vrcanaries Chapter 208 Refining Salt
Chapter 208 Refining Salt
Seeing a carriage approaching from afar, bearing the Zheng character on its flag, the servants hurriedly went into the mansion to invite the master of the house to come out and greet the distinguished guest.
Yu Ercheng opened the car door. Gu Lin was the only one inside, so he didn't feel comfortable going in and sat outside with the driver.
Gu Lin looked up at the Song family plaque in front of him, then stepped down from the carriage.
Several figures hurried out of the Song residence. Song Heng, who was in the lead, saw the young man and stepped forward. He bowed and said with a smile, "I've finally been waiting for Boss Gu to come."
Gu Lin returned the greeting with a cupped hand.
Song Heng's eyes softened, and he raised his hand: "Please, Mr. Gu. The banquet is all prepared and we are just waiting for you to come in and start the meal."
These words clearly indicated Gu Lin's importance.
Walking beside Song Heng, Gu Lin said, "I was delayed by matters at the manor when I was about to leave this morning. I was already late, so I didn't want to keep you waiting. In the future, if there are similar situations, you don't need to worry about me and can start the meal immediately."
Song Heng smiled but did not agree. If he did, the young man in front of him might not mind, but Lord Zheng would definitely not let them get away with neglecting Boss Gu.
He said to Gu Lin, "I know that you are busy with many things, and I did not want to bother you. However, merchants from this area have come to me many times to make requests. As a local merchant, I cannot refuse, so I had no choice but to send someone to deliver a message to you."
Gu Lin understood.
Song Heng was making his stance clear, indicating that he would not side with the merchants of Youzhou Prefecture, and that his actions of relaying messages and acting as a go-between for local merchants were merely a matter of face-saving.
Gu Lin didn't care about any of that.
He turned to Song Heng with a smile and said, "Since the opening of Song's Porcelain Shop, I haven't had a chance to congratulate Boss Song on the opening of his new shop and his daily fortune. I was too busy a few days ago, so I came to visit today with a congratulatory gift."
"I hope Mr. Song won't take offense."
Song Heng smiled sincerely: "Mr. Gu, you're too kind. The sentiment is enough. There's no need to make up for it with a congratulatory gift."
As they talked, they walked toward the banquet venue, and in a few words, they finally arrived at their destination.
Gu Lin stepped into the lobby, with Song Heng following closely behind.
As the young man entered the gate, all the guests were immediately drawn to the commotion at the entrance. Then, they all stopped talking and stared at Gu Lin for a long time.
At Song Heng's invitation, Gu Lin walked to the head of the table but did not sit in the main seat. He turned to Song Heng and said, "You are the host, how could I be so impolite as to take your seat? Please sit down."
Before Song Heng could react, Gu Lin took a few steps down to a position slightly below the main seat. Song Heng looked somewhat helpless and said, "Then I, Song, will accept your offer."
Seeing that the young man didn't mind taking a seat at the lower end of the table, Song Heng also sat down.
Unlike the merchants from Youzhou who were reluctant and apprehensive after receiving the invitation to the banquet held by Gu Lin a few days ago, today at the banquet held by the Song family, all the guests were enthusiastic and joyful. Even their gazes toward Gu Lin were different, shifting from hesitation and fear to longing and pleading.
After sitting down for a while, Gu Lin did not speak. He knew the purpose of this banquet, and faced with pairs of eyes filled with eager anticipation, he only needed to remain calm.
Gu Lin confidently poured himself a drink and took a sip.
The banquet served craft beer, but Gu Lin found it not strong enough. However, he only took a small sip and didn't drink any more.
It wasn't just because of his low alcohol tolerance, but also because someone at the banquet was eager to speak first.
Not far from the young man, a lean man stood up.
He looked toward Gu Lin and asked loudly, "Mr. Gu, I remember that at the banquet you hosted a few days ago, you said that the white porcelain cooperation was not urgent and that we should go back and consider it carefully before giving you an answer. How come in the blink of an eye, Gu's white porcelain has reached a cooperation agreement with the Song family, and the white porcelain is directly displayed in the Song family's porcelain shop, catching us completely off guard."
The Song family's white porcelain shop had only been open for a few days, but its ability to make a fortune every day made other merchants in Youzhou Prefecture extremely envious.
Some shrewd and experienced merchants couldn't help but sigh, "The Song family truly lives up to their reputation as a long-established merchant family in Youzhou Prefecture. They are incredibly audacious. They didn't even bother to think things through before directly finalizing a cooperation agreement with Boss Gu behind their backs. Their skills are truly remarkable. I wonder how Song Heng managed to get in touch with Boss Gu and persuade him to sell them the white porcelain distribution rights in Youzhou Prefecture."
Faced with the middle-aged man's seemingly joking yet serious question, the young man did not answer. He remained calm, picked up his wine glass, and took a sip.
The middle-aged man's face stiffened as the other party completely ignored his actions.
As the beneficiary of this cooperation, Song Heng turned to look at him, a half-smile on his face, and said, "What Boss Meng said is strange. At the banquet that day, Boss Gu never said that he would sell the distribution rights to anyone. In business, it is always about first come, first served. Boss Gu was willing to give up profits to cooperate with us, and the Song family was very grateful and sincerely accepted the invitation. Even if Boss Meng had come to our door before me and sincerely requested to cooperate with Boss Gu, Boss Gu would not have refused. It's just that Boss Meng was a step too slow."
As soon as Song Heng spoke, some of the merchants who had been harboring resentment instantly came to their senses. They looked up to observe Boss Gu's expression and saw that the smile on his face had long since vanished. For a moment, a look of annoyance flashed across their eyes.
They're really deluded!
Regardless of why Boss Gu negotiated the white porcelain cooperation with them, it is undeniable that even with many restrictions, this deal could still bring them huge profits.
Taking in the expressions of everyone below, Gu Lin then spoke: "I have no intention of forcing anyone. Business dealings are based on mutual consent. If anyone here is not satisfied with this cooperation, you may leave on your own."
"However," Gu Lin added, "the distribution rights for white porcelain are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis."
Upon hearing this, the merchants of Youzhou Prefecture realized that there was no time for them to hesitate. If they didn't act quickly, they would be left with nothing, not even bones, while others were enjoying the meat and soup.
Immediately, a wealthy-looking merchant stood up and said, "Chen's Trading Company is willing to cooperate with Gu's White Porcelain Company. We hope that Mr. Gu can sell Mr. Chen the distribution rights for white porcelain in the Suzhou and Hangzhou area."
Upon hearing this, one of the men couldn't help but remark sarcastically, "Mr. Chen has quite the scheming mind."
This was the thought of everyone present, and at the same time, they regretted that they had spoken too slowly.
There are only a few prosperous prefectures in the entire Great Qian Dynasty. Those who act first will gain an advantage, while those who act later will be relegated to remote corners.
The Suzhou-Hangzhou area, as mentioned by the owner of the Chen family business, is famously wealthy. If they could successfully acquire the distribution rights for white porcelain in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area, it would be like controlling a mountain of gold and silver that would never run out.
Unexpectedly, the young man said, "The Suzhou and Hangzhou area won't work."
Not only in the Suzhou and Hangzhou area, but also throughout the Jiangnan region and even the capital, the distribution rights for white porcelain were divided between him and the Fang family, making it impossible to sell them to merchants in Youzhou Prefecture.
The owner of Chen's Trading Company frowned: "Why not? If it's a matter of money, I, Chen, am willing to pay twice the price."
There was no need for Gu Lin to explain this; he gestured to Yu Ercheng beside him.
Under everyone's gaze, Yu Ercheng stepped forward and said to the owner of Chen's Trading Company, "The distribution rights for white porcelain in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area, Jiangnan, and the capital have all been claimed. You should choose other places instead."
The owner of Chen's Trading Company paused, and the other merchants also lowered their eyes in thought or looked at each other in bewilderment.
They were all wondering whether Boss Gu had kept the white porcelain distribution rights for himself in the capital and Jiangnan regions, or sold them all to others. If it was the latter…
The merchants of Youzhou Prefecture felt increasingly uneasy, realizing that they were not irreplaceable. As far as Boss Gu was concerned, the other party was trying to bring them into a united front for some purpose, considering that Lord Zheng was serving in Youzhou Prefecture. However, if they did not agree to cooperate, Boss Gu would not care, because everyone knew about the huge profits brought by white porcelain. The other party could choose suitable merchants from nearby prefectures to cooperate with.
After figuring this out, everyone's expressions became even more sincere and humble, and their questions and conversations were not at all aggressive.
The owner of the Chen family business decisively changed to another prefecture, choosing Lingnan Prefecture in the south.
Seeing that Gu Lin did not refuse, he knew that the matter was settled.
The remaining merchants gradually purchased the distribution rights for white porcelain in other prefectures. During this time, a pair of merchants who were already at odds got into a fight over the distribution rights for a prefecture, and almost came to blows. Gu Lin did not turn a blind eye to this, and he asked Song Heng to ask them to leave.
The once lively scene instantly turned silent. The merchants belatedly realized that although Boss Gu was young and seemed to have a good temper, his methods were anything but gentle.
Gu Lin's gaze swept over every merchant present. For the first time in a long time, some of the old foxes actually felt a sense of pressure from one of the young men.
After a long silence, Gu Lin finally spoke: "I am here to discuss cooperation with you all with the aim of building a united front for Youzhou Commerce. Please don't start fighting amongst yourselves before we've even left Youzhou Prefecture."
Regardless of their true feelings, no one dared to contradict the young man.
After the banquet, Gu Lin gave Song Heng a few words of advice, then left Yu Ercheng to hand over the matter to the other party before returning to his residence.
Gu Lin got off the carriage and walked towards his courtyard. When he reached the corner of the garden halfway there, he bumped into several rough servants. Because he was walking with his head down and too fast, the men did not notice the young man not far from him.
Gu Lin slightly turned his body to the side, thus avoiding being knocked to the ground.
The group stopped in their tracks. When they looked up, they saw that the young man in front of them was dressed in fine clothes, and they realized that they had offended their master.
The servants bowed repeatedly, saying, "We were blind and ignorant, please forgive us, my husband!"
Seeing that they were about to kneel down, Gu Lin frowned and suppressed his discomfort, saying, "It's alright, just be careful when you walk next time."
It was him this time; if it had been Sister Zhao and Brother Zhao, things would have been different. As they get older, their reflexes aren't as sharp, and they might have been knocked to the ground by the group.
Unexpectedly, their master spared them, and the group repeatedly expressed their gratitude: "Thank you, husband!"
Gu Lin nodded slightly and was about to leave when he saw some coarse, bluish-gray particles leaking from the sack on the laborer's shoulder and falling to the ground.
He stopped, turned to look at the constables, pointed to the sacks on their shoulders, and asked, "What are you carrying on your shoulders?"
The laborers looked at each other in bewilderment. After a moment, the leader answered the young man's question haltingly: "Sir, what we are carrying on our shoulders is salt. The kitchen is running out of salt, so Steward Da Yan specifically ordered us to transport salt to the kitchen."
"Salt?"
Gu Lin stopped in place, a thoughtful expression gradually appearing on his face. Under the puzzled gazes of the rough servants, he squatted down and picked up some blue salt grains from the ground, bowing his head slightly as if he was pondering something.
A moment later, a hint of surprise crossed his face. He ordered one of the laborers to carry a bag of salt back to his courtyard, and the other laborers could leave.
When Zheng Hao returned from his shift, he saw Uncle Gu standing in the courtyard, circling around all sorts of strange-looking tools, his hands constantly moving.
Upon closer inspection, Zheng Hao saw the young man concentrating intently, staring at the constantly boiling water in a strange vessel before him.
Zheng Hao withdrew his gaze and asked, "Uncle Gu, what are these?"
Gu Lin was focused on his work and had been concentrating on the task at hand. Seeing that the tool was about to produce results, he was so engrossed in the work that he didn't notice the young man's return.
Upon hearing the other person's voice, Gu Lin looked up and saw Zheng Hao's gentle gaze sweep across his face and land on the object in front of him, his expression questioning. Gu Lin did not hide anything: "I am refining salt."
The young prefect narrowed his eyes slightly. Although the other party did not explicitly state it, Zheng Hao understood the young man's meaning from the literal meaning of his words.
He asked with a hint of doubt, "But is the salt in your household not pure enough?"
Gu Lin shook his head slightly: "The salt we use at home is already the best in Daqian, but even the best salt is still bluish-red and very coarse, not snow-white and delicate enough."
In the Great Qian Dynasty, refined salt was offered to imperial relatives, officials, and nobles. Back when he was in Yueming Prefecture, his family ate coarse salt, which Gu Lin thought was because his family's status was not high enough. Now, as a member of the officialdom, they were eating refined salt.
Refined salt is indeed slightly better than coarse salt, but in the eyes of Gu Lin, who has seen snow-white fine salt, Daqian's refined salt is still too coarse.
Gu Lin looked up at Zheng Hao and suddenly asked, "What do you think if I made snow-white fine salt?"
The young man's eyes changed slightly, but he didn't have time to answer. While the two were talking, the water in the vessel was completely evaporated, leaving a thick layer of snow-white refined salt at the bottom of the vessel.
Gu Lin used pliers to pick up the utensil and poured the refined salt into the bowl prepared on the table. After a moment, he reached out and picked up a little refined salt, wanting to put it in his mouth, but Zheng Hao raised his hand to stop him.
Gu Lin turned to look at Zheng Hao, whose expression remained unchanged and whose tone was calm: "Uncle Gu, don't be impatient, I'll try."
After saying that, he raised his hand, picked up some fine salt, and put it in his mouth. Although his expression did not change, his eyes shone brightly.
Gu Lin noticed the subtle change in the young man, and with a slight smile, he asked, "How does it taste?"
Faced with the slightly teasing expression on the young man's face, Zheng Hao did not hold back his praise: "This salt is not bitter and tastes very good."
It wasn't easy to see Zheng Hao show his emotions, so Gu Lin didn't miss the chance to tease him, jokingly asking, "Lord Zheng, what do you think this salt would cost if it were put on the market?"
"In my opinion, the fine salt made by Uncle Gu is far superior to the coarse and refined salt of Daqian. It would be acceptable even if it cost one tael of silver or two taels of salt."
"However," Zheng Hao changed the subject, his tone becoming serious, "I suggest that Uncle Gu not openly sell the salt he produces."