“Ha! Truly worthy of being Old Shopkeeper Li’s granddaughter—you have the same character as your grandfather,” Manager Qin remarked upon hearing Zhen Niang’s words. This made Zhen Niang feel somewhat abashed, as she wasn’t that pure-hearted.
Perhaps because of Old Shopkeeper Li’s influence, Manager Qin set aside formalities and first helped Zhen Niang register with the association, then took her to meet Hu Zong Lin.
Hu Zong Lin had risen from a humble pawnshop clerk to his current position. While he might not fully understand everything about the world, he had at least mastered the art of maintaining a poker face.
Therefore, he showed no particular reaction to Zhen Niang’s visit. She paid her respects according to custom, and he received her accordingly—everything proceeded naturally. However, internally, Hu Zong Lin’s appreciation for this young lady of the Li family grew even more.
Not judging people by their circumstances and conducting oneself properly within bounds—though this sounds easy, it’s quite difficult to achieve.
Whether Li-Young Lady would come today or not had been a silent test from Hu Zong Lin.
If she came today, Hu Zong Lin would treat her as a junior and help Li Mo’s development in Nanjing wholeheartedly.
Although his clan brother Hu Zongxian had fallen from grace, the Hu clan’s carefully cultivated connections over the years were not as superficial as they appeared. Even if everyone in the association distanced themselves from him, his mood wouldn’t be affected in the slightest. Now was the time to carefully observe life’s various aspects.
If Li-Young Lady hadn’t come, then in his eyes, Li Mo would never have achieved great success, and despite Han Yigui’s request, he wouldn’t genuinely support Li Zhen Niang.
Now, Li-Young Lady had indeed come early to pay her respects, not disappointing him.
Zhen Niang herself was unaware that her single decision had crossed such an important threshold.
Such visits weren’t meant for long conversations. After some brief small talk, Zhen Niang presented the Baicao Shuang ink.
Hu Zong Lin laughed heartily and accepted it without ceremony.
Afterward, Zhen Niang took her leave, concluding the ceremonial visit.
“Miss Li.” Just as she stepped out, Zhen Niang heard someone call out. Turning around, she saw the Tian brothers—Tian Benchang and Tian Rongchang—accompanying a portly middle-aged man. It was Tian Benchang who had called out to her.
“Greetings, First Young Master Tian.” Zhen Niang was somewhat surprised. Given that this was the busiest time for the ink workshop, and Tian Benchang had recently married, she wouldn’t have expected him to have time to come to Nanjing.
However, looking at Tian Rongchang and recalling the events on the boat, Zhen Niang understood. Tian Benchang had probably received news about the boat incident at home and, worried about Tian Rongchang, had hurried here.
“How is Yuejuan?” Having nothing else to say to Tian Benchang, she asked about Sun Yuejuan.
“Very well. While I’m in Nanjing, she’s helping my father with the ink workshop alongside her second brother,” Tian Benchang replied, giving Li Zhen Niang a deep look. Every time he saw Li Zhen Niang, his feelings were somewhat complicated.
It wasn’t that he harbored any lingering romantic feelings for Li Zhen Niang. Rather… how to describe it? It was like having something in hand that you thought was worthless and carelessly discarded, only to watch it gradually reveal its unique brilliance, growing more and more remarkable. But that thing could never be yours again, leaving a sense of regret, a feeling of having missed an opportunity.
Perhaps it was simply unwillingness to accept it.
“Mm.” Zhen Niang nodded, unaware of Tian Benchang’s complex emotions. With nothing more to say, she clasped her hands and prepared to leave.
“Li Zhen Niang, you don’t know how to handle matters properly. Coming to the association and not first paying respects to Chairman Wang?” Tian Rongchang called out mockingly from the side. He had been nursing a grudge since losing face to Zhen Niang on the boat.
Zhen Niang was momentarily stunned, finally realizing that the portly middle-aged man must be Vice Chairman Wang—Wang Sifang—whom Manager Qin had mentioned. She then glanced at him with a slight smirk, sighing internally. One shouldn’t fear wolf-like enemies but rather pig-like allies. With a brother like Tian Rongchang, Tian Benchang must have quite a headache.
Though Tian Rongchang’s words seemed to be targeting her, they embarrassed Wang Sifang—how was he supposed to respond to that?
“Shut up!” Tian Benchang’s face darkened predictably. He then turned to Chairman Wang: “My younger brother is rash, please don’t take offense, Chairman.”
Tian Rongchang snorted unhappily from the side.
“Well, at least he’s straightforward,” Chairman Wang said with a smile on his plump face, though his eyes held a hint of ill will. He then turned to look at Zhen Niang and said, “They say Huizhou people value etiquette and reputation the most. Miss Li, for a woman to dress in men’s clothes and show her face in public is quite improper.”
Zhen Niang was wearing men’s clothing today, though she hadn’t tried to hide her gender—one could still tell she was a woman at a glance. She dressed this way merely for convenience.
Before Zhen Niang could respond, Tian Rongchang mocked again: “Chairman, you don’t know—this Miss Li first brought misfortune as a wife, then was rejected by my elder brother. What reputation does she have left? My sister-in-law is already married, while this Miss Li probably won’t ever find a husband.”
“You…” The young servant accompanying Zhen Niang clenched her fists angrily, wanting to argue, but Zhen Niang held her back.
At this point, Zhen Niang stepped forward, first bowing to Wang Sifang: “Greetings, Chairman Wang.” Then she continued, “Second Young Master Tian speaks the truth. This humble woman is merely trying to make a living.”
Zhen Niang maintained a natural demeanor, completely unaffected by Young Master Tian’s words. Internally, she found it quite amusing. Originally, Chairman Wang’s comments would have been difficult to respond to, as female merchants were considered anomalies in this era. But thanks to Second Young Master Tian’s interruption, she could respond quite smoothly.
She could even subtly counter Wang Sifang: if a poor woman in such unfortunate circumstances was just trying to make a living, why make things difficult for her?
Sure enough, Wang Sifang’s face darkened, and he left with a flourish of his sleeves.
Tian Benchang and Tian Rongchang followed.
Zhen Niang thought that while having an ally like Second Young Master Tian would never be good, having him as an opponent wasn’t bad at all. She smiled to herself.
Stepping out of the association’s main gate, Zhen Niang looked up at the blue sky and white clouds with a smile. In her previous life, one rarely saw the sky so blue.
“Miss seems to be in a good mood,” the young servant couldn’t understand. If it were her being spoken about that way, she would have wanted to kick Second Young Master Tian several times.
“Mm, it’s not bad,” Zhen Niang nodded. Naturally, one’s mood improves when seeing an adversary stumble.
“Official Hai is coming to Nanjing!” Just then, someone who looked like an accountant hurried past them and into the association, calling out as he went.
“Official Hai Rui? Isn’t he that upright official? His coming should be a good thing, so why does that person look so panicked, as if it’s something terrible? It seems they’re not very welcoming?” the young servant muttered, watching the man rush into the association.
“For poor people with grievances, it’s certainly good news, but for most wealthy people or officials, Official Hai isn’t very welcome,” Zhen Niang said after a moment’s surprise.
“Why?” the young servant asked curiously.
“Because Official Hai speaks for the poor, which inevitably means targeting the rich and officials. How could they welcome that?” Zhen Niang said casually. However, she remembered that this year, Hai Rui should be busy with his coffin-bearing memorial to the emperor, so he probably wouldn’t have time to come to Nanjing. This news might not be reliable.
“Oh.” The young servant still seemed somewhat confused.
“Let’s go home, never mind all this,” Zhen Niang said.
“Mm.” The young servant nodded. The Huizhou Merchants’ Association wasn’t far from the Li family shop, so Zhen Niang didn’t call for a carriage, choosing to walk instead.
Along the way, passing by teahouses, all they heard was talk about Official Hai coming to Nanjing to investigate land matters. Land in Nanjing was selling for forty to fifty taels per mu, which had alarmed the Ministry of Revenue. Hai Rui was an official in the Ministry, and even the emperor was shocked by such outrageous prices. Naturally, an investigation was needed.
However, land matters had always been the most complex and likely to offend people.
Thus, the iron-faced and impartial Hai Rui had been given this troublesome task.
For a moment, Zhen Niang felt uncertain—could Hai Rui have come to Nanjing to investigate land matters before his coffin-bearing memorial? Then she waved it off—whether he came or not ultimately didn’t concern her.
“Aiya, what are we to do? That damned Hai Qingtian, why come to Nanjing now of all times? Isn’t this just harming people?”
Just as Zhen Niang passed by their shop, she heard the fabric shop owner’s wife cursing and jumping at the entrance.
She blinked her eyes, wondering what was happening. This shop owner’s wife was quite bold, cursing an official in the street.
On the side, Zheng Fuli and others who were organizing the emptied grain and cargo shops stood watching the scene.
“Brother Zheng, what drama is Madam Yao performing?” Zhen Niang approached leisurely, curiously asking Zheng Fuli. The fabric shop owner’s surname was Yao, so everyone called his wife Madam Yao.
“Miss Zhen, you’re back? Did everything go smoothly?” Seeing Zhen Niang approach, Zheng Fuli clasped his hands and asked with concern.
“Everything went smoothly,” Zhen Niang nodded.
“Oh.” Zheng Fuli nodded and then explained Madam Yao’s situation.
“Recently in Nanjing, with land prices so high, many people with spare money have been speculating on land, buying some and waiting for prices to rise before selling. Those who bought land earlier reportedly made huge profits. Madam Yao heard about this and was tempted, so she used her dowry money to buy over twenty mu. Unexpectedly, just two days after buying, news spread that Hai Qingtian was coming to Nanjing specifically to investigate land matters. Now who dares to hold onto land? Everyone’s selling. Madam Yao bought at thirty-nine taels per mu a few days ago, planning to sell when it reached forty-five taels per mu. But with so many people selling, the price has already dropped to thirty taels per mu, and even at that price, there are no buyers. It’s likely to drop further, so Madam Yao is frantic.” Zheng Fuli explained the whole situation.
So that was it—similar to real estate speculation in her previous life.
Unfortunately, in such matters, it was always the small individual investors who lost out.