Mo Sang – CH 280

Chapter 280. Entrustment

Li Sangrou’s boat sailed downstream. The sheer number of boats traveling north and south on the great river surprised her.

She had thought about the river’s revival, but she had not expected it to be so rapid, as if it had gone from the depths of winter to the height of spring overnight.

Meng Yanqing was even more impressed: “Luckily, they are sailing downstream. If they were going upstream to the west, these boat trackers would be extremely hard to find right now. I heard their wages have increased at least a dozen times.”

Li Sangrou sat on the foredeck, carefully observing the approaching groups of boat trackers.

Almost every group had a woman in the middle—some had one or two; others were long lines, almost entirely of women.

These female trackers, like everyone else, had their heads wrapped in black cloth, were shirtless, and were tanned dark. Their trousers were rolled up high to their thighs, and they were bent over, their faces almost touching the ground, pulling the towpath with all their might.

She even saw several female trackers carrying children on their backs. When needed, what difference was there between men and women?

Li Sangrou sat at the bow of the boat, watching the boatmen on the shore and the white sails on the river. Most of the time, she drank tea, and occasionally, she poured herself a pot of wine.

A few days later, the boat arrived in Yangzhou.

The Yangzhou dock was bustling and crowded.

The boatman and his crew ran back and forth, shouting, arguing, and jostling. A quarter of an hour later, the boat docked, and the gangplank was set up.

Li Sangrou and the others disembarked. Da Chang and Meng Yanqing went back to Yudai Lane, while Li Sangrou went to Madam Meng’s house.

This time, she knew the way well. Seeing Madam Meng hurrying out to greet her, Li Sangrou looked around and smiled. “Where is your concubine?”

“My eldest son came back yesterday but fell ill as soon as he got home. He developed a fever last night. The physician just came, and she went to see him,” Madam Meng said with a smile.

Li Sangrou gave an “Oh” and asked, “How was your training? A complete transformation?”

“There’s no such thing as a complete transformation. Just understanding a little bit of right and wrong is enough.” Madam Meng rolled her eyes at Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou met Madam Meng’s eye-roll and quickly nodded with a smile. “That’s true. Old habits die hard. So, has he understood a little bit of right and wrong? Does he know a little better now?”

Madam Meng chuckled, “That ancestor of the Yang family wanted to throw the eldest son into a well.”

“That’s true. Now that it is the Great Qi Dynasty, if their Yang family general and his entire family die for the country, even if they do not make it into the history books, they will at least be recorded in local chronicles. The Yang family will then be a family of loyal martyrs respected by everyone. That Yang family will be gilded with a thick layer of gold.”

“If the eldest son were still alive, what would he be? Not only would he lose all the benefits, but he might even be harmful. Of course, it is best to kill him quickly,” Madam Meng spat.

“Hmm, except for being inhuman, he’s good in every way. This child, after this experience…” Li Sangrou sighed.

A child of about ten years old, experiencing such a painful loss of humanity and family affection. Sigh.

Madam Meng gave a seemingly ambiguous snort, then raised an eyebrow and said, “By the way, Wu-Xin said that the Yang family has been relegated to the status of lowly. Was that your doing? What happened? Did the Yang family offend you again?”

“How are your dozens of properties doing with the sales?” Li Sangrou glanced sideways at Madam Meng.

“That day, you rushed from Runzhou to Yangzhou. The next morning, I sent people to gather supplies from all over.

When those managers arrived, half of their businesses had not received any news yet, and they did not even know they’d changed hands again. The rest, it seems, were planning something, but they had not had a chance yet.

Something happened to your shipyard?” Madam Meng looked at Li Sangrou knowingly.

“Yes, I am busy; I could not be as quick as you. Yang Gan mortgaged the shipyard for over a million taels of silver, and its whereabouts are unknown,” Li Sangrou snorted.

“That’s how the Yang family is, going too far, adding unnecessary complications,” Madam Meng sneered. “Back then, before I married Yang Wen, I thought it through clearly.

I made it very clear to Yang Wen and the Yang family that they would respect me, and I would respect the Yang family even more.

I cannot stand things in bed. Even on our wedding day, there was no bridal chamber. But before the wedding, I had Yang Wen choose several concubines to bear children for him and the Yang family.

The children would be born to these concubines. If Yang Wen and the Yang family think I can raise them, they would entrust them to me. I would do my best to raise them.

If they think I am not capable of raising them, they can raise them themselves or let their birth mothers raise them—it does not matter. I do not care about any of that.

The Meng family has plenty of money. While I am alive, the Yang family can use the money as they please. I do not care. After I die, the money will naturally belong to the Yang family.

I only asked for one thing: when using my money, they must know it is my money.

But they just cannot be patient.

My father had only been dead for a few months when Yang Wen wanted to take Ah Wu as his wife, saying that I would not stand on ceremony with Ah Wu’s child. After that, he pressed on relentlessly; not content with just money, he insisted that the money belonged to the Yang family.”

Madam Meng paused, then sneered repeatedly.

“Look at them; that’s how they are. They’ve already got what they want, but they still want to add insult to injury.

Over the past ten years, not to mention these properties, how much money have they taken from the Meng family? Even without these properties, that money would be enough for the Yang family to rise again.

They are already standing on the edge of a precipice, yet they still reach out without considering whether they can take it or not. This time, their unnecessary actions have pushed the Yang family off the cliff.”

“They are not just adding insult to injury; what they want is that sense of entitlement. By erasing you, erasing the Meng name, they will have that sense of entitlement. It will not be that they are taking advantage of you; it will be that this rightfully belongs to the Yang family.

They not only kill people, but they also destroy their spirit.

Heaven’s sins may be forgiven, but man’s sins are unforgivable.” Li Sangrou listened intently, then snorted coldly and said, “Let’s not talk about that. How did the bidding go?”

“Not well,” Madam Meng answered bluntly. “I wrote many letters, and had several of the head managers write many letters as well. It was printed in the Gossip Evening Post for over a month, but very few people came. Most were just there out of respect for the head managers and me.”

Madam Meng sighed.

“Bidding is a rare occurrence. This time, it was not even a real item being bid on. Besides, now that the North and South are unified, business is everywhere. It is already quite good that so many people came.

What are your plans now?” Li Sangrou, not surprised, asked calmly.

She had anticipated the lack of response.

“I’ve already spoken to that blind man. This time, we will focus on building a reputation. We only need to offer two or three items. There are not many people anyway; offering too many things will not sell them, and it will just make the place seem deserted.

There are three items in total, which I’ve chosen. These are things I plan to keep. After they bid on these items, I will talk to each of them individually to see what they think, and then I will share my ideas with them. I must ensure they make a lot of money. Once they’ve all made a fortune, next year will be much easier.

It’s best to hold this auction once a year, offering three to five items each year,” Madam Meng said with a smile.

Li Sangrou listened and smiled.

When it came to business, Madam Meng was indeed exceptional.

“What about your cotton cloth? How’s the weaving going?” Li Sangrou then asked with a smile.

“I’ve invited seven or eight large weaving workshops to participate in this project. Next year, when the cotton comes in, we will divide it among them.” Madam Meng was silent for a moment, then smiled.

Li Sangrou raised her eyebrows.

“After you left, Master Wang came by, and I talked with her for several days.

She thinks that cotton will definitely be planted everywhere, in fields and along roadsides, in vast tracts.

I think this kind of cotton could be better than silk, and it will definitely be cheaper and better than linen.

If that’s the case, this business will be too big. Even if one person eats until they burst, they still cannot handle it. I plan to select the best cotton, weave the best cotton cloth, and specialize in just one thing. The rest can be given to others. In the future, cotton cloth will be a single industry,” Madam Meng said with a smile.

Li Sangrou cupped her hands and bowed slightly to Madam Meng. “In terms of vision and insight, I am ashamed to admit my inferiority.”

“You can say such things only after you’ve been ahead of me and given your assessment.

Forget it, I will not say any more. If I say any more, it will just become us praising each other, which is meaningless.” Madam Meng waved her hand and laughed.

“Once your cotton cloth is woven, make me a few sets of clothes first,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“Do not think about clothes yet. Cotton is still a very new thing. Getting farmers to plant it will not be easy. Master Wang is very worried about this. She’s very eager to see cotton cloth become popular throughout the world before she dies. Tsk.”

Madam Meng clicked her tongue.

“Those large weaving workshops have seen the cotton, cotton thread, and cotton cloth, and they all say it is good. However, like Master Wang, they all feel that getting farmers to plant it is extremely difficult. They can only keep an eye on it for now. It is impossible to have that much cotton in a short time.

Previously, you said that as long as there are enough seeds, you will plant as many as you can. Based on the seed count, Master Wang calculated that within three to five years, it will be quite a feat.

What are your plans for this? Will you really plant as many as you can get? You’d better tell me so I have a plan and can explain it to others.”

Madam Meng looked at Li Sangrou.

“My plan is to ask the Emperor for an imperial decree mandating planting, with each household cultivating half a mu, or a certain amount per mu, and also sending some officials to encourage agriculture,” Li Sangrou answered directly.

Madam Meng raised her eyebrows, and Li Sangrou met her gaze with a smile.

“Take a piece of each type of cotton cloth you’ve woven, calculate the price for each, and give it to me. I will go to Jianle City in the twelfth month,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“Alright, you can really get an imperial decree?” Madam Meng could not help but ask.

“Yes.” Li Sangrou’s “Yes” was soft but very certain. “By the way, there’s something you should have thought of. I will remind you of one more thing: your eldest son should not use the surname Yang anymore, otherwise…”

Li Sangrou looked at Madam Meng, then stopped speaking and spread her hands.

Madam Meng and Aunt Wu were alright, but if there was another older male, surnamed Yang, his social status would be too easy to guess.

The Yang family had already fallen into a lowly status.

“I’ve thought of that. Once the older son is better, we will see what he wants. If he wants the surname Yang, so be it. If he wants to change it, that’s best. Whatever surname he chooses is up to him. In our Meng family, my father never cared about the inheritance of the family line, and I care even less,” Madam Meng said calmly.

“Your father is remarkable,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“What’s wrong with you this time? Why are you praising people so much?” Madam Meng glanced at Li Sangrou.

“I’ve always been like this, never stingy with praise. It is just that there are not many people I can praise, even a word or two about.” Li Sangrou spread her hands again and smiled.

The two chatted and laughed for a while longer. Li Sangrou got up to take her leave. Madam Meng stood up and, while seeing Li Sangrou out, asked with a smile, “How long will you be staying in Yangzhou this time?”

“Quite a long time. I plan to stay until the eleventh month before setting off for Jianle City,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“By the way, Yangzhou is incredibly lively these days; have you not seen it?” Madam Meng said with a smile.

“Yes,” Li Sangrou nodded.

“What are your plans for those houses? You own a large portion of Yangzhou. These days, buying a house in Yangzhou is very difficult; prices have skyrocketed.” Madam Meng looked at Li Sangrou with a hint of probing.

“Do you plan to spend your remaining years in Yangzhou?” Li Sangrou paused, looking at Madam Meng and asking a question.

Madam Meng nodded. “Ah Wu and I have discussed it. We will live out our lives here and be buried here after we die.”

“Then, can I entrust my houses to you?” Li Sangrou asked earnestly.

Madam Meng glanced at Li Sangrou, paused for a moment, and slowly nodded. “Sure. Sell or rent?”

“Sell them. Those with stable property have stable minds. Sell the repaired ones; for the unrepaired ones, if someone wants to buy them and repair them themselves, sell them to them. We do not need to make a lot of money; just make sure it is suitable. Everything is for the sake of Yangzhou City,” Li Sangrou smiled.

“You even ask me if I will live out my days in Yangzhou first. The Boss’s intentions… humph.” Madam Meng’s lips twitched slightly.

“I did not mean anything by it. I was just worried that if you were planning to move, like to Hangzhou or something, entrusting this matter to you would tie you down. This is not something that can be done in a year or two. If you did not agree, I was afraid you’d feel embarrassed, so I asked first.

I really did not mean anything by it,” Li Sangrou explained earnestly.

“Do not worry, I will agree to what I should agree to, and I will not feel embarrassed about what I should not agree to!” Madam Meng said bluntly.

Li Sangrou sighed and waved to Madam Meng. “I am leaving now. Come over for lunch tomorrow if you are free. I will have Hei Ma bring the land deed over later.”

“I recently hired a chef from Qinfeng Road; he makes excellent noodles,” Madam Meng said with a smile.

“I will come over for lunch tomorrow.” Li Sangrou immediately made a reservation.

Madam Meng smiled and nodded as she escorted Li Sangrou to the courtyard gate. After watching Li Sangrou turn the corner of the alley, she stood there for a moment before turning around and going inside.