"Madam understands and has already been deliberately thrifty. The household hasn't dared to hire freely either. Aside from Qian-ma and me, there are currently only two maidservants, two cooks and odd-job workers, three regular laborers, and one gardener. When that isn't enough hands, the plan is to make do with day laborers."
He Chunhua nodded. For any other residence of similar size, it would be impossible to keep things running without twenty or thirty servants. Even Manager Qian, who had long managed affairs for him in secret and was only overseeing the Zhu clan's business in Dunyu, kept seven or eight servants of his own.
He slumped back onto the couch, exhaustion surging over him. "What about Chuan'er?"
It was only a casual inquiry, but to his surprise, Lao Mo replied, "Eldest Young Master has been making constant moves over the past few days."
He Chunhua kept his eyes closed. "Is that brat causing trouble again?"
He had grown so accustomed to it that his heart did not stir in the slightest.
"It can hardly be called causing trouble," Butler Lao Mo said with a smile. "The eldest young master took in a few men, and then began spending money to acquire properties in Dunyu and the surrounding towns and counties."
"Acquiring properties?" He Chunhua opened his eyes, genuinely astonished. "What did he acquire?"
Buying up businesses and real estate was not something his eldest son would usually do. "Wait—what men did he take in?"
"He took in several private soldiers discharged by the Li clan, and also a local manager surnamed Ding." Butler Lao Mo had clearly done his homework. "It was this Manager Ding who arranged the acquisitions, going door to door to buy up the properties."
"The man he took in is quite shrewd," He Chunhua said with a nod. "The assistance of locals is never to be underestimated."
"Indeed, indeed. We have taken in quite a few people as well. In truth, many matters simply cannot be handled without these locals," Lao Mo continued. "From what I know, the eldest young master has already bought several storefronts, dozens of mu of prime irrigated farmland, a fishery on the west side of Lake Qing, Dunyu's venerable Hesu Restaurant, and has even taken over a trading firm. This firm—"
"He acquired a fishery?" He Chunhua stroked his chin. "Interesting."
"I hear the eastern side of Lake Qing has the lushest aquatic plants and the most fish, while the western side is slightly inferior."
"Being able to buy one at all is quite an achievement; his luck holds." A fishery was not something money alone could buy. Across Great Yuan, major rivers, lakes, timberlands, and mines all belonged to the state; unlicensed fishing and logging were strictly forbidden. Yet local authorities found it difficult to manage such vast resources themselves, so they often leased them out to share profits with the lessees.
Lake Qing on the outskirts of Dunyu was an enormous freshwater lake fed by three tributaries, teeming with fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish. It was divided into twenty-seven fisheries, every single one already claimed. To allow the waters to replenish, official regulations mandated two closed fishing seasons and two open seasons each year.
Once the open season arrived, only the fishery's own workers were permitted to fish. Outsiders who wished to dig for clams on the mudflats had to pay a fee first.
In short, it was a semi-monopolistic business. Holding a fishery with decent resources was tantamount to keeping a hen that laid silver eggs.
"I heard the Shu clan had their eye on that fishery originally, but Manager Ding stepped in and brandished our He Residence's name."
"Not bad. The boy is quite the opportunist. Where did he get so much money? Did he resort to force?"
Butler Lao Mo was stumped. "That, I cannot say."
That fishery alone must have fetched a steep price, even in these extraordinary times. He Chunhua cast his mind back—had he ever given He Lingchuan that much silver? Could the boy have hoarded it all?
It was utterly bizarre.
Perhaps Chuan'er had gained something from the recent bandit suppression? He had made off with Lu Yao's belongings, after all. Moreover, from Blackwater City to Shihuan City and now to Dunyu, no small number of people had sought to curry favor with the father through the son. Had some of them offered heavy bribes?
Or had the boy engaged in coercive buying and strong-armed a few assets for himself?
Still, a mountain of pressing troubles awaited his attention; his eldest son's petty antics did not even register on his list of priorities. He Chunhua chuckled. "Fine, leave him be. Let him buy whatever he pleases."
To be honest, he was actually quite pleased.
The local gentry and magnates of Xiazhou were slashing prices and dumping their assets, proving they had zero faith in the Xiazhou defense line and in him, the newly appointed Governor-General; they only wanted to pull out and flee south. Although this was partly the result of He Chunhua's own secret maneuvers, the thought of their cowardice still sparked a flare of irritation.
His eldest son stepping in to buy at the bottom was, through action, a vote of absolute confidence in his father.
The old father was deeply gratified.
"Even so, I want to know exactly how much property he ends up acquiring."
"Understood."
***
Early the next morning, the city of Dunyu issued an official notice: starting at dusk today—the Hour of the Dog—entry would be permitted, but no one would be allowed to leave. Merchants and travelers wishing to depart the city would require a special permit issued by the relevant magistrate before the city gates would open for them.
The notice also made special mention that the northern defense line remained peaceful, government troops were fighting smoothly, the situation was steadily improving, and citizens were urged neither to believe nor spread rumors, but to carry on with their lives in peace.
The moment the notice was posted, a tidal wave of panic swept through the city!
Just as placing price caps on rising markets only caused prices to spike further, while attempting to halt plummeting prices only accelerated the crash, the instant this notice appeared, the first thought that struck countless minds was:
*We're finished! Run!*
Something had definitely gone wrong in the north; Xunzhou's army was almost certainly about to march upon them!
Anyone who ran too late or too slowly would be trapped and doomed in Dunyu.
Rumors had already been flying thick and fast over the past few days, and this announcement instantly hardened their wavering hesitation into an unyielding resolve to flee.
Prices plummeted across the board, grain included.
The wealthy merchants and prominent households were sitting on vast stockpiles of grain that they could not possibly haul away in time, leaving them no choice but to stage an emergency fire sale. Grain on the market had originally soared to about six wen per jin; in less than half a day, it crashed back down to two wen, and wholesale purchases of ten dan or more went for a mere one wen per jin!
It was an out-and-out, cost-be-damned clearance sale.
If even grain collapsed like this, the situation was even worse for all other trades, every merchant desperate to clear out stock at tearful discounts before the city was locked down.
The prefectural government dispatched bailiffs into the streets to beat gongs and urge the populace not to panic, while maintaining order and preventing looting and riots.
He Chunhua even made a personal appearance at Caishikou, delivering a public speech to soothe the people.
Seeing his confident assertions and the government's unprecedented, swift decisiveness, the majority of the common folk felt somewhat reassured, and the general mood calmed down slightly.
Beneath the surface, however, undercurrents surged violently.
The gentry and nobility instructed their stewards to liquidate assets while slipping away themselves. The Zhan clan's long convoy of carriages, for instance, stretched all the way from their front gates to the city gate, nearly bringing traffic to a complete standstill.
In the midst of all this, Ding Zuodong had stayed away from home the entire day. His wife and son waited anxiously, their hearts burning with dread.
When had their man ever been so unreliable?
Fortunately, Ding Zuodong finally rushed through the door during the Hour of the Monkey. Despite the bitter cold, he was drenched in sweat. "Where's the water? Where's the food? Bring it over! I've been running about outside all day—I'm starving!"
His wife hurriedly poured him a cup of water, asking frantically, "The authorities issued a notice! Everyone is trying to flee. Our neighbors, the Wangs and the Yins, have already carried their chests and babies out the door. Are we... are we leaving?"
Ding Zuodong gulped down the water. "Flee to where?"
"Flee south, of course! We've packed everything, and the horses are harnessed and fed with fodder. Your son is watching them outside right now so nobody steals them!"
"He's right to keep an eye on the horses. At a time like this, horses are worth more than anything." Ding Zuodong remained remarkably calm. "Put the luggage back where it belongs, heat up the meal, and bring it to me."
"B-but what if the Xunzhou troops come slaughtering their way here...?"
"Who told you that?"
"Everyone is saying so! Master, this didn't come out of thin air; things look terrible in the north." His wife gripped her handkerchief tightly. "Did you hear something from Lord He?"
"Yes, and everything I heard was good news. We are staying. If those fools want to run, let them."
Though still skeptical, the wife had always deferred to her husband. Hearing him speak with such conviction, she headed into the kitchen to busy herself.
Just then, their five-year-old grandson scampered over and wrapped his arms around Ding Zuodong's leg.
When the wife emerged with the food, she found Ding Zuodong teasing the boy. Wiping her hands on her apron, she grumbled, "Who knows which scoundrel stole the little bit of money you gave Bao'er! The bamboo hobbyhorse we promised him couldn't even be bought."
Ding Zuodong looked up at her words. "I was the one who took that money."
His wife froze.
*What? Taking back money given to his own grandson? The old rascal!*
"That grand manor at the corner of East Street—you know the one I mean, with the peach grove inside the courtyard walls? The owner was desperate to sell cheap. I was short on silver, so I threw in Bao'er's pocket money too." Ding Zuodong drew a property deed from his robes and waved it before his wife's eyes. "Look! From this day forth, you're the mistress of that estate!"
Such a magnificent mansion was going to belong to her? His wife stood dumbfounded, taking a long moment to find her voice. "You... you sank all our money into this?"
"I also bought two small storefronts." Ding Zuodong had not smiled so broadly in years. "Today, not only did I handle Eldest Young Master He's affairs, but we picked up a few bargains for ourselves as well."
Sweat beaded in the wife's palms. "Master, this is a reckless gamble!" If they lost, they would be left penniless, trapped in Dunyu, waiting for the Xunzhou forces to slaughter their way to the doorstep.
Ding Zuodong clenched his fists, his smile fading. "Haven't you had enough of swallowing humiliation? If we want to rise up, we have to make a bold wager!"
He shoveled down the food in a few mouthfuls, wiped his mouth, and stood up. "I'm heading out."
His wife watched him leave, catching sight of the western sunset casting its final rays of sunlight.
Night was about to fall, and Dunyu would soon be sealed shut.
***
Under that same sky, the Ding family were not the only ones staring blankly at the setting sun; the foremost clan of Xiazhou was doing the same.
The Li clan was gripped by panic as well. The servants had already packed their bags, yet the head of the Li clan had delayed giving the order to move.
Clan members took turns trying to persuade him, but Li Zhi kept his study door bolted and refused to see anyone.
At this moment, the family thought of Li Shuang again. After all, when Old Master Li was still alive, he had always praised Little Sixth for being clever, thoughtful, and perceptive.
Yet Li Shuang shook his head. "We aren't leaving."
"Why not?"
"If the front line has truly collapsed, why has Eldest Young Master He spent the past few days throwing silver everywhere, buying up shops and acquiring properties across the city?"
Li Shuang added, "If Dunyu were in imminent peril, why would the prefectural government be approaching us right now to buy up grain and purchase back military colony land?"
He Lingchuan's actions and the prefectural government's measures could never be hidden from local entrenched forces like them.
The reasoning Li Shuang offered was sensible, but far from conclusive—hardly enough to sway the crowd.
When people were consumed by anxiety, they needed irrefutable proof to anchor their confidence. Thus, before long, some clan members could bear the agonizing suspense no longer and departed, dragging their households along with them.
Chapter 235