Even without any rare varieties, this alone was more than enough to establish a proper operation. Hua Zhi looked over at Wu Zheng, who stood to the side. “I’d like to have a closer look, if that’s all right?”

Wu Zheng laughed heartily. “Of course it is. Chen Er, fetch a net.”

The net was a small implement for scooping things from the pools — available in various sizes. Wu Zheng held one of medium size, and wherever Hua Zhi paused to look, he scooped a netful up for her to examine more closely.

The fish were lively and of good size. Those who lived along the coast all knew the wisdom of catching the large and releasing the small to ensure a lasting livelihood. Other things — shrimp, snails, shellfish — were all equally fresh. Still, it was the fish that made up the overwhelming majority.

“It seems there are no crabs?”

Wu Zheng’s expression shifted slightly. “The young miss wants those? They do exist — I won’t deceive you, they’re the hardest thing for us to sell. They’re troublesome to eat and there’s not much meat on them. Not many people care for them.”

As he spoke, he led her to the outermost pool — one that looked noticeably deeper than the rest. Understandably so, given that anything shallower and they’d likely be climbing out.

Though they didn’t sell well, the crabs here looked vigorous and full of life, clearly tended to regularly — only their size was a bit on the small side.

“Are all of them here?”

“All here. Does the young miss find them wanting?”

“Not exactly — I’d prefer ones with larger shells.”

Wu Zheng was genuinely puzzled now. Could it be that these sideways-scuttling creatures actually had a market somewhere else? The thought made him more careful with his words. “Larger ones do exist — it’s just that here, people only buy the small ones to make pickled crab. The big ones have shells that are too hard and the meat is tough. Locals have no patience for them. Forgive me for asking — is there another way to prepare them?”

“They’re troublesome, yes, but done right, they have their own appeal. Proprietor Wu need not worry — if I take them back and truly lose money on them, I’ll accept that myself and won’t blame you for the lack of warning.”

“The young miss is a decisive person. Then I’ll lay my cards on the table as well — if this deal goes through, the crabs won’t cost you anything. Consider it helping a few fishing families eke out a living.”

Hua Zhi looked at Wu Zheng. “How do you mean?”

“Most of the fishing houses won’t take crabs at all. I take some because I feel for those few families with no other way to get by. Born in this place, they’re destined to earn their living from the sea — and how many are lost to it in a single year, no one even counts.” Wu Zheng shook his head, leading Hua Zhi back toward the main room. “When a family loses someone, it’s as if the sky has fallen in. The old are too old to fish, the young too small — all they can do is dig shellfish along the shore or collect crabs to survive. I take some, but I don’t dare take too many; it takes up too much space. But if the young miss truly finds a way to sell these crabs, then she’d be a true benefactor to those families.”

“Nobody has it easy.” Hua Zhi replied lightly and said nothing more. It wasn’t that she felt nothing — only that however soft-hearted she was, she could not let it cloud her judgment. Once the deal was settled, she would have every means to address their situation. The prerequisite was getting the deal settled first.

Wu Zheng lifted his cup in a gesture of acknowledgment. Negotiating a deal with a woman, and yet it had been this refreshingly direct — a strangely novel feeling.

Hua Zhi paused slightly, then mirrored the gesture, bringing the cup to her lips for just enough to dampen them before setting it down.

“My shipping is arranged through the Donglai Shipping House — the young proprietor recommended the Antai Fishing House to me, and said your goods were reliable. Looking at what I’ve seen today, that certainly appears to be true.” Hua Zhi extended her hand, and Bao Xia placed several folded papers into her palm.

Leafing through them, Hua Zhi slid them across toward Wu Zheng. “The quantities I’m looking for are not small. I am genuinely hoping to close this deal with Proprietor Wu.”

Wu Zheng knew a deal of this size wouldn’t be small — but he hadn’t expected anything like this. Seafood that wasn’t dried had a short shelf life; he’d assumed even a substantial order would have its limits. Yet what was written here far exceeded anything he had anticipated.

He reached the last page, took a sip of tea to steady himself, then said, “At present, my fishing house doesn’t carry this volume of stock. May I ask how much time the young miss is willing to allow me to prepare?”

Hua Zhi shook her head. “I don’t need it now. This isn’t a one-time purchase. I’m planning to begin the first shipment in August, the second shipment to start on the tenth day after that, and the timing of subsequent deliveries will depend on how the business performs.”

It was as though a fortune had fallen from the sky.

That was the only thought in Wu Zheng’s mind. He bit down hard on the tip of his tongue to bring himself back to his senses, and asked, “The quantities…”

“If business goes well, the quantities will naturally increase accordingly.” Hua Zhi smiled. “Unless Proprietor Wu can’t take on an order of this size?”

“I can, absolutely I can.” Even if the current stock fell short, there were ways around it — as long as this deal was closed, everything else could be worked out.

With that, the degree of eagerness between the two parties had completely reversed. Hua Zhi settled back in the seat of authority, entirely at ease.

“The pricing is all listed there — the final figure will depend on what we negotiate from here.” Hua Zhi rose. “I’m in no hurry. Proprietor Wu can consider it carefully. I’ll come back at the same time tomorrow.”

Wu Zheng quickly rose to see her out. “Allow me to walk you to the door.”

The two parted at the entrance to the fishing house. The moment their guests were out of sight, Wu Zheng immediately sent a man to follow at a distance and see where the group was lodging, then turned and instructed his head manager: “Go and invite Li Xiang over at once.”

Li Xiang was the proprietor of Shunchang Fishing House — the man Wu Zheng had allied with against the Yushun Fishing House. Chen Er, hearing the name, understood at once what the proprietor had in mind.

“Chen Er, there will be a handsome reward if this comes through.”

Chen Er grinned from ear to ear. He knew the proprietor wouldn’t leave him shortchanged.

Back at the inn, once Bao Xia and Xu Ying had gone off to attend to various tasks, Hua Zhi looked at Liu Zi, who had been wearing an expression all the way back as though he wanted to say something but kept holding himself back. “Are you worried?”

The Sixth Prince hesitated visibly. “I don’t know if that price was right.”

“It’s already been shown to someone, so whether it’s right or wrong, it can’t be changed now. In business, honesty and good faith matter — there’s no taking things back once they’ve been said. If it truly turns out to be wrong this time, I’ll bear that consequence for you. But Liu Zi — not every consequence can be borne after the fact. Monetary losses are one thing. But what if it were someone’s life? Once a person is dead, they can’t come back.”

The Sixth Prince lowered his head, flushed with shame.

Hua Zhi straightened the collar of this child who was no longer much shorter than herself. “Better to prepare more thoroughly than to leave yourself something to regret — do you understand?”

“Yes. I’ll remember.”

“Good. The hour is still early — go and walk around a bit, have a look at things. Anything you’re uncertain about, take the chance to get clearer on it. Stay safe.”

The Sixth Prince looked up. The longer he spent in Hua Jie’s company, the more he envied Bailin. Bailin had been taught and looked after by her like this for years — he’d received only this small taste of it and already felt such happiness. He couldn’t begin to imagine how fortunate Bailin must be.

Hua Zhi paid no particular mind to the emotion flickering in the child’s eyes, and watched him leave before calling Wang Cheng inside. “There’s a fishing house here — the Yushun Fishing House — whose methods are likely not clean. Watch over Liu Zi carefully, and don’t let your guard down for a single moment.”

“Understood.”

“Go quickly.”

She drummed her fingers against the table surface, then said to the room: “Everyone stay alert. This is a small place — there’s no hiding the fact that we’ve arrived.”

Shao Yao pressed close to her side with a low laugh. “Hua Zhi, just relax. Whoever dares come at us, I’ll be ready to welcome them.”