Chapter 350: The Feast Is Over (1)
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Running a Great House merchant company in my previous life taught me one clear lesson.
Because this country revered agriculture and looked down upon commerce itself, there were few legal frameworks regarding commerce.
All the Great Empire cared about was the agricultural output of each region and the northern threat. How other goods were traded, and in what quantities, did not concern them.
In other words, I could shake this country whenever I set my mind to it. That was not because I was particularly special; any Great House merchant company was capable of doing so. They simply refrained because there was no need to make an enemy of the imperial palace. But now, we had already become enemies.
On top of that, I knew the future for at least the next twenty years.
Of course, political matters and human deeds had all changed and could not be predicted, but at least natural events could be foreseen.
When floods would occur, when droughts would strike, when locust plagues would break out, when cold snaps would hit, and when storms would arrive.
No one could predict natural phenomena. No matter how much money the imperial palace scattered over sacrificial altars or what divinations they performed, they could not know. In that regard, I possessed an immense privilege.
“So, what reason is there to do that?”
However, convincing others of that was an entirely different matter.
I knew a flood would occur next year, but telling others that a flood was coming was no different from the words of a fortune-teller to them.
“Isn’t this something only a novice merchant would do? Predicting a natural disaster and buying up goods in advance. In essence, you are telling us to rely on luck.”
I came to Nanjing and met Yeo Bul-jin. Yeo Bul-jin spoke in a tone that was indifferent, bordering on disappointment.
I fully understood his position. Naturally so. If he believed that the Yellow River would overflow next year based solely on my words, even I would find it unsettling.
“Did you think I took your side because I succumbed to your threats? Although my friend Mun-won is precious to me, he cannot outweigh all the family members of the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company carried on my back. I still maintain good relations with the imperial palace. That will be of help to you, but it is also something beneficial to our Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company.”
Yeo Bul-jin was boldly stating that he had a foot in both camps. Other people might find it cowardly or feel betrayed, but I was different.
In truth, if the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company severed ties with the imperial palace completely, the very reason I joined hands with the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company would vanish.
“I am saying I can pull out at any moment if necessary. Even so, the reason I pretended to heed your threats was because I decided to place some expectations on your capability.”
As expected, Yeo Bul-jin was no pushover. Yeo Bul-jin gave a smirk.
“Rather, because you informed us of Prince Xian preparing for rebellion, Hong-won and the main headquarters of the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company have kept their distance from each other. I believe that as long as we hand over Hong-won, the imperial palace will not discard us.”
“Remarkable. But from the perspective of the imperial palace, merchant companies are the easiest to replace. There is no need for them to maintain transactions with a company that has grounds for disqualification.”
“That is why I used a stratagem of interlocking rings. In turbulent times like this, having the Huizhou Fifteen Clans unite to cooperate and fight together. If it were the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company alone, the imperial palace would cast us aside easily, but they cannot cast aside all the Huizhou merchants, can they?”
While I had traveled to and from Gansu, Yeo Bul-jin had accomplished quite a lot behind the scenes. I gave a light smirk.
Ordinary people hearing this might think our alliance with the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company had shattered, but the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company’s moves had cleverly avoided doing even a single thing that would break trust with us.
Distancing themselves from Yeo Hong-won and uniting the Huizhou Fifteen Clans as one would actually become an even more powerful weapon when aligned with the New Justice Association.
Yeo Bul-jin was transparently declaring the position of the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company right now. Openly straddling both sides to attach themselves to whichever side seemed likely to win. Had he truly intended to side entirely with the imperial palace, he would have had no reason to say such words to me in the first place.
“It seems the title of Merchant King was certainly not won over a game of dominoes.”
“I merely gave you some sense of vigilance. Still, it is true that the board is advantageous to you. You know that the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company is in contact with the imperial palace, but the imperial palace will not know that the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company is in contact with you.”
It was just as he said. In truth, had I possessed the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company from my previous life, I would not even need to negotiate with the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company like this.
What we urgently needed right now were the trade routes and capital carved out by the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company. Persuading him for that sake was my responsibility.
And in my judgment as well, suddenly bluffing that a flood would come next year was not a proper method of persuasion.
“Then shall we do this? The Yellow River will overflow someday. Even if we do not prepare treasure-ship-class vessels, wouldn’t buying up many ferry boats be a rather sound long-term investment?”
“Just as you said, the Yellow River will overflow at least once someday. But will our ancestors cover the maintenance costs for those ferry boats? We currently possess enough vessels, and I see no reason to increase them further.”
“Your words are correct.”
I looked at Yeo Bul-jin, who was putting on an act of boredom.
“If the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company is satisfied with its current cargo transport volume, that is.”
At my words, Yeo Bul-jin let out a low chuckle.
“Right, how pleasant it is when you bring up the main topic quickly like this.”
“Must there not be an introduction for the main topic to carry weight?”
“Fine. Growing the very scale of the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company, you say. As you well know, the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company has distribution networks across the entire Central Plains. You should know that growing the scale further from here is no easy feat.”
“Of course I know.”
“Then let us hear it.”
“We will expand the commercial sphere to Luzon and the Great Desert.”
At my words, the look in Yeo Bul-jin’s eyes changed. Only then did he lean forward from his resting posture.
“Luzon and the Great Desert?”
Luzon was a place separated by considerable distance even from Hainan, the southernmost tip. Connecting that place with the Great Desert in the northern part of the Central Plains continent. It seemed to be something Yeo Bul-jin had never even imagined.
“In the Great Desert, I have ties with the tribal chieftain. We can supply their high-quality wool, hides, and grassland medicinal herbs cheaply to the Central Plains.”
“As for the Great Desert, granted you have connections, we could head out through Gansu, but what about Luzon?”
Yeo Bul-jin’s suspicion was reasonable. Because the imperial palace’s intention had been exceedingly clear, the sea-ban order had not been lifted even after the Great Toad of the Eastern Sea incident.
In truth, places like Moon Harbor in Zhangzhou, Fujian, despite having active trade, had government troops coming out on patrol just as frequently.
However, there was a sole region where patrolling was difficult.
“I also happen to have ties with the Hainan Sect.”
What I felt in Hainan was that the government troops in Hainan truly had not the slightest influence.
Being the region furthest from Beijing, the influence of government troops was minimal, and because it was frequently used as a place of exile, the authorities did not seem to pay much attention. That indifference was going to translate into an opportunity for us.
“……To have ties with those stubborn recluses.”
Yeo Bul-jin shook his head in amazement. The Great Desert and Luzon. If we could completely penetrate the north and south of the Central Plains, the transport volume of the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company was bound to increase drastically.
Yeo Bul-jin placed both hands near his mouth and deliberated. In essence, if we had a friendly relationship with Hainan, we did not need to mind the sea-ban order much.
“If the sea-ban order is truly bothersome, let us ask the Great Desert to stage a demonstration of force. Then they will automatically focus on the north, unable to pay any attention to the south.”
“I thought you had abandoned the commercial world upon stepping onto the martial path, but that was not it. When did you accumulate such a vast asset of people?”
Yeo Bul-jin marvelled. Then again, there was likely no one in the Central Plains right now with connections as wide as mine.
“Luzon needs no explanation. Isn’t Luzon a place that gives gold in exchange for silk and porcelain?”
“Indeed. That is also why smuggling trade flourished.”
From the perspective of reasonably enlightened merchants, there was no pie in the sky quite like Luzon.
Anyone could see it was a goose that laid golden eggs, yet proper trade was impossible solely because of the sea-ban order.
The sea-ban order was not merely a matter of legal restriction. Since the Great Empire provided no legal protection beyond the sea, it also meant pirates roamed freely.
That was why smuggling trade using the sea was a gamble staking high risk in exchange for high expected returns. Of course, we would be different.
Because maximizing expected returns while minimizing risk was the virtue of a merchant.
“If the martial artists of Hainan participate in the Luzon trade, they will easily repel pirates.”
“That is precisely it.”
“Then is there now sufficient reason for the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company to expand its fleet?”
“Indeed so. Then you could have simply said so from the start; why did you first utter the absurd claim that a flood would come next year?”
“Only if I mention this beforehand will Company Lord buy even a single extra vessel just in case when purchasing boats later.”
At my words, Yeo Bul-jin threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“Are you trying to invade even my subconsciousness? You are truly a frightening merchant.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Then I shall make preparations swiftly.”
Yeo Bul-jin finally gave his approval. Yeo Bul-jin would expand the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company’s fleet for the sake of the Great Desert and Luzon, but when next year arrived, he would realize. That the flood would drastically drive up demand for small ferry boats.
A ferry boat currently costing around two taels of silver would skyrocket to about ten taels of silver during next year’s flood. In multiple alone, that was fivefold.
Fivefold was not all. The key point was that we could transport as much cargo as possible with those ferry boats, and sell off as many as we wished. By my estimate, the value of a ferry boat next year would easily exceed twenty taels of silver.
I moved busily, sending carrier pigeons to various locations and moving directly in person. I requested active movements from the Great Desert so the Great Empire could not mind us, and the Hainan Sect also secretly bought up treasure ships.
Rather than maritime routes, we would use overland routes. And along the overland routes were outstanding porters. None other than the martial artists of the New Justice Association.
Naturally, establishing a trade route caused the hub regions to develop. I urged the martial artists of the New Justice Association to pay great attention to their attitude toward the common people. I said this because among ordinary martial artists, there were those who looked down upon commoners.
Of course, I heard several martial artists initially complained about playing the role of merchants, but there was no defying the greater trend. When ordered forcefully in the name of the New Justice Association Master, they had no choice but to comply. Fortunately, I had built up a reputable name as the New Justice Association Master until now.
And when several months passed, the Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company established itself as the foremost in the Central Plains, and the New Justice Association grew wealthy as well. Thanks to the Great Desert continuously drawing their attention, the imperial palace did not even notice.
The imperial palace likely never dreamed in their wildest dreams that we had swallowed more than half the trade routes of the Central Plains right now.
Moving back and forth between Zhejiang and Hebei on slow boats through the Grand Canal was bound to differ vastly in efficiency from martial artists transporting goods at high speed using lightness skills.
“The feast is over.”
When I judged the time was ripe, I gathered the strategists of the New Justice Association and declared.
It was a day when rain trickled down from dense dark clouds. Though no one knew, this was the beginning of a prolonged downpour.