"As we were approaching Jiangning, I started hearing about your remarkable abilities. They say you've recently managed to take over the He family business, effortlessly turning things around—almost as if you possess supernatural powers. Father mentioned that the He family's supply wasn't the most important, but he has been firmly aligned with the Xue family for the past two years, making it a situation that no one could change. Now that you've taken over, the supply coordination for several regions around here next spring will be much more flexible."
As they walked along, her cousin chatted with Su Tan'er about these matters. Being the daughter of a merchant and now married to the steward of the Su household, she was quite familiar with such issues and could practically handle half the management herself if an urgent situation arose. Hearing this made Su Tan'er smile.
"Don't talk about that, Sister Hong. We still aren't entirely clear on why the He family decided to change their minds. Moreover, the details of their situation are still under discussion, and it's uncertain if anything is completely finalized."
"It's already settled. When I saw Xi Junyu and Master Luo earlier, they were here to bring good news."
After sharing a few laughs, the two women entered the courtyard ahead. This was not the courtyard where Su Tan'er and Ning Yi usually lived, but it was only separated by a wall. This space was generally used to receive guests related to Su Tan'er, and occasionally, when there were urgent matters, a few managers would gather here to discuss strategies. As Su Tan'er and Su Danhong entered, Chan'er rushed out from the living room, holding a tea tray and chatting with the two stewards.
The two stewards were an older man and a younger one. The older one, Master Luo, was a veteran of the Su family. He had been an apprentice with the Su family when the elder Su was young, later worked under Su Boyong, and was then assigned to assist Su Tan'er. He was experienced and steady, one of Su Tan'er's most reliable hands. The younger man, Xi Junyu, appeared only slightly older than Su Tan'er. He was handsome and confident, with a poised demeanor. He was very capable in business and had helped Su Tan'er successfully conduct several major deals since he became steward of the Su household. It was said that the Wu family had once sought to recruit him, but he declined. He was undoubtedly Su Tan'er's best assistant, and it was widely believed that once Su Tan'er established her footing, Xi Junyu would quickly become a leading steward in his own right.
Having already greeted each other, Su Danhong, Xi Junyu, and Master Luo sat down casually in the living room. Xi Junyu took out a contract from his pocket and smiled as he explained the main points to Su Tan'er.
"The business deal with the He family has been finalized. Honestly, I didn't expect it to go so smoothly; the He family was quite agreeable. The prices will essentially follow this year's old terms, but the price of raw silk is expected to rise next year. By doing this, we effectively pressured them by half a portion. The contract has been signed, so this matter is settled."
"That's good to hear. Thank you, Master Xi and Master Luo, for your hard work."
Xi Junyu shook his head with a smile, appearing very relaxed.
"I can't take credit for this; the business was secured by you, Miss. But to be fair, if you hadn't visited that day, the He family might have approached us. They had been suspicious of the Xue family's potential actions for some time, probably because of something you said, which is why they were so quick to agree this time."
Dressed in her silver-white fox fur, Su Tan'er looked at the contract and smiled again, shaking her head. "I had already guessed that. But it's strange why they suddenly made a firm decision."
Xi Junyu laughed, waved his hand, and continued, "Actually, we've been analyzing the Xue family's recent movements, and we've reached a conclusion. The news that the Xue family is abandoning Luzhou to shift their focus to Shouzhou… heh, it's highly likely that's false. They have indeed made some adjustments recently that seem significant, but because they didn't notify the He family, the He family's He Jun is known for being cautious and sensitive in business. I don't know much about these matters, but Master Luo should be quite clear."
Master Luo nodded, "That's true. In the early years, the He family faced tough times. There was one occasion when they refused a business deal worth nearly fifty thousand guan because they were afraid of the risks. People scolded them for lacking ambition, but six months later, the merchants who took on that deal got caught up in trouble. If the He family had accepted it back then, they might have gone bankrupt. He Jun has this kind of temperament; he'd rather earn less than take on too much risk. Because of this, while the He family isn't the wealthiest now, they are indeed the most stable."
As he spoke, the old man chuckled, "However, this time they were overly sensitive. If we had delayed our talks with them a few more days, they might have clarified things, and this contract could have fallen through."
Xi Junyu chimed in, "That's why, when discussing terms, I pretended to be oblivious, acting as if I was eager to finalize the deal. I imagine He Jun thought he had gained the upper hand and felt quite pleased about it. Haha, after a few days, the Xue family might be cursing their luck."
This situation was indeed amusing. Everyone thought they were getting the better end of the deal, and the thought of the Xue family's reaction when they learned the full story brought smiles to the room, even as the actual cause of it all remained murky.
After a few light-hearted comments, Master Luo seemed to be pondering something, and his smile faded quickly. Su Tan'er noticed this change and asked with a smile. Master Luo glanced at Xi Junyu and then at Su Tan'er, hesitating for a moment before smiling and speaking up, "I actually heard something about this business yesterday."
"Oh?"
"Yesterday, I met with Master Liu from Jisu Fang at the tavern in the East Market. We chatted a bit, and he mentioned matters regarding the He family."
Upon hearing Master Liu's name, Su Tan'er nodded, "Yes, he was there that day, but he left a step earlier than the steward from Xingqing Fang. Did he have any insights about it?"
"This matter is quite strange, and I can't be sure if it's entirely true. Master Liu said that day, you went with your husband. After you enjoyed the snow in the garden, He Tingguang was somewhat disrespectful towards your husband, provoking him with his words..."
At this point, Su Tan'er frowned. "I didn't notice that..."
"He Tingguang wouldn't dare be disrespectful in front of you. But your husband has a good temperament; he speaks appropriately and carries himself calmly. Although they only exchanged a few simple words, He Tingguang couldn't find any opportunity to escalate the situation. However, He Tingguang kept being noisy afterward. Your husband casually asked whether the He family's business was based in Shouzhou..."
"Ah..." Su Tan'er paused slightly, exchanging a puzzled glance with her cousin. Xi Junyu, who had been quietly listening with a smile, now focused intently, subtly adjusting his posture.
"Regarding the specifics, it seems your husband only mentioned the Xue family in passing while inquiring about Shouzhou. He Tingguang mocked him for not understanding the silk and textile trade, saying their business wasn't in Shouzhou but in Luzhou. It was only after that that your husband suddenly realized and candidly admitted he didn't know much about it and had mistakenly referred to Shouzhou. According to Master Liu, his expression didn't seem feigned; it looked casual. But after he mentioned Shouzhou and the Xue family, He Jun's expression grew quite complex, and he then spoke to the managers about something... If this is true, I believe your husband's unintentional comment might have turned out to be the reason this deal succeeded..."
The room fell silent, with only Chan'er, holding a plate nearby, maintaining a calm demeanor. After a moment, Xi Junyu slowly spoke, "Could it be that... your husband saw through all this... and did it intentionally?" He said this while observing everyone's expressions.
Su Tan'er furrowed her brows tighter, then looked at Master Luo. After all, she and her cousin, along with Xi Junyu, were only around twenty years old. No matter how talented they were, they couldn't compare to Master Luo's decades of experience. But she saw Master Luo shake his head.
"I don't think that's the case. Junyu just mentioned that the rumor of the Xue family shifting their focus from Luzhou to Shouzhou is false. This rules out the possibility of information coming from outsiders. Even if it were true, the whole situation is so obscure that we wouldn't have noticed anything amiss. It's because the He family is involved and more sensitive to the situation, coupled with He Jun's cautious nature, that they took it as a real occurrence. I've heard that your husband isn't particularly interested in business; he's just been accompanying you, listening to snippets of others' conversations. If anyone could grasp this situation from the outside with just casual talk and then accurately convey He Jun's thoughts, that person would be..."
He thought for a moment and shook his head. "It's truly hard to believe."
Everyone, already familiar with the business world, understood how outlandish such a possibility was. If everything were indeed so purposeful, it wouldn't be the work of an ordinary person. They couldn't have imagined that at that moment, Ning Yi's casual remark was merely an offhand comment. After a moment's thought, Su Tan'er smiled, "If such coincidences could happen more often, that would be wonderful."
The group laughed in agreement, finding that this interpretation was indeed the most reasonable. They chatted a bit more about various details, such as year-end accounting and checking the books. Master Luo also inquired about Su Yunsong before preparing to take his leave. At that moment, Juan'er rushed into the courtyard, panting heavily and almost tripping on the snow.
Clearly in a hurry, Juan'er leaned against the doorpost, struggling to catch her breath, too flustered to greet anyone. She glanced around at the group, her expression tinged with disappointment. "M-Miss... where's Little Chan and the Master?"
Silver-clad Su Tan'er had already stepped outside, smiling as she approached. Seeing Juan'er in such a state, she patted her back gently to help her breathe. After hearing her question, she smiled, "What's wrong? The Master... he's probably at the library ahead, isn't he? Didn't they say the governor was examining essays?"
"N-No..." Juan'er shook her head. "I just came from there. The Eldest Master said to call for the Master..."
"Uh..." Su Tan'er's expression turned serious. "What happened?"
"I fear they really are calling him to be scolded..."
Her cousin came up, laughing softly, having heard earlier about Ning Yi's teaching methods from Su Tan'er, which included spending half the time chatting and telling stories. Clearly, he was trying to win the hearts of those children, but historically, strict teachers produce outstanding students; how could such teaching yield good results?
Nearby, Juan'er shook her head vigorously, her chest heaving under her green cloak. "No, no... The governor said that Xiao Heizi and the others have insights! Miss, it's not that..."
Having already thought through some of this, Su Tan'er barely registered Juan'er's words, frowning as she considered whether she should do something or simply say he wasn't there. After a moment, certain information reached her, with the little girl pulling at her and shaking her head desperately.
"Uh... huh?"