Chapter 93: The Huimin Chamber of Commerce

Xiao Yong's fleshy body trembled slightly, his heart full of unease as he pressed eagerly: "Then, Manager Li, how exactly do you want to cooperate?"

Li Deyong smiled inwardly—since they were willing to cooperate, the rest would no longer be up to them. He lightly picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and said, "I've only just arrived and know little of this trade. You two managers are veterans here—if you have any good suggestions, by all means share them first."

Seeing that Li Deyong was being reasonable, the two secretly relaxed. As long as there was room to negotiate, that was fine.

Xiao Yong glanced at He Yunshan, then fixed his eyes on Li Deyong and said tentatively, "Manager Li, how about this—you tell us your formula and raw materials, and we split the profits fifty-fifty. What do you say?"

Li Deyong raised an eyebrow. That meant he got nothing at all, and would have to hand over his formula and raw materials for free?

His expression turned somewhat cold, and his tone grew thin as he said, "Gentlemen, if I reported such a proposal upward, I'd come out the worse for it, and you two would likely end up back inside—whether you'd get out again is another matter. And the rice merchants of the capital aren't just the two of you, are they?"

Xiao Yong's face stiffened, then he forced a smile: "Manager Li is joking. Everything can be discussed, discussed."

Li Deyong's expression remained indifferent as his gaze shifted to He Yunshan. He could tell that He Yunshan was the one whose words carried the most weight among their circle.

He Yunshan had been weighing things in his mind all along. This Manager Li had gone to such lengths to trap them—he couldn't possibly be planning to give them much benefit. After a moment's deliberation, he looked up at Manager Li and said, "Manager Li, are you aiming to be the chamber of commerce's chairman?"

Li Deyong shook his head. "Me? My employer has no interest in being chairman." He had no interest in the chairmanship—he wanted to be the grand manager behind the scenes!

He Yunshan's eyes shifted slightly as he pressed on: "Is Manager Li looking for us to contribute money or effort?"

Li Deyong's brows arched high, and with an air of inscrutable profundity he said, "As for money—whether it's eighty or a hundred thousand, even several million, my employer could produce it without batting an eye. As for people—gentlemen, do you think we'd be short of hands?"

He Yunshan's brows knitted together until his triangular eyes were nearly squeezed shut. He stared at Li Deyong's face, deeply puzzled. Power, money, people—he wanted none of it. Then what exactly did he want?

After thinking it over, he suddenly said, "Manager Li, is it our grain you're after?"

Li Deyong looked up and considered. That didn't seem all that important either, but he still nodded and said, "If you two can source cheap rice and flour, that would work as well."

He Yunshan watched the casual, indifferent look on Li Deyong's face, and his heart sank. If they couldn't fathom their opponent's intentions, then they had completely fallen onto the back foot.

Xiao Yong was growing anxious too. If they were of no use to Li Deyong, then forget recovering their goods or having their shops unsealed—even staying in the capital in one piece was doubtful. He couldn't help but look at He Yunshan with a face full of worry.

He Yunshan narrowed his eyes at Li Deyong and said, "I wonder what Manager Li has in mind. Why not speak it out, and we can all discuss it together?"

"Yes, yes, let's discuss it!" Xiao Yong chimed in hastily.

Li Deyong thought for a moment, then said as if idly: "Lately, my employer has found it too tiring to go around soliciting business everywhere. You two and the other colleagues have operated in and around the capital for years, with numerous shops. I was thinking—if we handle production and the chamber of commerce sells it for us, we split the profits sixty-forty. What do you two think?"

He Yunshan and Xiao Yong were both taken aback, staring at Li Deyong. "That's all?"

Li Deyong put on the look of a naive young fool fresh to the world: "That's all I can think of for now. However, for the sake of clear bookkeeping, the chamber's shops should set aside a special section to sell our goods. Naturally, we'll also send our own bookkeepers over to audit the accounts together."

After finishing, Li Deyong watched the two carefully. He still remembered what His Highness Prince Hui had personally instructed him at Jinghuan Palace—this point had to be handled carefully; they couldn't be allowed to see through it, because what His Highness Prince Hui wanted was their distribution channels!

He Yunshan and Xiao Yong exchanged glances. To the two of them, this all seemed trivial—just selling a few extra goods on the side, no effort, no trouble, and still money to be made. How could this be a bad thing? It was clearly the best thing imaginable!

But the better it seemed, the more uneasy the two became. Both looked at Li Deyong and said, "Manager Li, are there any other requirements?"

Li Deyong blinked, putting on a flustered look, then broke into a confident smile. "Nothing else, really. That rice and flour you mentioned earlier—if the price is right, you can sell it to me as well. Also, once the chamber of commerce is established, I'll send bookkeepers over. And then, I'll also use the chamber's name to buy land or other things—of course, everything will be discussed with everyone. Those interested can take a share; those who aren't won't be forced."

He Yunshan and Xiao Yong watched Li Deyong. The more accommodating he was, the more uneasy they felt.

The two were silent for a long while. Finally He Yunshan looked up at Li Deyong and said, "Manager Li, I have three thousand mu of top-grade fields in South Zhili. If you need them, I can sell them to you at half price."

Xiao Yong hurriedly added, "I also have eight hundred mu of mid-grade fields outside the capital—I'll give them to Manager Li outright."

Li Deyong paused, mulling over His Highness Prince Hui's instructions, then looked at the two with a meaningful smile: "Since you two managers are so generous, I, Li, would be rude to refuse."

Only then did Xiao and He secretly breathe a sigh of relief, and smiles spread across their faces. "Manager Li, then it's settled. Regarding the chamber of commerce, we'll go back and sit down with the others to talk it over. When the time comes, we hope Manager Li will attend as well."

Li Deyong's face was all smiles too. "Naturally. Oh, and as for the name of the chamber—our employer has already chosen it: the Huimin Chamber of Commerce."

"Huimin?" Xiao Yong frowned on his big fat face, flattering with an expression impossible to read as genuine or false: "That's a good name, a very good one—it really resonates..."

He Yunshan didn't care much about such things. What mattered most was resolving the immediate crisis and forging a connection with this Manager Li and the employer behind him.

He deliberately hesitated for a moment, then said, "And Manager Li, what about the sealed shops?"

Li Deyong quickly stood up and said in a loud voice, "You two needn't worry. I'll have someone send word to the Shuntian Prefecture. The seized goods may not be returned in full, but the shops will be unsealed immediately."

The goods stored in the capital were extremely few—most were in warehouses outside the city. Hearing this, the two naturally felt greatly relieved, and another round of pleasantries followed.

Li Deyong chatted idly with the two, dropping hints that he was short on silver lately. After each of the two managers generously contributed five thousand taels, Li Deyong courteously saw them off.

After the two had left, the young woman still carrying the basket said with a strange look on her face, "Manager, isn't this... not quite right?" What she referred to, of course, was Li Deyong's relentless extortion of the two men—a manner that laid bare the cunning merchant's nature while carrying a hint of overbearing force.

Li Deyong let out a long breath of relief—no more pretending needed. His face fell as he waved a hand: "Take it back, take it back. Oh, and have the bookkeeper come over—we've made a killing again."

The young woman pursed her lips in a smile. "Yes, Manager."

She was happy because she had seen the result—the workshop was safe, and they refugees could stay here, with food to eat and work to do, supporting their families. She also knew that the manager was a eunuch with powerful backing, and that he wouldn't harm any of them, her fellow sisters.