Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 174 The Second Half of the First Year of Chuigong and "Xue" (The Broken Half)
In autumn, the cotton harvest in Guanzhong was bountiful.

On the barren, yellowed land of Chang'an, a snow-white painting suddenly and magnificently unfolded.

Unlike the drooping, nearly failed millet and wheat, the cotton that Liu Rengui, Li Xian, and Liu Jianjun secretly planted last year on the barren slopes of the Peiwang Mansion and surrounding areas has shown amazing resilience.

They did not seem to have been fatally affected by the drought. Although the plants were not particularly tall, their branches were covered with cotton bolls. From a distance, they looked like patches of unmelted snow, embedded in the withered yellow mountains and fields, dazzling and eye-catching.

With the cotton harvest on their minds, Li Xian and Liu Jianjun disguised themselves and found a cotton field on the outskirts of Chang'an.

Li Xian stood on the edge of the field, gazing at the snow-white world before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He recalled the solemn expression on Liu Rengui's face when he dragged his ailing body to make a "three-point agreement" with them at this time last year.

Now, he has passed away, but the novel crop he advocated for during his lifetime has brought an unexpected bumper harvest in such a year of severe drought.

"My God! This...this is truly..."

An old farmer, who had been secretly invited by the Prince's mansion to guide the harvest, was so excited that his lips trembled as he carefully picked up a wad of cotton wool, as if he were holding a rare treasure.

"This old man has farmed all his life and has never seen such a wonder! In such a drought, it can still grow so much 'snowflakes'! This...this is simply a life-saving miracle!"

Although Liu Jianjun was also dressed in coarse cloth, he couldn't hide his pride and excitement. He put his hands on his hips and said in a low voice to the old farmer, "Old man, you've never seen this before, have you? This is called cotton! It's softer than hemp and warmer than silk! The key is that it's drought-resistant! See? All the other crops have died of thirst, but this one is fine!"

He turned to look at Li Xian, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Xianzi! Do you see? We did it! A bumper harvest! This yield per mu... is even better than I expected! Now we have no shortage of raw materials! Our workshop can be fully operational!"
"It was a stroke of genius to finalize this government procurement deal with Lao Liu back then. Otherwise, how could we possibly harvest so much cotton on our own?"

Li Xian squatted down and gently brushed his fingertips across a cotton plant.

The drought seems to have made the cotton bolls more prone to cracking, resulting in exceptionally white and plump cotton fibers.

He picked up a clump of leaves; its soft, elastic texture, carrying the warmth of the autumn sun, quietly dispelled some of the heaviness in his heart caused by the drought.

"Yes, it's done." Li Xian responded softly, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible sob.

Li Xian was filled with mixed emotions.

The most crucial aspect of the initial agreement with Liu Rengui regarding cotton planting was the "official purchase" policy.

The Yongzhou government took the lead, using the pretext of trying out new textiles and replenishing the government treasury to uniformly purchase cotton. This not only concealed their true intentions but also allowed them to efficiently collect the scattered output through administrative power.

Although Liu Rengui has passed away, this game of chess is unfolding step by step according to their original plan.

“It’s just that Su Liangsi has had a tough time,” Li Xian said. “After Liu Gong left, this burden fell on his shoulders, and he was able to withstand the pressure and carry out the plan.”

“Old Su is a shrewd man,” Liu Jianjun grinned. “Besides, this is also a great achievement for Yongzhou Prefecture. He gets this drought-resistant and high-yield ‘miracle flower’ for free, and it can also alleviate the food shortage. He’s probably secretly happy!”

The two said nothing more, and simply looked quietly at the cotton field.

In the distance, some figures were already busy in the cotton fields; they were clerks dispatched in advance by the Yongzhou Prefecture to verify and estimate the yield.

……

A few days later, the designated purchasing points of Yongzhou Prefecture were bustling with activity, a scene of unprecedented grandeur.

The long queue stretched from the entrance of the official granary all the way to the end of the street, winding and almost endless.

The group consisted mostly of farmers with sallow complexions and tattered clothes, but their eyes shone with an almost fanatical anticipation.

They carried, pushed, or held in their hands, all bringing bulging sacks filled with the most precious harvest of the autumn—soft, white cotton.

The clerks sat under the makeshift awning, working up a sweat.

Inspecting goods, weighing, recording transactions, and issuing receipts—the process is busy yet orderly.

"Old Wang, 120 catties of white butternuts! At today's market price, that's equivalent to three bushels of millet!" the clerk announced loudly, his voice hoarse but clear.

The old farmer, whose name was called, tremblingly accepted the slip of paper stamped with a red seal, his face beaming with joy, repeatedly saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency! Thank you, sir!"

He immediately rushed to the granary window next door and collected the life-saving grain with the receipt.

Another window was conducting real-time transactions of cotton for grain: "Aunt Li, sixty catties! Exchange for one and a half dou of millet!"

The woman clutched the small half-bag of grain she had just received tightly, as if it were the lifeblood of her entire family. Her eyes were red, and she kept bowing to express her gratitude.

The bountiful cotton harvest, through the efficient machinery of the government, is rapidly being transformed into tangible food, flowing into the thirsty body of this city.

One after another, government mule carts loaded with cotton continuously transported the purchased cotton away. First, the cotton was deposited into the official granary of Yongzhou Prefecture, and then, under the pretext of "allocated to government-run workshops for trial weaving," it was quietly transferred to a place called Dayi Valley.

There, water-powered cotton gins, spinning wheels, and looms roared, weaving them into thick, durable cotton cloth.

Some of these cloths will become the source of "official cloth" in Su Liangsi's record of achievements, while the rest will become hard currency in Liu Jianjun's hands to exchange for grain over longer distances.

……

Wang Bo finally returned. He immediately went to Dayi Valley Cotton Ecological Park to report to Liu Jianjun. Accompanying him was a sizable caravan and a group of merchants dressed in various styles with shrewd eyes. There were local cloth merchants from Guanzhong, wealthy merchants from Hedong and Henan, and even a few Western Region merchants with high noses, deep-set eyes, and headscarves.

When Wang Bo arrived, Li Xian was discussing matters with Liu Jianjun. Upon hearing the news, Liu Jianjun immediately dropped what he was doing and pulled Li Xian out to greet him.

Then, as they walked, she put her other arm around Wang Bo and said, "Old Wang, you've worked hard!"

Wang Bo didn't speak, but his face seemed to have gotten even darker from the sun, and he seemed to be moving closer to Liu Jianjun.

Li Xian thought to himself, "Could it be that Liu Jianjun is sending Wang Bo out every day to get revenge on Wang Bo for saying that he was 'less than six feet tall and had a face as black as iron'?"

But Wang Bo was in excellent spirits. As he walked with Liu Jianjun, he lowered his voice and spoke very quickly: "Chief Secretary, I have not failed in my mission!"

"Grain merchants from Huainan, Hedong and other places have reached preliminary agreements. They are all very interested in our sample cloths and the prices are fair."

"What was even more unexpected was that the news somehow leaked out, and these cloth merchants from all over the country, and even the people from the Western Regions, came running after a certain family, all wanting to buy this new cloth!"

"I arranged things with the Hu merchants. They took some cotton cloth and sold it in Qinglongfang, thinking of opening up some markets first," Liu Jianjun explained casually.

Wang Bo immediately put on that admiring expression again, cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency's vision is truly remarkable; I am far inferior to you!"

Li Xian wondered what kind of spell Liu Jianjun had cast on Wang Bo.

……

Before long, the group arrived at the entrance of the cotton ecological park.

Liu Jianjun straightened his robes, instantly transforming into a shrewd businessman, and greeted the group of merchants with a hearty laugh: "Esteemed managers, you've come from afar, thank you for your hard work! My surname is Liu, and I am the manager of this workshop. I've heard that you are all interested in our newly produced 'Yongzhou White Cloth'?"

A wealthy cloth merchant from Henan was the first to bow, speaking urgently: "Manager Liu, I am the manager of Zhao's Cloth Shop in Henan. The cloth in your shop is thick and durable, yet much softer to the touch than hemp or ramie. What's even more remarkable is its absorbency and breathability! We saw the sample brought by Military Advisor Wang in Henan and were amazed! How much stock do you currently have in stock? The price is negotiable!"

A lean merchant from Hedong squeezed forward and added, "Exactly! Grain prices are soaring everywhere these days, and cloth is also a hard currency! Your shop's new cloth is of unique quality; if you can supply it in large quantities, it will surely become popular throughout the world!"

The merchants from the Western Regions, though not fluent in Mandarin, gestured and spoke in a string of gibberish with eager eyes.

Fortunately, their entourage had brought an interpreter, who quickly translated: "The Hu merchant says that this cloth will definitely be very popular in their hometown, and he is willing to pay a high price for as much as he can get!"

The scene immediately became lively, with merchants chattering away, announcing their intended quantities and prices, afraid of falling behind. Liu Jianjun, however, feigned difficulty, rubbing his hands and saying, "Oh dear, I am deeply grateful for the kindness of all the shopkeepers! But… as you all can see, our workshop is newly established, and our production capacity is limited…"

"Moreover, the weaving of this new cloth is extremely difficult, a closely guarded secret, and it takes a lot of time and effort... Nowadays, there is a shortage of clothing everywhere, and the Yongzhou government is also pressing for priority, wanting to ensure that it is used by officials..."

His half-serious, half-joking complaints, coupled with his perfectly timed sorrowful expression, immediately made the merchants even more anxious.

Seeing his expression, Li Xian knew that he must be secretly overjoyed.

Then, the lean merchant from Hedong immediately raised his price, saying, "Manager Liu! The price is negotiable! As long as the goods are good, we are willing to raise the price by 50% compared to the original price!"

"My Zhao family from Henan is willing to pay 60% more! Cash settlement!" The Henan cloth merchant retorted.

The foreign merchants, through interpreters, demanded astonishingly high prices and offered to exchange them for precious spices and gems.

Sure enough, upon hearing these people say this, Liu Jianjun changed the subject and pointed to the temporary warehouse in the distance: "However, since you all sincerely want it, I, Liu, cannot let you leave empty-handed. So, how about I show you the goods first, and then we can discuss the quantity and price in detail?"

After saying that, he gestured to a passing worker to lead the group toward the shed.

The moment the shed door was opened, all the merchants gasped, their eyes gleaming with disbelief!

Inside the shed, neatly stacked bolts and piles of cotton cloth stretched as far as the eye could see, like snow-white mountains.
Its thick, even texture and its pure, warm white color, under the light filtering in from the doorway, radiated an almost sacred halo, creating a stark contrast with the withered, famine-stricken world outside.

"Heavens...heavens..." the shopkeeper Zhao from Henan muttered to himself, "How many horses...how many of these are there...!"

"This is more than just inventory! It's practically an ocean of cloth!" The Hedong merchant's eyes widened in astonishment.

The foreign merchants excitedly stroked the fabric, making exclamations of amazement as if they were seeing endless wealth.

Liu Jianjun was very satisfied with their reaction and proudly introduced, "This cloth is woven from the rare flower 'White Rose' from the Western Regions. It is washable, durable, warm, and breathable, far superior to hemp and ramie! What's even better is that the production is relatively stable! As long as there are enough raw materials, our workshop can weave it day and night!"

During this brief moment, Li Xian glanced at Wang Bo, who stood silently beside him with a dark complexion.

He remained calm, focusing intently on the confrontation between Liu Jianjun and the businessman, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Li Xian found that he himself could no longer understand the current state of mind of this once talented man.

What are his thoughts now on Liu Jianjun's mercenary bargaining? Is it a slight intellectual disdain, or a pragmatist's complete approval?

The discussions between Liu Jianjun and the group of businessmen quickly came to a conclusion.

With a look of reluctant reluctance on his face, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Alright, alright!"
"Since you managers are so hospitable, it would seem unreasonable of me to refuse again!"

"Therefore, today we will proceed as you all have suggested, and raise the price by another 50% as Manager Zhao has proposed! This is to compensate my workshop for the hard work of working day and night to produce these goods! However, there is one condition: a 30% deposit is required upfront, and the remaining balance will be settled upon delivery of the goods. No credit will be granted!"

The merchants hesitated for a moment, but seeing the mountain of white cloth and the watchful eyes of their competitors, they finally gritted their teeth and agreed.

"Great!" Liu Jianjun laughed heartily. "Hey you! Take all the managers to the warehouse to inspect the goods, take samples, and sign the contracts! Old Zhang, you're in charge of verifying the quantities and collecting the deposits!"

The "Old Zhang" that Liu Jianjun mentioned was the accountant at the cotton ecological park when Li Xian couldn't show his face.

The scene immediately became even busier. Merchants surrounded Lao Zhang and Wang Bo, confirming the details with a flurry of chatter, while the shop assistants busily moved the cloth and counted the money boxes.

Liu Jianjun then retreated to Li Xian's side and said smugly in a voice only the two of them could hear, "See that, Xianzi? These bastards don't know when to back down until they have a knife to their throats! We've hit the jackpot this time!"

Li Xian said irritably, "Since you've already made money off them, why do you have to belittle them like this?"

"Capitalism is all bullshit!"

Liu Jianjun revealed a disdainful attitude: "Don't be fooled by how these people act like they've been ripped off when they're haggling. They'll probably be happier when they get back. Once this cotton is shipped out, the wrinkles around their waists will be even bigger!"

Just then, Li Xian noticed that the Hedong merchant, who had been acting very eagerly, was not rushing to sign the contract and pay the deposit like the others. Instead, he was talking quietly with Wang Bo, looking quite serious, and occasionally glancing in Li Xian's and Liu Jianjun's direction.

A short while later, Wang Bo ran back and whispered to Liu Jianjun and Li Xian, "Chief Secretary, Master, that Manager Xue from Hedong seems to have something to report."

Liu Jianjun raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "What? You think the price is too high and want to haggle some more? I don't have time to waste with him."

Even so, he still waved to Manager Xue.

Upon seeing this, Manager Xue quickly stepped forward, first bowing respectfully, then lowering his voice with a hint of urgency and mystery: "Manager Liu, Master, may I speak with you in private? I do have important matters to discuss, not about the price."

Liu Jianjun and Li Xian exchanged a glance.

Li Xian nodded slightly, but doubts arose in his heart. This Manager Xue had hesitated to speak several times, and what he wanted was probably not an ordinary business.

The three moved to a quiet accounting room next door.

As soon as he sat down, Manager Xue carefully took out something from his pocket. It was not gold or silver, but a sealed letter. The envelope was unsigned, only stamped with a peculiar Pegasus wax seal.

"Manager Liu, Master,"

Manager Xue presented the letter with both hands, his expression extremely solemn. "This letter is at the behest of my master, who instructed me to personally deliver it to the person truly in charge of your shop. My master said that if your shop can supply goods as indicated in the letter, the price can be doubled from the amount just agreed upon! And full payment will be made in advance!"

Double the price again? Full payment upfront?

Even though Liu Jianjun was used to seeing all sorts of things, he was still taken aback by this extravagant and bizarre gesture.

He took the letter but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he weighed it in his hand and squinted at Manager Xue: "Your husband? Who is he? Such a generous offer, what is he seeking? And why is he being so mysterious?"

Manager Xue looked embarrassed and carefully chose his words: "I cannot reveal my husband's name... but he is by no means a bad person."

"My lord has long admired the reputation of Yongzhou's white cotton cloth and urgently needs a large quantity for emergency use. However... however, due to the special circumstances at the location where it is needed, it must be done in secrecy. My lord also asked me to convey a message..."

He paused, then lowered his voice even further, almost inaudibly: "The north wind is strong, we need thick clothes, please help us quickly."

The north wind is blowing hard; we need to wear thick clothes.

Li Xian felt a chill run down his spine.

This is no ordinary business code. North Wind... Thick Garments... It sounds more like a veiled plea for help or an implication, pointing to a northern force facing immense pressure and in dire need of supplies.
Are they border troops? Or... something else?
He immediately looked at Liu Jianjun, who was playing with the letter. The nonchalant expression on Liu Jianjun's face gradually disappeared, his lips twitched, and his gaze at Manager Xue gradually became sharp.

Li Xian thought to himself that Liu Jianjun must also be feeling uneasy at this moment.

The risks hidden behind this sudden big deal are probably far greater than imagined.

The owner of this shopkeeper Xue is definitely not a simple person.

Acceptance may mean being drawn into an unknown and enormous vortex.

Refusing might offend a mysterious force for no reason, or even cause you to miss an extremely important opportunity.

Or... a trap.

Liu Jianjun was silent for a moment, then suddenly grinned, casually stuffed the letter into his pocket, and said to Manager Xue, "I received the letter. As for this business... let me see what the letter says first. Manager Xue, you must be tired from your long journey. Go down and have a cup of tea to rest your feet and wait for my news."

……

(End of this chapter)