Chapter 56 A Life of Debauchery and Passion

“The weather’s bad today, but it’s my lucky day. Look, even just strolling around the docks, I ran into Zimin.” Naron Tirasha greeted Jin Yunnian as he walked over, asking with concern, “You look a little sad. Are you alright?”

Naron Tirasha said, patting Jin Yunnian on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I will pray to Buddha to bless you, brother."

Meng Qingci was amused by Naron Tirasha's humor. She smiled and said, "Then I'll benefit from your kindness." She subtly dodged Naron Tirasha's large, fan-like hand. Just kidding, if he patted her again, her shoulder would probably be swollen for days. This kid doesn't know his own strength at all.

“No, no, no, there’s an old Chinese saying: ‘One should not be greedy.’” Naron Thirasa shook his head, his face serious. “You are already a very fortunate man, with a beautiful wife and a big, healthy son. Your wife is not only beautiful but also very capable. I can see that she loves you very much. You can’t be greedy and covet my good fortune. I’m just saying a few words to Buddha on your behalf. I’m hoping to use your good fortune to close this sugar deal.” He added proudly, “And my good fortune will protect me on my safe journey to and from Siam. I really can’t give you any of it. Sorry, brother.”

Meng Qingci couldn't help but chuckle, nodding to Naron Tirasha and teasingly saying, "You really are a shrewd businessman. No wonder your king has entrusted you with managing the maritime trade these past few years."

Naron Tirasha was surprised for a moment, then sighed, "Zimin, you really have those 'eagle eyes'! I thought I had hidden it well, but I didn't expect you to have seen through it all along. If all Han people were as smart as you, it would be too difficult for us to do business."

“It’s because you have it that the foreign merchants from Siam treat you with utmost respect, which is why I noticed it.” Meng Qingci wasn’t telling the truth either. She knew that Nalong was the royal surname of Siam, and even if Nalong Thirasa wasn’t the person in charge, he must be of noble status.

She had only taken advantage of Naron Tirasha's momentary lapse in attention to subtly probe, but unexpectedly, Naron Tirasha guessed correctly. This wasn't called keen observation; it was simply a matter of deception in war. She thought to herself: Chinese is indeed too difficult for foreigners.

Naron Tirasa was speechless for a moment, but quickly said with relief, "Brother, there's nothing a drink can't solve. Tirasa, have a drink."

The two, each holding an umbrella, chatted and laughed as they entered the restaurant side by side, speaking a mixture of Siamese and Chinese.

Unable to contain his excitement, Naron Tirasha stepped onto the second floor and, without even entering the private room, asked in a low voice, "Zimin, the white sugar you mentioned last time, can you really allocate three hundred tons to us every year?"

No sooner had Naron Tirasha finished speaking than the door to the next private room creaked open.

Chen Junyan strolled out of the private room with a leisurely gait, bumping right into the two of them. He greeted them with a smile, "Tirasa, long time no see."

This unexpected encounter caused a flicker of surprise to cross Naron Tirasha's eyes. He quickly composed himself, almost instinctively putting on his warm smile, and bowed, saying, "Seventh Master Chen, how have you been! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Although Naron Tirasha lowered his voice, Chen Junyan still heard every word he said clearly.

Because of his family background, Chen Junyan had been dealing with foreign merchants since childhood and knew some foreign languages. He stared at Meng Qingci with a half-smile and asked, "Zimin, what is this white sugar that Nalong is talking about? Where did you get this good deal? Why didn't you think of your older brother?"

Chen Junyan's tone, as if he had been let down, left Meng Qingci speechless. To say that this encounter was purely coincidental would be too unlikely. But right now, with Chen Junyan asking her this question, she didn't have time to think about it.

Overconfident and carried away, Naron Tirasha lowered his eyes to hide his annoyance and self-blame. He had caused trouble for Jin Yunnian. But he also knew very well that he had no room to say anything at this moment.

His transactions with Jin Yunnian were conducted privately, which, to put it bluntly, was smuggling. The Chen family had close ties with the Maritime Trade Office and also had the Fujian and Guangdong governors as their backers.

Chen Junyan's appearance at this time was too obvious; he simply wanted to get a share of the profits, and as a foreign merchant, he had no power to object.

“I didn’t expect to see Seventh Brother here. It’s better to meet by chance than to invite him. Why don’t we come in and have a seat together?” Meng Qingci smiled and invited the two into the private room.

If Naron Tirasha could see through this, how could Meng Qingci not understand it? Chen Junyan's bright eyes made no attempt to hide his calculations.

She hadn't expected to keep it a secret for long anyway; after all, there were never any real secrets on the docks. It was simply a matter of the people not reporting it and the officials not investigating. Which maritime merchant didn't smuggle some goods to line their own pockets?

Fu Heng knew that if the water was too clear, there would be no fish. He relied on the wealthy merchants for support, so he couldn't be too harsh. As long as it wasn't too excessive, the Maritime Trade Office would loosen its grip if he wanted to make some extra money.

It was quite a coincidence. About half a month ago, news came from Zhaoqing Prefecture that Zhu Youyi's workshop had successfully produced white sugar using the recipe and procedures provided by Gu Yuchen. Manager Cen's son personally traveled day and night to deliver the finished white sugar.

Today, traditional methods can only produce brown sugar, and even if the color is not pure, it is already in short supply and commands a high price. Siam was one of the top brown sugar buyers during the Zhaode Dynasty, purchasing thousands of tons of brown sugar from there every year.

Meng Qingci and Nalong Tirasha were old friends, and this wasn't the first time they'd tried to sneak in their own stuff, so she showed him a sample of white sugar.

Upon seeing the pure white, crystal-clear sugar granules, Tirasa's eyes widened instantly, almost astonished, and she was so excited that she wanted to kneel down and lick her toes.

He grabbed her and made her sign the contract. Even after the contract was finalized, he was still full of resentment. The share of only 300 tons was far too little. He repeatedly told Meng Qingci that the share given to others should not be more than his.

The two met by chance at the dock today. Narong Thirasa's most pressing concern was to confirm the sale of the three hundred tons of sugar in person. If he could secure this sugar supply and bring it back to Siam, his standing in the eyes of his family and even the royal family would undoubtedly rise significantly, elevating his status to a higher level.

Chen Junyan didn't press too hard. Only after a few rounds of drinks did he casually steer the conversation towards white sugar: "Zimin has something good, yet he didn't let his elder brother see it first. It's truly disheartening. To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that at my age, I only know about brown sugar and have never even heard of white sugar."

His tone was serious and formal, but his words were laced with teasing.

Meng Qingci could only try to make amends, saying, "I originally wanted to find a suitable time to discuss this with you in detail, but I haven't had the chance. You've gotten ahead of me. If you want to see the white sugar, it's not difficult. I'll have someone deliver it to your residence personally for you to taste."

Intelligent people don't need to spell things out. Chen Junyan had asked Meng Qingci before why she was buying so much sugarcane, so he must have found out a bit about it beforehand and probably already had a guess in his mind. He probably came to find him today specifically.

Chen Junyan nodded, toying with the wine glass in his hand, but asked cryptically, "I wonder if this sugar was made by you, my brother, or by your wife?"

Outsiders wouldn't usually ask about this, but Chen Junyan kept calling him "brother" and "brother," so when he spoke up, and with Naron Tirasha present, Meng Qingci couldn't very well refuse him. Seeing that Tirasha also couldn't hide his curiosity, she chuckled and replied perfunctorily, "I obtained it by chance from a fragment of an ancient book. I never expected that my wife's craftsmen would be able to recreate it. It was truly unexpected."

Meng Qingci meant to tell Chen Junyan that this matter had nothing to do with the Cen family, so they did not intend to follow the Cen family's path. This was a separate venture that he and his wife were starting from scratch.

Chen Junyan nodded knowingly: "Then I won't stand on ceremony with Zimin. Given our relationship, asking for 70% of your production shouldn't be too much to ask."

Seeing that Chen Junyan's gaze was intense and not joking, Tirasa couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement, thinking to herself: This Seventh Master Chen really has a lot of confidence and appetite, actually asking for 70% right off the bat. Thinking about his pitiful 300-ton share, this 40% really makes him very envious.

When Meng Qingci saw that Chen Junyan didn't even discuss the price and directly set the price, he knew that he represented the Chen family and Fu Heng, agreeing to her smuggling sugar with foreign merchants and making a profit from it. However, the price was that the Chen family would become her sugar agents and take over all her sugar smuggling business.

"That's great! With Seventh Brother protecting me, it saves me a lot of trouble." Meng Qingci agreed without hesitation, raising her wine glass: "This glass is a toast to Seventh Brother. Cheers!" With that, she tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.

Although sugar is not as valuable as grain or salt, it is still a scarce commodity. She purchased a large quantity of sugarcane and produced white sugar of even better quality. Chen Junyan did not steal the formula; he just wanted to get involved. He can already be considered a benevolent and righteous person.

She went along with it and got on the Chen family's bandwagon, which was better than the Cen family clan later coveting the formula in their possession. At that point, even if Zhu Youyi's uncle wanted to protect them, he would likely be powerless to do so in the face of enormous profits and power.

Naron Tirasha was somewhat surprised to see the two men settle the matter so casually, mentioning things like "walls turning to dust."

Tirasak admired Jin Yunnian's vision and courage even more. He had been traveling between Siam and the Zhaode Dynasty with the caravan since he was a teenager. Not only had he never seen an interpreter like Jin Yunnian who could get along well with various foreign merchants, but he had also never seen an interpreter who had reached Jin Yunnian's position.

"I told you today was a good day, let's drink to our hearts' content." Tirasa happily raised his glass, at least he had a direct source of the goods.

Chen Junyan thoughtfully placed a dish of food on Jin Yunnian's plate, his affection evident without being spoken. Then, he calmly deflected the wine cup offered by Nalong Tirasha, saying gently, "Zimin has a low alcohol tolerance; who in the city doesn't know he's always been afraid of his wife? Let's not make things difficult for him. Since you're in such a good mood today, I'll drink with you until you're satisfied."

After saying that, he glanced at Jin Yunnian with a meaningful look in his eyes, concealing his burning passion within them.

Meng Qingci put down her wine glass, her lips twitching almost imperceptibly. She couldn't tell whether Chen Junyan's words were out of consideration or a deliberate attempt to belittle her.

Others might gossip behind her back that she was a henpecked husband, a trait she had deliberately cultivated for her current status, and she pretended not to know. Chen Junyan, however, brazenly pointed out her "henpecked" reputation to her face. She didn't show it on her face, but inwardly she chuckled twice.

Meng Qingci was surprised that Chen Junyan actually kept his word. She really couldn't understand his actions. He really did drag Tirasa down with him until they were completely drunk. Tirasa, who had a good alcohol tolerance, couldn't handle it and made an excuse to pee and slipped away. Meng Qingci watched from the side, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Chen Junyan himself was in no better shape; he was passed out on the table, completely drunk and unconscious. Meng Qingci looked around and realized that none of his servants or attendants were with him.

Meng Qingci summoned the waiter and asked him, only to learn that Chen Junyan had sent people out on business long ago and they had not yet returned.

Meng Qingci felt exhausted and couldn't very well leave Chen Junyan alone again, not knowing how long she would have to wait. Helpless, she summoned Yan Jiang and instructed him to help Chen Junyan into her carriage, intending to send him back to the Chen residence first.

Yan Jiang was quick and efficient; he immediately carried the person steadily on his back and put him into the car.

Normally, Meng Qingci could travel alone in the carriage, which was quite spacious, but now that there was another person, it felt extremely cramped. The wheels rolled over the stone road, swaying and rocking, which only deepened the unspoken unease in the carriage.

As the carriage swayed, Chen Junyan, who had been dozing against the side of the carriage, suddenly lost his balance and fell towards Meng Qingci, his forehead resting heavily on Meng Qingci's shoulder, with a tendency to slide down. Meng Qingci had no choice but to reach out and half-support, half-embrace Chen Junyan.

Chen Junyan buried his face in the crook of her neck, his warm lips accidentally brushing against a sliver of skin peeking out from her collar. In the dimly lit carriage, in a corner completely out of Meng Qingci's sight, the corners of Chen Junyan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, revealing a triumphant smile.

Although he was over twenty and still unmarried, he was not an ignorant young man. At this moment, he entrusted his mountain-like weight to her. The soft, boneless touch and the faintly visible warm curves beneath her clothes made it all clear to him.

The faint, elusive fragrance lingered around his nose, and Chen Junyan sighed inwardly: No wonder, no wonder.

No wonder Miss Cen was in such a hurry to take her away that day; she was afraid that she would reveal her secrets in front of her while drunk. The two of them had a deep relationship, and Miss Cen was very protective of her, not even letting the servants get close to her.

No wonder that Lord Gu stayed at the Maritime Trade Office and refused to leave. Today at the dock, he was reluctant to part with her. It turns out that the two of them were not lovers at all!

It must be admitted, her disguise was truly exquisite. Chen Junyan dared to assert that neither the seasoned Hongxiao nor the young opera singer infatuated with her would likely see through her true identity. What a masterful, almost supernaturally clever little swindler!

Meng Qingci was nearly knocked to the side by Chen Junyan's weight. She was not a good-tempered person to begin with, and now that she saw that he was "so drunk that he was unconscious," she was even less inclined to play the role of "good brother." She simply stepped aside and let Chen Junyan fall on the couch without any support. She then turned around nimbly and moved to the opposite seat, ignoring him completely.

Chen Junyan was pulled away by her sudden withdrawal, causing him to lose his balance and nearly fall straight off the couch. He secretly thought to himself, this girl is truly cold-hearted and ruthless.

He naturally dared not act rashly under the guise of drunkenness again, and simply closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He thought that now that he knew, there was still a long way to go, and he would eventually make her willingly follow him.

She couldn't help but wonder, what was her true identity? Why did she pretend to be a married couple with Miss Cen? And whose child was it? She was filled with intense curiosity and anxiety.

On the one hand, he admired her as a woman with remarkable business acumen, no less than any man. If he could marry her in the future, with such beauty, what more could Chen Junyan ask for in this life? He would certainly never fail her.

Gu Yuchen lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage, pausing in front of the Minzhou Governor's Office. He slightly raised his head, his calm gaze sweeping over the plaque hanging high above the gate; the three gilded characters "Governor's Residence" appeared solemn and dignified in the sunlight.

He stared blankly at the plaque, feeling empty and numb even though he had only been away from Guangzhou for a few days.

Before he could think it through, Fu Heng came out to greet him personally. His usually cold and stern face softened a little, and he said in a tone that was both affectionate and slightly reproachful, "Huaixu, you are really hard to invite. I don't know what rare scenery in Guangzhou could hold you back so much that you have even left the capital behind. If you hadn't come soon, I would have really thought that you were planning to settle down in Guangzhou."

"I apologize for your concern, Senior Brother. It was my fault." Gu Yuchen apologized with a smile, his tone gentle but with a subtle distance in his voice. He said perfunctorily, "It's not a glamorous place. It's just that the capital is too turbulent for me, so I took advantage of official business to find some peace and quiet at your place. I didn't expect it to last so long. I'm sorry to have made you laugh."

This was merely an excuse, and Fu Heng knew it perfectly well, but he didn't expose it. His subordinates would investigate on their own. So he let it go and welcomed the man into the mansion. While exchanging pleasantries, he subtly and secretly assessed his 'junior brother'.

Speaking of which, the last time the two met was more than two years ago at the spring banquet at the residence of the Grand Princess of Le'an. At that time, he and Meng Qingci hid inside the artificial hill, while Gu Huaixu stood outside the artificial hill, separated by a patch of rugged rocks, angrily confronting Princess Changning.

After driving away the group of noble ladies, he turned around and carefully apologized to Meng Qingci outside the artificial hill. Fu Heng still remembers that scene vividly.

His junior brother was a truly good-natured and gentlemanly man. Ah, that was the first time Fu Heng had seen Gu Huaixu, this true gentleman, embarrass a woman in public. He was also surprised that his junior brother, who was usually clueless about matters of the heart, spoke softly to Meng Qingci, as if afraid of disturbing or offending the beauty.

He found it hard to reconcile the image of his "junior brother"—a man so upright he was almost stubborn, who dared to speak out against powerful figures in the main hall—with the "Gu Huaixu" who had discussed gunpowder and secret formulas with him in their letters, offering insightful and profound observations.

Regardless of whether he was unaware that Gu Huaixu possessed such an unknown talent, even if Gu Huaixu truly had such talent, as the leader of the Qingliu faction, Grand Tutor Gu would never allow his eldest son, who was to inherit his mantle, to be tainted by such craftsmanship, thus degrading himself and becoming a mere dabbler in whimsical and frivolous skills.

Not to mention, in this exchange of letters, Gu Huaixu not only discussed with him the current chaotic situation in the world, with the various warlords vying to make their moves, but also took the initiative to offer him strategies to break the deadlock through cunning and tactics. Such skill and vision far surpassed that of the straightforward and simple junior brother he remembered.

However, when Fu Heng thought of his beloved wife, whose fate was still unknown, he couldn't help but feel a piercing pain in his heart, like a wound that never heals. The slightest touch was like a bone-deep wound, instantly overwhelming Fu Heng's doubts and inquiries about Gu Huaixu's change.

Fu Heng hosted a banquet to welcome Gu Huaixu. During the banquet, he introduced his trusted generals and strategists one by one, and everyone drank and chatted happily.

Fu Heng's subordinate general Zhang Yue excitedly raised his glass to toast Gu Yuchen: "I have long admired Lord Gu's reputation. It is my great honor to meet you today! I am a rough man and do not know how to say nice things, so I will drink three cups to show my respect!"

Zhang Yue had long admired the genius who could develop incredibly powerful gunpowder. Now that he had finally met him, he was so nervous that his palms were sweating profusely, completely forgetting that Gu Huaixu was a frail scholar whom he usually looked down upon.

The strategist Xie Luan was a thin, old man. He waved his bald feather fan idly and sneered, "You brute, you do have some self-awareness, knowing you're a boor. How can you get yourself drunk at a welcoming banquet to entertain guests? What a joke, you've disgraced our lord."

Zhang Yue downed three cups in a row, his face flushed red. Hearing this, he retorted angrily, "It's better than your mouth being full of sour and rotten words the moment you open it! Lord Gu hasn't said anything, why are you meddling in other people's business?"

Xie Luan retorted calmly, "When I see injustice on the road, I naturally have to speak up. If you do this, will Lord Gu ask you for a few cups back? Do you even know how to behave? You're a complete idiot."

Zhang Yue was even angrier: "What's wrong with that? I think you're the one who's deliberately stirring things up! Don't think I don't know what kind of wicked scheme you're plotting, you old geezer, you're wicked to the core!"

Gu Yuchen raised his glass at the opportune moment to smooth things over: "I am deeply grateful for your hospitality today. As I am new to Minzhou, it is only right that I offer you all a toast. I will drink first as a sign of respect." After saying this, Gu Huaixu calmly drank it all.

Seeing that Gu Huaixu not only didn't look down on him as a brute like that old man Xie Luan did, but also came to his rescue, Zhang Yue looked at him gratefully, and his goodwill towards Gu Huaixu deepened even further.

"I am honored that Lord Gu thinks so highly of me." Xie Luan squinted his small eyes, smiled with satisfaction, picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, no longer paying attention to Zhang Yue. This fool, since ancient times, scholars and warriors have been incompatible. Zhang Yue doesn't even understand such a simple principle. He probably won't even know how he died in the future.

Zhang Yue's boss couldn't stand it anymore and pulled him aside, scolding him in a low voice: "Alright, you always get played by that old man Xie, and you never seem to learn your lesson."

Zhang Yue was taken aback, and asked blankly, "What...what did he trick me out of this time?"

Fu Heng remained indifferent, observing from the sidelines, but inwardly he was astonished to find that Gu Huaixu's temperament was so different from before.

Master Xuanqing was also present at the banquet. He sat quietly in a corner, stroking his beard, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Huaixu's face. He nodded slightly from time to time, thinking to himself: This young man possesses the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, a sign of great fortune and the ability to turn misfortune into good luck. With him assisting our lord, what worries could we have about the success of our great undertaking? Our lord's rule over the world is just around the corner.

After several rounds of drinks, when the guests were all in high spirits and the banquet was about to end, Fu Heng tried to persuade Gu Huaixu to stay at the governor's mansion.

Gu Huaixu politely declined Fu Heng's invitation to stay overnight. He had already sent someone ahead to prepare a residence in Minzhou City, and did not want to live under Fu Heng's nose and be spied on and interfered with.

Fu Heng then went with him, readily agreeing to have a carriage prepared for their departure, while secretly sending spies to accompany them. As far as he was concerned, as long as Gu Huaixu was still in Minzhou City, it made no difference whether he stayed on East Street or West Alley.

Meanwhile, Meng Qingci went back and carefully reviewed the formula Gu Yuchen had given her, making sure to prioritize it. She was ready to make a big splash in her career, thinking that once she was richer than a country, even if Fu Heng became emperor, he wouldn't be able to do anything to her.

During the Qin Dynasty, Ba Qing was a widow, but because she was incredibly wealthy, the emperor treated her with great respect and even allowed her to raise a private army. Meng Qingci believed that there was nothing that money couldn't solve.

Meng Qingci's business empire is progressing rapidly, while Fu Heng, thanks to Gu Yuchen, is maximizing the power of his gunpowder.

Several months later, Datong Prefecture, Shandong Prefecture, and Henan Prefecture attacked the capital together. Fu Heng also prepared to wait until both sides were exhausted before sending troops to reap the benefits.

With the army about to set off, in the study of the governor's mansion, Mo Jian stood bowing before the desk, presenting the secret reports he had recently gathered: "Upon arriving in Guangzhou, Lord Gu immediately became acquainted with the interpreter Jin Yunnian, and they have been in close contact ever since. It has also been discovered that Jin Yunnian was the son-in-law of the eldest daughter of the Cen family, who married into the family more than two years ago. The couple are a harmonious couple and have a son who is now two years old."

Fu Heng's expression remained unchanged as he lightly tapped his fingertips on the table. He had no interest in a mere interpreter and said with slight impatience, "Report the most important information."

Mo Jian lowered his head slightly, not daring to look at Fu Heng. His voice stammered for a moment before he tried to speak in a flat and straightforward manner: "Upon investigation, this Miss Cen is actually the eldest daughter of the Zhu family who sold her property and left Fujian years ago. Now that she is registered in her maternal uncle's family genealogy, she has changed her surname to Cen."

Two years ago, Miss Zhu, under the name of the Cen family, rested and conceived at a manor outside Guangzhou, rarely venturing out and seeing anyone, until she gave birth to a son ten months later. Her husband, Jin Yunnian, was fluent in foreign languages ​​and had a small reputation in Shanghai. He was a very adept socialite. He maintained close ties with various foreign merchants and often frequented brothels with wealthy and powerful families. He was particularly fond of sensual pleasures and especially loved singing and dancing…

-----------------------

Author's Note: Thanks for waiting! This is a two-part update; I'll continue tomorrow.