Chapter Nineteen: Zhou Wenbing

“Oh, Uncle Fu, please speak frankly,” Jia Ping’an said with a faint smile still on his face. He was curious about what the other meant; surely they wouldn’t hold a grudge over a single ginseng root. If that were the case, the General’s Mansion would be nothing special.

“It’s like this,” Hu Shoufu began after a moment’s thought. “Young Master Jia, there’s an unspoken rule in Ningguta: officials who have been punished are required to present ginseng. Within three years, they must offer wild ginseng. If not, after three years, they must perform labor just like everyone else. I wonder if you, An Ge’er, were aware of this.”

“Such a rule exists?” Jia Ping’an’s surprise was genuine. He had only vaguely heard of it before, and was not certain.

“Of course it’s true. You can easily confirm it by asking around the city,” Hu Shoufu said earnestly, nodding seriously.

Seeing such sincerity, Jia Ping’an naturally did not suspect any deceit. If it were a ploy, it would be courting grave enmity for no reason.

“I see, so it’s like that. Then consider this ginseng as a tribute from the Jia family,” Jia Ping’an said without fuss. If such a rule truly existed and was not meant to single him out, he would abide by it. After all, it was just a wild ginseng root—something others might treasure greatly but to him was merely a casual find.

Jia Ping’an’s carefree manner pleased Hu Shoufu. He had feared that revealing the rule might upset the young master, who might then neglect his duties to the matriarch. Now, seeing Jia’s understanding and politeness, things were much easier. Offering one hundred taels of silver as a reward was now a pleasure.

“Young Master Jia, considering the quality of that twenty-year-old ginseng is excellent, it would be unfair for you to work in vain. So, I offer you a hundred taels of silver as a token of appreciation,” Hu Shoufu said, revealing the reward somewhat reluctantly. Clearly, this was an attempt to win favor, though it was also against proper rules.

Jia Ping’an frowned slightly. “Uncle Fu, that must not be. Even if it’s a rule, one must not break it. Once broken, it ceases to be a rule.”

To everyone’s surprise, Jia Ping’an refused. Hu Shoufu was momentarily taken aback and then cautiously asked, “Young Master Jia, do you dislike this?”

“Not at all, Uncle Fu. You jest. I’m merely abiding by the rules,” Jia Ping’an smiled and shook his head.

If he were new to Ningguta, a hundred taels would be a fortune, enough to support his family. But now, with no shortage of silver, why make an exception? Besides, he planned to auction the wild ginseng for a high price later; owing a favor to the General’s Mansion would only cause trouble.

Jia Ping’an’s firm refusal left Hu Shoufu unable to insist. If a gift was declined for valid reasons, pressing further would be inappropriate.

Though the General’s Mansion was wealthy, there were many expenses. As a competent steward, Hu Shoufu knew the importance of managing every coin well.

“Very well, if that is your wish, then we shall let it be. But if you find more fine ginseng in the future, bring it to us; the price will be fair,” Hu Shoufu said casually, not truly expecting Jia Ping’an to gather more so soon. After all, it was no longer summer; some things were a matter of chance.

Unexpectedly, Jia Ping’an caught the cue. “Uncle Fu, I’m quite lucky. Who knows, if I return to the mountains, I might find more. Then we shall sell to the highest bidder, according to the rules.”

“Lucky? Highest bidder?” Hu Shoufu’s expression turned bewildered.

Gathering ginseng does depend on luck, but even the best fortune can’t guarantee a daily harvest; if it did, ginseng wouldn’t be so valuable.

Still, since Jia had spoken, he had to respond. “Naturally, everything should follow the rules.”

Hu Shoufu’s “rules” referred to selling ginseng to the Hu family at a fair price. Jia’s “rules” meant selling to whoever offered the highest price.

They spoke of different things, so no contradiction arose. Yet, Hu Shoufu would soon regret today’s words.

......

At the Zhou residence.

Zhou Wenbing had been in Ningguta for nearly four months. When he arrived, it was summer; now winter was approaching.

Back in Changdu, he had only heard that Ningguta had abundant ginseng and thought it a good opportunity to get involved and profit. But after arriving, he realized matters were not so simple.

Putting aside the fact that a town of just thirty thousand had two major ginseng merchants—the Zheng and Hu families—there were also many smaller dealers, most of whom rarely acquired a single good root, leaving many hungry. As an outsider, how could he quickly open a market and obtain wild ginseng?

Seeing the huge gap between the purchase price and sale price of wild ginseng, he had forgotten that as a stranger, no one here knew him. Making money here would be extremely difficult.

“Zhou Cai, do you have any ideas?” With days passing and no progress, Zhou Wenbing felt overwhelmed, imagining how many in Changdu awaited his failure.

“Master, why don’t we return for now? Come back after spring when the snow melts and more gather ginseng in the mountains,” his sharp-eyed steward Zhou Cai suggested cautiously.

“No,” Zhou Wenbing shook his head decisively.

Though a merchant, he had powerful backing and held a high status even in the noble-filled Changdu. People like them valued dignity most of all.

His venture to Ningguta was well-known in Changdu. Returning empty-handed would invite ridicule.

The Zhou family had amassed considerable wealth. For him, earning more or less money was less important than not being looked down upon.

In short, Zhou Wenbing would never allow himself to slink back in failure. If so, he would never lift his head again, nor would his cousin entrust him with important matters.

Thinking of his cousin’s current status and the Zhou family’s honor, a ruthless light appeared on Zhou Wenbing’s face. “Zhou Cai, we shall open a ginseng shop here, buy at high prices. No matter what, I will not lose face this time.”

“A shop? Buying at high prices?” Zhou Cai was astonished. Their master was indeed mad. Ningguta was a small town; opening a store here would likely mean losses.

But as a servant, he had no choice but to obey. “As you say, Master. I will find a suitable place. However, wild ginseng has become harder to find over the years. Even if we pay generously, we may not get top-quality roots.”

Zhou Cai was a conscientious steward. He accepted orders but warned of possible consequences to avoid blame if things went wrong.

“Understood. Just open the shop first,” Zhou Wenbing said, shaking his head. He knew full well how hard it would be to recover costs.

But compared to losing money, losing face was worse. Now he only worried whether spending silver would yield supreme ginseng or if money alone wouldn’t buy it. Otherwise, he would lose both wealth and dignity.

The Zhou family acted swiftly—not only securing a suitable shop but also sending invitations to the Hu and Zheng families.

The haste was to prevent others from interfering; this was not their territory. Delays risked opposition and unpleasant consequences.

Once the shop was a fait accompli, others found it difficult to dissuade them.

As for trouble after opening, the Zhou family of Changdu was not easily intimidated or manipulated.

......

At the General’s Mansion.

The invitation to the Zhou family’s ginseng shop opening lay on the desk.

Shopkeeper Hu Buxin and steward Hu Shoufu stood on either side, while General Hu Buyun sat at the head, eyes half-closed.

“What do you make of this?” Hu Buyun asked after gathering his thoughts.

“Their intentions are hostile,” Hu Buxin responded first. As the Hu family’s finance chief, he clearly saw the Zhou family’s covetousness.

After Hu Buxin’s opinion, Hu Shoufu added his steward’s assessment: “They’ve rented two adjoining shops, a considerable space. It’s clear they intend to make a serious effort here.”

Listening to these analyses, Hu Buyun pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed after a long pause. “Zhou Wenbing’s cousin is the current Virtuous Consort, favored by the Emperor. Without sufficient cause, we cannot provoke them. Otherwise, we’ll only invite trouble.”