Mo Sang – CH 229

Chapter 229. The Beginning Is Difficult

The very next day, early in the morning, the large ship of Luo Tingxian, the newly appointed Governor of Hongzhou and concurrently Commissioner of the Grain Transport Office, docked at the wharf of Yuzhang City.

The Luo family was a prominent official clan. Before serving as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Luo Tingxian had also served two terms as Commissioner of the Grain Transport Office, making him extremely adept at local administration and all its intricacies.

The only thing neither he nor his family had any experience with was Hongzhou, a former territory of the Southern Liang dynasty that had just been incorporated into the Northern Qi after the great war.

However, Luo Tingxian was confident about this, because the Commander-in-Chief, and especially that Master Wen, were currently in Yuzhang City and were said to be staying there for several months. Those months would be enough for him to establish a firm foothold.

That Master Wen had handled affairs in Jingzhou and Xiangfan, and now, having arrived in Hongzhou, this was his third campaign. He was experienced, and he could consult him extensively.

After the ship docked, Luo Tingxian, accompanied by a few guards and servants, disembarked first and went straight into the city.

The remaining staff and servants busied themselves unloading luggage, some carrying bags, others inquiring about various matters, each going about their own business.

Luo Tingxian went straight to the garrison commander’s office to request an audience with the Commander-in-Chief or Master Wen.

The Commander-in-Chief was not there, so Luo Tingxian followed a servant to a side room to see Master Wen.

Wen Cheng stood under the eaves, and upon seeing Luo Tingxian enter through the second gate, he bowed deeply.

“I dare not accept such praise.” Luo Tingxian quickly stopped and returned the bow.

This Master Wen, although currently only holding the title of advisor without rank or grade, was in charge of the entire army’s supplies and provisions and had already rendered several great service. Once he lost his advisor title and entered officialdom, he could easily take command of a department, even becoming a minister.

Luo Tingxian dared not act arrogantly in his presence.

“I calculated that you would not arrive until tomorrow evening or the morning after, but I did not expect Governor Luo to arrive so quickly.” Wen Cheng waited for Luo Tingxian to approach before bowing again.

“The journey was very smooth, and with a little extra effort, I arrived quickly.” Luo Tingxian returned the bow in small talk.

Wen Cheng bowed slightly to let Luo Tingxian in, personally preparing tea as he smiled, “I’ve been eagerly awaiting Governor Luo’s arrival.”

“I’ve simply had too many things to do and am in a hurry to pass on a pile of official business to Governor Luo.”

Luo Tingxian chuckled and quickly bowed, “Thank you for your trouble, sir.”

“I do not deserve the title of ‘sir.’ Once Governor Luo takes my place, he will likely be caught up in a flurry of activity, while I can relax a bit.

I would not dare to keep Governor Luo any longer. I will not stand on ceremony; let’s get straight to the point. We are both busy people.” Wen Cheng prepared the tea, pushed it towards Luo Tingxian, and bowed with a smile.

“Please speak, sir!” Luo Tingxian bowed slightly, listening intently.

Wen Cheng spoke for over an hour, finally explaining the general affairs of Hongzhou. Pointing to the seven or eight stacks of documents, each two or three feet high, piled on the table beside him, he smiled and said, “Those are all for Governor Luo. I will have someone deliver them to you.”

“It’s truly a whirlwind of things; thank you for your trouble, sir.” Luo Tingxian bowed in thanks, leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and smiled. “I heard the Boss is in Yuzhang City? I heard it when I passed through Jiangzhou City.”

“Yes, but,” Wen Cheng paused slightly, then smiled, “her Shunfeng Banner, the shop has not even been found yet, but she’s going to raise it today.”

Seeing that Luo Tingxian clearly did not understand, Wen Cheng continued, “The Boss does not like to be ostentatious. The Shunfeng Banner has always only been raised at the entrance of the Shunfeng shop. Raising the banner before the shop even opens is a first.”

“What are her plans?” Luo Tingxian asked in surprise.

“I am afraid they’ve already taken action.

To quickly stabilize and win back the hearts of the people of Hongzhou, I asked the Commander to speak with the Boss, instructing her to take things slowly and not to…” Wen Cheng chuckled dryly, spreading one hand.

Luo Tingxian nodded hurriedly; he understood!

“The Boss agreed. However, Hongzhou and Yuzhang City are riddled with deep-seated problems. Rice prices have been so high for quite some time now.”

Wen Cheng coughed forcefully, lowering his voice, “Yesterday, I heard that merchants from Jiangbei gathered at the Longshun Restaurant for a banquet, which lasted until very late.

The day before, the Boss summoned the heads of rice and grain merchants from all over Hongzhou to meet at the Tengwang Pavilion. That evening, these heads of merchants held a banquet at the Wangjiang Tower; the Boss was not there.”

Luo Tingxian’s eyebrows furrowed, revealing deep wrinkles on his forehead.

“The Boss is very sensible and far-sighted; that’s what the Emperor said.”

“You do not need to worry, but you must pay close attention to this matter. It is not that something bad will happen; perhaps you can get some help from it,” Wen Cheng said, laughing a few times. “Governor Luo is experienced in many places; I’ve been too talkative. This is also the Commander-in-Chief’s intention—to say a few more words that Governor Luo is a man of good speech.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you, Commander-in-Chief. I need this kind of guidance the most!” Luo Tingxian stood up and bowed deeply.

“Governor Luo, you are too kind. It is my duty. Besides, this is the Commander-in-Chief’s order. Please sit down; I have a few more words to say.” Wen Cheng also quickly stood up, gesturing for Luo Tingxian to sit down again.

“The Commander-in-Chief’s intention is that if the Boss does not come to you, you should not go to her either,” Wen Cheng continued.

“Yes.” Luo Tingxian quickly bowed and nodded. This was the commander’s order, and he had to be respectful.

“If you need to see the Boss, go to Hei Ma, not Da Chang,” Wen Cheng chuckled dryly. “Da Chang is cunning; Hei Ma is much more honest. At least you can get a sense of the Boss’s attitude and the seriousness of the matter from Hei Ma.”

Luo Tingxian chuckled. “If you had not told me, I really would have gone to Da Chang first. That Da Chang seems so honest.”

“Cunning,” Wen Cheng scoffed.

“I understand. Thank you for your guidance, sir.” Luo Tingxian stood up and bowed deeply again.

“You flatter me, you flatter me.” Wen Cheng returned the bow, said a few more words, and saw Luo Tingxian out, instructing several servants to carry the documents on the long table to Luo Tingxian’s quarters.

……………………

Luo Tingxian returned to the military headquarters, where his most trusted advisor, Master Zhang, greeted him. “Did you see the Commander-in-Chief, sir?”

“The Commander-in-Chief is very busy. I saw Master Wen,” Luo Tingxian replied, his steps quickening as he entered the house. He saw freshly ground tea powder, and the water was just boiling. He added a spoonful of powder, made a cup of tea, and, while munching on rice candy, took a sip and ate a few pieces.

He was a little hungry.

“I have something interesting to tell you,” Advisor Zhang said, leaning closer with a chuckle as Luo Tingxian made tea, drank, and ate rice candy.

Luo Tingxian, with a teacup in one hand and rice candy in the other, his mouth full, could only nod to Advisor Zhang, signaling him to speak.

“I had barely entered this military headquarters, and before I could even take a look around, a servant came to report that a guild leader surnamed Zhang requested an audience with Commissioner Luo. I had him brought in and asked him a few questions.

This Guild Head Zhang stammered and seemed to be speaking incoherently, but I understood him.

He’s the head of the rice and grain merchants in Yuzhang City. From what he said, his merchants used to be under the patronage of the Commissioner’s office. Now, although it is no longer Southern Liang, he feels the rules still apply.”

Luo Tingxian choked on his words, craning his neck and letting out a soft cough.

“I vaguely dismissed him,” Advisor Zhang said, shaking his head with a pursed mouth.

“Just now,” Luo Tingxian finished eating, poured himself a cup of tea, and, sipping it, leaned forward and, lowering his voice, recounted what Wen Cheng had said about the separate gatherings and banquets of merchants from Hongzhou and Jiangbei.

“Wow! They’ve gone to the ring!” Advisor Zhang’s eyebrows shot up.

“Indeed, they’ve gone to the ring with the Boss. Do they think that just because they are backed by the Grain Transport Commissioner’s Office, they are powerful enough to challenge the Boss?” Luo Tingxian asked, looking at Advisor Zhang.

Although the matter was obvious, he still had some doubts.

“This is Jiangnan. How would they know about things in Jiangbei? Even in Jiangbei, the various military commanders and grain transport commissioners are alright, but further down the line, they might not know what the Boss is all about,” Advisor Zhang said, more understanding.

“Hmm! That’s true. The Boss is never ostentatious, and neither is the Emperor.

Sigh, if it were not for Prime Minister Wu telling me about the Boss’s achievements before I left, I would not know either!

Indeed, judging from this Guild Head Zhang’s opinion, our Grain Transport Commissioner’s Office, which also serves as the Military Commander’s office, is quite powerful in Hongzhou.” Luo Tingxian clicked his tongue.

“What are your plans, Master?” Advisor Zhang asked, bowing slightly.

“This is an opportunity!” Luo Tingxian said with a smile. “Firstly, we can use this incident to show everyone that we treat both Jiangnan and Jiangbei equally, without favoring either side. Secondly, we can use the Boss’s influence to crush the arrogance of these local bullies.”

“Since you plan this way, Master, should we not give Zhang, the head of the trading company, a little pointer?” Advisor Zhang immediately followed up.

“We need to give him some pointers. You will have to handle this personally.”

“First, make it clear to them that the laws of our Great Qi are strict. Your commander is ambitious and comes from a wealthy family. He will not take a single penny that he should not. However, be tactful; do not scare them.

Second, sound them out. See how much they know about the Boss. If they know too little, be sure to subtly remind them not to act like local bullies from the start. They cannot afford to collapse before the stage is even set; otherwise, the whole show cannot go on.”

“Hmm, we need to think carefully about how to say these two things,” Advisor Zhang said, frowning.

“Third, give them a little encouragement. Make it clear that although I come from Jiangbei, I am all in sync with Hongzhou. Perhaps I will be serving two terms—leave it all there, subtly hinting at it,” Luo Tingxian continued.

“Do not worry, sir, that’s easy,” Advisor Zhang said with a slight bow and a smile.

“You personally oversee this matter. We must handle this openly and honestly, with nothing to hide. This applies to both the Jiangbei and Hongzhou groups. If we can do it openly and honestly, treating everyone equally, we will build a good reputation,” Luo Tingxian instructed.

“Good! This is a big deal; do not worry, sir.” Advisor Zhang nodded repeatedly.

……………………

Li Sangrou waited until the third day, but none of the foremen showed up.

In the evening, Li Sangrou was scratching her head and sighing when Datou called out from the courtyard gate, leading in a thin, timid man in his early twenties.

“I am, I am Foreman Sun, Foreman Sun…” The thin, timid man broke out in a cold sweat under the glaring eyes of Hei Ma, Mazha, and the others.

Li Sangrou waved to the crowd.

“Look at you all, so idle! No staring! Go, go, go!” Hei Ma turned around and waved them away.

“Come here and talk,” Li Sangrou beckoned to the thin, timid man. “Are you Foreman Sun’s apprentice? Did Foreman Sun send you?”

“No, yes, I am…” The thin, timid man blushed deeply at Li Sangrou’s question and lowered his head.

“You are not Sun Zuotou’s apprentice, or did Sun Zuotou send you?” Li Sangrou softened her voice and asked.

“Neither.” The thin, timid man hunched his shoulders and lowered his head, looking as if he wished he could disappear into the ground.

“Then what brings you here? Is it about my repair of the Tengwang Pavilion?” Li Sangrou’s tone was gentle.

“Yes, I heard that if you come to report the work done and the price, you will get one tael of silver.”

The thin, timid man’s voice was so low it was almost a mosquito’s hum, and it was only thanks to Li Sangrou’s exceptional hearing that she could hear him clearly.

“That’s right, as long as you can explain it clearly, you will get one tael of silver. Have you already checked? Calculated it? Then tell me, Hei Ma, bring out one tael of silver.” Li Sangrou’s voice was laced with a smile.

“I’ve drawn up a diagram.” The thin, timid man pulled a paper tube about the length of his arm from his sleeve, carefully pinching the bent part.

“Bring a table and some paperweights,” Li Sangrou said, standing up and instructing Hei Ma, who handed her the silver.

Hei Ma and Datou brought over a table. The thin, timid man unrolled the paper roll and laid it out, placing paperweights at the four corners.

Li Sangrou stood by the table, looking at the haphazard lines and numbers on the drawing.

This drawing was different from the residential building plans she had seen in Yangzhou; she could not understand it.

“Tell me,” Li Sangrou gestured to the thin, timid man.

“The last time we repaired the Tengwang Pavilion, it was a complete reconstruction. I do not know how you plan to repair it; this is a calculation of the materials and labor required for a renovation.

I’ve inspected it. The main beams and pillars of the Tengwang Pavilion are largely intact. The large materials needed are not too many…”

The thin, timid man spoke fluently about the blueprints.

Li Sangrou listened intently.

The thin, timid man almost rattled off the quantities of materials and labor, “…According to my calculations, all the materials are listed here. If the materials and labor are done on time, it will take ten months.”

“Give him the money,” Li Sangrou instructed Hei Ma, looking at the thin, timid man, and asked with a smile, “What’s your surname? What do you do? I do not think I saw you last time I invited someone over.”

“My surname is Gong, Gong Xiaoyi. I work at the woodworking shop in the south of the city, doing odd jobs and calculating materials. I am not a foreman.” Gong Xiaoyi took the money, clutching it tightly in his hand, a slight blush rising on his face.

“Your family is out of food?” Li Sangrou pointed to the silver in Gong Xiaoyi’s hand.

“Yes,” Gong Xiaoyi replied, head bowed, the word “yes” soft and low.

“Who else is in the family?” Li Sangrou continued.

“My mother and two younger sisters.”

Li Sangrou gave a soft “Oh” and said, “Then you can go back now. You will have a good meal today.

Come over tomorrow morning and tell me in detail. I am not using you for free; I am paying you.”

“Yes, thank you, Elder Sister…”

“This is our Boss!” Hei Ma’s reminder was quite timely.

“Thank you, Boss.” Gong Xiaoyi took a step back and bowed, then took another step back and bowed again.

Li Sangrou watched him retreat all the way to the osmanthus tree in the middle of the courtyard, bump into it, spin around, bow again, and then run away.