Chapter 397

Xinglong Fang, the Jia family's old residence.

Jia Cong stared at the parchment on the desk, covered in inked characters, most of which were the common characters he had taught her last time.

The parchment also bore many repetitions of Lingguan's own name, for when Jia Cong taught her to read, he had deliberately begun by having her write her own name.

She came from poverty; her family had given her the childish nickname Xiao Fu, which they had used for over a decade. Raising a little girl was hard enough—they had never bothered to give her a proper formal name.

Since her family sold her to the opera troupe, she had spent her days washing clothes and cooking, and she naturally felt disappointment and resentment toward them.

The nickname Xiao Fu, given by her parents, had long since become meaningless to her.

Only after Jia Cong and Zou Min'er bought her did the troupe's master give her the stage name Lingguan. Though merely a stage name, it carried far more meaning than her old childhood appellation.

Naturally, she came to treat it as her true name, but its strokes and structure were complex, and she struggled greatly when first learning to write it.

When Lingguan saw Jia Cong staring at her name, her small face flushed red. She covered the characters with her hand and said, "My writing is too ugly—Master, please don't look."

Jia Cong smiled. "How could it be ugly? You've only practiced a few days, and you've already written this well—it's truly clever of you."

Hearing his praise, Lingguan blushed and lowered her hand, pointing to one character. "The 'ling' in Lingguan has too many strokes—I always write it badly. Look how ugly it is."

Jia Cong looked at the character on the parchment: its strokes were numerous, its structure unbalanced, slightly crooked, yet charmingly childlike.

He noticed Lingguan's delicate brows furrowed, her lips slightly pouted, gazing at her own writing as if she herself found it repulsive. He couldn't help but smile inwardly.

He picked up the brush and, in a clean, elegant regular script, wrote the two characters "Lingguan" in the blank space of the parchment. Lingguan's eyes lit up beside him.

Jia Cong smiled. "There's no shortcut to writing—just write more and practice more." He handed her the brush, his eyes filled with comfort and encouragement.

Lingguan took the brush and, copying the two characters Jia Cong had written, began to trace them with careful imitation.

She was gifted and quick-witted; after only a few attempts, her writing improved noticeably, yet still fell short—this was not something that could be mastered overnight.

Jia Cong smiled and took a fresh sheet of parchment, stepping behind her. He reached out with his right hand and gently clasped her small hand holding the brush, guiding her as she wrote her name five or six times.

With each stroke, he whispered in her ear the subtleties of brush movement: how to turn, how to vary pressure, how to slow down and snap back.

Lingguan's small hand was exquisitely delicate, her palm soft and thin, her fingers slender and long, the grip on the brush elegant and lovely.

Yet as Jia Cong held her hand in his palm, he felt a faint roughness—evidently from years of washing clothes and cooking in the opera troupe, which had calloused her skin. A pang of pity stirred in his heart.

Lingguan felt Jia Cong's palm warm and gentle; her small hand held in his brought an unusual sense of calm and joy.

Previously, when she practiced alone, she focused intensely, her arm always tense.

Now, with him holding her hand, her entire body relaxed inexplicably.

A smile curled her lips as she followed the rhythm of his guidance—dot, horizontal, slash, Na —each stroke slow or swift, flowing with effortless delight.

As the brush rose and fell, sometimes like standing atop a mountain peak, sometimes like a waterfall plunging three thousand feet, their palms joined, skin touching, strength harmonizing, she faintly sensed the profound mystery of calligraphy.

Lingguan had never imagined writing could bring such heart-stirring joy. She wished Jia Cong would hold her hand like this forever, and that they would write like this always…

Outside the window came Douguan's clear, ringing singing: "No great fireworks to dispel sorrow, the courtyard locusts whisper autumn's dusk…"

The melody drifted, lingering, unbroken…

The magnolia tree Douguan sang to stood tall and graceful. Though not yet in bloom, beneath the bright sun its branches and leaves thrived, each leaf shimmering with vibrant, living green.

…

Jin Ling, Chengxian Street, Haiyun Pavilion.

Everyone in Jin Ling knew that ten years ago, the Zhen family produced a merchant genius: Zhen Zheng Yingquan, the second son of the main house.

He saw with rare insight the immense potential of maritime trade, long before the court established the three maritime customs offices or announced maritime policies.

He defied family opposition, sold off part of the Zhen ancestral estates, raised a large sum of silver, and preemptively built the Zhen family's fleet of ocean-going ships, while also purchasing prime commercial properties in the city.

When Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao decisively implemented foreign maritime policies, the Zhen family of Jin Ling seized the first opportunity, grabbing the first gold of the Great Zhou's maritime reforms.

Though Zhen Zheng Yingquan vanished at sea five years ago, the maritime foundation he built became the greatest guarantee of the Zhen family's wealth.

Moreover, he had fathered an exceptional daughter, possessing his same sharp vision and tenacious will, and even greater strategic acumen.

This Haiyun Pavilion stood in Jin Ling's most golden location, the largest of the five commercial shops Zhen Zheng Yingquan had founded.

Since Zhen Zheng Yingquan's disappearance five years ago, though his only daughter, Third Miss Zhen, had taken over his business, she was still a woman.

After internal struggles within the Zhen family, Zhen's eldest son, Third Master Zhen, began meddling in family affairs.

Perhaps unwilling to appear weak before his extraordinarily capable cousin, Third Master Zhen took a keen interest in the family business.

Because Haiyun Pavilion was the Zhen family's largest maritime shop, he often came to inspect it, gauging its bustle and checking daily silver inflows and outflows.

This morning, as usual, he came to inspect Haiyun Pavilion—and encountered something deeply irritating.

The chief steward of the second branch suddenly arrived, demanding to withdraw the second branch's current profits and accumulated surplus silver—totaling 180,000 taels.

Even for the Zhen family's great wealth, 180,000 taels was no small sum.

Zhen Zhen Shiwen suppressed his anger and asked, "Uncle Linjiang Xian, why suddenly withdraw so much silver?"

Liu Linjiang Xian replied respectfully, "Third Master, these are the second branch's dividends and surplus silver accumulated over the years. By custom, it's perfectly reasonable for them to withdraw it."

Zhen Zhen Shiwen saw his respectful demeanor and mild tone, yet the words carried an unyielding hardness, leaving no room for negotiation.

Though Liu Linjiang Xian was a household servant born into the Zhen family, Zhen Zhen Shiwen dared not openly break with him—they still needed to preserve mutual dignity.

Household servants of great clans served generations of their masters, maintaining close ties with the family elders.

Liu Linjiang Xian's grandparents had both been part of the old matriarch's dowry, her most trusted confidants.

Liu Linjiang Xian's grandfather had long passed away, but his grandmother remained robust, often visiting the inner quarters to chat with the old matriarch, who always treated the Liu family with special favor.

Moreover, Liu Linjiang Xian had once been his second uncle's trusted aide, the chief steward of the second branch, and his third sister's right hand. Regardless of his role, Zhen Zhen Shiwen had to tread carefully.

Zhen Zhen Shiwen forced patience: "Did Third Sister send you to withdraw the silver?"

"It's peak season now. The shop needs a certain reserve of silver for purchasing goods and covering credit from regular customers."

"If Third Sister withdraws so much at once, how will the shop operate?"

Liu Linjiang Xian said, "I've reviewed the shop's accounts with Third Miss. Even after withdrawing this sum, the silver flow remains sufficient to sustain daily business. Third Master need not worry."

Zhen Zhen Shiwen was momentarily speechless. He had just shouted that withdrawing silver would cripple the shop—merely an excuse to block it.

After all, the matter came suddenly; he hadn't anticipated calculating the shop's cash flow in advance.

But he knew his cousin was a merchant prodigy, brilliant and sharp, with perfect command of accounts, and Liu Linjiang Xian was a seasoned veteran of the trade.

If they came to withdraw so much silver, they must have already reviewed the books thoroughly and were certain it wouldn't disrupt normal operations—so they were surely correct.

Yet no matter what, Zhen Zhen Shiwen did not want them to withdraw so much silver so easily, even though, by right, it belonged to the second branch.

Zhen Zhen Shiwen asked, "Why does Third Sister need to withdraw so much at once? Isn't the second branch's silver enough for her?"

Liu Linjiang Xian smiled and replied, "Third Miss has opened a new embroidery shop, Xiwen Pavilion, on Fenghe Street, and has reached an agreement with Qu Da, the chief steward of Xinchun House, signing a contract."

"She plans to use Xiwen Pavilion and Xinchun House to jointly open a trade route, operating not only maritime trade but also Xinchun House's incense business."

"Third Master, you know Xinchun House is a royal merchant, and these past two years its business in the south has grown enormously."

"Third Miss saw the potential of the incense trade and spent great effort to establish contact with Xinchun House."

"To do business with such a powerful royal merchant, we naturally need to stockpile capital—that's why we're withdrawing idle silver from the old shop."

…

Zhen Zhen Shiwen's heart stirred. Xinchun House had risen rapidly in the south over the past two years, its incense business booming, now a new elite among Jin Ling's merchants.

He himself had once wanted to connect with Xinchun House and share in its incense profits, but Qu Qu Hongxiu, Xinchun House's chief steward, was shrewd and sharp, never partnering with outside merchants.

He had tried several times to send intermediaries—none were even acknowledged. He hadn't even seen the real face of that Miss Qu.

His cousin was truly formidable—she had managed to connect with the impenetrable Xinchun House. Zhen Zhen Shiwen couldn't help feeling a pang of envy and resentment.

But then he recalled: after his wife returned from the imperial capital, she had repeatedly urged the old matriarch.

She said Jia Cong of Lady Rongguo Mansion was outstanding in character and talent, even his second brother-in-law held him in high esteem; the Jia and Zhen families were old allies, and Jia Cong and Third Sister would make a perfect match.

Even the old matriarch, secluded in the inner quarters, had heard of Jia Cong's name—after all, a man so young who had earned great military merit and been granted a hereditary, perpetual marquis title was unique in the Great Zhou.

And rumors widely claimed that Jia Cong was the hidden owner behind Xinchun House.

Could it be that Third Sister had taken his wife's words to heart and developed feelings for Jia Cong—hence her connection to Xinchun House?

…

Liu Linjiang Xian added, "Third Miss also said that besides withdrawing profits and surplus silver from Haiyun Pavilion, if the Xinchun House business expands, she will need to withdraw the current year's profits and surplus silver from four other shops as well."

Zhen Zhen Shiwen's heart leapt. He blurted out, "That means a total withdrawal of four or five hundred thousand taels!"

Withdrawing four or five hundred thousand taels in a year—if this continued annually, how much silver would his cousin drain away?

He had felt some interest at the prospect of doing business with Xinchun House.

Now he learned his cousin not only connected with Xinchun House but intended to expand so massively—he felt a hundredfold unwillingness.

His cousin's new Xiwen Pavilion was funded entirely from her personal wealth of the second branch; the main house had invested not a single tael and had no say whatsoever in the new shop.

His cousin, by channeling the second branch's profits and surplus silver from the old shops into the new one, made it clear these funds were gone for good.

The main house would never recover this large sum.

If his cousin married, this shop she funded privately would become her dowry and leave with her—its silver would then rightfully belong to her.

His cousin truly had a brilliant mind and masterful strategy!

This cousin of mine truly has a clever mind and skillful methods!

Zhen Zhen Shiwen's thinking was not without reason.

Among great clans, there was always a clan rule: before households divided, no branch could accumulate private property.

But the Zhen family of Jin Ling was uniquely exceptional: the main house's Zhen Zhen Yingjia only managed hereditary official posts, was aloof by nature, and understood nothing of commerce or economics.

The second branch's Zhen Zheng Yingquan, however, was a merchant genius; the entire Zhen family's business was his creation, their wealth and prosperity entirely derived from him.

Thus, though Zhen Zheng Yingquan was the second son and never the family head, and even after his disappearance left only a daughter, the second branch retained immense influence over the family's business.

There was no choice—after all, the Zhen family's business was built entirely by Zhen Zheng Yingquan; countless Zhen clan members owed their livelihoods to him.

The second branch's pioneering merit could never be erased.

Not to mention his cousin, born extraordinary, a woman who fully inherited her father's merchant genius.

Not to mention this cousin of his, who was born extraordinary, though a girl, she had fully inherited her father's talent for business.

Originally, it was his own second uncle who strongly pushed for his cousin to enter the palace to accompany the Old Imperial Consort, giving her a terrifying patron.

From this alone, his second uncle's shrewdness and foresight were truly terrifying.

Precisely because of all these reasons, his young, graceful cousin had firmly secured the position of chief manager over the Zhen family's business.

Even if she used her personal savings to open her own private shop, no one beneath the Zhen family matriarch would dare speak against it.

This was precisely why Zhen Zhen Shiwen was so wary and cautious of his cousin.

Thinking of all this, Zhen Zhen Shiwen naturally would not let Liu Linjiang Xian easily withdraw this sum of silver.

He said: "Uncle Linjiang Xian, the amount is too large—let me return home and discuss it with my third sister. You're not in such a hurry for these next few days, are you?"

Before coming to withdraw the silver, Liu Linjiang Xian had known that as long as this Zhen Third Master was present in the shop, he would not easily walk away with 180,000 taels.

Both he and the Zhen Third Lady had anticipated this, so they were not surprised.

He knew Zhen Zhen Shiwen's excuse of returning home to consult the lady was just a delaying tactic—his eloquence stood no chance against the Third Lady's.

He would most likely return home to speak with the matriarch and the Lady, using the matriarch's influence to reverse the situation.

But he did not know the Third Lady had already foreseen this move by the Third Master.

As Zhen Zhen Shiwen and Liu Linjiang Xian each pondered their own thoughts, they suddenly heard a chaotic clamor of footsteps outside—the sound of many people approaching the shop.

At that moment, one of the shop clerks rushed in, frantic.

Gasping for breath, he told Zhen Zhen Shiwen: "Third Master, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has surrounded the shop with many men—both the front and back entrances are blocked!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard claims you once smuggled firearms; now, in Jin Ling, possession of firearms is severely punished, and you are a suspect—they intend to search the shop!"

Upon hearing this, Zhen Zhen Shiwen's face turned pale.

Liu Linjiang Xian, upon hearing this, his eyes gleamed! (End of Chapter)