The acquaintance was named Zhou Wen. Because he had a round head and face with exceptionally long eyebrow tails, and had once passed the童生 examination, everyone called him Master Seeming-Buddha. However, Mo Zi didn’t particularly like this seemingly benevolent fellow. She believed he should be called Zhou the Exploiter instead.
The reason was simple. Seeming benevolent didn’t mean truly benevolent. Looking like Maitreya didn’t mean his smile was genuine either. Moreover, though she said “acquaintance,” it was quite the opposite—she had only dealt with him once. But that one time had been enough to see through him completely. Not that he wasn’t cunning enough, but Mo Zi was even more cunning than him.
It was Mo Zi’s first time helping Qiu Sanniang sail to Yang City when a client had introduced her to Pearl and Jade Records to buy top-grade red coral. Luo Zhou wasn’t by the sea, so coral craftsmanship was extremely rare, and top-grade red coral was a treasure that even money couldn’t buy. Mo Zi felt there was potential profit, so she went. Pearl and Jade Records’ storefront was both small and dim, but the items displayed on the counters gleamed with jeweled brilliance, their prices flashing with golden light, making Mo Zi suspect they were passing off inferior goods as quality ones. However, she also knew that contraband channels were inherently hidden and winding, contrary to how powerful major merchants procured goods. Qiu Sanniang’s customers were mainly face-conscious nouveau riches and wealthy gentry with collecting obsessions, while her suppliers were mostly people with some connection to official merchants. Moreover, contraband naturally wouldn’t be sold openly on the counters, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t for sale. Only through introductions from trustworthy people could one obtain good opportunities.
After Zhou Wen heard the name of the person who had introduced her, he smiled and said it was an old friend of his, then took her into the shop’s back hall to view quite a lot of red coral. Mo Zi couldn’t distinguish real from fake red coral, but she could assess wood. Facing a red coral and jade screen worth ten thousand taels, listening to Zhou Wen’s eloquent speech about how he could give her a discount of three thousand taels, not a single line on her palm resonated with the precious rosewood frame he was boasting about endlessly. The touch of rosewood was delicate, the wood solid and firm in quality. When pressed against skin, it didn’t absorb body temperature and remained cool for extended periods. The finer the rosewood, the more one could sense its profound ancient character. Through contact, one could discern its age with careful attention. The wood beneath her palm was clearly just ordinary elm wood painted red and decorated with gold. Through it, Mo Zi knew that Zhou Wen was an out-and-out unscrupulous merchant.
Her ability to identify and assess wood, like her exquisite left-handed woodworking skill, came inexplicably. Amnesia didn’t affect it either. As long as she saw or touched wood, what kind it was, how old it was, its quality, what it was suitable for making—all immediately appeared in her mind, and she was always accurate. When she first discovered this ability, before knowing she could be a carpenter, she had found it quite puzzling, thinking that if it were something like fortune-telling through bone-reading, it would definitely be more practical and profitable than assessing wood, so she hadn’t paid it much attention. Later, through practice, she learned that wood assessment and left-handed woodworking were a matched pair. However, even the finest craftsman was still a craftsman. She remained calm and composed about it, telling no one.
Mo Zi hadn’t exposed Zhou Wen at the time. Since she had lost trust in him, further discussion would have been futile. She made up an excuse about not having enough silver, and no matter how Zhou Wen recommended other “treasures,” she bid farewell and prepared to leave. However, just before leaving, Zhou Wen eagerly invited her into another hall, most likely thinking she was a knowledgeable expert. Unfortunately, it was too late.
“Master Seeming-Buddha.” Mo Zi cupped her fists in salute. One could acknowledge that all merchants in the world were unscrupulous, but she quite disapproved of how some merchants conducted their business. This Master Seeming-Buddha Zhou the Exploiter before her belonged to that category. However, until necessary, there was no need to offend people. When out and about, it was better to just sweep the dust at one’s own feet and ignore the flies on others’ heads.
“I don’t deserve such honor, I don’t deserve it.” Zhou Wen seemed to have forgotten how the two had first met, acting as warmly as old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. “Mo-ge, since we brothers have run into each other so rarely, you absolutely must come sit in my shop.” He didn’t just talk without action—his fan-like hand extended to grasp her elbow and pull her toward his territory.
With a woman’s body beneath her male disguise, Mo Zi was most wary of entering a stranger’s place unprepared. She immediately pulled in the opposite direction and politely declined. “Master Seeming-Buddha is too kind. I have important matters to attend to today, so I cannot visit. Another day I will personally deliver a calling card and invite you for drinks. Farewell!”
“There’s no day like today.” Zhou Wen was fat with considerable strength. Mo Zi had delicate bones and tender flesh, and since she couldn’t throw someone in the street, he actually pulled her half a foot inside. “I know Mo-ge is a busy important person. Just one cup.”
Mo Zi mingled with a circle of contraband dealers—how could she not understand the principle that unsolicited attentiveness means either treachery or theft? Seeing that being polite to him was useless, she put on a stern face. “Zhou Wen, how unreasonable! In broad daylight, must you make me call for help?”
Zhou Wen started, hastily releasing his hand, but his fat body blocked the shop entrance, clearly not wanting to let Mo Zi slip away. “Mo-ge, this is truly a misunderstanding. Look, there are customers and clerks in my shop. Besides, with your discerning eye, even if you gave me several more sets of courage this time, I wouldn’t dare deceive you. Last time I was blind. Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust the person who introduced you. I truly have good items that I’ll give you at the lowest price.”
So he wanted to do business with her again—given his nature, that was reasonable enough. Anyone with half a brain would think carefully: even if goods that couldn’t see the light of day were obtained at low or no cost, without buyers, wouldn’t they just gather dust? If the authorities discovered them someday and caused legal trouble, a lifetime’s fortune would be finished. Qiu Sanniang wasn’t the only contraband buyer, but with both countries’ borders strictly checking for spies, Zhou Wen’s only choice at this time was her.
Although Mo Zi had told Cen Er she wouldn’t stock up on goods, seeing Zhou Wen’s forehead beaded with sweat, his smile looking like crying, his expression both helpless and somewhat fearful, she thought to herself: could he have some pressing reason to urgently sell his goods? If so, perhaps it was worth a look.
At that moment, she still maintained her stern expression and said with difficulty, “It’s not that I won’t give you face, but I truly didn’t plan to buy anything on this trip and didn’t bring much silver…”
Zhou Wen was slippery. Hearing there was an opening, he immediately gestured with both hands invitingly, no longer forcibly pulling and tugging. “Mo-ge, this matter can be discussed further. Let’s first go into the inner hall for tea.”
Mo Zi saw that his shop had quite a few customers and wouldn’t be free for some time. The inner hall was separated by just one door—if there was any commotion, it could be heard outside. So she nodded and walked in.
Upon reaching the inner hall, that elm wood screen was already gone. She smiled. “Boss Zhou, business is booming.” Which blind fool with more money than sense had bought it?
Zhou Wen smiled awkwardly and personally poured tea for Mo Zi. “Mo-ge, let me tell you the truth. These inferior trinkets only cheat country bumpkins with money and nowhere to spend it. If I give them genuine items, they complain they’re old and not brilliant enough, thinking I’m deceiving them. I ask you, if they’re happy looking at them and willing to throw silver at me, why would I smash a good business deal, right?”
Mo Zi raised her eyebrows. So this was called one willing to strike and one willing to receive? Zhou Wen’s words today seemed sincere, but she didn’t dare let down her guard.
“Boss Zhou, let’s not waste time on irrelevant matters, shall we? I still have things to attend to.” She got straight to the point, avoiding his smooth talk.
“Mo-ge has good eyes. If I don’t show sincerity now, I suppose you still couldn’t trust me.” Zhou Wen turned around to push against a hundred-birds screen behind him.
Click—
The screen was fake, the hidden door was real.