Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 10: Home and Away
After Wu Chengjian had eaten and drunk his fill, he had a good sleep and woke up the next day feeling fully refreshed. Chunrui had already brought all the toiletries to help him wash and dress - she was the maid in charge and could have done this long ago, but as long as Wu Chengjian was at home, she had to do all these things herself.
Unlike the past, today she was helping him wash and dress while she said, "After breakfast, the three shopkeepers of Liu Daihou will all come over."
Wu Chengjian said, "I just told them yesterday that everything is as usual. Why are you coming again?"
Chun Rui said, "It's the shipping season now. Even if everything remains the same, there are many things that cannot be avoided by you as the head of the family. There are things that need to be stamped and signed."
Wu Chengjian said unhappily, "What a hassle."
In the accounting office, the three shopkeepers reported their affairs in turn. As expected, they were all daily affairs. Then they asked Wu Chengjian to use his seal. Wu Chengjian took the seal from Chunrui and stamped it very quickly. After signing his name, he asked, "Is there anything else?"
Manager Liu glanced at Chunrui, and Chunrui understood and went out.
Manager Liu said, "After thinking about the Huizhou incident, I think I should tell Third Brother Hou."
Wu Chengjian nodded: "Of course, he should know about this."
Shopkeeper Liu briefly told the story of the lost tea in Huizhou. This matter had been kept secret for a long time, but when it was suddenly brought up, Shopkeeper Hou was really shocked: "This, this... What should I say when Mr. Milton comes to ask for the tea?"
Wu Chengjian said: "He hasn't come to ask yet, wait until he comes to ask, then let him ask me."
Manager Liu admired serious and capable business owners like Wu Chengjun, and didn't like Wu Chengjian's careless look. He frowned and said, "Because this happened in Huizhou, separated by mountains and rivers, and the young master probably did some work, few people in Guangzhou know about it, but it can't be concealed for a few days. We should make plans before anyone else reveals it. First, quickly send more people to search for the missing tea, and second, let Hou San go to the foreign company and confess to show his sincerity. Please give Mr. Milton a few days and don't wait for the other party to know and question us."
"I've invited Milton to drink wine, so he knows everything." Wu Chengjian said with a smile, "Uncle Liu, do you believe that if Uncle Hou San goes to the foreign company today and tells him something, Milton will come to kill us tomorrow?"
Manager Liu frowned even more tightly, not because he was dissatisfied with Wu Chengjian, but because he felt that this tricky situation was very difficult to deal with.
Shopkeeper Hou San said, "Since the Third Young Master is friends with Mr. Milton, why don't you let the Third Young Master go and talk to him?"
"What a bullshit friendship." Wu Chengjian said, "Those people from the East India Company say they are doing business, but they don't have the Chinese saying that harmony brings wealth. They are just a bunch of robbers in the name of business. When dealing with them, you can't use the same methods as when dealing with domestic businessmen, otherwise you will be eaten alive."
Shopkeeper Hou San asked, "What should we do then?"
"What should we do? Just put it off. Maybe we'll find a solution if we keep putting it off." Wu Chengjian said, "Let's not talk about him now. Anyway, I've taken the responsibility for this matter. If the British question this batch of goods, Uncle Hou can just push it onto me."
Manager Liu said, "But this matter must be resolved eventually, otherwise the East India Company will pursue compensation... Third Young Master, you should know the history of our Yihe Bank. We can't afford the compensation. When the time comes, if the higher-ups get angry, it won't be me who will be exiled eight thousand miles away."
The merchants of the Thirteen Hongs were different from ordinary merchants. They were supervised directly by the Qing court. If other merchants went bankrupt, they would just go bankrupt and at most their creditors would pursue them for debts. But if the merchants of the Thirteen Hongs went bankrupt, their families would be broken up. The women would be sold as slaves and the men would be exiled to the frontier. It was a tragedy beyond words.
Manager Liu really couldn't stand the look of Young Master Wu, and his last sentence was meant to warn him, he really hoped that Wu Chengjian would be more careful.
Dai Er and Hou San all felt that what Manager Liu said was too harsh. They were afraid that young Wu Chengjian would lose face and make a scene on the spot. They winked at Manager Liu, but Manager Liu still finished his words.
Who knew that Wu Chengjian had no reaction at all: "It's not that time yet. I'm not afraid, so Uncle Liu, you don't have to worry too much."
Manager Liu felt as if he had punched cotton with his fist. His beard was puffed up with anger. He could not help but say, "Third Young Master! In recent years, whenever there is a surplus in the business, the eldest young master always takes it all. Some of it is for other public purposes, but the third young master knows better than anyone where the other money has gone. Just the three consecutive years of holding the courtesan at Baietan must have cost at least hundreds of thousands, right? What is the name of that huge ship as big as a mountain? Huacha? How many tea mountains can be subsidized with the money for building that ship? Third Young Master, do you know?"
Wu Chengjian nodded like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, I was too careless. Sorry, sorry."
When the shopkeeper Liu heard him apologize, he showed no remorse on his face. Instead, he became even angrier. "Third Young Master, I'm not saying anything about you because I'm old and senior. When the eldest young master was supporting this situation, did I ever say anything about you? But now the old boss and the eldest young master are both ill, and the eldest young master has entrusted Yihe Bank to you. The entire Wu family and the business are counting on you. You can't treat the business affairs with the style of the second generation ancestor in the past. "
What Wu Chengjian feared most was this kind of righteous old man in the family. The other party was senior, well-intentioned, and in the right. Even if he spit on your face, you had to bite the bullet and let him scold you. You also had to worry that the old man would get sick because of your anger. He had no choice but to get off the bed, offer tea to the shopkeeper Liu to calm him down, and act like a filial son - he had used this trick to calm the other party down after he had made his father angry to death since he was a child, and it worked every time.
As expected, when Manager Liu saw him like this, he could not continue. No matter how young he was, he was still the head of a family and the head of the Yihe Bank. He was humble now, which was considered to give him enough face. In addition, Wu Chengjian grew up under his care, and he actually loved him a little. He knew that this child just loved to be extravagant and mischievous, but other than that, he had a good heart. So he drank the tea and said, "Uncle Liu, this is for your own good."
Wu Chengjian said, "Of course, of course. I will definitely do my best to get over this hardship and support this family. I will not let Uncle Liu down, and I will not let my father and elder brother down."
Manager Liu said, "It's best if you think this way. As for the matter of tea and foreign merchants..."
"Uncle Liu, don't worry about the tea and foreign merchants." Wu Chengjian said, "The more important thing now is another matter."
"Hmm? Please go ahead, Third Master."
Wu Chengjian said: "My father's sixtieth birthday is next month."
The three shopkeepers were all stunned, and then they heard Wu Chengjian say, "It's rare for a person to live to seventy, so sixty is considered old. When it was his fiftieth birthday, my father was still the head of the family. His birthday was so unfortunate, it was just a few days before the end of the autumn harvest. Everyone in the bank and at home was busy with inventory and accounting. Because he was busy with business matters, my father never celebrated his birthday, but just had a reunion meal at home. Since I'm the head of the family this year, I can't be so careless about the sixtieth birthday. We have to celebrate it in a lively manner!"
He didn't care that the faces of the three shopkeepers were all uglier than each other, and continued: "Firstly, as a son, I am showing my filial piety, and secondly, it can be regarded as a happy occasion for the family. There have been too many troubles at home recently, and the whole house is full of sickness. I feel uncomfortable as soon as I enter the door. If we hold a happy event, the joy will be boosted, and perhaps my eldest brother's illness will get better. Uncle Liu, why are you looking at me like this?"
Manager Liu pointed at Wu Chengjian, his fingers trembling. He wanted to spit at him again but couldn't say anything. Finally, he threw his hands and said angrily: "The Wu family is yours, not mine. If you want to continue to lose, then go ahead!"
When Master Chuan Longci came in, he saw Manager Liu walking away in anger. Dai Erhou San also left with their signed documents. Master Chuan Longci went into the accounting office and asked, "Why is Manager Liu so angry?"
Wu Chengjian said with a smile: "Old-fashioned and upright shopkeepers usually can't stand a new boss like me who is so imaginative and unrestrained? I think he is in good health. As long as he is not in bad health, he will get used to it after a few more visits."
Master Chuan Longci was speechless for a moment, and Wu Chengjian asked again: "How are the preparations for the birthday banquet going?"
Master Chuan Longci smiled and said, "I am not good at making money, but when it comes to spending money, when has the Third Young Master ever been disappointed? I will definitely do a good job when the time comes. But... Third Young Master, given the current situation of our family, do we still have to continue to organize it in such a grand manner? Will Manager Liu and the others have any objections?"
Wu Chengjian said: "I am the head of the family now, and I know how to spend the money."
At this time, Chun Rui also came in and whispered, "Why are the shopkeepers so angry? Third Young Master, have you pissed them off again?" She took two steps closer and lowered her voice, "I just saw Second Young Master invite Shopkeeper Dai to the room."
Wu Chengjian frowned and said, "Let's go to Huachahao to sleep tonight."
Chun Rui was shocked and asked, "How can this be possible?"
Wu Chengjian said, "The second son has a crooked mouth. If he heard anything from Shopkeeper Dai, he would definitely gossip about it. Now that my father and elder brother are sick, he will definitely go to my sister-in-law to complain. When my sister-in-law hears, she will call me over to have a long talk. Then I won't need to sleep tonight. Let's go back to Huachahao."
Chun Rui stopped him and said, "Young Master, you can't go. You are no longer the Third Young Master of Yihe. You are now the head of the family and the head of the business. You are responsible for not only the Wu family but also the Yihe Bank. If you continue to act like this, people will gossip about you."
Wu Chengjian frowned again, which was rare. He had been pampering the maids for the past few years, but had he spoiled them too much? He knew Chunrui was doing this for his own good, but this time, he was a little confused about the importance of Chunrui.
He glared at Chunrui, and the look in his eyes was no longer the nonchalant one he had just had. Chunrui seldom saw him like this, and she was so scared that she quickly withdrew her hand that was blocking his way.
Wu Chengjian said, "You should take care of the affairs in the room and settle the accounts. Don't bother talking about my affairs outside. I know you are a good girl, but even if you are a virtuous Xiren, I am not Jia Baoyu."
He beckoned to Master Chuan Longci: "Let's go."
