Green Mountain

The government officers from Shuntian Prefecture came, intending to apprehend the people of Meihua Ferry Crossing, but now they have no leads.

With a dejected expression, Chen Bin led his men away from Meihua Ferry Crossing, while Brother Pao cupped his hands toward those around him: "Sorry to disturb everyone. Today's drinks and meals are fully covered by Meihua Ferry Crossing."

The audience applauded enthusiastically.

On the third floor of Red Plum Building, only Chen Ji and Chen Yue remained seated facing each other, with a songstress playing the pipa not far away.

The atmosphere was cold and silent.

Chen Yue, the Store Manager, looked at Chen Ji who raised his cup toward him. He hesitated for a long time but eventually picked up his own cup.

However, instead of drinking, he gently poured the wine onto the wooden floor of Red Plum Building.

Chen Ji smiled and asked, "What's the Store Manager doing?"

Chen Yue set the empty cup on the table and sighed softly: "I offer a toast to myself in advance, otherwise there'd be no wine to drink once underground."

Chen Ji poured him another cup of wine: "Does the Store Manager have any regrets?"

Chen Yue stared at the wine cup for a long time, then laughed freely: "What do I have to regret?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Chen Yue pressed both hands on his knees, his gaze drifting as he looked at the moon outside Red Plum Building: "If I had not left home and come to the Imperial Capital at that time, I wouldn't know there are such prosperous places in the world, nor would I know there are so many beautiful ladies. I've enjoyed all the blessings I could and committed all the sins I could. There's nothing to lament."

At this point, he suddenly changed the subject: "Landlord, do you know how I became the Store Manager?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I never investigated."

Chen Yue chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Indeed, no one else cares about these trivial matters. When I was a young apprentice, I didn't even receive a monthly salary. I only got to eat after the clerks and Cabinet Heads had finished, sometimes there was food, sometimes there wasn't. In the 7th year of Jianing, a heavy snowstorm collapsed the salt warehouse in the Imperial Capital, and with the snowmelt threatening the salt, I braced the split wooden beam myself, becoming a pillar, thus gaining the salt shop three more hours."

"When they finally rescued the salt, I was frozen stiff, and it took three days of rest in bed to recover my life. At that time, Store Manager Chen Hui praised me for my merit in saving the salt and promoted me to warehouse supervisor."

"In the 13th year of Jianing, Chen Family Salt Shop incurred animosity with Cao Guild, which then sank several rotten ships in the shallows, preventing our salt shop's boats from passing. Store Manager brought men to argue, but in a clash, they were detained by the Cao Guild. At that time, the Cao Guild was in its prime due to its services in the government, and they froze the men side by side on the masts without mercy. Everyone in the salt shop dared not speak."

"It was me who ventured to the Cao Guild alone, and I knelt in the shallows for a whole day and night. The Cao Guild master admired my loyalty and released Store Manager Chen Hui. The following year, Store Manager promoted me to second shopkeeper."

Chen Ji curiously asked, "Then how did you become the Store Manager?"

Chen Yue laughed heartily: "In the 20th year of Jianing, I obtained evidence of Store Manager's embezzlement. Store Manager Chen Hui was executed by the second master, and I became the new Store Manager. Landlord, you may call me cunning or despicable, but looking over these thirty years, I am not entirely without merit. Today I lost, but I did win once."

Chen Ji glanced at the wine cup in front of Chen Yue: "Now that you've said your piece, have a cup of wine before you go."

Chen Yue picked up the wine cup and drank it all at once: "Landlord, the ledger of the private salt accounts is buried under my home's stove, with evidence of all the managers' embezzlement and private salt distribution."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Why give it to me?"

Chen Yue stood up, holding his large belly with both hands: "For twelve years, I've been guarding against those people stepping on me to rise, never having a good night's sleep. Now that I'm leaving, Landlord, you mustn't let them have it easy."

He walked toward the stairs and stopped suddenly as he passed the songstress with the pipa.

Chen Yue took off a string of Buddhist Treasure from his wrist and handed it to her, whispering: "This is 1,800 taels of silver. Take it and leave the Imperial Capital."

The songstress took it in a daze: "Why would you..."

Chen Yue smiled slightly: "A petty person like me came to the Imperial Capital with nothing but my life. I brought nothing when I arrived, and there's nothing I need to bring when I leave."

He turned back to look at Chen Ji: "Landlord, this Imperial Capital is a dog-fighting arena, where defeated dogs arrive every day, and defeated dogs leave. Today it's me, but next time it could be you."

With that, he turned and descended the stairs, slowly making his way out of Meihua Ferry Crossing, heading east along Baishun Alley.

At the alley's entrance, Chen Yue felt briefly bewildered, unsure of where to go.

At this moment, a carriage stopped in front of him, and an Executive Officer, who often accompanied Chen Lizhi, calmly said: "Get in the carriage, Manager Chen, Second Master is waiting for you by Mountain and River Altar."

Chen Yue smiled self-deprecatingly, took one last look at the brightly-lit Baishun Alley behind him, then laboriously climbed into the carriage: "Let's go, maybe getting there first will let me choose a good place."

...

...

The night deepens.

The music ends and the people disperse.

Chen Ji sat in Plum Blossom Pavilion, lost in thought. Brother Pao sat opposite him, slowly stuffing tobacco, and remarked with his head lowered: "It will take a long time before people realize that the most important thing in business isn't profit, but cash flow. With cash in your hand, you have power. Without cash in your hand, you're just like meat in the market."

Chen Ji remained lost in thought.

Brother Pao waved the smoking pipe in front of him: "What are you thinking about?"

Chen Ji returned to his senses and advised: "With the private accounts of the Chen Family Salt Shop obtained, owning the salt shop entirely is assured. You become the Store Manager, let Huang Que choose someone to be the second shopkeeper in charge of private salt affairs. With this title from the Chen family, private salt can stand in the sun."