Looking north towards the rivers and mountains

Chapter 83 Cooperation (Part 2)

The Shen residence is indeed a large construction site. Currently, only the northwest corner has been completed, with about twenty houses, separated from the rest by a pond and a rockery.

When Zheng Fan and Shao Shuyi arrived, the construction site was already bustling with activity.

Some people were building walls, some were spreading mortar, some were digging ditches, some were leveling the land, and some were even carving screen walls on site. The scene was quite spectacular.

After Liu Tieniu and Mao Shiba waited on the other side of the pond, Shao Shuyi and Zheng Fan arrived at a bamboo grove enclosed by a wall.

There was a pavilion in the woods, where Lu Zhonghe and his wife, Madam Shen, were already seated in the inner room, with several servants standing by their side.

Upon seeing Shao and Zheng, Lu Zhonghe unconsciously clenched his fists, which were hidden in his sleeves, feeling quite uneasy.

However, at Shen's prompting, he could only reluctantly get up and greet the two of them.

"Madam Shen's attire today is truly impressive, exuding a heroic spirit," Zheng Fan said with a smile.

After hearing Zheng Fan's words, Shao Shuyi, who had finished bowing, raised his head and openly looked Shen up and down.

Compared to the ceremony of worshipping the Heavenly Princess, Shen's temperament has changed.

When she stood there gracefully, her back was straight, as upright as a pine or bamboo.

Her hair was secured with a simple white jade hairpin, unlike the previous opulent style, it looked more simple and the lines were more angular.

His eyes were clear and calm, looking at people without flinching or avoiding their gaze, even with a hint of scrutiny.

However, after Zheng Fan finished speaking, Shen smiled gently, immediately dispelling her strong career woman aura and becoming more gentle.

"Yifang is joking. Please take a seat." Madam Shen said, gesturing with her hand.

Zheng Fan and Shao Shuyi greeted Lu Zhonghe again and sat down on the stone bench.

"I've come here today to inquire whether the goods are ready," Zheng Fan cleared his throat and said, "If they are ready, they can be loaded onto the ship soon. We can also recruit squires and prepare rations, medicine, and..."

instrument."

"It may take a few more days," Shen said. "Yifang can recruit boatmen immediately, so it should be in time."

"What kind of goods are they?" Zheng Fan asked curiously.

"Silk, cotton cloth, dried seafood, medicinal herbs, spices, and the like," Shen did not hide.

Zheng Fan looked at Shao Shuyi.

Shao Shuyi nodded and said, "When we get back, we'll recruit boatmen. They're all from Zhangjing, so we know them well and there won't be any problems."

"Little Tiger, I'm asking if these goods are easy to sell. Does Madam Shen have any cotton cloth from my family in this batch?" Zheng Fan said.

Shao Shuyi seemed to understand something. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Dried seafood and spices should sell better in Jiangxi."

Silk is hard to say, since it's available in Jiangxi, but it depends on the workmanship and quality. Cotton should sell much better than silk. Medicinal herbs, however, need to be differentiated. If they're unique to Zhejiang, they'll sell well. If they're not unique to Zhejiang, they won't sell well. But...

At this point, Shao Shuyi laughed and said, "I heard that Madam Shen wants to bring copper, iron and timber back to Liujiagang from Jiangxi. With such foresight, I know that the medicinal herbs she is about to transport will definitely sell well."

Upon hearing this, Madam Shen smiled gently and said, "Accountant Shao, you flatter me. I was merely following custom."

Lu Zhonghe felt a pang of unease when he saw his wife smile.

He still remembered that the last time they were at the Wenchao Pavilion, his wife had a condescending attitude and her words carried a hint of reproach.

She's demanding and critical of her husband, yet smiles sweetly at outsiders—it's simply...

Lu Zhonghe suppressed his dissatisfaction, sorted out his thoughts, and was about to speak when he heard Zheng Fan's voice again.

"Xiao Hu, the trip to Jiangxi is especially important, so we can't afford any mishaps," Zheng Fan instructed. "You need to know which ports we can dock at and which we can't along the way."

"Yes," Shao Shuyi said. "I have already investigated and found out that the three places on this journey, especially Chizhou, Wuhu, and Digang, are more dangerous. It is best not to stop there."

"Is it because of the river bandits?" Zheng Fan asked.

Upon hearing the words "water bandits," Lu Zhonghe subconsciously abandoned the idea of ​​interrupting.

Shen paused slightly and turned her gaze over.

"Exactly." Shao Shuyi said solemnly, "There are many fishermen on Chaohu Lake. These people are of varying quality and often take their boats into the river to commit heinous crimes such as murder and robbery. We must be extremely careful when we pass by in our boats."

"The government can't even suppress them?" Zheng Fan asked in surprise, glancing at Shen.

"Over the years, the notoriety of the bandits in Chaohu Lake has grown, so it's clear they haven't been eradicated," Shao Shuyi said. "I've thought about it, and it's probably because the fishermen are protecting each other and covering for each other."

Zheng Fan nodded slightly.

This is not hard to understand. Shao Shuyi was a seafarer; you can tell whether anyone tipped him off when the authorities arrested him. Zheng Fan even suspected that if Shao Shuyi had hidden in Zhangjing countryside, he would have dared to operate right under the noses of the government officials without any fear.

The bandits of Chaohu Lake were fishermen by day. They would go out and rob a couple of times when they had nothing to do. After they succeeded, they would give some benefits to others and then go back to their old ways of farming and fishing. Could the government tell the difference?

Furthermore, you can simply ask the merchants which places on the Yangtze River are dangerous and which are safe. They frequently travel between the various ports along the river and have a general idea of ​​the situation.

"At the beginning of the month, I met a Wuhu merchant who trades in lacquer and wax in Liujiagang. He mentioned that last year the government had issued warrants for the arrest of several river bandits in Chaohu Lake, but they had been difficult to capture for a long time, which gives us an idea of ​​the situation," Shao Shuyi continued. "Therefore, we must be careful and not be careless."

Zheng Fan nodded slightly.

Madam Shen looked at Shao Shuyi with her beautiful eyes, seemingly somewhat worried, and said, "I'm grateful to Accountant Shao for his help with this voyage. Perhaps you could ask for a higher rate for the waterway fare?"

"Is Accountant Shao afraid of river bandits?" Lu Zhonghe suddenly exclaimed, as if something sensitive had been touched.

Shao Shuyi turned to look at Lu Zhonghe, revealing a "bright" smile, and said, "What do you mean, Master Lu? Which of us merchants isn't afraid of river bandits?"

Lu Zhonghe felt a chill run down his spine when Lu Zhonghe was stared at like that, whether it was psychological or not.

He even dared to rob the goods of the pirate Li Daweng, so killing a few people is nothing to him, right?

"Alright." Madam Shen glanced at her husband and changed the subject, saying, "The world is in turmoil, and the trade routes are fraught with danger. The freight charges can't be calculated in the usual way. Accountant Shao, how about ten strings of cash for each stone of goods?"

Shao Shuyi thought for a moment and said, "Okay."

This trip west to Jiangzhou will require the deployment of the Zuanfeng Haiqiu and two canal boats, with a crew of at least thirty, possibly even forty or fifty people. The expenses will certainly be considerable, and it's normal for the porter to charge a high fee.

The price of ten strings of cash per stone given by the Shen family was not low; one trip could yield one hundred and sixty ingots.

If you don't encounter any dangers along the way, you can make a considerable profit; but if you encounter dangers and suffer casualties, then it's hard to say.

This damned Yuan Dynasty couldn't even guarantee security in its own heartland and along the golden waterways. There were mountain bandits on land and river pirates on the river. What else could be said?

With such poor governance, it would be an injustice if the country didn't perish. Everyone suffers greatly. The cost of the goods ultimately comes from the people, and merchants will naturally pass on this cost to the price of goods, so ordinary people have to pay for it as well.

Shao Shuyi had figured it out. This shipment was just a side job; the main task was to complete the custom-made porcelain for the Zheng family in Jingdezhen. This was a must-do, or his fate would be dire.

Therefore, he must recruit more brave and daring seafarers, and the more weapons such as firearms, bows, swords, and axes, the better, to prepare for a major fight on the road.

The bandits of Chaohu Lake were generally still under the pursuit of the Yuan court and were unlikely to launch a large-scale operation. Judging from the cases of merchants being killed in recent years, most of them were small-scale gang robberies, which could still handle the rough seas. What about half-baked bandits who were both civilians and thieves?

Seeing that Shao Shuyi had agreed, Madam Shen said no more. She turned to Zheng Fan, covered her mouth and chuckled, "Yifang, your family deals in celadon ware. If you frequently travel between Jingdezhen and Liujiagang in the future, you'll definitely need someone as talented as Accountant Shao."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Fan looked at Shao Shuyi approvingly and said, "Madam Shen, you've paid the water fare perfectly. What kind of world is this? It's probably getting worse and worse. Let Xiao Hu earn more so he can support a few brave and daring men; we'll all need them in the future."

Upon hearing this, Madam Shen nodded slightly, then sighed softly, "Back in the day, I often heard my father mention business. It seems there weren't so many bandits and outlaws in his life. But now, I don't know what's happened. The world is getting more and more chaotic every day. It's truly heartbreaking."

Her words revealed a hint of feminine gentleness, making people realize that Shen was only eighteen or nineteen years old, and that her previous actions were probably not just an act of maturity and composure.

Shao Shuyi glanced at Shen Shi without leaving a trace, pondering to himself, but said nothing.

Zheng Fan sighed, "It's really not easy for Madam Shen to shoulder so many heavy responsibilities."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhonghe's sensitive skin seemed to be triggered again. Was he being told that he was useless?

He glanced at Zheng Fan with displeasure, but this time he learned his lesson and didn't dare say anything on the spot, only keeping it to himself.

Zheng and Shao did not linger at the Shen residence for long. After settling their business, they chatted casually for a while before taking their leave.

Although there are still a few days before departure, it's time to make preparations in advance.

On the 12th, Shao Shuyi took leave and returned to Taicang to begin recruiting and selecting personnel.

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