Having accepted her identity, everything that followed became much easier.
Phoenix Alliance was originally built single-handedly by Qin Chang Ge, extremely secretive, always operating under the guise of merchants, appearing to be ordinary traders.
Xiao Jue had vaguely discovered she had external forces, and following the most reasonable assumption, Qin Chang Ge must have established martial arts forces. With her intelligence, the martial arts forces she established would certainly be the fastest-developing and most powerful, which is why he went after the currently most powerful Blazing Flame Gang.
He didn’t know that all Qin Chang Ge wanted was to keep a low profile and remain inconspicuous.
Phoenix Alliance started with the most ordinary lumber business, with all external affairs handled by Qi Fan’s younger brother Qi Heng under the name “Heng Records.” They first transported timber from Yan State to Liang State for profit, initially opening coffin shops – this was naturally Qin Chang Ge’s mischievous taste. Her coffin shop had good wood quality, fine craftsmanship, and fair prices, making it quite popular. As it grew larger, they gradually expanded into long-distance trade, selling Xiliang’s abundant silk to the hot climate of Li Nation, then bringing back the coral and pearls that were sold cheaply all over Li Nation’s streets. Along the way, they recruited skilled craftsmen from Central Chuan, bringing them back to Xiliang with high salaries. High-quality items were carefully made into jewelry and sold to the imperial palace and wealthy households. Even lower-quality items were meticulously designed and displayed prominently in shops with ingenious styles and reasonable prices that people couldn’t resist buying.
When Qin Chang Ge was in good spirits, she would personally design patterns for craftsmen to make. After wearing them twice, they would immediately become fashionable in Xiliang. Heng Records’ jewelry shops would be the first to display jewelry identical to what the Empress had worn. Following Qin Chang Ge’s instructions, they couldn’t make many – at most five sets, with no fixed price, going to the highest bidder. As the saying goes, rarity makes things precious. Each time jewelry came out, the entire city would swarm to compete. Wives and daughters of high officials and nobles would send servants to guard the shop doors all night, often fighting until their heads were bloodied, all to snatch those “masterpiece” pearl flowers.
Other shops were envious and made imitations to sell, but they ultimately couldn’t match the refinement and accuracy of Heng Records’ products. Over time, only jewelry with Heng Records’ black background and red Lingxiao flower emblem could represent nobility and honor. Wearing imitations from other shops would actually invite ridicule.
As for “buying when cheap, selling when expensive” – buying grain during harvest seasons and selling silk and lacquer, purchasing silk when silkworms were marketed and selling grain; “treating customers like gods with small profits and high turnover” – giving discounts to any wealthy household’s first visit; “knowing the land to win, choosing locations to generate wealth” – regardless of distance, choosing places conducive to commercial development, mostly selecting north-south transportation hubs with convenient water transport and frequent cargo traffic, adapting local trade practices. All sorts of tea, salt, silk, and fabrics brought profit. All these honest, trustworthy, and shrewd merchant practices made Phoenix Alliance’s commercial methods increasingly masterful under the guidance of Qin Chang Ge, who came from Thousand Extremes Gate and was almost omnipotent. In just a few years, they had developed into a wealthy power capable of influencing Liang State’s economic situation.
“Miss Ming,” after repeatedly questioning and testing old matters, even setting numerous traps in conversation, Qin Chang Ge had met every challenge perfectly. Even private matters unknown to others about Ruiyi were answered fluently. Qi Fan finally believed this woman was indeed the Empress’s trusted confidant, because many things could only be known if the Empress had personally spoken of them. The Empress had always been skilled at judging people – those she favored had never been misjudged. Having settled his mind, Qi Fan finally poured a cup of tea and placed it on another, higher coffin. “Observing your conduct, one can tell you’re extraordinary. I naturally have absolute trust in our master’s judgment. Our master was murdered, and Phoenix Alliance members are filled with grief and indignation beyond words. For years we’ve lurked and investigated, painstakingly planning, waiting for the most opportune moment to deliver a fatal blow to our enemies. However, the truth remains deeply hidden and unclear. We watch time pass while our master’s grievances remain unavenged – we truly cannot eat or sleep peacefully. Unfortunately, when it rains, it pours. Recently, Phoenix Alliance has encountered troublesome matters. Since you’ve come, this is good – we now have a backbone, so naturally we fear nothing.”
The test had come. Qin Chang Ge lowered her eyes and smiled. That little fellow Qi Fan still had the same nature – appearing frivolous and comical but actually cautious and cunning. How could he easily trust a new master who dropped into Phoenix Alliance from nowhere? Finding some problems to create difficulties – first to see her heart, second to see if her handling style was worth serving. If she couldn’t pass, Qin Chang Ge believed Qi Fan wouldn’t be like Rong Xiaotian, hesitating and protecting due to considerations of the Phoenix Command and their former master’s dying wishes. He would directly kick her out, and not killing her as someone in the know would be considered merciful.
Qi Fan always chose only the people and things most beneficial to the situation, never constrained by empty ceremonies, rules, or ethics.
She had originally chosen him and Rong Xiaotian precisely because one was smooth and cunning at heart while appearing treacherous, the other rebellious in appearance but actually loyal and upright – truly a good combination. It seemed she hadn’t been wrong. At the very least, during the years since her death, Phoenix Alliance hadn’t fallen apart, and her son had been raised well.
Although Baozi seemed… a bit stupid…
These numerous thoughts flashed by in an instant. With a gentle smile on her face, Qin Chang Ge asked as hoped: “Oh? I’d like to hear the details.”
“Our Phoenix Alliance’s Heng Records has been doing business in Yingdu for years and has built quite a reputation, monopolizing the marketplace without obstruction,” Qi Fan sipped some candy syrup and tasted it carefully, then muttered: “Should I add some mint?… You must know we’re imperial merchants, and doing business with various wealthy families has built relationships – this is also an important source for Phoenix Alliance to gather intelligence. Everything was fine originally, but recently someone stuck their nose in. This year, a major merchant from the north, surnamed Ling, came to Yingdu with great fanfare. Upon arrival, he opened shops and paid respects to local powers. The business he does and the methods he uses are very similar to ours in the early days – also starting with lumber and operating various industries. Strangely, his lumber is even better than ours, his jewelry more exquisite, and his prices cheaper – so cheap it seems unreasonable. According to our accountants’ calculations, his operating methods couldn’t yield profits in the short term. We’ve never seen anyone do business so viciously… He’s also willing to throw money around. Before long, he used pure silver to smash open the doors of wealthy families, mixing very successfully and stealing much of our business. I hear he’s recently been working to establish imperial connections to become an imperial merchant too.”
“Oh?” Qin Chang Ge’s eyes glinted as she smiled charmingly: “What kind of person is this? Without roots or foundation, yet able to squeeze out Phoenix Alliance – which has operated for years with strong influence – in just a few months… Truly enviable…”
Hmph! Rong Xiaotian heavily flicked his sleeves and went outside.
“Cough cough…” Qi Fan smiled awkwardly as he refilled her tea. “Well… he hasn’t squeezed us out, and his methods are quite distasteful… it’s just… not as convenient as before. Naturally we’re not pushovers either. Our investigations revealed the other party is indeed not an ordinary merchant. The power behind him is actually that Blazing Flame Gang – which started as a small gang but has developed extremely rapidly since suddenly installing a new gang leader these past few years, becoming the nation’s largest gang with influence throughout the country.”
“So you just let people stick their foot in and passively take beatings?” Qin Chang Ge smiled happily. “If Phoenix Alliance only has this much capability, you might as well pack up and join Blazing Flame Gang together.”
“Cough cough…” Qi Fan pretended not to hear: “Phoenix Alliance naturally cannot let people plunder and occupy the foundation I’ve painstakingly built for years. To be honest, I’ve used all sorts of methods – assassination, deception, setting traps, uniting merchants to suppress them – but unfortunately, the Blazing Flame Gang behind them has strong influence, while Phoenix Alliance is limited by our identity and background and cannot be too presumptuous, so it’s become the current stalemate.”
“Later we paid heavily to bribe one of that merchant’s attendants, and from him we heard very strange news.”
Qi Fan drank some tea and smiled mysteriously, waiting for Qin Chang Ge to ask urgently. However, Qin Chang Ge didn’t even look at him, just knocked on the coffin beneath her and murmured: “Dense wood grain with the sound of gold and jade – excellent ebony, not bad, not bad…”
Helplessly gulping down tea, Qi Fan said resentfully: “According to him, Blazing Flame Gang had always operated in the north. This time they came south in force, sparing no expense to establish themselves in Yingdu’s commercial circle, all to avenge someone.”