Chapter 44
As soon as the people from Hongli Village left, Huo Shu was about to pack some things and go to the city with Tao Yu to pick up goods from the fabric shop.
Unexpectedly, a few farmers who had come a few days ago but hadn’t made a decision returned.
“Brother Huo, we’ve all thought it over, and we’ll follow you.”
The man in the lead was named Zhao Kai, and he was very polite. “We’ll do as you say.”
Huo Shu thought the timing of their arrival was perfect. He guessed that after seeing Ge Liang bring men from their village, these people got the news and were afraid of missing the opportunity if Huo Shu had already recruited enough people, so they finally made up their minds.
Sometimes, you have to push people to get them to act.
Since they had come, Huo Shu didn’t say much and led them in to sign and thumbprint the prepared documents.
Afterward, he talked to the newly arrived people about the training. There wasn’t much work in the first lunar month, and the farmers readily agreed.
With the manpower secured, the next step was to get the goods.
“Since we’re getting goods, we have to go to a large fabric shop. Not only do they have many styles and varieties, but they also have a large inventory,” Tao Yu explained to Huo Shu.
The large fabric shops in Tongzhou usually had their own silkworm farmers, flax cultivators, weavers, and fabric artists.
In other words, there was a complete chain from collecting raw materials to producing silk and satin fabrics for the market.
Therefore, they had a large volume of goods, and supplying merchants was a big business.
“The Ten Mile Fabric Shop would be the best choice.”
Not only did it meet the conditions for large fabric shops to supply merchants, but more importantly, they had an acquaintance there.
Wu Lianhe was a weaver at the Ten Mile Fabric Shop. Although they hadn’t spoken to her in detail about the Ten Mile Fabric Shop, they had heard from a shop assistant when they first looked for her that she was quite reputable at the time.
Even if she wasn’t very reputable, working in a fabric shop was much better than being complete outsiders, and she would surely have some connections.
So, the two brought some New Year’s gifts and went into the city to visit Wu Lianhe first.
“Brother Huo and Brother Tao didn’t even send word in advance, so I could have bought more food.”
Wu Lianhe had more days off in the first lunar month than usual. Seeing the two people suddenly arrive, she was both surprised and delighted.
It was the season for visiting relatives and friends, but she couldn’t go out easily. She had few visits during the New Year and spent most of her time at home, which was rather lonely.
Her parents and brothers had to visit relatives, so even though they missed her, they couldn’t stay for a long time or visit frequently. They mostly came over for a meal to consider it a reunion.
Although it was difficult, Wu Lianhe was already very content. She had a child without a formal engagement or dowry, and her reputation outside would be terrible. It was already rare that her parents and brothers didn’t resent her and still visited her without complaints.
However, even so, people always liked liveliness.
When someone came to her house at this time, she couldn’t help but be happy.
“If Afan knew that Brother Huo was coming, he would definitely be happy. He asked me several times a few days ago. I’ll go call him back later.”
Tao Yu asked, “Where did Afan go?”
Wu Lianhe smiled and said, “He left early this morning with the bow and arrows his Uncle Huo gave him to meet his classmates. He rarely goes out to play. I thought it would be good for him to go out during the New Year, so he wouldn’t be completely buried in books. Ever since Brother Huo taught him archery, he’s been practicing more and more. His classmates at the private school even invite him to have archery competitions.”
Tao Yu smiled upon hearing this. “Afan has always been eager to learn.”
“You two sit here first, I’ll go find him.”
Huo Shu said, “Let him stay outside. We came this time for something.”
Wu Lianhe paused. “Did something happen in the village?”
Tao Yu quickly explained the purpose of their visit.
“The most familiar person we know in the fabric shops is Sister Wu San. That’s why we came in such a hurry.”
Wu Lianhe was a bit surprised. She was still under the impression that Huo Shu was a butcher. After asking a few simple questions and learning the reason, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“I heard when I was a child that Butcher Qiao was straightforward and had a fiery temper. They were all very proud people. Brother Huo, please don’t take it to heart.”
“He’s not like that anymore. Why would I take it to heart?”
Tao Yu said, “However, we still need to find a new livelihood. We planned to do this today.”
Wu Lianhe agreed. “Since we’re all close, I’ll be direct.”
“If silk and satin from the south can reach the northern regions, it will definitely be profitable.”
There were more than ten large and small merchant teams that regularly picked up goods at the Ten Mile Fabric Shop. The shopkeeper ran a stable business.
Merchants who came to pick up goods would inquire about the routes they traveled and their sales channels. Generally, they would try to avoid merchants who traveled the same routes and destinations.
If the routes and destinations collided, they would recommend different fabrics and fabrics suitable for different seasons.
In short, they would almost never let two merchant teams travel the same route and pick up the same goods.
“These merchant teams go to the west, to the east, and some go north, but there are still no Ten Mile Fabric Shops whose destinations are the northern prefectural cities. The north is often filled with war. The people there are more brutal than in other places, and the risks are greater than elsewhere, so few merchant teams go north.”
Even if there were, they would be large merchant teams that had been in business for decades.
“Regarding the fabrics, it’s easy. I’ve been at the Ten Mile Fabric Shop for many years, and I have some relationship with the current shopkeeper, so I can say a few words. It’s easy to get whatever goods you want.”
“However, Brother Huo, you need to think clearly about the risks of going north.”
Huo Shu said, “I know the northern regions well. Where in the world is truly peaceful? There’s no need to worry too much.”
Seeing that Huo Shu said this, Wu Lianhe didn’t say anything more.
“Then let’s go to the fabric shop to see the goods. I have nothing to do today anyway.”
“Okay.”
Tao Yu was quite interested. Although he wasn’t buying them to make clothes for himself, it was still a pleasure to be able to choose all sorts of fabrics.
Wu Lianhe took the two to the Ten Mile Fabric Shop and went directly to the sample room to see the goods.
The fabrics displayed in the shop were those favored by people in Jiangnan that season and new arrivals.
Tongzhou had many fabric shops and many styles, and the eyes of the common people were discerning. They sought fabrics that were either practical or new.
The selection range displayed was small and not very suitable for selling in other places.
Huo Shu’s merchant team would depart at the earliest in February, or perhaps in early March. However, in any case, they planned to reach the prefectural city of the northern region in May.
By then, the season would change to summer, and they would need to pick up fabrics for the summer months. Fabrics for winter could also be taken.
“The variety of fabrics in the summer fabric shops is the most abundant, so you can choose freely.”
Wu Lianhe brought out a pile of sample cloths of different fabrics and ran back a few times. “These are styles that have been released in previous years, within the last five years, so they’re not too old-fashioned.”
Huo Shu said, “If we’re sending them to the northern regions, even ten-year-old ones won’t be bad.”
Jiangnan’s fabrics from the last five years were already very fashionable.
Tao Yu had never traveled far, but he had heard Huo Shu speak at a temple fair last time and witnessed the gap between the fabrics in the north and those in Tongzhou.
Wu Lianhe said, “Merchants who go to the counties and the nearest prefectural cities below Tongzhou need to take the current season’s new goods to have sales channels. If they go further afield, within the last year is fine. For even farther places, within three years is also acceptable. For the prefectural city of the northern region, within five years is indeed sufficient.”
In fact, for places as far away as the northern regions, fabrics from three to five years ago would still have a market. The difference lay in the cost price. The more outdated the styles, the more room there was to play with the price.
“There are all sorts of fabrics: ramie, hemp, silk, satin, brocade, and other varieties. Brother Huo, what kind of fabric do you want to get?”
Different types of fabrics actually had a base price, and the price fluctuations depended on the style and craftsmanship.
For example, ramie was planted in many places, so its price was not high. The current market price was 100 copper coins per bolt.
Hemp was also not expensive; it was ordinary fabric, 200 copper coins per bolt. High-grade hemp cloth would be much more expensive, 400 copper coins per bolt.
Satin and silk were much more expensive, costing at least a few taels of silver per bolt.
An ordinary plain silk was two taels per bolt, plain satin was six taels, plain silk was four taels, and plain damask was five taels.
This was just an approximate price. This was the market price for medium-grade goods. High-grade goods would double in price, while low-grade or even inferior goods would be much cheaper.
If the price was fixed at this price, then families who could afford such fabrics would be rare.
Everyone had a love for beauty. To satisfy the lower classes and the more affluent upper classes, fabric shops made different grades of the same fabric to expand the range of people who came to buy cloth.
As a result, the clothing of the people in Tongzhou was bright and beautiful, and it was not only the rich and luxurious who could afford silk and satin.
Furthermore, the prices of different fabric shops were not the same. Silk and satin had many patterns, and many styles could be made from them. In fact, new styles often came from these fabrics.
As for hemp and ramie, no matter how they were made, the fabric and colors were the same. What kind of flowers could be made?
In addition, these fabrics were affordable, so weavers were unwilling to spend effort on them. Secondly, even if the patterns were new, the prices could not be raised too high, as buyers’ pockets had only so much spare money.
Huo Shu looked at Tao Yu. “You pick some that you like.”
Tao Yu certainly didn’t stand on ceremony. If he let Huo Shu choose, wouldn’t he have to wear hemp from the first to the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and then switch to ramie for the second half of the month?
Seeing that he wore clothes made of these two fabrics all day, he was a master at pretending to be a poor and unremarkable man.
If he hadn’t had some conscience, he would have tricked all his private savings away.
“I won’t consider hemp and ramie. Every place has these two fabrics. Transporting them a long distance to sell won’t fetch a good price, so it’s not worth it.”
Tao Yu simply discussed it directly with Wu Lianhe.
“That’s right, merchants hardly ever take these two fabrics. However, some peddlers do bring hemp cloth to sell in the counties. But if you’re going to the northern regions, you can even do without hemp cloth.”
Wu Lianhe treated this as if it were her own business.
“It’s most appropriate to choose from silk and satin.”
The two discussed and selected three to four patterns from each fabric. The more affordable patterns were chosen the most. For example, satin was the most expensive, so only three types were selected.
Considering the cost, they took mostly inferior satin, a small amount of medium-grade, and only a few bolts of high-grade as reserve stock.
Huo Shu looked at it and estimated that he would spend three hundred taels to buy fabrics. The specific amount he could get depended on negotiation with the shopkeeper.
Tao Yu said, “Let me negotiate with Sister Wu San and the shopkeeper. We’ll try to get more fabric within the planned price.”
Considering Huo Shu’s personality, he wasn’t someone who could haggle over prices and speak nicely. He was afraid that his stern face would make people think he wasn’t there to do business but to cause trouble.
He took the initiative to take on the task.
Huo Shu agreed to Tao Yu’s words. He was also happy to let him do some things. Instead of always protecting him, it was better to let him gain some skills.
Of course, the premise was that he was willing to do it. If he wasn’t willing, even if it could help him gain skills, Huo Shu wouldn’t let him do it.
During the first lunar month’s New Year festivities, these wealthy merchants were mostly busy. By chance, the shopkeeper of the Ten Mile Fabric Shop was present today. Wu Lianhe didn’t delay and went to ask first. If the shopkeeper had time, he would directly take Tao Yu to meet him.
If they missed the negotiation this morning, they didn’t know when the shopkeeper would have time.
While waiting for Wu Lianhe’s message, Tao Yu drank some tea.
“Sister Wu San is running around for our business. You must teach Afan to ride horses and shoot arrows well in the future.”
Huo Shu responded.
Wu Lianhe was indeed as Zhao Changsui had said to him years ago, warm-hearted and kind.
“Archery and riding require practice. When I return from the northern regions, I’ll bring him a good horse.”
Tao Yu nodded.
There were few horses in Tongzhou; most were mules. If they wanted to buy a good horse, the price was another matter. It was common to have money but no market.
They would also need connections to buy one.
After waiting for a while, Wu Lianhe returned with a hint of joy on her face.
“The shopkeeper is free. Let’s go.”
Tao Yu went with Wu Lianhe to see the shopkeeper, while Huo Shu did not.
The shopkeeper of the Ten Mile Fabric Shop was named Wang, with the given name Long.
For such wealthy merchants, besides the shop business, they also had to inspect various matters such as silk production and flax cultivation. They usually didn’t spend much time in the shop.
Tao Yu was also a frequent customer at the Ten Mile Fabric Shop. He had been there many times but had never seen the shopkeeper.
He had originally thought it would be a middle-aged rich man with a big belly, but unexpectedly, it was a young man, well-built, handsome, and upright, with elegant demeanor and speech.
“Achuan, quickly bring the tea.”
Wang Long saw the three people entering one after another, glanced at Huo Shu and Tao Yu, and then enthusiastically invited them to sit.
“I didn’t know you two were coming, I apologize for the discourtesy.”
Tao Yu bowed to Wang Long, while Huo Shu nodded in a worldly manner.
“It’s the first time Madam Wu has brought her relatives to the fabric shop after so many years. I hope you can forgive any lack of hospitality.”
“It was we who came abruptly. We hope Shopkeeper Wang will not mind.”
Tao Yu said, “It is our fortune to be able to discuss business with Shopkeeper Wang today.”
“Madam Wu has already discussed the fabrics you want with me. Since you are Madam Wu’s relatives, you are not outsiders, so I will speak frankly.”
Wang Long said, “The more you buy, the better the price. Since you are merchants picking up goods, I will give you a fair and straightforward price. I will offer all the fabrics to you at 60% of the market price. How about it?”
Upon hearing this, Tao Yu immediately swallowed back all the polite phrases he had prepared for bargaining.
“Shopkeeper Wang is a straightforward person. This will save the accountant a lot of trouble.”
Tao Yu didn’t expect it to be so easy to negotiate. However, looking at the smile on Wu Lianhe’s face, he thought she must have already discussed it with the shopkeeper beforehand.
He had indeed borrowed a favor, and it wasn’t a wasted trip.
Thus, they selected fabrics of various grades and patterns, picking a few more based on the previously selected ones, and decided on about four hundred bolts of fabric.
After working all day, they left the city at dusk.
“I didn’t expect that for our first time with the Ten Mile Fabric Shop, we could get fabrics at such a price. I heard many merchants get goods at 70% or 80% of the price. We really benefited from Sister Wu San’s favor.”
Having accomplished their task, Tao Yu felt relaxed on the way back.
Huo Shu said, “It is indeed suitable.”
“There are many good things in Tongzhou. Is it too monotonous to take only fabrics to the northern regions? Perhaps we should look for one or two other things.”
Tao Yu said, “If we don’t have enough money, I have some here. My father also gave me the gift money you gave him. It’s fine to use it first.”
Huo Shu said, “No hurry, let’s see. Let’s go back and plan the route first.”
“Okay.”
When the two rode their horses to the entrance of the Ji family’s house, it was completely dark. Lights were lit in the courtyard.
Huo Shu lifted Tao Yu off the horse and first took the horse to the stable, throwing it some grass.
Tao Yu waited by the horse while he finished tidying up, and then they went in together.
As they reached the eaves, they heard voices from inside the house.
“Didn’t I tell you not to go out anymore? What’s wrong with staying in the village? It’s important to find a marriage and settle down soon. Why are you joining in the commotion again?”
“Since the family has relatives doing business, isn’t it good to have support? It’s good for Yuan Fei and Wen Liang, the two cousins, to go help Huo Shu. Aren’t you worried?”
Tao Yu heard the familiar voice, pouted, and turned to Huo Shu, saying, “Third Aunt is here again.”
Ever since Tao Yu and Huo Shu got engaged, Ji Wanglan hadn’t come for a long time. Perhaps it was because she felt too embarrassed about the previous engagement matters, she, who usually liked to come over for small favors, had endured it and didn’t come.
Except for attending the wedding banquet, this was the first time she had come after they got married.
Ji Yangzong frowned. He was relieved to let his seventh brother’s son, Wen Liang, go with Huo Shu. Although he was not old, he was steady and ambitious.
What he was worried about was the Yuan family’s eldest nephew. With such a troublemaker, he absolutely would not allow it.
But he couldn’t let one go and not the other. Showing favoritism would cause more talk.
Therefore, he could only harden his heart and say, “We have already recruited enough people. What kind of place is the north, Third Sister, do you think it’s for sightseeing? Wen Liang too, would your parents allow you to go so far? This is nonsense.”
“The more people, the more help. Why would anyone dislike having more people? Moreover, even if there are enough people, what does it matter if there are one or two more relatives? Little Liu is still angry about what happened last time.”
The son-in-law of the sixth family was going out to do business. The brothers and sisters of the Ji family had all heard about it.
Ji Wanglan wanted her son to make money and be successful, but she didn’t want her son to go to the north. It sounded frightening.
When she heard that Huo Shu was going on a business trip far away, she didn’t think much of it. But today, when she saw their Wen Liang at the seventh family’s house stubbornly trying to persuade his parents to go, she came over to take a look.
She jokingly asked them to take Yuan Fei along and tested the waters. Unexpectedly, Little Liu immediately refused. The more he refused, the more she wanted her Yuan Fei to go.
Perhaps he was thinking of making a fortune in secret, otherwise, would he be so at ease with his son-in-law going?
As they talked, she became more insistent.
Ji Wenliang had finally persuaded his parents and came to tell his sixth uncle. Unexpectedly, his third aunt came right after him to join the fun.
Did he not know the personality of his cousin Yuan Fei? It was strange that his sixth uncle would agree to let him go. Instead, he caused him to be rejected as well.
Ji Wenliang pursed his lips. He temporarily did not ask Ji Yangzong for help, fearing that he would make the situation worse.
“It’s settled! Both brothers will go, experience the world when they go out, and if they make a fortune when they return, they will have everything.”
“Third Sister, I never agreed!”
Ji Yangzong said, glaring, “This is Huo Shu’s business. Whether anyone goes or not, he has the final say.”
“You little sixth! If he needs people from outside the village, would he not want his own relatives? As a son-in-law, don’t you, as a father-in-law, still have the final say?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Shu and Tao Yu walked in.
Ji Wenliang looked at the people who had returned and smiled, calling out, “Brother Taozi!”
Seeing Huo Shu with a cold face behind him, he immediately became more serious, his voice weakened considerably, and he said nervously and awkwardly, “Brother-in-law.”
Tao Yu opened his round eyes. “Wen Liang, why are you here too?”
Ji Wanglan hurried to say, “You two came back just in time. We were just talking about Huo Shu going out for business, and Yuan Fei and Wen Liang want to help him.”
“Look, your father is still unwilling. Brother Tao, isn’t this a good thing?”
Tao Yu shrugged slightly. He didn’t want to argue with his third aunt, so he passed the buck. “I don’t understand much about men’s affairs. Third Aunt, you can talk to Ah Shu.”
Ji Wanglan looked at Huo Shu’s face, opened her mouth, and then closed it. She didn’t dare to be as unreasonable with him as she was with her own relatives.
Huo Shu didn’t say much. He took out the document paper left over from the villagers’ visit that morning. “If you want to go, it’s okay. Sign and thumbprint.”
Ji Wanglan was a little confused by Huo Shu’s promptness. She quickly took the paper, glanced at it, and her expression changed.
“What do you mean by ‘if you encounter danger on the way, you are responsible for your own life and death’? The companions will not be held responsible? If you go together, why don’t you care about your companion’s life and death!”
Ji Yangzong said, “Everyone who is going has signed. If Third Aunt wants Yuan Fei to go, then sign.”
Ji Wanglan immediately became unhappy. “It’s a business trip, and you’re making a life-or-death statement. It’s fine for others, but is there any need to be so distant with your own relatives?”
Saying that, she pulled Ji Wenliang over. “Your sixth uncle is too stingy. Wen Liang, don’t you think so? Which of the other uncles is like this?”
“Let’s just forget about the two brothers from our family. Wouldn’t it be a laughingstock if it got out?”
At this moment, she started pestering them again, refusing to let them go without signing and thumbprinting.
Seeing this, Ji Wenliang felt as if a cloud had parted to reveal the sky. He said happily, “I heard that many large merchant teams have their own household servants who already have contracts. If they hire people from outside, they also require them to sign and thumbprint, which is to make them determined to do their work conscientiously.”
“I’ll sign according to Brother-in-law’s rules.”
After saying that, Ji Wenliang took a pen and truly signed and thumbprinted.
Ji Wanglan was stunned and cursed the foolish boy.
“Third Sister, are you going to press it, or should you call Yuan Fei to press it?”
Ji Yangzong said, “Look, Wen Liang has already signed and thumbprinted.”
“It’s like this when family members do this.”
Ji Wanglan said, and then her words turned quickly: “Aren’t there people in the village who want to do business and venture out every now and then? Look at the peddlers, how many of them made money? Most of them lost their capital and returned to farming in the village in the end.”
“What kind of place is the north? A place of war, with wild people. Why do business in those places? Are they tired of their peaceful lives at home?”
Ji Yangzong was too lazy to listen to her chatter. “Are you going or not? The two children have only been back for a day and are tired. If you want to sign, sign quickly. If not, then forget it. Let the two children go back to their rooms to rest early.”
Ji Wanglan shamelessly said, “Yuan Fei might not like this kind of business. I’ll go back and ask him first.”
