"Fortunately, the gold, silver, valuables, and antiques were delivered to you in advance. You don't know, while those bandits could be kept out, the officials and yamen runners were even worse! They ransacked the house, taking away many of the worthless vases!" Li Huyu gritted her teeth in anger when she recalled what she had experienced.
Bai Manshan patted his wife's hand and sighed, "Merchants are still the lowest of the low. The common people don't fight with officials. Just consider it a loss to avoid disaster. As long as our family's foundation is not shaken, it's fine."
When I was with the Bai family, my mind was at peace.
Even if those bandits really broke in, at least Qian'er wouldn't be there, and if those officials broke in, the Bai family's gold and silver treasures would also be gone.
Fan Jin sighed silently.
Shui Qing thought to herself, "If only you could become imperial merchants."
They are both merchants, but those with the word "emperor" in their names are those who work for the emperor, and their status and position naturally rise accordingly.
Bai Manshan's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. Then he sighed deeply: "I've thought about it before, but becoming a royal merchant is too difficult! It's not just about having money. To put it bluntly, when a dynasty is just starting out, you have to provide them with military supplies, the most important of which is food. Only then can you build merit and gain their trust!"
"Imperial merchants are all appointed by the emperor himself, and they will have direct access to the imperial court. They are both wealthy and powerful. To be honest, the Bai family's silver is among the best in Nanjing and even in the whole of Guangdong, but their ability to supply provisions is somewhat lacking. After the country became peaceful, I gave up on this idea."
Shui Qing thought that the war between the Prince of Yan and the new emperor was an opportunity, but it wasn't something they could just wish for. Neither the Prince of Yan nor the new emperor were people like them who could just see each other whenever they wanted.
She then asked, "Are you planning to take some or all of the assets you've left here back with you this time?"
Bai Manshan shook his head: "I'm not bringing any of them."
Shui Qing blinked, thinking she had misheard.
Li Huyu explained to her, "There's still some money left in the house, enough to cover daily expenses."
"Everything is in chaos right now. Although the Bai family hasn't reached the point of selling off shops and land at rock-bottom prices like other families, they don't plan to acquire anything either. There's no need for a large sum of money, so we'll have to trouble you to hold onto this money for a while."
Shui Qing's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "Are there many shops being sold off in Nandu? And at very low prices?"
"It's not just low, it's a bargain price, the lowest it's ever been! Think about it, with floods and wars, antiques are valued in prosperous times and gold in chaotic times. Shops are no exception. They can't be rented out and can't be taken away, so they have to think about selling them to turn them into silver."
"If things get chaotic, the silver can be taken away at any time; otherwise, it's just a pile of bricks." Li Huyu could understand the mentality of those who sold their shops. Not every family had extra money; only with gold and silver in hand could they feel secure.
Shui Qing asked without hesitation, "How much are the shops and land?"
Li Huyu realized that Shui Qing wanted to buy it.
She looked at her husband with worry. She didn't understand business, but everyone was selling now. Was it worth it for Shuiqing to buy now?
If war breaks out later, people can only run away, but the shops can't be taken with them, and all that money will be wasted.
Shui Qing couldn't very well say that she knew the war would be over in about three years, and besides, this place was usually a place of exile, not a strategic location that any military strategist would fight over. In other words, it was relatively safe.
“My idea is that floods don’t happen often, especially one as severe as last year’s, which is a once-in-a-lifetime event. And the war will end sooner or later. Once it ends, Nandu will become prosperous again. Our herbal medicine shop has earned some money, so we can take this opportunity to buy a shop.”
Li Huyu's eyes widened, and she blurted out, "When did you open a herbal medicine shop?"
How could she not know?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
