Chapter 218: Combine
that deep and secluded courtyard east of Pingjiang City.
Ninth Master Zhu alighted from his carriage outside the corner gate, entered it, and headed straight for a small courtyard in a corner of the backyard.
Ninth Master Zhu walked directly into the main house, paid his respects to his father, Old Master Zhu, and then said urgently, “Father, I’ve seen it clearly this time. They’re playing the same tricks as those in Pingjiang City. Teaching peasant women to weave, lending them looms on credit, and collecting cloth to offset the debt.
“No wonder they only picked the weak, old, sick, and disabled. We were careless. What do we do now?”
“Hmph,” Old Master Zhu snorted coldly, “it’s just a scheme to borrow a chicken to lay eggs.
“This kind of business, if it doesn’t gain momentum, it’s just a dismal operation. If it does gain momentum…” Old Master Zhu snorted again, “with a capital of ten or twenty taels of silver, one can squeeze in to get a share of the scraps. At that time, everyone will rush in, and then, you’ll have done all the work for others.”
“Father is right, but it’s truly infuriating that our weavers are being given away for free to them,” Ninth Master Zhu said with great anger.
“There’s nothing to be done about it. I was a bit careless, but not entirely so.” Old Master Zhu clasped his hands on his stomach, “At that time, Prime Minister Pang’s side hadn’t replied yet, and the capital was always managed by your elder brother; he never allowed anyone else to interfere.”
Old Master Zhu paused, sighing heavily.
Ninth Master Zhu sighed along with him.
Young Lord’s sudden attack, the matter was too sudden. The Silk Guild and his elder brother’s household were all confiscated. Until the day his elder brother was executed, he and his father tried everything they could but couldn’t even see their elder brother, nor receive a single word from him.
“Elder brother was always cautious,” Ninth Master Zhu sighed again.
His elder brother was a cautious man. He handled matters with the government office, especially important personnel matters, personally, never delegating to others. Now, no one knows how many connections and relationships his elder brother had; all of that was buried with him.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Old Master Zhu waved his hand. “We made a mistake this round. We shouldn’t have been so cautious step by step; it played right into their hands.”
“Then what about us?” Ninth Master Zhu leaned forward slightly.
“Tell all the weaving workshops that since they’ve stopped production, there’s no need to keep those weavers for free. Let those weavers go to the yamen and beg for food,” Old Master Zhu said calmly.
“Ah? What if the government office orders the weaving workshops to sell the weavers?” Ninth Master Zhu’s eyes widened.
“If the government office orders them to be sold, list them with the real estate agency,” Old Master Zhu sneered. “That’s one thing. Secondly, in about ten days, we’ll be collecting autumn silkworm cocoons. Tell all the weaving workshops that since they’ve stopped production, they won’t need silkworm cocoons or silk. Don’t collect a single cocoon!”
Ninth Master Zhu blinked and slowly made a sound of understanding.
He understood. This was a two-pronged attack!
The Jiangnan Silk Guild had no less than a hundred thousand weavers in its workshops. These hundred thousand weavers were not easy to buy or support. Coupled with the autumn silkworm cocoons, if someone wanted to take over, it would cost more than just silver!
“Son understands. I’ll go do it now!” Ninth Master Zhu stood up abruptly.
………………………………
Shortly after lunch, Zhou Shennian arrived at the Li family’s residence. Wan Jing also came with Zhou Shennian.
Wan Jing looked at Mei Jie in the backyard, planting autumn vegetables, while Zhou Shennian spoke with Li Xiaonan.
“This Old Yu Xing, Yu Chengfu, is a formidable person.”
Zhou Shennian got straight to the point. Li Xiaonan poured him a cup of tea and placed it in front of him.
“Yu Chengfu’s mother and President Shi of the Pingjiang Silk Trade Association are cousins. When Yu Chengfu was two or three years old, his mother brought him to Pingjiang City to seek refuge with this cousin.
“Yu Chengfu and his mother were arranged to live in a courtyard house at Ruifu Workshop. Old Mother Yu took a job as a general laborer at the weaving workshop.
“Looking at this arrangement, this relative is either very distant, or the relationship between these two cousins wasn’t very good.”
Zhou Shennian commented with a smile.
“Yu Chengfu was brought into the weaving workshop by his mother when he was two or three years old. It was said that Yu Chengfu was very intelligent and bold. By the time he was sixteen or seventeen, he had become a minor steward at the weaving workshop.
“Yu Chengfu had a handsome appearance. It was said that from the age of fourteen or fifteen, people were proposing marriage for him. By seventeen or eighteen, as he became more successful, the proposals flooded in. Yu Chengfu, however, remained uncommitted until later, when Zhang You’an, the owner of Yunshan Workshop, took a liking to him.
“Yunshan Workshop is an old business firm. The weaving workshop isn’t very large. Zhang You’an only had one son and one daughter, neither of whom was particularly intelligent.
“Zhang You’an divided the small, not-yet-fully-developed weaving workshop into two. Half he left for his son, and the other half he gave as dowry to his daughter. This dowry half is now Yu Chengfu’s Fu Yun Workshop.
“President Shi of the Pingjiang Silk Trade Association is ten years older than Yu Chengfu. When Yu Chengfu was very young, he was already good at flattering this distant cousin. After he got married and had his own weaving workshop, Yu Chengfu continued to flatter President Shi tirelessly, just as before.
“When the previous Old President of the Pingjiang Silk Trade Association was about to step down, it was said that everyone was very surprised when President Shi stepped forward to contend for the presidency.
“President Shi was timid and fearful, and not very clever. After taking over his father’s position as a senior guild member, he always stayed in the background during guild matters, not even daring to say much. Heh.”
Zhou Shennian let out a chuckle.
“Thanks to Yu Chengfu, President Shi secured the position of president with little effort. After President Shi became president, Yu Chengfu became Old Yu Xing.
“President Shi has held the position of president for nearly ten years. Wherever President Shi is, Old Yu Xing is sure to be there.
“After Yu Chengfu became a senior guild member, the number of looms in Fu Yun Workshop doubled. For every loom added to Fu Yun Workshop, Yunshan Workshop also added one. The looms in Fu Yun Workshop and Yunshan Workshop could double because the original Yunshan Workshop was too small, with only about twenty looms in total.
“I believe, firstly, that this Yu Chengfu is very talented, but due to the strict control of the Jiangnan Silk Guild over its workshops, he has talent but no place to apply it, which must be very frustrating.”
Zhou Shennian narrowed his eyes slightly and, after a moment, clicked his tongue.
“A talented person unable to display their talent.”
Li Xiaonan nodded with a smile. She understood that feeling.
“Secondly, for every loom Yu Chengfu’s Fu Yun Workshop added, his brother-in-law’s Yunshan Workshop added the same amount. It’s said that for a few years, when the amount received was an odd number, Yunshan Workshop would have one more loom, and Fu Yun Workshop would have one less.
“This Yu Chengfu, either his character is not bad, or his schemes are extremely profound, appearing loyal while being treacherous. Whichever it is, he can be of use.”
Zhou Shennian looked at Li Xiaonan and smiled, “I believe that even if he is treacherous and appears loyal, Miss can still use him.”
“I think his character is probably not bad,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“Yes, I heard that Yu Chengfu has been busy with President Shi’s affairs lately. He just returned from Hangcheng the day before yesterday and went to Linhai Town yesterday, but he didn’t see President Shi. Mr. Huang in Linhai Town is very capable, leaving no room for error.
“When does Miss plan to meet Yu Chengfu?” Zhou Shennian asked with anticipation.
“I need to go to Linhai Town first and have a chat with Mr. Huang,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“Does Miss have any friendship with Mr. Huang?” Zhou Shennian raised an eyebrow.
“Mr. Huang was the County Magistrate of our Kunshan County in his previous term. I’ve met him a few times. I’m going to Linhai Town now, and I can catch a ride with Wan Jing,” Li Xiaonan said as she stood up.
Zhou Shennian stood up with her. He really wanted to go to Linhai Town, but after hesitating, he still couldn’t bring himself to say it; it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to go.
