Chapter Sixteen

  Gu Wudu was going to enter the city from Donghua Gate, and the official boat stopped at the shore in front of Qiuhu Bridge.

  Yang Pu and the officials from Jiangdong Inspection Office, Jiangning Ministry of Revenue, Jiangning Ministry of Punishment, and Jiangning Censorate had been waiting at the Qipeng Bridge with sedan chairs and horses ready on the side of the road.

  Lin Xuan rode from the mouth of the Jin River and arrived here, Gu Wu Chen got off the boat, before getting into the sedan chair, his wife, Madame Gu Tang, helped him adjust his crimson official robes. He saw Lin Xuan approaching and said: "You've also come? Good, I'll go to a few government offices first, you and Siyuan can rest at the mansion first, we'll drink together in the afternoon..."

  "I will then wait respectfully in the mansion." Lin Tie gave a bow and courtesy to Gu Wu Chen.

  The six ministries and three courts of Jiangning are nominally the same as those in the capital, but Gu Wu Chen officially took office today. Except for the gate of the Jiangdong Inspection Department, the gates of the Jiangning Ministry of Revenue, the Jiangning Ministry of Punishment, and the Jiangning Censorate all showed their faces and handed over documents.

  Lin Xuan thought that the Jiangning Minister of Revenue, the Jiangning Minister of Punishment, and the Jiangning Censor-in-Chief would all be hiding today to avoid meeting with Gu Wu Chen. These officials in charge of guarding the mausoleum had high ranks and positions that were intimidating, but in terms of actual power, they didn't even match up to Gu Wu Chen, who was a fourth-rank Jiangdong Provincial Inspector. Moreover, Gu Wu Chen was a rising star in the Chu Party's new aristocracy, while these officials guarding the mausoleum were all losers and scapegoats in political struggles. Lin Xuan thought that it wouldn't take much time for Gu Wu Chen to make his move and deal with them.

  Gu Wu Chen sat in a four-man sedan chair and led the way into the city, while Yang Pu, Ma Chao, and Yang Shi followed on horseback, dressed in their official attire. The Gu family members, including Gu Siyuan and Gu Jun Xiang, waited at the Jiuyong Bridge for the luggage to be loaded onto the carriages before setting off directly to the Gu mansion located east of the city at Tianhan Bridge. Compared to when they disembarked at Chao Tian Inn, there were many more trunks and boxes, it seemed that Gu Wu Chen had gained a lot during their stopover at Chao Tian Inn.

  Dongyang Prefecture's Military Commander, Liu Xilin and others escorted the Gu Wu family to this place, completing their mission. They were about to cross the river northward, Liu Xilin led his horse to bid farewell to Lin Fu: "Military orders are at hand, cannot enter the city to disturb Brother Lin, but there will be a day for reunion."

  Escorting Gu Wu Chen to Jiangning for his new appointment, Liu Xi Lin only felt that Lin Fu's body did not have the musty smell of a bookworm, and his bravery and magnanimity were impressive. He wanted to make friends with him, but thinking about how Lin Fu would be in Jiangning while he himself would return to Dongyang, they wouldn't have many chances to meet again, so after their brief meeting, he felt reluctant to part ways.

  "I have prepared a small gift for Brother Liu and all the brothers, which are special products of Jiangning. They are not worth much money, just to show my sincerity, I hope Brother Liu and all the brothers will not despise them..." Lin Tie let Zhao Hu take down the gifts from the horse carriage and distribute them to Liu Xilin and the other cavalrymen. Compared with the coldness and indifference of the Gu family, Liu Xilin felt that Lin Tie valued them, these rough military men, and he was at a loss for words when he received the gift."

  "Lin Juren, your wife is calling you over."

  Lin Xilin heard someone calling him from the front, turned his head to see that it was a woman in the carriage ahead who had lifted the curtain and was beckoning to him. He then pressed on Lin Xilin's shoulder and said: "Brother Lin, be careful on your journey north, I won't send you off any further."

  "Go on, go on, in the future when you arrive at Dongyang Prefecture City, be sure to send me a message...". Liu Xilin watched as the horse carriage ahead of them had already started moving, they were also going to board the ship and head north.

  "Definitely, definitely," Lin Xie said.

  Although the military discipline of the Great Viet army was mostly scattered and weak, it was difficult to match up to the identity of a soldier. The small cavalry team led by Liu Xilin was a rare elite, perhaps due to the effectiveness of Shen Zengtu's new army in Dongyang, Lin could find some familiar and intimate military camp feelings among them.

  As the woman in front urged again, Lin Xie didn't chat with Liu Xi anymore. He spurred his horse to catch up with the carriage that was moving slowly ahead and asked through the window curtain: "Is there anything I can do for you, madam?"

  "There's nothing else to do anyway," said Mr. Gu, sitting in the car, "I heard from Yang Pu that when you were helping with the new house, you also lent a hand, and I haven't thanked you yet."

  "That's what Lin Xie should do." Lin Xie said, knowing that Gu Junxiang was also sitting in this carriage with her mother.

  "Is the food made by Xiao Jia's daughter still delicious?" asked Mrs. Gu again.

  Lin Yuner was taken aback, thinking that Mrs. Gu would not forget this threat, and it was impossible to expect her to enter the house with me after only seven or eight days of pushing her hard. He pretended to be confused and said, "Thank you, madam, for your concern, Liu's cooking skills are excellent."

  Madam Gu thought Lin Xie's face was too thin and not good-looking, she only wanted Lin Xie to take the beautiful widow into his house, so as to eliminate Gu Wudeng's thoughts. At the same time, she hated the county magistrate of Shiliang who had forced Liu Yue'er to come, and for a moment, she couldn't find anything else to chat with Lin Xie, so she asked: "I heard that you are slightly lacking in literary skills, but your extensive knowledge is evident to everyone. I don't know what you plan to do after arriving in Jiangning?"

  Lin Xuan's heart secretly felt a pang of regret for Liang Zuoren, who had brought Liu Yue'er to the Gu residence in an attempt to curry favor with Gu Wudust. Who would have thought that the Gu family was dominated by the lady of the house, and this move would be a severe blow to her pride? Lin Xuan suppressed his inner smile and said through the carriage window curtains, "Lin Xuan has no relatives or friends in Jiangning, and when something happens, there is no one to consult with. If the lady asks, I will brazenly ask for your advice..."

  Gu's family sat in the carriage, regretting their decision. She had only casually asked a question, not expecting Lin to take it so seriously. In her heart, she thought: Isn't this just seeking advice, and yet they've come to the Gu family's doorstep?

  "Old Master appreciates you, what's on your mind, just say it, no need for courtesy?"

  Lin Xie thought that Gu Wu Dun had probably had enough of this woman's temper, but the reason why Gu Wu Dun could become a new noble in the Chu Party was not only because of his talent and experience, but also because his marriage to the Gu family made him the son-in-law of Tang Haixin, the leader of the Chu Party, and the same door as Vice Premier Zhang Xie. He secretly cursed, still speaking with great respect: "Lin Xie wants to set up a commercial firm in Jiangning to distribute Dongyang tea paper and other products. The Gu family is the official tea merchant of Dongyang, Lin Xie would like to ask Madam to agree, all the tea leaves transported out of Dongyang by the Gu family will be sold by my firm in Jiangning. If the Gu family agrees, apart from purchasing tea leaves at market price, Lin Xie is willing to give the Gu family an additional 1,000 taels of silver as a dividend every year."

  Gu's family sat in the carriage, slightly stunned, and did not expect Lin Xie to open a business in Jiangning. She originally wanted to say to Lin Xie "the Gu family matters need her consent", but just as she was about to speak, she changed her mind: now that Master is the greatest reliance of the Gu family, why can't he decide on the Gu family's affairs?

  Originally, Gu Wu Chen was an official in Jiangning, and the Gu family was hundreds of miles away in Shiliang County. Gu Wu Chen had no time to spare to inquire about the Gu family's affairs, but letting the Lin family's business in Jiangning distribute all of the Gu family's tea leaves made things different. The Gu family thought: "The matters of Shiliang County are beyond Master's reach, but the matters under Master's nose in Jiangning can still be asked about." With this thought, they felt that agreeing to let Lin's business handle the distribution of the Gu family's tea leaves from Dongyang was a good thing. After some more consideration, they wondered what the extra 1,000 taels of silver for shares meant, which Lin had promised in addition. They thought for a moment and still weren't quite sure, so they asked Lin through the carriage window: "Just buying tea at market price is enough, why mention additional shares?"

  "Master is going to Jiangning, and the madam and young master and miss are all moving to a blessed place. Lin Mou originally prepared a thick gift to show his sincerity, but since Lin Mou has just started his own business and set up a new store, he is a bit short of money, so the thick gift can only be changed to a thin gift to slightly express his intention. Please madam accept it with a smile..." Lin Mou first didn't mention the matter of investment, and handed the gift list to the servant girl in front of the horse carriage, letting her pass it to Madame Gu inside the carriage.

  Gu's family sat in the car and received the gift list, her heart skipped a beat, thinking that Lin Xuan, who she used to look down on, was so generous. Gu Junxian, sitting next to her, looked at her with confusion, saw the gift list written with eight taels of official silver, one white jade pendant, and two fine horses; these gifts would naturally be sent directly to the Gu's house later.

  Miss Gu looked down at the gift list, and her impression of Lin Xie suddenly improved. She thought that her cousin Gu Si Ming said Lin Xie was a poor scholar who didn't have a good reputation, probably because he was jealous and spoke ill of him. At this time, she felt disgusted with Gu Si Ming in her heart. She said in the carriage: "Your second generation has been kind to my family, how can I bear to accept such a thick gift from you? You actually say it's a thin gift!"

  The eight taels of official silver was just four hundred taels. Lin Xie had less than a thousand taels of silver in circulation, excluding the five thousand taels he used as capital for his business. He was bleeding in his heart when he gave four hundred taels to the Gu family as a congratulatory gift, but he knew that the Gu family was the most powerful force in Jiangning, and this "blood" had to be shed. Although Gu Wu Chen appreciated him, the head of the Gu household was none other than Gu Shi, who was sitting in the carriage, and unfortunately, Gu's son Gu Siyuan did not have a good impression of Lin Xie. How could he not spend some big money? Lin Xie still felt that the eight taels of official silver as a gift were too light, and Gu Wu Chen had just taken office as the Vice Censor-in-Chief of Jiangdong. If he really wanted to be greedy for wealth, it would be difficult for his subordinates to take out tens of thousands of taels of silver. The eight taels of official silver was not even considered a significant amount among all the congratulatory gifts. Lin Xie gritted his teeth and took out two of the four good horses he had brought to Jiangning this time, which were the most valuable; the white jade pendant was originally given by Zhang Yu Bo, the left attendant of the East Ning Prefecture, and it was only worth a few taels of silver. However, the quality of the jade was subjective, and Lin Xie wrote this jade pendant into the gift list with a thick face, wanting to guide Gu Shi to mistakenly think that it was a valuable item worth hundreds of taels of silver. This gift was almost worth over a thousand taels of silver in Gu Shi's eyes.

  Even so, Mr. Gu still didn't forget to mention "thick gifts and thin gifts", obviously he couldn't forget the 1,000 taels of silver that Lin had invested as shares every year. Lin smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth, he was afraid that Mr. Gu would forget about this matter and not bring it up, so he said: "To be honest with you, madam, I originally prepared 28 ingots of official silver as a gift, but the other day the shipyard urgently needed to pay 2,000 taels of deposit, and Lin couldn't find anyone else to borrow from in Jiangning at that time. In a hurry, he could only temporarily withdraw 20 ingots of official silver from the gifts for you and your husband to meet the emergency. These two days have been relatively comfortable financially, so I thought about replenishing the gift again, but then I thought: why can't the 20 ingots of official silver that were withdrawn in advance be considered as the capital invested by you and your husband in our company? So Lin privately made a decision on behalf of you and your husband, and those 20 ingots of official silver will be counted as the capital you and your husband invested in our company. However, since the company's business is unpredictable, Lin cannot let you and your husband bear the risk of operation, so he decided to pay you and your husband 1,000 taels of silver every year as profit... Madam won't blame Lin for taking liberties, will she?

  A standard sycee of official silver, one ingot weighs fifty taels.

  Twenty ingots of official silver weighing one thousand taels.

  Gu's family in the carriage listened to Lin Xie say that these one thousand two silver were originally empty, and said with a smile: "How can I blame you? How can I blame you?"

  "Then I'll wait a while and go to your residence, where I will write out the stock certificate for you, madam," said Lin Xie.

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