The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 6: Going off the beaten track
"Mingshu, what you did today was indeed a risky move." On the way back, Xiao Yu sat in the carriage and reviewed the performance of the mother and daughter today.

"If not, how can I make Madam remember me so clearly?" Shang Mingshu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the bustling streets. She really liked to see the prosperity on the streets.

The warm sun shines on the bluestone slabs, and the crowds are bustling; the shops are lined up, with high-hanging signs swaying in the wind, and the stalls are full of goods.

In the teahouse, the aroma of tea wafted through the air, white smoke curled up, and the storyteller spoke eloquently, making the listeners applaud.

In the streets and alleys, the sounds of children playing and laughing can be heard from afar. Old men sit under trees, lazily basking in the sun, and occasionally players of chess argue with each other with red faces.

The days in the city are peaceful and quiet, unfolding in this lively scene.

"It seems that the lady is not happy with you." In the end, Mrs. He said nothing and changed the subject. She was neither cold nor warm to Shang Mingshu.

"Today, all the prominent mistresses in the entire city have brought their unmarried young men of marriageable age. There are at least a hundred of them. Auntie, how many do you think the lady can remember?" Shang Mingshu had her own plans. "I'm here to test the lady's character today."

Only with the reply from the young lady of the Duke's Mansion did she dare to take an unconventional approach.

Magistrate He had just taken office, and if nothing unexpected happened, they would have to deal with Madam He for at least four years, possibly even longer. In such a long-term relationship, one couldn't always try to please her; sooner or later, her true nature would reveal itself. Rather than letting Madam He think he was two-faced later, it was better to be honest with her sooner rather than later.

"What did you find out?" Xiao Yu smoothed Shang Mingshu's hair and smiled gently.

Shang Mingshu retracted her gaze, moved closer to Xiao Yu, and leaned her head on her aunt's shoulder: "Look at the banquet today, the first-class pot, the stewed water chestnut turtle, and the Wen Zheng mountain bamboo shoots are all famous dishes of our prefecture. The governor He is from Shanxi, and the honorable lady heard that he grew up in Jining, so the banquet also includes the famous dishes of these two places, such as the fried meat and the floating soup fish balls.

"Mrs. Gong must be a very considerate person. Looking at how she treated people today, it's not hard to see that she showed kindness to people like us, but she didn't intend to make close friends with us."

The goodwill was released because the merchants in Huizhou Prefecture were now powerful and united. The mountainous areas in their prefecture were mostly barren, with frequent floods and droughts, and the output was very meager. Substituting trade for farming was not limited to the rich, but ordinary people also racked their brains to trade for survival.

In Huizhou Prefecture, everyone is a businessman nowadays.

This is because although their capital city has little land and a large population, and they have not been able to cultivate crops, they are rich in products. Wood, bamboo, paulownia, lacquer, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, tea, porcelain and stone are all high-quality products and can be exchanged.

Batches of merchants emerged in Huizhou Prefecture.

If Magistrate He wanted to keep Huizhou Prefecture prosperous, he had to support merchants to develop the economy.

He Zhifu did not want to have close friendships. He was praised for his integrity, and close contacts with wealthy businessmen would damage his reputation.

This is good. With such kind officials around, as long as they behave properly, there is no need to worry about not having a good life.
"Do you want to have a close relationship with Gongren?" Xiao Yu thought of Shang Mingshu's past behavior.

"The Shi family is ready to make a move. Dad got more tea permits than them this year. They are competing for interests. With their vindictive and petty nature, they will do something bad to us sooner or later. If I can gain the appreciation of the noble lady, it will be a lot easier." Shang Mingshu did not hide it.

She first let Mrs. He remember her, Shang Mingshu, and it didn't matter if she didn't like her. After she let Mrs. He get to know her "in depth", she was convinced that Mrs. He would like her, and today's dislike would rebound in the future and turn into doubled like!
She was still brooding over what happened at the dock last night. Perhaps because she hated the Shi family, she always felt that she was inextricably linked to them.

"Where did you get the news last night?" Xiao Yu also remembered this and asked. "I said it was a dream, aunt, do you believe me?" Shang Mingshu was not sincere to many people. Xiao Yu was an aunt who took care of her and made plans for her whole life because she had no children.

Xiao Yu naturally didn't believe such absurd words. She just thought Shang Mingshu had something to hide, so she stopped pressing and said, "Believe it. Auntie will believe whatever Mingshu says. If Mingshu says the rising sun is square, Auntie will definitely be able to see the corners."

Shang Mingshu felt warm in her heart and couldn't help laughing out loud.

The mother and daughter returned home and ran into Shang Jinliang at the door. Seeing his wife and daughter, Shang Jinliang strode into the main hall and said, "Do you know how the pirates at the dock were exposed last night? Some idiot, blinded by gambling, took his musket to pawn. Your uncle, Wu, reported him, and that's when the authorities tracked him down."

"Dad is right, idiot." Shang Mingshu thought of those people in black who did not help to rescue their companions but chased after her and Cheng She, and nodded in agreement.

"You!" Shang Jinliang looked at his unmoved daughter, knowing she was playing dumb. "I'm saying they have muskets! You're just a show-off. Don't act rashly in the future. If it weren't for Second Master Cheng, I would have shot the man with the musket, and you'd be dead!"

It turned out that Cheng She was injured by a bird gun. This Western weapon was extremely lethal. Shang Mingshu was itching to get one: "Dad, when will you get me one?"

Shang Jinliang was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, pointing at Shang Mingshu and unable to speak. In the end, he could only vent his anger on Xiao Yu: "Look at the good daughter you raised!"

"Mingshu is not a good daughter. Something went wrong with the tea at the dock, and you're already crying out for help!" Xiao Yu never showed weakness to Shang Jinliang. "This batch of tea can't enter Yazhou. You can't explain it to the clan, and the government will be held responsible. It will cost tens of thousands of silver. She performed a great deed, and now she asks you for a musket, and you scold her? Is there anyone like you as a father?"

Shang Jinliang is very popular and eloquent, but whenever he meets his step-wife, he is always left speechless.

Shang Mingshu echoed beside him, "Yes, yes, Dad, I've done a great service to our family, so asking for a bird gun isn't too much, right?"

The bulk of this batch of tea was paid for by Shang Jinliang. He wanted to make his clan rich, and many clan members contributed money. Once the tea was burned, Shang Jinliang would have to pay for it himself, and his prestige in the hearts of the clan members would be greatly reduced. It would undoubtedly be difficult for him to raise funds from the clan members in the future.

All the merchants in Huizhou Prefecture were supported by the clan with funds raised by the clan. The family is very important to them.

Shang Jinliang looked at his daughter, then at his wife, and said with a sudden heart attack: "Please prepare a generous gift. I will bring Mingshu to visit the Cheng family in person to express my gratitude."

"Thank you?" Shang Mingshu was unhappy.

Cheng She later led people towards her. She knew it was a helpless move. He was seriously injured by the bird gun and was surrounded by so many people. If he didn't ask her to share some of the burden, he would not be able to wait for reinforcements.

She didn't blame him, as she would have done the same if she were in his shoes, but she cared!

"He Sui, take one hundred taels of silver from my private room." Shang Mingshu gave the order and said to Shang Jinliang, "Father, I have an agreement with Mr. Cheng. If he helps me, I will give him one hundred taels of silver. I don't owe him anything else. I'm here to express my gratitude. You can go by yourself."

She didn't stop Shang Jinliang. These old foxes said they were saying thank you, so there must be something else attached.

(End of this chapter)