Green Mountain

On the wall of Meirui Building hangs a bamboo plaque, with the red paper on it appearing particularly festive.

But Huang Que couldn't be happy. He calculated in his mind: at the rate of taking one for every thousand, even if one sells salt permits worth a million taels of silver, Chen Ji could only extract a thousand taels of silver.

Such a low commission is indeed enough to outshine all the brokers reselling salt permits. From now on, everyone would buy and sell salt permits at Meihua Ferry Crossing, no need to go elsewhere.

But the annual salt permit trade in the Ning Dynasty at most involves several million taels of silver, which means Chen Ji's Meihua Ferry Crossing could only earn a few thousand taels of silver each year?

Such a bit of income, it's not even as much as a small salt merchant like himself, what's the point!?

Huang Que suspiciously scrutinized Chen Ji, this bastard son of the Chen family from Fuyou Street previously had him running in circles, definitely not someone who accepts a loss easily...

Chen Ji seemed to guess his thoughts and said sincerely, "Brother Huang, no matter how you calculate, you won't find such a rate of one for every thousand anywhere else in the world, right or not?"

Huang Que, like a startled bird, didn't dare to answer hastily. He pondered for a long time and cautiously asked, "Is it one for every thousand for both buyer and seller?"

Chen Ji nodded, "Fair dealing."

Huang Que thought for a moment again, afraid of falling into a trap, "Are there any other rules for trading salt permits?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "There's one more, sellers must consign their salt permits to my Meihua Ferry Crossing, if someone pays to buy the corresponding bamboo plaque on this wall, the seller must come to deliver the salt permits within a day."

Huang Que pondered over it again and again, feeling that Chen Ji brought this rule up intentionally with hidden meaning, but the transaction being straightforward and clear-cut seemed fine as well.

Huang Que thought till his head ached but couldn't figure it out.

Chen Ji patted his shoulder, smiling as he advised, "Brother Huang, why be so cautious, as they say, for a trade, just use a reasonable price to buy what you need, why think so much?"

Suppressing his suspicions, Huang Que turned his gaze back to the bamboo plaques on the wall: "My virtuous brother Chen Ji, I want to buy a thousand permits for Cao State, a thousand for Suqian, a thousand for Huai'an ... why are the permits for Guyuan and Datong so cheap?"

Chen Ji looked at the word Guyuan and softly said, "Guyuan and Datong are both border towns with remote and bumpy journeys. If we sell Guyuan permits at four taels of silver as well, there might indeed be no salt merchants willing to transport salt there."

Huang Que was taken aback.

Chen Ji smiled slightly, "Has Brother Huang ever been to Guyuan?"

Huang Que shook his head, "Haven't had the chance to travel to Guyuan. I've heard that Guyuan is full of yellow sand, with barbarians seen everywhere in the streets. Although the grape wine of the barbarians is sweet, it's still intoxicating."

Chen Ji, while calling for someone to fetch salt permits, said with a smile, "Brother Huang, if you have the chance, you must visit, besides yellow sand and fine wine, there are a heap of foul and hard stones."

Huang Que felt a bit bewildered, who would travel thousands of miles just to see a few stones?

At this moment, a man under Brother Pao's command carried a small box over, opening the box in front of Huang Que: "In total three thousand permits, Young Master Huang Que, please inspect."

Huang Que reached out to stroke the salt permits.

He didn't quite tell the truth earlier; the salt permits purchased from the Eight Great Merchants in previous days were effectively only usable for forty percent, while the remaining sixty percent pertained to places even dogs wouldn't want to go. He either had to grit his teeth and transport salt there for meager profits, or simply sell them cheaply to brokers.

Now these three thousand permits were genuinely profitable.

Seeing his expression, Chen Ji smiled and said, "Brother Huang, do you want to buy more, since you never know if it'll be the same price next time?"

Huang brother raised his eyebrows, "Is my virtuous brother planning to raise prices on the spot again?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "Not at all. Brother Huang, I don't have many salt permits left in hand, there will be a time when they're sold out. By then, the prices other salt merchants decide to sell at will be up to them. For example, the permits for transporting to Jinling, if they want to sell at five taels of silver, they'll sell at five taels; if three taels, then three taels; it has nothing to do with me.... Brother Huang, if you had ten thousand permits for transport to the Imperial Capital, what price would you set?"

Huang Que was stunned, "At least six taels. The Imperial Capital is very close to Changlu Salt Field, with a dry climate, smooth official roads, and no worry of no market... The work of Imperial Capital salt merchants is the easiest."

Chen Ji acknowledged, "If in the 32nd year of Jaining it's rainy, would the salt permits rise or fall in price?"

Huang Que affirmed, "If it's rainy, it will reduce salt production, salt prices will rise, and naturally, the permits allowing salt from Changlu would rise correspondingly as well."

Chen Ji closed the box in the man's arms, "Therefore, the price of the salt permits at my Meihua Ferry Crossing is also variable."

Huang Que nodded, "Understood, I'll write a letter home right away..."

After Huang Que hurriedly left carrying the box, Brother Pao and Shen Ye came down from the second floor.

Shen Ye looked at the bamboo plaques on the wall, jokingly said, "Earlier I was puzzled about what business my virtuous brother wanted to do, turns out from the start you didn't care about transporting or selling salt, but wanted to be the banker."

Chen Ji didn't answer.

Shen Ye thought for a moment, "But there are three things I, Shen, don't understand. First, the one in a thousand commission is still too low, I don't believe my virtuous brother is interested in a business of merely a few thousand taels a year; second, does the court allow this business? Don't lose your head over a few thousand taels; third, if the court allows this business, you can do it, but other salt merchants can do it too, how will that be resolved?"

Chen Ji didn't answer.

At this moment, a knocking sound was heard outside Meirui Building.

Meirui Building's door wasn't closed, everyone turned to look, just in time to see a young woman smiling and knocking on the red gate: "May I come in, young woman?"

The girl wore a light blue high-neck jacket, with the clothing reaching past her waist; underneath, a dark blue satin embroidered skirt, with gold thread embroidery; wearing pointed, upturned embroidered shoes, her hair accessories were simpler, just a jade hairpin tying her hair. Naturally beautiful, without makeup.

At first sight of the young woman, one thought she resembled a gardenia, but upon a second look, she seemed like a lotus.

Chen Ji looked questioningly at Brother Pao, "Who's this?"

Brother Pao explained, "This is the recently famous Liu Xingshou from the Imperial Capital, who left White Jade Garden yesterday to borrow residency at our Meihua Ferry Crossing for a year. Since Liu Xingshou arrived, our Meihua Ferry Crossing's business has quadrupled."

Chen Ji was cautious at heart, wondering why the person had suddenly come to Meihua Ferry Crossing when they were doing just fine at White Jade Garden.

Liu Xingshou stepped over the threshold with her hands behind her back, sizing up Chen Ji with a smiling face, "This must be the landlord, isn't it? You haven't seen this concubine, but I have seen you. Back in Luocheng City, you were carried to the embroidery building by the Princely Heir, but you left without even meeting. The few verses the Princely Heir left for me at the embroidery building, I have kept until now. I was on the second floor watching you and your friends fooling around, making people envious."

Chen Ji felt a moment of disorientation, as if he suddenly returned to Baiyi Lane in Luocheng City.

He cupped his hands, "So it is Liu Xingshou. With you borrowing residence at Meihua Ferry Crossing, it truly adds luster to the humble place."

Liu Xingshou didn't perform a formal bow but mimicked Chen Ji's cupping gesture, "The landlord is gracious. In the future, I, Liu Su, will be making a living under your hand. Please take care of me."

This Liu Xingshou did not seem like a brothel woman; she rather resembled a fair-skinned scholar.

In the conversation, Shen Ye suddenly spoke up, "Liu Xingshou, it's been a while."

Liu Su's gaze crossed over Chen Ji, "Ah, it is Young Master Shen from the Huqiu Poetry Society, goodbye."

Shen Ye wondered aloud, "Why is it that Liu Xingshou leaves upon seeing me?"

Liu Su didn't turn back as she said, "In the 29th year of Jaining, during the floral competition in Jinling, Young Master Shen wrote ten poems for my rival girl 'Huai Rou,' helping her win the title at once. I hold a grudge!"

Shen Ye laughed heartily, "Liu Xingshou, don't be angry. When I sing outside Eastern Hua Gate and become the top scholar, I'll write ten poems for you to make your name known throughout the world!"

Liu Su's footsteps didn't halt, her voice floated back from afar, "Haha, anyone can boast, talk to me again when you've become the top scholar!"

Chen Ji looked at Liu Su, then at Shen Ye.

Shen Ye, embarrassed, said, "Brother Chen Ji, pardon my embarrassment."

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Why didn't Brother Shen help Liu Xingshou win the floral competition back then?"

Shen Ye sighed, "Brother, you don't know, girl Huai Rou was indeed much prettier than Liu Xingshou..."

...

...

At night.

Chen Ji sat alone in the Plum Blossom Pavilion with his eyes closed, resting while waiting for someone.

Today Meihua Ferry Crossing was much more lively than usual; even the back door was filled with carriages of officials and nobles, all for Liu Xingshou. The peculiar thing was that while ordinary oirans could only attract male guests, Liu Xingshou could draw a group of noble ladies dressed as men, eager for a glimpse of her beauty.

Chen Ji did not concern himself with these, quietly waiting.

It wasn't until the wine banquet at Meihua Ferry Crossing dispersed and the night watchman outside started shouting "No illness, no calamity, all safe and sound" that there was movement at the back door.

He opened his eyes to see Bai Long, dressed in all white, approaching. In the moonlight, the white garment seemed to glow. Behind Bai Long, more than twenty black-clad spies followed, carrying over ten boxes.

Bai Long casually said, "Just place the boxes outside the pavilion; you all wait outside the door."

The spies silently put down the boxes and turned to leave. Bai Long walked into the Plum Blossom Pavilion and sat opposite Chen Ji, "You've rendered a merit to His Majesty, yet you have inconvenienced me to personally deliver the salt permit to you in the dead of night. Quite capable, aren't you?"

Chen Ji puzzled, "Isn't this a matter for the Chen family?"

Bai Long replied with indifference, "The Chen family handles the Ministry of Revenue's salt permit, and the Silver Coin from their sales go to the national treasury. I'm escorting salt permits from the Inner Court, and the proceeds go into the Inner Treasury. According to custom, His Majesty grants thirty thousand salt permits to the Inner Court every year. You can go ahead and sell them."

Chen Ji understood now; these thirty thousand permits were Emperor Ning's private money and were to be sold covertly.

Bai Long asked, "How long will it take to sell these salt permits?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Three months."

Bai Long suddenly stood up straight, "Delivering His Majesty's verbal edict."

Chen Ji lifted his garment and bowed on the ground, "I await the decree of Your Majesty."

Bai Long arrogantly said, "You even dared to part with six hundred thousand taels of Silver; what do you seek in exchange from me?"

Chen Ji was momentarily taken aback before he realized that the verbal edict was Bai Long imitating Emperor Ning's tone in asking.

He bowed his head in silence for a moment, "I only wish to alleviate the worries for Your Majesty..."

Bai Long impatiently retorted, "Spare me the nonsense."

Chen Ji calmly stated, "I wish to bring Rochusaga out of Yuanjue Temple; it's a promise I made to the little monk."

Bai Long turned and walked toward the outside of Meihua Ferry Crossing, "Go home and wait for the news then."

Chen Ji breathed a sigh of relief and slowly rose from the ground.

Just as he was dusting off his knees, Bai Long halted under the moonlight and turned to look back, "I thought you'd want to use this chance to restore Prince Jing and the Commandery Princess; why did you not mention it?"

Chen Ji softly replied, "I know these Silver Coin are not enough."

Bai Long continued walking outward, "Keeping a few pieces of clarity and not being haughty is good. I won't let your efforts be in vain; I will find a way to have you two meet soon."

Chen Ji bowed deeply and cupped his hands, "Thank you, Lord Bai Long."