After leaving the government office, Tang Shen waited for a while in Qinzheng Hall before getting into Wang Zhen’s carriage, and the two left the palace together.

In ancient times, there were also discussions about whether officials should work overtime or not. Just like in the modern world, superiors didn’t need to work overtime, and Wang Zhen rarely did. However, for someone like Tang Shen, a fourth-rank official in the Secretariat, it wasn’t only up to him when he could leave the office; he had to wait for his superior.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Would you dare to leave if your superior hasn’t left?

Fortunately, Tang Shen’s superior, the Right Vice Prime Minister Xu Bi, rarely stayed late at the government office due to his advanced age, so Tang Shen didn’t often need to work overtime.

The two didn’t go to Baibao Pavilion immediately but instead returned to their respective residences to change out of their official robes.

Wang Zhen came to the Tanhua Residence to pick up Tang Shen, and after Tang Shen finished tidying up, he walked out. When he saw Wang Zhen’s sedan chair, he was slightly surprised. After getting on the sedan chair, Tang Shen asked, “Senior Brother, weren’t we originally taking the carriage? Why are we now taking a sedan chair?”

Wang Zhen, dressed in white brocade, looked elegant and refined, holding a folding fan in his hand. As he tapped the fan handle on his palm, the red bloodstone hanging from it swayed gently.

“It’s not far from here to Zhengyangmen Street. Little Junior Brother, you don’t like to take a sedan chair?”

Tang Shen replied, “Not exactly.”

It’s just that the carriage was spacious, and with two grown men sitting inside, it wasn’t cramped at all. Now, the sedan chair felt rather crowded, forcing him to sit close to Wang Zhen. Tang Shen silently grumbled in his mind, but his attention was gradually drawn to Wang Zhen’s fan.

Wang Zhen noticed his gaze and asked, “Do you want to take a look?”

“En.”

Wang Zhen handed the fan to Tang Shen. Instead of opening it, Tang Shen held the red gemstone attached to the fan.

“Its color is like chicken blood, and its luster resembles fine jade. The texture is pure and smooth, like mutton-fat jade,” Tang Shen said, looking up. “Senior Brother, could this be Changhua chicken blood stone?” (TN: a rare and valuable gemstone unique to China. Found primarily in the Changhua region of Zhejiang Province, this stone is distinguished by vivid red markings that resemble splatters of blood, hence the name “chicken blood.”)

Wang Zhen immediately laughed.

With a soft sigh, Wang Zhen took the fan back. “It is indeed Changhua chicken blood stone.”

Tang Shen smiled confidently.

Having been in the ancient times for five years, ever since Tang Shen started doing business, he inevitably came into contact with rare antiques and gemstones. In the past, he wouldn’t have recognized a chicken blood stone, let alone the Changhua variety. But since Baibao Pavilion had plans to sell gemstone products recently, Tang Shen had read a few books and learned a bit. Now, he felt rather pleased to put his knowledge to use.

With a “snap,” Wang Zhen opened the fan and said softly, “I thought, Junior Brother, that when you took the fan, you wanted to look at the painting and calligraphy on it.”

“Huh?” Tang Shen was taken aback and looked at the fan.

On the white surface of the fan was a painting of a beauty feeding fish, with a verse written beside it.

“With messages sent through couriers and letters wrapped in fish motifs, this endless sorrow has been laid brick by brick, too numerous to count,” Tang Shen read aloud. (TN: from a poem by Song Dynasty poet Qin Guan (秦观), which expresses a deep, lingering sorrow tied to the ache of separation and the enduring hope of reunion.)

It was a scene of a beauty in sorrow, feeding fish while longing for a lover.

Tang Shen’s eyes flickered, and he began to flatter Wang Zhen. “Senior Brother’s calligraphy and painting are truly exquisite.”

The painting and calligraphy were both signed by Wang Zifeng.

Wang Zhen smiled but said nothing more.

Soon, they arrived at Baibao Pavilion.

Baibao Pavilion attracted all sorts of customers: officials’ wives, commoners—they could all be found in the store. However, when Wang Zhen and Tang Shen entered, many people gave them a second glance. Tang Shen thought they were looking at Wang Zhen and half-jokingly complimented, “Even in ordinary clothes, Senior Brother’s aura is still different from others.”

Wang Zhen glanced at him and asked, “Do you think it’s just me?”

Tang Shen was confused.

Wang Zhen smiled quietly and changed the subject. “Now that we’re here, what should we do?”

The staff, recognizing Tang Shen, approached to greet them, but Tang Shen waved them off, signaling that he would personally assist this guest. Tang Shen said, “Take a basket, and when you see something you want to buy, put it in. We’ll settle the bill at the other door.”

Wang Zhen picked up a basket, his movements smooth and effortless.

But Tang Shen frowned as he watched Wang Zifeng, adorned in gold and jade, carrying a basket like he was at the market. It didn’t sit well with him. Tang Shen promptly took the basket from Wang Zhen’s hand. “Senior Brother is a guest. I’ll carry the basket.” Sure enough, without the basket, Wang Zifeng regained his ethereal grace.

That’s more like it.

Wang Zhen saw through Tang Shen’s thoughts but found them endearing. But he didn’t comment and instead said, “Let’s go, then.”

The two began to browse through Baibao Pavilion.

The first floor mainly sold daily necessities, so most of the customers were ordinary citizens of Shengjing. As Wang Zhen and Tang Shen walked side by side, people instinctively turned to look at them. Tang Shen was unaware that it wasn’t just Wang Zhen they were looking at—they were also looking at him.

After three years as an official, Tang Shen had developed a certain aura of authority.

Beyond that, without realizing it, his constant companionship with people like Wang Zifeng had influenced him. His demeanor now carried a touch of aristocratic grace. Though not learned from childhood, it set him apart from ordinary people.

As the saying goes, “Near vermilion, one becomes red; near ink, one becomes black.” Spending time with ruffians gives one a streetwise air, while reading and writing cultivates a noble bearing.

Wang Zhen was in a particularly good mood today. He leisurely browsed the entire first floor before moving on to the second.

The two then strolled around the second floor and eventually arrived at a shelf displaying mirrors. In the first two days after Baibao Pavilion opened, customers eager to buy mirrors had completely blocked this shelf. Now, the rush had died down; those who wanted mirrors had already bought them, and those who couldn’t afford them wouldn’t linger.

Wang Zhen showed a rare expression of surprise and took a closer look. “It’s clearer than a silver mirror.”

Tang Shen smiled.

In ancient times, mirrors were mostly made of copper or silver.

For an ordinary household, owning a copper mirror was already a luxury, but the reflections were often blurry. A high-quality copper mirror could reflect its owner’s image clearly, while silver mirrors were reserved for wealthy families. Silver mirrors were expensive and beautifully crafted, with reflections nearly as clear as glass mirrors. However, silver mirrors still weren’t as transparent as glass, nor as affordable. So when Baibao Pavilion introduced glass mirrors, the wives and daughters of Shengjing’s elites immediately bought them in bulk.

Tang Shen said, “The hardest part of making these is the glass. In the future, Baibao Pavilion will also produce simpler mirrors for sale on the first floor, so that commoners can afford them too.”

As they were about to leave, Tang Shen signaled to a shop assistant, who brought over a full-length mirror.

The mirror clearly reflected both Tang Shen and Wang Zhen’s images. Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen with mild surprise, and Tang Shen smiled. “This mirror is a gift for Senior Brother. His Majesty ordered my Tang family to replace the windows in the Chuigong Hall with glass panes, and our workshop struggled for a long time to create such large pieces of glass. Afterward, I had three large mirrors made from the leftover glass.”

Tang Shen coughed slightly. “One mirror is for His Majesty, and the other two are for Senior Brother and Sir. The two mirrors for you and Sir aren’t as well-crafted as the first one, since I was the one who designed them, and the patterns aren’t as refined either.”

Wang Zhen was silent for a moment, then smiled. “This one is perfect.”

Tang Shen thought to himself, did I finally pick the right gift this time?

This little shopping trip ended on a high note.

At some point, Tang Shen had developed the habit of giving gifts to Wang Zhen. At first, it might have been just to curry favor, but gradually, seeing Wang Zhen’s pleasure when receiving gifts put Tang Shen in a good mood as well.

Wang Zifeng treated him well, so Tang Shen wanted to return the favor, and gifting was one way to do that.

That night, Tang Shen had a pleasant dream, though he couldn’t remember what it was when he woke up—only that it had been very warm.

At the end of April, the Tang family’s workshop produced dozens of large glass panes, which were sent to the palace to replace the windows in Chuigong Hall.

Zhao Fu had originally mentioned in passing that Tang Shen should replace his windows, so that he would have an excuse to reward Tang Shen and elevate the Tang family to imperial merchants. Who would have thought that after installing the glass windows, Zhao Fu was so enamored with them that he enthusiastically had a new plaque inscribed for the inner hall of Chuigong Hall—

“Celestial Glass Dwelling”!

All the windows were made of glass; in the heavenly courts where the immortals resided, surely only such craftsmanship could be found!

Zhao Fu, in a great mood, rewarded Tang Shen with a heap of gifts. He also issued a new task: “Jing Ze, why don’t you replace the windows in my Zichen Hall, Daqing Hall… all with glass windows!”

Tang Shen inwardly groaned, but outwardly he said, “I am deeply honored and will not fail Your Majesty’s trust!”

Large glass panes were extremely difficult to make, and now the Tang family’s workshop would have to work overtime again.

The business of Baibao Pavilion gradually stabilized, and Tang Shen started to hand over the business affairs step by step to Tang Huang and Shopkeeper Lu.

In late May, Tang Shen was in Qinzheng Hall reviewing memorials. He opened one sent from a province and began to read. Slowly, Tang Shen’s expression grew serious. By the end, he started over and read it again.

After much deliberation, Tang Shen made up his mind and took the memorial to Xu Bi’s residence.

Tang Shen greeted him with a bow and said, “Xu xianggong, lower official Tang Shen has come across a memorial today and wishes to report it to you for your review.”

Xu Bi put down his book. “Oh? What memorial? Let me see.”

Tang Shen respectfully handed over the memorial.

Xu Bi opened it and after reading it, he laughed. “I didn’t expect such an interesting matter from Shu province. Using paper to replace silver and copper—this is indeed a clever idea. The roads in Shu are treacherous, and communication with the outside world has always been sparse, almost like an autonomous, self-governing country.” After a pause, Xu Bi added, “Let’s keep this conversation between the two of us; it stays in this room.”

Tang Shen naturally said, “Yes.”

Xu Bi continued, “The idea of replacing currency with paper may seem strange elsewhere, but in Shu, it is not surprising. This memorial is indeed intriguing. Leave it with me. I will personally deliver it to His Majesty today. You may go.”

“Yes.”

Tang Shen left Xu Bi’s residence, but his mind was preoccupied and he couldn’t calm his thoughts.

At this moment, the paper currency emerging in Shu province was not yet called “jiaozi” like in Tang Shen’s memory. It didn’t even have a name yet. But Tang Shen knew that paper money replacing copper and silver was an unstoppable historical trend. If this was handled well, it could lead to a grand success, perhaps even elevating the prosperity of the Song Dynasty’s economy to a new level!

According to the history of his old world, the promotion of jiaozi across the country didn’t happen overnight. It wouldn’t be possible, at least not during Zhao Fu’s reign. Even for Tang Shen, he wouldn’t see it in his lifetime.

How could he accelerate the national adoption of paper currency?

Should he consult Xu Bi?

Although Xu xianggong had once been an ambitious and capable figure, in recent years he had taken a backseat, staying out of worldly affairs and rarely offering opinions on court matters. He no longer sought great achievements, only avoiding mistakes. Discussing it with him would surely lead to nothing.

After much thought, Tang Shen decided not to return to the fourth-rank officials’ office but instead went to the room shared by the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Rites.

The Minister of Rites, Meng Lang, was instructing his subordinates on preparations for the end-of-month sacrificial ceremony. When he saw Tang Shen, he raised an eyebrow.

Tang Shen knocked on the door first. Wang Zhen, who saw him, looked surprised.

Wang Zhen: “Enter.”

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Tang Shen walked up to Wang Zhen’s desk, bowed, and said, “Lower official Tang Shen realized I forgot to mention something important to you yesterday. I wonder if the Minister has time now?”

Minister Meng deliberately laughed out loud, “Judging by your official robes, you seem to be a fourth-rank attendant secretary of the Secretariat, not a Ministry of Finance official. So, what business do you have with the Minister of Revenue?”

AN: Minister Meng: Wang Zifeng hasn’t called me out in three days, three days! I’m feeling restless! Just watch how I tease his little lover!

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Baibao Pavilion bought three shops in one go on Zhengyangmen Street and connected them to form a large market. Customers enter from the front door, and after walking around, they can see numerous counters. These counters are different from the long ones in ordinary shops, as they are short and small cabinets. Behind each cabinet stands a person, and when customers walk by and hand over their baskets, the employee immediately starts calculating the bill.

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The abacus clatters, and in no time, the bill is ready.

“One string and three coins in total. Respected customer, if you worry I may have miscalculated, you can check at the back counter. If there’s a mistake, and we’ve overcharged you, we’ll pay you back double.”

Hearing this, the elderly scholar was surprised and said, “Is there such a good deal?”

Without delay, the scholar, holding his goods, went straight to the long counter at the back to verify the price. The employee handed him a price list, and after calculating for a long time, the scholar sighed, “Indeed, no mistake. How come you didn’t calculate wrongly for me?”

The employee laughed and said, “Respected customer, would you like to see this? Today is the grand opening of Baibao Pavilion, and becoming a valued customer means you get a discount.”

“Valued customer? What’s that?”

The employee began explaining.

For the first three days after Baibao Pavilion’s opening, every customer only needs to spend half a string of coins to become a valued customer for half a year. Valued customers get discounts on many items when shopping and receive small gifts during holidays. Every customer who verifies their prices at the long counter is recommended by the employee to spend money to become a valued customer.

The elderly scholar hesitated at first, but seeing a butcher beside him buy the valued customer membership, he said, “Alright, I’ll get one too!”

On the first day of Baibao Pavilion’s opening, the people of Shengjing were truly amazed.

A general goods shop could operate like this!

No, this was not just a general goods shop—there was no such all-encompassing general goods shop in the world.

Those who bought goods at Baibao Pavilion bragged about its benefits to others after leaving.

“You didn’t see it, but it was packed with people! Baibao Pavilion is like a vast world with everything inside! Famous pastries from Gusu, fur coats beloved by the Liao people, goods from all over the country. Once you go in, you’ll be dazzled and won’t want to leave! It is truly remarkable!”

“Is it really as amazing as you say?”

“Why don’t you go and see for yourself?”

“Then I will!”

More and more people flooded into Baibao Pavilion.

At first, Tang Shen asked Shopkeeper Lu to hire more than eighty employees, and Shopkeeper Lu thought it might be too many. But by the end of the day, let alone eighty, Shopkeeper Lu was already considering whether hiring a hundred would be enough!

Shengjing was the capital of the Song Dynasty and the hub of roads connecting the north and south. To the south was the Grand Canal, which led all the way to Qiantang; to the north, transportation had been inconvenient, but with the construction of three new official roads, travel became much smoother.

The Grand Canal was built by an emperor of the previous dynasty and had already existed for hundreds of years. The three official roads, on the other hand, were constructed just last year under Zhao Fu’s orders. On the surface, Zhao Fu claimed they were for facilitating trade between the Song Dynasty and the Liao State, but the real purpose was to prepare in advance for potential war between the two nations. Many noticed how travel to the north became more convenient, but they didn’t realize that combining the northern roads with the southern Grand Canal placed Shengjing at the center, turning it into an excellent hub for trade!

With improved transportation came not only more people from other regions but also the rise of large-scale commercial centers and supermarkets, which would be very common in the modern world.

At nightfall, Baibao Pavilion closed its doors. After Shopkeeper Lu finished speaking with the employees, he headed to the back room.

Shopkeeper Lu’s face was beaming, so much so that it seemed he could hardly contain his joy, as if the word “happy” could be stamped on his forehead. Upon seeing Tang Shen, he respectfully bowed deeply and said, “Brilliant, truly brilliant! Little boss, just as you said, Baibao Pavilion’s business is different from other shops. While others are busiest during their grand opening, we will only get busier as time goes on. Eighty employees aren’t enough; tomorrow, I’ll go to the labor market and hire twenty more!”

Tang Shen had just returned from the government office after finishing his duties at the palace. Though he hadn’t personally witnessed the grand opening, he could imagine the scene from the delighted expressions of Shopkeeper Lu, Accountant Lin, and Tang Huang. He asked, “How was business today?”

Shoppkeeper Lu began reporting the earnings.

“…After deducting all expenses, Baibao Pavilion made a profit of one thousand and sixty-two taels today alone!”

This figure, excluding costs and other fees, represented pure profit. The enormous amount surprised even Tang Shen, who silently mused, “The people of Shengjing are indeed wealthier than those of Jinling and Gusu!”

Tang Shen said, “Be prepared. Tomorrow may be even busier.”

Shopkeeper Lu laughed with joy and said, “You can rest assured!”

Baibao Pavilion was likely to be busiest in its first few days, but after all, it was a supermarket. Shengjing had a population of over two million, and it wasn’t possible for every single one of them to shop at Baibao Pavilion. Those who did wouldn’t need to shop again for a while. However, Tang Shen estimated that the daily minimum net profit would still be around five hundred taels.

Rather than Baibao Pavilion, it was more like a treasure bowl that kept accumulating wealth.

Shopkeeper Lu said, “I’ll check the accounts tonight and deliver the ledger to your home. Little boss, you can go over it carefully and let me know if anything seems off.”

Tang Shen replied, “No need for that.”

Shopkeeper Lu was taken aback and stared blankly at Tang Shen. “What do you mean by that…?”

Tang Shen glanced at the astonished faces of Tang Huang and Accountant Lin, then smiled and said, “When we opened Xixia Tower, didn’t you have the same thoughts? After all, I’m a government official, having reached the fourth rank in the court, and I even have to attend the morning assembly. I don’t have that much time to manage the Tang family’s businesses. Shopkeeper Lu, we’ve known each other since Gusu, where you were the manager of Xixia Tower. It’s been four years now, hasn’t it?”

Shopkeeper Lu finally understood Tang Shen’s intention. Though thrilled, he suppressed his excitement and calmly said, “Little boss, it’s my great fortune to work for you. Four years ago, I never would have imagined that I could have such luck.”

“We’re already so familiar with each other, so there’s no need for formalities. From now on, Shopkeeper Lu, you’ll be the chief manager of the Tang family’s businesses. Every seven days, deliver the ledger to Tang Huang.”

Hearing her name mentioned unexpectedly, Tang Huang looked at Tang Shen in surprise. “Brother?”

Tang Shen raised an eyebrow and said, “Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? Did you really think I didn’t know about you secretly burning candles at night to tally the accounts?”

“Brother!”

“From now on, bring me the annual accounts at the end of each year for review.”

“Yes!”

The Tang family now had four major businesses:

The production of soap, scented soap, and essential oils in partnership with outsiders; Xixia Tower, which specializes in boxiagong; the ancient-style supermarket Baibao Pavilion; and Tang’s Logistics, run by Yao San, delivering goods for Baibao Pavilion across the north and south!

Leaving Baibao Pavilion, Tang Shen looked up at the vast night sky.

In the darkness, countless stars twinkled, and the bright moon shone.

For a moment, he seemed to see a broad avenue unfolding before many people. His role was to point the way for Tang Huang and Shopkeeper Lu, but the ultimate success of the Tang family’s businesses would rely not only on him but on everyone contributing behind the scenes.

But as for the future, that would come in its own time.

When Tang Shen returned home and finished washing up, he was about to go to bed when he suddenly remembered something and hurried to Tang Huang’s room. After knocking and entering, he was surprised to see Tang Huang still poring over the accounts.

Tang Huang said, “Today’s accounts haven’t been reconciled yet.”

Tang Shen picked up one of the account books and flipped through it. Although he had an eidetic memory and quickly absorbed its contents, he found the numbers dizzying. Tang Shen said, “Don’t you find this extremely tedious and boring?”

“How could I? This is making money! It’s fascinating!”

Tang Shen: “…”

It’s true that everyone has their own passions. No matter how much Tang Huang had changed over the years, her love for money had remained constant.

Tang Shen asked, “Have you had the items I mentioned a few days ago printed at the publishing house?”

Tang Huang paused, thought for a moment, and then realized what Tang Shen was referring to. “Brother, don’t worry. I’ve been keeping an eye on it, and everything’s going smoothly.”

He still wanted to remind his younger sister of a few more things, but seeing Tang Huang’s excited and joyful expression, Tang Shen suddenly felt that his sister had truly grown up. Perhaps as an older brother, it wasn’t necessary to hold on too tightly. He needed to learn to trust others and let go.

“Get some sleep early!”

“Okay.”

The next morning, in Chongzheng Hall.

Before dawn, the officials were waiting for court to begin in the Chongzheng Hall.

Tang Shen was a fourth-rank official, so he had to wait in the right wing of Chongzheng Hall. The hall was filled with chairs, but there were so many fourth-rank officials that many of them had no choice but to stand. Naturally, they were unaware that just on the other side of the wall, in the main room of Chongzheng Hall, the first and second-rank officials of the Song Dynasty were leisurely sipping tea while sitting on chairs made of yellow rosewood.

The tea on the table was the finest Mingqian Longjing, shipped from Jiangnan earlier this year.

Zhao Fu showed the utmost care for the powerful officials of the court, leaving no room for complaints.

Wang Zhen picked up his cup and used the lid to stir the fragrant steam before taking a gentle sip. Not far from him, the Minister of Rites, Meng Lang, chuckled softly and leaned in closer to Wang Zhen, saying, “Wang daren, did you know a new shop opened yesterday on Zhengyangmen Street?”

Wang Zhen raised his eyes, gave him a calm glance, and smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect that Meng daren, as the Minister of Rites, would be more concerned about the shops in Shengjing than I, the Minister of Revenue. Meng daren, working tirelessly for the country, even paying attention to the nation’s finances and taxation despite being the Minister of Rites, is truly a role model for us all, worthy of admiration.”

Meng Lang: “…”

The powerful officials of the court all had thick skins like seasoned actors, but even among them, there were varying levels of skill.

Meng Lang knew that when it came to a battle of wits, he couldn’t compete with the cunning Wang Zifeng. So, he cut straight to the point, “Yesterday, as I was being carried home in my sedan chair, I passed by this new shop. I noticed the signboard had three characters written on it. The handwriting was elegant, graceful, and exuded an aura of nobility. Such fine calligraphy is rare in this world, so I had to stop and take a closer look. Wang daren, can you guess what I discovered?”

Wang Zhen: “Oh? What?”

“It turned out to be your calligraphy, Wang daren!”

Wang Zhen, touched, said, “I never imagined that Meng daren cares so much about me, able to recognize my handwriting from just three characters.”

Meng Lang: “…Wang Zifeng, I was just joking. How are you so dull?”

Wang Zhen set down his cup and suddenly stood, straightening his official robes. “It’s time for court.”

The next moment, the chief eunuch of ceremonies entered the hall and announced, “Ministers, it is time for court.”

Meng Lang: “…”

Wang Zifeng was truly the most boring person alive!

After court, Tang Shen followed the group of officials out of the palace. Suddenly, he thought he heard someone calling his name. He turned around in a daze, only to see Wang Zhen standing not far away, smiling at him and saying, “Jing Ze, why don’t we walk together?”

Surrounded by a crowd of elderly men with white hair and wrinkled faces, Wang Zhen, dressed in a deep red official robe, looked like an immortal who had descended into the mortal world. The contrast was so striking that Tang Shen froze for a moment before hurrying over. By the time he came to his senses, he found himself walking side by side with Wang Zhen, heading towards Qinzheng Hall.

Wang Zhen’s voice was gentle: “What is exactly is Baibao Pavilion?”

Tang Shen was surprised. “Hasn’t Senior Brother been there?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“No. These past few days have been too busy with official duties.”

Tang Shen wanted to explain, but as he was about to speak, he felt it would be too troublesome. After thinking for a moment, he said, “How about after work today, I’ll take Senior Brother to see it, and then you’ll understand.”

Wang Zhen gave Tang Shen a meaningful look and said, “Then I’ll follow your lead.”

AN: Forty-three-year-old Minister Meng: What a crafty old fox, Wang Zifeng!

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Kaiping, 29th year, April 16th, conflict with the Horse, evil in the south. (TN: traditional Chinese astrological guidance often used in planning auspicious times or directions, especially in traditional Chinese practices like Feng Shui, calendar selection, and event planning.)

Auspicious for marriage, sacrifices, opening businesses, and acquiring wealth; inauspicious for moving into a house, cutting wood, and building beams.

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On the morning of this day, as the sun rose, the scene on Zhengyangmen Street was one of extraordinary excitement. Across the entire Shengjing, or even the entire Song Dynasty, Zhengyangmen Street was the busiest street. At this moment, four teams of lion dancers dressed in special costumes were performing celebratory dances in the middle of the street. What was usually a road wide enough to accommodate ten horse carriages side by side was now completely blocked by onlookers.

The sound of gongs, drums, suona horns, and enthusiastic applause and cheers echoed, deafeningly loud.

More and more people were drawn to the spectacle, gathering around to watch this grand performance. The extravagance of the display made many passersby almost mistake it for a festival.

Ten days earlier, there had been rumors that Xixia Tower had opened another shop on Zhengyangmen Street.

Ever since Xixia Tower started the trend, many restaurants specializing in boxiagong had sprung up in Shengjing. But without a doubt, Xixia Tower was the most popular, with guests filling its rooms daily. Anytime one went, they would need to queue for a seat.

Lining up at other restaurants for food was unthinkable. Even at Qianli Tower, the top restaurant in Shengjing, no guest was willing to wait a full half-hour just for a meal. But Xixia Tower was different. While waiting at Xixia Tower, customers were given seats at tea tables and could listen to storytelling. Over time, many customers came not just for the food but also for the storytelling.

Seeing Xixia Tower’s success, other restaurants followed suit, copying its approach. But no matter how they tried, none could match the appeal of Xixia Tower’s storytelling, and so, Xixia Tower’s status among the citizens of Shengjing grew even more solid.

People loved going to Xixia Tower to eat and listen to stories, and naturally, while listening, they would hear the staff mention that soon Xixia Tower would open another shop in Shengjing.

A curious bystander asked, “Is it another restaurant specializing in boxiagong?”

The staff purposely left everyone hanging, “How could it be boxiagong again? You’ll know soon enough. The shop opens on April 16th, don’t forget to come and support us!”

As word spread, soon half of Shengjing knew that on April 16th, a new shop would open on Zhengyangmen Street.

Watching the lion dance and suona performance, an old scholar remarked, “I think the owner behind Xixia Tower is really something. They only opened their first shop in Shengjing a few years ago, and now they’re opening another, and it’s so big! I’ve lived in Shengjing my whole life, and I’ve never seen such a large store. What could they be selling that requires such a huge space?”

“How would I know? I was enjoying the performance, but now you’ve got me hoping it ends soon so we can see what they’re selling!”

For most businesses, a lion dance is performed to attract customers. But in Tang Shen’s case, it was the opposite—people were more eager to see what the new store was selling than the performance itself!

After an hour of performances, amidst the crowd’s anticipation, Shopkeeper Lu of Xixia Tower and a dashing young lady dressed in men’s clothing stepped to the center of the lion dance formation. Two majestic “lions” swayed their heads like guardian deities, standing beside Shopkeeper Lu and the young lady.

The two exchanged a glance and then together reached out to unveil the new shop’s signboard.

“Baibao Pavilion!”

At three-quarters past noon, inside a shop on Zhengyangmen’s West Street, a drowsy shopkeeper yawned and absentmindedly fiddled with his abacus, balancing yesterday’s accounts.

Suddenly, a nimble figure stumbled into the store, gasping for breath, “Oh no, oh no! Shopkeeper! Xixia Tower just opened a shop on Zhengyangmen Street, and they’re going to steal our business!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Xixia Tower sells boxiagong, they’re a restaurant. Even if they steal business, they’d steal from other restaurants, not from us, a general goods store.”

The employee anxiously replied, “Who said their new shop is a restaurant? They’ve opened a general goods store too!”

“What?!” The once lethargic shopkeeper instantly woke up, his eyes wide open and his mouth agape as if he could swallow an egg.

Fifteen minutes later, Shopkeeper Liu stormed to Baibao Pavilion with his employee, his face dark as thunder.

Shopkeeper Liu’s given name was Qi, and ever since his grandfather opened their general store, their family had held a steady footing on Zhengyangmen Street. By the time the store was passed down to Liu Qi, it was already in its third generation. Liu Qi had never imagined expanding his humble store—making a living was good enough. Although called a general store, they mostly sold spices like star anise and cinnamon, grains, and occasionally some furniture and metalwork.

Standing beneath the Baibao Pavilion signboard, Shopkeeper Liu carefully examined the three characters multiple times. Then, with pursed lips, he said, “Let’s go in and have a look.”

The two had barely stepped through the entrance of Baibao Pavilion when they froze in their tracks.

Shopkeeper Liu was dumbfounded, and his employee also stood agape.

After a long pause, Shopkeeper Liu finally exclaimed, “This, you call this a general store?”

His employee stammered, “I only heard about it from others, Shopkeeper. This—this is no ordinary general store, it’s enormous!”

The spacious, orderly store was lined with countless neatly arranged shelves. Hundreds of customers carried baskets, wandering the aisles, selecting items and placing them into their baskets.

As Shopkeeper Liu stood in shock, a voice broke him from his daze: “Respected customer, would you like a basket? Baibao Pavilion has just opened so you may not be familiar with how we operate. Let me explain: you take this basket, and then you can walk through the aisles and pick anything you need from the shelves. When you’re done, just head to the back to settle the bill.” After a pause, the employee added, “So, respected customer, would you like a basket?”

Shopkeeper Liu turned to see the Baibao Pavilion employee, a young man with a friendly smile that made people feel at ease.

“Well, since I’m here, I might as well see what the competition is up to,” Liu muttered.

“One basket, please.”

“Right away!”

Tossing the basket to his employee, Shopkeeper Liu began his inspection of Baibao Pavilion.

Baibao Pavilion spanned two floors, each floor taking up the space of three regular shops. They had even knocked through the back courtyards, creating a vast space that was filled with so many customers it seemed endless.

The shelves were skillfully arranged, leaving just enough space between them for three people to walk side by side. Signs hung above the aisles, marked with labels like “Farming Tools,” “Cosmetics,” “Grains.” If you wanted grains, you would find everything from red beans to black beans, millet to sorghum—all imaginable varieties lined the shelves.

As Shopkeeper Liu wandered, he was bombarded by gasps of amazement from the other Shengjing residents passing by.

His heart grew heavier as he meticulously inspected every shelf on the first floor, which took him almost an hour.

“Let’s head upstairs.”

His employee followed, and they ascended to the second floor.

The atmosphere upstairs was much quieter.

From a glance, Shopkeeper Liu noticed that the goods on the second floor were pricier than those on the first. For example, the scented soap usually only sold at Shengjing Autumn Hall could be found here. The first floor also sold clothing and fabrics, but upstairs they carried only the finest silks. The environment on the second floor was even more refined, catering to more affluent customers.

Shopkeeper Liu remained silent as he strolled deeper into the floor, carefully eyeing each item on the shelves.

Suddenly, something caught his eye. He froze, staring in disbelief at the object before him.

After a moment, one of the uniformed employees rushed over, smiling brightly. “Respected customer, did something catch your eye? If you need anything, just let me know and I’ll fetch it for you.”

Shopkeeper Liu’s eyes widened as he turned and exclaimed, “Are those the Golden Wisp sold only at Autumn Hall?!”

The employee smiled and said, “You have a sharp eye, respected customer. Indeed, it is the Golden Wisp.”

Shopkeeper Liu continued, “How can you use so much glassware just to showcase the Golden Wisp? Is your boss mad?!”

The employee stood frozen, unsure how to respond. At this point, Shopkeeper Lu approached and signaled the young man to step aside so he could attend to the customer. Shopkeeper Lu looked Liu Qi over, not recognizing him, and smiled, “Respected customer, I’m the shopkeeper of Baibao Pavilion. If my employee has been inadequate in serving you, please forgive us. Is there anything specific you’re looking for? I’ll have someone fetch it for you.”

In Baibao Pavilion, employees in red vests were stationed beside every pair of shelves. Their job was to both monitor for theft and provide speedy assistance to any customer. This was one of the ten guidelines that Tang Shen had discussed with Shopkeeper Lu before opening the shop.

Shopkeeper Liu’s face flushed red, still unable to believe his eyes. He turned again, carefully inspecting the bottles of Golden Wisp. Finally, when he confirmed that all the small bottles holding the Golden Wisp were indeed made of glass, he deflated.

“Baibao Pavilion really is wealthy, Shopkeeper Lu. Using so many glass bottles just to store essential oils… I’ve never heard of such a thing. Truly an eye-opener.”

With Baibao Pavilion this prosperous, how could his small general store possibly compete?

Sensing something amiss, Shopkeeper Lu gave Shopkeeper Liu a meaningful glance and said, “You might not know this, but indeed, these are glass exclusive to Baibao Pavilion. We will be introducing many glass products in the future. If you’re interested, feel free to come by anytime. By the way, there’s another glass item in the store—would you like to take a look?”

Shopkeeper Liu had long lost his temper. He nodded and followed Shopkeeper Lu to a shelf in the center of the second floor.

The shelf was surrounded by many customers, mostly the wives and daughters of wealthy families from Shengjing. Each of them had a pleased expression on their face, while the maids beside them spoke on their behalf.

“How many mirrors does Baibao Pavilion have in stock?”

Employee: “Rest assured, we have plenty of mirrors here.”

A wealthy madam whispered to her maid, who then said, “The Luo family in the west of the city wants twenty mirrors.”

“The Vice Minister’s residence wants fifteen.”

“The Duke of Dingguo’s residence wants thirty!”

Listening to these requests, Shopkeeper Lu smiled in satisfaction. He turned to Shopkeeper Liu and asked, “Respected customer, would you like to buy a mirror as well?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

In the tall and spacious room, Shopkeeper Liu stared blankly at the smooth and beautiful mirror that was surrounded by the crowd. In the perfectly flat surface, he saw a complete reflection of his dazed expression. His blue cloth hat, his black robe, even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were all clearly visible.

Baibao Pavilion…(Hundred Treasure Pavilion)

This name was truly well-deserved.

How was anyone supposed to survive against them?!

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