Lu Wulang stayed until dusk, departing only when the evening drums sounded. With the gathering dispersed, Mudan hurried to find Fourth Brother Liang, asking him to take her to Zhang Wulang before leaving. She wanted to use Zhang’s connections to spread the word that she was already booking next year’s flower heads, hoping to gauge Cao Wanrong’s reaction.
Though He Zhizhong and the others knew Mudan had returned, they hadn’t yet seen her. They were delighted when she entered, inviting her to sit and asking about her trip. He Zhizhong was particularly interested in how the jin silk turned out, immediately inquiring about it. Mudan, now feeling somewhat uneasy about the topic, gave a vague response: “It’s been grafted. It’s growing well, and Master Jiang is satisfied. He also helped me find a good gardener.” She then eagerly changed the subject: “Father, which brothers are you taking with you this time? How long will you be gone?”
Noticing her evasiveness, He Zhizhong understood and didn’t press further. Following her lead, he smiled and said, “I’m taking your eldest brother, third brother, and fourth brother with me. Your second, fifth, and sixth brothers will stay home. Consult with them if you need anything. As for the duration, it could be up to a year, or at least seven to eight months, but we’ll return.”
Mudan felt reluctant. “Such a long time? Which places will you visit?”
He Zhizhong beckoned her to sit beside him and explained their route in detail, listing various ancient locations and countries. Mudan listened, bewildered by the unfamiliar names, only grasping that it was a long, winding journey. “Oh my, I can’t remember all that. Father, just tell me the farthest place you might reach.”
Stroking his beard, He Zhizhong smiled, “With favorable winds, we could reach Wula country in about 87 days from Guangzhou. If we want to go further, we could switch to smaller boats and travel by land for a thousand li to reach Baghdad, the capital of Dashi country.”
Mudan knew of Baghdad but was surprised by how far He Zhizhong planned to travel. Concerned about the safety of sea travel in those times, she asked, “Such a distant journey?”
He Zhizhong laughed, “Of course not that far. I’m just telling you for fun. We won’t go to Baghdad. We’ll just buy spices and jewels from countries along the way. If the weather and winds are good, we’ll be back soon.”
The eldest brother joked, “Who knows, by the time we return, your Fang Garden might have already broken even. We’ll have to make sure you treat us well with some of those profits.”
Mudan smiled, “It won’t be that quick. By my calculations, it’ll take at least three years to recover the initial investment.”
Sixth Brother chimed in, “That’s not necessarily true. If nobles visit the garden and take a liking to it, they might bestow thousands in gold at once. I’ve heard Zhang Wulang makes quite a profit from cockfighting. When noble young masters come to watch, he often steps in to help select fighting cocks. If they win, he gets a share of the winnings and rewards.”
Mudan replied, “Waiting for noble patronage is unpredictable. We can’t count on that. We need to rely on solid, steady income.”
He Zhizhong addressed Sixth Brother, “Listen to what your sister is saying. How many times have I told you not to always hope for windfall profits? Even if gold did fall from the sky, you’d have to consider whether you’re lucky enough not to be crushed by it! It’s better to be practical.”
Sixth Brother shrugged, “I know, I was just saying. I’m just hoping Dan Niang has good luck and makes money quickly.”
He Zhizhong frowned, “While we’re gone, you need to follow your second and fifth brothers’ lead. Don’t wander around aimlessly. Spend more time with your wife.”
While He Zhizhong was lecturing Sixth Brother, Mudan pulled Fourth Brother aside to discuss seeking Zhang Wulang’s help. Fourth Brother smiled, “That’s easy. I’ll take you to see him first thing tomorrow morning.”
Sixth Brother, who had been listening in, perked up, “I want to go too!”
He Zhizhong frowned, “Why are you trying to join in?”
Sixth Brother smiled apologetically, “Fourth Brother has always managed the spice shops in the East Market. I’m not familiar with the people there, and I’m afraid some might try to take advantage of me. Zhang Wulang is well-connected in the East Market. If I become friends with him, those troublemakers won’t dare cause problems. It’s for the sake of business.”
He Zhizhong found this reasoning somewhat sensible but remained concerned. He warned, “In any case, I’ve given you fair warning. If you don’t shape up, don’t blame me for not being fatherly.”
Sixth Brother was displeased, responding half-jokingly, half-complainingly, “Father, please don’t always think I’m just playing around. I’m old enough to know what’s important. You’ve taught me well, can’t you trust me? Besides, don’t I have Second Brother and Fifth Brother watching over me?”
He Zhizhong sighed without responding, then turned to Mudan, “While I’m away, take care of yourself. Don’t overwork, and spend more time with your mother when you’re free.” He paused, lovingly stroking Mudan’s hair, and added in a low voice, “Well, I won’t say much more. You know what to do. We don’t need to aim too high but don’t sell yourself short either. If someone is good, seize the opportunity.”
Mudan couldn’t help but look up at He Zhizhong, “Father, I’m very nervous right now.”
He Zhizhong furrowed his brow and took her hand, “It’s too noisy here. Let’s go to the study and talk in private.”
Mudan briefly recounted the recent events to He Zhizhong, then said, “I was thinking as you said before, not aiming too high nor selling myself short. I thought if he was truly good and suitable, I wouldn’t refuse, and we could get to know each other slowly. If we both felt it was right, I wouldn’t overthink it. But now, with the current situation, I’m really afraid of a repeat of what happened with the Li family. Moreover, I’m not sure I truly understand what kind of person he is, and I feel insecure.”
Madam Cui had acted alone behind Li Xing and Li Yuan’s backs, borrowing the influence of Concubine Meng from Prince Ning’s household. It seemed dangerous, but there were many opportunities to resolve it. However, if it were Duke Zhu instead, it would be a different story. Duke Zhu probably wouldn’t use the unreasonable, indefensible methods of Madam Cui and Concubine Meng. He might start with courtesy before resorting to force, but if they didn’t comply, he had many ways to deal with them. He didn’t need to do anything dramatic; just daily harassment of the He family’s business would be enough to cause trouble, and they wouldn’t be able to gather evidence or find a place to complain.
This was just one aspect. There was also Jiang Changyang. Mudan hadn’t known him for very long, and their actual interactions were limited. They hadn’t discussed their hearts or life ideals, and there was still much about him that she didn’t know. In modern times, they would probably date for years before considering marriage. But in this era, people could decide on lifelong partners after just one meeting, hearing about a good reputation, or even without ever meeting or hearing about each other.
Her situation with Jiang Changyang was already much better than those blind marriages. So Jiang Changyang might think he knew her well enough now, that she met his requirements, and that he was satisfied and could marry her. But how deep his feelings for her were, to what extent, she couldn’t know just from a few words he said.
In the past, whether facing Liu Chang or Li Xing, she had always had the upper hand. She knew Liu Chang’s temperament well and could easily provoke him and lead him by the nose. She was very familiar with Li Xing and didn’t have to worry about him hurting her. But Jiang Changyang was different. His behavior that day had overturned her previous understanding of him. He trusted his own eyes and ears more, not easily deceived by surface appearances. He was bold and thick-skinned. She wasn’t familiar with him and wasn’t sure if she could handle him. To what extent he might go with her, whether he would hurt her, were all unknowns.
He Zhizhong paced back and forth in the study a couple of times, then said, “This matter isn’t difficult to handle. There are some things you can’t say, so I’ll go ask. I couldn’t say much before when he hadn’t expressed himself clearly, but now that he’s said these things to you, let me handle it.”
Mudan hesitated, “Won’t that seem inappropriate? As if I’m pushing him… And Duke Zhu is also there…”
He Zhizhong couldn’t help but laugh, “What’s inappropriate about it? Since he dared to say such things and do such things to my daughter, it’s only natural for me as a father to ask him what he means. If he’s sincere and truly capable of resolving things as he says, then you can wait for good news. If he dares to trifle with my daughter, your brothers will still beat him black and blue!”
Mudan remembered when her eldest brother had angrily beaten Liu Chang. She couldn’t help but smile, hugging He Zhizhong’s arm and acting coyly, “It’s so good to have you and my brothers.” After a moment, she added, “He also punched Liu Chang twice.”
He Zhizhong laughed, “Daring to hit Liu Chang isn’t anything special; even Zhang Wulang has beaten him before. But you’re right, one can never truly know another’s heart. I’ll have to use these old eyes of mine to take a good look for you. We’ve already made one mistake; we can’t make another.”
He sighed, stroking Mudan’s hair, “My dear Dan Niang, how fleeting is life! Youth passes in the blink of an eye. I remember going to sea just a few times, and suddenly you’ve all grown up, and your mother and I have grown old. Your father worries for you.”
Mudan felt a mix of emotions – softness, bitterness, and warmth in her heart. She rested her head on his knee and said softly, “Father, I don’t want you to go on such a long journey.”
He Zhizhong chuckled softly, “Such a big girl, still so clingy. Aren’t you afraid your nieces and nephews will laugh if they see you? Alright, go rest early. Don’t you have important matters to attend to tomorrow? My time is tight; I need to think about how to deal with Jiang Chengfeng after I arrange to meet him.”