Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 209 Regaining Strength
Zhou Wenzong sighed, "There are some people in this world who are filthy themselves, like dragging others down into a muddy swamp..."

This statement confirmed Cai Zhu'er's guess, and she said with certainty, "It's the Tan family."

Zhou Wenzong nodded helplessly: "With your management skills and the development momentum of your several industries, it should be a matter of course to be selected as a royal merchant. However, the problem lies in the shops you started with."

"When Tan Li registered his business, he still included the two shops that were part of your dowry. One of them was originally Zhiyun Cloth Shop, which you later changed to Yanzhisi, but in terms of location, it still belongs to Tan Huai Ke's 'dowry' shop; while Zhiyun Cloth Shop was originally a Tan family business, and even though you moved it to Yunhe Xiangjie, it is still inseparable from the Tan family business. Their own business is in decline, but they still insist on making things difficult for you."

"So whether I used the location of the dowry shop to start a new business, or I renovated the original shop, they all said that I was benefiting from the Tan family's influence?" Cai Zhu snorted angrily. "Anyone with eyes in Zhangye County knows that when the Weaving Cloud Cloth Shop and the Herbal Medicine Shop were handed over to me, they were on the verge of closing down. It was clearly me who revived them... If I had known this would happen, I should have completely changed the location and the name, so that they couldn't find any fault with me!"

"This is also my fault," Zhou Wenzong said self-reproachfully. "I thought that after you abandoned your identity as Tan Huai Ke, you would naturally sever all ties with the Tan family. Who would have thought that that old fox Tan Li would find a loophole? He is indeed a cunning and shrewd merchant. He submitted a petition to the selection officials on the grounds that the ownership of the property was unclear. Since this was the first time that imperial merchants were selected in this dynasty, many regulations were not clear. After all this back and forth, the Salan Trading Company was removed from the list."

“I tried to advocate for you, but at that time, the struggle between the Crown Prince and Qi Zhengchu had already left me with no time to spare. I was also on my way back to Andu to quell the rebellion when I was ordered to lead troops. The list of imperial merchants had already been finalized in the court. However, I advised my brother about the inappropriateness of this selection process. As long as you get rid of the threat from the Tan family, you can still participate in the subsequent selection.”

"I understand." Cai Zhu'er calmed down and reflected, "It's not Your Highness's fault. On the contrary, I should thank Your Highness for telling me the reason. In the end, it was because I was too arrogant."

"To say that I didn't rely on the Tan family's help at all wouldn't be entirely true. The Zhiyun Cloth Shop and the Baicao Herbal Shop are both well-established businesses. The manager of the cloth shop is quite capable and was once employed by the Tan family. The herbal shop is in huge deficits, but the supply of herbs is readily available. These two shops were indeed the pillars that enabled me to start my business. Regardless of whether I am Tan Huai Ke or not, since the marriage ties with the Shen Tu family are still intact, the so-called dowry is undeniable."

"It's because I failed to settle accounts with the Tan family beforehand that Tan Li tricked me."

Seeing that she had grasped the pros and cons, Zhou Wenzong asked with concern, "What do you plan to do next?"

Cai Zhu took a sip of fragrant tea, her eyes regaining their sparkle: "Of course, it's about regrouping and regaining the title of Imperial Merchant! Your Highness, rest assured, I won't be defeated by this little setback."

Zhou Wenzong smiled gently and said, "Okay, I will always support you."

“Your Highness, I have actually earned a lot.” Cai Zhu’er confessed, “At first, I wanted to become a royal merchant because I wanted to take a shortcut that I could barely reach, to stand a little higher and see a little further, so that I would be able to avenge my father and brothers who died unjustly. Now that I have avenged them, becoming a royal merchant is just my own wish. I believe that as long as the business is booming and I can help more people get rich, I will definitely get even greater returns.”

“That’s right! The imperial court opened up new trade routes to support more merchants like you, to connect trade between the Central Plains and other places, and to enhance the national strength of the Great Xuan.”

“Yes, that’s why I just made up my mind.” Cai Zhu’er said firmly, “I need to find Tan Li to resolve the issue of ownership of the shops first. Given the current situation of the Tan family, all he wants is enough money to cover the losses. Only with circulating cash can he save his gradually declining business.”

"Aren't you afraid he'll ask for an exorbitant amount?" Zhou Wenzong teased. "His whole family is insatiably greedy."

“I don’t have any deep-seated hatred for him; it’s just business,” Cai Zhu’er said confidently. “He’s not stupid either. Being too greedy will only cause things to stall. I can wait, but the Tan family can’t.”

"really."

"Once the Tan family problem is completely resolved, I will return to Mohe." "Return to Mohe? You...you don't want to stay in Daxuan to do business anymore?" Zhou Wenzong was shocked and lost his composure. He forgot that she had just said she wanted to participate in the competition for the imperial merchant quota again. He was only thinking that if she returned to Mohe, wouldn't it be difficult to see her again?

“How could that be?” Cai Zhu’er asked, puzzled. “I’m doing this to expand my business along new trade routes. Of course, I need to travel between Da Xuan and the Western Kingdoms to increase my bargaining power. I know Mo He best, so I’ll start with Mo He.”

"That being said, the western bandits have not yet been completely wiped out, and the desert climate is complex and unpredictable. I've heard that a single sandstorm can wipe out an entire caravan, so it's ultimately too risky..."

“Neither the sand bandits nor the sandstorms will deter my resolve,” Cai Zhu’er said. “Besides, Your Highness, those are not matters for merchants like me to worry about. To deter the sand bandits, we need to rely on the prestige of the Zhenxi Army to provide confidence and protection for us traveling caravans; and to avoid the sandstorms, besides leaving it to fate, we need to rely on capable people like my uncle to select the safest route for us.”

"I look forward to the day when, Your Highness, this trade route will connect the Jiangnan region, the Central Plains, the Hexi Corridor, and the western border countries, with camel bells ringing and trade flowing endlessly, becoming a road of prosperity for all time."

"Yes, that day will come." Looking into her bright eyes, Zhou Wenzong was deeply moved.
-
After failing to be selected as a royal merchant, Caizhu went to see Tan Li.

Even though the Tan family had fallen on hard times and was heavily in debt, the mansion still maintained its former dignity, as if it had been stubbornly waiting for her arrival.

Pei knocked on the door, and a hunched old servant opened it.

The old servant barely recognized Cai Zhu'er, but Cai Zhu'er still remembered him. She was a servant from the old mansion in the countryside under the Tan family. Back then, to make her more convincing as Tan Huai Ke, Tan Li had sent someone back to give her some instructions—it was all just a formality. These were all servants who had signed indentures; it seemed the mansions in the city couldn't afford the clever servants they had, so they had to bring in people from the old mansion to fill the gaps.

After passing through the overgrown courtyard, Cai Zhu'er met Tan Li.

Tan Li was reclining on a rosewood couch, twirling a tattered ledger between his fingers. Upon seeing her, he squinted and greeted her, "Isn't this the owner of the Salan Trading Company? I heard you failed to be selected as a royal merchant?"

Cai Zhu'er was unfazed by his provocation: "Master Tan is quite cunning. He used two dilapidated shops of dubious origin to cut off my path to becoming a royal merchant."

"How can you not explain it? Wasn't that part of your dowry from the Tan family?"

"Since it's part of my dowry, it's my responsibility to do with it. Why are you taking it back and bringing it up again?"

“If you were truly my daughter, I naturally wouldn’t hold these things against you. But as everyone knows, you’ve caused such a rift with the Tan family, so what’s wrong with me taking back these two shops?”

“Alright, since Master Tan wants to settle this score with me, let’s settle it thoroughly this time, and have the government witness it.”

"Sure, I'd like to see how much sincerity you can offer."
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Next chapter: Can't you wait for me a little longer?