Chapter 588: As It Should Be

"Sister Zhou, look — I really don't like bringing up these old matters, but what Sister Jiang did back then was truly dishonorable. At the start, she was afraid you would come to the Silver Bank and take away her future prospects, so she got malicious and insisted on going to the Jiangning County yamen to report you. When we got to the gate, I was scared inside, felt we couldn't do such a thing, so I pulled at her with all my strength. Sister Zhou, look at this frame of mine — it really couldn't match hers. My fingers nearly snapped, and in the end I still couldn't hold her back."

Inside the door of the Deputy Chief Treasurer's Direct Office on the third floor of the Great River Silver Bank, Mao, the shopkeeper of Yangzhou Baishun Hall who had just crossed the river, was preparing to leave. She rubbed her fingers, as if recalling the scene where they had nearly been pulled off, and looked earnestly at Zhou Yueru, who was seeing her out. "Truth is, it was also because she was in charge of me, and I was afraid she'd make things hard for me later, so I didn't dare hold her back with everything I had. Afterward, when I thought about it, I truly couldn't live with myself. Think about it — we all came out of Tongcheng together, survived a siege of several hundred thousand Roving Bandits, and that was all because everyone pulled together. How could we treat our own people like that, I ask you. These words have been in my heart for many years. Only by speaking them today does my heart feel at ease. I'm not trying to fight for this Chief Treasurer position for myself, but I keep thinking we can't let such a petty person gain power. Once she has authority, those below will be even more afraid to cross her, and who knows how she'll harm people then. When I think of that, even if I get a reputation for speaking ill of others behind their backs, I can't care about that anymore."

Inside the Deputy Chief Treasurer's Direct Office of the Great River Silver Bank, Zhou Yueru saw Mao, the shopkeeper of Yangzhou Baishun Hall, to the door. "Thank you for clearing up the doubts that have been in my heart for many years. You may know a person's face, but not their heart. Shopkeeper Mao, I have taken all of these sentiments of yours to heart."

Having said this, Zhou Yueru gestured to the woman beside her. That woman went to the door and pulled open the Gate Leaf. Shopkeeper Mao came over again and took Zhou Yueru's arm. "A person like me, I'm not as good with words as others. I just hold fast to one good principle: be true-hearted to the master. From the moment I first arrived at Baishun Hall, I only trusted the master's words. Even that day when several hundred thousand Roving Bandits besieged Tongcheng, and that woman Jiang was weeping and wailing that we couldn't hold out, saying that Boss Pang's words couldn't be trusted either and that she'd pay no heed to anyone anymore — I gave her a good scolding right then. I said, you may not trust others, but you must always trust your own master. As long as the master is in Tongcheng, the Roving Bandits cannot break through. And wasn't that exactly how it turned out? Anyway, a person like me has always listened to Lord Pang. Sister Zhou looked after me back at Baishun Hall, and both your talent and Virtue make people admire you deeply. I have just one thing to say: from now on, I will also listen to Sister Zhou."

Zhou Yueru raised her head and looked at Shopkeeper Mao, seeing her face full of expectation. She paused a moment, then said, "We all follow the master. From waiting tables and running errands in a single Baishun Hall in Tongcheng, to becoming managing shopkeepers today — trusting the master is, of course, never wrong."

Shopkeeper Mao saw the door was open and did not say much more. She took Zhou Yueru's hand and chatted idly for a few more sentences before taking her leave and going out.

Zhou Yueru let out a soft breath. The woman attending beside her said in a low voice, "A shameless piece of goods."

Zhou Yueru did not speak. Only after a moment did she look at her. "Before Noon, I am still to see Zhang Shuangwei?"

"Yes. His Advisor came by just now and is already in the Guesthouse on the second floor. It was a coincidence — I happened to be downstairs just now and saw him arrive right on the heels of that one surnamed Mao."

Zhou Yueru half-closed her eyes, waited a moment, then said, "Then invite him up."

The woman answered and went out. The corridor on the third floor fell quiet. Zhou Yueru did not return to her seat, but walked slowly to the window. Downstairs, Dazhong Street was bustling as ever, the street crowded with a tide of people. Quite a few people still stopped along the roadside, pointing and gazing up at the Silver Bank, clearly drawn here by its fame. Because of its lavish and exaggerated interior and exterior decoration, this Silver Bank headquarters was already renowned all along the Great River, its fame comparable to the Great Bao'en Temple Pagoda.

Some people spotted Zhou Yueru upstairs, their upturned faces seeming to carry bewilderment and envy.

Zhou Yueru did not avoid them. She stood before the window just like that, meeting the gazes from below, looking down upon the surging heads of Dazhong Street.

The sound of footsteps came from the corridor behind her. Zhou Yueru withdrew her gaze and walked briskly back to her desk. Just as she reached the desk, the door panel knocked. Zhou Yueru hurriedly sat down before saying, "Please enter."

The door opened with a creak. The woman appeared in the doorway, then stepped aside to admit a man in his thirties.

Zhou Yueru quickly rose to offer a greeting, but the man had already hurried over first, cupping his hands repeatedly. "Zhang Shuangwei pays respects to Chief Treasurer Zhou. First, allow me to thank Chief Treasurer Zhou on behalf of the Shipping Company for all your care these years. I fear I shall have to trouble you often from now on."

Zhou Yueru made a curtsy and smiled. "It is all official business, merely doing my duty. It cannot compare to the toil of Chief Treasurer Zhang, rushing about east and west."

Having said this, she promptly invited Zhang Shuangwei to sit in the guest seat. A serving maid came in from outside to serve tea and set out two small snacks.

After the serving maid withdrew, Zhang Shuangwei picked up the earlier thread of conversation. "Rushing about east and west will not be necessary for the time being. It is also Lord Pang's favor, having me manage the Shipping Company's affairs from now on. I will need to be Pacing about more in the Lower River region. In the Council, Chief Treasurer Zhou and I will be colleagues, so I fear there will be many occasions to trouble you. My heart is somewhat uneasy. Only by coming today to first pay respects to the Goddess of Wealth can my heart be set at ease."

Zhou Yueru pursed her lips in a smile. "How could I possibly deserve such a form of address from Chief Treasurer Zhang."

"Naturally you deserve it. With a business as vast as the Silver Bank, who but the Goddess of Wealth could preside over it?" Zhang Shuangwei cupped his hands earnestly. "In the past, when I handled assignments outside, the men I led often numbered only a few dozen, all kept close at hand. I thought managing affairs was nothing more than that. Now, suddenly put in charge of the Shipping Company's operations, looking out from the Upper River to the Lower River, a thousand li, and along the Grand Canal northward, another thousand li — and as for the people, more than can be counted — I am truly at a loss, with no thread to grasp. My heart is deeply uneasy, fearing that with my meager talent and shallow learning I might mishandle something and ruin Lord Pang's great undertaking. Chief Treasurer Zhou has presided over the money shop for many years and must certainly offer me your guidance."

Zhou Yueru replied politely, "Chief Treasurer Zhang is too kind. The Silver Bank is managed by Chief Treasurer Liu; I merely follow his instructions. When Lord Pang sometimes travels to Nanjing and mentions you, he often speaks with praise. That assignment to Guangdong was especially well-handled — in a place where you knew no one and were unfamiliar with the land, you still got the job done. It is I who should learn more from you. The Shipping Company is no outsider. From now on, we are both in the Southern Capital Council. If there is any matter, just give the word, and whatever I can do, I will certainly do."

Zhang Shuangwei cupped his hands again. "Since Chief Treasurer Zhou has spoken thus — I am a rough man, so I will not beat around the bush with Chief Treasurer Zhou. To be frank with Chief Treasurer Zhou, these past years, the silver taken from the Silver Bank has all been under the Shipping Company's name. But over eighty percent of the boats in the Shipping Company are from Boat Dock Masters who joined with their boats, merely to get a flag for convenient passage and to avoid harassment from the Water Camp and the Canal Gang. In the business on the river, the Silver Bank collects its own, the Brokerages collect theirs, the Canal Gang collects theirs, and the Boat Dock Masters still collect theirs. All that's left for the Shipping Company is a big banner with few troops — in reality, there is no profit to be made."

Zhou Yueru nodded. "These are all facts. The thousand-li waterway of the Great River involves more than just the docks. The flow of commercial goods is all within the cities; you cannot compete for it just by occupying a dock. When the Shipping Company was founded, Lord Pang's idea was to raise a big banner without seizing the actual profits of the Boat Dock Masters. Only in this way could we build up a semblance of one. Now that Mister Zhang has been appointed Chief Treasurer of the Shipping Company, I wonder if there is a new plan."

"Lord Pang has assigned the Shipping Company new tasks, not all of them on the river. His Lordship's idea is for the Shipping Company to maintain its previous operations, but to find new paths forward on its own." Zhang Shuangwei counted off on his fingers. "The newly assigned tasks are quite numerous. I will mention just one: if the honored guests received by the Capital Silver Bank truly reach the point of needing to flee the Capital, the Grand Canal will certainly be impassable. They can only go south from Tianjin by sea, and this will require seagoing vessels. Last year, many Local Bandits emerged in southern Shandong, and Water Bandits stirred on several lakes along the Grand Canal route. The journey is unsafe everywhere. The silver collected by the Capital Silver Bank in the latter half of the year dared not be transported south — this, too, must go by sea. The Capital Silver Bank collects the silver, but the boats must be provided by the Shipping Company. This matter has fallen onto my shoulders."

Zhou Yueru looked at Zhang Shuangwei. "If Chief Treasurer Zhang wishes to request more Banknotes from the Shipping Company, that still requires Lord Pang's Approval."

"I have already reported the Banknotes to Lord Pang. But this new assignment I've just taken on is not going smoothly. The seagoing vessels were assigned to the Anqing Shipyard for construction. I only just found out that the shipyard has three months of riverboat orders lined up ahead, and moreover, they have never built a seagoing vessel — they would still need to go to the coast to seek Artisans. Not to mention that the Anqing Shipyard builds boats at Shimen Lake, so I fear they can only construct flat-bottomed Sand Ships, which are not very useful at sea. To take the Rations and Pay back out of the shipyard now would cause delays. I am thinking of first purchasing a batch of seagoing vessels from the coast. Banknotes are not yet convenient to use there; I need a sum of ready silver or Silver Coins. I have heard that here at the Nanjing Council, according to regulations, there is a sum of revolving funds that can be temporarily called upon. Could it first be used to purchase the seagoing vessels?"

"There is a sum of revolving funds. Because the Southern Capital and Anqing are not close, and transmitting messages back and forth takes time, Lord Pang specifically left it for emergencies. But it can only be used after deliberation and decision by the Council. That sum of Silver Coins — both the Canal Gang and the gambling den want to use it. It will not be easy for the Shipping Company to get it."

Zhang Shuangwei cupped his hands again. "That is precisely why I trouble Chief Treasurer Zhou. Zhang has come to Nanjing many times, but I have only just entered this Nanjing Council and know no one. After thinking it over, I could only come first to consult the Goddess of Wealth on how to get it passed in the Council."

Zhou Yueru smiled, seeming to accept this form of address as well. She thought for a moment, then said, "At present, in the Council, there are two from the Silver Bank, one from the Shipping Company, one from the Canal Gang, and one from the Newspaper Office. The Gambling Den General Manager has not yet been decided; whether they will join later still depends on Lord Pang's Opinion. With these five people now, even if I give my Approval, we are still one vote short."

"For that remaining vote, Zhang will go and think of another Method."

"From where will these seagoing vessels be purchased?"

"I plan to buy Guang Ships from Guangdong. These vessels are sturdy and reliable, suitable for running the Tianjin route to transport valuable goods. The silver ingots and honored guests coming south from the Capital will all use Guang Ships from now on." Zhang Shuangwei looked at Zhou Yueru with earnest anticipation. "In addition, I also want to buy some Fu Ships, which can run the sea route together to transport commercial goods, so as to familiarize ourselves with the sea route thoroughly, so that when the time comes, they can be put to use."

"If the Shipping Company has many vessels running sea transport, the Canal Gang will likely be unwilling. They will certainly oppose it."

Zhang Shuangwei nodded. "I also oppose the Canal Gang. Many Water Bandits have appeared on several lakes in Shandong. If the Grand Canal is cut off again at the start of the year, the Grain Transport Ships will be unable to move and can only halt. If the trade routes are cut, the commercial goods must still find a way to go north. Only the sea route is available, and the sea route is cheaper. Why must the Canal Gang still spend so much Rations and Pay to fight for docks north of Dongchang? What use is it? The last analysis from the Advisory Room said that at the end of this year, the Eastern Invaders will enter the border again. Once those places are overrun, the Rations and Pay will be money thrown into the water. In my opinion, giving the Canal Gang more silver now is useless. In the next Council session to discuss the Banknote plan, it would be better to halt the deployment of the Canal Gang north of Dongchang and give the remaining funds to the Shipping Company first, to buy more Fu Ships and Guang Ships, as a backup plan. Even if the Grand Canal opens again, the sea is cheaper than the canal. We can buy the commercial goods ourselves at the Jiangnan docks and sell them in the north to still make a profit, without having to look at the stinking faces of those lock-keeping eunuchs. In any case, it will not be a loss."

Zhou Yueru was silent for a moment, then said, "The one representing the Canal Gang in the Council is Yuan Zheng. The Canal Gang is the Hidden Sentinel Camp. Although there is some dissatisfaction, Chief Treasurer Liu still needs to rely on them."

"I also know this matter is not easy, which is why I came to consult Chief Treasurer Zhou."

Chief Treasurer Zhou rubbed her forehead. "In the Silver Bank, I originally only managed the Banknotes. Now Lord Pang has also assigned me to manage the accounts of the Various Families. Rations and Pay are the most vexing. The accounts of the Various Families were all managed by themselves before. Auditing and managing accounts offends people. Some simply ignore me. My task here is the one that is not easy."

Zhang Shuangwei immediately rose and said, "I dare not speak for other families, but in my opinion, account books ought to be kept clearly in the first place. Here at the Shipping Company, we simply lack a capable person. I would ask Chief Treasurer Zhou to lend us some experienced hands to help me put these account books in clear order. It seems I must once again trouble the Goddess of Wealth."

"Chief Treasurer Zhang is too kind." Zhou Yueru smiled slightly. "If other families ignore me, I will also raise the matter in the Council."

"No matter which family, they all belong to Lord Pang's household. Rations and Pay are a major matter; unclear accounts will not do. Zhang is a rough man, but when it comes to the Council, this will still be my one statement." Zhang Shuangwei raised his eyes to look at Zhou Yueru. "However, the Council has many people after all. I feel that the gambling den's General Manager will likely also join the Council. The candidate recommended for this position must absolutely be reliable."

Zhou Yueru nodded, reached out to pick up the teacup beside her, and said softly, "As it should be."