Chapter 367: The Banker

Bamboo plaques hung on the walls of Meihui Tower, their red paper looking particularly festive.

However, Huang Que couldn't feel happy. He calculated in his mind: at a rate of one per thousand, even if salt permits worth a million taels of silver were sold, Chen Ji would only earn a commission of one thousand taels.

Such a low commission indeed made all salt permit brokers pale in comparison. From now on, people could buy and sell salt permits at Meihua Crossing, eliminating the need to go elsewhere.

However, the annual trade in salt permits in the Ning Dynasty amounted to at most a few hundred thousand taels of silver. This meant Chen Ji's Meihua Crossing would only earn a few thousand taels annually.

This income was even less than what he, a small salt merchant, earned. What was the point?

Huang Que eyed Chen Ji suspiciously. This illegitimate son of the Chen family from Fuyou Street had previously led him around in circles; he was certainly not someone willing to suffer a loss.

Chen Ji seemed to read his mind and said sincerely, "Brother Huang, no matter how you calculate it, you won't find a rate of one per thousand anywhere else in the world, will you?"

Huang Que, like a startled bird, dared not answer rashly. After much deliberation, he cautiously asked, "Is it one per thousand for both buyers and sellers?" Chen Ji nodded, "Fair to all."

Huang Que pondered for another moment, wary of falling into a trap. "Are there any other rules for trading salt permits?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "There's one more rule: if a seller consigns salt permits to Meihua Crossing, and someone buys the corresponding bamboo plaque on the wall with silver, the seller must come to deliver the salt permits within one day."

Huang Que racked his brain, convinced that Chen Ji's mention of this rule had a hidden meaning. Yet, payment upon delivery was a matter of course and seemed to present no issues.

Huang Que thought until his head throbbed, but he couldn't figure it out.

Chen Ji patted his shoulder and said with a reassuring smile, "Brother Huang, why be so cautious? A transaction simply requires a fair price for what you need. Why overthink it?"

Huang Que suppressed his suspicions and refocused his gaze on the bamboo plaques on the wall. "Brother Chen Ji, I want to buy one thousand permits for Caozhou, one thousand for Suqian, and one thousand for Huaian… but why are the Guyuan and Datong salt permits so cheap?"

Chen Ji looked at the characters for Guyuan and said softly, "Guyuan and Datong are remote and rugged border towns. If salt permits for Guyuan were also sold at four taels of silver, I doubt any salt merchants would bother transporting salt there."

Huang Que was taken aback.

Chen Ji smiled. "Brother Huang, have you ever been to Guyuan?"

Huang Que shook his head. "I haven't had the chance to travel to Guyuan. I've heard that Guyuan is covered in yellow sand, and foreigners are common on the streets. Their grape wine, though sweet, is just as intoxicating."

As Chen Ji motioned for someone to bring the salt permits, he said with a smile, "Brother Huang, if you get the chance, you really should visit. Besides the yellow sand and fine wine, there's also a pile of stinky, hard rocks." Huang Que was puzzled. Who would travel thousands of li just to see a few rocks?

At that moment, a man under Paoge's command approached, carrying a small box. He opened it in front of Huang Que, saying, "Three thousand permits in total, Young Master Huang Que, please inspect them."

Huang Que reached out and felt the salt permits.

He hadn't been entirely truthful earlier. In the past, only about forty percent of the salt permits he bought from the eight major merchants were actually usable. The remaining sixty percent were for places no one wanted to go. He either had to grit his teeth and transport salt there for meager profits or simply sell them cheaply to middlemen.

But these three thousand permits were genuinely profitable ones.

Observing his expression, Chen Ji smiled and said, "Brother Huang, why not buy more? There's no telling if the price will be the same next time you come."

Huang Que raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to raise your prices again, my dear brother?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "Not at all. Brother Huang, I don't have many salt permits, and they will eventually sell out. When that happens, other salt merchants will set their own prices. For instance, permits for transport to Jinling might sell for five taels of silver if they wish, or three taels if they prefer; it has nothing to do with me... Brother Huang, if you had ten thousand salt permits for transport to the capital, what price would you set?"

Huang Que paused. "At least six taels of silver. The capital is very close to the Changlu salt fields, the climate is dry, the official roads are flat, and there's no worry about sales... Doing business as a salt merchant in the capital is the easiest."

Chen Ji hummed. "What if the thirty-second year of Jianing sees heavy rainfall? Will the price of salt permits rise or fall?"

Huang Que replied confidently, "Heavy rain leads to reduced salt production, which raises salt prices. Permits for issuing salt would naturally also increase in price."

Chen Ji closed the box the man was holding. "Therefore, the prices of salt permits at my Meihua Crossing also fluctuate."

Huang Que nodded. "I understand. I'll write a letter home right away."

After Huang Que hurried away with the box, Paoge and Shen Ye came down from the second floor.

Shen Ye looked at the bamboo plaques on the wall and chuckled teasingly, "I was wondering what business you truly intended to do, dear brother. It turns out you never cared about transporting or selling salt; you wanted to be a banker."

Chen Ji did not answer.

Shen Ye pondered for a moment. "But I have three things I don't understand. First, a commission of one per thousand is still too low. I don't believe you'd be interested in a business that only brings in a few thousand taels annually. Second, is this business permitted by the court? Don't lose your head over a few thousand taels. Third, if the court permits this business, you can do it, but other salt merchants can too. What then?" Chen Ji did not answer.

Just then, a knock came from outside Meihui Tower.

Meihui Tower was not closed. Everyone looked back and saw a young woman smiling as she knocked on the vermilion door. "May I come in?"

The woman wore a light-blue, high-collared jacket that reached past her waist, and a dark-blue brocade horse-face skirt embroidered with gold thread. Her pointed, raised-heel embroidered shoes completed her attire. Her hair ornament was simpler, just a single jade hairpin. She was naturally beautiful, without any makeup.

Upon first sight, she resembled a gardenia, but a second look made one think of a lotus.

Chen Ji looked at Paoge, puzzled. "Who is this?"

Paoge explained, "This is Head Courtesan Liu, recently renowned in the capital. She left Baiyu Garden yesterday to be a guest here at Meihua Crossing for a year. Business at our Meihua Crossing has quadrupled since her arrival."

Chen Ji felt a surge of caution. Why would she suddenly come to Meihua Crossing when she was doing so well at Baiyu Garden?

Head Courtesan Liu stepped over the threshold with her hands behind her back, observing Chen Ji. With a beaming smile, she said, "You must be the proprietor, Master. You haven't seen me, but I have seen you. In Luocheng, you were carried to the embroidery building by the Young Master, but you left without even showing your face."

"The few lines of poetry the Young Master left for me at the embroidery building, I've kept them to this day. I watched from the second floor as you and your friends bantered, which made me quite envious."

Chen Ji felt a fleeting sense of disorientation, as if he had suddenly returned to that White Robe Lane in Luocheng.

He cupped his hands in greeting. "So it is Head Courtesan Liu. Your presence here at Meihua Crossing truly graces this humble place."

Head Courtesan Liu did not perform a deep bow but instead mimicked Chen Ji, cupping her hands. "You are too kind, proprietor. From now on, I, Liu Su, will be seeking a livelihood under your care. Please look after me."

This Head Courtesan Liu did not seem like a courtesan at all, but rather like a refined scholar.

As they spoke, Shen Ye suddenly spoke up. "Head Courtesan Liu, long time no see."

Liu Su's gaze passed over Chen Ji. "Ah, it's Young Master Shen, the poetry champion of the Huqiu Poetry Society. Excuse me."

Shen Ye asked in bewilderment, "Why do you leave as soon as you see me, Head Courtesan Liu?" Without looking back, Liu Su replied, "In the twenty-ninth year of Jianing, when I was competing for the courtesan queen title in Jinling, Young Master Shen wrote ten poems for my rival, Miss Huairou, helping her win the title in one fell swoop. I hold grudges!"

Shen Ye laughed heartily. "Don't be angry, Head Courtesan Liu. When I'm proclaimed the top scholar outside Donghua Gate, I'll write ten poems for you to help you become famous throughout the land!"

Liu Su's steps did not falter, and her voice drifted back from afar, "Hmph, anyone can boast. Talk to me when you actually become the top scholar!"

Chen Ji looked at Liu Su, then at Shen Ye.

Shen Ye said awkwardly, "You must be amused, Brother Chen Ji."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Brother Shen, why didn't you help Head Courtesan Liu win the courtesan queen title back then?"

Shen Ye sighed, "You don't know, dear brother, Miss Huairou was indeed much prettier than Head Courtesan Liu..."

Night fell.

Chen Ji sat alone in the Plum Blossom Pavilion, eyes closed, resting and waiting for someone.

Today, Meihua Crossing was much livelier than usual. Even the back gate was filled with carriages and horses of dignitaries, all there for Head Courtesan Liu. What was unusual was that ordinary courtesan queens only attracted male guests, but Head Courtesan Liu managed to draw a crowd of noble ladies, disguised as men, to catch a glimpse of her beauty.

Chen Ji paid no attention to this, quietly waiting.

Only after the revelry at Meihua Crossing subsided and the night watchman outside shouted, "No sickness, no death, all is well," did sounds finally emerge from behind Meihua Crossing.

He opened his eyes and saw Bailong approaching in white robes. Under the moonlight, the white robes seemed to glow. Behind Bailong followed over twenty black-clad secret agents, carrying more than ten boxes.

Bailong casually said, "Just put the boxes outside the pavilion. You can wait by the gate."

The secret agents silently put down the boxes and left. Bailong entered the Plum Blossom Pavilion and sat opposite Chen Ji. "You've rendered meritorious service to His Majesty, yet you've made me personally escort these salt permits to you in the dead of night. Quite capable, aren't you?"

Chen Ji asked, puzzled, "Shouldn't this be a matter for the Chen family?"

Bailong's tone was flat. "The Chen family manages the salt permits of the Ministry of Revenue, and the money from their sale goes into the national treasury. I am escorting the salt permits of the Imperial Household Department, and the money from their sale will go into the Emperor's private coffers. By custom, His Majesty grants the Imperial Household Department 300,000 salt permits annually; you simply need to sell them."

Chen Ji understood. These 300,000 permits were Emperor Ning's private funds, to be sold discreetly.

Bailong asked, "How long will it take to sell these salt permits?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "Three months." Bailong suddenly stood up, straightening his back. "By His Majesty's oral decree."

Chen Ji lifted his robes and prostrated himself on the ground. "Your humble servant obeys."

Bailong said haughtily, "You scoundrel, you're even willing to offer six hundred thousand taels of silver. What do you wish to gain from Us?"

Chen Ji was momentarily stunned, then realized that this imperial decree was Bailong mimicking Emperor Ning's tone.

He lowered his head and remained silent for a moment. "Your humble servant only wishes to relieve His Majesty's worries."

Bailong said impatiently, "Stop spouting nonsense."

Chen Ji calmly said, "Your humble servant wishes to bring Luozhui Sajia out of Yuanjue Temple. This is something I promised the young monk."

Bailong turned and walked out of Meihua Crossing. "Go home and wait for news."

Chen Ji let out a sigh of relief and slowly got up from the ground.

Just as he was dusting off his knees, Bailong stopped in the moonlight and looked back. "I thought you'd want to use this opportunity to clear Prince Jing's and the Princess's names. Why didn't you mention it?"

Chen Ji said softly, "Your humble subordinate knows that this amount of silver is not enough."

Bailong continued walking away. "You've retained some clarity and aren't arrogant about your achievements, which is good. However, I won't let your efforts be in vain. I'll find a way for the two of you to meet soon."

Chen Ji bowed and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Lord Bailong."