Chapter 113
As Master Tinglai drove his carriage on the road, the leaders of the group went to the chieftain's mansion to ask for a meeting and asked Yunkai to fulfill his promise.
Yun Kai looked at their aggressive and greedy faces, raised an eyebrow slowly and asked curiously: "You are so anxious... do you have the goods?"
Everyone was speechless. They were just worried that Yun Kai would change his mind, so they wanted to get things done as soon as possible. Where would the goods come from?
Yun Kaiqing sighed, "The Han Chinese often say that you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. You haven't even seen the harvest yet and you're so anxious to ask me for this and that. I don't know what you're so anxious about. How about this! I don't know how to do this business anyway. I have some leftover goods in the mansion, and I can sell them to you at 40% of the market price. Make some money before the Water Splashing Festival so you can have a good time!"
Everyone secretly sighed that Yun Kai was very calculating. He made a profit from opium and collected taxes on it. So they were just busy for nothing just to help him clear out the inventory of the chieftain's mansion?
The head of the Shanggang Circle was always calculating, and he thought it would be a good idea to test the waters with the Tusi Mansion's goods. He said with gratitude, "Thank you, sir!"
Yun Kai responded with a smile: "You're welcome, it's my duty!"
The leader of the Shanggang Circle put on a sad face again and said, "Master, you have generously helped us out of our immediate need. We are extremely grateful. But to be honest, we simply cannot afford to buy the opium from the mansion."
Is this a plan to get something for nothing? Yun Kai was astonished at the shamelessness of the leader of the group.
"It doesn't matter if you can't come up with the money now. I'll be paid the same way once the goods are delivered. If you want the goods, just sign the IOU and we can leave at the next street."
The group was ecstatic when they heard they could buy on credit. Seeing Yun Kai's straightforwardness, the leader of the group hesitated.
Yun Kai remained calm, watching the others' joy without daring to express his opinion. He put down his crossed legs and the empty teacup in his hand and smiled nonchalantly: "You can think about it slowly. If you want to grow it yourself, it's fine. I'll do you a favor with this batch of goods and let the army have a taste of it first." After that, he stood up and walked out.
When the unemployed leader saw him leaving, he immediately called out to him, "Master..."
Yun Kai turned his back to them and raised his hand to stop them: "I have something else to do. If you have made up your mind, go find Feng Xiaosai directly."
The group looked at each other, then all turned to the leader of the Shanggang group. He stroked his beard and muttered, "Give whatever you need. Why do I feel like I'm falling into this brat's trap?"
The unemployed leader urged, "Hurry up and make a decision! If we're late and the master really gives this batch of goods to Meng Ning's soldiers, we'll be at a huge loss."
"We buy our opium from the Tusi Mansion, and they're responsible for sales. The profit margin is just a little lower, but it's a good business no matter how you look at it. We're not losing out no matter how you look at it. Don't you find it strange? The master must be itching to eat our flesh and drink our blood. How could he give us such a good job? He's so kind he's not even human, he's a Bodhisattva!"
Everyone knows that something is fishy going on, but this deal is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it. Who wouldn't want to take a risk and get this piece of meat?
After much deliberation, the leader of the group slapped his thigh and made up his mind: "Go ahead, I want to see what tricks this brat can come up with."
As the opium caravan set off, the leaders were riled with anxiety. Although they had each sent a member to join the caravan, the journey was long and arduous. If Han Yunkai sent his trusted confidants to do something treacherous along the way, wouldn't they lose everything?
The laid-off leader chewed betel nut and chuckled, "He dared to let us suffer, are we vegetarians? Eight or nine Mengquans, big and small, are they afraid of this little brat? So what if he signed an IOU? If we don't pay it back, he can still carry it to my house and rob it?"
While things were turbulent for Prime Minister Yun, Yun Kai was busy in his study, listening to Feng Xiaosai's report and practicing calligraphy.
"As you instructed, I personally delivered a message to the Mengquan tribes that supported you. Tell them to rest assured that they are loyal to you, and you will never forget them. The leaders wanted to come and pay their respects and express their loyalty, but I took it upon myself to refuse. These are turbulent times, so we should be cautious."
Yun Kai held up his pen and admired the two characters he had just written, "Feng Yun." The strokes were sharp and sharp, and he nodded with satisfaction: "You refused well. Too much talk can lead to leaks. As long as they know what's going on, that's enough."
The leaders of each Mengquan waited for two months with their necks stretched out, and finally Yang Laoliu's caravan returned. The leaders came to the door with signed IOUs.
Yun Kai was treating Yang Laoliu to a drink when he heard the chieftains arrive. His expression was impassive: "A bunch of vultures who can't stand the sight of bloodshed. They're so aggressive even when they're asking for money back. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were coming to the Tusi's mansion to collect a debt!" He ordered Feng Xiaosai: "You and the steward Tao, go deal with them. Call the people from the tax office and collect every penny of tax you ask for."
After Feng Xiaosai left, Yang Laoliu asked, "Master, why don't you go and take a look?"
Yun Kai twirled the wine glass in his hand with a sneer on his face: "What are you going to see? You can't expect a chieftain like me to go and weigh out the silver for them personally, right?"
Yang Laoliu was not in a position to respond, so he could only change the subject and said, "I have someone left in Lashio. When the second son of the Feng family arrives, I will help him clear out the goods and then take him to Siam."
Yun Kai personally held the pot and poured him wine: "Thank you for your hard work, Sixth Uncle. Don't worry, this opium business won't last long."
Yang Laoliu raised his glass quickly and said, "Master, you are embarrassing me. How can a mere horseman like me deserve to be called uncle? You should just call me Laoliu!"
Yun Kai held his hand and said with some sadness, "Sixth Uncle, are you going to treat me like this too? Even if it's not for Yue Ming's sake, I've been racing with you for so many years, and I remember your care for me. You deserve to be called uncle."
Speaking of Yueming, Yang Laoliu fell silent. When Lan Yingde left, he also wanted to go with him, but Lan Yingde scolded him for making trouble.
"Your family is settled here, so where else are you going? The Han family will use you more if I leave. Why would you ruin your future for me?"
He felt at ease staying because of Lan Yingde's words, but there was always a thorn in his heart. Lan Yingde treated him well, and it can be said that without Lan Yingde, Yang Laoliu would not be where he is today. But he did not stand with them, and he felt ashamed of his benefactor!
Yun Kai looked at Yang Laoliu's gloomy face and laughed at himself: "Sixth Uncle, you must look down on me in your heart, right? You are so treacherous and unmanly."
Yang Laoliu put down his wine glass and sighed, "I blamed you when Master Lan and the others first left. My eldest niece is such a good woman, and Master Lan is also a good man. But both of them were let down by your Tusi Mansion. But I've watched with a cold eye for some time, and I understand that it's not easy for you either. Everyone in this mansion depends on you to make a living. You can't fight back. If you do, I don't know how many people will die. I also come from a poor family and know how precious a peaceful life is. I'm sorry for wronging you!"
The words "I've wronged you!" brought out Yun Kai's heartache, tears welling up in his eyes, making them swollen and hot. Covering his eyes with his palms, he waved at Yang Laoliu and said, "This is my fate, a fate of empty joy!"
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