Chapter 133
Taking advantage of the excitement surrounding the metropolitan examination, the clothing shop jointly opened by Lady Jiang, Cui Lanzhi, Madam Gu, and Dong Xiang opened for business on the sixteenth.
The shop was located on Great Central Street, where stores were clustered together. It was one of Dong Xiang’s dowry properties.
Before Dong Xiang had married into the Jiang family, she had heard Jiang Shi mention that the three women planned to open a clothing shop. She then told Jiang Shi that she owned a shop on Great Central Street and that his family should use it rather than waste money renting another place.
Shops on Great Central Street were rarely available, and Dong Xiang’s occupied an excellent location. It had originally been part of Madam Dong’s dowry. The Dong family had not wanted Dong Xiang to bring the dowry she had received when she married Cui Chang into the Jiang family, so they had prepared an entirely new dowry for her. To do so, Madam Dong had even taken out several of the finest items she had been keeping until the final division of her dowry. The shop was one of them.
Lady Jiang, Cui Lanzhi, and Madam Gu were not the sort to stand on ceremony. They certainly would not leave such a fine shop unused while renting another, but neither would they use Dong Xiang’s dowry property for free.
Since this matter could not involve Jiang Shi, the three women chose a day and paid a visit to the Dong family.
The fact that the three of them had come especially to discuss a shop demonstrated how highly they regarded the Dong family and Dong Xiang. Madam Dong was delighted for her daughter from the bottom of her heart.
There was also Jiang Shi. He usually visited the Dong residence to drink tea and chat with Dong Cheng and his son. Only when Dong Xiang saw him out could the two of them spend a little time alone together. Even so, he came whenever he had the chance, and though he was not good with words, he never forgot to bring Dong Xiang something each time—either pastries and fruits she liked, or the scented creams and face powders she commonly used. He put genuine thought into everything.
Madam Dong saw it all and was so satisfied with this son-in-law that she could not have been more pleased. In private, she told Dong Xiang’s two sisters-in-law, “I used to worry that Xiang’er’s marriage would not go smoothly, and that she was fated not to find a good husband. Who would have thought I had it completely backward? A marriage blessed by Heaven was waiting for her, and her fate is better than most.
“Now that I think about it, there’s nothing wrong with marrying a second time.”
Madam Dong knew that neither the Cui family nor the Jiang family would take advantage of others. Since it would be inappropriate to insist that they use the shop rent-free, she made the decision on Dong Xiang’s behalf: the shop would still charge no rent, but Dong Xiang would receive a tenth of the clothing shop’s shares.
Lady Jiang and the other two women, however, felt that was too little. They insisted that the clothing shop should belong equally to all four of them, with each receiving the same share.
Madam Dong could not argue with them and had no choice but to agree. From then on, she no longer worried about her daughter’s marriage into the Jiang family.
Today was the clothing shop’s opening, and Madam Dong took it even more seriously than if it had been her own affair. She invited all the women from the families of the Dong family’s relatives by marriage and old acquaintances in Yingcheng to come and lend their support.
Ever since Cui Lanyin had opened a pastry shop and a restaurant across the Wu-Yang River, the women of scholar-official families had gradually begun venturing out to inspect their own dowry shops.
After the emperor ascended the throne, Cui Lanyin openly invited guests to Yunlai Restaurant several times. Even after becoming empress, she made no effort to avoid public attention. On the first Lantern Festival, she even toured the Wu-Yang River in a pleasure boat with the emperor.
With the empress setting the precedent, more and more women began visiting the banks of the Wu-Yang River, and an increasing number openly opened shops of their own.
This clothing shop was no exception. Neither the Cui nor the Jiang family tried to hide their involvement, and none of Yingcheng’s scholar-official families made any disparaging remarks.
The clothing designs Lady Jiang had created had already become famous. Before this, people had been too intimidated by the fact that she was the empress’s mother to approach her. Now that she had opened a shop, everyone was eagerly anticipating the opening of Brocade Attire.
All the garments at Brocade Attire featured Lady Jiang’s latest designs and were made from the finest materials. The women had originally come because Madam Dong had invited them to show their support, but once they arrived, they found themselves captivated. They could not bear to put down a single garment, and two women who had been chatting amiably moments earlier were suddenly refusing to yield to each other over the same dress.
Cui Lanzhi and Dong Xiang, who were seated on the second floor overseeing the opening, had to invite everyone upstairs. They brought out catalogs of clothing designs and explained that customers could choose their own styles and fabrics and have the garments custom-made.
The women immediately began arguing over who should be allowed to look at the catalogs first.
Madam Dong was both amused and exasperated. “At least try to restrain yourselves. If word of this gets out, don’t disgrace our military family.”
One of the women immediately replied, “Oh, come now. Our Xiang’er has married into the maternal uncle’s family of the empress herself. Who would dare look down on us?”
Cui Lanzhi nodded in agreement. “His Majesty and Her Majesty regard military and civil officials alike. Just look at how highly His Majesty values the Marquis of Pacifying the North.”
“Indeed, the wife of a provincial graduate has quite a discerning eye. We ordinary, rough folk would never notice such things.”
Cui Lanzhi quietly took out a handkerchief and wiped away the sweat that had gathered on her palms. Everything she had just said was something Hong Ji had told her in private.
He had warned her, “You are the empress’s elder sister, so many people are watching you. An offhand remark from you may cause people to speculate about His Majesty and Her Majesty. Therefore, whenever you speak in public, it is best to ensure that your words remain consistent with the views of His Majesty and Her Majesty.”
Cui Lanzhi had taken his words to heart and had been especially careful about her conduct and speech ever since.
After Grand Empress Dowager Chen’s birthday, everyone had been talking about how entertaining the games were when the young men and women from various families met at Tanyue Residence. Hong Ji, however, had told her, “His Majesty is likely preparing to send troops against the Tatars. Military men are about to rise. The court will no longer be ruled by the civil officials alone, and in the future, reading books will not be the only path to success.”
As it turned out, Hong Ji had predicted correctly. On the afternoon of the fourteenth, Jiang Shi hurried back from the palace and gave the two women their instructions in detail.
After silently going over the words she had prepared, Cui Lanzhi glanced at Dong Xiang, signaling that it was her turn to act.
Dong Xiang gave a slight nod and went over to take the arm of a distant cousin. “Isn’t your mother-in-law’s birthday next month? I have some fine palace-made fabric here. You could use it to have a birthday robe made for her. Wouldn’t that be more dignified and attractive than giving her something else?”
After Emperor Xuanning moved the capital south, the treasury had been depleted everywhere, and even the imperial family was struggling. Rewards and gifts from the court had consequently become increasingly scarce. Apart from the Li family, which frequently received imperial gifts, they were generally limited to members of the imperial clan and officials whom the court considered useful. It was extremely difficult for anyone else to obtain anything made for the palace.
Among the military families, even Meng Zhen and Wang Xing, who held important posts guarding the borders, had not received so much as a bolt of palace-made fabric in the past two years.
As a result, such fabric had become especially precious among military households. To receive several bolts of it for a wedding or an elder’s birthday and have clothing made from it was an extraordinary honor.
Dong Xiang’s cousin had been fretting over precisely this matter. Several daughters-in-law in the family were all eager to make a good impression before their mother-in-law, and each had been scouring the region for unusual and precious birthday gifts. If she could present her with clothes made from palace fabric, it would certainly be the most impressive gift of all.
The cousin hurriedly pulled Dong Xiang over to look at the fabrics. But before she could do so, the women on the other side who had been choosing clothing designs all came rushing over.
“We’re all relatives, Xiang’er. You can’t favor one over the others. We want some palace fabric too!”
Dong Xiang hurriedly explained, “It isn’t that I wasn’t thinking of you. It’s just that these fabrics are mainly suited for elderly women, so I didn’t mention them to you.”
Cui Lanzhi added from the side, “They all come from Her Majesty’s private collection. They’re no longer suitable for someone of her age, while the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowagers, and the imperial consorts receive more fabric in their annual allocations than they can ever wear. It would be a pity to let these materials gather dust in the storeroom, so Her Majesty thought they might as well be used to help us cultivate relationships. She had a number of them brought to the shop a few days ago.”
“They’re actually from Her Majesty’s private collection? Then they carry the aura of the phoenix herself. We absolutely cannot miss this opportunity.”
“Lady Jiang is exceptionally gifted when it comes to clothing designs. Even dull, sober-colored fabrics should look lovely once they pass through her hands. We can choose the fabric and have the clothes custom-made separately.”
The women all followed them into the side room to select fabrics. Before long, every bolt that had been put on display had been bought.
Even after buying all that, they still were not satisfied. They surrounded Cui Lanzhi and Dong Xiang, asking whether there was anything else.
Cui Lanzhi and Dong Xiang gave them the same answer. “Her Majesty’s private storehouses aren’t like ours, with only a few rooms for keeping dowries. The entire rear section of Fengyi Palace is taken up by them. We’ll have to clear them out little by little.”
One of the quicker-minded women asked, “Then are there any things Her Majesty doesn’t use? It would be wonderful if some of those could be sold as well.”
The others did not dare to trouble Cui Lanzhi, but two of them went over to wheedle Dong Xiang. “Good Xiang, why don’t you and the Juren’s wife ask Her Majesty for us? I’m still short two sedan-loads of dowry to make a respectable show when my daughter marries. If they came from Her Majesty’s private storehouses, no matter what they were, her in-laws would certainly think more highly of her.”
Dong Xiang looked troubled and glanced at Cui Lanzhi. “Sister Zhi?”
After considering it for a moment, Cui Lanzhi said to everyone, “You are all relatives of my cousin-in-law. When you are in need, we ought to help. I’ll go ask Her Majesty. But the supplies are limited, so I think we should avoid spreading the word too widely. Otherwise, whether we give something to one person and not another, my cousin-in-law and I will both be put in a difficult position.”
Everyone readily agreed. Dong Xiang had Zhiqiu lead them downstairs to register their orders. Meanwhile, a second wave of customers arrived below.
***
At the Office of Commerce in the former imperial residence, Liu Heipi summoned Fang Dai.
After what had happened with Liansheng, the Fang family and the other seven houses of the Nine Trading Houses were all deeply shaken. They were even more grateful to Cui Lanyin than before.
Merchants had little status. No matter which powerful noble had taken charge of the matter, the Nine Trading Houses would never have escaped unscathed. At best, they would have suffered grievous losses; at worst, the entire Nine Trading Houses might have been wiped out.
Everyone in the Nine Trading Houses understood that without Cui Lanyin, the Emperor would never have let the matter pass so lightly.
Afterward, the other eight houses began following the Fang family’s lead. Fang Dai’s father even sent word that, from then on, Fang Dai would be in charge of all matters concerning the Nine Trading Houses outside the capital.
He had been the one to buy Liansheng and offer her to Cui Lanyin, yet not only had he escaped blame, he was still allowed to come and go freely at the Office of Commerce. Merchants throughout the city all knew that he had an unusual degree of influence there, and whenever they encountered trouble, they sought him out to establish a connection with the Office of Commerce. Her Majesty the Empress was truly magnanimous. Fang Dai was grateful and utterly won over from the bottom of his heart.
He had already made up his mind: so long as the Empress had any use for him, he would go through fire and water without hesitation.
When he entered, he stepped forward and saluted. “What orders do you have for me, Lord Liu?”
Liu Heipi invited him to sit. “There is indeed something. Her Majesty wishes to prepare provisions, but she does not want word of it spreading everywhere. Your side…”
Fang Dai answered without a moment’s hesitation. “So long as Her Majesty trusts me, leave it to me. I know quite a few grain merchants, and I can negotiate a good price. When the Nine Trading Houses’ fleet makes its regular trips, we can load the grain aboard whenever we stop along the way. Outsiders will find it very difficult to notice.”
Liu Heipi nodded, then fixed him with a serious look. “After purchasing the grain, Her Majesty also wishes to use your Nine Trading Houses’ fleet to transport it north.”
As he spoke, he took out a thick stack of banknotes and pushed it across the table. “This is the money for the grain. Take it for now. I’ll provide more later.”
Fang Dai glanced at the top note. It was for five thousand taels of silver, and all the notes beneath it were the same denomination. The entire stack amounted to nearly three hundred thousand taels—and that was only the initial sum.
His eyelids twitched, and sweat began to bead across his back.
But when he thought of how Cui Lanyin had given him a new lease on life, he agreed without even asking a question. “I’ll have the fleet make a trip north with a cargo shipment. That way, transporting the grain afterward won’t attract attention.”
Fang Dai pushed the stack of banknotes back. “There’s no need to give me the money just yet. The Nine Trading Houses still haven’t paid their commercial taxes for the second half of the year, and the payment is due in April. Rather than have the money change hands back and forth, I’ll use those funds to purchase the grain first. I’ll come for more when they run short.”
“Young Master Fang is indeed a man of loyalty. Her Majesty did not misjudge you.” Liu Heipi cupped his hands toward him. “You can rest assured, Young Master. This matter was decided jointly by Their Majesties. It is a great undertaking that will benefit the empire for generations.”
Hearing that the Emperor knew about it as well, Fang Dai quietly let out a breath. Even if the Empress had been plotting something else, he had already decided to follow her.
He reacted quickly, and his eyes immediately lit up as he looked toward Liu Heipi. “Are we… going to war against the Tatars? Then there’s nothing more to say. Just leave as much as you need to me.”
