with."

The herbal medicine merchant said, "I just sent someone to inquire, and I expect to hear back soon—about that Qingjiao shop?"

This time, Xiang Yuan was much more straightforward, saying, "The person you're talking about who you met last time was Rui Fusheng, right?"

"Indeed, didn't Brother Xiang and I have dinner together? From what he said, it seemed that many fields in his hometown were flooded, many tenant farmers had left, and even the shops were flooded. He has a large family and is thinking of starting a business?"

Xiang Yuan laughed and said, "Listen to his bragging, that kid doesn't tell the truth at all—every time we meet, he says life is tough, but have you ever seen him wearing anything or using anything that's not good enough?"

He added, "I consider myself quite discerning, but even I have to admit defeat when I meet Brother Rui. He is skilled in everything from clothing and food to housing and transportation, and is very refined. In the past, some people even wondered which noble family he was from, so how could he be doing such a filthy business!"

The herbal medicine merchant was immediately disappointed, but he still refused to give up and asked, "The goods are a bit filthy, but at least you don't have to do the work yourself. With such good business, doesn't he need any money at all?"

Just as Xiang Yuan was about to shake his head, he heard the person opposite him say again, "I think that Brother Rui is very interested in doing business. We had a meal together last time, and I ran into him again afterward. We talked quite a bit."

"Brother Rui asked me about the shops and houses on Darong Street, and also about the land prices this year. The day before yesterday, he even sent someone to deliver an invitation to me for tea. He also asked whether the population in the county has increased or decreased in the past year or two, and whether business is good or not."

“I recommended a middleman to him, and this morning the middleman came to thank me, saying that the customer surnamed Rui was very straightforward and had already bought a shop on Darong Street. Brother Xiang, Darong Street is full of shops selling chickens, ducks, geese, pigs and other poultry, there are slaughterhouses and meat shops, it's very dirty. Judging from his behavior, he doesn't seem like someone who can't stand filthy things.”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yuan couldn't help but think back for a moment.

You can't do business if you don't travel around.

The word "行" here refers not only to physical travel, but also to one's ability and knowledge.

Xiang Yuan was able to amass such a large fortune, so he must have some ability. He hadn't paid much attention to it before, but now that someone had pointed it out, he remembered the many differences between his meeting with Rui Fusheng this time.

After a slight hesitation, he still brought the herbal medicine merchant with him to pay a visit.

Upon meeting, during the brief exchange of greetings, Xiang Yuan observed many details.

Although Brother Rui is still particular and looks dashing, he has lost some of his former refinement.

For example, the clothes, at first glance, are made of Shu brocade and are exquisitely embroidered, but the colors and embroidery patterns are not as unique and delicate as before. They are the kind of clothes that can be bought for a high price in ordinary shops.

Looking at the fan again, the one that used to be inseparable from him was an antique sandalwood fan with a painting by a famous person on the surface and an ivory bead pendant at the bottom. Now he has changed to a different one.

Xiang Yuan couldn't identify who had painted the orchids, but he could tell that the jade pendant below was far inferior to the ivory bead with the character "福" (fortune) carved in the center.

When the topic of finding porters on the Huazhou River came up, the other party seemed quite interested, asking many questions before finally saying, "I have a manager who used to run a porter business. It sounds difficult, but it's not that hard to do. It just requires connections—who can get in touch with the manager on the river? Once you've established a connection, everything will be fine."

Surprisingly, they hit it off immediately. The three of them discussed it on the spot and all said that they would wait until they got the information and then each find their own way.

Before Xiang Yuan had been home for long, the person who had been inquiring about the news also returned.

The herbal medicine merchant came to our door and said, "I heard that the person in charge of Zhaoqing Port this time is a man surnamed Lu, named Lu Wenming."

Xiang Yuan said, "I've never heard of that name before. I'm afraid it's someone who works down there—who's in charge of the river channel?"

"His surname is Han, his name is Han Li, he is very young, and he is said to be from the Capital Water Conservancy Bureau."

Xiang Yuan was extremely surprised and asked many more questions in quick succession.

Huazhou not only recruited people and collected grain from Weizhou, but also arranged for many people to carry the grain in and out of the city in a grand manner. Such a big commotion naturally made it easy to find out about.

The herbal medicine merchant then learned about all the unusual things that had happened in Huazhou City.

With his keen sense of smell, Xiang Yuan immediately realized upon hearing that many wealthy families in the city were competing for business on the river, including not only porters but also grain and materials. He understood that in this battle between Cen and Qian, Qian Kongmu seemed to be at a disadvantage, and judging from the situation, he might not be able to turn the tide.

The newly powerful subordinates under Cen Tongpan are clearly surnamed Han.

However, he and the person surnamed Han did have some connection.

He immediately realized why he was in such a hurry to leave Huazhou City.

The young lady Song wanted to sell the medicinal herbs to the government at a discounted price in exchange for a commendation order and a spot to buy a lottery ticket.

At the time, he felt he had suffered a huge loss and naturally ran away quickly. But now that he has found that things have taken a turn for the better, although he does not regret it, since he has already secured his profits, he is also quite tempted.

If Magistrate Cen can keep his subordinates in check, then Han can truly take charge. With such a large project on the river, involving three or four thousand people, whether it's food, supplies, or the so-called "transportation" business, even if he only takes a small share, it will far outweigh the profits from selling a batch of medicinal herbs.

That young lady Song is indeed worthy of my attention; she is quite clever and insightful. She is right; this is a long-term business and well worth doing.

In business, you can't succeed if you're too concerned about saving face.

As long as there is an opportunity to make money, we should seize it, no matter how small the possibility.

Xiang Yuan did not act on his own initiative, nor did he completely believe what the herbal medicine merchant said. Fortunately, Huazhou City was not far away, so he sent someone to go there and inquire carefully. Sure enough, the report was largely the same.

That student surnamed Han really made the right bet and latched onto the right big shot; he's now incredibly popular.

Fortunately, he wasn't completely without any leverage.

He turned around and went to the backyard, where he found his adopted son, Liang Yan.

It just so happens that it was the transition from spring to summer, and the weather was bad. Liang Yan's nose flared up again, and he was standing outside the house, holding a gourd to his nose and smelling it incessantly.

Inside the room, Xiang Lin was kicking the table and throwing chairs, shouting, "It stinks! Where did this filthy bastard come from? He only likes disgusting things. Don't let me see him, or I'll throw him away too!"

But servants rushed to persuade him.

The man said, "Young master, why bother with him? He's not coming inside anyway, so let him stay outside!"

The man said, "Young Master, you are of such high status, why bother arguing with a bastard? I heard that the roads outside will be open soon, and when we return to the manor, there will naturally be people to deal with him!"

Some people said, "Don't pay any attention to him. Let's all ignore him and let him run into walls everywhere. That'll be more interesting!"

With four or five people surrounding and coaxing him, they finally managed to calm Xiang Lin down.

The young master was still not satisfied and said, "Yesterday, Chief Escort Xing praised him for arriving early, but I was clearly not late either, yet he didn't praise me. If you're going to get up early, you must not like to sleep, so then don't sleep at night either! Who of you will go and wet his mattress later!"

As they were talking, a man rushed in and said, "Master has arrived!"

The servants scattered throughout the room, each busy with their own tasks. Xiang Lin was both surprised and delighted, thinking that his father had come to see him. He hurriedly got off the bed, slipped on his shoes, and hopped to the desk, pretending to be engrossed in reading.

In the courtyard, Liang Yan could actually hear the people inside the house talking.

But he ignored it.

He used to be very saddened by such words, but now he doesn't care so much anymore.

He was learning martial arts from the head of the escort team. Although it was only the most basic horse stance, long fist, and bow drawing, as long as he learned the skills, as the days went by and he grew up, a bigger world of his own was clearly waiting for him.

There are still skills to learn, achievements to make, and money to save. With the money saved, he can open a restaurant for Song Xiaoniangzi. When he grows up and becomes successful, he can eat there every day. He can also talk to her about happy or sad things, and she will listen attentively, praise him, and comfort him.

And Xiaolian.

When he's stronger and his hands are bigger, he'll be able to rub mung beans very quickly. Xiaolian will definitely be very surprised and impressed.

The smell of vinegar and garlic wafting from the gourd in his hand was very pungent and strong, making him sneeze several times in a row. He didn't know if it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but after he finished sneezing and thought about the real scene in the future, Liang Yan's nose stopped itching and he felt better.

At that moment, Xiang Yuan strode into the courtyard, went straight to the house, and opened the door, calling out with a smile, "Little Yan!"

He looked around and, not seeing Liang Yan in the room, asked, "Where did Young Master Yan go?"

The servant standing nearby hurriedly said, "He just went out; it seems he's in the courtyard."

Xiang Yuan was preoccupied with business at the moment, with no spare time to spare, so he couldn't be distracted by what his son was doing. He nodded, didn't say anything more, and turned to leave.

Xiang Lin was smiling, holding a book in his hand, about to call out "Dad," but his smile suddenly froze on his face.

As soon as Xiang Yuan stepped outside, he saw Liang Yan standing in the corner. From a distance, he said, "This child, it's almost dark, what are you doing here feeding the mosquitoes?"

He then smiled and said, "I have some good news that I'm sure you'll be happy to hear—a letter has arrived from home. It's nothing urgent, so we're not in a hurry to go back. It just so happens that a friend of mine has a business deal that he can help with in Huazhou City. Don't you really like that Sister Song? You'll get to see her again this time!"

***
When Xiang Yuan went to find Liang Yan, Zhang Siniang was also coming to see Song Miao with a basket in her hand.

"I boiled the eggs myself, and I also brewed a pot of fresh tea. I know my wife is busy today and may not have time to do these things—I wanted to give my wife a good omen for the start of summer by balancing eggs!"