Chapter 653: Deepening Ties with a Heavy Stake

Those short firelocks could be taken up as a curio or display piece, and someone in the know could use one for self-defense, but that huge contraption that needed a wooden fork to prop it up was crude, heavy, and cumbersome — utterly unsuitable as a display curio, and hardly anyone used it for self-defense. What's more, the thing was far too conspicuous; constables, runners, and the jianghu folk along the roads couldn't pretend not to see it even if they wanted to.

"None of that is any trouble. Brother Yu, you handle matters decisively — Zhao and all the brothers here owe you a favor. Whatever we can help with, just say the word, and we can talk it over." Zhao Jin said with a smile. That Nanjing wine shop implicated the very survival of the Zhao Character Camp's key men and involved the movements of the Nanjing Brocade Guard's Assistant Commander against the camp. For all these reasons, he naturally had no demands of the Yu family and was even prepared to subsidize them heavily.

Yu Zhiyuan smiled and inclined his body slightly. What he said next was utterly direct: "Brother Zhao now holds the hub of the realm's canal transport. It would be impossible to ask you to sever that connection, and I imagine you are not yet prepared to do so either."

At these words, Wang Zhaojing's expression changed, then turned into a wry smile. Zhao Jin's face also held a wry smile. The two exchanged a glance and both shook their heads. This Young Master Yu truly dared to speak — matters touching on rebellion and treason, and he just brought them up so casually, with no fear of bringing calamity down on himself.

Yu Zhiyuan's smile remained unchanged as he continued: "Right now, so many southern goods have to be transferred to carts and wagons here at Qingjiangpu, or find connections to be smuggled aboard the tribute grain barges. Setting aside the time and effort wasted along the way, the porterage fees alone are considerable. But if these goods were shipped on my family's sand-boats, it would save at least half the time, and the porterage costs would be even cheaper. So I wish to establish a shipping firm here, just like Brother Zhao's cart firm, to solicit business for sea transport. If Brother Zhao is willing, your younger brother would like to go into partnership with you on this venture, and when the time comes, we'll still need your cart firm's wagons to haul the goods to the seaport."

Saving time and saving money — the merchants all knew how to choose. And for the canal transport faction, the tribute grain shipments were what truly mattered for their interests; commercial cargo was secondary. After all, the northern section of the Grand Canal lacked water. Apart from official boats and tribute barges, civilian vessels could go no further north once they reached Qingjiangpu or Yutou Town on Lake Luoma. This had always been within the bounds of the law.

Moreover, once this shipping firm was established, the Zhao Character Camp's cart firm would also gain a great deal of business. Sand-boats were seagoing vessels and could only load and unload at a seaport. When the time came, the Zhao Character Camp would inevitably have to haul the goods from Qingjiangpu to Clam Port — and that business was no small matter.

Seeing Zhao Jin nod slowly, the smile on Yu Zhiyuan's face deepened. He continued: "Brother Zhao captured Clam Port and then simply handed it over to my family, letting us profit so richly for nothing. I truly feel ashamed. And at Clam Port, Brother Zhao even assigned men to maintain security — that is an even greater kindness. This time, I've come to discuss an arrangement with Brother Zhao. From now on, let us split the net profits of Clam Port fifty-fifty. And for the various businesses in Xuzhou, Brother Zhao could also place some of them at Clam Port. Brother Zhao has long been inland and doesn't know just how far one can prosper at sea. Once you go there, you will understand."

Clam Port might have been a small harbor, previously used by pirates only as a den for stashing and fencing stolen goods and as a resupply waypoint, but in the hands of the Yu family, it was an entirely different matter. The Yu family had been in the maritime trade for so long that they naturally knew how to operate a port — to say nothing of the fact that this port was linked to Qingjiangpu, the canal hub and the most prosperous place under heaven. In the Yu family's hands, it was tantamount to a treasure-basin. The significance of this place was not merely providing anchorage for the Yu family fleet; it meant having one more channel for sourcing and selling goods than the other houses — and that channel was Qingjiangpu, the foremost gathering place of wealth and goods in all the realm.

Just how much silver the Yu family had earned from this port, the Zhao Character Camp naturally knew full well. The Internal Guard and Cloud Mountain Firm both had men stationed there. But Zhao Jin did not begrudge them the profit as he once might have. This lavish gift was part of the price for the Yu family's assistance. In a matter of life and death, no reward could be too generous.

Yet Yu Zhiyuan's gesture revealed another layer of meaning — he wanted to bind himself even more tightly to the Zhao Character Camp. Yu Zhiyuan was a clever man. To pass the provincial examinations at such a young age and to build up his family enterprise to such a scale on his own, he had to be a person of surpassing intelligence. A man like that, even without being told explicitly, could discern a great deal from the Zhao Character Camp's current scale and conduct — including the enormous risks the camp was running. What local strongman would fix his gaze on the Brocade Guard, or set up hidden posts to keep daily watch in a dragon's pool and tiger's den like Nanjing...

This Second Young Master Yu could certainly see a great deal. That old steward, Uncle Hua, had probably also seen a great deal, which was why his expression had remained so grim. Yet even so, Second Young Master Yu was still willing to draw the two sides' relationship even closer.

"Brother Yu, if it truly comes to a crime punishable by the confiscation of your property and the extermination of your clan, you won't be able to escape." Wang Zhaojing glanced at Zhao Jin and added this remark with a smile.

A mocking expression appeared on Yu Zhiyuan's face. Leisurely, he said, "If one waits until there is no great crime before coming, it will be too late!"

"Brother Yu, you have a substantial fortune and hold an official degree. Your elder brother also has boundless prospects ahead of him. Not to mention, the realm is still at peace right now. And by now, you know better than most outsiders just what the Zhao Character Camp really looks like. Are you truly willing to place such a heavy wager? If our entanglements weren't so deep, I'd almost suspect you were an agent sent to infiltrate us unto death." Zhao Jin asked, somewhat puzzled. There was a smile on his face, but not a trace of mirth in his eyes.

Yu Zhiyuan drew a deep breath. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a much graver expression. Solemnly, he said: "To transport eight million piculs of grain from south to north to the capital, the deductions, shares, and wastage along the way amount to nearly twenty-four million piculs. If this single corrupt practice were abolished, who knows how much could be saved. All the shortfalls in the Great Ming's various expenditures could be made up, and there would even be a huge surplus. Yet no one touches it. Instead, they go and levy that Liao conscription tax, inflicting suffering on the realm's already utterly destitute commoners and farming households. On one hand, they say the canal administration involves the livelihoods of millions; on the other, they heap misery upon hundreds of millions of common folk. What an absurd business this is."

The room fell silent. Wang Zhaojing no longer looked at Zhao Jin but listened with rapt attention. The smile had also left Zhao Jin's face. Perhaps it was only in this setting that Yu Zhiyuan could speak his mind freely. He did not stop talking.

"When my family's fleet was set ablaze on the river, I gave up all hope for the present state of things. Our Yu family used our own silver to do good deeds, to do good for his family's realm, and in the end, this was our reward. Since things have already come to such a pass, why shouldn't I take a gamble? And I can't see how I could lose."

When he spoke the words "his family's realm," Yu Zhiyuan's jaw had clenched tight, but in the end, he relaxed and said it with a smile.

Once he had finished, Wang Zhaojing couldn't help but laugh. Shaking his head as he laughed, he said: "Big Brother, Brother Yu stands outside the game, yet he is so utterly convinced that we will win. Your younger brother is inside the game, having watched our Zhao Character Camp grow from small to great, reaching the state it is today, yet I am often half-hearted and wavering. This must be what they mean by the looker-on seeing most clearly!"

Wang Zhaojing laughed with genuine delight. Zhao Jin shook his head in exasperation, but he knew that the knot in this brother's heart had been untied — otherwise, he could not have spoken such self-deprecating words.

Zhao Jin directly changed the subject: "Brother Yu, you must be careful now. Though the phrase 'boarding a pirate ship' sounds unpleasant, that is precisely your situation at present. Your household should have guards and martial arts instructors. If you don't, spend generously to hire a few trustworthy men to keep at your side."

Yu Zhiyuan was just about to speak when Zhao Jin cut him off: "Keep a boat ready by the riverbank. If anything truly seems amiss, never mind the family property — take the essential people and flee aboard the boat. Once you reach the territory of Huai'an Prefecture north of the river, no one will dare touch you. However much of your family fortune you lose, I will compensate you at full value!"

Zhao Jin's promise was absolute. The Great Ming had no real navy to speak of. Once aboard a ship and out to sea, even the authorities could do nothing. And upon reaching Huai'an Prefecture, he would be within Zhao Jin's sphere of influence. The other thing the Yu family found hard to abandon was, of course, that family fortune, and Zhao Jin had also pledged to compensate for it. This effectively removed any worries Yu Zhiyuan might have about his rear.

Yu Zhiyuan, however, shook his head with a smile and said with a hint of sarcasm: "Brother Zhao needn't worry so much. Official matters don't move that quickly. If there's truly any sign of trouble, I can get away. As for guards — since we've reached this stage, there's no need for excessive courtesy. Please, Brother Zhao, help me arrange for a few trustworthy men to serve as my guards!"

This was indeed placing a heavy wager. Allowing the Zhao Character Camp's warriors into the Yu household meant holding nothing back, laying bare his own safety and all his secrets entirely before the other party.

"When I first met Brother Yu, I thought he was hasty and rash. I never imagined Brother Yu was a man who dares to gamble!" Zhao Jin said with a smile.

The first time Yu Zhiyuan went to Xuzhou, he had made sky-high promises, which caused everyone to think poorly of him. But after prolonged contact, they discovered he was not rash and naive — he was simply bold and willing to stake everything.

"Once you've set your sights on something, you must be decisive and not waver back and forth. I have never touched a gambling device, and I never make wagers with people." Yu Zhiyuan emphasized with a smile.

After chatting for a while, Yu Zhiyuan had someone bring in all the contracts. The documents for the shipping firm, the documents for Clam Port — everything was written down in black and white. They would be valid even without being notarized at the government office. These documents, prepared in advance, proved that Yu Zhiyuan's words were not empty promises.

Zhao Jin paid no attention to the documents, but neither did he refuse Yu Zhiyuan's proposal. Accepting the other party's benefits was not necessarily taking advantage; rather, it could bind the two sides even more tightly together.

Since Yu Zhiyuan was so tactful, Zhao Jin had to reciprocate in kind. That evening, he hosted a banquet at the finest restaurant in Qingjiangpu. Shi Manqiang, Liu Yong, and Zhou Xuezhi all came to keep him company, giving the man ample face.

"... There's no need to open this shipping firm in the main market. Just find an empty lot somewhere in Qingjiangpu with convenient transport links to store goods and park carts and horses. Every day, send the managers and clerks to the main market and the docks to solicit business — that will be more than sufficient..."

"... Over in the main market, you can set up a signboard. On it, write the time and cost for shipping to various places north and south. Since sea transport saves money and time compared to canal transport, people will certainly come asking..."

"... Everyone says sea transport carries great risk. Why not have the cargo owners pay a little extra silver? For those who pay this extra sum, if anything should happen to their goods, compensation can be provided. How could there be so many risks for a shipping firm at sea? If something truly goes wrong, just use the premiums from the shipments that arrived safely to cover it. This extra fee gives the cargo owner a bit more assurance, some peace of mind..."

Thanks to the three friends "Reader 1287208672, 123*, Yuan Heng Li Zhen" for their tips, and thank you all for your subscriptions and monthly tickets.