Chapter 363: Demanding Exorbitant Prices

Inside the brightly lit Meirui Building, the deafening sound of nine accountants clicking abacus beads filled the air.

Outside the Meirui Building, Huang Que stared blankly at the bustling scene, hesitant to step through the door. "Brother, what is this...?" he began.

Chen Ji took a few steps forward, pulling Huang Que inside. "Brother Huang, you rode quickly to Hanggu Saltworks. Were you able to get the salt?"

Huang Que hesitated. "Yes, I got it, but..." A sense of unease grew within him. He had initially thought he was getting a great bargain, but now, hearing the abacus sounds, he felt as if he was being manipulated.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out how Chen Ji could be manipulating him.

The price of salt permits was very low, two taels each, and they offered priority salt collection. This business deal couldn't possibly result in a loss!

Chen Ji asked with a smile, "But what?"

Cao Laoliu whispered to Huang Que, "There's no time to waste. We didn't bring much money this time, so even if we lose, it won't be significant!"

Huang Que suppressed his apprehension and immediately bowed to Chen Ji. "Brother, we are here today for salt permits. Since they have been verified, let's cut the small talk and discuss the salt business!"

He turned to look behind him, exchanging glances with several salt merchants.

The salt merchants handed money to Huang Que, who then spoke, "Brother, here are six thousand taels of silver. We wish to purchase three thousand permits!"

Chen Ji shook his head. "Brother Huang, that won't do!"

Huang Que frowned. "Are you trying to raise the price now, Brother? We had an agreement before..."

Chen Ji appeased him, "I'm not trying to raise the price. It's just that I don't want to sell them piecemeal anymore. As you know, Brother Huang, my original intention was to save trouble and effort. If I sell three thousand or five thousand at a time, when will I ever finish? Look, I've brought these nine accountants from the Zhang family. It'll take them several days just to audit the accounts of my Chen family salt business. There are also many 'termites' in the salt business waiting for me to root out. I'm really too lazy to spend any more effort on this!"

Huang Que was taken aback. "How do you plan to sell them, then, Brother?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "I plan to find a wealthy buyer who can purchase three hundred thousand permits in one go. That way, no one will be troubled. Brother Huang, how many of these salt permits can you take at most?"

Huang Que hesitated. "If you can wait for me for two more months, I can take ten thousand permits... As you know, I'm a scholar on my way to the imperial examinations in the capital; how could I carry so much silver?"

Chen Ji looked slightly disappointed. "I'm sorry, I cannot wait that long. Of course, if Brother Huang truly wishes to buy, then you can purchase them individually at the market rate of four taels each. At that price, Brother Huang can buy even a hundred permits!"

Huang Que's voice grew colder. "Chen Ji, are you toying with me? You just said you weren't raising the price, but in the end, isn't this just an excuse to increase it?"

Chen Ji sat calmly on the edge of the table. "Brother Huang, you're mistaken! You come from a merchant family; naturally, you know that the market changes rapidly. Today, rice might be ten *wen* per *jin*. Tomorrow, if there's a drought, it could be worth twenty *wen* per *jin*. And if two dynasties go to war, it could be forty *wen* per *jin*!"

Huang Que took a deep breath. "You previously couldn't find a way to sell your salt permits. Now I've helped you gather all the salt merchants... and you're raising the price on the spot? Who would dare do business with you after this?"

Chen Ji counted on his fingers. "Currently, everyone in the market mixes private salt with official salt. The timid mix ten percent, the bold sixty percent. And some are so audacious, they dare to mix ninety percent into official salt! They lure salt households to evade registration and flee to places beyond government control to boil salt: Mount Mangdang, Southern Ridge, Fan Gong Embankment, Shuangyu Island..."

Huang Que's expression changed.

Chen Ji continued, "If the authorities try to arrest them, they gather tens of thousands of people, making it impossible for the government to do anything. A single salt permit is worth four taels of silver in the hands of registered salt merchants, but in their hands, it can be worth seven or eight taels. Brother Huang Que, I wonder if you know anyone like that?"

Huang Que gritted his teeth. "I don't!"

Chen Ji continued, "Of course, the money they earn comes at great risk. One wrong move and heads will roll. But... selling them a salt permit for four taels is definitely a good deal! Brother Huang, there are many such people in the Ning Dynasty. All they lack is a salt permit that allows them to collect salt. I'm not worried about finding business! I know raising the price on the spot might make you lose face, Brother Huang, but the poor care about face; the rich care about results. Brother Huang, do you want to be poor, or rich?"

Huang Que turned and walked away. "So, Brother Chen Ji is no mere dandy; he's clearly understood all the tricks of the salt market... Take care of yourself!"

Chen Ji sincerely cupped his hands in greeting. "Brother Huang, even if the deal doesn't go through, friendship remains. Why don't you all stay for a drink? Consider it my apology to you all! If it's truly impossible, and Brother Huang can gather enough silver to buy all three hundred thousand permits, I'll still sell them to you at two taels each!"

Huang Que said in a low voice, "No need..."

Chen Ji stood amidst the lights, quietly watching Huang Que and the others depart.

Pao Ge looked at Chen Ji, scratching his forehead with his pinky finger. "Wasn't what you just said a bit unprincipled?"

Chen Ji said softly, "It's alright, they'll be back!"

"Did you catch anything?"

"Not sure yet, but with more people coming, we're bound to catch someone!"

Huang Que left Meihua Ferry, took a deep breath to calm himself, and remained silent for a long time.

Cao Laoliu, fanning the flames, said from the side, "Young Huang, you haven't learned much from your father. You still need to learn and observe more; human hearts are unpredictable!"

Huang Que turned to look at him. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly asked in confusion, "Where's your nephew?"

Cao Laoliu's heart jumped. He turned to look around, but there was no one beside him.

Huang Que winked at the salt merchants behind Cao Laoliu. Several of them immediately surrounded him. "You dared to bring government officials to investigate us? You know perfectly well what kind of dealings we're involved in. If you betray us, we'll sink you in Jishuitan Lake tonight!"

Cao Laoliu cried out, "It's a misunderstanding! He's definitely not a government official!"

Huang Que's face was expressionless. "Then who is he?"

The men pushed Cao Laoliu against the wall. Seeing someone reach for their waist, Cao Laoliu quickly said, "That young man is Chen Zhe. He's from the Chen family salt business, not a government official."

Huang Que was puzzled. "From the Chen family?"

At this very moment, Chen Zhe hurried towards the Chen family salt business under the cover of night.

Mule and Horse Market Street was deserted, with every household having closed their doors.

The Chen family salt business, which should have been closed, still had its doors open. The head manager, Chen Yue, stood silently waiting at the threshold, while behind him, Second Manager Ye leisurely sipped his tea.

"This is bad!" Chen Zhe's voice came from afar.

Chen Yue looked towards the east side of Mule and Horse Market Street. He saw Chen Zhe running frantically and arriving at the salt business's entrance, bent over and gasping for breath.

Chen Yue angrily asked, "What's bad?"

Chen Zhe quickly explained, "Head Manager, that young master Chen Ji is currently in the Meirui Building at Meihua Ferry. They've cleared out the place, and nine accountants are jointly auditing the books. I've never seen accountants operate an abacus so quickly!"

Chen Yue's expression changed in surprise. Even Second Manager Ye immediately put down his teacup, walked to the door, and straightened Chen Zhe. "Where did he find so many accountants? Could it be that the Eldest Master sent them to him?"

Chen Yue pondered, "If it were those few, it wouldn't be so bad. We've given them plenty of tributes over the years. Even if they find something, they'd only secretly come to us to settle for silver!"

Chen Zhe shrugged. "It's not from the Eldest Master's side. Chen Ji said he invited them from the Zhang family!"

Second Manager Ye looked at Chen Yue in confusion. "The Zhang family? Which Zhang family?"

Chen Yue's expression darkened. "Which other Zhang family could it be? There's only one Zhang family that young master is close to. Of course, it's the Zhang family of Zhang Zhuo."

Second Manager Ye was startled and uncertain. "This is bad! When those few audit the accounts, they can dig out every speck of dirt from between the bricks of this salt business. There's no guarantee they won't find something. Chen Yue, you were in charge of the accounts. Did you leave any loopholes?"

Chen Yue closed his eyes and pondered carefully. "Logically, there shouldn't be any problems with the accounts, but..."

The drooping mustache on Second Manager Ye's face twitched. "For heaven's sake, speak clearly!"

Chen Yue retorted impatiently, "There are so many years of accounts, and I didn't personally handle every single entry. Who can guarantee there isn't a single oversight?"

A thief, even if they make things seamless, will inevitably feel uneasy when investigated.

Chen Yue was originally very confident, but now, hearing that it was nine accountants from the Zhang family auditing the books, he couldn't help but feel a loss of confidence.

Second Manager Ye paced back and forth in the salt business. "Tell me, tell me what we should do now?"

Chen Yue narrowed his eyes slightly. "Strike first, or suffer later. I had originally intended to lead him on, but now it seems he cannot be kept; we must get rid of him as soon as possible!"

Second Manager Ye walked out. "I'll go do it now!"

Chen Yue pulled him back inside the threshold. He asked in a deep voice, "Where are you going?"

Second Manager Ye angrily said, "Didn't you say to get rid of him as soon as possible? I need to leave the city tonight to call for men from the manor! Don't worry, the manor only keeps skilled men. Even if he's an acting official, he won't be able to do anything!"

Chen Yue angrily said, "Fool! Matters of the master are for the master to handle. You and I are ultimately just servants. If we kill a master, both of us will die!"

Second Manager Ye was puzzled. "Didn't you say the Second Master would protect us?"

"If you lay a hand on him to kill him, once he's dead, the Second Master will be after us next!" Chen Yue grabbed Second Manager Ye by the collar. "If you were a master, would you keep a man-eating dog? Even if that dog only ate passersby, you wouldn't keep it anymore! A dog can eat chickens, ducks, other dogs, but it can never eat people!"

"Then what do you propose?"

Chen Yue slowly released Second Manager Ye's collar. He said slowly, "Isn't he selling salt permits for two taels each? He hasn't seen you yet. Go take some silver and buy some back!"

Chen Zhe quickly explained, "No, that won't work! The salt permits are no longer at their original price! He deliberately lured Cao Laoliu and those people there, actually to raise the price on the spot. Now they're four taels each! If we want to buy at two taels, we have to buy three hundred thousand in one go."

Second Manager Ye exclaimed in shock, "Buying three hundred thousand at once means even all our private silver wouldn't be enough!"

Chen Yue pondered for a moment. "How much is the difference?"

Second Manager Ye whispered, "We're short two hundred and thirty thousand taels of silver!"

Chen Yue pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Take it from the public accounts!"

Second Manager Ye stepped back. "Are you crazy? We never touch the public accounts!"

Chen Yue, resting his plump belly, sneered, "What's there to be afraid of? That young man may have taken the public account books, but the silver is still in the salt business. He won't be able to continue working until he can audit the silver against the public accounts! Furthermore, once we get the salt permits back, immediately have your men disperse and use your methods to get the silver back for me. As long as it's done before the audit on the fifteenth of next month, we can make sure it's completely undetectable!"

Second Manager Ye asked doubtfully, "Why are you so insistent on buying these salt permits from him...?"

Chen Yue waved his hand. "Your limited mind doesn't need to know these things. Just go buy them. The outcome will be clear tomorrow in front of Wen Dan Hall!"

"I'll go get the silver..."

Second Manager Ye returned to the back courtyard. He carefully retrieved two sandalwood boxes. Carrying them, he left, accompanied by more than ten escorts.