Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 210: Extra (1)

In the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Da Qing, a severe drought struck Hongdu Prefecture. The surrounding counties had suffered two consecutive years of poor harvests, causing great hardship for the people. The situation worsened as officials, such as Shangguan, concealed the facts, delaying the arrival of relief grain from the imperial court. Those with slightly better financial means could still survive, but those who relied on their land for food had begun to eat grass roots and tree bark to stave off hunger.

In the Yuanzhou area, by now, 36 warehouses had opened across the counties and towns. The Liu and Lu families, with their shops in the counties of Anyi, had organized local large households to set up tents and distribute porridge to the people. However, the available food in the city was limited. Liu Yanqing and Liu Yanan stayed in the county to guard their family, while Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping, along with members of the Changxing Escort Agency, urgently set off for the Two Zhejiang region to purchase grain.

With the help of Jiangyou merchants and the support of the Cao family from Jinan, they managed to secure 8,000 stone of grain by spending 12,000 taels. Qin Er, working with 16 local escort agencies in Yuanzhou, helped transport the grain back to the area.

In Yuanzhou, the 36 Xinfeng warehouses across the towns and docks began selling grain almost simultaneously at cost price. For those who couldn’t afford to pay for it, the local village leaders would vouch for them with a handprint, allowing them to take one liter of grain on credit to survive. Once the disaster year passed, they could repay the grain or pay in kind with hemp, cotton, or other goods.

Word spread quickly, and starving people, some carrying the elderly or children, rushed to the Xinfeng warehouses at the docks, trampling the thresholds. To avoid accidents due to overcrowding, rice-selling stations were also set up at the entrances of the Ruyi Embroidery Workshop and Lufeng Fabric Shop.

In towns where the Liu and Lu families did not have stores, villagers soon heard the news and traveled to towns with Liu and Lu’s businesses to obtain credit for grain.

Yes, credit for grain.

After two years of poor harvests, the impoverished peasants had no money left, and even the low-priced grain from Xinfeng warehouses was out of their reach. It could be said that 90% of the 8,000 stone of grain were sold on credit, and no one knew if they could recover the debt. Originally, the grain was meant to sustain the local people for a few more days, but as neighboring counties also sent starving people, they could not stand by and do nothing. After some discussion, they realized that the grain on credit was still not enough, so they added a few more porridge stations near the warehouses. Even with these measures, the food ran out in just five days.

While Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping were out gathering supplies, 50 large ships appeared overnight on the water route to Yuanzhou. They docked for one night, and by dawn, they had left without a trace.

When the sun rose in Yuanzhou, the staff at the 36 Xinfeng warehouses found the door piled high with bags of grain. They were shocked and called the manager to check, only to find that it was all grain. Dozens of managers across the town faced the same situation in the morning.

Though grain was scarce, the origin of this unexpected supply was unknown, and no one dared to accept it on behalf of the warehouse owners. However, with so many disaster-stricken people, they couldn’t just leave the grain outside, so they decided to guard it carefully. The managers all went to Anyi County to find someone to investigate. After some discussion, the total amount of grain found was 15,000 stone.

As soon as the sky brightened, the people gathered outside the Xinfeng warehouse, eyes glowing with hunger as they gazed at the grain. Since it was from Xinfeng, no one dared to rush in to seize it, but everyone was waiting for the warehouse staff to come and distribute it.

Both the Liu and Lu families arrived at the nearest warehouse, and no one could guess where this grain had come from.

Liu Yanan, who was more of a chivalrous thinker, wondered aloud, “Could it be that we’ve done a good deed, and others have seen it and decided to send us a batch of grain because they know we are short?”

Lu Chengzhang, being more practical, muttered, “But surely, there’s no such thing as doing good without leaving a name?”

With so much unknown grain, the two families discussed it and decided to report the matter to the county office for handling.

In the end, the grain was distributed to the people.

These two batches of grain gave the starving people an extra ten days to survive, and on the ninth day, the imperial relief grain finally arrived, bringing joy and tears to the people of the city.

After their confrontation with the Liu family, the Liu and Lu families continued to expand their influence over the next few years, opening more than 50 stores. Though most were in county towns, the investment was still substantial.

The 12,000 taels was 90% of the cash the two families could raise at the time.

The money was almost entirely spent, but in return, they earned the goodwill of the people of Yuanzhou, something that money alone could not buy.

After the drought, countless grateful people came to the Xinfeng warehouse to thank them. The Xinfeng warehouse, Ruyi Embroidery Workshop, and Lufeng Fabric Shop became well-known throughout the city of Yuanzhou, even known by children as young as three.

While the embroidery and fabric shops were for those who could afford them, the Xinfeng warehouse’s business boomed, with crowds so large it was impossible to move through.

From then on, the people of Yuanzhou, especially those who had received life-saving grain on credit from the Liu and Lu families, began to purchase all their necessities—from needles and thread to a little lamp oil—at the Xinfeng Warehouse. In towns without a Xinfeng Warehouse, the people eagerly awaited its opening. Similarly, the fabric and embroidery shops of the Liu and Lu families gained recognition among the people of Yuanzhou because they were both part of the families’ businesses, but that’s a story for later.

Additionally, when the imperial court sent disaster relief, it wasn’t just the grain funds that arrived, but also an imperial commissioner dispatched to oversee the relief efforts.

In response to the spontaneous charity from local merchants aiding the people, the matter was reported to the imperial court by Yang Fu, who had been promoted to the position of Governor of Yuanzhou.

The Yang and Lu families had become in-laws two years earlier. Originally, there had been some discomfort with his daughter-in-law being from a merchant family, but Father Yang, who was unable to dissuade his son who was deeply in love with Lu Shuang, now felt differently. With his in-laws performing such a noble act, Governor Yang felt proud, and it could also be seen as part of his political achievements.

The imperial envoy sent this time was quite remarkable—not a young, capable official from the Ministry of Revenue, but a 60-year-old veteran who had served under four emperors, Minister of Revenue Xie Rongzhi. This showed how seriously the imperial court took the disaster.

While Yang Fu sent reports about the situation in Yuanzhou to Hongdu Prefecture, he had no idea that the imperial envoy Xie Rongzhi and his two guards had already arrived in Yuanzhou, dressed in plain clothes.

In a major disaster, the number of people who starved to death was very few, and there were no reports of anyone abandoning their families to escape the city in search of food. Although many people were gaunt and weak, their spirits remained strong. This situation was unique among all the counties under Hongdu Prefecture’s jurisdiction.

When asked about the drought, ten out of ten people would mention the Xinfeng Warehouse, the Lufeng Fabric Shop, and the Ruyi Embroidery Workshop. They would speak of the Liu and Lu families, and even the imperial relief was mentioned later.

The common folk were unaware of official sensitivities; they simply followed their hearts and remembered the Liu and Lu families’ life-saving deeds.

Over time, it became common to see plaques for the long life of the Liu and Lu families displayed in villagers’ homes. These plaques were not only for blessings of health and longevity but were typically set up in honor of benefactors.

Naturally, Xie Rongzhi wanted to visit these places to investigate further.

His first stop was the Xinfeng Warehouse at the town docks.

After two years of hardship, the entire Yuanzhou region was severely affected, and the streets were bleak. However, one place stood out: it was crowded and lively, with smiles on people’s faces.

Xie Rongzhi looked up and saw the sign of Xinfeng Warehouse.

He and his two companions entered the warehouse and noticed something different from the stores they usually saw. There were plenty of goods, organized and varied, but what stood out most was not the merchandise but the notices posted on the price tags—some large, some small.

Unlike the scene outside, where people were packed in the doorway, the first thing they saw when entering the warehouse were notices prominently displayed on the shelves:

“Due to the drought, Xinfeng is doing its small part. Rice and flour sold at cost, limited to two kilos per person.”

“Due to the drought, Xinfeng is doing its small part. Vinegar and soy sauce sold at cost, limited to one jar per person.”

Prices for essential food and living necessities were sold at cost, while other items had varying degrees of discounts.

As the head of the Ministry of Revenue, Xie Rongzhi was familiar with the prices of grain, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. In a place like Hongdu Prefecture, where goods were incredibly expensive, the prices at Xinfeng Warehouse were very reasonable. Even in other unaffected counties, these prices would be considered cheap.

He called over a clerk to ask about the prices and checked the goods. Everything seemed to be of excellent quality, not the inferior products often sold in times of scarcity. Xie Rongzhi was curious and asked, “Didn’t the imperial court send disaster relief? How can your owner still sell goods like this, isn’t it a loss?”

The clerk, seeing that Xie Rongzhi was not an ordinary person, looked him over. His clothes were simple, but more well-maintained and newer than most people’s, so the clerk couldn’t immediately tell who he was. However, as a worker at Xinfeng, he had seen all kinds of people, and since the owner often did good deeds, there was no harm in discussing it. He smiled and said, “The imperial relief is to save lives, and it’s certainly a great thing. But food and drink are not enough just to have rice and grain. After these two years, the rich families are fine, but the poor have no money left. So, for these basic necessities that every family needs, our owner is not making any profit. We consider it a way to help the community.”

“As for making a profit or not, our owners have given away more than this in the past. In fact, apart from the stores and a little cash flow, most of the wealth we’ve earned these past years has been put into this. But as you can see, in Yuanzhou, at least people are still doing well.”

“If it weren’t for our owners, we wouldn’t even be able to say that we’re doing fine. In the neighboring counties, there are people selling their children for food.”

The clerk became emotional as he spoke, wiping his nose. “Our owners are good people.”

Xie Rongzhi nodded, and after a long pause, he said, “They are indeed good people.”

The young clerk, hearing Xie Rongzhi’s response, smiled and pointed to the rice, saying, “This rice is affordable, sir. Would you like to buy two kilos?”

Xie Rongzhi hesitated for a moment, then smiled and replied, “No, let it go to those who need it.”

The young clerk was momentarily taken aback, then smiled brightly and said, “Alright then.”

Xie Rongzhi’s group visited several other towns, seeing similar scenes. Despite what they saw along the way in other parts of Hongdu Prefecture, they were deeply moved. Even Xie Rongzhi’s two guards couldn’t help but say, “The people of Yuanzhou are truly blessed this time; it’s rare to find such kind-hearted people in one place.”

Xie Rongzhi nodded, smiling, “A family that accumulates good deeds will surely have a surplus of blessings.”

The two guards exchanged knowing looks; it seemed that the Liu and Lu families’ deeds would reach the highest levels, and an imperial decree granting them a commemorative arch might not be far off.

In the outskirts of Anyi County, the weaving and dyeing workshop jointly operated by the Liu and Lu families.

Now, this place was not only a workshop for weaving and dyeing but also a place for garment production and the center where Lu Chengxiao and the Liu brothers managed their various affairs.

However, at this moment, Lu Chengxiao and his companions were not in their offices; they were in the reception hall at the entrance of the estate. The reception hall was crowded with over thirty women, led by an elderly man in his forties.

The seven or eight women hired by the workshop to do miscellaneous tasks were serving tea to the guests, who all stood up as the tea was brought over and refused to accept it.

The women were not inclined to say any polite words, and the elderly man spoke first.

These thirty people all came from the Ma Family Village in Xing’an Town. Recently, each household in the village had borrowed grain from Xinfeng Warehouse and had managed to get through the most difficult period. Now that the court’s relief grain had arrived and seeds for next spring were assured, they felt secure enough to repay the debt and express their gratitude.

However, money was scarce for everyone now.

The Liu and Lu families had become well-known throughout Yuanzhou, so the Ma Family Village residents were aware that both families also operated fabric and embroidery shops and a weaving and dyeing workshop.

The elderly man explained, “We heard that you two were managing the weaving and dyeing workshop and even producing summer fabrics. Today, the women with me are the best weavers from our village. They asked me to bring them here to work in your workshop for three months in exchange for food and lodging. The wages would be used to repay the grain debt to Xinfeng Warehouse.”

The elderly man took out several thin, folded sheets of paper from his pocket, opened them, and handed them to Lu Chengxiao. The papers listed the accounts of the Ma Family Village, with debts owed to Xinfeng Warehouse for the grain borrowed under his guarantee.

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing looked at each other, then quickly examined the accounts. They said, “No, it’s too much. Two kilos of grain per person, and the maximum is about a dozen people. We can’t afford to pay for three months of work.”

The elderly man shook his head, saying, “That’s the lives of a dozen people. It’s only fair to work for however long is needed. But each household needs to make a living, so three months was the collective decision of the village. Please don’t refuse.”

The women in the room chimed in, “Yes, it’s all been arranged among us. Please don’t refuse.”

“We may not have many skills, but we’ve been weaving for generations. We’ll certainly be able to do a good job.”

The women spoke in unison, eagerly describing their skills.

When Xie Rongzhi’s group arrived at the estate and were informed of the visitors by the gatekeeper, they waited in the reception hall, listening to the lively conversation. Xie Rongzhi, passing by a window, glanced inside and saw the scene—a bustling room with the elderly man speaking earnestly to Lu Chengxiao, who was gesturing towards the window with his hand.

Lu Chengxiao saw the thin, elderly man outside the window and greeted him with a nod before instructing the gatekeeper, Chunbo, to invite the visitors into the smaller reception hall and offer them tea.

Chunbo quickly complied.

As the villagers from Ma Family Village insisted on helping at the workshop, Lu Chengxiao considered bringing in Cheng Wenyin, the silk spinning master, to discuss her opinion. Cheng Wenyin was known for her intelligence and innovation, constantly experimenting with new fabrics, which required support and approval from the workshop. Since Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing lived in the county seat, the workshop was mostly managed by Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan. However, Liu Yanan has never been involved in such matters that require decision making, and always asks Liu Yanping to do it. As a result, Yanping and Wenyin fell in love with each other. When it was time to return to Wuxing the following year, Wenyin found an excuse to stay again to study new cloth.

Initially, no one had noticed, but when Wei Shi started to worry about Liu Yanping’s marriage, he mentioned having someone in mind, and it was only then that everyone realized his relationship with Cheng Wenyin. When it was time for her to return to Wuxing, they decided to propose marriage.

Now, with all the workshop affairs under Cheng Wenyin’s control, they had to consult her on whether they needed so many women.

The workshop was nearby, and Cheng Wenyin arrived quickly. After hearing Lu Chengxiao’s explanation of the situation with the villagers from Ma Family Village, Cheng Wenyin’s eyes lit up.

“We can make arrangements. I’ve been experimenting with the limits of summer fabric’s lightness recently and looking into the possibility of using it as a substitute for silk. If these women are skilled in hemp weaving, it’s perfect timing to have extra hands.”

The village chief from Ma Family Village was overjoyed, saying, “In that case, we’ll leave all the women here. After three months, you only need to give them a receipt so they can settle their accounts at Xinfeng Warehouse.”

“Old man!” Lu Chengxiao called out to him, “There’s really no need for such generosity. Let’s stick to what’s fair. We’ll keep the women, and the wages will be determined after assessing their skills. My second sister-in-law will set the wages according to the workshop’s rates. Once they receive the wages, they can settle their debts at Xinfeng Warehouse. Your kind intentions are truly appreciated.”

He spoke firmly, and Cheng Wenyin, smiling, led the group of women from Ma Family Village away. The village chief of Ma Family Village truly couldn’t argue with Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanquing, so he finally gave a deep bow and left.

After escorting the village chief of Ma Family Village out, Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing noticed that the elderly man, along with two young people, was still standing near the reception hall, not having entered the smaller guest hall.

After sending the village chief off the estate, Lu Chengxiao hurriedly returned, finding that Xie Rongzhi had already started chatting with Liu Yanqing.

Lu Chengxiao stepped forward to greet him, and Xie Rongzhi smiled, asking, “So this is Master Lu?”

Lu Chengxiao hurriedly responded, “I dare not,” and performed a bow before asking, “May I ask, who is this gentleman?”

The term “gentleman” was used because although Xie Rongzhi wore plain clothes, he had the refined appearance of a scholar.

Xie Rongzhi smiled and said, “I am just a traveler passing through. I have heard much about your good deeds in Yuanzhou along the way and wanted to come visit.”

Lu Chengxiao smiled and said, “You flatter us, sir. Please, let’s talk inside.”

Xie Rongzhi introduced himself as a traveler, and he and Lu Chengxiao, along with Liu Yanquingping, chatted casually. Naturally, they spoke mostly about the recent relief efforts for the people.

Xie Rongzhi also shared his observations about Xinfeng Warehouse, complimenting its efforts. He asked, given the low prices, whether the warehouse would be able to sustain itself.

Although Lu Chengxiao felt that Xie Rongzhi was not merely a traveler, he couldn’t figure out more, so he simply answered with his usual candidness, saying with a smile, “The price won’t stay low for much longer. Since you’ve been to the warehouse, I’m sure you understand that selling at cost is only for essential goods that people urgently need. Now that the government’s relief grain has arrived, and Yuanzhou will soon return to normal, it won’t be appropriate to keep selling at cost. It would squeeze out other businesses, which is not something we want. So it won’t be sustainable for long, and there’s no need to worry about whether we can maintain it.”

Hearing this, Xie Rongzhi laughed heartily, “You are an upright and truly wise person, young master.”

He admired that the government relief was being distributed thoughtfully, leaving room for others and for the future—this was true wisdom.

At this point, Xie Rongzhi’s purpose had been fulfilled. He smiled at Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing and was about to take his leave.

It was a visit that seemed to come out of nowhere and was leaving just as unexpectedly.

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing hurriedly stood up to send him off. Just as they reached the gate of the estate, they saw Liu Yu just arriving, stepping off a carriage, and the two men had a chance meeting with Xie Rongzhi.

Xie Rongzhi, who had initially smiled and told Lu Chengxiao not to see him off, froze in place when he turned and saw Liu Yu’s face.

Having been in the official world for forty years, Xie Rongzhi’s reaction and control over his expressions were well-practiced. After another glance at Liu Yu, he smiled again and exchanged a few pleasantries with Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanqing before turning and boarding his carriage.

To those around, including Lu Chengxiao, Liu Yanqing, and even Xie Rongzhi’s two guards, it seemed that the elderly man was simply surprised by Liu Yu’s good looks and had glanced at her a little longer.

No one knew, however, the profound impact Liu Yu’s face had on Xie Rongzhi as he boarded the carriage.

As the two attendants drove the carriage forward, Xie Rongzhi, unable to resist, slightly lifted the curtain of the window. Through the small gap, he saw Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yu walking arm in arm into the estate.

Xie Rongzhi was silent for a long time. Half a mile down the road, he finally spoke. “Li Duan!”

One of the guards, who was sitting outside on the carriage frame, heard his call and lifted the curtain to peer inside. “My lord, did you call me?”

Xie Rongzhi nodded, then, after a long pause, said, “The woman we just encountered at the weaving and dyeing workshop, investigate her background thoroughly. Remember, do not alert anyone.”

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