Chapter 345: Chapter 335: Pulling and Dragging
The grain situation in Zhongzhou was indeed as Fang Chuning described: strictly controlled by the State Mansion. While there was little grain circulating in the market, it wasn’t entirely absent. Xie Jue managed to secure a batch of grain in Zhongzhou. Though it was a mere drop in the bucket, it was better than nothing. With river transport suspended, Xie Jue ordered the grain to be transported overland to Salt City, and from there rerouted to the outskirts of Jiaozhou City. Disguised as a wealthy merchant, he nearly bought out all the grain available across six cities in Zhongzhou. Due to the limited quantities, it didn’t attract much attention—people simply assumed a merchant from Salt City was stockpiling grain for the winter.
Xie Jue settled into Fang Chuning’s mansion. Fang Chuning did not ask how long he intended to stay. After his brief leave, Fang Chuning would head to the military camp during the day and return to the mansion at sunset with unwavering punctuality.
The generals in the camp all noticed that Junior General Fang had been in high spirits lately. Although he was well-liked, the military officers in Zhongzhou, while not especially close to him, were not antagonistic either—they maintained decent relations with him. Many joked among themselves, speculating that Fang Chuning had fallen in love and was hiding a beauty in a "golden house" back at his mansion. At twenty-one, men of the Yanyang Clan were typically of marriageable age, often already married with children by then.
But Fang Chuning bore the unsettling reputation of "bringing death to his wives," a tale that had spread from the Capital City to Zhongzhou, becoming infamous. It might have been dismissed as coincidence if just one or even two fiancées had tragically died before the wedding, but losing three betrothed made it seem indisputable. Though he was of noble standing, it spared him from certain troubles—after all, no pampered daughter of the aristocracy would dare to marry him, even if he were as handsome as Pan An. A person’s life was far more significant than his looks.
Some generals had visited Fang Chuning’s residence on occasion. The simple, cold, three-tiered courtyard revealed no trace of female occupants. Fang Chuning neither indulged in brothels nor had any known dalliances with women. People thought of him as the impenetrable and difficult-to-please only son of the Fang family. Yet now, his smile was as gentle as a spring breeze, and the unusual warmth radiating from his otherwise fox-like features sparked much speculation.
A few younger officers, drinking and chatting idly at the camp, eagerly gossiped about whether Fang Chuning had indeed hidden a lover at home, causing his eagerness to return promptly each day before dusk.
"I would love to hide a mistress," Fang Chuning said lightly, shaking his bone fan with a roguish elegance. "But alas... I can’t afford it."
"What sort of ravishing beauty could even someone like Mr. Fang not afford?"
Fang Chuning merely smiled without answering. With a sly wink, he added, "Exceedingly expensive."
Seeing his fox-like grin, the others dared not probe further. It was inappropriate to pry into the affairs of someone’s private quarters. They only exchanged knowing smiles, continuing to drink after several rounds.
Fang Chuning then asked, "My steward mentioned recently that grain is nowhere to be found for purchase. How often does the State Mansion release grain these days?"
"My father says it’ll be near the twelfth lunar month. Recently, there’s been a wealthy merchant from Salt City buying up grain, which has caused a shortage in the city. My father just issued a public notice stating that city residents may only purchase grain per household. For merchants from Salt City, they can only buy directly from the State Mansion, at prices three times higher than the market rate," replied Chen Gui, the son of Zhongzhou’s State Mansion governor, who also happened to be part of the military and well-informed.
"Are merchants in all of Zhongzhou’s cities barred from stockpiling grain?" Fang Chuning inquired. "So the State Mansion hoards this much grain just to squeeze every last coin out of the populace during winter?"
"Not quite, not quite..." Chen Gui said. "The State Mansion sells grain to common folk at constant rates. But if the buyer is a Salt City merchant, the price is tripled. Selling to Salt City? Who knows if it’ll end up supplying the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. They’re already short on grain and silver—it’s only logical to squeeze them dry."
This was all but an open game!
Fang Chuning fell into thought. What options did Ting Feng have? He couldn’t produce grain out of thin air. To obtain grain, he needed to spend more money. And if a snow disaster struck this winter, grain prices would soar. Even with money, there might be none to buy. Just last year, grain prices in the Capital City surged fivefold.
"Is your family short on grain?" Chen Gui asked.
"Yes, very short," Fang Chuning replied with a smile. "I’m in unfamiliar territory here, and with over a hundred mouths to feed at home, how could I not be?"
Lowering his voice, Chen Gui whispered, "If you’re lacking grain, you could ask Manager Wen from the Su Family’s Trading House. As of now, they’re the only ones in the city with surplus grain. When my father ordered businesses to turn in their grain, the Su Family’s house only submitted two thousand dan, leaving the rest piled in their granaries."
"Is that true?"
"Absolutely. My father plans to seize it by force. On one hand, he’s worried the trading house will ship the grain to Salt City; on the other, he wants to send them a warning. Without the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, their backing is gone. How could mere common merchants dare oppose the State Mansion? Such insolence deserves a reckoning," Chen Gui sneered. "I hear that Mr. Su hasn’t been doing well in Jiangnan. The Su Family’s fortunes are bound to be confiscated sooner or later."
Fang Chuning’s heart skipped a beat. The Su Family’s Trading Houses spanned across Yanyang territories, headquartered in Jiangnan and Twelve Prefectures, including the Capital City. Zhongzhou also had branches, and its shopkeepers had always maintained a collegial relationship with the State Mansion. The trading house had flourished under the protection of Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, expanding rapidly and smoothly. Now that the Marquis Mansion had fallen, the Su Family’s golden days should have ended.
But what was strange was how the Su Family’s Trading House remained unshaken in the Capital City. This was a telltale sign. The imperial court had yet to act against the Su Family, which meant the regional authorities dared not act recklessly either.
If Emperor Yuan Hui made a move against the Su Family, all their trading houses across Yanyang would suffer dearly.
Fang Chuning understood why Emperor Yuan Hui had delayed taking action against the Su Family.
Because of Feng Shu!
But others didn’t know this. In Jiangnan, with Marshal Fang stabilizing the region, and merchants standing in unity, any attempt by the State Mansion to seize the Su Family’s assets would also meet opposition from the local garrison.
But Zhongzhou was a completely different story!
When Fang Chuning returned to the mansion, he saw Xie Jue writing a letter. Upon Fang’s entrance, Xie Jue nonchalantly placed a blank sheet atop the letter to cover it. Fang Chuning stood calmly at the doorway, showing no intention of snooping. He then composedly shared the news about the Su Family’s grain surplus.
"The State Mansion may plan to seize the Su Family’s granaries," Fang Chuning said. "If you want the grain inside, you’d better move quickly. Once the State Mansion makes its move, the Su Family’s Trading House will find it hard to survive in any of the Twelve Prefectures."
After all, they were mere common merchants. Without the protection of the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, both the State Mansion and local garrisons would eventually come for them.
"I know. Since early July, the trading house only turned in two thousand dan of grain because that’s all they had left. When Zhixu and I defected from the Capital City, I had already foreseen that the Su Family’s operations in Zhongzhou couldn’t be sustained. Fengyu had long since sent word to the shopkeeper in Zhongzhou, instructing them to transfer the assets. The granaries were emptied ages ago—half the local enterprise has already been shifted elsewhere."
To avoid arousing suspicion, they had maneuvered in secret, leaving just half of their operations behind.
"Astute as always," Fang Chuning thought to himself. "Thinking ten steps ahead—it seems I worried for nothing."
"It’s nothing extraordinary," Xie Jue replied. "With the downfall of the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, the Su Family’s Trading House was destined to be implicated—it was necessary to plan ahead." He hadn’t expected Emperor Yuan Hui’s hesitation, which granted them several months of breathing room, enough time to facilitate the trading house’s migration.
"The trading house personnel need to leave the city within the next couple of days. If the State Mansion discovers the granaries are empty, they’ll make an example out of them and won’t let them go," Fang Chuning said, feeling a heaviness in his chest.
"I understand. I’m already arranging for their departure," Xie Jue replied, turning to look at Fang Chuning. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"Should I not?"
Xie Jue nodded slightly. "Strictly speaking, from your standpoint, you shouldn’t."
"What standpoint?" Fang Chuning asked, leaning lazily against the doorway with arms crossed. His posture seemed carefree and irreverent, yet his smiling eyes under the lamplight held a seductive allure. "Ting Feng, what standpoint would you prefer me to take?"
Xie Jue’s fingers pressed down on the letter beneath his hand, as if trying to leave an imprint on it. "Whatever standpoint you wish to take is the standpoint you should have. My preferences don’t matter."
Fang Chuning didn’t like Xie Jue’s evasive, calculated responses. Yet he found himself powerless against Xie Tingfeng, always conceding unconditionally. With a faint smile, he lowered his gaze and said, "Ting Feng, getting a genuine answer out of you is no easy task."
Turning away, he left. From the open window, Xie Jue watched Fang Chuning’s lonely silhouette fade into the night. He closed his eyes tightly, despair washing over him.
Perhaps he should never have come to Zhongzhou.