Chapter 324: Listening Intently to Private Matters, Meeting an Old Acquaintance in a Strange Land

Although it was not yet the season for plum blossoms to bloom, compared to the desolate scenes elsewhere, the plum trees in the plum garden stood proudly in the wind, looking quite spirited. From the east wing room, faint sounds of clinking cups, a woman urging someone to drink, and a man’s drunken voice could be heard. A woman listening at the window couldn’t help but snort irritably.

“Is this the tough guy the young master mentioned? He’s just a novice—so easily drunk. If those two really showed their full skills, wouldn’t he be completely under your control?”

Yang Jincái’s legitimate wife had passed away early, and his other concubines, who no longer held any influence, didn’t even live in this plum garden. He ignored them completely, favoring only Feng Ying, a maid he had bought a few years ago. He entrusted her with managing everything in the plum garden and even discussed business matters with her. Though the old master was furious and once threatened to beat Feng Ying to death using family discipline, after he made a firm statement, everyone in the household eventually accepted her presence.

“If it were that simple, it would be great. I’m worried he’s just pretending.”

Seeing Feng Ying pout, Yang Jincái quickly pulled her close. “You should know my methods. If he were just a novice, there are plenty of women on the island—I could take him down easily. Those two girls earlier were indeed beautiful and skilled, but just getting him drunk isn’t enough… By the way, during my absence these past ten days, has anyone at home troubled you? Are my sister and brother-in-law behaving properly?”

“Anyway, once I leave the plum garden, no one takes me seriously. What’s the point of good or bad treatment?” Feng Ying smiled faintly and stepped back slightly, revealing her snow-white neck beneath her sandalwood-colored jacket. She brushed aside her messy hair and then smiled sweetly. “As for the third young lady and her husband, they wouldn’t deal with someone like me. They spend their days running to the old master and whispering with the eldest young master… Oh, this morning the third young lady went out to meet guests. I wonder if, as a newcomer, she has any friends in Songjiang Prefecture.”

“The old man’s real aim isn’t the wine; they want to target him… Hmph!” Yang Jincai sneered, his face showing disdain. “It’s not up to the old man to decide how to divide the family assets. Besides, I don’t care about those assets on the surface—whatever they do with them, it doesn’t matter to me! I now control all the business at sea; the ships and sailors obey only my orders. As long as I’m alive, none of those people at sea can do anything!”
Seeing Feng Ying looking at him with a smile, her beautiful eyes radiating delight, he felt extremely satisfied and said proudly, “The old man favored the eldest son and thought I was disobedient, so he assigned me this task. I’m sure he’s still regretting it deeply. If it weren’t for this leverage in my hands, I wouldn’t have been able to protect you back then. What rules or regulations? If he’s willing to take risks for money, why should I obey the eldest son blindly? Now that the old man can’t interfere in sea affairs, I’ve also connected with that nobleman. If they behave properly, that’s fine; if not…”
“What if they don’t behave properly? Can you really kill your father and brother?”
“You little witch! Do you think I want to be torn to pieces?” Yang Jincai, stirred by Feng Ying’s charm, angrily slapped her firm buttocks and snapped, “The old man is dying, and the eldest son is useless. It’s simple—just detain them! They only know how to be strict in managing the household but are actually cruel and ungrateful. Didn’t you help me buy over some key managers? Once I take control of the household, everyone will think it’s the eldest brother giving way out of generosity, and that will settle things!”
“Oh, the young master is really clever!”
While this couple was filled with passion, about to indulge together in bed, a disruptive voice suddenly came from outside: “Second young master, Miss Feng, the third son-in-law just went to see the old man with his friend. Old Chu happened to see it and came to Mei Yuan to report. The old man hasn’t seen anyone outside these days. Should the second young master go take a look?”
Though still flushed with passion, Yang Jincai immediately jumped up. He quickly tidied his disheveled clothes and rushed out of the room. Seeing the young wife who had come to report standing by the door, he asked her detailed questions. Then, frowning, he turned to the room and said, “Feng Ying, keep an eye on the east wing room. I’ll go see what’s going on. We can’t let that kid Fang Qing ruin our plans at this critical moment!”

“Go ahead, I’m here!” she replied loudly. Feng Ying didn’t bother to tidy her dress, which left her chest partially exposed. Instead, she stood up, went to the window to watch until she was sure Yang Jin had truly left, then slowly fastened her belt. She put on a cloak to protect herself from the snow and stepped outside. When she reached the door of the west wing room, she listened carefully but heard no sound at all. After hesitating for a moment, she pushed the door open. However, when she saw what was inside, she was stunned.

The so-called Orchid Garden, as the name suggested, was filled with orchids everywhere. From the outside to the inside, Zhang Yue saw many unknown varieties, and their faint fragrance filled the air, bringing a refreshing sensation. But once he entered the bedroom of Yang’s family head, the strong scent of medicine completely overpowered the floral aroma, making him feel uneasy for no reason.

He had originally thought he would be dealing with a cunning old fox, but the emaciated old man sitting half on the bed seemed to fully understand his purpose. After exchanging some polite words, he said straight away, “Fang Qing has told me everything. You are originally a loyal subject of the emperor and didn’t need to make this trip at all. You’ve come here merely to give our Yang family a chance. Although I’ve guarded this maritime business like a treasure throughout my life, it’s now like a hot potato—I just can’t get rid of it.”

Yang Shan, who had managed to revive his struggling family business and maintain his status as the richest man in Songjiang for twenty years, was naturally skilled at making decisions. So, after his son-in-law laid everything out clearly, he immediately made up his mind. Waving his hand to signal his daughter to wait outside, he took a deep breath and began to explain the details of the maritime operations.

“The Ming Dynasty has had a maritime ban for many years. All the original trading ports have been sealed, and several customs docks allow only entry, not exit. So now, goods are transported by small boats to nearby islands, and from there, to larger islands in the vicinity. The ports used for sailing are all remote locations. From Zhejiang to Guangdong, there are dozens of boats and thousands of people who rely on this route for a living. Whenever a treasure ship sets sail, all the islands along the coast are emptied, as encountering such a ship means certain death. Naturally, there are also pirates and Japanese raiders in these coastal areas, and running into them is a huge problem.”

“Most secret ports are located in Guangdong and Fujian, areas where maritime trade was prosperous during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In Zhejiang, the most convenient ports for shipping goods are Shuangyu, Liegang, and Putuo. Although there are many ships, most are backed by our Yang family from Songjiang Prefecture and the Yan family from Ningbo Prefecture. Almost all sea ships are built in Fujian and Guangzhou, and even small boats are quite expensive. The ship I used when I set sail cost almost all my family’s wealth. Of course, all of this is kept extremely secret; those shipyards are on islands, and ordinary people can neither find nor buy them. However, since the imperial court sent out those treasure ships, it ordered all foreign countries to report any private merchants, so this business has become difficult to conduct. Often, people buy goods here and then set sail from another place.”

“Our Yang family is originally backed by the Marquis of Longping and the Earl of Xincheng, along with several other nobles. As they are all experienced military figures with large families and high expenses, and having considerable influence in the military, they have been able to hide their activities. The Yan family controls valuable areas in Ningbo Prefecture and operates on a larger scale, with the Marquis of Fuyang as their patron—nothing less than the son of Princess Yongping! But now it’s my second brother who handles these matters, and I don’t know who he relies on now.”

These were the details Zhang Yue wanted to learn. Even upon hearing the name of the Marquis of Fuyang, his expression remained completely unchanged, like stone. It wasn’t until Yang Shancheng sincerely mentioned that the Yang family had sea maps related to the West and Korea/Japan, and was willing to hand them over completely, that he was slightly stunned before smiling meaningfully.

“Old Yang should know that the imperial court is preparing to lift the maritime ban. If ports are opened for trade one by one, the court can collect taxes properly, and merchants can conduct business openly. Those secret ports at sea will soon be eliminated if ships and troops are sent to strictly monitor and crack down on them. I’m not here to investigate smuggling, so rather than these sea maps, I’m more interested in knowing whether there’s a demand exceeding supply for those smuggling ships each year, and how much business can be done in total per year.”

Despite Zhang Yue’s words, Fang Qing had already known this imperial envoy carried a significant mission ever since he heard that Zhang Yue had arrived in Songjiang Prefecture. Yang Shan had lived half his life; though he wasn’t sure now, he could only tell the truth: “As far as I know, our second son sent out three ships a few days ago, which means six ships per year in total. The Yan family has slightly more than us, but still limited. Adding in other private merchants, at most twenty ships set sail from entire Zhejiang each year. Private merchants in Guangdong and Fujian probably have a bit more than those in Zhejiang, but roughly speaking, at most a hundred ships go out per year. The smuggled goods they bring naturally cannot meet demand in various countries…”

Just as Yang Shan was counting on his fingers to estimate a rough amount of money, a commotion suddenly arose outside. Surprised, he turned his head and immediately saw someone burst in. Upon recognizing that coldly smiling face, he felt anger surge within him. He pounded on the bedframe and snapped, “How dare you be so disrespectful! Who gave you permission to come in?”

At that moment, Yang Lin finally followed in awkwardly, while Yang Jincai, without even glancing at his angry sister, raised his head and sneered, “The old man doesn’t even see his own sons but still has time to see outsiders. Your brother-in-law really holds a lot of weight! If outsiders get involved in our family affairs, it will only become a joke. Please think carefully, old man. We’ve embarked on this path; it’s not easy to give it up now. Even if you don’t think of us, please think of future generations and don’t listen to outsiders’ temptations!”

“You…” Yang Shan was furious, slamming his fist hard on the bedframe and shouting, “It’s not your turn to make decisions here! Get out, hurry up and leave!”

With things having reached this point, Yang Jincai bowed slightly and left, his expression completely darkened. Earlier, when he had glanced at Zhang Yue’s face, he had already decided that he was just an inexperienced kid, and he was even angrier that his father listened to outsiders. The more he thought about it, the more resentful he became. He walked straight down the corridor with his head down, his fists clenched tighter and tighter, almost colliding with someone.

“You haven’t grown up yet…” He started to say viciously, but then recognized the person in front of him and quickly stopped himself, forcing a smile. “Manager Fang, weren’t you inside drinking and listening to music?”

“I’ve drunk wine and listened to music; it’s time to get down to business now.” Fang Rui gently tapped the hem of his clothes. Seeing Yang Jincai’s gloomy expression, he smiled mockingly and said, “Since the second young master already believes Master Fang can be relied on, why worry about family property? Take me to see your father. I think, at his advanced age, he surely knows what truly matters for survival.”

Yang Jincai had been following this new lead for almost three years. He had only dealt with ordinary people before, so facing an opponent with such a different personality, he didn’t dare act rashly. Hearing Fang Rui’s words and recalling another setback with his father—his brother-in-law even bringing in an outsider—he immediately set aside his concerns and nodded with a smile.

“Manager Fang is right. The old man has grown old and confused; someone should clearly explain the pros and cons to him.”

When he stepped back into Lanyuan, Yang Jincai happened to see his sister and brother-in-law coming out of the main house with the young man he had met earlier. He led Fang Rui straight in. When they met, he didn’t bother to greet them. He was about to step over them and enter the house when he noticed the young man’s strange expression.

“Brother Fang?”

Fang Rui never expected to meet Zhang Yue in such a place, and his heart trembled greatly. Yet, having endured many hardships over the past year, he was no longer the poor relative relying on others. After the initial shock, he laughed and said, “Who would have thought I’d meet you here? Life truly brings people together in unexpected ways! I’ll always remember your kindness to my younger brother and repay you generously. But I have important matters to attend to today. We can catch up later. Second young master, won’t you take me in?”

Watching Yang Jincai cheerfully lead Fang Rui into the house, Zhang Yue gradually frowned. Only after leaving the courtyard did he ask Fang Qing, “Is this the friend your second uncle brought back?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“Not only do I know him, but I also took the imperial examinations with him…”

Recalling what Fang Jing had told him in Beijing earlier, Zhang Yue began to piece things together. So Fang Rui was actually handling business for some nobleman in the south! With this concern in mind, before leaving the Yang family, he quietly gave Fang Qing some instructions.

After riding away from the Yang family, he stopped his horse after a short distance and said thoughtfully to Hu Qi beside him, “Since I was recognized today, anything unexpected could happen. Tomorrow, let’s visit a few nearby military posts and take care of whatever needs to be done.”