Chapter 60: Auspicious Opening for Business

"A bit to the right!"

"A bit to the left!"

"Right, a bit higher, a bit higher."

The four large gold-bordered characters "Huitong Trading Company" hung high, with big red lanterns on both sides and a long couplet in regular script.

The sun shone brightly overhead, clear and beautiful—at the cusp of spring and summer, everything felt joyous beyond measure.

In the teahouse diagonally across, in a private room on the second floor, Zhu Xu stood by the window watching.

Feng Zhu wore a smile as well, flattering Zhu Xu, "Your Highness, how does it look?"

"Not bad at all."

Zhu Xu smiled too. Whatever else, the storefront did look the part.

Wei Liangqing bustled about, shouting loudly from time to time.

"Do you know who he's invited?"

Zhu Xu held his teacup, took a light sip, and asked.

Feng Zhu shook his head, saying, "This servant does not know. It all started last night, and Wei Liangqing has not yet informed this servant. Surely the number will not be small."

"Then let us wait and see."

Zhu Xu's smile grew wider. After all the repeated pressure, Wei Liangqing would surely throw every resource he had into this and give him a surprise.

Feng Zhu wore a smile on his face, but inwardly he was alarmed—this young master appeared to act carelessly and at will, yet everything he did had purpose. He would have to be even more careful in his work.

"Hurry up, move the chairs, move the tables, get the wine and dishes served quickly."

"Sweep the front clean, lay out the carpet, prepare the firecrackers."

"Good neighbors, fellow tradesmen—today is a day of celebration, do come in and have a few cups of wedding wine."

Wei Liangqing shouted at the entrance, and people had already crowded all around.

"Is that Wei Liangqing? I heard he lost his official post…"

"Indeed. Who would have thought he'd dare open a money shop—isn't he afraid of being settled with later?"

"Can't you tell? Someone is clearly backing him, otherwise why would he make such a big show of it?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, yet few truly dared to enter.

Wei Liangqing hadn't really expected them to come in anyway. He called over a man and asked, "Are the carriages ready?"

"Head Manager, they're ready."

This attendant had been sent by Zhu Xu and trained for a period—quick and clever in his work. He promptly appeared before Wei Liangqing and said.

Wei Liangqing was in high spirits and said, "Good. Have the invitations been sent out? Any replies?"

The attendant said, "They've all been distributed, but not many replies have come back."

Wei Liangqing puffed out his chest, raised his head to look at the sky, and said with great ambition, "Good, then let us begin."

"Yes!" the attendant acknowledged.

Before long, from behind the Huitong Trading Company, red carriages rolled out one after another, heading in all directions.

Drums and gongs clamored, firecrackers burst in unison.

At the same time, the entire capital seemed stirred up. Wei Liangqing had always been a man of controversy, and with today's actions, calling it the focus of all eyes was hardly an exaggeration.

The residence of a Bureau Secretary of the Ministry of Works.

"Master, will you go today?"

"He holds leverage over me; I have no choice but to go."

The residence of a Censor.

"Sir, you're going out?"

"Mm, I can't refuse Magistrate Ni's invitation. I'll go in for a moment and come right out—surely no great harm will come of it."

"Sir, do be careful—don't give anyone any handle to use against you."

The Court of State Ceremonial.

"Gentlemen, off to a banquet?"

"Oh, just taking a stroll, taking a stroll."

"Yes, just taking a stroll, taking a stroll."

When Wei Zhongxian was in power, countless people had curried favor with him. Now those were all leverage, and Wei Liangqing used them without mercy. Though their ranks were not high, there was strength in numbers.

Yang Huaizhong's inn.

The doorman saw the big red carriage stop and immediately went inside, saying to Yang Huaizhong, "Manager, the carriage Wei Liangqing sent has arrived."

Yang Huaizhong had spent the past few days investigating Wei Liangqing's affairs and knew well enough that Wei Liangqing had indeed fallen on hard times.

Standing at the door of his room, he thought for a long while, then said, "I won't go. Have Manager Li go in my place, and bring—fifty thousand taels of silver."

"Fifty thousand taels?" The doorman was startled—they had originally agreed to three hundred thousand.

"Mm, that's how it is. If Wei Liangqing asks, say the silver is temporarily tied up, and the rest will be delivered another day."

The doorman hesitated a moment, then still said, "Yes, Manager."

The pawnshop.

Qiu Yuehou looked at the big red carriage stopped before the door, a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth. He said to the attendant beside him, "You—draw five hundred taels from the counter, get on this carriage, and go in my place."

The attendant was stunned. With such a grand display, was he really suitable?

But Qiu Yuehou didn't waste more words—he simply waved his hand and turned back into the house.

Scenes like this played out all over the capital. Clearly, those who had originally agreed had changed their minds and would not attend, and the silver they had promised was also being heavily discounted.

"Magistrate Zhang, please, come in."

"Magistrate Zhao, please, please."

"Aiyo, Lord Han, long time no see. Please, please, come in."

At the entrance of the Huitong Trading Company, people came and went in a steady stream. Wei Liangqing's smile stretched from ear to ear as he welcomed each arriving guest inside.

Few of the arrivals wore pleasant expressions; most kept their faces stiff and walked in woodenly.

The Great Ming's emphasis on agriculture over commerce had reached an extreme point, especially in the late Ming. Because the faction of "pure-stream" officials had swollen to its limit, and with disasters striking year after year, the greater importance placed on tax revenue had also bred even harsher suppression of commerce.

Especially at court — anyone who had even the slightest brush with the stench of money would resign in fear of being impeached.

Though these people were willing to come, they all harbored the thought of arriving early and leaving early, so as not to give anyone a handle against them.

"Since you've come, you won't be leaving."

Zhu Xu clasped his hands behind his back, watching with a smile the people streaming in and out of the Huitong Trading Company.

"Feng Zhu, take brush and paper. Watch every single person who enters, record their official rank and name. After we return, look them up and annotate their career histories clearly, then present them to me."

Feng Zhu was taken aback, then thought to himself, 'Could His Highness be trying to seize handles on these people for his own use?'

Thinking this, he picked up brush and paper and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Head Manager,"

The attendant receiving carriages hurried over to Wei Liangqing and reported: "Head Manager, not a single person on your list has come. And, and — the silver they pledged has also fallen by more than half."

Wei Liangqing was walking among the tables when he heard this. His brows furrowed. He stepped aside and said, "Give me the ledger."

The servant hastily brought the ledger. Wei Liangqing opened it and looked — his face instantly turned green with rage, and the hand holding the ledger trembled.

Originally, by his calculations, plus what their own people had raised, six hundred thousand taels was essentially guaranteed. But now, adding it all up, it came to less than two hundred and fifty thousand — cut by more than half!

"These damned bastards!"

Wei Liangqing's face twisted, his eyes red with hatred. He had recently already incurred the displeasure of his noble patron. If he mishandled this most important matter, he truly didn't know what his patron would think of him.

The servant asked, "Head Manager, what do we do?"

Wei Liangqing's expression shifted through several changes. He ground his teeth and said: "Deal with what's in front of us first. I'll settle accounts with them later!"