Old Madam Sun looked with soft eyes at her grandson — a grandson of exalted standing, yet still dependent on an outsider for warmth. “This path can only go forward, never back. You can only win, never lose. As more and more people come to stand behind you, you bear the life, death, honor, and disgrace of every one of them and all those behind them. If you lose, rivers of blood will follow. Little Six — be strong. For those who stand behind you, and for yourself.”
“I will not lose!” Little Six lifted his chin slightly. “I have Hua Jiejie. I have Yanxi Gege. I will work hard to make myself formidable. I will not lose!”
“Hold on to that spirit.” Old Madam Sun looked with a fond smile at her grandson, who bore such a striking resemblance to her daughter. Then she glanced over at Hua Zhi, who sat quietly without having interjected a word. When all was said and done, the confidence of the Sixth Prince — the prince with the shallowest footing among all the imperial sons — came from her, and from the person standing behind her.
“I hear that the Hua Family has been turning away even its relatives by marriage of late?”
“When Grandmother was with us, she often said that sentiment is most easily worn away. The Hua Family had no wish to burden those connected to us by marriage or friendship, so she had each branch sever contact with their own maternal families.” Hua Zhi’s smile was composed. “And it is clear that, apart from the Zhu Family, who did not take this to heart, the other relatives by marriage felt the same way — none of them reached out to the Hua Family of their own accord during that time. Even at Grandmother’s passing, they sent only their stewards to offer condolences. Now that the Hua Family is following Grandmother’s instructions to the letter, it can hardly be called ‘turning people away.’ After all, not one of them said anything of the sort in the nearly a year that passed before now.”
Old Madam Sun laughed in spite of herself, raising a finger and giving her a gentle reproving tap. “Truly not one to suffer a loss — but then, it is precisely because you have been so unyielding that things have not gone the other way…”
If Hua Zhi had been any softer, the Hua Family would long since have become someone else’s easy pickings — just as the He Family had. And those relatives by marriage would never have shown the slightest extra consideration. On the contrary, they would have used their closer ties as justification to move against the Hua Family and gain even more advantage from it. It was precisely because she understood this that Hua Zhi had never once been gracious toward those people. If they were unwilling to offer help in a time of snow, why should she need them now to add flowers in fair weather — especially when they were only coming to dig benefits out of her?
Old Madam Sun saw through it all clearly and had not a shred of good feeling for those profit-driven noble families. She steered the conversation back to Little Six. “My husband’s thinking is that the Sun Family’s small fortune cannot accomplish a great deal on its own. It would be better to place it in the hands of Miss Hua, who has the name of a wealth deity. She would not shortchange anyone — least of all Little Six.”
Hua Zhi covered her mouth and laughed. “With a hat like that placed on my head, if I decline, would it not suggest I do not care for Little Six?”
“If that were what I truly thought, I would be quite shameless indeed. It is precisely because I know how much you care for Little Six that I was able to say such a thing.” The old madam spoke with complete sincerity — she genuinely meant every word. A person’s dedication shows in how they act, and anyone with eyes could see it. She considered herself neither blind nor deaf.
“By the way, I have received word that the Third Prince and Fourth Prince have noticed that Little Six has gained your favor, and they have a mind to come and pry him away. It seems likely they will resort to some underhanded means.”
“They cannot get into the Hua Family.” Hua Zhi responded with an air of unconcern. “Little Six will need to draw on a sum of silver — though there is no rush. It is a matter for after the new year.”
Little Six looked up at that. What would require spending silver after the new year?
Hua Zhi ran a swift mental calculation and decided there was no need to conceal anything from Old Madam Sun. As people on the same boat, knowing more would allow her to help provide cover. “Ying Chun, go stand watch at the door. No one is to come near.”
Ying Chun curtsied and walked out, pulling the door shut behind her.
Hua Zhi organized her thoughts and began: “The personnel needed to fill every post in the Seventh Bureau, top to bottom, should be more or less settled after the wrestling match before year’s end. After the new year it ought to begin running properly. Bailin wrote to say that though the salt output has not yet reached standard, he has mastered the entire process and is certain to produce salt successfully after the new year. In other words, delayed as things are, the Seventh Bureau’s function should be realized in the first half of next year. If His Majesty applies pressure, it should be arranged by the third or fourth month — but throughout all of history, wherever there has been official salt, there has been private salt. No matter how many measures are taken, it is impossible to eliminate it entirely.”
Little Six furrowed his young brow. “If official salt is priced at ten copper coins, there will still be people selling private salt?”
“Compared to the salt prices of the past, it will certainly be lower, and the profit margin on private salt will be smaller. But salt has always been enormously lucrative — it is practically a business with no cost. As long as the volume is there, the profits remain substantial. What we must do is seize the market before anyone else can, leaving no opportunity for others to enter. Even if latecomers do appear afterward, they can only follow in our wake and drink what broth remains. As long as we hold the lion’s share in our own hands, that is enough. Which is to say — in the years ahead, private salt and official salt will, in truth, be eating from the same pot.”
All three present understood what “in the years ahead” meant. Old Madam Sun’s eyes flickered with a complex array of emotions, and even Little Six struggled to contain himself — yet reason prevailed. “If the Third and Fourth Imperial Brothers discover this and use it against me…”
“They will not discover it. Someone will provide cover.”
Little Six felt his heart settle. With Yanxi Gege’s people providing cover, this matter was secured.
Hua Zhi took a sip of her now half-cooled tea and set it down in distaste. “Pick out a few reliable people and have them ready for use at any time.”
“Understood.”
“As for where the silver goes.” Hua Zhi tapped the table. “Once official salt prices drop, the salt merchants will certainly be sitting on enormous reserves of stockpiled salt. At first they will hold firm — but when they realize they cannot maintain that position, they will have to find another way out. They will most likely be unwilling to sell directly to the government. At that point, send people quietly to negotiate with them. Buy at the right price, then resell to the government and pocket the difference.”
“Would the government be willing to pay for it? Would Imperial Father not simply seize the opportunity to deal with the salt merchants? He could confiscate all the salt outright — a transaction with no cost to him at all.”
“If His Majesty truly had the resolve to deal with every single salt merchant, I would be quite impressed — but based on my understanding of him, it is unlikely. At most, he would make an example of one or two to frighten the rest. The salt merchants who are scared into compliance will need to offload their salt. The new production method, while capable of high output, could not possibly supply all of Daqing from the very start. If their stockpiles can be purchased at a fair price to seize the market first, thereby firmly establishing the Seventh Bureau’s foothold — they will be willing. Anyone capable of rising to that position is no fool.”
Hua Zhi’s reasoning was so sound that Little Six was fully convinced. “So we must get the salt into our hands before the Seventh Bureau has a chance to react?”
“Exactly. Send people there early to wait. The moment His Majesty makes his example, approach the merchants immediately and let them believe we have official backing. When they are in a panic, they will not dare to be clever about the price. We are exploiting precisely that window of time.”
“Now I understand why Miss Hua has earned the name of a wealth deity.” Old Madam Sun listened and could not help but marvel. She seized opportunities, read the situation perfectly, and even had a firm grasp on human psychology. If she could not make money, who could?
“This little bit of skill is all I have. I only hope, Madam Sun, that you will not be too put off by the smell of copper that clings to me.”
Old Madam Sun shook her head. “You need not be modest. These are gifts other people beg for and cannot obtain. Little Six is fortunate.”