Shen Qing's expression grew increasingly solemn as he read the letter.
Jiang Shen asked urgently, "What happened at the Nanxun warehouse?"
"It is said that a foreign comprador led a group to the warehouse today and directly seized the raw silk. Although our people drove them back, the factory manager is worried that the foreign comprador will bring people to cause trouble again in a few days and hopes to send more people to protect the warehouse."
Jiang Shen immediately stood up: "I'll go arrange the manpower right now!"
Shen Qing nodded: "Yes, send more people, the sooner the better!"
Jiang Shen rushed out the door, leaving behind a bowl of white rice that he had only eaten two mouthfuls of.
Su Lan looked back at his figure disappearing into the night, her expression uneasy.
Shen Qing comforted him, "It's alright. He's just arranging for a few people to go to Nanxun. He's not going there himself. We still need him here!"
Su Lan was relieved and picked up her chopsticks again.
After dinner, Shen Qing called Su Lan into the study.
"Master will be busy with the Chamber of Commerce and the weaving factory next, so the shop and down jacket factory will be handled by you. Are you capable of handling it?"
Su Lan lowered her eyes and said meekly, "It should be possible."
Shen Qing smiled and nodded: "Okay, your master believes in you. Focus on your work, and your master will arrange your marriage."
Su Lan thought Shen Qing wanted her to get married, and was startled. She raised her small face and said, "Master, Su Lan doesn't want to get married!"
Shen Qing laughed: "Don't want to get married? Then I can help Jiang Shen find a girl from another family."
"ah?"
Su Lan stared at Shen Qing in astonishment, her eyes quickly welling up with tears.
The little girl looked heartbroken.
Shen Qing got up and paced around the study with his hands behind his back.
“Master knows you like Jiang Shen, but Master thinks you are still too young. Although you can get married, Master hopes you will accumulate strength for a few more years and get married when you are more mature in body and mind.”
Tears streamed down Su Lan's face and fell to the ground with a soft patter.
She sniffed and asked, "So you're going to find another girl for Brother Jiang Shen?"
Shen Qing laughed: "No, Master was just joking!"
He walked over and patted Su Lan on the shoulder: "Master will try his best to keep an eye on Jiang Shen and prevent him from having a chance to hit it off with other girls. But fate is hard to predict. If Jiang Shen really falls for another girl, we have no reason to force him, don't you think?"
“Sulan understands everything, and Sulan will not force Brother Jiang Shen.”
Shen Qing was relieved: "If you wait two more years and he doesn't fall in love with anyone else, then he's yours. If he falls in love with someone else, then it means he doesn't belong to you."
Su Lan nodded with tears in her eyes.
Shen Qing told Su Lan to go back to her room to rest, and waited in the study until midnight for Jiang Shen to report.
"Twenty people have been arranged to work in two shifts to protect the Nanxun warehouse. They departed from Shanghai overnight and should arrive in Nanxun before dawn."
Shen Qing nodded and instructed, "I will go to Nanxun with He Fei early tomorrow morning. You and Su Lan should continue to recruit weavers outside the shop and protect Su Lan."
"Your subordinate understands!"
Jiang Shen was about to leave the study when Shen Qing remembered Su Lan's matter: "Wait a moment."
Jiang Shen paused.
Shen Qing looked at him and asked, "Do you have a girl you love in your heart?"
Jiang Shen lowered his head: "I don't have a girl I like."
Shen Qing was relieved and asked with a smile, "Then, shall I arrange your marriage?"
Jiang Shen was startled, looked up at him, then lowered his head again: "Mr. Cheng once said—people like us don't know what tomorrow will bring, and starting a family will only be a burden on our wives and children."
Shen Qing immediately stopped laughing and said indignantly, "But didn't he himself get engaged to Miss Liu? Oh, so he wants to get married himself, but he won't let you get married?"
Jiang Shen remained silent.
Shen Qing returned to his seat and said decisively, "You and He Fei, I'm the one paying your wages now. I'm your boss. You have absolutely nothing to do with Cheng Zhiwen! I run a legitimate business, so you can rest assured and get married and have children in the future!"
Jiang Shen bowed to her: "Thank you, Boss Shen. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Go."
The following day, Shen Qing and He Fei went to Nanxun.
As soon as they got off the carriage, they saw that the warehouse entrance was heavily guarded by four guards, and six more guards were patrolling the back door and the surrounding area.
Before entering the warehouse, Shen Qing glanced at the guards' lower backs and noticed that they all had bulges.
They were all armed.
She entered the warehouse without making a sound and whispered to He Fei, "Tell them to put away their guns and just put on knives. This is the warehouse of the raw silk merchants' association, which is backed by the Imperial Textile Bureau. If they fire here, it will implicate Lord Qi."
He Fei nodded and immediately ran to give instructions to the guards.
Shen Qing went to inspect the raw silk.
One shelf was already filled with raw silk delivered yesterday, and the bundles of raw silk looked crystal clear and golden.
Shen Qing opened a package, twirled the raw silk between his fingertips, and heard a pleasant rustling sound.
It's definitely a good product.
"Boss Shen! Boss Shen!" He Fei rushed in, "The foreign comprador is here again!"
Shen Qing tensed up and put the raw silk back: "Let's go!"
As she approached the door, she saw several young men in suits with short haircuts, all thin and dark-skinned, with toothpicks dangling from their lips, glaring menacingly at the warehouse.
Seeing her leave, he immediately stepped forward and yelled, "I heard you were the one who instigated the silk farmers to break their agreement with us and then stole the raw silk?"
Several people even tried to hit her, but He Fei kicked them away.
He Fei stood in front of Shen Qing, and the ten guards rushed over upon hearing the commotion, surrounding Shen Qing.
Knowing he was safe, Shen Qing calmly looked at the compradors and said loudly, "The agreements you tricked the silk farmers into signing are obviously unfair and have been ruled invalid by the Imperial Textile Bureau. If you have any objections, go to the Imperial Household Department! See how the court views your actions of shipping raw silk overseas in exchange for opium!"
The comprador choked, unable to utter a word.
They didn't expect that Shen Qing already knew about the silk-for-opium trade.
Shen Qing said indignantly, "If the imperial court finds out about your behavior, it will be a crime of treason, punishable by confiscation of property and beheading! You still dare to come here and ask me for raw silk? Get out of here!"
The leading comprador touched his nose and chuckled slyly, "We are employees of a British trading company in the concession. We purchase raw silk according to the company's regulations. Every bale of raw silk shipped out has a complete customs declaration process. The court wants to arrest us? That depends on whether the British agree!"
Shen Qing sneered: "You think the British would turn against the imperial court for the worthless lives of a few compradors like you? Who do you think you are! Even if a few of you die, the British will have countless more compradors they can use! You ungrateful bastards!"
The man's face immediately turned ugly.
Shen Qing hit him right where it hurts.
In the eyes of foreigners, these people are no different from dogs. They know best their own situation and their status in the eyes of foreigners.
Shen Qing glanced at these people disdainfully: "Go back and tell your foreign fathers—if you want raw silk, come and talk to me! Don't send you dogs out here to embarrass yourselves! Get out of here!"
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