Chapter 175: Next Stop

Chen Xin knocked twice on Liu Minyou's door, then pushed it open and entered. Liu Minyou was in the middle of discussing the money shop with Zhou Laifu. Chen Xin sat down and leaned over for a look — the ledger in front of them was filled with densely packed writing.

"How are the talks going?"

Liu Minyou rubbed his face with his hand and said, "We don't know a damn thing about money shops. Their shopkeeper asked us about forgery prevention, secret codes, and how to reconcile the account books — we couldn't answer a single one. Good thing Xu Xinsu was there; he said he'd send someone over to help with the planning."

Zhou Laifu added, "The money shop has too many details, and we don't understand them. The southern goods, though, are all settled — they'll transport them along the Grand Canal for delivery. For goods going to Wendeng, they'll go by sea and dock at our several ports."

Chen Xin asked, "What about their purchasing in the north?"

"This year they'll hand over half the cotton to us for procurement. Mr. Liu wants to buy it in Linqing, and then have them transport it away."

Liu Minyou added, "If we have Zhou Hongmo looking after things in Linqing, it'll be easier to handle. If we transport it south ourselves, we'll have to deal with the customs posts along the way."

"What did Shopkeeper Tang say?"

"That Shopkeeper Tang first demanded that we transport it past the Xushu Pass."

Chen Xin thought silently for a moment. Jiangnan had a huge demand for cotton, purchasing large quantities from Shandong every year and shipping it back to places like Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Huzhou, then selling the processed goods back to the north. Linqing had a customs post. If they wanted to transport goods to Suzhou and Hangzhou themselves, there were four more customs posts further south — Huai'an, Yangzhou, Xushu, and Hangzhou. The Xushu Pass was already at Suzhou, and for the time being he didn't have the network of connections to deal with all that.

Chen Xin nodded and said, "At most we'll transport as far as the Yangzhou customs post. For goods going to Jiangnan this year, they'll still handle the transport. Later, once we've opened up the connections along the canal, we'll take over the transport ourselves. I'll go talk to Xu Xinsu about this — at worst, we'll give up a bit on the price."

Liu Minyou dismissed Zhou Laifu, then said, "Xu Xinsu has been good to us, but the fact that he wants to send someone to our money shop — that might not be so good. That way, he'd know all our forgery prevention measures. And that Shopkeeper Tang also proposed that any exchange notes and account books we issue for the south would need that person's signature to be valid."

Chen Xin smiled, utterly unconcerned. "At the start of a partnership, of course they're going to be cautious. An exchange note is just a piece of paper — you bring it and expect silver in return. Since that's the case, you can also propose that any exchange notes and account books coming from their side need Zhou Laifu's signature. Let them help us set up the money shop; later, once we're familiar with it, we'll add our own elements in."

"

The exchange notes the two were discussing were silver certificates for remote deposit and withdrawal, also known as flying notes. By the Ming Dynasty, many money shops already offered this service. It had emerged in response to the flourishing Ming commerce, to facilitate large-sum silver transactions. Money shops with strong backing and ample financial resources could honor each other's notes, but such exchange notes could not be cashed just anywhere. At the time of deposit, one had to specify where the withdrawal would take place. The local money shop would then issue the exchange note and simultaneously create an account book, clearly recording the note's serial number, amount, and secret code, which would be sent through their own channels to the redemption location. Only then could the note holder collect the silver at the distant location. The money shop would charge a fee for this service — a primitive financial product.

Liu Minyou pulled out a sheet of paper and showed it to Chen Xin, saying as he did, "The money shops you decided on — one in Tianjin, one in Yangzhou. I actually think putting the Yangzhou one in Linqing would be more suitable. If they come to Linqing to ship goods, they could settle directly through the money shop."

Although Yangzhou was north of the Yangtze, it was right on the riverbank, very far from both Linqing and Tianjin. Chen Xin didn't yet have any connections in Yangzhou, so operating there might be quite difficult, and the flow of trade payments would also be low. Chen Xin listened and agreed, changing the Yangzhou location to a commercial shop, to serve as a tentacle reaching into Jiangnan.

Once this matter was settled, Liu Minyou leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. Chen Xin studied him carefully — his eyes were completely bloodshot. Chen Xin couldn't help but smile. "Still thinking about the killing?"

Liu Minyou stared fixedly at the ceiling and said, "Song Wenxian hasn't been sleeping well these past couple of days either. Early this morning he came calling for me to play chess. How could I have the time to keep him company? I'm busy with all these trade matters."...

"Those men were killers. Killing them was the right thing to do. You've been on the battlefield too — I thought you'd have gotten used to it by now."

Liu Minyou gently shook his head. "Killing someone with your own hands and seeing dead bodies are, after all, two different things."

Chen Xin chuckled. "You'll get used to it in a couple of days. Once these trade talks are wrapped up, we need to head back. First to Yangzhou to buy a shop, then to Linqing to see Zhou Hongmo."

Liu Minyou glanced at him. "Did they find the remaining killers?"

"They did. Zuo Changhao had people hunt them down and slaughter them all. The one leading them was Zheng Zhixiong, one of the Eighteen Zhi. His head is being shown to Xu Xinsu right now. They and Zheng Yiguan are now irreconcilable — it's to the death."

At the mention of heads, another wave of nausea washed over Liu Minyou. He had once seen baskets upon baskets of Jianzhou bandit heads in the Confucian temple at Luanzhou — those rigid faces with rolled-back white eyes often appeared in his nightmares. He hurriedly drove those images from his mind and changed the subject. "So you're not going to the Qinhuai River to whore around?"

Chen Xin grinned and patted his own head. "The Qinhuai River is full of gray, gloomy memories. I think I'll pass. Let's see if Yangzhou and Linqing offer any opportunities."

When Chen Xin entered Xu Xinsu's study, the pirate chief was talking with Zuo Changhao. On the desk sat, unmistakably, the head of Zheng Zhixiong. Seeing Chen Xin come in, Zuo Changhao quickly offered him a seat.

Xu Xinsu, all smiles, said to Chen Xin, "Brother Chen truly lives up to your fame as a renowned commander. Not only are you invincible on the battlefield, but you're also so well-versed in these underworld tricks. The moment you acted, you found that gang of bandits' hideout. And that Zheng Zhixiong was also captured alive by your esteemed subordinates."

Chen Xin quickly demurred, "I was merely lucky, happened to spot that spy."

Xu Xinsu shook his head. "Brother Chen doesn't know this Zheng Zhixiong. He was Zheng Yiguan's trusted confidant, the most ruthless and merciless of them all. Back when Zheng Yiguan first surrendered, many among Yan Siqi's original followers opposed it. At that time, Li Kuiqi was still under Zheng Yiguan. It was this Zheng Zhixiong who helped Li Kuiqi kill Yan Siqi's sworn brother Chen Zhongji at Penghu. Chen Zhongji's trusted men were also slaughtered to the last by them. The several assassination attempts on me in Fuzhou — those were also directed by Zheng Zhixiong from the shadows."

Chen Xin said in surprise, "Then we've unintentionally hooked a big fish."

Xu Xinsu burst out laughing. He picked up the head from the desk, examined it, and then said, "Indeed. Most of the other Eighteen Zhi excel in naval warfare and close combat. It was this Zheng Zhixiong who specialized in these shadowy, treacherous schemes. Who would have thought he'd run into General Chen of the Wendeng Battalion, whose name shakes the realm? How could he possibly have come out ahead?"

Chen Xin inwardly marveled at their narrow escape. If Zheng Zhixiong truly was a master of assassination, he would have withdrawn immediately after failure and waited for the next opportunity. Perhaps Zheng Yiguan had pressed these men so hard that he was forced to continue acting, thereby exposing his whereabouts. Thinking of this, he said to Xu Xinsu, "Brother Xu, you must be even more careful when you return to Fuzhou. Zheng Yiguan is no ordinary figure. Next time, he may send someone even more formidable."

"Thank you for the warning, Brother Chen. But in Fuzhou, my eyes and ears far outnumber his." Having cut off one of Zheng Yiguan's arms, Xu Xinsu was in excellent spirits. He casually tossed the head to the floor, then said to Chen Xin, "Thanks to Brother Chen's divine prowess, we've rooted out both of Zheng Yiguan's nests in Nanjing this time. That shop Zheng Zhixiong gave up was their eyes and ears in Nanjing. In Brother Chen's opinion, should we leave them in place? Next time, if they send more people, we could use it to discover their hideout."

Chen Xin shook his head. "If they get word of this, they'll likely change locations immediately. With Zheng Zhixiong's entire force wiped out this time, their cautious nature will surely make them suspect that someone might have given them up. So I believe it's better to wipe them all out in one sweep. Once all the experienced hands here are dead, if Zheng Yiguan sends more people, they'll have to re-establish their network, familiarize themselves with the terrain, and make connections with the local idlers and thugs. Everything will have to start from scratch."

Xu Xinsu clapped his hands and laughed. "Brother Chen understands perfectly. Zuo Changhao, make sure to wipe them all out in one sweep. That way, by the time Zheng Yiguan sends someone to investigate and confirm, then report back to him, it will be at least several months. Then he'll have to send people here to set up again. For at least a year or two, Zheng Yiguan will be blind in Nanjing."...

Zuo Changhao immediately bowed in acknowledgment. Having arranged matters on this end, Xu Xinsu said to Chen Xin, "Your brother here will be returning to Fujian in a couple of days. Matters there cannot be delayed. Coming to Nanjing this time, I regret not having met Brother Chen sooner. Regarding the trade goods and the money shop, I've given full authority to Zuo Changhao. He will assist Brother Chen in handling these matters properly, as a small token of my gratitude."

"

Chen Xin expressed his thanks. He was very satisfied with this arrangement as well; after all, he already had a rapport with Zuo Changhao, who was far easier to negotiate with than that Shopkeeper Tang. He also once again promised Xu Xinsu that he would dispatch personnel to Fujian to assist as soon as possible. Xu Xinsu was extremely important to him right now. He needed this man's help to expand his commercial network, but Zheng Yiguan put Xu Xinsu in danger at any moment — something Chen Xin could not tolerate.

With Xu Xinsu present, Chen Xin then finalized the southern goods trading terms. The largest items were tea, sugar, spices, and copper. Xu Xinsu also agreed that for now, he would be responsible for all canal transport, and gave Zuo Changhao instructions on each point. Too many details about the money shop remained unsettled, so Xu Xinsu set the broad framework: send an experienced hand to help Chen Xin establish the money shop and streamline the transaction process.

Chen Xin also designated a liaison. He planned to have Zhou Laifu stationed permanently in Yangzhou, which was only a few days' journey from Nanjing, making contact with Zuo Changhao very convenient.

That very night, Zuo Changhao led his men and slaughtered everyone in Zheng Yiguan's shop, cutting off their heads and preserving them. Xu Xinsu would take them back to Fujian, and when Zheng Yiguan eventually realized something was wrong, they would toss them at the gate of his official residence.

The next day, Xu Xinsu drank through the night with Chen Xin and the others at his mansion. Even Liu Minyou got dead drunk. Two days later, Xu Xinsu set off to return to Fujian. He boarded a ship at Longjiang Pass, following the Yangtze out to sea, and could sail all the way to the foot of Fuzhou city by the riverbank, sparing himself the hardship of cart and horse. It was also a very safe route, hugging the coast southward the entire way. In this era, even if Zheng Yiguan knew Xu Xinsu's ship, intercepting it on the vast ocean was essentially impossible.

Chen Xin and the others saw him off all the way to the Xiaxinhe Dock, the dock closest to the Yangtze. Both banks were packed densely with tribute grain boats and merchant vessels.

Xu Xinsu's ship quickly became a tiny dot on the river's surface. Liu Minyou suddenly said to Chen Xin, "I actually rather admire you people. Xu Xinsu must be forty or fifty years old, constantly in danger, yet he remains so composed. If I knew there were people thinking about assassinating me day and night, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep at all."

Chen Xin smiled faintly. "He's long grown accustomed to this kind of life. If you made him live in peace and safety, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep. Since he's gone, we should start our return journey tomorrow as well. First stop, Yangzhou."