Chapter 76: Eye drops and old fox

Lu Chengzhang was trapped in various chaotic thoughts such as his parents’ favoritism, the four hundred taels of silver, and the future in-laws’ involvement. He tossed and turned all night, feeling like his heart was being fried in oil. By morning, his eyes were swollen, catching the attention of Lu Xun, who glanced at him several times.

Having just finished lunch, Lu Chengzhang thought since it was midday and the shop wasn’t busy, he would go back to his room for a nap. But before he could leave, hey, Liu Yanping showed up.

Seeing Liu Yanping arrive at this hour, Lu Chengxiao knew there must be something important. He invited him to the flower hall.

Lu Chengzhang now felt annoyed every time he saw Liu Yanping, feeling like he was taking advantage. Feeling too agitated for a nap now, he decided not to leave and followed to the flower hall, curious about why this member of the Liu family had come again.

Lu Xun was also present in the flower hall, while Lu Chengxiao had already gone to prepare tea. Liu Yanping hurriedly greeted Lu Xun.

Lu Xun, treating the Liu family as close relatives, was also very warm. Seeing that it was just after lunchtime, he asked, “You came from Yangshan Village? You haven’t had lunch yet, have you?”

As he was about to call the servants to prepare food, Liu Yanping stopped him, smiling, “Uncle, no need to rush. I bought something on the way.”

Lu Chengxiao had already prepared the tea. Upon hearing this, he asked, “You had lunch on the road, and you came so urgently. Is something the matter?”

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Lu Xun’s eyes were filled with amusement as he listened, but he didn’t interrupt, allowing him to continue.

Liu Yanping continued, “Without the capital but still wanting to do things well, it added a bit of worry. My mother and sister noticed this last night, and surprisingly, they supported me. They gave me the capital they had set aside to open the shop.”

Lu Chengzhang’s eyes flickered. Lu Xun and Lu Chengxiao weren’t particularly surprised; although Liu Yu had only returned recently, the Liu family treated her very well, so it was within their expectations for her to do this.

Liu Yanping, feeling touched at this moment, said, “Sixty-five taels might seem like a small amount in Uncle’s eyes, but for us, my sister and mother work tirelessly every day making clothes. When I accepted that money chest, I took it seriously as a token of their support and trust. I feel even more obligated not to let them down. Last night, I placed that money chest by my pillow, and all I could think about was using my sister’s capital for her shop. So, no matter what, as her elder brother, I must find a way to help her establish a shop in the county.”

This was Liu Yanping’s heartfelt vision. Lu Xun listened, feeling somewhat moved and admiring. The Liu family had raised their children well.

Liu Yanping continued, “Uncle, you also know that every household in our area cultivates hemp, and many can weave cloth. I visited several weaving workshops near our town these past few days and compared them. I found that except for the highest-quality products with very demanding specifications for hemp buttons and extremely thin finished products, the average upper-middle-range goods woven by skilled women in our village are not inferior to those from the workshops. Yet, the price at which merchants buy spring hemp products from our village every year is thirty wen lower per bolt compared to the workshops.”

“I wondered why everyone works so hard all year round. From planting hemp, harvesting, processing, to weaving, the labor involved is immense. Even children as young as four or five and elderly people in their sixties and seventies in our village are busy with hemp processing during that period. They keep their weaving machines running constantly, all for the sake of making a little more money than selling raw hemp. Merchants pursue profits, and farmers are no different. Thinking from a profit perspective, I came up with a solution that benefits both sides. With my goods, the villagers have additional income.”

Lu Xun nodded in agreement, unable to help but praise, “Yanping, you have the qualities of a successful merchant. Your understanding of this principle surpasses that of many people. There are plenty of people in this world seeking profit, but those who consider the benefits of generosity are few.”

Even he felt inadequate in this regard.

“Uncle, you’re exaggerating. It’s because I have no capital that I had to rack my brains for these ideas. This solution, however, comes with risks. If I can’t sell the fabric after this trip, I’ll lose the sixty-five taels upfront. To be honest, I hesitated, but Yu was willing to bear this risk for me.”

As he said this, a gentle smile appeared on his face, tinged with a hint of reluctance. To be honest, the more one got to know Liu Yu, the more endearing she became. However, such a good sister was going to become someone else’s. When Liu Yanping glanced at Lu Chengxiao, he couldn’t help feeling a bit complicated for a moment. But it was only fleeting. A grown girl would eventually marry.

Lu Chengxiao understood his brotherly sentiment inexplicably. If it were just the two of them and Liu Yanping, Lu Chengxiao would have inevitably reassured him that he would treat Liu Yu well in the future. However, with four people in the room, he had to pretend not to notice Liu Yanping’s slight emotional fluctuation and quickly changed the subject, saying, “Are you here to inquire about the size of the boat, how much cargo I can bring, when to depart, and the cost of dyeing?”

Liu Yanping immediately smiled, realizing he was dealing with a smart person, making negotiations effortless.

“Exactly. Besides that, there are two more things. Firstly, the amount of goods I can carry may be more than originally planned, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to cover all the expenses on the road. I’d like to get an idea of the expenses on the way, along with the cost of dyeing. This way, I can plan the maximum amount of fabric I can bring back. Secondly, Yu’er is worried about just the two of us traveling to Zhejiang. She suggested bringing Yanan along for extra security. You know Yanan’s skills. Having him with us would add strength. Yu also asked if we could find a few more people to accompany us for added security.”

Before Lu Chengxiao could speak, Lu Xun had already begun to smile, saying, “That reminds me of something. Chengxiao mentioned this last night and wanted to invite his two good friends to see if they were willing to join us.”

The person Lu Xun was referring to naturally meant Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yu. Hearing this, Liu Yanping’s eyes also lit up with a smile.

Upon hearing that Liu Yu was concerned about his safety, Lu Chengxiao couldn’t help but smile.

“I was planning to visit my two friends this afternoon to see if they were interested in joining. They both work in the escort bureau and are quite skilled. Since you’re here now, why don’t we go together? You can also get to know them, and we can discuss the details on the way. As for the dyeing price, there are dye houses in the county, but I’ve seen their products, and the colors are slightly inferior to those from Yuzhou City. The color and pattern of the fabric are crucial factors in its marketability. I plan to go to Yuzhou City for dyeing. Before the finished fabric comes out, we can go to Yuzhou to select the colors and patterns.”

Liu Yanping was delighted to hear that Lu Chengxiao had plans in mind. He stood up with a smile and said, “Great, it seems like I’ll be making two new friends today.”

He then prepared to bid farewell to Lu Xun.

However, Lu Xun stopped him, saying, “Yanping, discuss the details with Chengxiao. But since you’re traveling a long distance and it’s rare to get credit for fabric beforehand, don’t miss this opportunity. Just focus on the cost of dyeing with the money you have. As for the expenses on the road, I’ll ask Chengxiao to bring along some extra money for you to use as needed. He can cover it upfront, and you can reimburse him once the fabric is sold.”

This was naturally good news for Liu Yanping, who hurriedly thanked Lu Xun.

Lu Xun smiled and waved his hand, saying, “Go about your business.”

The two men agreed and as Liu Yanping turned to leave, he saw Lu Chengzhang, who had been lurking like a shadow, also rise to see them off. Chengzhang nodded at him, and together with Lu Chengxiao, they left.

Lu Xun watched them leave, then turned his gaze to Lu Chengzhang. He lifted the lid of the teacup on the table, stirred it twice, and asked, “After observing for a while, have you figured anything out?”

Lu Chengzhang was unsure of what Lu Xun meant, sensing a hint of sarcasm in his father’s tone. He instinctively lowered his gaze. “I was just curious.”

“Curious?” Lu Xun raised an eyebrow, took a sip from the teacup, then lifted his chin towards the seat where Lu Chengzhang had been sitting. “Sit down. Let’s have a chat, father and son.”

Lu Chengzhang regretted following them to the flower hall earlier. Although his father was usually gentle and never showed disapproval, there was still an air of authority about him. Lu Chengzhang cared a lot about his image in front of Lu Xun.

This was the second time in a row that Lu Chengzhang had provoked Lu Xun’s displeasure. Feeling uneasy, he obediently sat down without a word.

Lu Xun placed the teacup back on the table and sat down as well. After observing Lu Chengzhang for a while, making him feel as if he were covered in thorns, Lu Xun finally spoke up, “About your third brother going into business. What are your thoughts?”

Lu Chengzhang’s heart skipped a beat. What did the old man mean? Did he notice that he was feeling uneasy?

Quickly recalibrating his thoughts, Lu Chengzhang knew his parents well. They preferred to see harmony among siblings. If his father truly sensed his envy towards his third brother, it wouldn’t bode well for him. So, he promptly responded, “That’s great. Third brother has always been resourceful, and his knowledge surpasses mine and big brother’s.”

With a smile, he praised Lu Chengxiao first.

Lu Xun had lost his parents when he was barely ten years old. He had survived by working as an apprentice and later started his own business. After dealing with all kinds of people for decades, how could he not see through the underlying emotions behind this praise?

The sourness in Lu Chengzhang’s words was evident.

There was a slight movement in Lu Xun’s eyebrows, but he didn’t expose it. Instead, he shook his head and said, “Not necessarily. He’s just come out of school, lacking some experience, but the spirit of daring to explore and strive is commendable.”

Lu Chengzhang forced a smile, “Yes.”

Very commendable indeed, so why bother asking me?

He muttered this to himself, but then heard Lu Xun say, “What about you? Do you want to give it a try as well?”

Lu Chengzhang blinked, feeling a bit confused.

Lu Xun continued, “Let me rephrase it. If you were given the four hundred taels, how would you arrange it for the best?”

Feeling a bit disheartened, Lu Chengzhang thought his father was finally going to be fair, but it turned out he was just circling back to ask about his opinion on Lu Chengxiao’s business venture.

Since the question was already posed, there was no reason not to answer.

In truth, Lu Chengzhang did have some reservations about Lu Chengxiao’s business venture. He decided to take this opportunity to express his thoughts. After all, it wasn’t necessarily speaking ill of his brother; it could be seen as his father testing him.

So, he pretended to give it serious thought and then spoke, “If I were given four hundred taels to invest, I believe opening a shop would be better than rushing into the merchant trade.”

“Oh?” Lu Xun raised an eyebrow. “Explain.”

“Merchant trade offers great profits, but it also carries high risks. Our family hasn’t reached the point where we can afford to lose a few hundred taels without consequence. While one loss might be tolerable, two losses would certainly harm us fundamentally. In my opinion, while our family business is still relatively small, steady progress is the best approach. Taking too big a step and making a wrong move could have severe consequences.”

This wasn’t Lu Chengzhang’s genuine opinion. In fact, he also admired families who became wealthy through trade like the Li family. However, when prompted by Lu Xun and reminded of the four hundred taels, his instinctual response was to deny and exhibit skepticism, starting with mentioning the high risks.

Lu Chengzhang never believed he was inferior to Lu Chengxiao in any way.

Sure, he might not be as skilled or as good-looking, but apart from that, he didn’t think he was any worse than Lu Chengxiao. It was just that his luck wasn’t as good, and a few years ago, it wasn’t him who saved Li Cunyi, nor was he recognized as a son by the Li family, nor was he the one who went to study in Yuanzhou. That was all there was to it.

Before Lu Chengxiao truly returned from Yuanzhou, Lu Chengzhang didn’t feel so unbalanced. Luck was also a kind of skill, and Lu Chengxiao saving Li Cunyi and subsequently getting him a spot in the Yuanzhou Academy widened the gap between the brothers. There wasn’t much he could complain about in this regard.

Especially since Lu Chengxiao befriended the son of the Wang family, rented the shop for the family in the county town, and through Li Cunyi’s connections, found a partner for the Lu family in Lufeng to purchase cloth. It was only then that the Lu family truly began to prosper.

He even felt grateful for his third brother’s contributions because he enjoyed the benefits Lu Chengxiao brought to the family.

However, when Lu Chengxiao returned to Anyi County and Longfeng Town, he didn’t behave like his eldest brother, diligently working in the shop every day. Instead, he acted like a wealthy young man from the county, coming and going from the shop as he pleased, attending to other matters whenever he wished. The differences that were previously obscured by their separation were now clearly evident to him.

Then came the incident with the cloth from the Liu family, followed by the proposal for trade last night. Four hundred taels, and his father didn’t even hesitate, insisting on bringing along the Liu family.

The fragile balance that existed only on the surface was shattered in an instant.

He felt aggrieved. In his eyes, Lu Xun was showing too much favoritism.

With a smile, Lu Chengzhang said, “Third brother lacks experience. He just returned from the academy and already wants to undertake such a large endeavor. I’ve worked in the shop for so many years, and I wouldn’t dare to take such a big step right away. I think he’s being too aggressive.”

Just like his eldest brother, he believed that working as an apprentice in the shop for a few years was the proper path.

Of course, he didn’t voice this opinion out loud. He picked up the teacup from the nearby table, pretending to drink tea to conceal his emotions.

Lu Xun nodded thoughtfully, then casually adjusted the teacup before saying, “You make a valid point. However, everyone has their strengths. I thought your eldest brother was steadfast and honest, someone who could maintain stability. You, on the other hand, are quite capable. Giving four hundred taels to Chengxiao for trade, I thought if you had any ideas, I’d also give you four hundred taels to gain some experience.”

Lu Chengzhang’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he looked up abruptly at Lu Xun.

But Lu Xun just smiled, paused in his movements with the teacup, and continued, “However, what you said also makes sense. Our family business isn’t large enough to withstand repeated risks. Since Chengxiao has chosen to explore that risky path, and you prefer a more cautious approach, let’s do this. I’ll still give you four hundred taels. You can decide where to go to open another branch of Lufeng.”

Lu Chengzhang’s hand went slack, and the teacup he held for show slipped from his grasp, falling onto his knees, splashing tea all over himself, and then rolling onto the stone floor, where it cracked.

The tea had been steeping for a while, so the tea was warm but not scalding, and Lu Chengzhang didn’t feel any pain.

He just looked at Lu Xun in disbelief, his face filled with astonishment, and asked cautiously, “Father, what did you say?”

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