Chapter 597: Casual Conversation, Intentional or Not

No matter how prettily it's phrased, no one would believe it outright — but the Zhao Character Camp's conduct was genuinely fair. Everyone saw it with their own eyes and kept it in their hearts, so naturally they formed their own judgment.

Moreover, the Zhao Character Camp had no prior entanglements with the local area. Not only had they thoroughly smashed the old structures of the local underworld and market, they had also given the officials a harsh lesson. With outsiders like these in charge, there was naturally no need to worry about awkward personal obligations. Anyone blind enough to cause trouble would certainly be taught a harsh lesson — neither the black nor the white dared reach a hand in, so everyone could do business with peace of mind.

The most important point was the Zhao Character Camp's strength. Everyone here was well-traveled and experienced, yet they had never seen local militia or private troops, or any underworld force, reach the level of the Zhao Character Camp — orders strictly obeyed and prohibitions observed, disciplined and well-regulated, with enormous financial resources and manpower backing them. With such men controlling the market, merchants both local and from elsewhere could settle down and do business at ease, without worrying that the market would fall into disuse and ruin after just a year or two.

Under such a consensus, the establishment of the Qingjiangpu market was no longer in question. What remained were merely the details.

What surprised these Qingjiangpu magnates was that, however thorough they thought their own thinking had been, that Zhao Jin had actually thought it through even more meticulously, and the methods he produced were even more comprehensive.

For example, the boundaries of the market would be demarcated, and all the shops, warehouses, streets, and the like within would be built entirely by the Zhao Character Camp. When the time came, all merchant households would be welcome to move in, paying rent and various fees monthly or annually. This money would be the Zhao Character Camp's rightful compensation. Naturally, the Zhao Character Camp would also use this money to maintain the market's infrastructure and other matters.

Additionally, the merchants within the market would organize a merchant association of their own. When matters arose, the association could step forward and deal with the Zhao Character Camp. Within reason, the Zhao Character Camp would provide assistance and solutions.

Harmony breeds wealth — naturally, they could not completely shut out the various Qingjiangpu factions. But neither should anyone think of using swindling, cheating, thieving, or robbing to make a fortune. Shops would be specially set aside for these factions to buy shares in, and dividends would be distributed regularly. To put it plainly, Qingjiangpu's legitimate merchants looked down on the "good fellows" of the underworld and market, yet at certain times they had to make use of them. These shops were a compromise channel.

The market was to be situated beside the canal, and both banks of the canal at Qingjiangpu were land worth its weight in gold. The shops and properties there were often the holdings of the very magnates seated here. When the Zhao Character Camp built the market, demolitions would be carried out. The compensation would be that each demolished shop would receive a storefront within the market. On matters of compensation and communication, the magnates' generous assistance was requested.

After Ruhui laid all this out in clear and logical order, the faces of the seated merchants and official representatives showed surprise and admiration. This meeting had originally been a preliminary discussion; no one had expected results this time. They had not imagined the Zhao Character Camp could produce such clear and logical methods, accommodating the interests of every side while ensuring the market's smooth operation.

Even in their own minds, a complete regulatory framework had not necessarily taken shape, yet after the Zhao Character Camp finished speaking, everyone could already roughly envision the market's operation and general state of affairs. It truly was a mountain of gold, truly capable of earning a bushel of gold a day.

The previously rather solemn atmosphere suddenly turned fervent. Everyone began putting forward their own ideas — now was the time to fight for their own slice of the market's benefits.

And then everyone still remembered to go over to Sun Jia's side and exchange a few words, smoothly pivoting from there toward Zhao Jin to say they would be honored by Zhao Jin's presence and would prepare a family banquet in his honor. They were all people of standing; to abruptly lower themselves to curry favor with a young man twenty-some years their junior — or even more — was truly too embarrassing to face. But anyone with clear eyes could see that everyone was fawning over Zhao Jin. The merchants were already treating Zhao Jin as a God of Wealth.

Zhao Jin smiled and nodded in response, showing not the slightest trace of the "Xuzhou Tiger's" ferocity and brutality. He appeared very courteous. This manner of his gave the Qingjiangpu magnates an even better impression of him. As long as he was reasonable, they could cooperate — what they feared was a brute and a ruffian.

With the matters largely discussed, the rear kitchen had already begun preparing the banquet. The cooks here were in no way inferior to the famous chefs of Yangzhou City, and the ingredients were even more meticulously selected. The enticing aroma of wine and dishes had already wafted out, and everyone's mood began to relax as they chatted among themselves about romantic and refined trifles.

In such a setting, Zhao Jin, Chen Sheng, Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong were all somewhat ill at ease, but Wang Zhaojing, Ruhui, and Zhou Xuezhi were in their element, handling the socializing with considerable ease.

"The way of civility and martiality is to alternate tension and relaxation. Worthy nephew, don't keep yourself wound too tight," Sun Jia said with a smile before going off to attend to the guests. Although he was merely a figurehead dragged over here, Sun Jia also knew that with this market built, the Sun family trading company's business would ascend yet another floor.

Watching this lively scene, Zhao Jin felt a moment of dazed abstraction. That great defeat beyond the passes had not affected Qingjiangpu's prosperity and peace in the slightest. Probably no one paid any attention to military affairs so far away. No one could imagine that this great defeat was a beginning — the beginning of a dynastic change, the beginning of a tide of war sweeping the realm. He wondered whether, ten years from now, fifteen years, twenty years from now, Qingjiangpu could still be this flourishing and thriving.

"Master Jin? Master Jin?" Someone called softly, rousing Zhao Jin from his reverie.

The one calling "Master Jin" was a merchant in his forties with a poised and dignified bearing. Zhao Jin was somewhat surprised. The merchant before him was surnamed Li, named Li Ziyou, one of the magnates at this gathering, who specialized in northern goods — that is, a merchant dealing in the various specialty products of the north and the lands beyond the passes and the frontier.

What Zhao Jin found strange was why the other party was so deferential. The people present were all mindful of their status; though they were currying favor, at most they addressed him as "Young Master Zhao." The man before him directly called him "Master Jin." Such an anomaly surely concealed something odd.

"Steward Li, why so courteous? Sit, let's talk," Zhao Jin replied with a smiling nod.

Li Ziyou smiled and inclined his body as he sat. Everyone present had already greeted Zhao Jin and was now chatting among themselves. Of Zhao Jin's companions, apart from Chen Sheng sitting not far away, Ji Xiang had gone outside to patrol, while Liu Yong and Shi Manqiang had returned to the encampment. There was no one around to disturb them.

"Master Jin, I hear you have been blessed with a daughter. This is truly a joyous event. However, childbirth depletes qi and blood; one must take strong tonics to restore the body. I recently acquired a three-hundred-year wild ginseng from beyond the passes, perfectly suited for this. Once the banquet concludes in the next few days, I shall have it sent over to you," Li Ziyou said with a smile.

By the Ming era, ginseng was already highly prized. There were only two sources: one was Korea, the other the territories of the various Jurchen tribes. After the Jianzhou Jurchen grew powerful, the ginseng trade was monopolized by them, and prices began to soar. Every year, the Jianzhou Jurchen's tribute missions to the capital had to bring a considerable amount of ginseng.

After the Jianzhou Jurchen ceased their tribute missions, the price of ginseng rose further still. Adventurous merchants from various places transported the goods the Jianzhou Jurchen urgently needed over to them and traded them back for specialty products like ginseng, sable pelts, and deer antler. To make a profit, they naturally set the prices high.

Among ginseng, wild ginseng was the most valued, and among wild ginseng, age was the measure of value. A century-old specimen was called a treasure; a three-hundred-year one was priceless and unobtainable on the market. It was likely only found in the households of the great lords of the Two Capitals, the wealthy of Jiangnan, or the maritime masters of Fujian and Guangdong. Yet this Li Ziyou was offering such a precious gift right from the start, and with such a humble attitude — it was truly peculiar.

"Many thanks for Steward Li's generous gift. I will accept this wild ginseng. But no reward comes without merit. For you to offer such a heavy gift at our first meeting, you must have a request to make. Please speak plainly," Zhao Jin said directly.

There was no prior friendship, so naturally there was no need for empty formalities and polite fictions. Over time, Zhao Jin had discovered that the wealthy and noble of Jiangnan and Jiangbei actually did not have that many rules and proprieties either. When it was time to be straightforward, they could be very direct.

Zhao Jin's not particularly polite words did not cause Li Ziyou's expression to change in the slightest. His face still full of warm, genial smiles, he nodded and continued, "Master Jin is indeed forthright. Then I shall speak plainly. My enterprise, the Chengbei Firm, specializes in goods from the northern provinces and the lands beyond the passes and the frontier. Thanks to the favor shown by all quarters, business has always been good. Now... ever since the border markets of Liaozhen were cut off, our small firm's ginseng, sable, pine nuts, amber, and the like have all been booming."

"Liaozhen?" Zhao Jin's eyebrows lifted. He had been particularly sensitive to that place name recently. The items Li Ziyou mentioned were all specialty products of Liaozhen and the Jianzhou and Haixi regions — in fact, most came from the Jurchen territories beyond the Liaozhen border wall. A merchant house in Qingjiangpu, a thousand li from Jianzhou, was actually dealing in those products, and from the sound of it, had not been affected by the border market closures. This was very noteworthy.

"Steward Li is quite resourceful, to be able to acquire these goods even without the border markets," Zhao Jin inquired with a smile.

Li Ziyou did not seem to find anything amiss and simply answered with a smile, "I am originally from Datong. My elder brother inherited the family business there in Datong. He has no shortage of Liaodong goods; I merely share in the profits from this end."

As he said this, Li Ziyou, as if to prove his claim, deliberately adopted a slight Shanxi accent. This distinctly characteristic dialect was something Zhao Jin could still discern.

"Oh? Datong in Shanxi is also a thousand li from Liaodong and the Jurchen lands. To get there, one must cross Shanxi, Northern Zhili, and Liaozhen, with checkpoints and barriers all along the way. Bringing back such highly sought-after goods must be tremendously troublesome," Zhao Jin remarked, as if casually.

Although Zhao Jin kept avoiding the main topic, Li Ziyou knew he was the one asking a favor and continued to chat along cheerfully. Speaking of this, Li Ziyou did not find anything amiss either and merely said with a sigh, "Master Jin does not know, but to trade over there, one cannot go through the Great Ming. Along the way, both the officials and the underworld are nothing but trouble. One moment of carelessness and someone finds a pretext to swallow your entire shipment. What's more, those military officers in Liaozhen each have their own favored merchant houses. If you go in without being one of their men, you might enter alive, but not even your corpse may make it out."

Li Ziyou's expression grew somewhat solemn, likely recalling past events. Then he continued, "Shanxi has been doing business beyond the passes for nearly two hundred years. Though the lands beyond the border are not our Great Ming territory, after going there so often, we've grown familiar with them. Fierce as the Tartars along the way may be, they won't make trouble for us who bring goods to sell to them. Traveling eastward like that all the way to Jurchen territory, then making the return journey the same way — we earn some hard-won silver."

Thank you, everyone. It's funny to say, but collections have surged, subscriptions haven't changed, and monthly votes and tips seem even fewer than before.