"My lord! It’s done."
Seeing the relaxed expression on Ming Mo’s face, Gu Chengyu knew they had successfully purchased those materials.
"How much Silver did it cost?" Gu Chengyu placed the ledger on the desk, curiously asking.
Ming Mo instantly bead, his tone quite lighthearted.
"Precisely ten thousand taels, Manager Jiang ntioned that he exerted quite a bit of effort this ti, almost failing to negotiate. But ultimately, Mr. Ju agreed. Although midway, he kept asking Manager Jiang what they wanted with those mold-spotted fabrics. Manager Jiang’s response was rather clever, saying they were bought to make silk flowers or pockets to sell."
Gu Chengyu nodded, indeed, it was a good excuse. Though making these small items wouldn’t yield much Silver, it would still earn so.
Would Mr. Ju believe it? Gu Chengyu found it quite unlikely.
"Mr. Ju didn’t believe at first! He kept asking, how could Manager Jiang reveal the reason to him? Eventually, he had no choice but to sell the batch of materials."
Ming Mo thought Manager Jiang showed so competence, at least he completed the task assigned by the lord.
"Did Manager Jiang inspect the materials? What condition are they in?"
Gu Chengyu worried that all the materials might be completely moldy, and if so, even removing the spots would leave the colors less vibrant, drastically reducing the price.
"Manager Jiang checked the batch before discussing prices and said the layer at the bottom was most affected by moisture, with the most mold spots. So were full pieces, with quite a bit on the middle fabrics, whereas the ones on top were much better, only having scatterings of spots. Following your instructions, we accumulated them all together, offering ten thousand taels of Silver, otherwise, those moldy scraps weren’t worth taking even if given to us for free."
Ming Mo was puzzled by Gu Chengyu spending so much Silver on these unwanted fabrics.
He’s never heard of mold spots being removable, if not, wouldn’t they lose ten thousand taels of Silver?
Are they really going to make silk flowers or pockets? How much fabric would be wasted if discarding the unusable parts? It’s sheer waste.
"Get Manager Jiang to fetch the materials this afternoon, anwhile, find a hundred skillful won among the disaster victims, I have my ways to remove the black spots from the fabrics."
With ti pressing, Gu Chengyu had to call more won to help, planning to use alcohol to eliminate the black spots on the material.
But where can alcohol be found in the Dayan Dynasty? Gu Chengyu had so in his space but couldn’t bring it out. Even if taken out, it wouldn’t be enough.
This required distilling alcohol first, using low-alcohol beverages brewed from grains by local workshops, all of which needed people to do.
"Oh! Before that, distribute a box of hand cream to each person, to be applied on their hands for two days, without doing rough work."
Gu Chengyu suddenly recalled the won were used to doing rough chores daily, their hands must be very coarse.
Satin fabric easily snags threads, if scratched and fuzzed, they would lose a lot of Silver indeed.
That hand cream was a popular ointnt sold in Gu Chengyu’s costic shop. Applying it for three days would greatly improve conditions.
"Ah?" Ming Mo was quite astonished, his lord was really generous, actually giving these away? Wouldn’t that cost dozens of taels of Silver?
"What did Xia Qing say to those wealthy rchants the past couple of days?" Gu Chengyu suddenly rembered the Xia Clan Leader was racking his brains to oppose him, and hastily asked.
"A minion purchased a servant from their household, who said Xia Clan Leader plans to purchase grains from the other four families at the current prices."
"Which families agreed?" Actually, selling grains to the Xia Family at this ti is rather prudent, but would these people forego the Silver they perceive as within reach?
Hardly willing, right? Nonetheless, not everyone is without brains, maybe soone remains level-headed.
"Only two families, one is Liu Mansion, and the other is Ju Mansion, the other two didn’t agree. Ju’s family even fell out with Xia Clan Leader, spoke rather discourteously and left Xia Clan Leader embarrassed."
Ming Mo recalled the news he had learned this morning, and continued: "This morning, I heard the price of fabrics in Xia’s Cloth Shop suddenly plumted, commoners flocked there, forming long queues at the shop’s door. Ju’s Cloth Shop, conversely, had a slump in business, quieter than ever before."
Gu Chengyu was dumbfounded; Ju Haoming’s temper was indeed quite challenging, not even giving face to the Xia Clan Leader? But who backed him?
Is soone truly backing Ju’s family? Gu Chengyu nodded, reckoning that Ju’s family might have found a patron.
However, who in the court could contend against Xia Qing? If not the Princes?
The Crown Prince likely is not possible, such actions aren’t his style. Being a Crown Prince, he should consider the people, how would he allow Ju’s family to raise grain prices by hoarding?
If he indeed committed such actions, letting others know, wouldn’t that deliver leverage to soone else? Such misdeeds surely can’t beco the Crown Prince?
Not the Crown Prince, the remaining choices are Prince Jing and Prince Gong. The Third Prince entered Bao En Temple two years ago, now with the Buddhist na Liao Wu!
Who indeed? Gu Chengyu thought Prince Gong and Prince Jing both seed possible.
Perhaps the smooth transactions Manager Jiang had in buying the fabrics were due to these factors; maybe Ju’s family had poor business lately, with fabrics stockpiled in their warehouse.
These moldy fabrics sold cheaply might better help in circulating so Silver.
"I recall there’s also Jiang’s family, right? Why didn’t Jiang’s family agree? Xia Clan Leader didn’t trouble Jiang’s family?"
"Exactly, Jiang’s family! It’s said Jiang’s family didn’t refuse, only suggesting considering it further! Over the past few days, they have remained silent, much like usual."
Gu Chengyu mused, Jiang’s family was quite cunning, certainly not willing to agree.
Faced with Xia Clan Leader’s pressure, they would use delay tactics.
...
"Chief Chen, has the Emperor awakened?" Inside Chengqian Palace, the Crown Prince anxiously waited in the main hall.
This morning during court, the Emperor fainted suddenly and was imdiately carried back to the sleeping chamber. But two hours have passed since, and the Emperor hasn’t awoken, causing the Crown Prince great anxiety.
"Your Highness, the Emperor is awake now but feels rather weak. He’s asking for your presence, having matters to entrust to you!"
De’an ca out of the inner chamber, suppressing his full concern, and braced himself to face the Crown Prince.
The Emperor fainted for the second ti already; this ti, the duration of unconsciousness was longer, how could De’an be at ease?
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince skipped formalities, hastily quickened his pace into the inner chamber.
Upon entering, he saw the Emperor reclining against a pillow, eyes vacant, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The Crown Prince hurried forward, kneeling before reaching the couch.
He kneeled arduously, forward a few steps, grasping the Emperor’s hand, softly calling, "Father!"
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