Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 457 Talk
Xie Yuyan brought all the people who were needed to set up the printing and dyeing workshop with him when he came to Ciyun Temple this time.

Jingyuan looked at Zhou Da and the others and said, "It's truly remarkable that you've gathered so many people so quickly, Xie Shanren. Then let Madam arrange everything!"

Xie Yuyan nodded and told Zhou Da and the others to follow the novice nun to the dyeing workshop in the backyard, while Duan Dalang and Feng Qiaoniang stayed in the meditation room.

Duan Dalang opened the box he was carrying and placed it in front of Jingyuan.

Xie Yuyan said, "These are the indigo, madder, and gardenia used for dyeing cloth. From now on, we will entrust the purchase of medicinal materials to the Duan family."

Jingyuan raised her eyes. She had asked people to inquire about Madam Xie's affairs, so she naturally knew that before Madam Xie appeared, everyone outside thought that the owner of the perfume shop was the Duan family of Huaizhou.

Most people also know that the Duan family started out in the medicinal herb business.

Jingyuan smiled slightly. It was just a perfume shop, but Xie Yuyan had managed to make it so interesting.

Ciyun Temple used the Duan family's medicinal herbs to dye cloth. If the cloth could be dyed successfully in one go, the Duan family's medicinal herbs could then be smoothly introduced to the capital.

Xie Yuyan then pointed to Feng Qiaoniang and briefly recounted Feng Qiaoniang's background.

“Qiaoniang understands cloth and can take on the responsibility of managing it,” Xie Yuyan said. “If there are any problems with the dyeing workshop in the temple, the abbot can just ask her and she will make the arrangements.”

This sounds like a gentle statement, but it actually means that the decision regarding the dyeing workshop should be made by someone who understands cloth.

Jingyuan nodded again.

With Xie Yuyan's explanation and Jingyuan's agreement, Feng Qiaoniang's actions became even more legitimate.

Feng Qiaoniang and Jingheng left the meditation room, leaving only Xie Yuyan and Jingyuan sitting together and talking.

After serving tea to the two of them, Yu's mother stood aside.

Compared to when there were other people around, Jingyuan appeared more relaxed when she was face to face with Xie Yuyan. Her face was relaxed and at ease as she looked at Xie Yuyan and said, "Last time, Mr. Xie told me in detail about the profits and losses of the dye shop, but he didn't mention that he wanted to make the Duan family's pharmacy famous."

Xie Yuyan smiled and said, "I think this is a mutually beneficial thing. If the Duan family wants this reputation, they must ensure that the medicinal herbs they provide to Ciyun Nunnery are cheap and of good quality. Moreover, this cannot go on in the long run without any mistakes. It is a good thing for Ciyun Nunnery."

Jingyuan looked at Xie Yuyan: "Isn't Xie Shanren afraid that the Duan family will abandon you if they sell the medicinal herbs well in the future?"

Xie Yuyan said, "The Duan family will open three pharmacies in Daming Prefecture, and pharmacies in Mingzhou, Lanzhou, and Xiangzhou will also open one after another, just like Ciyun Temple. Those pharmacies are all jointly opened by me and the Duan family. The difference between them and Ciyun Temple is that the pharmacies will also give some money to the village association every year."

Jingyuan said, "In places like Mingzhou, Yizhou, and Xiangzhou, merchants come to your village associations. No wonder the Duan family opened a pharmacy there."

Xie Yuyan said, "It is only natural for people in the village association to help each other. Our water shop, perfume shop, and dyeing shop also need a lot of medicinal materials. Why would the Duan family turn their backs on us? Besides, people who join the village association all agree with each other and will not easily change their stance."

Jingyuan saw something familiar in Xie Yuyan's calm gaze.

With an air of strategic confidence and an overbearing attitude that allowed her to use everything to her advantage, Jingyuan was even somewhat dazed, as if she had returned to the time more than a decade ago when Cining Palace was at its peak.

Jingyuan said, "Madam, you must be using the Duan family for more than just printing and dyeing fabrics, right? After all, being able to open a printing and dyeing workshop at Ciyun Nunnery is a later matter, and it's hard to predict." "But before that, Madam has already begun to pave the way for the Duan family."

Xie Yuyan did not hide anything from Jingyuan. In front of a smart person, whether you try to conceal something or just pretend, the other person will see through it clearly.

"I heard that Master Huizhen used to make many pills and distribute them to believers and people during the summer and winter seasons. Unfortunately, he only distributed medicine for two years before he passed away."

"If Master Huizhen's injustice is redressed and the temple can continue making pills, we are willing to donate the medicinal materials."

Upon hearing this, Jingyuan asked with some doubt: "Since you are donating medicinal herbs, then whatever the pills made by the temple are used for is none of your business. Aren't you losing out?"

“If you use the name of the temple to smuggle medicine, you will be severely punished once the court catches you.”

Jingyuan knew that Xie Yuyan wouldn't be so confused, but she couldn't figure out what the pill was for.

Xie Yuyan looked at Jingyuan and said, "The pills cannot be sold, but they can be given away or used for relief. The temples along the border are located in remote areas with inconvenient transportation, so it is extremely difficult to provide relief. Now that the market has opened, merchants will pass by and can bring some clothing and medicine to the temples."

"A large amount of medicinal herbs need to be mobilized by the imperial court, which no one can interfere with, but such mobilization is a rare occurrence. However, there are often exchanges between temples for guidance and teachings. When temples help each other with supplies for their monks, the imperial court should not object."

"Perhaps one of the abbots in Bianjing can shoulder such a heavy responsibility."

After hearing these words, Jingyuan did not show any surprise on her face, but she stood there stunned for a long time without saying a word.

If a caravan frequently carries monks seeking Buddhist teachings or transports cloth, medicine, or other gifts from temples, bandits will be wary.

Most importantly, frequenting temples increases the chances of finding a place to stay during your travels. Which is safer, spending the night in a temple or outside? Not to mention, temples will certainly offer protection if they receive anything.

These are the immediate benefits.

Besides, if the temple received the pills, would it distribute them to the local people? And what kind of people would the merchants who transported these pills be regarded as?
Using this as a medium, it will be much easier to interact with the local people and gain their trust more easily.

Other caravans might be criticized for doing such things, but it's perfectly reasonable for Xie Yuyan, who produced Buddhist porcelain, to do so. From selling Buddhist charcoal to clay stoves and Buddhist porcelain, weren't they all results of being influenced by Buddha?
After thinking it through, Jingyuan said after a long while, "If others knew what you said, they would definitely think you had ulterior motives."

Xie Yuyan smiled and said, "I didn't let anyone else know, I only told Abbess Jingyuan."

With just one sentence, the distance between the two was easily shortened.

Jingyuan didn't know whether to feel gratified or laugh at herself. She hadn't even seen through people yet, but she had been easily pulled onto their boat.

“You not only need to open up that trade route, but also win people’s hearts,” Jingyuan said. “Aren’t good people too greedy?”

Xie Yuyan said, "This is a matter of life and death, so we dare not be unprepared. Without weapons, we will be at the mercy of others. Our caravan will never carry goods that the court has banned from sale, so what will we use to bribe the border people?"

"Whether a caravan can travel across the border depends not on passion, but on scheming and fighting to the death. Since that's the case, what's wrong with me planning more for my own people?"

There's little chance of a second chapter tonight; I'm hampered by illness. But I'll try my best to write; if I really can't, I'll continue tomorrow.