Chapter 767: Gleaming Silver Bricks

Pan Yun first introduced Wang Cong to Cao Jixiang: "This is Wang Cong, my senior disciple's son; he will one day become the abbot of the Sanqing Temple on Mount Sanqing. He is in charge of this silver mine in Japan. Without his and Kuang Ping's careful organization, we could not have refined two hundred thousand taels of silver in just three months."

Cao Jixiang's gaze flickered slightly; after carefully studying Wang Cong, he smiled: "Truly a distinguished young man. Congratulations, Master Pan, on having such a worthy successor."

Pan Yun laughed: "He is the biological son of my senior brother, raised since childhood in the temple. But fate made him hardworking—he had to earn money to support his family from a young age. Fortunately, he read widely and never lost his ambition. I am willing to let him strive. If he succeeds, it serves the empire; if he fails, it is merely a small stumble in life."

She said: "I have entrusted all three of my ships to him. Future affairs in Japan will also be under his management. I ask you, Master Cao, to lend him your support."

Cao Jixiang looked at Wang Cong with new eyes and smiled: "No wonder he refused to let me board and inspect the cargo earlier—he is steady and rule-abiding. Master Pan, you truly have a worthy successor."

This is the second time you've said 'worthy successor.' Isn't that enough?

Pan Yun felt it was enough. She then had Wang Cong accompany her as she led Cao Jixiang to inspect the silver.

When the group descended into the cargo hold, Master Xuanmiao opened the door and stepped out from the cabin. She glanced at their retreating backs and shook her head.

Behind her, Tao Ji admired: "Little sister is growing more formidable. She doesn't seem like a girl of ten or so—she's starting to resemble Second Brother."

Master Xuanmiao: "Second Brother has her cunning, but not her boldness. Had he possessed even a fraction more courage, he could have become Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau."

She called out to Seeing Miao Zhen and the others: "Leave these trivial matters to them. Take Sister Hong Yan and Xiao Hong with us. More people will arrive soon—some from the Daoist sects. If they spot Sister Hong Yan and Xiao Hong, it will be troublesome."

Seeing Miao Zhen agreed and went to find Xiao Hong and Sister Hong Yan. Miao He and Tao Yan Bai turned to collect the remaining items inside the cabin.

Master Xuanmiao's gaze swept the area, her eyes narrowing: "Where's the club?"

Tao Ji sighed: "Little sister has carried it with her always. She says even smelling it boosts her spirit tenfold."

Master Xuanmiao nodded slightly: "After we disembark, there will be too many eyes. It is safest for him to remain by Little Sister's side."

Guards were stationed continuously in the cargo hold—two every five paces. At the bottom door, three men formed a team, rotating in four shifts. The key was kept solely on Wang Cong's person—maximum security had been achieved.

Wang Cong unlocked the door and pushed it open. Fishing lines had been strung inside.

The silver fishing lines were nearly invisible in the dim cargo hold. Anyone entering carelessly would trigger them, causing the iron beads tied to the lines to roll down and strike the gongs and drums mounted on the floor. The sound would travel through internal holes, audible throughout the entire ship.

Wang Cong carefully disarmed the trap, then stepped aside to invite everyone inside.

Cao Jixiang nodded slightly, not hiding his admiration, and stepped inside.

The cargo hold was low but spacious, filled now with stacked crates.

Wang Cong asked a young official accompanying them to help lower one crate.

The crate bore a sealed label and a mechanical lock.

Every crate had one.

The lock was simple: turning the wooden bar correctly would cause the mortise-and-tenon joint to spring open and lock in place, allowing the crate to be opened.

When the crate was pried open, a gleaming silver expanse appeared—bright under the lamplight despite the dimness.

Cao Jixiang's heart leapt. He stepped forward and reached out to stroke the tightly fitted silver bricks.

Pan Yun ignored his rapt gaze and directly pulled out one brick.

The silver brick was a rectangular prism, about half the size of a paving brick, heavy in the hand.

Pan Yun handed the brick to Cao Jixiang. He felt its weight and nearly dropped it. Suppressing his excitement, he examined it closely: "How much does this one weigh?"

Pan Yun: "Thirty jin."

Cao Jixiang: "What?"

His voice nearly cracked.

Pan Yun repeated: "Thirty jin. One foot three inches long, four inches wide, three inches and one fen thick."

Cao Jixiang drew a deep breath and, under the lamplight, examined the brick closely. On one broad face and four narrow faces, he saw engraved characters. He squinted, uncertain: "Are these characters 'Jun En'?"

Wang Cong answered: "Yes. The broad face bears 'Jun En.' The four narrow faces bear the characters 'Min Sheng.'"

Moreover, the combined area of the four narrow faces was exactly one inch larger than the 'Jun En' face—this was a deliberate mold design by Xue Shao.

Wang Cong had not fully understood it at the time, but he had felt a quiet satisfaction. Now, seeing the silver brick in Cao Jixiang's hand, he finally understood.

Cao Jixiang clearly did not grasp the deeper meaning. He smiled: "Master Pan, you've gone to great trouble. Are these characters engraved on every silver brick?"

Pan Yun glanced at him, speechless: "We engraved the mold. Who would engrave each brick by hand?"

That would take forever. The silver mine was already short-handed. How could I possibly do such a thing?

Pan Yun said: "Every brick here bears this imprint—and not just now. All future silver bricks shipped from Da Sen Village to the imperial court will bear the same imprint. It is both an anti-counterfeit measure and a deterrent against theft."

Cao Jixiang praised: "Brilliant idea!"

He inspected several bricks, opened a few more crates, examined them one by one. Joy welled up inside him like a spring, and his smile could not be suppressed: "It's a pity they're all bricks. If they were silver ingots, they could be used directly."

Pan Yun: "Silver ingots take up more volume in transport and are more prone to damage."

Silver ingots are so easy to handle. The largest are fifty taels; most on the market are five or ten taels.

If made into ingots, the intent would clearly be direct use—so five, ten, and twenty-tael ingots would dominate.

Then anyone could simply slip one into their sleeve.

I made them thirty-jin bricks. Let them try to steal them!

I'd like to see how they balance the books.

With Pan Yun's explanation, Cao Jixiang instantly understood, nodding vigorously: "Indeed, silver bricks are better."

They opened over a dozen crates, randomly selected several, removed all the bricks, weighed each one, and confirmed their weight and quality were correct. Cao Jixiang nodded: "Good. I'll send men aboard to conduct the official count."

Cao Jixiang was only conducting a random check. The accountants who boarded later would weigh every single brick and verify its silver content before recording it.

Pan Yun had no objections.

Cao Jixiang gestured to a brocade-clad guard. Soon, customs officials surrounded both ships.

Everyone aboard, except the guards still on duty, were inspected and ordered ashore. The two ships were isolated from others and fully encircled by soldiers.

On shore, Prefect Lu Mingzhe of Quanzhou stood beside Military Commander Gong Xia, watching the surrounded ships. He couldn't help asking: "Commander Gong, how much silver do you think Pan Yun brought back from Japan?"

Gong Xia: "How should I know?" (End of chapter)