Chapter 230: On Top of the Wall
When Yu Chengfu received Li Wenliang’s message, he already sensed the atmosphere of rushing to collect autumn silkworm cocoons. Upon receiving the message, he immediately set off with his wife’s brother and about ten capable shop assistants to head to other prefectures and counties to acquire autumn silkworm cocoons.
Li Wenliang passed on the word to Li Jinzhu, Li Yuzhu, and others who were traveling around Liangzhe Circuit establishing weaving schoolrooms and purchasing looms on credit to weave fine cloth. Even those in the Hong Family busy taking orders for looms were asked to collect autumn silkworm cocoons if they encountered silkworm farmers.
The weaving workshops in various prefectures and counties, having stopped work, had more free time to crane their necks and prick up their ears to listen for any news. The matter of outsiders coming to their territory to collect autumn silkworm cocoons would be common knowledge within a day at most.
Regardless of what the Jiangnan Silk Guild had said, it was no match for the fear of autumn silkworm cocoons being snatched up by others. While the weaving workshops outwardly remained still, they were secretly acting faster than one another, with every household busy collecting autumn silkworm cocoons.
From the day the weaving workshops stopped work, Jiang Cao Division had issued directives to all prefectures and counties, instructing them to pay attention to the livelihoods of silkworm farmers and to report immediately if autumn silkworm cocoons were left uncollected.
After the autumn silkworms formed cocoons, reports from various regions gradually came in. Ten days later, the Cao Division Yamen received a thick stack of reports from all prefectures and counties concerning autumn silkworm cocoons.
Mr. Ge, Jiang Cao Division’s most trusted staff member, entered the main house of the Cao Division Yamen carrying the thick stack of reports.
“Are they all here?” Jiang Cao Division put down his brush and looked at Mr. Ge.
“They are, indeed!” Mr. Ge put down the thick stack of reports, picked up the top two summary pages, and handed them to Jiang Cao Division. “Esteemed Master, please take a look.”
After watching Jiang Cao Division carefully read through them, Mr. Ge said, “According to the reports, the collection of autumn silkworm cocoons started earliest in Pingjiang Prefecture. In just about ten days, everyone got involved. This is the situation in our Liangzhe Circuit, and it’s likely the same throughout Jiangnan.”
Jiang Cao Division grunted, his finger pointing to several prefectures and counties marked in red. “These places are still acquiring at a premium. What do you think?” Jiang Cao Division looked at Mr. Ge.
“This is the Young Lord’s strategy,” Mr. Ge replied with extreme directness and certainty.
Jiang Cao Division was silent for a moment, then sighed, “Fortunately, I listened to you and submitted that memorial to the Crown Prince.”
When the Crown Prince was staying at the Prince’s Estate villa in Hangcheng, Mr. Ge suggested he report the matter of the weaving workshops stopping work to the Crown Prince. He then wrote a secret memorial to the Crown Prince, mentioning that the weaving workshops stopping work might be related to the Capital City. Now, it seemed to be a wise decision.
“Write a good letter. This matter needs to be communicated to Prime Minister Pang,” Jiang Cao Division instructed Mr. Ge after a moment of contemplation.
Mr. Ge nodded in agreement. Just as he was about to speak, a servant announced loudly from outside, “Master, a Mr. Zhou is here to see you.”
“What Mr. Zhou?” Jiang Cao Division frowned. The announcement was vague.
Hearing the question, the servant lifted the curtain and entered the room. He walked a few steps forward and presented a calling card with both hands. “This is the calling card from that Mr. Zhou. He said you’ll know once you see it.”
Jiang Cao Division took the meticulously sealed calling card, opened it, and glanced at it. He immediately signaled the servant, “Please invite him in.”
The servant withdrew with his hands down. Jiang Cao Division looked at Mr. Ge and said, “He’s from Pingjiang City and claims to be an adviser to the Young Lord.”
Mr. Ge’s eyes widened.
“You go hide behind there and listen to the conversation,” Jiang Cao Division gestured to Mr. Ge.
Mr. Ge stood up and hid in the adjacent tea room.
Zhou Shennian followed the servant in and gave Jiang Cao Division a long cupped hand salute.
Jiang Cao Division bowed slightly in return and smiled, gesturing, “Please sit, Mr. Zhou. Did you travel all the way from Pingjiang City?”
“I came from Pingjiang City, but not specifically for this,” Zhou Shennian said with a smile after taking a seat and bowing again to thank Jiang Cao Division.
“Oh?” Jiang Cao Division raised his eyebrows, using a drawn-out “oh” to replace a direct question.
“The Prince’s Estate sent the steward stationed in Linhai Town, Old Steward He, to invite overseas merchants to Linhai Town to discuss next year’s silk business before the year ends. I accompanied He Xiangsheng, Old Steward He’s eldest son, to deliver the message to the silk guilds in various prefectures and counties. We passed by Hangcheng and requested an audience with Cao Division,” Zhou Shennian replied with a bow.
“Oh!” Jiang Cao Division’s “oh” was filled with surprise.
He hadn’t expected Zhou Shennian to get straight to the point with such important information without pleasantries. He was even more surprised that the Young Lord intended to invite overseas merchants; this was a complete move to cut off the source of their competitors.
Zhou Shennian picked up his tea cup and lowered his eyes to sip his tea.
“Last year, when He Xiangsheng and his father, Old Shopkeeper He, came to Hangcheng, I met them two or three times. Truly, a worthy son of a worthy father.”
Jiang Cao Division used these polite words to ease his surprise.
“How was your journey, Mr. Zhou and He Xiangsheng? How are the silk guilds in the various prefectures and counties?” Jiang Cao Division asked with a casual tone.
“Better than expected,” Zhou Shennian said, putting down his cup with a relaxed smile. “Before we set off from Linhai Town, Old Shopkeeper He was very worried. After all, the Jiangnan Silk General Store has controlled the Jiangnan silk industry for decades and is deeply entrenched. You know, Cao Division, that Old Shopkeeper He is a very cautious man.”
Zhou Shennian chuckled as he spoke.
“Did they all agree to come? When is it set for?” Jiang Cao Division asked immediately.
“No one has actually agreed yet, not a single one,” Zhou Shennian said, stroking his beard and smiling. “However, without a doubt, every single one will come to Linhai Town.”
Zhou Shennian paused, bowed slightly forward, and smiled, “Look at these autumn silkworm cocoons; they’re already being snatched up.”
Jiang Cao Division chuckled along. “That’s true. When is it set for?”
“That depends on when the sea merchants can arrive in Linhai Town. The earliest would be early December,” Zhou Shennian replied with a smile. He continued, “Weaving workshops are related to people’s livelihoods. Before I left, the Young Lord instructed me to report to Cao Division when passing through Hangcheng. Thanks to Cao Division’s efforts, although the weaving workshops have stopped work, there haven’t been any major disturbances.”
“I dare not accept such praise. This is all thanks to the Young Lord’s good fortune. The Young Lord cares deeply for Jiangnan and has planned meticulously,” Jiang Cao Division quickly flattered him back.
He dared not accept the phrase “thanks to me.”
“I shall not disturb Cao Division any further,” Zhou Shennian stood up and cupped his hands in farewell.
“Thank you for making the trip, Mr. Zhou. I will see you out.” Jiang Cao Division stood up and escorted Zhou Shennian out of the room. Zhou Shennian firmly stopped him, and standing at the doorway, watched Zhou Shennian leave through the second gate.
Jiang Cao Division turned back into the room and looked at Mr. Ge, who had emerged from the tea room, frowning and asking, “What do you think?”
“This is the Young Lord’s goodwill,” Mr. Ge replied.
“Mm,” Jiang Cao Division grunted, then let out a long sigh. “Such goodwill is difficult to accept.”
“The Young Lord is not what he used to be,” Mr. Ge clicked his tongue softly.
“Indeed, from his arrival in Hangcheng, from Hangcheng to Pingjiang Prefecture, and up to now, he has advanced step by step. He is truly not what he used to be!” Jiang Cao Division clicked his tongue in agreement.
Mr. Ge’s voice was very low. “The former Young Lord was slightly inferior to Young Master Pang. The current Young Lord is far superior to Young Master Pang. In my opinion, the Young Lord’s shrewdness is probably no less than Prime Minister Pang’s. Esteemed Master, you must think carefully.”
Mr. Ge’s last sentence was drawn out, carrying deep meaning.
Jiang Cao Division’s brows were tightly furrowed. After a long while, he grunted.
Prime Minister Pang was already old. Young Master Pang, the outstanding figure of the next generation of the Pang family, was a thousand miles behind his father. The Young Lord was only in his early twenties and was as close as brothers with the Crown Prince…
He really needed to consider whether his Jiang family should change their patron.
