Chapter 28
Zhu Ying was not particularly annoyed; these noble people had no idea what kind of life ordinary commoners lived.
Hearing Zhu Ci's words, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity: "Oh? The Young Master also knows physiognomy?"
Zhu Ci smiled. "I'm not a man who enjoys studying, yet I happen to be interested in those unorthodox ways. I wouldn't claim to be an expert, but I have a few insights. It's mainly because the Chief's facial features are simply too standard; one can tell at a single glance, so it doesn't require much profound skill."
Zhu Ying asked instinctively, "Standard? What do you mean?"
“That's easy to explain. For example, the Chief has a full and rounded forehead and prominent cheekbones. According to the books, that means he is precocious, diligent, destined for a prosperous career in the civil service. Besides that, the Chief has bright, spirited eyes, which means he possesses a clear and sharp mind. As the saying goes, with such a forehead and prominent features, he is destined for success in the imperial examinations from a young age.”
Zhu Ying listened, dazed, wondering if he really was a scholar in the making.
He instinctively looked toward Magistrate Zhang, who was also stunned at this moment. If it weren't for this Young Master's status, he would have suspected the other was either a high-level expert traveling the world or a swindler roaming the martial arts world.
However, after catching Zhu Ying's gaze, Magistrate Zhang immediately said, "The Young Master is correct; these are mentioned in both Ma Yi Xiang Fa and Liu Zhuang Xiang Fa."
Zhu Ci was extremely calm; what he had just said was certainly not nonsense, for how could one use lies to deceive people?
As for whether it was accurate or not.. in any case, Magistrate Zhang would not easily offend Zhu Ying, nor would he dare to contradict him; so, wouldn't he simply say whatever he was told to say?
Zhu Ying scratched his head in confusion. "But this.. I don't like reading much either. To be honest with the Young Master, I have some assets now, I once wanted to read those books and classics, but.. I just couldn't bear to read them."
“It's normal that you can't stand reading them; I can't stand them either. I've been studying since I was a child, so Chief, you've just been delayed. You didn't have the opportunity when you were young, now that you're responsible for the livelihoods of thousands of people, where would you find the time to read? Even if you did, it wouldn't fill the brothers' bellies.”
Zhu Ying was praised so much that he couldn't help but straighten his back, feeling as if he had truly transformed from the leader of the Canal Gang into a formidable merchant.
Zhu Ying handed the paper to Zhu Ci and said, "Sigh, it's too late to say anything now."
“It is not too late.” Zhu Ci took it and said quite casually, “The imperial court is short of people right now. Appointments aren't based solely on the imperial examinations; quite a few people in the court were recommended by the Grand Secretary and the Grand Chancellor, even from the Crown Prince's side..”
He spoke as if he had suddenly realized he was saying too much, gave a light cough. "I have spoken too much after drinking. If the Magistrate and the Chief have heard it, let it be, but please, do not let it spread."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying's mind stirred; no matter the era, most people wanted to enter the establishment.
In the long run, it was relatively safe, but looking deeper.. if he had an official status, wouldn't it be even easier to get things done?
Regardless of the dynasty, amnesty has an unparalleled appeal for people like them.
Zhu Ying felt eager, but he maintained a degree of rationality and did not show it, merely laughing loudly and saying, "That makes sense."
However, when it came to enthusiasm, Magistrate Zhang was actually a bit more eager. Zhu Ying was practically illiterate; even if someone were to recommend him, it would be incredibly difficult for him to become an official.
But he was different; he still had the chance to advance further, so he put a bit more thought into the business he mentioned to Zhu Ci.
If he could help him advance further, he could certainly "help." If spending a bit of money could make the Young Master happy and subsequently help his official career advance, that wouldn't be out of the question either.
Before that, he needed to gain a deeper understanding of whether this Young Master could actually be of assistance.
Thinking of this, Magistrate Zhang asked, "I wonder what kind of business the Young Master intends to do?"
Zhu Ci put the paper away and said, "Coal."
Coal?
Zhu Ying and Magistrate Zhang spoke in unison, then exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat skeptical. Everyone knew by now that coal was profitable, but that portion had already been almost entirely carved up—how could anyone else get a share?
The Water Dragon Society has also gotten involved in this business; they are responsible for the transport, which is, of course, smuggling as well.
Could it be.. this Young Master wants a piece of the pie from them?
Zhu Ying instantly became alert, saying, "This business is not easy to do."
Zhu Ci didn't answer, but instead asked, "Could the Chief tell me how the sales of the coal residue are going lately?"
Residual coal?" Zhu Ying laughed twice. "That's something nobody wants.
Zhu Ci nodded. "The business I'm talking about starts with coal dust, turning waste into treasure."
Hmm?" Zhu Ying said, sounding somewhat skeptical, "How exactly do you turn waste into treasure?
Zhu Ci explained, "I have a method to process coal dust, turning it into processed coal that can burn, for a relatively long duration. This method is low-cost; I wouldn't say it's a windfall, but it's certainly not far from it. Most importantly, no one knows this method right now. We only need to buy a large amount of coal dust while the prices are low, then we just wait to make money."
Zhu Ying was somewhat suspicious. "Is this true?"
Zhu Ci said, "If you don't believe me, just wait a few days. Once I have someone produce it, you'll know. To be honest, processing this kind of coal is quite simple; the only difficult part is that it requires a specialized furnace. Oh, if it can be popularized, those furnaces will make a profit, there will also be specialized fire tongs—all of these are business opportunities."
Zhu Ying and Magistrate Zhang were stunned by what they heard; honestly, hearing it like this made them feel that the matter might actually be true.
Zhu Ying still couldn't help but ask, "This.. why would the Young Master think of making such filthy things?"
Given his status, let alone coal, he might not have even seen coal before.
Zhu Ci hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Sigh, to tell you the truth, while I was studying with the Crown Prince, he read a poem by Bai Juyi and thought of how it has been getting colder and colder these past few years. Having also heard that many commoners cannot afford charcoal or coal for warmth, he began searching through ancient books. In the end, he actually found a method, after testing it and finding it feasible, he wanted to promote it."
Zhu Ying was greatly shocked after hearing this: "Young Master.. studied.. studied together with the Crown Prince?"
Zhu Ci glanced at him and said, "Of course. Technically, His Highness the Crown Prince is my cousin. We were born in the same year and have played together since we were children. However, life was much more relaxed when His Highness was the Prince of Huai. Now that His Highness has taken residence in the Eastern Palace, I will also be entering official service after the New Year. I'm afraid I won't have such leisurely times anymore."
Magistrate Zhang was somewhat puzzled. "Since this is what the Crown Prince has in mind, why not hand it directly over to the imperial court?"
Zhu Ci glanced at him and clicked his tongue. "Does Magistrate Zhang truly not know, or is he just pretending? There are so many major matters in the imperial court right now—suppressing rebels, resisting the Tartars, all sorts of other miscellaneous affairs. Who would have the heart to deal with this? Moreover, the Ministry of Revenue is currently empty, the situation in the Eastern Palace is not good either. The Crown Prince is a bit short on funds, so my trip here is not just to honor our ancestors, but also to find a source of income for His Highness. It is safer to handle such matters among our own people, which is why I came to Xialiang. This place.. after all, it is the ancestral home of the Empress."
Observing that both Zhu Ying and the Magistrate looked thoughtful, he continued, "Originally, I intended to handle this alone, but on second thought, it was somewhat reckless. After all, I am a stranger to this place, the people in Xialiang are all ordinary farmers. If this matter is truly to be implemented, I will need to rely on a local official like Magistrate Zhang and local gentry like the Chief."
Upon hearing that it was about making money for the Crown Prince, both Zhu Ying and the Magistrate felt their minds begin to race.
Magistrate Zhang and Zhu Ying exchanged a glance, then, after some deliberation, said, "I am afraid I cannot decide on this matter; I must report it to the Prefect."
Zhu Ci slammed the table. "Report to the Prefect? Your Highness simply doesn't want to cause too much of a stir. If you report this to the Prefect, once he knows, he won't dare act on his own and will report it further up the chain. Before you know it, word will reach the capital. When others inevitably stick their noses in, you'll see whether the Crown Prince remembers you or not."
Magistrate Zhang trembled upon hearing this. A minor magistrate like him would not normally even catch the Crown Prince's eye, but if he were remembered like this.. then his official career would likely be over.
Zhu Ci turned to look at Zhu Ying, but Zhu Ying remained silent.
He thought for a moment and said, "However, you might not believe me if I just say this out loud. It just so happens that I have brought the Crown Prince's imperial decree, so I can show it to you."
As Zhu Ci spoke, he pulled out a letter and handed it to Magistrate Zhang. Magistrate Zhang immediately stood up and bowed, receiving it with both hands, while saying, "Receiving the Crown Prince's imperial decree."
After taking it, he stood there and began reading the letter.
Zhu Ying was somewhat dazed; he didn't know if he should stand up. The highest-ranking official he usually encountered was the Prefect of Suzhou, but His Highness the Crown Prince.. he was a figure from the heavens.
After reading it, Magistrate Zhang carefully put the letter away, then bowed and offered it to Zhu Ci with both hands.
Zhu Ci asked, "Have you looked it over? Is there any problem with the seal on it?"
Magistrate Zhang nodded. "Yes, there are no problems."
Zhu Ci then tucked the letter into his sleeve.
Fortunately, when he fled and lost his luggage, he left the seal behind. That thing was very small and didn't take up much space; what if it could be used in the future?
He never expected that it would actually come in handy.
Fu Qiulu and Fu Chunsheng listened to him calling the Crown Prince this and the Crown Prince that, their expressions turning somewhat strange. To avoid ruining the Young Master's good mood, they kept their heads bowed low and said nothing.
Zhu Ying asked impatiently, "What did His Highness say?"
Magistrate Zhang glanced at Zhu Ci and said, "His Highness has entrusted this entire matter to the Young Master—oh, no, perhaps I should call you Assistant Commissioner Xi."
As he spoke, he felt a hint of envy; he had toiled for so many years only to become a seventh-rank magistrate, yet the young man before him, who had not even reached the age of twenty, was about to become a second-rank Assistant Commissioner of the Five Military Governors' Office.
Zhu Ying did not know much about the officials of the imperial court, but seeing how the Magistrate became increasingly respectful toward this Young Master, he knew the position was quite high.
Zhu Ci waved his hand dismissively. "That will all be matters for after I return. Right now, I don't have an official position yet, otherwise His Highness wouldn't have sent me here."
Zhu Ying believed him ninety percent already, said through gritted teeth, "In that case, we shall do as the Young Master wishes."
Zhu Ci raised his wine cup and said, "No more pleasantries, let us all strike it rich together!"
It could be said that both the guests and the host enjoyed the feast to the fullest. On the way back, Fu Chunsheng saw that Zhu Ci seemed to be in a good mood, so he couldn't help but take a bold risk and ask, "Young Master, Zhu Ying clearly detained those people, so why did you still want to lead him to make a fortune?"
Zhu Ci had a slight flush on his face from the alcohol, with his eyes half-lidded, he said, "With a local tyrant like him, let alone my current status, even revealing my identity as the Crown Prince might not necessarily be useful. Haven't you heard that he has connections with the Prefect? It is best to turn major issues into minor ones and minor issues into nothing at all, not to mention.."
He let out a cold laugh as he spoke, "Do you think my money is so easy to earn? Sooner or later, I'll make him spit it all back out."
Fu Qiulu and Fu Chunsheng exchanged a glance and silently closed their mouths.
When Zhu Ci returned, Xi Shan was leaning against the door, gazing into the distance; from the look of it, he had likely been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Xi Shan, he said, "Rest assured, your father will be sent over tomorrow. It just so happens that I also have matters to instruct you all about."
Xi Shan's eyes instantly welled with tears. He knelt down directly and kowtowed three times toward Zhu Ci, saying, "Thank you, Young Master, thank you, Young Master.."
He seemed so agitated that he didn't know what to say, repeatedly murmuring those words.
Zhu Ci sighed, bent down to help him up, said, "Alright, go back and rest. Your injury hasn't healed yet."
Xi Shan wiped his eyes with his sleeve and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, I.. I'll listen to the Young Master."
Zhu Ci waved his hand and said nothing more. Today's meal had gone quite smoothly, he had basically achieved all his objectives. The only downside was that he had drunk a bit too much and felt dizzy.
On top of that, having spent the whole night maneuvering between the Magistrate and Zhu Ying, he didn't want to say a word anymore. After washing up, he lay down and fell straight asleep.
When Zhu Ci woke up the next morning, he found that the sky had cleared.
It was just that today was even colder than the previous two days; even with coal burning in the room, Zhu Ci still felt it wasn't that warm.
Sigh, there's nothing to be done. Houses in this era don't have insulation or anything like that, not to mention that houses in the south are generally much thinner than those in the north; heat escapes too quickly, so it's only natural to be cold.
After Zhu Ci got up and ate breakfast, Xi Ping was sent to him.
Upon seeing Zhu Ci, the old man immediately knelt down, tears welling in his eyes as he said, "I can never repay your life-saving kindness, Young Master. From now on, this old man will serve you like a beast of burden."
As soon as he knelt, Xi Shan naturally knelt down as well.
Zhu Ci helplessly pulled the two of them up and said, "Don't go kneeling every time something happens; isn't the ground cold? Enough, let's go inside to talk."
After entering, Zhu Ci looked the old man up and down and asked, "Are you injured?"
Xi Ping wiped away his tears and said, "You arrived just in time, Young Master. This old man hasn't suffered too much yet."
That means he was beaten.
Zhu Ci turned to Fu Chunsheng and said, "Go and invite a physician over to examine him and his father.
Xi Ping was startled and hurriedly waved his hands, saying, "That won't do, that won't do! I'm just a country person; these minor injuries are nothing. I'll be fine in a couple of days."
Seeing a doctor costs a lot of money, let alone having one come to your house.
Zhu Ci shook his head and said, "It would be better to get it checked. I still have things for you to do; how can you help me if your health is poor?"
After hearing this, Xi Ping didn't know what to say for a moment.
However, what Zhu Ci didn't expect was that Fu Chunsheng returned exactly as he had left, only with several extra bottles of medicinal oil for bruises and injuries in his hands.