Chapter 50: The Eve (Part Three)

Xue Ju was one of the four great surnames of Hedong, a scion of a collateral branch of the Xue clan of Fenyin. In his youth, he followed his father from Fenyin to Lanzhou, and, leveraging the influence of the Xue family, engaged in smuggling. Salt, steel, and other goods scarce among the barbarians beyond the frontier were all merchandise traded by the Xue family. In exchange, from the Tuyuhun and the peoples of the Western Regions, they would obtain horses, spices, and other goods coveted in the Central Plains. With these exchanges, they often made a handsome profit.

When Xue Ju came of age, he relied on family connections to enter officialdom. Now, he held the prestigious post of Sima in Lanzhou, effectively the second-in-command of the military there.

This time, his dealings with Zhang Zhongjian were chiefly about the spice trade from the Western Regions. Spices produced in the Western Regions, especially those imported from Persia, were highly sought-after in the Central Plains.

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, the children of noble families delighted in wearing scented sachets. The most famous of these gentlemen in history was Xie Xuan, nephew of Xie An, another hero of the Battle of Feishui, who had been infatuated with sachets since his youth.

In the South, especially, this custom still thrived. The silks of the South were beloved among the chieftains of the steppe; and spices from the Western Regions were the favorites of the southern gentry.

Zhang Zhongjian had come to Lanzhou this time precisely to open up this trade route.

Of course, he still needed a powerful ally, and Xue Ju was clearly the most suitable.

Coincidentally, Xue Ju's eldest son, Xue Rengao, was about to come of age. Xue Ju was considering sending him back to their ancestral home in Fenyin to enter the clan school, and then, with a local recommendation, proceed to the official academy. Xue Ju, having spent his life in the military, did not wish for Xue Rengao to follow in his footsteps. Yet Xue Rengao was of a violent disposition, and if not for Zhang Zhongjian, he might have gotten himself into serious trouble.

"Yanqing, I heard a certain Xiongji Trading House has appeared in Luoyang, connected somehow to Master Zheng?"

After a lively gathering, Zhang Zhongjian pulled Yanqing aside and went straight to the point.

Though this man appeared coarse, he was in fact shrewd and quick-witted. His talents were not lacking; it was just that his strikingly plain features did not fit the four criteria for the selection of talent among noble families: stature, speech, calligraphy, and judgment. His greatest shortcoming was, indisputably, his appearance.

One was expected to look dignified and carry oneself with poise.

Zhang Zhongjian, whether in speech, calligraphy, or intellect, was more than capable, but his appearance was his failing.

Thus, Zhang Zhongjian could only engage in commerce, never ascend to officialdom.

Zheng Yanqing laughed.

He too was interested in collaborating with Zhang Zhongjian, but there was a difference between seeking out Zhang Zhongjian himself and being sought out by him.

Now that Zhang Zhongjian had come to him, Yanqing held the upper hand.

"Brother Zhang, I won't hide it from you. The Xiongji Trading House was established by my grandfather under an old friend's name."

Yanqing had long rehearsed various approaches to dealing with Zhang Zhongjian, but the more he considered it, the more he felt that with someone as straightforward as Zhang Zhongjian, it was best to be equally direct. This man was bold and forthright by nature.

Zhang Zhongjian smiled as well.

"Yanqing, it seems you were expecting my visit all along!"

"Brother Zhang, I've been waiting eagerly for you."

Neither of them beat around the bush; they got right to the heart of the matter.

Zhang Zhongjian coughed lightly, adjusting his approach. He had heard of the tribulations faced by Zheng Shian and his grandson. Though they had survived the ordeal, the Zheng family would surely have their opinions. Now it seemed Zheng Shian truly intended to strike out on his own.

Yet Zheng Shian still relied on Elder Zheng, so he could not make his moves too openly.

He needed a cover, thus the Xiongji Trading House. But this cover was not secure, so he required an even greater one.

"Speak, what are your terms?"

"All the goods of Xiongji can be managed by you, Brother Zhang. You take forty percent, my grandfather takes thirty, and the old neighbors at Tianjin Bridge take the remaining thirty. Outwardly, however, you must be the public face, taking full charge of Xiongji; in private, we draw up a contract to divide the profits as agreed."

Zhang Zhongjian frowned. "How much do I need to invest?"

Zheng Yanqing held up one finger.

"One thousand strings of cash?"

He laughed heartily. "Brother Zhang, is Xiongji's business worth only a thousand strings? Remember, under the rule of the Sui, there are 1,253 counties, nine million households. If each household buys a pair of scissors, that's nine million scissors. At fifty coins per pair, how much is that? I'm sure you've done the math. And that's just for the lower-quality scissors..."

"And for the Xiuyuan scissors, how many scholars are there in the empire?"

"You have a point, but the numbers can't be calculated so simply."

"Brother Zhang, a flat price—ten thousand strings. Invest ten thousand, and you receive forty percent of the profits; it's not too much. Besides, I have other little diversions you might find interesting."

So saying, Yanqing led Zhang Zhongjian upstairs to the study.

He placed a tangram before Zhang Zhongjian, then drew out a scroll from the desk.

"This is called a tangram, but the name is a bit plain; you may name it as you wish. I've found Elder Du is quite obsessed with it. It's suited to both young and old. If you're interested, you may take charge of its production."

Zhang Zhongjian took it, fiddled with it a few times, and was immediately intrigued.

"How do we split this?"

"You take full charge, I get thirty percent."

"Impossible, at most fifteen. Any more and I can't manage."

"Twenty-five. Any less and I won't bother."

"Twenty. Twenty—take it or leave it."

Yanqing and Zhang Zhongjian haggled back and forth. By now, Zhang Zhongjian understood—whether it was the Xiuyuan scissors, the grade-three scissors, all these ideas sprang from this child before him; Zheng Shian merely shielded him from the winds and rains.

Now, Zheng Yanqing needed a bigger umbrella, so Zhang Zhongjian had come.

"And this, Brother Zhang, see if you're interested?"

Yanqing handed over the scroll in his hand.

It detailed the method for refining white granulated sugar.

"Where did you get this?"

Zhang Zhongjian immediately saw the value of this secret recipe. He raised his head, staring at Zheng Yanqing. "If you give me this recipe, how about a hundred thousand strings?"

"Heh, Brother Zhang, I'm just a scholar. Who knows what the future holds? What use have I for so much money? If you like, I can simply gift you the recipe. How about it?"

This recipe was worth a fortune.

Zhang Zhongjian intended to buy it outright for a hundred thousand strings, seeing the staggering profit it could generate. But to his surprise, Zheng Yanqing refused, offering it as a gift instead.

Could he accept such a gift? If he could, he would not be Zhang Zhongjian.

"I'll allocate you two and a half percent of the profits each year, but any more, I can't promise."

"No problem!"

This was precisely what Zheng Yanqing wanted: to bind the Zhang family of Wu County to him as a powerful backer. How much would two and a half percent amount to? He was unsure, but he knew this recipe alone was enough to make Zhang Zhongjian the wealthiest man in the south.

His mind a bit muddled, Zhang Zhongjian strove to compose himself.

"Yanqing, how old are you?"

"Oh, eight years old!"

Zhang Zhongjian suddenly laughed. "Are you really only eight? Why do I feel as if you're something of a prodigy?"

"Ah, well… Elder Du has said as much. Still, if this prodigy brings you benefit, I trust you'll be happy to accept it, won't you, Brother Zhang?"

Zhang Zhongjian could not help but laugh aloud.

In his heart, he felt a growing sense of mystery—and even a touch of fear—toward Yanqing.

He thought for a moment, then said, "Little brother Yanqing, I'm aware of your family's awkward position. If you ever need my help, just send for me. The Zhangs of Wu County may not rival the Zhengs, but at a crucial moment, our words still count."

Zheng Yanqing smiled and extended his hand. Zhang Zhongjian did the same, and the two of them clapped hands three times.

Among the ancients, a handshake oath was more binding than any written contract.

In truth, Zheng Yanqing had lost nothing, while Zhang Zhongjian had gained solid footing to strengthen his family's position.

It could be said that both gained what they sought.

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"Shiji, have you seen what Zheng Yanqing has been up to in the bamboo grove these past days?"

The night before the agreed deadline, Yan Shigu and Zheng Renji summoned Xu Shiji to the study to inquire after Zheng Yanqing's activities.

Though Zheng Renji and Yanqing had their differences, the boy was still the pride of An Yuan Hall. For Wang Tong to humiliate Yanqing was to humiliate An Yuan Hall—and Zheng Renji himself. How could Zheng Renji accept that?

On the surface, he paid Yanqing little heed, but privately, he was deeply concerned. Otherwise, he would not have permitted Xu Shiji and Zheng Hongyi to visit the bamboo grove daily. Whatever his feelings toward Zheng Shian, he had great respect for Yanqing's talent.

Xu Shiji considered. "Yanqing hasn't done much. Yesterday afternoon, he was playing with us. Later, Zhang Zhongjian from Wu County came and even gave Yanqing a horse… ha, it was a fine horse, and Yanqing only tamed it by biting its ear. Today, when Hongyi and I went over after lunch, the maids said he and Elder Du had crossed the river early to Xiangshan Temple. We waited a bit, but when he didn't return, we left."

"Did he seem nervous?"

Xu Shiji shook his head. "Not at all—he seemed perfectly calm, even said he was planning, after some days, to explore the mountain and study the stele with Elder Du."

Yan Shigu and Zheng Renji exchanged a glance, then dismissed Xu Shiji.

"This child has the bearing of a great general," Yan Shigu remarked with a laugh. "Were it me, I'd be a bundle of nerves… So, elder brother, you needn't worry. Yanqing seems at ease. Perhaps, as he says, he already has victory in hand."

Zheng Renji exhaled deeply, forcing a bitter smile. "Of course he's not nervous. If he loses, the disgrace falls upon the entire Zheng family."

"Ah, but that's not quite fair. Wang Tong, after all, is about my age. For him to bully a child so much younger, everyone sees it for what it is. If I were him, I'd have left Luoyang already, bag in hand. To be honest, even if Wang Tong wins, it won't hurt the Zhengs. He's the one at fault for disregarding decorum."

Zheng Renji nodded, hesitated, then asked, "Brother, what do you think Yanqing's chances are?"

Yan Shigu paused, then managed a wry smile. "If I had to say—less than twenty percent."

"Twenty percent?"

Zheng Renji rubbed his face. "If that's so, I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight."

"Ha, you won't be the only one. I imagine many in Luoyang will be lying awake tonight, just like you."

Having said this, Yan Shigu went to the window. He pushed it open, looked out into the darkness, and murmured, "Though it's only twenty percent, that's not the same as having no hope…"

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