In the early morning of the second day, Tang Shen entered the examination hall carrying his exam basket. He sat in front of his desk with a calm expression, as if no one had knocked on the door last night and he had not heard anything about the imperial coup more than twenty years ago. Tang Shen calmly opened the test paper. Jia Liangsheng was sitting in front of him, looking at him expectantly.

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

The sanyuan of tongshi examination was an honor to Tang Shen, and it was also a good literary reputation to Jia Liangsheng. It was his first time to be the county magistrate of Gusu City. If under his governance a candidate who received the sanyuan title appeared, it would be an auspicious event. So in order to prevent Tang Shen from going off topic, he specially made three simple questions for this academy examination.

Tang Shen, you won’t go wrong with this, right?

Tang Shen opened the paper, looked at the questions above, and was instantly startled.

The first question: “Is it not delightful to learn with constant perseverance and application.” (TN: from The Analects of Confucius)

Tang Shen was dazed for a while and subconsciously flipped to the second question.

The second question: “It is wise to hold what you know.” (TN: from The Analects of Confucius)

Tang Shen: “…”

Okay, there was no need to look at the third test poem. It was also definitely a frequently heard phrase and impossible to write off-topic answers to!

Tang Shen subtly raised his head and met Jia Liangsheng’s eyes.

Jia Liangsheng’s eyes were earnest: Write well and make no mistakes, you will be the an shou this year!

Tang Shen: “…”

The unspoken rules of ancient examination halls were really harmful! He clearly didn’t want to be the an shou, so why were there people rushing to give him the title? Ai, then he could only accept it reluctantly.

Tang Shen lowered his head and began to answer the question, but his grin secretly stretched to his ears.

Hehehehe…

Hehehehe!

At the end of the first exam session, Tang Shen handed in his paper, and Jia Liangsheng eagerly took his paper and read it. He carefully read the two eight-legged essays and one test poem, nodding frequently.

Tang Shen also breathed a sigh of relief. If there were no exceptions, he was probably the an shou in the academy exam this time as well.

“I am indeed a genius!” Tang Shen thought to himself.

When he returned home in the evening, Tang Shen did not hide his joy. He directly said to Yao San: “Invite Accountant Lin and his family, let’s celebrate.”

Yao San: “What is the little boss celebrating?”

Tang Shen laughed and said, “Congratulations on my passing the academy examination.”

Yao San never imagined that Tang Shen would be so sure that he could pass the academy examination in which he had just taken the first test session, and there were still four more. But he trusted Tang Shen very much and happily invited Accountant Lin’s family.

Accountant Lin had experience. He stroked his beard and said, “It seems that the little boss is very confident. He answered very well today.”

Tang Shen smiled and said nothing.

Aunt Yao cooked a table of delicious food, and everyone ate the food to celebrate. Yao San and Accountant Lin even had a few drinks. Accountant Lin drank too much and said that Tang Huang had memorized three more poems recently. The little girl was not shy at all and recited the poems on the spot with great pride.

As the sky got darker, Tang Shen left the crowd and quietly opened the door.

Liu Haozi was seen standing outside the door, and the two looked at each other.

Tang Shen asked: “Have you found out the information that Xu Yuzhi asked you to check?”

Liu Haozi said: “I fod a lot of information, but I don’t know which one he wants. But Xu daren didn’t say it was not good. He should have got what he wanted.”

“Tell me clearly what you and he said.”

Liu Haozi told Tang Shen the news he found out today.

“…That Daoist Hua is called a daoist priest, but he married three wives. He is also from a wealthy family on Tongde Lane. When he came back yesterday, he mentioned to his wife that he wanted to find a way to leave Shengjing and return to Guys City. Because his two senior brothers who were on duty in the palace on the night the meteor fell to the ground half a year ago did not come back from the palace that night.”

Tang Shen: “The night the meteor fell to the ground… eh, was it that night?”

Liu Haozi: “Is there anything else, little boss?”

“No. You can go back. Remember that what I asked you to do today, you must not say a word to anyone else.”

“Yes.”

After closing the door, Tang Shen thought about it but still felt it was not enough. He called Yao San: “Give Liu Haozi fifty taels of silver and have him leave Gusu City immediately and never come back from now on.”

Yao San guessed that it was related to what happened last night. He nodded in agreement and went out with the money.

Ten days later, the academy examination results were released.

Sun Yue and Tang Shen came to the entrance of the academy together, and most of the classmates from Ziyang Academy were also present.

It was still dark, and the stars were shining in the sky. Tang Shen was a little sleepy and yawned a few times, but Sun Yue stared at the academy gate with wide eyes.

Tang Shen: “How sure are you about passing the academy examination?”

Sun Yue: “I’m not sure at all, but what if I’m lucky? This time the questions were so simple that it’s hard to write anything stunning, but you won’t make any mistakes either. Look at the old xiucais in our academy. Although their literary talent is better than mine, but they may not be better than me when it comes to answering ‘Is it not delightful to learn with constant perseverance and application’. I can also write an essay on this topic!”

Tang Shen smiled, and said calmly: “I wish you the last place.”

Sun Yue wasn’t angry either: “It’s good to be in the last place, how good it is to place last! The last place is also on the list. If I get on the list, I will be a gongsheng. I can go to Jiangnan Academy to report, and I can take the provincial examination next year!”

“That’s all the ambition you have!”

Tang Shen scolded in amusement, but in his heart he also hoped that Sun Yue could pass the exam. Fatty Sun looked unreliable, but he was actually very serious about his studies. Every day, he carefully completed the homework assigned by his teacher and never slacked off. Among all the wealthy children in Ziyang Academy, he was the most diligent one, such that Tang Shen even felt ashamed–—after all, he still had to manage the business of Zhenbao Pavilion and Tang’s Logistics and did not put as much effort in his studies as he should.

There was actually no difference between the first place and the last place in the academy examination, both were gongsheng and could take the provincial examination. If Tang Shen hadn’t already taken two top spots, he wouldn’t be interested in the third one. The title of an shou was not valuable, there were three of them every year!

Finally, when yin shi (3-5am) arrived, two government workers and an academician official came to the front of the academy with the red list.

The red list slowly opened. Some people cried bitterly, while others were ecstatic. This frenetic dream-like scene had appeared in the land of China for thousands of years, year after year, without interruption. The imperial examination was really pedantic, and the eight-legged writing technique stifled students’ thinking and made them constrained by the Four Books and Five Classics. But was this not the greatest fairness that the ancients could achieve?!

No matter rich or poor, everyone took the exam in the same examination hall.

This was the best way to change one’s life. This was a broad road laid out in front of the people. Even the very old would never give up.

Soon, someone reported the good news to Tang Shen.

“Congratulations, Tang sanyuan!”

“Congratulations, Tang Shen!”

“Tang sanyuan, you have to treat us at Qianqiu Tower.”

Tang Shen smiled and cupped his hands: “Thank you all, my classmates, I will see you all at Qianqiu Tower tomorrow at noon.”

After a while, Tang Shen discovered that Fatty Sun was missing. He searched and found Sun Yue in the crowd.

“What, did you pass Sun Yue?”

Fatty Sun slowly turned around, and Tang Shen was shocked to find that the little fatty was actually crying. Sun Yue excitedly rushed forward and hugged Tang Shen. His beefy embrace almost crushed Tang Shen: “The last place, really the last place! Tang Shen, your words are a blessing, next time you must say that I can pass the juren exam, I will be satisfied with the last spot! Oh, right, you just said that you are going to treat us at Qianqiu Tower at noon tomorrow? No! Dear classmates, I, Sun Yue, will treat you all at Qianqiu Tower at noon tomorrow, I will pay!”

Tang Shen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

After the academy examination results were released, Tang Shen hung out with his classmates for a while. When he returned home, he unexpectedly saw someone.

Tang Shen was shocked and hurried over: “Why are you here, sir?”

This was the first time Liang Song came to his house.

Liang Song sat on a wooden chair in the center of the yard and said with a smile, “Is this your sister?”

Tang Shen glanced at Tang Huang: “Yes, her name is Tang Huang, she is ten years old this year.”

“Tang Huang, which ‘huang’ is it?”

The little girl immediately said: “The ‘huang’ for yellow.”

Tang Shen: “The ‘huang’ for jade. “Book of Changes: Da Zongbo” says, xuanhuang is used to pay homage to the north. Sir, it is this ‘huang’.”

Tang Huang looked at her brother in astonishment.

Liang Song saw the reaction of the siblings, nodded and said: “’Huang’, beautiful jade, it is a good name.”

Tang Huang stood dazed for a long time, and then she ran to the kitchen excitedly, yelling as she ran: “Aunt Yao, I have a name, Tang Huang, not ‘huang’ for yellow, but ‘huang’ for jade! Even Liang daru said it is a good name…”

Tang Shen covered his face. Wasn’t it just a name? Why couldn’t this girl be more reserved and maintain her dignity in front of sir?

Liang Song stood up and said, “Tang sanyuan?”

“Ah, sir, you already know.”

“En, I knew it one night before you did. Come, Tang sanyuan, let’s go out for a walk.”

“Yes.”

The two of them went out and walked through the neighborhood.

The house Tang Shen rented was next to a small river. Small rivers could be seen everywhere in Gusu City. The two of them walked along the river for a while.

Liang Song said: “Yu Zhi came to see you a few days ago?”

Tang Shen was silent then said, “Yes.”

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

AN: Little Tang Lang: What the hell, the Wang family hasn’t gone bankrupt yet?!

The young and old of the Wang family: Meow, meow, meow??? Madam, you…???

Next door•Still not showing up today•old Wang: My wife is a spendthrift, please excuse him everyone.

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It had been a year since he transmigrated, and this was the first time Tang Shen had left Gusu. At first he was quite interested and kept standing on the bow of the boat to look at the scenery on both sides of the river. But after looking at it for a long time, he became tired of it, so he went into the cabin instead. In the evening, everyone arrived at Jinling City. Tang Shen did not go to Jinxiu Pavilion with the shopkeeper of Zhenbao Pavilion. He and Accountant Lin went to walk the streets of Jinling City.

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

The thousand-year-old ancient capital, ten li of Qinhuai. The willows flutter lightly in the spring breeze, and the children of Jinling are full of pride. (TN: li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m)

The two strolled around several bustling markets in Jinling and came to Jiangnan Academy.

Accountant Lin: “This is the place where the little boss will take the juren exam in the future. If you pass…” His voice paused, “Hey, what am I saying? I really said the wrong thing, I must slap myself. The little boss will naturally pass the exam. After you become a juren, you will come to this academy to study. It’s okay if you don’t come, but at least you must be enrolled and registered.”

Jiangnan Academy was a special place. Except during imperial examinations, only the juren students there could step inside for classes.

Tang Shen took a look outside and felt that this place was not much different from Ziyang Academy.

The two of them went to visit Fuzi Temple and Wuyi Lane.

Tang Shen said with emotion: “By the Red Sparrow Bridge the wild flowers are spreading, At the very ends of the Black Robe Lane the sun is setting. Swallows used to nestle before the Wang and Xie’s manors. Now they are now flying in and out of the houses of commoners. So this is Wuyi Lane!” (TN: wuyi=black robe, poem “The Black Robe Lane” by Liu Yuxi (772-842))

Accountant Lin was startled: “What did the little boss say?”

Tang Shen: “Nothing, I don’t know where I heard the poem, just recited it casually.”

Accountant Lin: “Where did the little boss hear this poem? It can’t be recited. ‘Swallows used to nestle before the Wang and Xie’s manors. Now they are now flying in and out of the houses of commoners’. Putting aside the Xie family, they are indeed no longer at their height. But the Wang clan of Langya is a large aristocratic family, an extremely influential and wealthy clan! If someone hears you cursing the Wang and Xie families to decline behind their backs, there will be big trouble!”

“…Hah?”

Accountant Lin: “Little boss, please don’t recite it anymore.”

Tang Shen nodded repeatedly: “Okay, okay, I won’t recite it anymore.”

So it seems that in this world, the Wang and Xie families haven’t gone bankrupt yet!

The two of them only wandered around for two hours, and soon the moon hung in the air and the day fell into the night. Tang Shen wanted to find a place to rest first, but Accountant Lin hesitated for a while and said, “This place is very close to the Qinhuai River.”

Tang Shen was confused: “Huh?”

“Little boss… came to Jinling specifically this time to see the unique beauty of Jinling, the singsong girls on the Qinhuai River?”

Tang Shen was stunned for a long time before he realized what the singsong girls meant.

Was he so lustful?

Tang Shen coughed and reminded: “Accountant Lin, I am only fourteen this year.”

“I remember that when I was fourteen, I was already engaged to my wife who passed away long ago.”

“…”

This conversation is unable to be held any longer!

Tang Shen certainly didn’t want to go to the Qinhuai River. In fact, he came to Jinling to inspect the market. The living conditions of the people in Jinling City, and what kind of merchants were there in Jinling City were all the things he wanted to observe. At the same time, he also planned to go to Jinxiu Pavilion the next day. Jinling City was indeed wealthy, but if you want to sell essential oil and scented soap well, you couldn’t do it only with money.

Tang Shen planned to go to Jinxiu Pavilion and help Shopkeeper Fang design the store display for essential oil and scented soap, just like he did in Gusu City.

But having already come here…

Tang Shen said: “Want to go and take a look?”

“Let’s go.” Accountant Lin said with a look on his face that practically broadcast “I just knew you wanted to go”.

Tang Shen: “…”

Was it too late to change his mind now?!

Du Mu once wrote a seven-character quatrain: Mist envelops the cold water, and moonlight shrouds the sand. Not far from a tavern I moor my boat in the Qinhuai at night. Singsong girls, not knowing the bitterness of a conquered kingdom, sing gaily A Song of Courtyard Flowers on the river’s other side. (TN: A Song of Courtyard Flowers, a musical piece composed by the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties in Chinese history. It was later regarded as a tune presaging the fallen state)

In the Song Dynasty, the country was peaceful and the people were at peace. Naturally, what the singsong girls sang now was not the song of the country’s subjugation, but the song of prosperous times. On the Qinhuai River at night, rows of painted boats swayed gently with the water waves, with lights and shadows and the sound of oars. Tang Shen did not board any of the boats. He walked along the river bank and looked at this prosperous scene from a distance.

The sound of singsong girls’ pipa and qin mixed with the sound of the Qinhuai River.

Tang Shen suddenly said: “Mist envelops the cold water, and moonlight shrouds the sand! Yes, this is Jinling!”

Accountant Lin was confused.

The next day, Tang Shen went to Jinxiu Pavilion. Shopkeeper Fang had known that he was coming and greeted him outside the door. Tang Shen roughly described the store display design he envisioned. Shopkeeper Fang froze on the spot and repeated: “Mist envelops the cold water… moonlight shrouds the sand?”

“Yes.”

“Is this written by Tang gongzi?”

“No, I heard this from others.”

“This is a poem to last the ages! Tang gongzi, don’t worry, as you said, I will find someone to prepare the water and white sand to re-decorate my Jinxiu Pavilion according to your advice. Mist envelops the cold water, and moonlight shrouds the sand. Just this sentence, I dare to say that the essential oil will be a big seller in our Jinling City.”

Half a month later, soap, scented soap and essential oil were put on the market together in Jinling City.

This time, Jinxiu Pavilion did not deliberately hide the soap and did not sell it first like Zhenbao Pavilion did. Because Jinling City was close to Gusu City, people in Jinling have known about soap for a while now and even bought soap from Gusu City. Jinxiu Pavilion sold the three items together. At the same time, the Zheng family also asked someone from the Wang family of Langya to write an inscription for them and hang it in Jinxiu Pavilion.

“Mist envelops the cold water, and moonlight shrouds the sand.”

Signed, Wang Zifeng.

When Shopkeeper Fang got this inscription, he was shocked and said: “Boss, how did you get Wang xianggong to inscribe it!”

The owner of Jinxiu Pavilion, the current head of the Zheng family, Zheng Hao, also felt strange: “Originally, I only wanted to ask the second young master Wang to write an inscription. Considering the relationship between my Zheng family and their Wang family, it shouldn’t be troublesome. Coincidentally, the eldest young master Wang went home to visit family, and this poem somehow came to his ears. He praised it and wrote the inscription personally, and before returning to Shengjing gave it to the second young master.”

Shopkeeper Fang said: “How wonderful, how wonderful! Boss, although we don’t have the “Golden Mist” inscribed by Liang daru himself, we do have Wang xianggong‘s calligraphy. In Jinling, it is much more useful than Liang daru‘s!”

Not only was it useful in Jinling City, Shopkeeper Fang thought to himself: Even if this inscription was displayed in Shengjing, it would be an extremely golden sign!

Of course Tang Shen didn’t know about these things. He was only responsible for the store display. Who would have thought that Shopkeeper Fang was indeed a shrewd businessman. He even used the marketing method of asking an influential individual to write an inscription, and the results were even better than his.

After returning to Gusu City, with only more than a month left before the academy examination, Tang Shen began to study hard.

Later generations often talk about ones’ name appearing on the gold list. Most people also know about the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua, but they don’t know much about the low-level examinations such as the juren and the xiucai, and they don’t know the complexity of the tongshi. If you pass the county exam, you were a tongsheng; if you passed the prefectural exam, you were a xiucai.

But this did not mean that every xiucai had the opportunity to become a juren. After all, there were only so many rooms in Jiangnan Academy, and if everyone took the examination, how could it fit everyone. If a xiucai wants to take the examination to become a juren, other than using some special methods, most xiucai must pass the academy examination to get the opportunity to participate in the provincial examination and become a juren.

Tang Shen still wrote two eight-legged essays and one test poem every day. If Liang Song was in Gusu City, he would send it to his teacher for review every day; if Liang Song was not here, he would keep it until Liang Song came back.

Soon it was the day before the academy examination. Because he had to get up early the next day to go to the examination hall, Tang Shen rested at you shi (5-7pm). But at xu shi (7-9pm), someone suddenly knocked on the door. Yao San was awakened and opened the door where a travel-worn man stood outside. He was wearing a smock, which hid his face, and asked in a low voice: “Is this Tang Shen’s residence?”

Yao San said warily: “Exactly, who are you?”

Tang Shen was woken up, put on his clothes and walked out of the house.

The visitor said: “My name is Xu Hui, and I am Liang daren‘s nephew. Go tell Tang Shen, and he will know.”

“Yu Zhi?”

Xu Hui raised his head and saw Tang Shen.

Tang Shen: “Come in first, we can talk about it in the room.”

Xu Hui entered the room with a serious expression and refused to speak. Tang Shen understood what he meant: “Brother Yao, you can go to the yard. This is Xu Yuzhi, sir’s nephew. Sir must want to tell me something.”

Yao San nodded and left the room.

Tang Shen asked: “Did something happened to Mr. Liang?”

Xu Hui shook his head: “No. Daren is still in Jinling City. I’m afraid he won’t be back for a few days.”

“Then?”

Xu Hui hesitated for a moment and said: “Daren has not come back yet, but there is something that I can’t wait for. Tang Shen, I’m afraid you don’t know that daren has gone to Jinling City several times in the past six months to save an old friend. That old friend of daren‘s has been imprisoned in the imperial prison for twenty-five years. Half a year ago, daren received news that for some unknown reason someone seemed to want to plot against that person.”

Tang Shen thought to himself, wasn’t this person Zhong Wei, Zhong daru?

On the surface, he pretended not to know: “Who wants to harm sir’s friend?”

“I don’t know either. But early this morning, A person returned to Gusu City from Shengjing to attend the funeral for one of his relatives. He will only stay for two days. I don’t have time to inform daren, and I’m afraid daren also have no way to deal with the matter.” After a pause, Xu Hui said: “Tang Shen, I can tell you that this person has some relationship with the current emperor. Everyone knows that the current emperor is obsessed with cultivating immortality and only favors the demonic daoist Li Xiaoren. The news I investigated is that one of Li Xiaoren’s lay disciples had returned to Gusu City. If one wants to inquire about Shengjing and try to figure out the emperor’s thoughts, he is the best way.”

Tang Shen frowned and said, “You want me to help you investigate?”

Xu Hui sighed: “I am also desperate. Daren is too noble and upright. Even though he is the governor of Gusu Prefecture, his power and connections in Gusu probably does not even compare to your Tang family, so I can only come to you for help. I hope you can ask Tang juren to give it a try.”

Tang Shen pondered for a moment: “Are you in a hurry?”

“That person will leave tomorrow evening!”

“Okay, come with me.”

Tang Shen changed clothes and went out with Xu Hui. Xu Hui thought he was going to take him to the Tang Manor. Unexpectedly, Tang Shen and Yao San made a big turn, but instead of going to the Tang Manor, they came to a big courtyard house.

Yao San knocked on the door, and a muscular middle-aged man came out. When he saw them, he said, “Little boss, Brother Yao.”

Tang Shen: “Brother Liu, if I remember correctly, you are in charge of the logistics business in Tongde Lane, right?”

Liu Haozi said: “Yes. Is there something you want me to do, little boss?”

Tang’s Logistics business had already gone on the right track. Three months ago, Tang Shen specially selected some smarter employees and promoted them to supervisors to manage the logistics business of a neighborhood division. This Liu Haozi was one of them.

Tang Shen: “If you are asked to find out information about a family, is it possible? That family lives in Tongde Lane.”

“Three days later, I can tell the little boss what color underwear that person is wearing that day!”

“What if it’s only one day?”

Liu Haozi was stunned: “I can only do my best.”

“Okay, then you will listen to this gentleman tomorrow and do what he says.” Tang Shen introduced Xu Hui to Liu Haozi.

Liu Haozi nodded repeatedly.

Xu Hui looked at Tang Shen gratefully and cupped his hands.

Tang Shen and Yao San left.

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

Yes, from the very beginning, when Tang Shen decided to start a logistics business, it was to place informants in Gusu City. In his previous life, he read a book about a legendary family, the Rothschilds. In the 19th century, the Rothschild family relied on its powerful information network to learn the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo at the first moment. They took advantage of the time difference to make a fortune and became the world’s richest family.

Information was the most powerful tool for making money.

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A member of the Tang family becoming a xiucai an shou was not a trivial matter, and it also startled Tang juren.

Tang juren invited Tang Shen to a banquet at the Tang family’s manor, and held thirty banquet tables for him. The banquet lasted for three days and three nights, inviting neighbors from all over Gusu City to congratulate the new an shou. Tang Shen did not refuse. Although his relationship with the Tang family was not as close as one family, after all, both sides had business cooperation and were already seen as one.

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

After the first day of the banquet, the maid Haitang invited Tang Shen to come to the side courtyard of the Tang Manor. Madam Tang had been waiting for him for a long time.

After greetings, Madam Tang smiled and said: “I still remember the first time we met last year. At that time, I never thought that my nephew would have such amazing talent and get the top spot in the academy examination of Gusu City and Wu County!”

Tang Shen cupped his hands and said modestly: “Eldest Aunt is joking, it is but a xiucai an shou only.”

Madam Tang: “Don’t be modest. Your cousin is a few years older than you, but he failed to pass the exam this time. Ai, it also makes me worried. Well, I won’t talk about that rascal today and make you unhappy. Shen’er, the Shopkeeper Fang from Jinling’s Jinxiu Pavilion came to Gusu City a few days ago and wanted to place an order with our Zhenbao Pavilion.”

Tang Shen’s eyes lit up: “Soap?”

Madam Tang shook her head: “Soap, scented soap and essential oil, Shopkeeper Fang wants them all!”

Tang Shen: “Good!”

Madam Tang: “Good!”

The two looked at each other and laughed.

The soap had been out on the market for more than three months. As Tang Shen expected from the beginning, this was his trump card.

It had the function of scented soap and looked very similar to scented soap, but it was much cheaper than scented soap. It was not that there was no substitute for soap in ancient times. This kind of soap was made by grinding pig pancreas into pieces and adding sugar and plant ash. Because it used pig pancreas, it had a certain odor to it, and it was gray-black in color and sticky to the touch. When there was no soap, soap was a must-have tool for ordinary people in Gusu City to do laundry. But with soap, soap was more durable than soap, and it was also clean and more appealing in appearance. So naturally it had suddenly become the new favorite of Gusu people. As the saying goes, there might be no need for wine and tea at home, but there must be salt and soap at home!

Gusu City and Jinling City were adjacent. Tang Shen had already guessed that someone would discover their soap, but he didn’t expect it to be so soon.

Soap was easy to make and convenient. Tang Shen did not expect that they would also want scented soap and essential oil.

Madam Tang said: “I’m afraid you don’t know what Jinxiu Pavilion does. Jinxiu Pavilion is the largest makeup shop in Jinling City. The largest restaurant in Jinling City is called Jinxiu Tower. The largest embroidery shop is called Jinxiu House. The best winemaker is Jinxiu Winery. The Zheng family of Jinling Prefecture City is the owner of Jinxiu Pavilion, and they are also the leading wealthy family in Jiangnan.”

Tang Shen understood: “So that’s it.”

When an ordinary merchant came to Gusu City and saw the goods in Zhenbao Pavilion, he must want soap the most. Although scented soap and essential oil were also easy to sell, their market was always narrower than soap. If one was not a businessman, one would not dare to take over the soap and essential oil business. But Jinxiu Pavilion was backed by the Zheng family. The Zheng family was not only the richest family in Jinling but the richest in the entire Jiangnan!

Only the Zheng family had the guts to take over the scented soap and essential oil business, feeling they could sell it.

Madam Tang: “The only thing I am hesitant about now is, Shen’er, how should we cooperate with Jinxiu Pavilion. This business is half yours after all. Do you have any insights that you could share?”

Tang Shen: “Eldest Aunt should already have an idea.”

Madam Tang smiled: “I can’t hide it from you. Shen’er, our Tang family has some influence in Gusu City, but we are practically blind in Jinling. Jinling is the territory of the Zheng family. If we don’t cooperate with them, we will never be able to do business in Jinling, and even if we could, it will be difficult to make a profit. So I want to cooperate with them. But there are two ways to ship goods. The first is to go directly by the Grand Canal and ship our finished goods to Jinling. Second, we can directly find a workshop in Jinling to make the goods.”

Tang Shen said: “The second method is definitely a profitable business. If you invest money in the early stage, you can directly make profits later. The first method requires costs every time to transport goods, and the money consumed on the road is bound to be more than the second method.”

Madam Tang: “But…”

Tang Shen: “But the second option is to place our workshop in the distant Jinling. As Eldest Aunt said, Jinling is the territory of the Zheng family. No one knows what would happen if we place the workshop there. Which one does Eldest Aunt choose?”

“The first.”

“I also think the first method is better.”

Tang Shen had always known that there was a Grand Canal in the west of Gusu City. It was dug by the previous dynasty and began in Shengjing and ended in Qiantang. Most goods traveling between the north and south used this Grand Canal, but he had never seen this river personally.

After negotiating a deal with Jinxiu Pavilion, Tang Shen and Yao San went to the Grand Canal the next day.

On the vast river, thousands of sails were billowed and crowds of people flowed like waves. On the shore port, dozens of large ships were unloading and loading. The tea and silk in Gusu City were unparalleled in the world. Every day, tea and silk worth tens of thousands of gold leave this port by ship and sail to all directions of the Song Dynasty.

Yao San said: “My hometown is also adjacent to a tributary of the Grand Canal, but it is far smaller than the main stream in Gusu City. There are at most ten boats docked every day. I occasionally talk to the boatmen who dock and listen to them tell stories from far and wide.”

Tang Shen: “Brother Yao, you also know about shipping?”

Yao San said in shame: “Little boss is really flattering me. How could I understand this? I just heard from the boatmen that they have a rule when delivering goods, which was formulated by the Sha Gang, also known as the Sha Boat System. For example, in our Gusu City, the Tang family, Wang family and Sun family all have goods traveling to and from Shengjing. It is a long journey and they may encounter storms and pirates on the way. The three families would work together to build three ships. Each family would put one-third of the goods on each ship. In the end, regardless of whichever family’s ship arrived in Shengjing, the three families would share the profit equally. As for the goods lost in the shipwreck, the three families would also share the loss equally.”

Tang Shen exclaimed: “The ancients actually had such wisdom!”

Ten days later, Tang Shen and Madam Tang agreed to deliver the goods to Jinling. When he returned home, Aunt Yao was cooking.

“The little boss is back? What a coincidence, Accountant Lin came here an hour ago. Didn’t you say you had something to tell him this morning? He has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Tang Shen: “He’s here? Where is he?”

Aunt Yao came out of the kitchen and looked around: “Did he go to Ah Huang’s room?”

Tang Shen frowned.

Accountant Lin was a man after all. Why would he go to Ah Huang’s room? When Tang Shen walked to Tang Huang’s room, he found that the little girl had closed the door tightly in broad daylight. Tang Shen was unhappy. He didn’t knock on the door, but listened outside the window for a while. The voices inside were not clear, and he could only hear a few words such as “Don’t read it like this” and “Please write it again this way”.

Tang Shen felt strange, and he pushed the door open without knocking.

Tang Huang screamed and hid everything on the table behind her back. Accountant Lin was also shocked. He didn’t know whether to stand or sit. He silently walked to the door and said, “Little boss, I didn’t even hear when you came back.”

Tang Huang: “Brother! You didn’t knock on the door when you came in. Didn’t you tell me to be polite and knock on the door before entering the room?”

Tang Shen raised his eyebrows and said, “If I knock on the door, would I know what you two were doing behind my back without telling me? Tang Huang, take out what you are hiding behind your back.”

The little girl hid the thing behind her back, pursed her lips, face pale, took a few steps back, and pressed against the wall.

Tang Shen was confused, so he stepped forward and said, “Hand it over.”

“No!”

Tang Shen did not force her, but turned around and asked: “Accountant Lin, what are you doing in this room?”

Accountant Lin hesitated for a moment and said, “Ah Huang, just take it out and show it to the little boss.”

Her eyes red from holding back tears, Tang Huang was forced to take out the things hidden behind her back. Tang Shen took a closer look and found that it was actually a book called “Poems of a Thousand Families” and several pieces of rice paper. The ink on them was not dry yet, but some crooked words were written on them. Tang Shen understood with just one glance: “You asked Accountant Lin to teach you how to read and write in private?”

Accountant Lin: “Little boss, don’t blame the young lady Ah Huang. It’s just learning literacy. It’s all my fault.”

Tang Shen: “You are just teaching her to read and write, why do you have to hide and keep the door closed?”

Tang Huang and Accountant Lin were both stunned.

“Little boss?”

Tang Huang blinked, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She said hoarsely, “Brother, are you not angry about me studying?”

Tang Shen was confused: “Why should I be angry about you studying? But I am a little angry.” Tang Shen looked at the words on the rice paper and asked: “Accountant Lin, how long have you been teaching her to read and write in private?”

“More than three months.”

“More than three months? That means you started teaching before I took the county exam. Tang Huang, look at your calligraphy! Mr. Liang once said that the more handsome I look, the more unbearable my calligraphy is. Half a year ago, my calligraphy was worse than yours. But just six months later, my calligraphy has been praised by my teacher and I even got the top spot on the exam twice!”

Tang Huang was stunned for a long time and then realized: “Brother, are you praising yourself for your good looks?”

Tang Shen: “Did I say that?”

Tang Huang: “You did!”

“Oh, then I’m not wrong. Now look at your calligraphy. You’ve been practicing calligraphy for three months, and this is it?!”

Tang Huang was extremely aggrieved: “I don’t dare to practice calligraphy. I could only wait for you, Brother Yao and Aunt Yao to be away, and practice secretly by myself. It’s already pretty good now.”

Tang Shen: “There are so many excuses! Then I’ll give you another three months. I want to see how much better you can write.”

“Brother… you don’t object to me reading and writing?” The little girl sounded cautious, and her fearful look made Tang Shen suddenly feel distressed.

“Why should I object?”

“When dad was still alive, he always said that a woman’s lack of talent is a virtue. Mom and I were not allowed to touch anything related to reading and writing, and we were not allowed to enter his study…”

Tang Shen then remembered that Tang xiucai seemed to have said similar words, but he didn’t know that these words had such a great impact on Tang Huang.

Tang Shen reproached himself and said: “I was negligent. I would never object to anything you want to do. Of course, if you dare to do anything like murder and arson, I will definitely place righteousness before family. It’s just studying, why can’t you study? Accountant Lin, you are here today, and I wonder if you are willing to accept Tang Huang as a student and be her teacher.”

Tang Huang was overjoyed: “Brother!”

Accountant Lin smiled and said, “The little boss has opened his mouth, so of course I don’t dare to refuse.”

“My brother is indeed the best brother in the world!”

Tang Shen was praised by his sister for a whole day. Tang Huang wanted nothing more than to go out on the streets and say good things about her brother to everyone she sees. During dinner in the evening, Accountant Lin stayed to eat together with them. He said: “The little boss and Ah Huang are a bit alike.”

Yao San: “Indeed, they are siblings after all. Their eyes are somewhat similar.”

Tang Shen was stunned for a moment, but before he could speak, Tang Huang said, “My brother and I have different eyes. Mine are bigger than his.”

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Tang Shen: “Oh, you are quite bold. Even if you pop out your eyes, they are not as big as mine.”

There was a lot of laughter in the courtyard.

Three days later, Tang Shen and Accountant Lin boarded the Tang family’s cargo ship and headed for Jinling City.

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