Green Mountain

The next evening, at the Chen Family Salt Shop.

Six second shopkeepers who were held here under soft imprisonment clamored: "Chen Yue deceived us by claiming there was an important matter to discuss. When we arrived, we were confined here. Where is the law?"

"What right does Chen Yue have to imprison us here? It has been two days. We are the second shopkeepers of the salt shop, not his household slaves!"

The workers at the salt shop quietly endured the scolding, continuously serving them tea and apologizing without any mistreatment.

But if any shopkeeper wanted to leave, it was not allowed.

Second Shopkeeper Zhou, with a head full of white hair, sat slowly on a rattan chair supported by a bamboo cane: "Come to think about it, Chen Yue still has to call me uncle-in-law. Is this how he treats his elders?"

At this moment, Chen Yue's voice came from outside: "Once this matter is resolved, I don't mind addressing you as uncle-in-law. But before I deal with that kid Chen Ji, you are merely the second shopkeeper of the salt shop, and I am the Store Manager."

Chen Yue lifted the curtain and stepped into the backyard, glaring fiercely at the six second shopkeepers.

Second Shopkeeper Zhou remained silent for a moment: "Even if you are the Store Manager, you should not imprison us here."

Chen Yue brushed off the dust from his embroidered robe: "Don't think I don't know, Zhou Jiye, you old thing, that you went to the Zhuozheng Garden of the main house a few days ago. Who knows what you went there for?"

"And Chen Wen, Second Shopkeeper Chen, it was you who reported us to the main house the year before last, exposing our private salt trading. Do you think you can be the Store Manager once I'm brought down? Dream on!"

Chen Yue sat across from the six, his eyes sinister as he scanned each person: "In the past, I didn't want to bother with you, but now is a critical time. I borrowed 150,000 taels of silver from the Second Master, spent 20,000 to buy off borderline people, 50,000 to bribe the newly appointed Shuntian Prefect, and 80,000 at a high price to buy salt permits. If anything goes wrong, I certainly won't survive."

Second Shopkeeper Zhou coughed twice: "If you had backed down earlier, you could have returned to your hometown Lu State. I know you have acquired 800 mu of farmland there, you could live comfortably."

Chen Yue sneered: "I came to the Imperial Capital to seek refuge with the main house, starting as a young apprentice at the salt shop. It took me five years to earn a monthly salary, and another thirteen years to become the Store Manager. Now I'm forty-six. Gentlemen, it took me eighteen full years to get here, and another twelve to secure this position. I've spent thirty years being a watchdog for others, not to go back home and farm."

Second Shopkeeper Zhou advised earnestly: "But now you're no longer that barefoot countryman, why take the gamble?"

Chen Yue's expression softened, and he smiled: "I dared to gamble thirty years ago, and I'll dare to gamble thirty years later as well. Otherwise, why am I the Store Manager while you're the second shopkeeper?"

He stood up and walked outside: "Today's the day it will be decided if it works out. If it does, I'll hold a banquet in Baishun Alley later, cutting off a finger to apologize to each of you, and we'll earn big money together in the future. If it doesn't, I'll have people deliver the salt shop's private account books from these years to the main house, so none of us will survive."

Second Shopkeeper Zhou and the others, upon hearing this, got up and cursed angrily: "Chen Yue, you have the guts to hand over the account books?!"

"Chen Yue, you bastard!"

But Chen Yue was indifferent, getting into the sedan chair in front: "Start off, to Meihua Ferry Crossing!"

...

...

In the night, the sedan chair reached Baishun Alley, where Chen Bin had already led people to wait.

Seeing Chen Yue's sedan chair arrive, he immediately stepped forward to lift the curtain: "Store Manager, everyone is here."

Chen Yue sat in the sedan solemnly: "This is not yet the busiest time at Meihua Ferry Crossing. You wait until 7 p.m. to go. At that time, when they can't produce the salt permit or return the Silver Coin, make a scene at the Cold Plum Building where Liu Xingshou resides, and in front of the officials! Let everyone know about the fraud at Meihua Ferry Crossing!"

Chen Bin quietly responded.

Chen Yue continued to instruct: "Cause a commotion for two hours first. After everyone knows about it, then go report to the Shuntian Prefecture Government Office, get Chen Ji and the others arrested and thrown into jail. Don't worry, I've arranged everything, there will be no mistakes."

Chen Bin responded again.

Chen Yue waved his hand: "Go."

Chen Yue got off the sedan and walked up the Red Plum Building nonchalantly, sitting at the rail where he had sat yesterday, quietly overlooking the entire scene.

Waiting.

In another two hours, this storm would be over.

The sound of strings and woodwind rose from within the Red Plum Building, drawing Chen Yue's gaze.

Meihua Ferry Crossing had five buildings.

"Cold Plum Building" is where the Oiran resides, now handed over to Liu Xingshou, who is registered here, with maidservants and servants she brought from Jinling.

With Liu Su's prestige, the guests she attracts are all prominent figures, no longer mere novices the brothel landlords can manipulate. The profits from Cold Plum Building need to be split 50% with her.

"Red Plum Building" is a restaurant, with unadorned songstresses playing instruments and singing at the table.

Unadorned means untouched. Their presence here is to await a wealthy patron, to spend lavishly on hosting a Peach Blossom Banquet, after which the songstress becomes exclusive to that patron until the patron becomes weary.

The songstresses' good days don't last long, as patrons quickly find favor with other songstresses, leaving the spurned ones with no choice but to go to White Plum Building.

"White Plum Building" is a pleasure house, a retirement place for former top courtesans, occasionally visited by generous patrons out of nostalgia.

"Green Plum Building" is where the official courtesans reside, who sell art but not themselves, often visited by literary men and scholars for drinks.

"Meirui Building" was originally where red courtesans resided, but now Brother Pao has turned it into a place for salt permit trading. The red courtesans who sold themselves here back then were released from slavery by Brother Pao and given travel expenses.

As for where they choose to go after leaving Meihua Ferry Crossing, Brother Pao doesn't concern himself.