In the capital, Tang Fei joined the escorts waiting outside the city with dozens of carts loaded with money.
A thousand li away in Jiangnan, Tang Xiaobei safely reached Chengling Mountain outside Baling Commandery.
Baling Commandery was Yueyang in Jin Feng’s previous life, and at the foot of Chengling Mountain lay Chenglingji, the foremost rocky promontory on the middle reaches of the Yangtze.
In the dictionary, “ji” refers to a rock jutting out by the riverbank or a stony shoal in mid-stream.
Chenglingji sat at the confluence of the Yangtze, Dongting Lake, the Xiang River, and other waterways. Together with Swallow Shoal in Nanjing and Caishi Shoal in Ma’anshan, it was one of the three famous promontories of the Yangtze.
It was not only a vital hub for inland water transport but also a strategic stronghold contested by armies throughout history.
Facing the three Xiang regions to the south and controlling Jing and Han to the north, Chenglingji was the throat linking Dongting Lake to the Yangtze. Whoever held Chenglingji could seal both the lake and the river.
Countless wars had been fought here since ancient times.
Of course, Great Kang’s enemies were now all in the north, and Jiangnan remained prosperous and peaceful.
Cargo junks and passenger boats shuttled busily across the water, the docks surged with crowds, and further away, pavilions and towers stretched in unbroken lines. The scene was far livelier than Guangyuan Commandery.
“Madam, this way!”
On the shore, a young woman in a long skirt, surrounded by guards, waved enthusiastically at Tang Xiaobei.
She was Yuan Caiwei, the female shopkeeper Tang Xiaobei had earlier sent to Jiangnan.
Scented soap had already become famous in the capital, and the promotion model was fully mature. Yuan Caiwei had opened markets in two counties around Guangyuan and was extremely experienced.
After arriving in Jiangnan, she quickly broke through via brothels and noble ladies, rapidly gaining ground.
Sales of scented soap in Jiangnan now ranked second only to the capital, far surpassing the Sichuan-Shu base area.
Yet Yuan Caiwei’s main task this time was not promoting soap; it was procuring grain.
Since they were paying customers, grain merchants had no reason to turn business away, so purchases went smoothly at first.
But as the volume Yuan Caiwei bought grew larger, the merchants grew restless and began colluding to raise prices.
At first they added only a little. When they saw Yuan Caiwei still buying in huge quantities regardless, they started digging for reasons.
Soon news spread that continuous rain had struck the Sichuan-Shu region.
The steadily rising water level of the Yangtze recently confirmed the rumours.
The grain merchants immediately hiked prices by thirty per cent in one go.
Before leaving, Jin Feng had given Yuan Caiwei special authority to act as circumstances required.
If prices rose only slightly, she could decide herself, but a sudden thirty per cent increase on such enormous volumes was beyond her courage.
Just as she prepared to seek instructions from Jin Feng, word came from Jinchuan that Tang Xiaobei would personally come to Jiangnan to oversee grain procurement.
Yuan Caiwei felt a huge weight lift. From that day on, she brought people to the docks every day to wait.
After several days, she finally spotted the banners of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
“Madam, you must be exhausted from the journey!”
Yuan Caiwei ran aboard to help Tang Xiaobei disembark.
“I’m not yet at the age where I need assistance!”
Tang Xiaobei waved her off and asked directly, “Tell me the situation here.”
“It’s very bad. News of the disaster in Sichuan-Shu has already spread through Jiangnan. The grain merchants have banded together and raised prices thirty per cent in the past few days. And… and also…”
Yuan Caiwei stopped, her face full of hesitation.
“And what else? Speak quickly, don’t hem and haw.”
Tang Xiaobei sounded displeased.
All the female shopkeepers had been personally selected and trained by Tang Xiaobei; to them, she was their teacher.
Seeing Tang Xiaobei upset, Yuan Caiwei hurriedly explained, “People are also saying that our Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce is hoarding grain to profit from the coming winter disaster.”
“Is this rumour widespread?” Tang Xiaobei halted.
“Quite widespread. Now many commoners passing our premises spit on the ground.”
Yuan Caiwei said helplessly, “Even sales of scented soap have dropped. Many brothel clients who learned the soap comes from us refuse to use it.”
“That serious?” Tang Xiaobei frowned slightly.
“More than twenty years ago, the Yangtze burst its banks and Jiangnan suffered flooding. That year Lord Xu of the Ministry of Revenue shipped relief grain from our Sichuan-Shu region, so many people here still remember that kindness,” Yuan Caiwei explained.
In truth, the Sichuan basin had always been one of the country’s main granaries because of its fertile soil.
Only the terrain and backward water-control facilities meant that too little rain brought spring or summer drought, while too much rain caused flooding.
The weather in Sichuan-Shu had been poor for several years, harvests had been meagre, and this year threatened complete failure.
That was why Jin Feng had begun buying grain in Jiangnan ahead of time.
Yuan Caiwei stole a glance at Tang Xiaobei and said in a low voice, “Madam, there is one more thing…”
“Speak!”
“This morning someone spread the word that the chamber belongs to the gentleman. Now some commoners are cursing the gentleman for trying to profit from disaster…”
“What? Cursing my husband for disaster profiteering?” Tang Xiaobei almost laughed from anger.
No one understood better than she why Jin Feng was buying grain.
They had intended to do a good deed, only to be slandered…
Tang Xiaobei asked coldly, “Have you investigated whether someone is stirring trouble behind the scenes?”
The Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce always travelled with escorts and members of the Zhongming team wherever it went.
“We have investigated, but we have no roots in Jiangnan yet and have found no leads,” Yuan Caiwei shook her head.
“Keep investigating.” Tang Xiaobei’s expression returned to calm as she continued towards the shore.
Yet her eyes narrowed slightly.
Those who knew her well understood this meant she was truly furious.
“Madam, our carriage is this way.” Yuan Caiwei trotted ahead to lead.
“I have been rocking on that boat for days and feel quite dizzy. Let us walk.”
Tang Xiaobei asked, “Caiwei, is there anything fun in Baling Commandery?”
“Fun?” Yuan Caiwei thought she was being tested and answered cautiously, “I have not explored much since arriving, so I am not sure.”
“Then find someone who knows and bring them here,” Tang Xiaobei said. “You take a few days’ rest too. We shall enjoy ourselves properly.”
“Enjoy ourselves?” Yuan Caiwei was stunned. “What about the grain merchants?”
“Nothing about them. They raised prices thirty per cent. How are we supposed to buy at that rate?”
Tang Xiaobei continued, “My husband said that even doing good deeds must be within our means. The merchants clearly want to fleece us. If we jump into their pit, we would be fools.
The world does not have grain only in Baling Commandery. We wait a few more days. If it still does not work, we simply go elsewhere.”
“Very… very well.”
Yuan Caiwei nodded, but she knew Tang Xiaobei was speaking in anger.
If the merchants had only raised prices, Tang Xiaobei might indeed leave.
But everyone in the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce knew that Jin Feng was the apple of Tang Xiaobei’s eye.
Back in Guangyuan during training, she had heard how Young Master Zhou of the Zhou family had nearly been beaten to death by Tang Xiaobei in the Spring Breeze Pavilion just for insulting Jin Feng.
Now that someone was slandering Jin Feng, Tang Xiaobei would never leave until she got to the bottom of it.
Sure enough, the very next moment Yuan Caiwei heard Tang Xiaobei say, “Caiwei, gather information on the main grain merchants in Baling Commandery. Bring it to me tonight.”
“Yes!” Yuan Caiwei responded at once.
Yes, this was the Madam Xiaobei she knew.
