Chapter 97: Jiangyou Guild Hall

The ship approached quickly, becoming one of the numerous sails in the vicinity, followed by new merchant ships arriving one after another.

As dawn broke, the faint images from the night could finally be discerned clearly. Ships of various sizes filled the river, ranging from large five-thousand-liao vessels to medium-sized two-thousand to one-thousand-liao vessels, and even smaller six-oar boats.

The ship hired by Lu Chengxiao and his companions appeared quite large to them in Anyi County, but amidst the others, it seemed rather small.

At the hour Mao Shi (5:00 -7:00 AM), the sluice gates began to release the ships. As expected, they had to wait for a while, but their luck was good, and they docked at the pier by evening.

During this time, Lu Chengxiao and the ship’s captain inquired about the procedures. It turned out that the Zhejiang ferry only levied a seating tax, not transit or gate taxes. For those like them with many goods, it was advised to rent a warehouse at the ferry landing to store the goods before figuring out how to sell them. After discussing, Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping got off the ship to find a warehouse, while the others stayed on board to watch over the cargo.

Countless merchant ships arrived daily at the Zhejiang ferry, and the entire operation was highly sophisticated. Since disembarking, they were immediately approached by porters looking for work. After a brief inquiry, they were warmly escorted.

Renting a warehouse also had its intricacies. Depending on the type of goods, suitable warehouses were available. Since Lu Chengxiao dealt in fabric, there were warehouses suitable for fabric merchants. They were asked about the approximate quantity and were led to inspect a medium-sized warehouse. “This should be sufficient,” the manager said.

Lu Chengxiao agreed, and indeed, as the manager had said, the warehouse was usually rented to fabric merchants. It not only had shelves but also seemed rarely idle, meticulously clean and organized. After finalizing the warehouse, they paid two days’ rent in advance, received a number plate and warehouse keys, and briefly tidied up the warehouse with Liu Yanping before locking it and returning to the ship to unload the cargo.

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The porter, evidently accustomed to such situations, wasn’t surprised. Seeing the handful of coins in his hand, enough for him to handle a few more loads, he gladly replied, “Sure, what do you want to know?”

With a smile, Lu Chengxiao asked, “Can you tell us if there’s a Longevity Palace near this ferry?”

The porter grinned, “You must be from the Western Jiangnan Road, looking for the Jiangyou merchants, huh?”

The Longevity Palace was a Taoist temple but also served as a contact point for the Jiangyou merchants. Lu Chengxiao knew he had asked the right person from this response and nodded eagerly, “Yes, is there a Longevity Palace near this ferry?”

The porter shook his head, “No, but there is the Jiangyou Guild Hall. Go down this street, head south, and it’s at the first intersection.”

Lu Chengxiao was delighted and inquired further, “Are there any fabric shops around here?”

The porter shook his head again, “Most of the traffic here is bulk goods. There aren’t many fabric shops around. If you’re bringing fabric, you’ll need to rent a space in Zhejiang Market. Many traders come there daily for supplies.”

Lu Chengxiao’s interest was piqued, so he asked, “Do you know if the rental spaces are good, and how does one go about renting them?”

The porter chuckled, “I’m not sure about that. You should inquire at the guild hall, or go directly to the market management office.”

Lu Chengxiao roughly guessed what was on his mind. It seemed that this area had probably formed a business environment similar to Shengze Town. It was far from where ordinary residents gathered. If there was anything different from Shengze, it was probably that Shengze specialized in silk-related businesses, while Zhejiang Du and Zhejiang City should have a variety of businesses, selling all sorts of goods.

He clasped his fists at the porter and said, “Alright, I understand. Thank you!”

The porter stuffed the money into his pocket and smiled, “No need, I’ve also received benefits. Thank you for your reward.”

He bowed slightly and left.

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping then headed towards the road indicated by the footman. Along the way, they first saw the Jin Merchant Hall and Hui Merchant Hall. When they reached the intersection, they indeed saw the Jiangyou Guild Hall.

Similar to the first two, this hall was quite grandly built. The door was open, but they couldn’t see much inside due to the screen wall.

Lu Chengxiao thought for a moment and said, “It’s not proper to visit empty-handed. Shall we prepare some gifts first?”

Liu Yanping agreed. They looked around and saw a shop selling specialties from various places in the distance. They exchanged a knowing smile and said, “Let’s go.”

Inside the shop, they found specialties from various places. When visiting fellow townsfolk, it was natural to bring some local customs to build rapport. They didn’t know where the president of this hall was from, so they decided to buy some particularly famous items, hoping one of them would be appreciated.

With their hands full of gifts, they returned to the Jiangyou Guild Hall and entered through the main gate.

By this time, it was already dark. Passing through the screen wall, they entered a courtyard. Compared to the desolation outside, it was brightly lit inside, and they could faintly hear the sounds of conversations, making it quite lively.

A thin old man who seemed to be in charge came forward. Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping greeted him and said, “We are businessmen from Yuanzhou, newcomers to this prosperous land, here to pay our respects to the president. Is it convenient at this time?”

Seeing that the two of them were carrying full hands of gifts, making it inconvenient even to bow, the old man said hurriedly, “It’s convenient, it’s convenient. Our president Liu is right here. You two young brothers don’t need to be so formal.”

It’s said that excessive courtesy is not a fault. Seeing the abundance of gifts, the old man was quite polite, making a gesture of invitation and leading the two towards the second courtyard.

It seemed they were on the right track.

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping followed the old man into the second courtyard. The noise they had heard earlier was now right in front of them. It was indeed very lively. There were many people in several halls, chatting in groups of two or three at a table or five or six together, engaging in conversation.

With two unfamiliar faces entering, naturally, they attracted attention, especially at their age, not even twenty yet. Someone stopped their conversation and said, “Oh, newcomers!”

Those who hadn’t noticed Lu and Liu before now turned to look. It was quite unusual for people of this age to come out and do business without elders accompanying them.

The old man led the two directly to the third courtyard, where they saw a kindly looking, slightly plump old man. He said, “Sir, two young men have arrived, newcomers from Yuanzhou, here to pay their respects to you.”

Then he turned to Lu and Liu and said, “This is our president, Mr. Liu.”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping hurriedly handed over the gifts to the old man. Seeing that the old man couldn’t hold them all in one hand, they placed them on a nearby table, freeing their hands to pay their respects to President Liu.

“We are Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping, newcomers to Zhejiangs. We’ve come to pay our respects to President Liu.”

President Liu had already calmly assessed the two. He helped them up with a smile and said, “You’re too polite. Just coming here is enough. Why bring so many gifts?”

“It’s our first visit, and we’re not sure what President Liu likes, so we bought some random items as a gesture of respect. Please don’t mind the simplicity of the gifts, President Liu.”

“How could I mind?” President Liu thanked them repeatedly. “You two young brothers are thoughtful.”

While inviting Lu and Liu to take a seat, President Liu gestured for the servants to bring tea.

Once they were seated, he glanced at the two and asked, “Heroes emerge in their youth. Brother Lu and Liu, where are you from in Yuanzhou?”

After introducing themselves, the tea arrived, and President Liu smiled and asked, “Finding the guild, are you here for trading? Are you planning to bring goods back or bring goods here to sell?”

Liu Yanping had no experience in trading, so Lu Chengxiao took the lead in responding.

Lu Chengxiao smiled and said, “Yes, it’s my first time trading. I brought some summer cloth from my hometown and thought of selling it here. Then, I plan to buy some goods here to take back. We’ve just arrived in Lin’an, so we’re still unfamiliar with the ropes. We heard about the location of the guild and came to seek guidance from our seniors.”

Seeing that he was young but handled the situation appropriately, President Liu, who seemed quite experienced, smiled and said, “Summer cloth is good. Summer cloth from Yuanzhou is welcomed everywhere. Many merchants come here to purchase, so selling it won’t be a problem. In about ten days, there will be more ships coming here to transport summer cloth. You two are quicker than others.”

Noticing that Lu Chengxiao seemed to be the more assertive one despite his young age, President Liu asked him, “How much did you bring over?”

There was nothing to hide about this. Lu Chengxiao answered truthfully, “Not much, just over a thousand pieces. It’s my first time doing business, so I didn’t dare to bring too much. Because we brought fewer goods, we were able to leave earlier than others. We just rented a warehouse and stored the goods. For our scale, I’m not sure how to sell these cloths. I hope the senior can give us some guidance.”

His words were humble, sincere, and showed respect. Since they came with generous gifts, President Liu didn’t hold back either and said with a smile, “Guidance is not necessary. You’ve already reached this area. Just ask around, and you’ll know. It’s not difficult. With just over a thousand pieces, it’s easy to sell. It depends on how you want to sell them.”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping knew the crucial part was coming. They both looked at President Liu and said, “Please advise us, President.”

President Liu smiled and said, “There are two methods. Firstly, there are fabric shops in our guild here in Lin’an. If the quantity is large, I can introduce you directly, and you can sell them to them. The advantage of this method is that it’s convenient and quick, but the profit margin is relatively smaller.”

Lu Chengxiao nodded. President Liu continued, “Secondly, there are trading markets near several ferry ports. For example, Zhejiang Market in Zhejiang Ferry, you should be familiar with it, right?”

“I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t been there yet. I’m not sure about the specific regulations. I hope President Liu can explain them to us.”

President Liu smiled, “Zhejiang Market is divided into four markets: East, West, South, and North. Fabric is sold in the South Market. You can rent a shop by the day, and the rent varies depending on the location. It may seem expensive, but there are many potential customers. If you’re bringing just over a thousand pieces of summer cloth, you can rent a shop in the South Market. The rules here are similar to those of the larger fabric shops. You can sell ten pieces of single-colored fabric at a time. But the price is much more affordable than the larger shops. Many cloth merchants from nearby towns come here to buy goods at lower prices, and there are also merchants from various places like you who bring goods here to sell. Most people buy directly from the market. With just over a thousand pieces, if the quality is good, you could sell them all in a day if you’re lucky, or at least within two or three days.”

Lu Chengxiao was quite excited. He said, “It seems more suitable to sell my thousand pieces of cloth in the South Market. Since I’m new here, I don’t know the market price for summer cloth. Could you please enlighten me, President?”

Places like guild halls are actually information hubs. President Liu said, “Goods are always cheaper at the source. Summer cloth in your Yuanzhou should be around five or six hundred wen, right?”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping both nodded. President Liu continued, “In Hongdu Prefecture, the price would be over seven hundred wen. Here in Lin’an Prefecture, the market price is around nine hundred wen. So, the wholesale price from Lin’an Fabric Shop is a little over five hundred wen per piece. As for the market price here, if the quality of the fabric is above average, you can sell it for about four hundred and eighty wen per piece.”

Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping almost instantly calculated the profit. Based on the price of the raw fabric, each of them could earn over a hundred wen, after deducting expenses for dyeing, transportation, booth rental, and taxes. They could each net at least eighty wen!

Eighty wen! Just from this trip, they could earn eighty wen. If they brought back more goods on the return trip… Thinking of this, they exchanged a glance, both showing delight in their eyes.

President Liu could roughly estimate the profit from the number of cloth Lu and Liu reported. Seeing the two young men so happy, he recalled his own appearance when he did business for the first time when he was young. It was probably like this. Therefore, he was in a good mood and willing to give Lu and Liu a few more pointers. He said with a smile, “The trading market here is different from elsewhere. Here, preparations start at five in the morning, and the market opens at dawn. If you want to start selling tomorrow, you’ll need to rent a booth now. Since you’re newcomers, I’ll have Old Xu accompany you. He’s the one who led you in earlier. He’ll go and take care of it now. You can get ready at five in the morning, and you’ll be ready to sell when the sun comes up tomorrow.”

“That would be wonderful! Thank you so much, President Liu. Meeting you here is truly fortunate for us!” Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping were overjoyed and quickly got up to express their gratitude. Words of gratitude flowed freely, as if they cost nothing.

President Liu was extremely pleased to hear Lu’s words. He called for Xu, the manager, and gave him some instructions. Xu nodded repeatedly.

As Lu and Liu left with Xu, President Liu even got up to see them off. When they reached the guild hall’s door, just as they were about to say goodbye, President Liu asked Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yanping, “Have you arranged your accommodation properly? There are still a few empty rooms in the guild hall. If your accommodation isn’t settled yet, you can stay here after you finish your business.”

Most guild halls have some free rooms for local merchants to stay in.

Lu Chengxiao quickly expressed his thanks and said that it was only midnight, so they could handle the warehouse for the night. After thanking President Liu repeatedly, they took their leave with Manager Xu.

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