Green Mountain

Meirui Building.

Chen Ji stood under the lamp, flipping through the ledger.

Shen Ye, reeking of alcohol, stumbled down from the second floor and said with a smile, "No wonder earlier Brother Chen advised me to go upstairs for a bit; turns out it was to say such harsh words to Brother Huang. I did all the hard work of writing letters to so many salt merchants for you... I made it clear in my letters—two taels for a salt permit, how am I supposed to wrap this up now."

Chen Ji turned back and sincerely said, "I apologize to Brother Shen, but whether it's the salt merchants called by Brother Shen or Brother Huang, I will provide an explanation afterward."

"I don't mind these things," Shen Ye said, holding a wine jug, "after all, the salt merchants have already made a fortune, letting them bleed a little is not a problem, just don't let me bleed," he continued, "but your way of doing things, Brother Chen, seems a bit too ruthless, unlike a scholar."

Chen Ji replied calmly, "I am not a scholar."

Shen Ye snorted with a smile, "Last time I visited, you didn't even offer me a drink; this time, although you've prepared a feast, you want to burden me with such a big criticism. Brother Chen, your wine isn't that palatable."

Despite his complaints, as he walked out of Meirui Building, he waved, "Leaving now, will come again tomorrow."

Chen Ji closed the ledger and calmly asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll scheme against you again, Brother Shen?"

Shen Ye laughed heartily, "Brother Chen spoke such harsh words against his conscience, I must come to see what play you're acting out."

At this moment, Second Manager Ye led over a dozen men to the back door of Meihua Ferry Crossing. The guarding man stopped them, "What is your business?"

Chen Zhe imitated, "Brave man, we are guests of Young Master Chen."

The man's gaze swept over them, "Only those involved in the affair may enter, the rest stay here."

Second Manager Ye said arrogantly, "We're here with silver to do business, make way."

The man looked at the dozen people in front of him, then repeated expressionlessly, "The landlord of Meihua Ferry Crossing isn't someone you can mess with at will. Only those involved may enter, or leave."

Second Manager Ye stood at the door for a moment, then suddenly smiled broadly and turned to the men behind him, "You all stay here. I don't think there will be any danger inside Meihua Ferry Crossing."

The man stepped aside, and Chen Zhe led Second Manager Ye straight to Meirui Building, just in time to bump into Shen Ye staggering out.

Shen Ye tilted his head and scrutinized them from the roadside. As Second Manager Ye passed by him, he instinctively waved away the smell of alcohol from his nose, yet Shen Ye turned and followed them back into Meirui Building.

Second Manager Ye quickened his pace, and once he stepped over the threshold of Meirui Building, he first carefully observed the bookkeepers behind the long table before noticing Chen Ji holding a ledger.

Upon seeing someone arrive, Chen Ji immediately closed the ledger, "I just saw you before, why have you returned?"

Chen Zhe introduced, "Young Master Chen, this is the manager from our salt enterprise. I informed him about the salt permits, and he rushed here to see you."

Second Manager Ye politely cupped his hands, "Young Master Chen, I am here to purchase salt permits."

Chen Ji flipped through the ledger in his hand, "You know the rules, right? Four taels of silver per permit."

Second Manager Ye shook his head slightly, "No, I won't buy piecemeal. I want to purchase 300,000 permits at the price of two taels each."

"Oh?" Chen Ji sized up Second Manager Ye, and after a moment, replied indifferently, "Not selling."

Second Manager Ye squinted, "Not selling? Didn't Young Master Chen just say you would sell?"

Chen Ji tossed the ledger onto the nearby table, speaking leisurely, "Just a pretext. Tell me, even if I price the permits at four taels of silver, plenty of people would still want them. Why should I sell cheaply at two taels?"

Second Manager Ye remained calm, "Are you suggesting Young Master Chen intends to sell to those illegal salt dealers? Wealthy people do not take risks; those illegal salt dealers live recklessly. Why get mixed up with them? Aren't you afraid someday they might lose their heads and spill blood on your boots?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "No need to threaten me. Since you're here, you must understand what I rely on to hold my ground in the Eight Great Hutongs. I'm already stained with blood, a few more drops won't scare me. Besides, you call those buyers illegal salt dealers, are they really? I could say the same about you."

Second Manager Ye's heart skipped a beat, "I'm not."

Chen Ji smiled, "Why so nervous, manager? I merely made an offhand remark. So, four taels of silver per permit, buying?"

Seeing they couldn't come to terms, Second Manager Ye cupped his hands, "Then I shall take my leave..."

But just then, Chen Zhe suddenly said, "Four taels, we'll buy 10,000 permits."

Second Manager Ye turned angrily to Chen Zhe and said in a low voice, "When did you get to call the shots?"

Chen Zhe spoke quietly, "Shopkeeper Ye, this is the Store Manager's intention, please follow it."

Second Manager Ye was left speechless.

Chen Ji interrupted the two, "Are you buying or not?"

Chen Zhe looked at Chen Ji, "Buy."

Chen Ji smiled, "I've changed my mind again, four taels of silver for 150,000 permits. The silver you brought should be just enough... still buying?"

Chen Zhe hesitated.

Chen Ji waved his hand, "See them out."

Hearing this, Chen Zhe gritted his teeth and said, "Buy!"

Chen Ji gestured to his back, and Brother Pao, accompanied by Er Dao and his gang, brought in seven wooden chests and placed them before Chen Zhe, "Count them."

Chen Zhe opened the chests, untying the hemp ropes from each bundle of salt permits, and only after confirming they were genuine did he feel at ease, "Young Master Chen, our people are outside. Kindly allow them to carry the chests out."

Chen Ji shook his head, "No need, our people will help carry them out for you."

Brother Pao waved to several of his underlings.