Chapter 846

Next morning, Luo Zhenjiang's voice arrived before he did: "Tuan Tuan! Today Uncle Luo will still play with you, okay?"

Tuan Tuan was sitting at the table edge holding her porridge bowl; hearing this, her eyes lit up instantly, and she gave him a sweet smile: "Great! Uncle Luo helped big brother a lot yesterday!"

"Uncle Luo, you're amazing! Thank you, Uncle Luo! Uncle Luo, you're really good!"

Luo Zhenjiang, overwhelmed by Xiao Tuanzi's three back‑to‑back compliments, felt dizzy, his face flushed, and laughing loudly he pulled out a chair and tried to squeeze in beside Tuan Tuan.

Xiao Er, already accustomed, simply moved aside.

Luo Zhenyue set his porridge bowl down and, in a leisurely tone, said, "Zhenjiang, why didn't I ever see you working so hard for my Bridgehead Gang before?"

Luo Hongli lifted a piece of lotus‑leaf cake and placed it in Tuan Tuan's bowl: "Dad, he's not aiming at the Bridgehead Gang; he's aiming at Tuan Tuan!"

She lifted her hand and patted Tuan Tuan's little head: "Little girl, please stop praising him so much; you've praised him into losing his bearings!"

Everyone at the table burst into laughter.

Lu Qi, while eating, asked, "If we finish eating and then go, will we still make it? Didn't Xiao Er say last night…"

"No rush," Xiao Ningyuan bit a water‑chestnut cake and said leisurely, "Rest assured, after yesterday's incident any merchant wouldn't rashly sell goods to others."

"If you're hurrying, it's not about business; just eat heartily—once you're full, we can set off without delay."

Xiao Ze nodded slightly, moved a dish of pickled vegetables toward Tuan Tuan and said, "Eat slowly, don't choke."

Tuan Tuan lifted her head from the porridge bowl, eyes curving in a smile: "Got it, Third Elder Brother!"

Having finished breakfast, the party sauntered toward the Gold Shop.

The clerk at the Gold Shop saw them, his eyes lighting up: "You all are merchants from Jingcheng, right? Quick, quick, please come in."

As soon as the party stepped into the courtyard, they heard Wu Shuang's voice from the main hall.

"Zhao Xing Shou, I am so sincere; I want to purchase all your inventory and next year's copper wares. What are you still hesitating about?"

"Here, I've brought the down‑payment; quickly seal the contract, this silver note is yours."

The group exchanged glances; indeed, he had arrived.

After Wu Shuang finished speaking, he lifted his tea cup and drank it down in one gulp.

He had come early, speaking with a dry throat, yet Zhao Xing Shou kept pushing back, refusing to nod.

He suppressed his frustration, intending to keep talking, just as he was about to speak.

A crisp child's voice rang from the courtyard: "Hey! Why are you back again?"

Tuan Tuan sat securely on Luo Zhenjiang's arm, her little head tilted, looking as if she'd just had an epiphany: "I know! Have you been following us the whole time?"

Wu Shuang looked up and was instantly stunned.

How did they get here? Yesterday they clearly said they'd go to the Porcelain Shop and Tea Shop first; how did they end up here first?

He twitched his mouth corner, glared at Tuan Tuan: "Little girl, how can you speak like that? Clearly I arrived first; if you're following, you're following me."

Luo Zhenjiang's eyes widened, much larger than his, his voice booming like a bell: "Why are you staring at my child?"

Tuan Tuan jumped in fright, quickly raising her hand to cover her little ears.

"Ah, it's my fault, my fault—my voice was too loud." Luo Zhenjiang held her a bit tighter and planted a kiss on her little face.

He lifted his head, kept glaring at Wu Shuang, but his voice lowered considerably: "No matter who you are, doing business in this Jiangnan Region, if my Canal Gang issues a shipping order, any amount you buy must be stored here!"

Wu Shuang's mouth snapped shut instantly.

Right, yesterday Wang Xing Shou called him the Canal Gang leader.

Nowadays the Jiangnan waterways, the Canal Gang is absolute; if you truly offend them, not only will your goods be unable to be shipped, even the loading ships may be impossible to find.

He turned his head and dared not stare at Tuan Tuan any longer.

"Lord Luo!" Zhao Xing Shou rose, hurriedly greeted at the door, his face beaming with a smile as he bowed: "I was unaware of the arrival of such distinguished guests; I, Zhao, have failed to welcome you from afar—my disrespect. Please, come in! Tea!"

The group entered the main hall and took their seats.

Zhao Xing Shou's gaze shifted back and forth between the party and Wu Shuang, already formulating a plan in his mind.

He clasped his hands: "Both of you are honored guests; let me introduce you…"

"No need for introductions." Xiao Ningyuan smiled, waved his hand, his gaze landing on Wu Shuang's iron‑blue face, "We only met this Mr. Wu at the cloth shop yesterday."

"What a coincidence, we meet again."

His tone was as familiar as an old friend not seen for years: "Mr. Wu, you have great foresight; whatever I want to buy, you can anticipate."

He deliberately paused, a corner of his mouth curling, and slowly said, "We share a kindred spirit."

Xiao Ze and Xiao Ningxun gave a slight smile, while Xiao Ningchen rolled his eyes.

Lu Qi let out a "pfft" sound, choking on tea, and Xiao Er turned his head away.

Luo Zhenjiang laughed heartily without reservation.

Wu Shuang's face shifted from pale to red, then from red to black, a surge of fiery anger flared up inside him, burning so intensely he nearly slammed the table and rose.

Who wants to share a kindred spirit with you!

Seeing the atmosphere off, Zhao Xing Shou forced a dry laugh twice: "Mr. Xiao, you truly are witty. May I ask, with your esteemed presence, what do you intend to purchase?"

Xiao Ningyuan nodded toward Wu Shuang: "Mr. Wu and I share a kindred spirit; naturally, whatever he wants is what I want."

Wu Shuang's face black as a pot bottom: "Mr. Xiao, are you targeting me?"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head: "No, no; it's Zhao Xing Shou's goods that are good, prompting you and me to compete to buy."

He turned to Zhao Xing Shou: "Would you agree, Zhao Xing Shou?"

"This is the one delivering the message to me."

"Mr. Xiao, you flatter me," Zhao Xing Shou nodded gladly: "Both of you have taken a liking to my goods; indeed, it is…"

He changed tack, adopting a troubled expression: "Just now Mr. Wu said, you also…"

"Oh?" Xiao Ningyuan raised an eyebrow, turned his head toward Wu Shuang, "I wonder, what is the value of the goods Mr. Wu wishes to purchase?"

Zhao Xing Shou had been waiting for that question, and immediately signaled to the accountant, who had been seated in the corner.

The accountant lifted the ledger, stood, and announced loudly: "Mr. Xiao, the goods Mr. Wu wishes to purchase require a down‑payment of five hundred thousand taels of white silver."

Zhao Xingshou stole a glance at Xiao Ningyuan, then cautiously added, "I heard that yesterday Boss Xiao lavishly tossed 110,000 taels of silver at the cloth shop; I wonder what today…"

Xiao Ningyuan didn't even raise an eyelid, lifted his tea cup and gave it a gentle blow: "That would naturally be the same for everyone."

Zhao Xingshou, upon hearing that, was overjoyed beyond expectation, his delight blooming.

Xiao Ningyuan continued, "It makes no sense to have given Wang Xingshou cash yesterday, yet to slight Zhao Xingshou today."

"Whether it's 110,000 taels or 500,000, I, Xiao, will pay in cash."

Wu Shuang's face finally collapsed completely.

He gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and resolved that today, no matter what, he would get it!

"Zhao Xingshou, if you are willing to accept a silver note, I can raise the price to 550,000 taels."

"Um…" Zhao Xingshou rubbed his two hands together, feigning difficulty as he looked at Xiao Ningyuan.

Xiao Ningyuan set down his tea cup: "In that case, I, Xiao, will pay 550,000 taels in cash."

His smile was as gentle as the warm spring sun: "Zhao Xingshou, please wait a moment; 550,000 taels, I, Xiao, will not be short a single wen."

Zhao Xingshou's look of difficulty instantly vanished into the clouds, his eyes narrowed to slits: "Boss Xiao truly lives up to being a Jingcheng magnate! Indeed, his generosity soars to the heavens!"

Wu Shuang sat dumbfounded in his chair, staring at Zhao Xingshou's overly flattering face, feeling as if a huge stone pressed on his chest, neither rising nor falling.

Yesterday's 110,000 taels already shook Jiangzhou; today it actually multiplied fivefold!

His heart sank; Mr. Cai had indeed spoken correctly—this Boss Xiao was far from an ordinary merchant.

But after just over an hour, yesterday's scene replayed again on Jiangzhou's main street.

Thirty large carts, driven by men of the Canal Gang, arrived at the entrance of the Jin Trading Hall amid shouts of "Excuse us, excuse us! The cash‑laden carts are heavy, do not disturb, give way, give way!"

Only this time the convoy was so long it stretched straight onto the next street.

The onlookers were several times more than yesterday, blocking several nearby streets to the point of total congestion.

"Yesterday it was six carts, today thirty, how much silver is that!"

"What a pity they don't fancy our goods, otherwise…"

"Otherwise what? Your little workshop—if they liked it, they'd just buy it outright! No need to buy other goods!"

Everyone who heard couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Zhao Xingshou's joy rose to his eyebrows; he repeatedly ordered his men to move the boxes, tally the amounts, as if he wanted to erect a lasting memorial tablet for Xiao Ningyuan.

Xiao Ningyuan paced to Wu Shuang, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth: "Boss Wu, we are heading to the pharmacy now; might you honor us by coming along?"