Open for Business

Assistant Commissioner Zhao acknowledged the order several times in succession and went outside to pass along the instructions. Superintendent Wu leaned back in his chair, rubbing his increasingly shiny forehead. Things moved fast in this world. He was truly glad he had not openly fallen out with He Lingchuan. Otherwise, having to turn from haughty disdain to groveling deference would have been utterly humiliating. He wondered how Bailie was taking it... That He fellow genuinely had some capability, having managed to forge ties with the National Preceptor of Mou Kingdom. Seen in that light, maintaining good relations with him and fostering friendly commerce between Blade Harbor and the Yangshan Archipelago was indeed a wise move. Just then, the clerk from before dashed back over, holding up an invitation with both hands. "My lord, the shops of the Yangshan Archipelago are about to open for business, and they invite you to attend the ribbon-cutting!" "Let me see." The gilded invitation indeed stated as much. Superintendent Wu already knew that the Yangshan Archipelago's first store in Blade Harbor had originally been scheduled to open, with the date firmly set, only to be delayed at the last minute by the hurricane. Now that the winds had died down and the rains had ceased, the plan was back on track. Yet when his gaze fell upon the address on the card, his eyes suddenly narrowed. The archipelago's first two mainland establishments were not opening in Blade Harbor at all, but rather in Bailie's capital, Qucheng?! The invitation concluded with He Lingchuan's personal signature. Island Master He certainly would not have made a blunder about something so important. "Interesting. Truly interesting." Superintendent Wu could not help chuckling. "It looks like Mou Kingdom gave Bailie a harsh dressing-down as well." Otherwise, given how Bailie had been undermining the Yangshan Archipelago both overtly and covertly, how could He Lingchuan have smoothly obtained permits and opened for business? Even so, the Lu family must be feeling thoroughly choked with frustration. With a beaming smile, Superintendent Wu said, "Reply to the Yangshan Archipelago and tell them I will definitely go show my support on opening day." *** The surging undercurrents among all parties finally dissolved into an outward show of cordiality on this auspicious day. Two shops belonging to the Yangshan Archipelago opened simultaneously in Bailie's capital, Qucheng! The grand opening was lively in the extreme. After all, the fame of the Yangshan Archipelago's new master had already spread far and wide, making him the number one topic of tea-time gossip throughout the entire region. Ding Zuodong had spent several consecutive days advertising the new openings. Bolstered by massive opening-day discounts, the storefronts were packed to the brim with local residents by early morning. Prominent figures and gentry from both Bailie and Blade Harbor had been invited to show their support. What the common folk never expected, however, was that even Lu Qing'an—the eldest son of the ruler of Bailie—and Superintendent Wu of the Blade Harbor Maritime Trade Office would personally attend. Smiling warmly, they greeted Island Master He and cupped their hands to salute the gathered crowd of onlookers. Rumor had it that Island Master He was at odds with both the Lu family and Superintendent Wu, yet on the scene, were they not getting along with complete harmony? Only those well-acquainted with the Lu family could tell that Lu Qing'an's smile was somewhat strained. The master of ceremonies hired by Guan Ke possessed an exceptionally glib tongue, drawing round after round of applause from the crowd. Amidst the din of gongs and drums, a dragon dance troupe delivered several spectacular performances, winning roaring cheers. When the auspicious hour arrived, several prominent local figures lined up before the entrance, took shears in hand, and with a crisp snip severed the red ribbon, successfully completing the grand opening ceremony. He Lingchuan made an inviting gesture toward Lu Qing'an. "Eldest Master Lu, thank you for your trouble." Lu Qing'an's cheek muscles ached from smiling all day. He wanted nothing more than to wrap up the formalities as quickly as possible. Faking a smile was exhausting as hell. Together with He Lingchuan, he pulled down the red silk covering the restaurant's signboard. Longji Restaurant. Behind them, three hundred strings of firecrackers were set off, crackling and popping in deafening celebration of good fortune. With the ribbon-cutting and unveiling ceremony completed, He Lingchuan ushered his distinguished guests to their seats, and the common folk of Qucheng were finally allowed into Longji Restaurant to order and dine. For a moment, heads bobbed in a sea of eager patrons. "Eldest Master Lu, we'll be relying on your gracious care for the Yangshan Archipelago's future business," He Lingchuan said, cupping his hands in salute to Lu Qing'an. "May our dealings be frequent and friendly!" With a wave of his hand, attendants brought forward seven gilded gift boxes. Lu Qing'an's expression changed, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace. Last time, the Yangshan Archipelago had delivered seven human heads to his family in gift boxes! Realizing at once that he was showing weakness, he immediately covered it up: "Oh, Island Master He is far too polite!" He Lingchuan naturally would not do anything so outrageous in front of a vast crowd. He considerately opened the boxes to reveal an assortment of exquisitely packaged gifts inside. "This is for Patriarch Lu; this is for Lady An; this is for you, Eldest Master Lu; this is for Second Master Lu..." He went down the line, introducing each gift. Standing beside him, Lu Qing'an felt thoroughly unsettled. He had already received reports that this youth could laugh and chat one moment and kill the next without the slightest warning. When the six hundred Bailong people had failed in their uprising, the Lu family could still brush it off, thinking the Moqi uncle and nephew were brainless brutes with poor capability. Yet a captain from Beijia and a host of demon guards had also fallen at the Yangshan Archipelago—how could anyone explain that away? Indeed, he now knew that the ones who had approached Lu Zhensheng for assistance back then were not Beijia bounty hunters at all, but regular officers of the Black Tiger Army from Lingxu City! When even such elites from Beijia had returned empty-handed in utter defeat, the Lu family had to weigh their actions very carefully before crossing He Lingchuan again. Consequently, after reading National Preceptor Wang's personal letter, Lu Qing'an had actually felt less anxious. Since National Preceptor Wang required both sides to foster good relations and He Lingchuan had clearly agreed, the personal safety of the Lu family should not be under threat. It was just so deeply humiliating. One moment He Lingchuan was delivering severed heads to their door, and the next he was demanding that the Lu family come endorse his grand opening. And of all places, the Yangshan Archipelago's very first shop had to be opened in Qucheng! What was more, it stood not far from the Lu family estate! This was a deliberate move to disgust them right under their noses. Yet Lu Qing'an had no choice but to come. He glanced over at Superintendent Wu. Every single one of that old fox's smiles looked as though it came straight from the heart; he truly did not know how the man pulled it off. Of the two establishments opened by the archipelago, one was named Longji Restaurant, which specialized in dim sum, light snacks, and fine tea. Everything patrons ate here was crafted from the produce of the Yangshan Archipelago: crisp nut pastries made from local nuts, fine wines brewed from island grapes and berries, three-delicacy steamed buns filled with giant dragon bamboo shoots and yellow mushrooms, and hearty soup dumplings filled with fresh prawns and Spanish mackerel fished from Yangshan waters. Naturally, palm oil and aphid sugar were featured ingredients in many of the pastries. Every customer paying their bill before leaving was presented with an exquisite bottle of palm oil and a serving of aphid-sugar shortbread as a farewell souvenir. Thanks to the massive opening promotions, Longji Restaurant bustled with such a deafening clamor that it felt as if the raucous crowd might lift the building right off its foundation. More traveling merchants had come to sample the fare on the first day than local residents. In an establishment like this, delicacies were savored in small, elegant bites within a clean, tasteful setting—making it ideal for business meals and casual dealmaking. Except today, of course. Right next door to Longji Restaurant was the archipelago's other establishment: Heming Building. This place displayed the various commodities of the archipelago and engaged in wholesale trade, with warehouses positioned directly behind it. Once merchants finished eating and drinking at Longji Restaurant and found the taste and quality agreeable, they could stroll just a few steps past the adjoining wall into Heming Building to negotiate business. Just how thriving was its business? To give an idea, it sold six hundred fluorescent spores in a single morning. When later customers asked to purchase some, they were told with polite regret that stock had run out. Zhu Erniang had only settled on the archipelago recently, and cultivating new mycelial mats took time, so her output of fluorescent spores was still limited. Faced with all the delicacies, Superintendent Wu ate with immense relish while observing his surroundings. When he took a tour of Heming Building, he was once again amazed by the rich variety of goods on offer. Did the Yangshan Archipelago actually produce this many things to sell? He watched with his own eyes as dozens of merchants came in, conferred with the clerks and stewards for a bit, and walked out holding either gift boxes or shipping orders. The Yangshan Archipelago had leased several large warehouses near the docks in Blade Harbor. Customers placing bulk orders could present their shipping bills at the harbor to collect their goods and load them directly onto their vessels. Those in no hurry could have their shipments dispatched directly from the Yangshan Archipelago. The harbor delivery service was provided free of charge by the seller—the Yangshan Archipelago—a very considerate touch. A restaurant, retail storefronts, distributed storage, and direct logistics. Though things were somewhat hectic, everything was remarkably well organized. That He fellow and his crew certainly did not run their business like amateurs. Catching sight of Bailie's Registrar Yang standing nearby, Superintendent Wu lowered his voice and asked him, "Old Yang, did the Yangshan Archipelago use to produce glowing spores? I've never seen anyone use them before." He had not needed to buy any; He Lingchuan had packed several into a gift box and presented them directly to him. Registrar Yang gave an awkward laugh. "Well, I'm not very clear on that either." Could it be a newly developed specialty of the islands? Superintendent Wu added, "Your Lu the Third and Lao Liu are both here. They just greeted me from a second-floor private booth in Longji Restaurant. I even saw them walking arm-in-arm with Island Master He, chatting away merrily." "I saw them." Registrar Yang rubbed his face. "They've been mingling with the archipelago for some time now. For Longji Restaurant's opening, I hear they sent very generous gifts." When Longji Restaurant opened, Island Master He had invited business partners to lend their presence, and these two from the Lu clan were among them, looking exceptionally chummy with him. Lu Qing'an had been forced to come, but those two had certainly not been. When He Lingchuan handed them gifts, they had accepted them with absolute delight. Registrar Yang asked him, "Isn't the Yangshan Archipelago's shop in Blade Harbor opening soon, too?" Whoever wanted to open a business in Blade Harbor had to first visit the Maritime Trade Office to obtain a commercial permit, so Superintendent Wu naturally knew the details: "Indeed. In two days' time. I'll have to go show my support once more." A bustling shop in a thriving district could drive sales tremendously. With the peak season for palm oil sales arriving, the archipelago could afford no further delay in opening its doors. He strolled toward an out-of-the-way shelf and gave a light cough. "Did the Lu family also receive a letter from an eminent figure?" The word "also" was chosen with exquisite subtlety. Registrar Yang's eyes widened. "You received one too?" "Mou Kingdom's National Preceptor wrote to Noble Consort Yu, and then Noble Consort Yu..." Superintendent Wu spread his hands. "Well, in any case, this is how things ended up. What about the Lu family?" Registrar Yang looked left and right, ensuring no one was nearby, before murmuring in a low voice: "Mou Kingdom's National Preceptor sent a personal letter to our patriarch." *Oh, National Preceptor Wang wrote to Lu Zhensheng in his own hand?* "National Preceptor Wang said in the letter that the Bailong people and Beijia agents stirred up trouble on the Yangshan Archipelago under the cover of the hurricane, and that he happened to be a guest on the island at the time and was thoroughly disturbed by it..." Superintendent Wu was startled. "National Preceptor Wang was on the Yangshan Archipelago that very day?!" The master of the Yangshan Archipelago truly had astonishing connections to be able to host the exalted National Preceptor Wang himself! "Keep your voice down!" Registrar Yang shushed him. "National Preceptor Wang specifically mentioned that those Beijia men were from the Black Tiger Army of Lingxu City. Did you know anything about that?"