EES - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"Is that really what you said?"

Prefect Lu Xing'an first heard of the matter, and he barely gave it a second thought, treating it as nothing more than a passing joke.

Having served as Prefect of Yunzhou for decades, what manner of person had he not encountered?

In his early years, when recruiting retainers, there were plenty who would strike such haughty poses, hoping to force him into personally inviting them. But that was long ago. Lu Xing'an no longer needed to humble himself to recruit guests.

Still, upon hearing the guard's description of the noblewoman, he felt a flicker of interest in another regard. "What did she look like? Was she a rare beauty? If so, I might actually go out to greet her."

The guard shook his head. "The noblewoman's appearance was quite ordinary. She wasn't even as striking as her maid."

Hearing this, Lu Xing'an lost all interest. He waved the guard away listlessly and promptly forgot about the whole affair.

Meanwhile, Lian Xun, Shan Lanze, Wei Tongling, and the others who had arrived in Yunzhou Prefecture followed their prearranged plan, taking temporary lodging at a local inn while Shan Lanze went to the brokerage house to view properties.

Of course, they weren't actually going to buy a house outright. If they played everything straight, their expenses in Yunzhou would skyrocket into astronomical figures. An emperor with an empty treasury wouldn't dream of spending the funds Qi Donghan had painstakingly gathered from pacifying bandits on such extravagance. Thus, whenever the brokerage house presented any property for their selection, Shan Lanze would simply shake her head and refuse it, complaining, "Isn't there anything better? Ten entrances should be the absolute minimum. My lady is accustomed to sprawling estates. This place isn't even fit to build a riding arena or stable a few horses... Oh, and the location is unacceptable too. With so many mouths to feed in our household, are you trying to make our cooks venture out in the dead of night just to buy vegetables for breakfast?"

Shan Lanze picked apart every aspect of the houses, from layout and size to location.

"Th-this..." The manager wiped sweat from his brow, forcing a smile. "Miss Shan, good properties in prime locations within the city are already occupied. The one I've shown you is the finest newly built estate available. If you take a liking to it, I can also sell you the surrounding manors at a discount."

"My lady prefers not to acquire manors near her residence. They're smelly and noisy." Shan Lanze covered her nose with a sleeve, feigning impatience. "Forget it. Fetch your principal."

Reluctantly, the manager went to consult their owner.

The owner of the Yunzhou brokerage house was none other than Duan Zheng, the wealthiest merchant in the prefecture. At that moment, however, it was Duan Zheng's son, Duan Jixin, who was managing operations at the house. After hearing the manager's report, he stepped forward to meet Shan Lanze. "Guest, there are sixteen mansions in Yunzhou City with seven or more entrances, and only four with ten or more. It is not that I refuse to sell, but all sixteen have already been purchased. Their residents are figures of immense influence in Yunzhou Prefecture."

"My lady is hardly unreasonable," Shan Lanze softened her previously aggressive demeanor, becoming gentle and courteous. "But given her status, failing to secure a residence commensurate with her standing would inevitably invite disdain. You say those living in these mansions are pivotal figures in Yunzhou. How do you know my lady is not equally pivotal?"

Duan Jixin paused, then asked cautiously, "May I ask who your lady is?"

"Merely a merchant." Shan Lanze smiled faintly.

Duan Jixin's expression shifted slightly, a spark of irritation rising at being toyed with. Yet before he could voice it, Shan Lanze casually gestured to a guard waiting outside the brokerage house, who promptly entered carrying a box.

Baffled, Duan Jixin asked, "What is the meaning of this, guest?"

"Open it," Shan Lanze instructed.

The guard obeyed, lifting the lid.

The moment it opened, pristine, fine granules appeared before Duan Jixin's eyes, crystal clear like fresh snow. He hesitated to identify them, a vague suspicion forming in his mind but unconfirmed. He looked to Shan Lanze with questioning eyes.

"My lady is merely a salt merchant."

"...Is this truly salt?" Duan Jixin's breathing grew heavier. "Forgive my presumption. May I purchase a small amount to taste?"

Even as the son of Yunzhou's richest man, the finest salt Duan Jixin had ever consumed was filtered well salt, coarse grains, dull and bluish-green in color, with a bitter astringency. He had never seen salt so pure and white as snow.

"By all means." Shan Lanze gestured politely.

Instead of dipping his fingers directly, Duan Jixin carefully instructed the manager to fetch a spoon from the back room. He used the handle to sample a tiny amount.

The first sensation was an intensely pure saltiness. Because it lacked the bitterness or astringency of conventional salts, the flavor was so unfamiliar that Duan Jixin initially doubted it. Only after letting it rest on his tongue for a while did he finally confirm his realization.

This was a type of salt far more precious than any existing variety!

Duan Jixin hurriedly asked, "I wonder how much salt your lady possesses?"

"We have as much of this as you wish." Shan Lanze smiled gently. "Does this convince you that my lady is indeed a figure of consequence?"

"It does, it does!" Duan Jixin was thrilled. He immediately ordered the manager, "Hurry and offer this young lady a seat! Serve the finest tea!"

Shan Lanze sat down gracefully. As Duan Jixin subtly probed for information about 'her lady' and the Refined Salt, she casually revealed that 'her lady' intended to lease a full street of storefronts in Yunzhou City to conduct business, and would also stock some Refined Salt in the shops.

After sharing this, Shan Lanze pointed to several buildings in the center of the brokerage house's floor plan. "This estate looks promising. Whose residence is it now?"

"The Guo house."

Shan Lanze smiled. "The weather is growing hot. Please arrange for the Guo family to vacate a space for my lady."

Duan Jixin's astonishment defied description.

Like the Duan house, the Guo house was a major merchant family in Yunzhou Prefecture. If the Duan family ranked first in wealth, the Guo family was second. The two families were deeply antagonistic; the Guos constantly plotted to usurp the Duans' top spot. Whatever business the Duans pursued, the Guos mirrored it to compete, even opening identical restaurants directly across from each other's establishments.

Upon hearing Shan Lanze's words, Duan Jixin instantly recognized an opportunity.

If this lady intended to displace the Guo family, then the Duan family and she were natural allies. Her arrival in Yunzhou with Refined Salt would undoubtedly stir up a storm. If the Duan family seized this chance to claim a share, they could cement an unshakable position.

His heart began to burn with excitement.

However, he restrained himself from making an immediate decision. After seeing Shan Lanze out, he returned home straightaway to discuss matters with his father, Duan Zheng.

On the other side, Lian Xun observed the activities outside the inn through the gauze window, casually setting aside a decorative fan used for posing. As soon as Shan Lanze returned, she turned to her.

"Did it work?" Though Lian Xun projected confidence, a trace of apprehension lingered in her eyes.

After all, this was her first time employing such tactics. Some nervousness was inevitable.

"Halfway there." Shan Lanze approached with a composed expression, then smiled. "Now we'll see if the number one merchant is willing to part with a mansion and storefronts once he grasps the opportunity. If he dares to gamble boldly, securing a seven-entrance estate is practically guaranteed."

"He will part with it." Lian Xun relaxed slightly, removing a heavy hair ornament to loosen her scalp. "He has no choice. If the top merchant doesn't step up, we'd have to approach the second richest. A seasoned fox who has traded for decades won't fail to see that. From here on, we simply wait for him to come knocking."

Wei Tongling sat on a chair, watching Lian Xun and Shan Lanze chat animatedly. Feeling left out, she quietly helped herself to pastries on the table, finishing an entire plate before she finally couldn't hold back her question. "But when we entered the city, you said, 'Won't the Prefect come out to welcome me?' What was the deeper meaning behind that? I still don't understand. If the plan was to directly target the Prefect, why not approach him yourself, instead of dealing with this 'number one merchant'?"

"Officer Wei, remember to address me as Madam." Lian Xun smiled, pulling two Appointment Warrants from her inner lining.

One bore the Emperor's seal and her own name. The other belonged to the previous Prefect dispatched to Yunzhou during the late emperor's reign, who had been ambushed and killed by bandits en route. Her finger traced over the names on both documents before she tucked hers back into her lining, lightly tapping the other one. "I am currently playing the role of the wife of that late emperor's appointed Prefect. We were separated when bandits attacked us on the road. After years of wandering, I leveraged my natal family's connections to become a merchant, yet I remain deeply attached to my ill-fated husband. Thus, I have decided to settle in Yunzhou, where my husband was meant to serve, for the remainder of my life. Tongling, you must be careful not to slip up."

"As for the current Prefect..." Lian Xun lifted her gaze from the warrant. "With this document in hand, compelling the Prefect to purchase an official title isn't excessive, is it?"

Meanwhile, Lu Xing'an, having dismissed the report about the woman's plain appearance and forgotten the incident entirely, was leisurely enjoying his afternoon meal. He watched his resident dancers and singers perform with a smile, when suddenly a chill ran down his spine.

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