The richest woman committed a crime with her child - Chapter 35

Xu Mei’s presence alone was enough to draw the attention of the men around her. Now, walking side by side with Shen Youting into the courtyard, she sparked even more gossip among the onlookers.

The voices of two middle-aged men standing by the courtyard gate reached Xu Mei’s ears.

“I’ve never seen these two at Jiangning Textile before. Who are they?”

“If you’re always stuck in the textile business, of course, you wouldn’t have seen them.”

“So, you know them?”

“Know them? Don’t joke around. Compared to them, we’re just scraping by. They’re from the Xu family, the famous salt merchants of the Ming Dynasty. The young man on the right is Shen Youting, the adopted son of Xu Shuntian, the richest man in Yingtian. He’s the most promising of the younger generation and practically manages most of the Xu family’s salt business. The woman on the left is Xu Shuntian’s legitimate daughter.”

“Now that you mention it, I remember someone telling me about the Xu family. But aren’t they in the official salt business? What are they doing here?”

“Probably eyeing the textile industry.”

Xu Mei heard the conversation clearly and pursed her lips, thinking to herself: *It seems my tailor shop isn’t well-known enough. These people who deal with the imperial court only know about the Xu family’s salt business and have no idea I have a shop in the same industry.*

She followed Shen Youting to a spot under a large tree where about a dozen businessmen had been standing. As soon as Xu Mei approached, they all scattered.

Xu Mei was puzzled and whispered to Shen Youting, “Why are they all avoiding me?”

Shen Youting noticed her shawl was askew and adjusted it for her, replying calmly, “They’re afraid you’ll steal their secrets.”

Xu Mei saw that although these people had moved away, they hadn’t left the shade of the tree and didn’t seem to mind standing behind Shen Youting. She pouted and said, “I think they’re just afraid of being upstaged by a woman.”

Soon, the crowd began to move as a eunuch dressed in official robes approached the tree, carrying an imperial decree.

Shen Youting pulled Xu Mei back a few steps.

The eunuch posted the decree on the tree and announced in a shrill voice, “Today, we have gathered you all here to commission winter clothing for the Emperor, Empress, and the noble officials. The specific requirements are listed on the decree. Please read it carefully. In two quarters of an hour, we will begin bidding in the main hall for the items listed. The highest bidder will win.”

After the announcement, the eunuch quickly left. Some quick-footed businessmen chased after him, asking questions and even discreetly slipping him silver.

More businessmen crowded around the decree, reading its contents aloud.

Xu Mei couldn’t possibly squeeze in with the men, so she looked up at Shen Youting, who was shielding half of her body with his own, and asked, “Is the imperial textile business as profitable as my family’s?”

“Not at the moment,” Shen Youting replied, pulling her closer to avoid the growing crowd. “But the textile business caters to the royal family and noble officials, so the profits are high. With the royal family as a backer, it’s easier to sell to the common people, and in the future, there’s potential to export beyond the Ming Dynasty. The market is vast.”

“Then there’s profit to be made,” Xu Mei said, her eyes sparkling with interest. “I wonder what’s written on the decree… Why are these people taking so long to move?”

Shen Youting’s height allowed him to see over the crowd and quickly scan the decree. After a glance, he looked down at her and said, “The items listed on the decree aren’t rare. The key is financial capability. Let’s find some paper and a brush. I’ll write down the items, and you can decide which ones you can handle. I’ll handle the bidding.”

“Alright.”

Shen Youting fetched paper, ink, and a brush from the cart they had arrived in and quickly listed the items from the decree. He then handed the brush to Xu Mei, only to find her staring at him in a daze. “What are you staring at?” he asked.

Xu Mei’s eyes were filled with admiration and envy. She bit her lip and said softly, “I was wondering how you can read ten lines at a glance and remember everything so well.” She had just watched him glance at the decree once and memorize all its contents before writing them down.

She licked her lips, her tone unconsciously becoming coquettish. “And your account books are so much more organized than anyone else’s. Teach me, will you?”

“Why do you want to learn so much?”

His deep eyes seemed to bewitch her, coaxing Xu Mei to reveal her innermost thoughts. “I want to have more to talk about with you.”

Shen Youting’s lips curved into a faint smile, gone in an instant. He then said, “Mark the items you can handle.”

“You haven’t agreed to teach me yet.”

“That depends on your performance.”

Xu Mei pouted and muttered, “I knew you’d say that.” When she was first learning to read, she had begged him to teach her a complicated New Year’s greeting to impress her father and earn a reward. Back then, he had also said, “That depends on your performance.”

At the time, the only thing her young mind could think of was sneaking into his bed at night to sleep with him—winter was cold, and warming his bed was the best “performance” she could offer.

But that was something only a naive child would do.

Now, she would never do such a thing, especially since she had just promised yesterday not to bother him…

Xu Mei silently marked the five items she could handle.

Shen Youting glanced at her selections and copied them onto another sheet of paper, adding at the end, “Purchase 80% of the stock from all shops in Yingtian Prefecture.” He then instructed the coachman, “Take this to Zhao Fanglin and have him complete it by today.”

The coachman took the order and left.

Xu Mei wanted to ask about his intentions, but with so many people around, she had to hold her tongue.

Soon, it was time for the bidding.

Xu Mei and Shen Youting entered the main hall together, but the eunuch guarding the door stopped her, saying only men were allowed inside. Shen Youting entered alone.

After nearly half an hour of waiting, the doors of the main hall finally opened. The businessmen who emerged wore mixed expressions of joy and disappointment, gathering in small groups to discuss the outcome.

When Xu Mei saw Shen Youting come out, she quickly went to meet him.

A stunning woman walking through a crowd of nearly a hundred men stood out, drawing many sidelong glances.

Shen Youting strode over, pulled her to his side, and shielded her as they made their way out of the crowd.

“What happened inside?” Xu Mei asked.

Shen Youting replied calmly, “Some people had already made deals with the eunuchs.”

While waiting outside, Xu Mei had overheard others speculating about backdoor deals, so she was mentally prepared. She smiled brightly and said, “Since it’s my first time here, I’ll just treat it as a learning experience. No luck this time, but that’s fine. Let’s go home.”

“Who said there’s no luck?”

“Didn’t you say some people had already made deals?”

“Even with deals, they still need the goods.” Shen Youting patted her shoulder with a smile. “Let’s go home and wait for news.”

Xu Mei, still a bit confused, followed Shen Youting out of the textile bureau’s gates.

The coachman was already waiting at the entrance.

Xu Mei and Shen Youting boarded the cart one after the other. As they left the textile bureau, she couldn’t wait to ask him, “Was the purpose of having Zhao Fanglin buy the goods to drive up the price?”

“Partially, but the main goal was to eventually partner with those who had insider connections.” Seeing her puzzled expression, Shen Youting explained patiently, “If you have the goods, and others want them, the most straightforward and cost-effective way for them is to bring you into their partnership.”

(End of Chapter)

Translator Note:
Dear readers, Sorry for the late update. I am currently running a bit tight on my schedule but will try my best to update.
Bows Deeply.