The bustling or quiet state of a dock was a reflection of whether a place was prosperous. The capital’s docks had always been a place of constant coming and going, a ceaseless flow of carriages and pedestrians.

Hua Zhi stepped down from the carriage. The briny scent of the sea filled her nose and brought to mind one dish after another. Seafood was something people either had no love for at all or loved wholeheartedly — and she only needed to do business with those who loved it, which would be more than enough to fill her pockets.

She stood for a while and observed. The area where the sea goods were displayed was mostly passed by quickly with covered noses, yet a steady trickle of people still came by and picked out items to buy. By their clothing — simple blue garments and small caps — most appeared to be household servants from various estates. It was clear, then, that there were people who knew what they were looking at.

She walked closer to examine the goods laid out on the ground. From south to north, in order to transport as much as possible, it was naturally impossible to bring an entire shipload of seawater to keep the creatures alive. Most of what was on offer was therefore dried goods, and fish made up the majority.

What she wanted, however, was not these.

Hua Zhi looked up. A middle-aged man standing near the boat had been watching her, uncertainty in his eyes. She gave a smile, walked over, and offered a slight bow. “Are you the captain of the vessel?”

The man was short and lean. Faced with such a poised and refined young lady of a prominent household offering him a bow, he did not know where to put his hands and feet. He wanted to step forward and help her up but did not dare, and could only rub his hands together and answer, “Yes, I’m the captain. Surname Zhang — Zhang Xing. You are — you must be…”

Xu Ying glanced at her young mistress, then nudged forward the young servant who had been keeping watch at the docks. “This is our household’s attendant. This is our family’s eldest young lady.”

The moment Zhang Xing laid eyes on that familiar face he knew he had not been waiting in vain. Though he was still taken aback to find a household in the capital where a woman handled affairs, his years of travel had taught him which things were not to be commented upon. He betrayed not a flicker of surprise and bowed respectfully. “What are your instructions, young lady?”

“May I come aboard to have a look?”

Zhang Xing was uncertain of her intentions, but he was on someone else’s territory and did not dare refuse. And besides, between his people and hers, there were no more than six of them combined — his boat held far more than that. Having them aboard would actually put him at ease.

Once on the ship, Hua Zhi only looked around the outer structure of the vessel and how the cargo had been stowed, making no move to go inside. This set Zhang Xing’s mind at ease even further. Taking advantage of the time she spent looking around, he arranged a simple spread of tea and refreshments on the deck, then rubbed his hands apologetically. “Please forgive me for the poor showing, young lady — this is all the boat has to offer.”

Hua Zhi sat down, drew back one sleeve with a light hand, and used her chopsticks to pick up a small golden fried fish and bring it to her mouth. She bit in — crisp and crackling, cooked to perfection.

Zhang Xing was surprised by her easy, unaffected manner, and it was precisely that gesture which made him feel a degree of warmth toward her. Someone who did not make others feel embarrassed and did not show disdain for plain, humble food — that person could not have a bad heart.

Setting down her chopsticks, Hua Zhi looked up. “The reason I’ve come today is to ask you a few questions, Captain Zhang.”

Zhang Xing straightened to attention. “Please, go ahead.”

“These sea goods of yours — I imagine back where you come from, they are the most ordinary, least valuable things imaginable.”

Zhang Xing’s heart tightened. “I don’t understand your meaning, young lady. I can swear to you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with these goods.”

“I am not an official, and I have no intention of finding fault with your goods. I ask only to let you know, Captain Zhang — I do have some understanding of where you come from.” Hua Zhi glanced out at the busy docks. “By the sea, surely there would be more live creatures.”

Zhang Xing chose his words carefully. “You are quite right. Whatever has just been caught from the sea is of course still alive, but there is no way to keep them living for long. Once they leave the water, they cannot survive. The boat is only so large — if we were to carry live creatures, we couldn’t transport nearly as many. So we have no choice but to process them into dried goods for sale.”

Hua Zhi reached back and accepted a stack of papers from Ying Chun, placing them on the table in front of Zhang Xing. “Have a look, Captain Zhang — have you seen all of these?”

Zhang Xing wiped his hands on his clothes before daring to touch those pristine white pages. Back in his home region things were sparse, and paper was a yellowish color — only a very small number of people had ever had the chance to learn to read. He himself had been illiterate, and it was only after he had scraped together some money that he gritted his teeth and forced himself to learn a little, so as not to be cheated when traveling.

He flipped carefully through them from beginning to end, then looked up. “Yes, all of these exist — and in very large quantities.”

Hua Zhi nodded, unsurprised. Everything she had drawn was common enough. As long as these could be found, she would have enough to get her operation off the ground. As for the rarer ones — if they existed, she would see them for herself when she arrived.

“Is Captain Zhang operating independently, or are you working for someone else?”

“This is my own business entirely.”

“And the ship — is it yours as well, Captain Zhang?”

Zhang Xing had no idea what this person was planning, but he answered with a tense nod.

“If I wished to partner with someone for a business arrangement, could you recommend one or two reliable individuals?” Hua Zhi paused briefly, then added, “Your vessel is too small to accommodate this kind of deal — though there is certainly room for you to have a piece of it.”

Zhang Xing’s spirits rose. “I may be of humble standing, but I do know a few people. I’m only not sure how large a deal you’re looking at, or how large a ship you would need.”

“First, may I ask Captain Zhang — how many days did this journey take?”

“I make stops at all the major docks for a few days at a time, so my own speed is not a reliable figure. But I do know the conditions along the route well enough. With favorable wind and water, around ten days is sufficient. If you encounter prolonged rough weather, arriving within half a month would already count as smooth going.”

Zhang Xing paused and added, “That speed would require a large ship. My vessel falls somewhat short.”

Blunt and forthcoming — Hua Zhi nodded her approval. Her own estimate had been roughly the same. At that rate, a round trip including time for stops should come to about a month. But she could use several ships in rotation: after the first vessel set out, the second would follow some seven or eight days later, and then a third after that. Before the business was fully established, three ships would be sufficient. As for dried goods, a single ship’s load would last quite a while — that she could leave to Zhang Xing.

The profit margin in this kind of trade was not particularly large for Zhang Xing — it was only somewhat better than staying home and making ends meet. But if he could secure a steady buyer, not only would his workload ease considerably, he wouldn’t have to be away from home for such long stretches at a time. Even if it meant making a few more runs — more trips meant more money!

His heart was stirring. Seeing that Hua Zhi had gone quiet, Zhang Xing grew anxious that the deal might fall through. He weighed his words and said, “Just so you know, young lady — before I set out on my own, I worked for a merchant house for many years. The owner was a fair-minded man, and when I left, he not only wished me well but sold me this ship at a reduced price. If you are truly set on this venture, I would be willing to serve as the go-between and put you in touch with him. He also has ships that are considerably faster, though their costs are higher than most. If I can persuade him to make use of them, a round trip could be done in just about half a month. Does that suit your needs…?”

Excellent! At that speed, every problem ceased to be a problem!

Hua Zhi gave nothing away. She simply nodded and said, “I plan to travel south myself and will need a letter of introduction from you. Rest assured, if this arrangement goes through, you will not be left out.”

Zhang Xing was readily agreeable and went into the cabin at once to write a letter, sealed it, and handed it to her. Had it not been for the cargo still unsold on his boat, he would have turned around and sailed back with her right then. If this came through, never mind the young lady’s end of things — even his former employer would see to it that he was well rewarded.