Chapter 177: Yangzhou

Yangzhou was originally the city of Han under the State of Wu. During the Eastern Jin, it became Guangling Commandery, and by the Tang dynasty it was renamed Yangzhou. It borders the Yangtze River to the south and opens to the Central Plains to the north. The earliest section of the Grand Canal was built right here by King Fuchai of Wu, then called the Hangou Canal. After the opening of the north-south Grand Canal in the Sui dynasty, Yangzhou became a great port where river and sea merged, and with its uniquely favorable position, it became the center of shipping and commerce for all under Heaven.

After the mid-Tang period, the economic center gradually shifted southward. The economic development of the Yangtze basin further consolidated Yangzhou's commercial status. It linked Ba-Shu, the Two Lakes, Jiangxi, and Jiangzhe via the Yangtze basin, connected to the north via the Grand Canal, reached Fujian and Guangdong along the coast, and also had overseas trade with Japan, the Arab Empire, Persia, and India. It was the most prosperous commercial city of the Tang dynasty, praised in verse as "ten li of long streets, a hundred thousand homes; a thousand lamps in the night market, red sleeves in high towers." From then on, it remained a vital north-south thoroughfare, where men of letters lingered, leaving behind countless lines of verse passed down through the ages.

In the Ming dynasty, the Jing-Hang Grand Canal was fully connected, eliminating all overland transfers. Because Yangzhou lay at the middle section of the Grand Canal, where north and south converged, it flourished for a time, its population nearing a million, far surpassing any European city of that era.

Besides its complete range of goods, it was most famous for Yangzhou's Qingming Festival, the Lianghuai salt merchants, and Yangzhou's "slender horses" — and then there were the Twenty-Four Bridges and their moonlight romance that Chen Xin so admired.

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"Young master, have you come to choose a concubine? If so, you must not miss my establishment. I still have seven or eight young ladies at home, each one in ten thousand, skilled in composing verse and painting, in zither, song, and dance — not one is unaccomplished. Even the arts of the bedchamber have been carefully taught by the foster mother..." A man of about fifty followed closely behind Chen Xin, touting his wares. Day after day he observed faces and gauged moods at the Customs Wharf. Whenever he saw someone in bright attire with a retinue in attendance, he would approach and make inquiries, much like an insurance salesman of later ages.

Chen Xin smiled and said nothing, walking slowly ahead. Behind him was a group of personal guards in plain clothes. Seeing that Chen Xin gave no signal, they paid the old man no mind, leaving one man behind to keep watch on him while three others moved ahead. The remaining three dispersed into the surroundings. The fierce, battle-hardened aura they exuded had made the old man hesitate, but clearly he was a broker of great professional integrity — not enough to make him retreat.

After disembarking at the Customs Wharf, the boat owner went off to handle the tax payment. Chen Xin and Liu Minyou took their attendants ashore. Not far from the wharf, because the two were dressed unusually well and had attendants, several people approached them in succession, asking what goods they wished to buy and such. Then this old man appeared. He judged at a glance that Chen Xin was the proprietor and immediately came up to speak. Seeing Chen Xin remain silent, he turned to Liu Minyou behind him.

"This young master, one can tell at a glance you are a dragon among men. My family's daughters..."

Liu Minyou waved his hand. "I already have a wife..."

"Of course, of course. Every one of my family's daughters understands the way of being a concubine — respectful to parents above, deferential to the principal wife below. Who doesn't know that Yangzhou girls are the best at being concubines? Even wealthy families from Huguang, Sichuan, and Jiangxi come to Yangzhou for this..."

"Alright, alright, truly no need." Liu Minyou grew impatient. They had encountered several waves of this the moment they disembarked, like being forced to shop before even reaching the scenic spots on a tour. He gave Sha Monk a look, signaling him to drive the man away.

Without a word, Sha Monk — to Liu Minyou's stunned disbelief — strode forward in a few heavy steps, seized the old man by the collar, and with one hand lifted him so his feet left the ground. His other hand rose, a fist the size of a wine bowl poised to strike the old man.

"Stop! Who told you to hit him?" Liu Minyou hurriedly stopped him.

"My lord, I saw you give me a look," Sha Monk said, his raised hand switching to scratch his own head.

"I told you to block him, not to hit anyone." Liu Minyou suspected that choosing this big fellow as his personal bodyguard had been a mistake.

"Oh." Sha Monk then set the old man down. Seized by this giant of a man who looked like a door god, the old man had been too terrified to speak and now could not move, only panting incessantly...

Sha Monk stretched both arms straight out, blocking the old man like an iron pagoda, and said, "If you come again, I will block you."

Liu Minyou turned away speechless. The surrounding personal guards burst into laughter, but seeing Liu Minyou look their way, they dared laugh no more. A few turned their faces away, covering their mouths with their hands. Liu Minyou quickly caught up to Chen Xin and walked in sullen silence. Chen Xin turned and smiled at him. "If it really won't do, just switch him. Sha Monk is a fine fighter, but his reactions as a bodyguard are a bit lacking. Send him to the patrol squad. Making a joke of things is a small matter, but failing to perform his duty is a big one — especially as a personal bodyguard."

Liu Minyou recalled the image of Sha Monk's back as he guarded the shop door in Jizhou, shook his head, and said, "No need. I'm used to it."

After that scene, none of the surrounding brokers and middlemen dared approach again. The group now walked out of the wharf area and into a broad bluestone street. The street was bustling with pedestrians, porters carrying goods passing by from time to time. Shops lined both sides, their cloth awnings and wooden signboards arrayed in dense rows. The cries of hawkers in every accent of north and south rose unceasingly. Liu Minyou felt as if he had returned to a wholesale market of his previous life.

Chen Xin called over Song Wenxian, Zhou Laifu, and the personal guards and gave quiet instructions: "Everyone has worked hard on the journey. Rest today. Except for Hai Gouzi, everyone will be led into the city by Mr. Song to find lodging, and then you may amuse yourselves as you please, but do not leave the city. Tomorrow, Zhou Laifu will arrange the search for a commercial shop. At the end of the noon hour, meet me at the Bell and Drum Tower. Is that clear?"

"Yes," everyone answered in unison.

Pu Zhuang asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why aren't we allowed to leave the city?"

Chen Xin's eyes widened. "Because I said so." Pu Zhuang quickly nodded. How could he know that Chen Xin was going somewhere and had deliberately sent them all into the city to avoid being encountered? This time, Chen Xin had not even kept Song Wenxian with him — in any case, he was not bringing that man along either.

Chen Xin then said to Zhou Laifu, "Give each person three taels of silver."

Song Wenxian asked, "My lord, do you not need to bring a few more men? This place is a mix of dragons and snakes; it would be better to be careful."

Chen Xin waved his hand. "No need. Hai Gouzi will do. I've killed Tatars and sea bandits — should I fear dragons and snakes? Besides, there's still Sha Monk, isn't there?"

Pu Zhuang and the others laughed heartily, assented, and withdrew. Taking a few men, they asked for directions and headed into the city.

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"If you two young masters wish to buy goods in bulk, you must not do so on this street. Go out the west end of this street and head south, and you will find over twenty large and small alleyways. Iron pots, porcelain bowls, cotton, cotton cloth, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones — each is gathered in its own alley. The prices can be ten percent lower than on this street." Just as the two were about to continue on, a voice suddenly drifted up beside them.

Liu Minyou turned to look. A man in a round cap and a blue long gown, with an honest, simple face, stood behind them, regarding the two with deference. Liu Minyou said impatiently, "We are merely passing through here by boat. We are not here to buy goods. No need to trouble yourself."

"In that case, I shall not disturb your refined leisure. If in the future you wish to source goods in Yangzhou, you may seek me out. I guarantee I can find you the cheapest and best sources. My surname is Ding, and my given name is also Ding. I am at the wharf every day. Forgive my intrusion. Please excuse me." So saying, he made to leave.

Liu Minyou was about to lift his foot and go when Chen Xin suddenly spoke. "Brother Ding, how can you know where it is cheapest? And how do you know it is best? Would it be convenient to tell us?"

Hearing this, Ding Ding stopped again and looked at Chen Xin. "I am honored by your question, young master. Goods are many and not easily stored; when there is a temporary surplus, the price falls. Each house receives goods at different times, so prices, large or small, always fluctuate. My method is nothing more than running errands diligently. Others make a round every ten days; I make a round every three days, noting down each house's prices, and thus I know where it is cheapest. As for which house's goods are best, my method is to often linger in shops listening to people haggle. When pressing for a lower price, the customer will point out many flaws, and the shopkeeper will speak of many merits. I also learn a bit from others in daily life. I remember everything I hear, and for each type of goods, how to distinguish them, I record it all in a book. By cross-referencing the two, I can generally judge a little."

Chen Xin said, taken aback, "Your method is simple enough, but when prices are set, it is all done by finger-tapping inside sleeves. How do you come to know them?"

"At first, I indeed did not know them in detail. Later, because I ran errands so diligently and had a good memory, I never forgot the appearance and name of any traveling merchant I had met. The next time they came, they felt a sense of familiarity, and so the merchants I brought gradually increased. Now, when the various shops have low wholesale prices, they notify me, and so naturally I know the prices."

"May I be so bold as to ask how much profit you make in a day? If it is inconvenient, you need not say."

"I am honored by your question, young master, and there is nothing that cannot be said. Outside the wharf, as you have seen, everyone is of my sort. Just now I saw that your attendants were formidable, and you, young master, are certainly no ordinary man. You would never come to snatch a business like mine, so there is no inconvenience. You ask how much profit I make in a day. If you, young master, were to buy a hundred taels' worth, I would earn one tael. My daily earnings vary; on a bad day, not a single cash, and on a good day, five or six taels are possible. Although Yangzhou is a thoroughfare for north and south, the truly large bulk goods of north and south are not bought in Yangzhou — they go directly to the producing regions of north and south. Even if wealthy merchants from Henan or Lianghuai come here for bulk purchases, they are deeply entrenched with wide networks and would not seek out people like me."

"If that is so, your earnings are not great. Why not run your own shop for better profit? With your diligence, you might even become a great merchant."

"To be a great merchant would of course be good, but I have neither backing nor capital. If I were to source goods from the wharf like everyone else, I certainly could not sell cheaper than others. If I went to the north or south to source goods myself, with no one to look after me along the way, I would have to pay far more in taxes than others, and my prices would inevitably be higher — a sure loss, without doubt. Better to stay as I am now. Though it is hard work, it spares me many troubles."

Chen Xin pondered for a moment, then said to him, "Today there is an opportunity. I intend to open a commercial shop here. If you are willing to help me manage it, wait for me here at this time tomorrow and present your terms."

With that, Chen Xin and Liu Minyou departed together, leaving Ding Ding standing there in a daze.

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The two walked along the street. As they walked, Liu Minyou asked, "Do you plan to use this man as an agent?"

Chen Xin nodded. "Not an agent. Yangzhou lies between Shandong and Jiangnan. In the long term, it is very important for my commerce. This Ding Ding is quite sharp and familiar with the merchants here — a suitable candidate for manager. We can just send another person to serve as accountant."

Liu Minyou asked, "Buying a shop is easy, but setting up the framework is not so simple. We've discussed the model for these shops so many times, yet the long-term goal still hasn't been settled, and we don't even have a name yet."

Chen Xin thought for a moment and said, "Let's still set up a trading company. Call it the Four Seas Trading Company, with independent accounting. Don't mix it with our internal sales departments — this one is external-facing. For now, you'll just have to manage it temporarily."

"What scale are you ultimately aiming for?"

Chen Xin replied, "I'm thinking of first covering the Grand Canal, then the prefectures along the canal. In Jiangnan, we should open more — it would be best if we could reach the county level."

Liu Minyou was still not entirely in agreement. "The Great Ming is so vast. If we set up points everywhere, the costs will actually be higher. My idea is to focus only on manufacturing and let traveling merchants come to Shandong to source goods themselves. That way, management is simple, and we can concentrate our energy on expanding production and developing new products."

"Our trading company network will not only sell southern goods and our own manufactured products; in the future, it will also procure the supplies our Wendeng Camp needs. This is a supply network, so our materials can be guaranteed through multiple channels."

Chen Xin had only spoken half of his thoughts. In his mind, the Four Seas Trading Company had an even more important role. But it was still in its initial stage, his strength was still very weak, and the time was far from ripe. He did not elaborate on these unformed matters to Liu Minyou.

As they talked, the four of them walked out of the main street they had been on. Recalling that Ding Ding had said the area to the south was still a goods market, the two turned north into another main street. This street was lined mostly with wineshops and teahouses and was even more bustling. Men and women of all sorts came and went in an endless stream. Wandering monks, fortune-tellers, and idle ruffians threaded through the crowd. Inside the teahouses, patrons filled the seats, listening to storytelling and opera. On the street, performers had set up in several places, surrounded by rings of spectators who from time to time burst into cheers. Snack vendors circled outside the crowds, hawking their wares. It was a scene of thriving prosperity. The two were full of interest, looking this way and that, utterly oblivious to the passage of time.

After listening to some storytelling in a teahouse, Chen Xin and Liu Minyou squeezed into a crowd to watch an immortal move beans. The performer held a short stick in one hand while deftly manipulating several porcelain bowls with the other, the bean appearing and disappearing among the bowls. Even standing right in front, Liu Minyou could not spot the trick, which almost made him want to add, "Now is the moment to witness a miracle."

After watching, they tossed down a few pieces of broken silver and squeezed out of the crowd. Chen Xin felt a bit hungry. It had already been afternoon when they disembarked, and after wandering for half the day, it was time for the evening meal. He spotted a restaurant ahead, its door banner bearing two large characters: "Zhou Quan" (Porridge Complete).

He clapped Liu Minyou on the shoulder. "We've been eating too richly lately. How about we go soothe our stomachs today?"

Liu Minyou looked at the sign and quickly nodded in agreement. He turned to look for the other two. Hai Gouzi was right behind them, but Sha Monk was standing not far away, grinning foolishly as he watched a woman walk a tightrope, having completely forgotten he was a personal bodyguard. Liu Minyou went over and gave him a good series of smacks on the head.

After the four entered the shop, a waiter came to serve them. This shop specialized in porridge, with over twenty varieties: lotus seed, bamboo leaf, turnip, cow's milk, sugarcane, Chinese yam, wolfberry, perilla, rehmannia, sesame, lamb kidney, pig kidney, deer kidney, immortal, lily, and more. The two and Hai Gouzi each ordered three kinds of vegetarian porridge. Only Sha Monk ordered five bowls of meat porridge. They were served in a moment, fragrant and steaming. When the four finished eating, their bellies were all swollen, and the porridge bowls were piled across the table.

Liu Minyou rubbed his belly and praised the porridge's fragrance lavishly. He said to Chen Xin, "The porridge is truly delicious. When we are old someday, we should come to this Yangzhou, drink tea and listen to opera, and have some porridge in the evening. That would be quite nice."

Chen Xin shook his head. Liu Minyou looked over at him strangely. "What is it?"

Chen Xin sighed. "It's so prosperous today — but do you know what it will be like a dozen years from now?"

"What will it be like?"

Chen Xin lowered his voice. "Originally, a dozen years from now, this place was slaughtered to the last soul. Corpses piled as high as the eaves, the stench carrying for miles. Yangzhou nearly became a realm of ghosts. If you want to retire here, it depends on whether we can hold back the Tatars."

Liu Minyou had not read The Ten Days of Yangzhou in his previous life, but he knew of the Yangzhou massacre. Standing here in person now, the feeling was deeper — it was hard to imagine how this vibrant, bustling city before his eyes could turn into that.

Chen Xin finished sighing, then suddenly gave him a low chuckle. "Best have another bowl of pig kidney congee — you'll need the strength tonight for the girls."

Only then did Liu Minyou recall what Chen Xin had said before they disembarked. He felt a little anticipation, and a little worry.

"Forget it, I'm not going. I'm not used to places like that." Liu Minyou mumbled for a long while, still too embarrassed. Besides, that fool monk had no filter — bring him along and the whole world might end up knowing.

"Really not going?" Chen Xin asked. "I'm going anyway. It's not every day I get to come to Yangzhou. Once we go back, it's either fighting roving bandits or fighting Tatars. Die on some battlefield one day, and you'll regret it too late. Heh."

Chen Xin waved the waiter over to settle the bill and had the three of them head out. He tipped the waiter an extra two candareens of silver, then quietly asked him for the location of the "red-light district." It turned out those nine alleys lay north of the customs gate, along the Grand Canal, stretching half a li. In the evening, those girls would come out to the tea houses by the river to wait for customers.

The waiter took the silver with profuse thanks. Hearing Chen Xin's out-of-town accent, he kindly advised him, "Young master, first find lodging at a nearby inn and set down your luggage. In the evening, you needn't bring anything — just follow a young lady to the alley to spend the night. In those alleys, renowned courtesans and common street girls mix together. The ones who come out at night are all common street girls. The renowned courtesans don't come out — you need a guide to find them. Seeing that you, young master, are no ordinary man, if you seek a renowned courtesan, I can find a cultured broker to lead the way."

"How old are the common street girls usually?"

"All a bit older, mostly in their teens, some in their twenties or thirties. Plenty by the river at night. The renowned courtesans are few."

Chen Xin waved his hand, laughing. "Perfect. I happen to like common street girls — the more the merrier."

After getting clear directions, Chen Xin went out and called the three of them together. Seeing it was still early, he found the place the waiter had described, right beside the Grand Canal. The bank was thick with willows. He found an inn and booked four rooms. His and Liu Minyou's were both on the second floor facing the street — lean out the window and you could see those tea houses the waiter had mentioned. Chen Xin then went to Liu Minyou's room to drink tea, chatting idly to pass the time.

As the sky gradually darkened, the daytime crowds of all sorts slowly thinned. But the tea houses and wine shops filled with many more scholars and men dressed as traveling merchants.

One by one, the wine shops and tea houses lit candles in their halls and hung colored gauze lanterns before their doors and on the willow trees — over a hundred of them. Under the glow of the gauze lanterns, a hazy pale yellow light spread along both sides of the street. A steady breeze blew from the river; tree shadows danced; the willow leaves rustled softly, mingling with the sound of the canal waters. The clamor of the day receded in an instant, as if it had never been.

Chen Xin looked out and said to Liu Minyou, "The atmosphere here is quite nice. Has a bit of a wine-like feel."

Liu Minyou also looked out the window and said, puzzled, "There's hardly anyone here."

Chen Xin chuckled. "Streetwalkers — of course they come out later. Are you going or not?"

"Mm. Not going."

Suddenly, a burst of chattering female voices shattered the quiet. Chen Xin leaned out to look. About a hundred paces away, from the mouth of an alley, many women poured out, walking this way in groups of three or five.