A single qin priced at three thousand taels—Yan Lin didn’t even blink when paying.

The depth of the Yongyi Marquis Manor’s wealth was evident at a glance.

In the past, she had been naively unaware. Yan Lin naturally treated her well, and she naturally enjoyed the kindness he showed her. But after being reborn, she knew she could not repay the young man’s sincere affection, nor should she take such kindness for granted.

She shouldn’t accept this qin.

Yet when she was about to refuse and tell Tang’er to fetch her banknotes to pay instead, Jiang Xuening suddenly hesitated. Her thoughts shifted, and she suppressed her earlier intention, silently accepting the qin.

Lu Xian collected the payment, counting the banknotes one by one. His entire face beamed with smiles as he said to Yan Lin: “I knew the Young Marquis would be the most generous! Among all the patrons in the capital, I, Lü Zhaoyinm, am most delighted to see you! Come often in the future. You should know that qins are addictive—if you like one, you’ll want two. After learning to play won’t be enough; you’ll want to learn qin-making too. Come to me for everything. I have whatever you need and guarantee the Young Marquis won’t make a wasted trip.”

Yan Lin rolled his eyes.

But Jiang Xuening froze completely, hardly able to believe her own ears—

Lü Zhaoyinm!

Wasn’t that Lu Xian, one of Xie Wei’s most capable allies when he later launched the palace coup?

Yan Lin controlled the troops; Lu Xian controlled the money.

The later Yan Lin commanded the Imperial Guards, while Lu Xian was promoted extraordinarily by Xie Wei during her palace confinement, becoming the first person to go from imperial scholar to merchant and back to official, appointed as the new Minister of Revenue…

In her previous life, to save her life, You Fangyin had donated eighty percent of her wealth to fill the national treasury, and it was this man who handled the transaction!

When they first entered Youhuang Hall, Yan Lin hadn’t introduced the proprietor’s identity. Only when Lu Xian inadvertently revealed his own name just now did Jiang Xuening receive a shocking revelation, glimpsing details that Yan Lin couldn’t see.

Looking at Lu Xian again now, her feelings were completely different.

Earlier she had only thought this person spoke boldly and presumptuously, running his business quite interestingly. But now, she felt this boldness and presumptuousness might contain a measure of arrogant pride in his talents and a transcendent attitude of “everyone is drunk while I alone am sober.”

Lu Xian finished counting the banknotes and nodded with satisfaction, expertly tucking them into his robe: “The count is correct.”

Yan Lin said: “Then we’ll take our leave.”

A three-thousand-tael transaction wasn’t something that came along every day. Lu Xian performed the part of a shrewd merchant to perfection, wearing a broad smile as he personally escorted the two to the door.

Jiang Xuening followed behind Yan Lin, carrying the qin downstairs.

Unexpectedly, someone hurried up the stairs and ran right into them.

Looking up, it was Jianshu from Xie Wei’s side.

Her eyelid twitched.

Jianshu often followed Xie Wei and had learned excellent swordsmanship. Yan Lin had seen him and knew him, so upon seeing him he said: “Teacher Xie has sent you running errands again.”

Jianshu bowed to him, also smiling: “Indeed.”

With that, his gaze shifted to see Jiang Xuening following behind. The steps he was about to take upward paused, and he bowed to her: “Second Miss Ning, good day.”

Jiang Xuening was slightly stunned but nodded in return.

Hearing this, Yan Lin suddenly raised an eyebrow, sensing something subtle. He looked at Jianshu with a slightly odd expression: What kind of form of address was “Second Miss Ning”?

But Jianshu seemed to think nothing was wrong. After his greeting, he hurried upstairs.

Inside Youhuang Hall, Lu Xian had just prepared to close the door and pour himself a cup of wine to celebrate selling such an expensive qin. His hands had just touched the door when he saw Jianshu approaching.

The corner of his eye twitched, and he immediately accelerated his movements to close the door.

But Jianshu, with his quick eyes and hands, stepped forward and wedged his palm in the door crack, smiling slightly at Lu Xian: “The sky is still bright—why is Master Lu in such a hurry to close the door?”

Lu Xian cursed inwardly, “Martial artists are really thick-skinned—why didn’t the door crush you to death,” but his face already showed surprise as if just noticing Jianshu, smiling with extreme warmth: “Oh, Jianshu! I didn’t see you. How about it—your master broke a qin and is dying of anger at home, isn’t he?”

Jianshu’s face darkened: “No need for Master Lu to concern himself.”

The gloating in Lu Xian’s features surfaced again as he asked: “What do you want to buy?”

Jianshu said: “I’m not buying anything. I have business.”

Hearing this, Lu Xian’s expression changed. He immediately tried to push away the hand blocking the door, saying curtly: “I have no money. Leave quickly.”

Jianshu didn’t budge: “Didn’t Young Marquis Yan just leave?”

Lu Xian lied without blinking: “That qin wasn’t worth much.”

Jianshu smiled coldly and actually withdrew his hand, making as if to leave: “Then I’ll go back and tell my teacher that three months ago, there was a discrepancy in your accounts—a five-thousand-tael expenditure that doesn’t add up.”

“Wait, wait, wait! I have money, I have money!” Lu Xian immediately grabbed him without another word, pulling him inside. “Really, why would someone so young learn to be as stern as Xie Ju’an? Even being like Daoqin would be better! Always threatening with accounts—that’s not a good habit. Speak up, what’s the matter?”

Jianshu was clearly accustomed to Lu Xian’s character. Knowing the matter was urgent, he didn’t delay but spoke concisely: “A boat capsized on the canal.”

Lu Xian jolted: “What boat?”

Jianshu said: “A silk boat.”

Lu Xian’s eyes lit up: “When?”

Jianshu said: “Three days ago. The news was sent urgently. Not many people in the capital know yet.”

Lu Xian immediately clapped his hands and laughed: “Excellent!”

Jianshu continued: “My teacher says that recently the silk merchants in the capital joined forces to drive silk prices extremely low. Now that the silk boat transporting silk to the capital has capsized on the canal, raw silk prices in the capital will certainly rise. If we can buy raw silk at low prices before the news spreads, then sell when prices rise after the news gets out, we can make a large profit. However, during the recent price suppression, many merchants couldn’t hold out and sold their raw silk, so there’s probably very little left on the market.”

Lu Xian pondered for a while, mentally reviewing all the major and minor merchants in the capital. A smile spread across his lips, his eyes gleaming brilliantly as he said: “There is some—there’s still one person!”

—

When Xu Wenyi saw You Fangyin enter, he was startled by her haggard appearance: “How many days have you gone without proper sleep? Someone, bring Miss You a cup of hot tea.”

You Fangyin rubbed her eyes and sat down.

A servant immediately brought up tea, inevitably glancing at her with eyes containing a measure of concern.

This place was a guest room in the Jiangzhe Guild Hall, established here by merchants from the Jiangzhe merchant association to accommodate merchants from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces who came to the capital for lodging and business discussions.

Xu Wenyi was a silk merchant from Nanxun, Suzhou.

He had come to the capital two months ago because the major silk merchants in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region had joined forces to drive down the purchase price of raw silk, angering the silkworm farmers. Small and medium merchants like them who made their living selling silk also couldn’t continue, forcing them to travel north. Who would have thought that the major merchants in the capital were in collusion with those in Jiangsu and Zhejiang? Combined with too many small and medium merchants entering the capital, silk prices fell instead of rising—to only half of last year’s market price!

Forget making money—it wasn’t even enough to cover the cost price paid to the silkworm farmers!

Xu Wenyi was thirty-six years old now. Even without growing a beard like some, his face showed traces of weathering, with fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Moreover, with silk prices refusing to rise day after day and him stranded in the capital, sleeping through today without knowing if tomorrow’s sun would rise, he felt like he was being fried in hot oil every single day. Even his eyes revealed a deep oppression and anxiety.

His entire livelihood was tied up in this single transaction.

Last year he’d lost quite a bit trying to trade salt. This year when buying silk from the farmers, he couldn’t even come up with the money. Fortunately, being a local Nanxun merchant with years of dealings with local silkworm farmers, everyone knew this year’s market was bad but was willing to trust him. They only collected a ten percent deposit from him and handed over this year’s entire raw silk production to him, letting him go to the capital to get a good price before returning to pay the remainder.

In the business world, who doesn’t exchange money for goods with one hand each?

Yet the silkworm farmers from his hometown were willing to give goods first and collect payment later.

Xu Wenyi was a merchant with a conscience and didn’t want to betray the trust of his fellow villagers. But heaven knows how desperate he felt when he arrived in the capital and inquired about raw silk prices everywhere!

Until eleven days ago, stranded in the capital and almost unable to afford even the guild hall lodging, he finally felt he couldn’t hold out any longer. He was thinking of selling his half-boatload of raw silk—low prices didn’t matter; he’d recover whatever he could and bring it back home.

As for the insufficient portion, he could only owe it first and slowly find ways to make up the difference.

But at precisely this moment, in this desperate situation, You Fangyin appeared and gave him an entirely new hope.

When this young lady came that day, she was still wearing mourning clothes with red-rimmed eyes, startling Xu Wenyi, who thought something had happened and she’d come seeking help.

But unexpectedly, she pulled four hundred taels directly from her purse and told him she wanted to buy silk.

In his entire half-lifetime, Xu Wenyi had never seen such a customer. He was stunned for quite some time, unable to react. Seeing that this young lady really didn’t seem to be from any great wealth or nobility, nor did she look like a merchant’s daughter, he was truly puzzled.

At the time, he desperately wanted to sell the raw silk, so he didn’t ask many questions and sold some to her at the current market price.

But You Fangyin only had four hundred taels of silver, which was truly a drop in the bucket compared to his boatload of raw silk.

After the payment was settled, Xu Wenyi couldn’t suppress his curiosity and asked her: “Currently the market price for raw silk is so low, and looking at the situation it might continue to fall. You’re just a young lady who can barely read account books. Four hundred taels of raw silk isn’t exactly a small sum. What will you do after buying it?”

You Fangyin actually answered: “Wait half a month for the price to rise, then sell.”

Xu Wenyi’s entire body shook, thunder roaring in his head. Seeing she was about to leave after answering, he lost his composure in an unusual display and chased after her, his voice trembling: “Miss, how dare you make such a declaration?”

This Miss You looked rather dull and seemed frightened by his fierce expression.

After quite a while, she said bluntly: “The person who gave me the money said so.”

Xu Wenyi was even more shocked: “Miss, you have a patron?”

You Fangyin looked at him then, seeming to think for a moment and finding this term appropriate, she nodded: “Yes. She told me to take the money and come buy raw silk today, then sell it after half a month. I can earn triple the amount.”

Xu Wenyi immediately gasped.

Wouldn’t that be double last year’s market price, four times the current market price?

Who was this “patron” of You Fangyin’s, daring to make such a claim?

Having been in business for many years, Xu Wenyi realized he might have inadvertently encountered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—

Business has always been about buying low and selling high, profiting from the difference.

And since prices change with the market, having well-informed sources in the business world is extremely important.

Those who can obtain information others don’t know can often thrive like fish in water, seizing good opportunities that those with sluggish information could never catch in a lifetime.

You Fangyin, or rather this “patron” behind You Fangyin, was most likely someone who controlled information!

Though he didn’t know why someone with such information would only put out four hundred taels of silver for this venture, having encountered this opportunity, Xu Wenyi couldn’t convince himself to give it up no matter what.

He wanted to take the risk.

If silk prices truly rose after half a month, for him it would be salvation from desperate straits. If after half a month prices didn’t rise but fell instead, how much lower could they fall than now? How much worse could his situation become than it already was?

So he might as well gamble everything on this.

Xu Wenyi used the four hundred taels You Fangyin paid to arrange for boats at the dock and also renewed his room at the guild hall for half a month. He simply abandoned the idea of selling the raw silk at low prices and even had someone buy a fine set of the four treasures of the study, along with an abacus and several account books his family had used before, which he gave to You Fangyin to wait together with her for the day silk prices would rise.

During this time, Xu Wenyi had tried roundabout questioning, wanting to find out the identity of her patron.

But You Fangyin’s mouth was very tight on this matter—she absolutely refused to mention it.

If asked why prices would rise, You Fangyin would only say: “I don’t know. My patron didn’t mention it.”

Now Xu Wenyi sat across from her, looking at the bloodshot filling her eyes. Counting the days on his fingers, he finally sighed: “Only four days left.”

Not only had silk prices failed to rise, they had actually fallen.

You Fangyin had just come from checking prices at a trading house and knew this in her heart. But she wasn’t skilled at interacting with people and didn’t know how to respond to this statement. Her entire body stiff with awkwardness, she clutched her teacup tightly with both hands and silently drank her tea.

This posture was truly anxiety-inducing to watch.

Xu Wenyi smiled bitterly: “Miss You said earlier that these four hundred taels were all your savings. Now that silk prices keep refusing to rise, aren’t you afraid of losing this money and having your patron blame you?”

You Fangyin thought for a while: “If I lose it, I’ll save enough to return it to her in the future.”

Of the four hundred taels, three hundred fifty were given by Second Miss.

Though she didn’t know why Second Miss wanted to save her or why she gave her money, one should repay even a drop of kindness with a gushing spring. In her past eighteen years, she had never encountered such a thing, never met such a good person, and didn’t understand why Second Miss had looked at her with eyes about to shed tears at that time.

She’d thought for a long time but still didn’t know how to repay her.

But Second Miss had taught her to do business.

So perhaps, if she succeeded in business and earned lots and lots of silver to present before Second Miss, Second Miss would be happy?

Xu Wenyi didn’t know her thoughts. Hearing this, he was stunned.

After a moment, he shook his head helplessly: This young lady was truly devoted to her patron. The money was originally given by the patron, the task was assigned by the patron—whether profit or loss, it all belonged to the patron. How could she speak of “returning” it if lost?

He had someone bring up the prepared account book: “This is a new account book prepared for you, Miss. I’ve had my accountant make some marks on it. It will be easier for you to read and understand. However, Miss, constantly staying up late studying account books is harmful to your health. You should still be moderate.”

You Fangyin had come specifically to collect this account book for study. As she received it with both hands, she quickly expressed her thanks, then said haltingly: “Recently the manor has been watching strictly. I probably won’t be able to come out these next few days. If after four days Boss Xu doesn’t see me, please help me sell the raw silk first.”

Xu Wenyi said: “Neither early nor late, but in four days? What if prices rise again?”

You Fangyin shook her head: “My patron said to sell at that time.”

Xu Wenyi paused, then agreed.

After seeing You Fangyin off, he sat back down and sighed deeply again.

Behind him, a servant frowned, still full of doubts about this matter: “Boss, I see this young lady is single-minded, looking rather foolish no matter how I look at her. With such a good opportunity, why wouldn’t her patron do it herself instead of letting us have a turn?”

But Xu Wenyi gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with determined resolve to stake everything: “We’ve already gambled. Don’t mention this again. I think this ‘patron’ she speaks of is probably not a fraud. If lying, she should make it more convincing—no one would be so secretive as to not mention anything.”

He closed his eyes, then reopened them.

Now his eyes held suppressed anger and desolation: “Besides, if I truly return with that pittance from selling at low prices, how can I face the trust and entrustment of the silkworm farmers back home? After autumn and winter pass, next year we must prepare for silk cultivation again. Without money in hand, should they eat the northwest wind?”

The servant immediately dared not speak further.

After these words, Xu Wenyi actually calmed down. He was just about to send the servant out to investigate the situation again when unexpectedly the half-open door was knocked upon. A scholar stood outside, bowing with cupped hands toward him inside: “Would you be Boss Xu Wenyi from Nanxun, Suzhou?”

Xu Wenyi found his face unfamiliar: “Please come in. You are?”

That scholar was naturally Lu Xian. Upon entering and seeing the tea on the table not yet cleared, he knew there had been a previous guest, but didn’t ask. He directly stated his purpose: “My surname is Lu, given name Xian. I heard Boss Xu has a boatload of raw silk that hasn’t been sold yet. I came specially today to do business with you—to buy this boatload of silk.”

Xu Wenyi’s heart suddenly jumped, his breathing unconsciously stopping, but his face remained impassive: “What price are you offering?”

Lu Xian said: “Naturally the market price.”

Xu Wenyi couldn’t discern his background and only said: “Not selling at market price.”

Lu Xian raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling the situation seemed different from what he’d expected: “Didn’t Boss Xu’s silk fail to sell?”

Xu Wenyi said: “Can’t sell now, but there are people like you who come with deep pockets to buy. Who knows if it won’t rise in a few more days?”

Lu Xian’s pupils contracted slightly.

He realized things weren’t simple, yet smiled: “You seem to know something.”

By now Xu Wenyi dared to confirm that what You Fangyin’s patron said was true!

His entire face flushed red from excessive excitement.

But his voice still sounded orderly and controlled, though his eyes momentarily filled with tears. He didn’t know if he was speaking to Lu Xian or to himself: “Eleven days ago, someone came to buy a batch of raw silk from me. Her patron told her prices would rise. Seeing Boss Lu come today, I know—I gambled correctly…”

—

“BANG!”

Lu Xian kicked open the door to Zhuoqin Hall.

Jianshu, standing guard to the side, nearly drew his sword to strike. Seeing it was him, he couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed in surprise.

But Lu Xian walked in with a livid expression, picked up the Houkui tea that had been steeping and cooling on the tea table, and poured it down his throat. When he set it down, the teacup struck the table with a frightening crash.

Along the east wall of this Zhuoqin Hall, over a dozen pieces of wood for qin-making were neatly arranged on the floor. Xie Wei held an ink marker, wearing a simple sky-blue straight robe, standing there selecting and examining them. He wasn’t wearing the broad sleeves of a crane-feathered cloak, and had even rolled his sleeves up to his arms, exposing his slender, well-defined wrists.

Hearing the commotion, he turned to look.

Seeing it was Lu Xian, his cool long eyebrows furrowed slightly as he said: “Didn’t work out?”

Lu Xian said: “Half worked out, but I saw a ghost today. Xie Ju’an, tell me honestly—when did this silk boat capsizing on the canal happen, when did it first reach the capital, and who knows about it?”

Xie Wei turned back to examine the wood.

He flipped over the paulownia board in the very center and said: “Didn’t Jianshu tell you? It happened three days ago. The news just arrived in the capital less than two hours ago. The only people who know besides the messenger are myself, Jianshu, and you.”

Lu Xian said decisively: “Impossible! Someone went to Xu Wenyi eleven days ago to buy raw silk, predicting silk prices would rise. I questioned him roundabout several times, but Xu Wenyi didn’t say much. But after I left, I had someone investigate. In recent days, a young lady has been entering and leaving the guild hall, apparently discussing business with him. Do you know who this young lady is? A concubine-born daughter from Count Qingyuan’s manor that no one’s heard of, called You Fangyin. This young lady seems to have a patron behind her, but no one could find out who. If the silk boat capsized on the river three days ago, how could this person know about it eight days in advance?”

Xie Wei’s fingers, which had been stroking the paulownia board selected for the qin surface, paused. Hearing Lu Xian’s words, he easily discerned something strange about this matter. But he didn’t ask first. Instead he said: “You said earlier it half worked out—what do you mean?”

Lu Xian was nearly choked to death by this question. Suppressing his frustration, he answered: “Xu Wenyi is shrewd. He seems to have guessed my background isn’t small. After all, people in the capital who can obtain such information at the first moment generally can’t be offended. He wanted to establish goodwill and also feared that if by some chance silk prices didn’t rise in a few days and he’d have no money to return home, so at last year’s market price, he sold me half a boatload of silk.”

Xie Wei said: “That’s fine too. This year in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, silkworm farmers have suffered terribly. We’re not purely seeking profit either. Earning a bit less doesn’t matter.”

But Lu Xian was a money-grubber!

He couldn’t help tapping his knuckles hard on the table: “Xie Ju’an! Get this straight—this matter is very serious! How could You Fangyin’s patron predict in advance that the silk boat on the canal would have an accident? Since they could have a minor figure like You Fangyin buy silk, who knows how much more raw silk they’ve secretly purchased at low prices? It’s very possible this person is connected to the silk boat accident on the canal. I don’t believe in predicting the future. Either it’s a lucky coincidence, or there’s a long-planned scheme! Whether this person is in the court or among the common people, they’re probably no simple character. I think this matter cannot be left alone. We must find out—who is You Fangyin’s patron?”

Xie Wei had never intended to let this matter rest either.

He simply cared more about whether things had been accomplished.

At this moment, his face showed a calm indifference, revealing neither joy nor anger. He only lowered his gaze and said: “Indeed, cannot be underestimated. Since we don’t know who this person is, have someone investigate that Earl’s manor concubine-born daughter. This person must have contact with her, has some connection to the canal, yet doesn’t dare act openly. Perhaps it’s some low-ranking minor official. The scope is quite narrow—it should be easy to investigate.”

Lu Xian thought the same.

But very soon they would discover that things seemed not as easy as they’d imagined.