When Pei Yang first started looking at the nautical chart, he was still a bit nonchalant because he had seen many nautical charts before, but the more he looked, the more serious his expression became.
Is there something wrong with this picture?
Although Yu Tang was confident in her own judgment, she was facing Pei Yan, who passed the imperial examination at a young age and had observed politics in the six ministries in the capital. Pei Yan was knowledgeable and experienced, so she couldn't help but doubt herself.
Pei Yan took a breath of cool air in secret.
He examined the picture carefully again.
Yu Tang couldn't help it, and said tremblingly: "Third Elder, this map..."
Pei Yan dropped the concave-convex mirror in his hand onto the copied painting, frowned, and walked to the small round table next to the desk with a serious expression. He pointed to the armchair next to the round table and said, "Let's sit down and talk."
Yu Wen and Yu Tang couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances, then sat down cautiously.
Pei Yan personally poured a cup of tea for the father and daughter, and then said to them in a deep voice: "Can you tell me again the details of how you discovered this map?"
Yu Wen looked at Pei Yan's expression and knew that this matter was very likely to be very important. He did not dare to exaggerate, and was afraid that his unclear explanation would affect Pei Yan's judgment. He pointed at Yu Tang and said, "Did you discover this matter? You should come and explain it to the Third Elder."
Yu Tang organized his words and recounted the entire incident in detail.
During this time, Pei Yan listened very attentively.
The statements of the father and daughter were similar, which shows that it was purely accidental for the Yu family to discover this matter.
In other words, the Li family knew that there was something wrong with the painting.
This also involves the Peng family in Fu'an.
Pei Yan waited until Yu Tang finished speaking, thought for a moment, and said, "I originally thought this was just an ordinary map. Since your family doesn't want to get involved in this dispute, I came up with an idea that can help your family out of trouble - take out this map, and let the Pei family be the client to auction it off for you, and the highest bidder wins. Your family can get some money, and you can get rid of this matter legitimately. This can also be regarded as a reward for Mr. Yu's good deeds."
Yu Tang's eyes brightened when he heard this.
Master Pei San’s idea is really great!
Instead of hiding it and making people suspect that they already know the content of the map, it is better to auction it publicly and let those who are capable, powerful and can protect themselves get it. If you have the ability, go and cause trouble for them, don't bully the Yu family.
The Yu family is just an ordinary merchant.
But hearing Pei Yan's tone, it seems that I can't do that now.
Yu Tang was anxious and couldn't help interrupting Pei Yan, saying anxiously, "Why doesn't it work now? Third Master, you are really amazing. You came up with such a good idea in a blink of an eye."
She flattered him willingly.
If the Pei family is willing to act as a middleman and help them auction this map, they can completely get out of it. Moreover, the people who have the ability to bid for this map cannot be an unknown family. Even if they are not as prominent as the Peng family in Fu'an, they are probably not that easy to mess with.
The Li family will be in trouble then.
The publicity map that they had worked so hard to obtain was no longer unique, so what else could they show to the Peng family?
She looked at Pei Yan eagerly.
Yu Wen also looked at Pei Yan eagerly and said, "Is there something wrong with this painting? Although this painting was copied by someone, the copyist's craftsmanship is very good, and he also secretly stamped it with his own seal."
What if something goes wrong? I wonder if the money-giving master will still be of use?
Pei Yan was surprised that he had accidentally left a suspense. He smiled and said, "It's not that there is anything wrong with this map, but it is too precious. Whether to auction it or use it to invest in a store, you have to make the decision."
Isn't this smile a little too brilliant?
At that moment, it was as if the ice and snow melted and the earth came back to life. His entire face seemed to be glowing, so handsome that people could not look directly at him.
Yu Tang looked at Pei Yan's face and it took him a while to come back to his senses.
This time he must have really laughed.
How lucky I am to see Pei Yan's sincere smile twice in one day.
Yu Tang was amazed in his heart, not daring to think too much, and looked at his father.
My father looked dazed, as if the news had hit him hard.
She hurriedly called out "Dad".
Yu Wen was startled, and his mind started to work again.
The Yu family was poor, and the map was too precious. In their hands, it was like a three-year-old child wielding a sword. They couldn't even lift it. They would either cut others or themselves. Judging from the current situation, the probability of them being cut was much greater than the probability of cutting others.
Yu Wen immediately made a decision. He said, "Third Elder, what kind of map is this? How can it be as valuable as you said? If we still ask the Pei family to be the middleman as you said, can we sell this map?"
Pei Yan was quite surprised, but his eyes fell on Yu Tang.
He knew that the eldest daughter of the Yu family was very opinionated and Yu Wen might not be able to control her.
Yu Tang agreed with his father's decision.
Eat as much rice as your bowl allows.
People who eat from the bowl while looking at the pot usually don't have a good ending.
Although she was also curious about how precious this map was, the most important thing was how to pull the Yu family out of this tornado-like incident and ensure the safety of the whole family.
Yu Tang quickly nodded towards Pei Yan and expressed his opinion.
Pei Yan smiled self-deprecatingly.
He suddenly knew why he was willing to help the Yu family.
It’s not that Miss Yu is beautiful, nor that Yu Wen is open-minded, but that the people in the Yu family have always seen things clearly.
Even if you are extremely rich, you have to be able to bear it.
He has seen too many people who have lost their way in the clouds of power.
Including himself when he was young.
This is the most precious thing of the Yu family.
Especially Miss Yu - Yu Wen has such a character, which is related to his age and experience, as can be seen from the fact that he no longer takes the examination, which is not surprising. But Miss Yu, who is so young, also has such a broad mind and bearing, which makes people look at her with new eyes.
He looked at Yu Tang deeply and decided to help the Yu family again in this matter.
"Although it is all maritime business, do you know that there are several types of maritime business?" Pei Yan put away his joking heart and said seriously, "There are three maritime customs offices in the current dynasty, one is Ningbo, one is Quanzhou, and one is Guangzhou. The routes of ships on the sea are either to Suruk, Siam or Ceylon, but your map shows a route to Daqin."
Yu Wen and Yu Tang felt dizzy after hearing this and looked at each other in bewilderment.
Where is Surug? Where is Ceylon? Is the Caliphate important?
Yu Tang didn't want his father to lose face in front of Pei Yan, so he spoke before his father could say anything: "Third Master, what do you mean by this? Are there few ships going to the Arab Empire? So this map is very valuable?"
"No!" Pei Yan saw that the father and daughter didn't understand these things, and explained carefully, "The fleets of our dynasty, whether they are going to Sulu or Siam, ultimately hope to sell these things to the Caliphate. Because the Caliphate is a very rich kingdom. In the past, none of us knew how to go directly to the Caliphate, so we could only sell goods to Sulu, Siam and other places, and then their merchants would sell the goods to the Caliphate. Your map is a new route, a route we wanted to go to before but never could. And this route goes from Guangzhou, which makes it even more precious."
Yu Wen and his daughter still didn't understand.
Pei Yan told them, "The court has tried to close the sea several times because of the Japanese pirates. In particular, the Ningbo and Quanzhou Maritime Customs Offices have been closed once each. Recently, some court officials have proposed to abolish the Maritime Customs Offices in these two places. If the court approves, the Maritime Customs Offices in these two places may be abolished again. The fleets will have to go through Guangzhou. Tell me, is this picture of yours precious or not?"
Yu Wen and Yu Tang both widened their eyes.
In other words, their home is in greater danger.
The father and daughter said in unison: "Sell it! Master Pei San, this map is up for sale."
Yu Wen even felt that the auction was not safe, so he changed his words and said, "Master Pei San, do you want to do business on the sea? Otherwise, how about I give you this map? We don't want money. Just consider it as a thank you gift for helping me find a doctor."
Pei Yan's face turned black.
He was trying to do good things, but it turned out to be robbery!
Yu Tang felt that his father's words were too blunt, like a scapegoat. She looked at Pei Yan again, whose face was dark. Her mind was spinning faster than ever before, and she spoke quickly, "Father, this is wrong. If Master Pei San wanted this map, he could have just traded with us directly. Why would he say that he would guarantee our family and auction this map?"
"Yes, yes!" Yu Wen then realized that he had said the wrong thing and smiled awkwardly at Pei Yan.
Yu Tang was afraid that Pei Yan would just give up and do nothing.
Only a family like the Pei family could possibly invite a powerful family as powerful as the Peng family to participate in the auction and ensure the safety of their family.
She kept saying nice things as if they were given away for free: "Third Master is not that kind of person! You don't know, I met Third Master when I went to Pei's pawnshop before..." She told Yu Wen about their several encounters.
Yu Wen was embarrassed and apologized to Pei Yan: "It's all because I spoke without thinking..."
Pei Yan looked at Yu Tang's rosy little mouth opening and closing, and felt as if there were hundreds of sparrows chirping around him, and his head even ached slightly.
He interrupted Yu Tang: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about the past anymore."
Yu Tang did not mention the past and continued to hold Pei Yan: "But I think what you said is really reasonable. The best way is to auction it. However, since this map is so precious, you say, can we ask people to copy a few more copies, and then auction them all off. I have heard from my great uncle since I was a child that the most taboo in doing business is to eat alone. If you eat alone, everyone will be jealous and will team up to deal with you. If more families do business together, they can't all be jealous, right?"
Pei Yan simply didn't know what to say.
This little girl is playing tricks on him.
If he is afraid that the Yu family cannot stay out of it, he should just say it directly. Why is he going through such a big detour just thinking of the Pei family? Is he, Pei Yan, going to take the blame?