“The Bai family is getting more and more reckless…” After the banquet, Young Lady Xi reported the events to Master Xi with displeasure, adding, “I doubt this maritime ban lifting will happen. If tung oil prices don’t rise, you should take over Miss Li’s oil. She came to celebrate my birthday – we can’t let her suffer a loss.” Young Lady Xi spoke while helping Master Xi remove his outer garments.
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Master Xi replied thoughtfully.
“Why not?” Young Lady Xi paused and asked curiously.
“It’s simple – this time, they might lift the maritime ban. I was planning to make a move myself, but Miss Li beat me to it. The Li family is likely to make a fortune this time,” Master Xi smiled, pulling his wife down to sit beside him with an arm around her waist.
“Really? They’ve been talking about this for years – all thunder and no rain,” Young Lady Xi said with surprise.
“Just watch. Within two months, probably just over a month, the news will be confirmed. I was planning to take all of the Bai family’s stock in a few days, but unfortunately, Madam Bai is too much of a typical woman – incapable of handling business properly,” Master Xi shook his head.
“What’s wrong with being a woman? Aren’t you looking down on women? I’m a woman, and Miss Li is a woman too…” Young Lady Xi glared at him.
“My mistake, my lady. Please forgive me,” Master Xi responded with literary flair.
“You rogue…” Young Lady Xi gave him a coquettish look.
The elderly couple seemed to grow sweeter with age.
…
In this world, gossip and idle talk spread fastest among women.
The events from Young Lady Xi’s birthday banquet had barely concluded when the news of Zhenniang’s contract with Madam Bai reached everyone on Official Street.
Reportedly, the Bai family’s stock amounted to half a warehouse of tung oil, worth several thousand taels of silver. The merchants on Official Street were in an uproar, saying Li Zhenniang must have lost her mind.
Even the ink workshop workers appeared worried – after all, their welfare depended on their employer’s success, and the Li family had always treated workers well, so they naturally concerned themselves with the family’s affairs.
Even Madam Zhao and Li Jingfu frowned with worry. Although the tung oil was still stored in the Bai family warehouse, the contract had been signed under those circumstances and couldn’t be retracted.
“This girl has always been impulsive since childhood – one push from others and she loses her head,” Madam Zhao said with exasperation.
However, Madam Zhao had her philosophy about handling matters. Though the elderly couple worried, they knew many on Official Street were waiting to see Li Mo Manor fail. So, rather than lose face, they maintained a calm and confident exterior, smiling as if they’d found a gold ingot.
Their behavior confused the workshop staff – could it be true that the maritime ban would be lifted and tung oil prices would rise? Questions abounded, but their attitude did help stabilize the workshop’s morale, and everyone continued their work as usual.
There was some muttering, but the masters dismissed it like swatting flies.
Of course, Luo Jiu didn’t think Li Zhenniang had lost her mind.
“I must say, this Miss Li truly has fortune with money,” said Manager Yan Xilai of Yihou Palace, somewhat sourly. “We’ve been working ourselves to exhaustion, everyone scrambling about. Though we’ve acquired plenty of stock, it’s been hard work. Unlike Miss Li, who sits at home while wealth falls from the sky. Why don’t I ever encounter such luck?” During this period, between acquiring goods, arranging ships, and dealing with the Maritime Trade Office, while his unscrupulous employer Luo Jiu just enjoyed himself leisurely, Yan wished he could split himself into three.
“Jealous? This is fate – can’t be envied into existence,” Luo Jiu teased Yan Xilai.
Then he continued enjoying his tea leisurely.
By mid-April, about a month after Zhenniang’s agreement with Madam Bai, rumors about lifting the maritime ban grew stronger, and more people went to the Maritime Trade Office seeking information.
By the end of April, definitive news emerged – the maritime ban would indeed be lifted, and among the first merchants to receive overseas trading rights was Wang Cuiqiao.
This stunned the major merchants who had been secretly competing for trading rights. Upon investigation, they had to admit defeat – they had only started working on this two months ago, while Wang Cuiqiao had legitimized her fleet two years ago and established relationships with the Maritime Trade Office a year ago. They couldn’t help but acknowledge her foresight.
As news of the official lifting of the maritime ban spread, prices soared, especially tung oil, which had been depressed recently but now shot up like a rocket.
Now everyone knew that Li Mo Manor had made a tremendous profit.
Naturally, the most distressed person was Madam Bai of the Bai family oil shop.
“Are you stupid? When they said they had no funds, you volunteered to extend credit!” Master Bai glared at his wife with bloodshot eyes. She was truly ruinous to the family.
“You said it was good at the time,” Madam Bai retorted resentfully. When tung oil prices were dropping daily, she had sold at a relatively high price. Then she added with glaring eyes, “The oil is still in our warehouse – let’s just refuse to honor the agreement.”
Initially, because Zhenniang had no storage space and it was a credit transaction, the oil remained in the Bai family warehouse.
Master Bai furrowed his brow and squatted down, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled internally. After a while, he wiped away the sweat heavily and said to Madam Bai, “Send someone to notify the Li family so they can collect their goods. The price remains as agreed.”
“Husband! We can’t take this loss!” Madam Bai stamped her foot.
“Foolish woman, what do you understand? In business, credibility is paramount. Taking losses in business is normal – who doesn’t lose sometimes? Besides, we’re not losing here, just making less profit. Remember, once credibility is lost, business becomes impossible. Quickly send someone to notify the Li family.”
“Oh.” Hearing Master Bai’s words, Madam Bai had nothing more to say and sent a worker to tell Li Zhenniang she could collect the goods.
The worker rushed straight to the Li family.
At this time, Zhenniang was speaking with Wang Cuiqiao at Mo Manor. Wang Cuiqiao had obtained the first overseas trading rights – truly, one step ahead leads to staying ahead. Combined with her existing foundation in the coastal regions, her future development was assured.
The Bai family worker was led into Mo Manor and said to Zhenniang, “Master Li, our proprietor says you can bring your contract and collect the goods.”
“Oh, good. Let me respond first – I’ll come right away,” Zhenniang said, having Hua’er reward the worker for his errand before he returned with the message.
“The Bai family is quite honorable about their credibility,” Wang Cuiqiao remarked, having heard about the previous events.
Originally, Wang Cuiqiao had her eye on this batch of tung oil, but knowing that the Li family’s tung oil was usually handled through Master Xi, she didn’t intervene when the Bai family notified Zhenniang about collecting the oil. Instead, she discussed future overseas trade plans for Li Mo ink.
This had been agreed upon years ago and needed no further discussion.
“Indeed,” Zhenniang nodded. The Bai family’s behavior surprised her and raised her opinion of them.
When Zhenniang had left the oil at the Bai family warehouse, she had her reasons. As business people who frequently crossed paths, there was no point in fighting over pride. Moreover, the lifting of the maritime ban was a certainty she had known about, but for the Bai family and others of this era, it might seem unfair. Therefore, Zhenniang hadn’t intended to take possession of this batch of oil – if the Bai family refused to honor the agreement when the ban was lifted, she would have let it go.
But she hadn’t expected the Bai family to show such grace in handling the matter.
Later, Wang Cuiqiao took her leave, and Zhenniang went to the Bai family with their workers. She paid the account first, then hired workers to transport the goods directly to the Xi family. The Xi family had obtained maritime trading rights for tung oil, and with local industries’ demand for tung oil, they could handle any quantity.
That evening, Master Xi brought up the matter of the Bai family delivering the Li family’s tung oil.
“The Bai family delivered?” Young Lady Xi was surprised.
“Yes, they didn’t disappoint me. The Bai family is a major clan from Yunnan, and they still maintain their business principles. Now that the maritime ban is lifted and the tung oil market has expanded, I’ll take all of the Bai family’s future oil production,” Master Xi said.
“What would you have done if the Bai family hadn’t delivered?” Young Lady Xi asked curiously.
“Simple – there’s no point in doing business with merchants who lack credibility,” Master Xi said gravely.
What’s lost in one place may be gained in another. Gains and losses shouldn’t be judged by temporary circumstances. Ultimately, one must maintain principles.
Of course, this lifting of the maritime ban brought success to both Luo Jiu and Li Zhenniang.
However, aside from his initial showmanship when opening the bank, Luo Jiu made his fortune quietly, while Zhenniang, who had also been quietly prospering, attracted considerable attention due to this episode with Madam Bai.
At the Second Xu Residence, Madam Xuan of Zhenyu Pavilion was speaking with Second Madam Xu.
“Han Li’s wife hasn’t been socializing much lately?” Madam Xuan complained.
“How could she have time? Her second son is taking the provincial examinations this year – she needs to arrange everything,” Second Madam Xu said with narrowed eyes. She understood that since last year’s land dispute, Han Li’s wife had been avoiding her. Coming from a small-town background, she lacked breadth of mind and spirit. Let her avoid them – in the end, wasn’t it Han Yigui who lost the silk business and now managed only local products? The profits couldn’t compare to the silk trade – they were only hurting themselves.
“By the way, isn’t that Miss Zhen from Li Mo Manor on Official Street the niece of Madam Han’s maiden family?” Madam Xuan asked.
“Yes, why? Have you taken a liking to her? Want to matchmake for someone?” Second Madam Xu raised an eyebrow.
“Not really, just curious. I heard this young lady is quite remarkable…” Madam Xuan began relating the events from Young Lady Xi’s birthday banquet to the Bai family’s delivery of goods.
She told the story with such dramatic flair that it took on an almost legendary quality, adding, “Now, many household mistresses are inquiring about her.”
Second Madam Xu listened thoughtfully.