Chapter 219 When it comes to being a person, it's always better to be a little more cunning.
Li Nanke sighed, "It's a pity that this prosthetic limb is too heavy, making it difficult to walk. I wish it were lighter."
Huang Sheng blurted it out.
"What's so difficult about that? Just replace the iron frame with wood, and it will be much lighter."
"Made of wood?"
Huang Sheng nodded, "When I went to sea before, I saw that the prosthetics people wore overseas were made of wood, which were much lighter."
Li Nanke: "Then I'll have someone go and ask again tomorrow if it can be changed to wood."
After a pause, recalling Huang Sheng's earlier words, he asked, "Master Huang, you've been to sea before?"
Huang Sheng nodded, explaining to Li Nanke in detail the benefits and risks of going overseas, since he had also taught her business for a period of time.
"Of course, the first pot of gold of my Huang family was earned by going to sea. We bought two ships and went to sea, taking our Great Chu's silk, tea and porcelain to foreign lands."
After selling them at a high price, bring back the rare items from overseas, which can also be sold at a high price in the Great Chu.
Both trips involved buying low and selling high, making it extremely profitable. However, sea voyages are too risky; if they encountered pirates, they would not only lose everything but also risk losing their lives.
Li Nanke asked curiously, "Has Master Huang ever encountered pirates?"
Huang Sheng shook his head.
"I was lucky; I only made two trips and returned safely. But many of the merchants who went to sea with me died at sea."
Over the years, apart from the Chen family's ships, pirates have hardly dared to touch them. The remaining passing ships rely entirely on luck. After weighing the options, I felt the risks were too high, so I switched to other businesses.”
Li Nanke looked completely bewildered.
"The Chen family? You mean the Chen family of Quanzhou, known as the 'Chen family of half the city'?"
Huang Shengdao said, "That's right, it's his family. The Chen family made their fortune in maritime trade, and they control all the maritime trade in the Quanzhou and Fuzhou area."
The Chen family also had its own naval escort fleet, which was extremely brave, so pirates dared not plunder the Chen family's fleet.
However, in recent years I've heard that the Chen family has also begun expanding their business into the interior, and even has a business in Bianjing (Kaifeng).
Li Nanke couldn't help but feel a longing after hearing this.
For a merchant to expand their business to the point where it flourishes everywhere and no one dares to bully them, how wealthy must the Chen family be!
Huang Sheng said, "This is no longer just a matter of having abundant financial resources. With businesses all over the country, it means that the Chen family has its own powerful intelligence and resource channels."
Li Nanke's heart stirred.
Yes, intelligence is absolutely crucial!
Her father didn't want to become an official in the court, and although she had managed to curry favor with Shen Cong, she knew very little about him.
For example, the disturbance that startled the horse, and the clandestine activities of Marquis Anping and Li Yao...
She could only find out what she wanted to know by asking those around her little by little.
Without any news, she'll be in a very passive position no matter what she does!
Li Nanke had a vague idea in his mind and asked Huang Sheng, "Master Huang, my mother gave me two small shops before."
"If I want to gather more information through business like the Chen family, what kind of shop should I open?"
Huang Sheng did not answer her immediately. He rubbed the scar on his left eye and asked her in return, "That depends on what kind of intelligence you want to collect."
The martial arts world? The common people? Or... the imperial court?
Li Nanke grinned.
I want them all!
Huang Sheng was taken aback.
Zhou Huai'an, who was struggling to adapt to his new legs and slowly practicing walking, stopped and looked shocked.
"You little rascal, you're so young, but you've got quite the mind."
Li Nanke puffed out his cheeks, wrinkling them like a steamed bun.
"That's because Grandpa Zhou didn't know what I would encounter in the future. If Grandpa Zhou knew, he would think that I wasn't ambitious enough."
Zhou Huai'an disagreed.
“Children who have too many thoughts are not likely to grow tall. The life of the daughter of a marquis is already much better than that of ordinary people.”
Li Nanke waved his hand.
"Oh dear, Grandpa Zhou wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you. You should just go practice walking."
Zhou Huai'an...
How could a little kid have such big ideas?
Aren't you afraid something might happen?
Zhou Huai'an continued practicing, still looking worried.
Li Nanke and Huang Sheng continued their discussion, "Does Master Huang also think I have too many thoughts?"
Huang Sheng sneered.
"Don't listen to that old Zhou's pedantic advice. The worst thing for a businessman is to lack focus. As a person, it's better to have more thought."
However, you can't get fat in one bite. Having big ambitions is a good thing, but you need to take it one step at a time.
Therefore, the first step is to determine which piece of intelligence is most important to you at the moment.
"Naturally, it's news from officials in the imperial court."
For example, the couple Song Hui and Zhao Hong, the Xue family, and the Han family...
Huang Sheng: "It's not difficult to find out the movements of officials in the court. The first step is to establish an intelligence network."
"Think about what kind of business everyone needs, that even high-ranking officials in the imperial court can't escape?"
Li Nanke blurted out, "Of course, it's clothing, food, shelter, and transportation!"
As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes suddenly lit up.
“I’ve got it! I want to open an embroidery workshop, a workshop that makes custom-made clothing for high-end families. The embroiderers in the workshop can come to your home to make custom orders, or they can accept customers coming to their home to make custom orders.”
No matter how high-ranking an official is, the women in his household still need to wear clothes. What do you think of my idea, Master Huang, if we could use this embroidery workshop to connect the inner quarters of an official's residence?
Huang Sheng gave her a thumbs up.
"No matter how powerful an official is outside, he will relax when he returns home, and his behavior will often reveal a lot."
The inner quarters contained the mistress, concubines, servants, and maids, making it a place with many people and a lot of gossip, and the easiest place to gather information.
By observing a single detail, we can see the whole picture; by meticulously analyzing these complex internal documents, we can extract the information we need.
Li Nanke grinned, smiling happily.
"Master Huang, do you think my idea is feasible?"
"feasible!"
Li Nanke clapped her hands and said, "Then it's decided. Tomorrow, Master Huang will help me deal with my mother's two shops."
Sell it, then sell it back under an alias, making sure no one can find out that I'm the owner.
Huang Sheng readily agreed.
With a clear direction, Li Nanke felt much more at ease and enjoyed his dinner exceptionally well.
Just after finishing dinner, Li Mu hurriedly returned carrying his painting basket.
When he entered, his face was pale, and beads of sweat were streaming down his forehead.
He was panting heavily, clearly having run a long way.
"Is Ke'er alright? I heard she got a fright from her horse, so I rushed back as fast as I could..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw the fist-sized bump on Li Nanke's forehead and the blood-red wound.
His eyes immediately turned red, and he gritted his teeth and rushed out.
"The Xue family! They injured my daughter! I'll never let the Xue family off the hook!"
Song Yi grabbed him.
"Where are you going so late? Are you going to storm the Xue family's place and start a fight?"
Li Mu gritted his teeth, but his mind remained perfectly clear.
"Fight? Charging in to fight like that would just be suicide!"
"I am going to write an impeachment memorial and submit it to His Majesty. I demand that His Majesty uphold justice and make the Xue family pay the price!"
Without even finishing his meal, he headed to the study.
Li Nanke jumped off the chair and reached out to hug Li Mu's arm.
“Father, I don’t think it’s necessarily the Xue family.”
"I heard that Bianjing Prefecture has found all the witnesses and the perpetrators have already committed suicide by jumping into the lake. It must be them!"
Li Nanke shook his head.
"I sent Zilan to inquire about some things this afternoon, Father, please listen to her first."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
