Looking north towards the rivers and mountains

Chapter 36 Asking the Tide

On the last day of July, after a two-week hiatus, Shao Shuyi resumed his archery lessons.

On that same day, Cheng Ji's little cousin arrived.

Uh, short and stocky, with a face full of fat and a fierce look...

Shao Shuyi couldn't help but glance at Cheng Ji. "Are you two really cousins?"

"My name is Liang Tai, from the Pizhou Wanhu Prefecture." The man glanced at Shao Shuyi, then quickly lowered his head.

"Surname Liang?" Shao Shuyi was taken aback.

"Our ancestors were originally refugees, but later joined Liang Qianhu's personal guard and were granted the surname," Cheng Ji leaned closer and whispered.

Shao Shuyi understood and laughed, "Brother Liang is strong and skilled, and he is also a cousin of Master Cheng, so he can be trusted. He will come with me to the inn tomorrow."

"I am not worthy of the title 'official'," Cheng Ji quickly waved his hand and said.

Strangely enough, he didn't mind when Wang Huadu and Yu Yuan called him "Sir," but when Shao Shuyi called him that, Cheng Ji would blush and feel embarrassed.

"Yes, yes," Wang Huadu chuckled from the side. "Brother Shao, you don't know, this guy has already become the head of the squad, and he's in charge of ten people."

"Oh?" Shao Shuyi was somewhat surprised, but also pleased. "Brother Cheng's skills are excellent, so it's not surprising that he's a head of the team. In my opinion, it's too late; he should have been a head of the team a few years ago."

"It's just that I don't have money for gifts," Wang Huadu laughed. "If there weren't so few capable people, when would Master Cheng ever have become the head of the ceremonial guard?"

"A person with a plaque is not an official and cannot be called an official." Cheng Ji was still a little embarrassed.

"Nowadays, even a businessman is called 'official,' and those who know a few words are called 'sir'..." Liang Tai muttered under his breath.

Shao Shuyi laughed heartily and said, "Did you hear that? From now on, you'll be Master Cheng."

Cheng Ji glared at his cousin, then took out the bow tip and bowstring, and said, "Get ready to practice archery."

"Okay." Shao Shuyi nodded.

"Brother, aren't you practicing with the gun?" Yu Yuan asked as he trotted up to Shao Shuyi, carrying a brass pistol in one hand and a bundle in the other.

"I'm not practicing anymore." Shao Shuyi waved his hand and laughed, "If the thief is seven or eight steps away from me, I might not be able to hit him. If I miss the first time, I might as well wait to die."

Yu Yuan opened his mouth wide, speechless.

This bronze handgun is a meritorious weapon. Two bullets killed a fierce bandit from Taihu Lake and a martial arts master from Didi who had practiced martial arts for many years. How can it be described as so bad?

Shao Shuyi was too lazy to explain.

This thing has very limited usage scenarios; it can only hit targets at very close range, has extremely slow reload speed, and huge recoil. You basically only have one chance to fire it, making it somewhat of a gimmick.

If most people hadn't been unfamiliar with firearms at that time, and he hadn't taken advantage of the unexpected attack, he might not have even had the chance to kill someone with a pistol.

You should really practice your archery. It has a long range, a fast rate of fire, and high accuracy; it could really save your life in a gunfight.

As for firearms, they're better used as secret weapons to ambush people at this stage.

The group chatted and laughed for a while before getting down to business.

Cheng Ji supervised Shao Shuyi's archery practice, while Wang Hua supervised his own sickle and axe practice.

The newcomer, Liang Tai, was very enthusiastic and immediately began to guide Wang Huadu.

He even took the time to teach Yu Yuan how to use a hand cannon correctly and quickly—in his words, this was how the people of the "Hupao Wing" (full name "Guardian of Huzhou Artillery and Craftsmen of the Ten Thousand Households Prefecture") used hand cannons.

Shao Shuyi observed everything and was quite satisfied.

Liang Tai is a straightforward person, which is good. Otherwise, we would have to find a way to remove him from the group later, or at least marginalize him.

"Whoosh!" The bowstring vibrated, and an arrow flew out. Shao Shuyi began practicing archery seriously.

******

After a day of archery practice, Shao Shuyi, whose arms and shoulders were aching, invited everyone to eat.

The food was rather simple; it was enough to fill you up.

He was dismayed to discover that he was still poor and had no money.

After buying the brass hand cannon, the last bit of money was almost gone. As for food, after paying Cheng Ji's teaching fees for this month and having enough to eat, the rest, along with pickles and salt, were given to Wang Huadu.

I've been working here for four months now and still haven't been able to save any money. My fixed expenses are too high, and I'm at my wit's end.

Fortunately, he'll be able to get his salary again tomorrow, and he'll be paying himself. Thinking about this makes him feel somewhat relieved.

"I'll be going to the riverbank in a few days, it might take two days," Shao Shuyi said, looking at Yu Yuan. "You can also take care of the external accounts for now."

"Okay." Yu Yuan nodded in response.

"The new clerk is a descendant of an old friend of the Zheng family, so be a little polite and don't offend him."

"Yes."

"Dog Slave (Wang Huadu) and Buddha Tooth (Liang Tai), you two come with me." Shao Shuyi added, "Lord Zheng might also go, but it's uncertain. If he doesn't go, we'll have to make the decisions ourselves."

Liang Tai didn't say anything, but Wang Huadu spoke up, saying, "Are we going to the Shen family you mentioned?"

"It's not the Shen family, it's their warehouse by the river." Shao Shuyi shook his head and said, "I heard that Master Wan went to Taicang a couple of days ago. It's something serious, we need to be on our guard."

"Shen Wansan is almost sixty years old and hasn't shown his face for many years. Why is he in Taicang?" Wang Huadu asked, somewhat surprised.

Shao Shuyi asked, "What is Shen Wansan's name? And who is Shen Rong?"

"Shen Fu," Wang Huadu laughed, "Shen Rong is his son. Brother Shao, I told you being a station keeper has its advantages, didn't I? You hear a lot of news. But you really are something, not even knowing such an extraordinary person as Shen Wansan."

Shao Shuyi smiled helplessly.

"But you've become quite formidable now," Wang Huadu clicked his tongue again. "A person like Shen Rong is someone most people would rarely encounter."

"I'm afraid we won't be able to see him this time," Shao Shuyi said. "I heard from Master Zheng that the Shen family will send someone named Lu Zhonghe over. I'll talk to him, and we'll leave the brokerage business for now."

Wang Hua understood. This meant they were now allied with the Shen family; that bastard Sun Chuan was no longer important.

"Will you be allowed to go out to sea in the future?" he asked again.

Shao Shuyi pondered for a moment and said, "It shouldn't be that bad. The sea is dangerous, and I really don't want to go."

"Then don't go," Wang Huadu quickly advised. "Once Baijianu returns, we can all stay together day and night, stick together, and then we won't be afraid of being bullied."

Yu Yuan felt a sense of longing upon hearing this.

Shao Shuyi smiled slightly. Wang Huadu had a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit. He often fantasized about forming a gang with a few people and running rampant in the countryside, thinking that it would be very powerful and no one would dare to bully him.

There is some truth to that, but Shao Shuyi doesn't really support it, at least not at this stage.

"Alright." He waved his hand, interrupting Wang Huadu, and said, "Come to the old locust tree tomorrow, and I'll take you to get some clothes made."

******

Shao Shuyi's plan to go to the warehouse was unexpectedly delayed.

On the third day of the eighth month, just as he borrowed a carriage from Zheng Fan and was preparing to set off, Lu Zhonghe sent someone to tell him to go to the Wenchao Pavilion west of Sima Bridge on the fifteenth of the eighth month.

Zheng Fan, who still manages the business, laughed and said, "I don't have time to watch the tide; I have to go to Suzhou. As for the joint venture with the Shen family, I only need 40% or 50% of the profits. You can decide for yourself."

Shao Shuyi's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "What percentage profit is needed for three rounds?"

Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Forty percent or fifty percent is fine, it doesn't matter."

Shao Shuyi nodded; this was the bottom line.

He then asked, "What if I could take more?"

Zheng Fan was a little surprised and couldn't help but remind him, "We mustn't ruin the harmony."

"The Shen family's businesses span all of Jiangnan, and they usually adhere to the principle of 'business is business,' so they're not that stingy," Shao Shuyi said. "Taking an extra 10% wouldn't be a problem. To them, 30,000 pieces of celadon isn't a big deal, and they'd probably just laugh it off if they lost 10% of their profit."

"You're really obsessed with money," Zheng Fan said helplessly. "Whatever! But one thing, don't ruin our relationship. If you really want 10%, I'll put in a good word for you and have the Third Department reward you."

"I dare not claim this credit for myself," Shao Shuyi subtly stated his position.

Zheng Fan seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to understand, and impatiently waved his hand, saying, "You decide for yourself."

Shao Shuyi readily agreed, and immediately returned to his room, picked up a pen, wrote a letter, and had Lu Zhonghe's servant take it back.

He continued like this until August 14th, when he set off early in the middle of the night and finally arrived the next morning.

"This is really far," Wang Huadu complained after getting off the bus. "Aren't we already west of the old city of Kunshan?"

The so-called Kunshan Old City is the former seat of the prefectural government before it moved to Taicang. Many people still live there today, especially some wealthy families who have built their own gardens, which are quite large and magnificent. In short, the area around the old city is the gathering place of the "old money" of Kunshan Prefecture, which can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. Taicang and Liujiagang are mostly "new rich".

Shao Shuyi looked around and found that there was an abandoned garden nearby, which had been reclaimed by the locals and planted with grains and vegetables. Further away, there was a pond and wetland, with many dikes and embankments built by people. In the very center of the wetland, there were pavilions and towers that had mostly collapsed.

Undoubtedly, this place was once a scenic spot for some high-ranking official, but now it has been reclaimed from the lake for farmland, and the wetland landscape is gradually disappearing.

It seems that even the old money isn't having an easy time.

"Is that Accountant Shao up ahead?" A voice called out from not far away. Shao Shuyi looked in the direction of the voice and saw the servant boy from the Lu family who had come to inform him of the postponement of the meeting.

"Keep an eye on the carriage and feed the horses whenever you have a chance," Shao Shuyi instructed Cao Tong, who was acting as the coachman. Then, after tidying up his appearance, he walked forward, surrounded by Wang Huadu and Liang Tai.

"Clerk Shao, come here quickly! My master is busy, he'll only give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn." The servant started chattering as soon as he saw them, glancing at Wang and Liang as he spoke.

Liang Tai kept his head down obediently, wearing a military uniform that was neither new nor old.

Wang Huadu, dressed in a newly made long gown, glared at the servant and said, "Your master has a grander presence than the real officials in the yamen."

The servant sneered and ignored Governor Wang Hua.

Shao Shuyi's expression remained unchanged, and he strode forward without pausing.

The Wenchao Pavilion was just ahead, surrounded by colorful flags and bustling with activity.

This building was first built during the Chunxi period of the Southern Song Dynasty and has been rebuilt twice. It is located two miles southwest of the old city of Kunshan, next to the Loujiang ferry crossing, named "Xijin". It can be considered a traditional holy place for watching the tide for the people of Kunshan Prefecture.

During the Tang Dynasty, the high tide reached Suzhou City directly. During the Song Dynasty, it passed Yiting (now Weiting in Suzhou). Due to geographical changes in this dynasty, the tide has decreased and it no longer reaches the old city every year. However, this year, due to the drought, the tide surged back and once again reached the vicinity of the old city of Kunshan, so the audience was thronged.

There were many vehicles parked outside the pavilion, mostly oxcarts, with fewer horse-drawn carriages. But without exception, the horse-drawn carriages were all very luxurious, looking like those of a wealthy family.

A curtain had been drawn over the open space, revealing the figures of women and children inside, while outside stood servants carrying sticks, clearly indicating that the whole family had come to watch the tide.

However, some people don't draw the curtains; it's just the way things are.

Shao Shuyi couldn't help but glance at them a few more times. He wondered whose woman or young lady they were, all dressed up and laughing, not at all shy about being seen by outsiders.

"One day, I—" Wang Huadu was also watching, and the more he watched, the more itchy he became. Finally, he managed to utter half a sentence.

Shao Shuyi laughed upon hearing this.

To be honest, they're all still teenagers in their adolescence, so it's normal for them to have feelings for each other.

"We've arrived," the servant said, turning around.

Shao Shuyi and his two companions stopped and watched quietly as the servant went to report.