Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 255 Not Selected

After leaving the Yang family, some merchants went to taverns to drink, while others went to the market to check out the Yang family's clay stove shop.

One of them, after leaving Yong'an Ward, wandered around the city before entering the courtyard.

The merchant named Qian Wei was led into the study in the inner courtyard.

Two people were sitting in the study. One was beardless and had a somewhat effeminate look, while the other was no more than thirty years old and had a scholarly air about him.

Qian Wei respectfully handed over the village rules.

"What is this?" the beardless man asked.

Qian Wei said, "Reporting to Shen Zhongguan, this is what I got from the Yang family. Xie Yuyan gave this to every merchant who went there, and said that if you do business with her, you must join her village association and abide by the village rules she set."

Eunuch Shen unfolded the village regulations and looked at them. His brows first furrowed, then slowly relaxed.

"It's quite interesting."

After saying that, Eunuch Shen handed it to the person next to him: "Master Han, please take a look as well."

Han Si took the document and examined it carefully. After a long while, he closed the document, and a serious look appeared on his fair face: "This doesn't seem to be from a woman's hand. I wonder if Madam Xie has any advisors around her who can help her?"

Qian Wei shook his head: "When we went to the Yang clan, we only saw Madam Xie instructing the Yang clan members to do things, but we didn't find anyone with her."

Han Si raised his eyes: "I heard that Madam Xie is only seventeen years old?"

Qian did not respond: "That's how it seems, but she is very steady in her work. The entire Yang family respects her greatly, and even the craftsmen obey her orders."

"The craftsmen who went to the Yang family were all delighted and wanted to sign contracts with Madam Xie. However... it's also possible that Madam Xie paid them a lot of wages."

"Of course I'm willing to serve if I get paid," Eunuch Shen waved his hand. "It's nothing. Tell me, what did you see on this trip?"

Qian Wei thought for a moment and then said, "Then Madam Xie doesn't have much money on her."

Eunuch Shen was somewhat surprised: "Why?"

Qian Wei carefully recounted what Xie Yuyan had said.

"She herself said that if she had enough money, she would open more pottery kilns, and it was impossible for her to reveal the method of firing clay kilns."

Eunuch Shen said, "Didn't she tell the Xie family the method for firing clay stoves?"

Qian Wei shook his head: "I did tell you, but I didn't get the formula for the fireproof putty."

Shen, the eunuch, realized: "If she was hiding fireproof clay and only giving it to the Yang family's pottery kiln, then her clay stove would be unique."

“That’s exactly right,” Qian Wei said. “But fireproof clay can be prepared sooner or later, and it won’t be long before someone can imitate it. She doesn’t have enough money to open too many kilns, so she can’t compete with those who imitate clay kilns.”

"Now that no one can make the same clay stove, we should find some merchants to do business with her. At least we can preserve the reputation and status of her Daming Prefecture clay stoves."

Shen, the eunuch, went to see Qian Wei, who nodded: "It is indeed a good idea."

"That's all?" asked Eunuch Shen.

Qian did not respond: "That's all I've found out. Madam Xie said that after the Dharma assembly at Baode Temple on the second day of the second lunar month, those who are willing to do this business together should go to the Yang family to discuss it with her in detail."

"Based on what I've heard among the merchants... there are some who are interested, but not many."

"Her demands were far too many. They had to join the village association, pay the laborers and craftsmen according to the rules she set, and they couldn't even keep servants in the pottery kiln. They also couldn't beat or scold the laborers at will. They didn't earn much money and were still bound by her."

Qian Wei had never encountered such a situation before. What business would have to fight for wages for its employees and craftsmen first? And what's the point of hiring a lawyer for the employees? In short, he felt that no one would be willing to do that.

Eunuch Shen instructed Qian Wei, "You must continue to inquire about news from that side, and report back on any developments." Qian Wei acknowledged and respectfully withdrew.

After everyone left, Eunuch Shen looked at Han Si and said, "We're about to select porcelain to send to the border market, but the Xie family has run into this mess. You were the one who recommended the industry leader, so you'll have to decide which family's porcelain to use instead of the Xie family's."

The Han family had been selling porcelain for generations. Especially under Han Si, the porcelain business not only grew bigger and bigger, but the porcelain fired in the Han family kiln was also sent to the palace. It was for this reason that Han Si was recommended to come and "select porcelain".

It was just a formality, and the porcelain to be used had already been decided. But suddenly things changed. The Xie family of Daming Prefecture had an accident, so their porcelain was definitely unusable. So whose porcelain should they use instead?

Shen, the eunuch, asked, "Have you seen the porcelain produced by the Yang family's kiln?"

Han Si nodded: "It certainly has its unique features."

Eunuch Shen's eyes flickered: "His Majesty also asked about it, but... I heard it was a crude item from the common people, not worth a look, so His Majesty didn't mention it again."

It's fortunate that the officials didn't notice, otherwise they would probably have used the Yang family's porcelain.

Eunuch Shen was a man of keen judgment. That Lady Xie was someone who got involved in Prefect Liu's case. A small merchant like her, once she got involved in these things, was bound to meet a bad end.

Using her... might offend someone, and he just wanted to earn some money peacefully and didn't want to get involved in this kind of thing.

“It’s not that we don’t give her a chance,” said Eunuch Shen. “I see that she’s just working on her clay stoves. You can’t see her porcelain on the street. Even if some scholars have a few, they are few. It’s an unknown thing. If you take it to the market, the local people won’t recognize it. They’ll think we’re just trying to fool them.”

Han Si said, "What the eunuch said makes sense."

Shen, the eunuch, said, "We'll stay here for ten days. After that, there probably won't be any decent porcelain left on the streets. We can head south and look for more kilns. We can choose one from among them."

Han Si responded.

Shen, the eunuch, said, "This is a good job, we can't afford to mess it up."

Han Si nodded repeatedly. Before he came to Daming Prefecture, he had been advised not to select porcelain there. Now he was just following the eunuch's advice.

Everyone will be happy in the end.

……

Xie Yuyan's carriage stopped at the entrance of Baode Temple.

The road has been repaired and is now much smoother, making it less bumpy and more comfortable. Xie Yuyan even took a short nap in the carriage.

When she got off the bus, she was less tired and looked energetic. She missed her master and grandmaster especially after being away for a while, and she was sure they missed them too.

"That's Madam Xie."

On the high platform in the temple, the monk Zhiyuan and Yan Sui spotted Xie Yuyan.

Yan Sui was naturally overjoyed, while Monk Zhiyuan felt a mix of emotions. He knew that Benefactor Xie would definitely come, but he didn't expect it to be so soon.

These are the kind people others talk about...

In Zhiyuan's mind, however, it was a different face.

Someone exuded a murderous aura.

Some people are good at scheming.

Some people are even willing to risk their lives to lure others into their traps.

Alas, these people, even their temples, have become places where all sorts of secrets are hidden.

I wonder what Madam Xie is up to this time?
Zhiyuan chanted Buddhist scriptures... If she went too far, he would definitely not agree.