Ch 71: Reborn to Raise My Husband

That morning, Master Ming personally came to the Qi residence, bringing the silk fabrics the merchant caravan had purchased — both to deliver the materials and to express his thanks to Qi Beinan for the profitable deal.

The servants, moving briskly, carried in two large chests.

“The silk weavers are from a manor under Yunzhong County in Bingzhou,” said Ming Da. “When the caravan reached the county, they sent people to make inquiries and contact them — that’s how the deal was made.”

Ming Da spoke with visible satisfaction. “The caravan leader sent word back, saying Yunzhong County is a remote little place in Bingzhou, rarely visited by traders. If we hadn’t gotten your specific tip before setting out, who would’ve guessed such fine goods were hidden in a small backwater?”

“In winter, few people buy silk. Those silk weavers could hardly sell a few bolts. They were planning to store the goods until next spring, when the weather turned warm and business would pick up.”

“But holding unsold goods makes one uneasy. So when our caravan came to negotiate, they were willing to sell what they had — turning it into silver and restocking later.”

At his signal, Ming Da had the servants open the chests so he and Qi Beinan could examine the fabrics. “This cloth is called Wanyue Silk — ‘Silk of the Waning Moon.’ Just as you said, under moonlight it shimmers like rippling water.”

“Even as a layman, I can tell under daylight how fine this fabric is — imagine how it must look under the moon.”

Qi Beinan lifted a bolt of the smooth, translucent silk and looked at it closely. The last time he had seen such material was years ago, when he traveled to the capital to sit for the imperial exams.

That year, he entered the grand and bustling city weary from travel; the moon was already high. From the upper stories of the buildings, he had seen someone dressed in this very fabric, bathed in moonlight — like Chang’e herself descending from the Palace of the Moon — a sight that had left him spellbound.

Qi Beinan said, “To wear such finery in spring warmth, drinking wine and admiring flowers under moonlight — it’s dazzling just to imagine.”

Ming Da laughed. “Master Qi, you have an eye for beauty. Brother Xin loves fine fabrics and has the sharpest taste — once he saw this silk, he insisted I set aside half a chest for him.”

He was curious how Qi Beinan had known that in a distant estate under Bingzhou County there would be such fine goods.

But curiosity was one thing — he was no fool. He knew better than to pry.

Qi Beinan was clearly no ordinary man; such information came from his own channels.

To question rashly might make him suspicious or take offense — neither was wise.

No matter how he came by the news, the important part was that Qi Beinan had given him the deal. There was no need to chase its origin.

Changing the subject, Ming Da said, “When our caravan negotiated with the silk weavers, the price settled at two guanper bolt. With the one hundred guan you invested, you received fifty bolts of fabric.”

He produced the purchase ledger and handed it to Qi Beinan for review.

Qi Beinan already had a sense of Wanyue Silk’s worth. The first time he’d seen it, he had wanted to buy a bolt to send to Xiao Yuanbao, but at the time, it had become all the rage in the capital — prices had soared to over ten guan per bolt.

Funds had been tight then, and he still needed to send goods to Ling County — the travel costs alone were considerable — so he’d given up on the idea.

Now, at two guan per bolt, the price was a bargain.

Even ordinary middle-grade silks in the city, of older weave or pattern, sold for three to four guan a bolt. Wanyue Silkmight not be of top grade, but its novelty made it well worth the purchase.

Still, Qi Beinan could see the numbers clearly: this low price was possible for two reasons. First, the silk had not yet circulated widely in the market, so its price had not risen.

And second, the silk weavers’ trade was still unstable. Encountering a powerful merchant house like the Ming family — capable of buying out their entire stock at once — they had gladly agreed to sell cheaply.

Such a transaction would not be a one-time deal; both sides would naturally draw up a long-term contract for future supply.

That was why the price had been brought down so favorably.

It was good to rest under a big tree’s shade — and Qi Beinan had wisely positioned himself under the Ming family’s tree.

“I’ve long been acquainted with Master Ming’s family,” Qi Beinan said lightly. “And I’ve always trusted the integrity of your trade.”

He glanced at the ledger. Though he only seemed to skim it, his eyes had already taken in every figure. “If I hadn’t trusted you, I wouldn’t have shared such a fine opportunity with you.”

Closing the ledger, he handed it back. “Wouldn’t you agree, Master Ming?”

Ming Da laughed heartily. “Master Qi speaks true. I’m honored you think well of me.”

Then he raised a hand, and an attendant stepped forward carrying a red lacquer box trimmed with gold.

Presenting it to Qi Beinan, Ming Da said, “Since you’ve spoken of friendship, allow me to call upon that friendship once more. This trade can be a long-term one — but how successful it becomes depends on a small favor from you.”

“Good goods will always make their way to fame. But if Wanyue Silk starts appearing in every fabric shop, it won’t be long before its exclusivity fades.”

Qi Beinan smiled faintly — he understood perfectly.

Ming Da was a businessman; he recognized profit when he saw it. With Wanyue Silk still unknown outside Bingzhou, there was a window before others learned of it. During that time, he could sell it alone — not only in nearby counties, but even in the prefectural capital Jiangzhou, where nobles and wealthy patrons gathered.

The rarer and more expensive the item, the better it sold among the elite.

Qi Beinan opened the box Ming Da had presented. Inside, red silk lining gleamed beneath four gold bars.

Each bar weighed about ten taels — the equivalent of one hundred guan of silver. Four bars meant four hundred guan in total.

He said nothing and simply placed the red lacquer box on the tea table.

Ming Da, unable to read Qi Beinan’s thoughts, said, “I know that if not for the friendship between our two families, Master Qi would never have chosen to work with the Ming family on such a fine venture.

“I sincerely wish to safeguard this business route. If you think this token of sincerity is too little, name your price. Should you agree, only your family and mine will handle the Wanyue Silk trade in Ling County — wouldn’t that be splendid?”

Qi Beinan remained perfectly composed. He saw Ming Da’s attempt at temptation for what it was and was not swayed.

Indeed, if only the two of them monopolized the Wanyue Silk trade, it would yield long-term profit.
But, as always, the foundation at home was still thin — and silk trading demanded large capital.

Moreover, who could guarantee that dealing in silk would only ever mean Wanyue Silk?
If they were weavers making it themselves, exclusivity might be worth pursuing.
But since they merely bought it from distant suppliers, there were too many risks along the way.

If they tried to trade other silks as well — setting aside whether they had the silver to invest — even if they did, they had never run a silk business before. How could they manage it properly in the long run?

“I am not a merchant,” said Qi Beinan. “I have no intention of entering long-term trade. As for you, Master Ming, I suspect your ambitions for Wanyue Silk reach farther than Ling County.”

Ming Da gave an embarrassed chuckle. He had long known Qi Beinan was not a simple man — and now again he sensed the sharp mind behind that calm face, not one easily influenced.

“Master Qi is truly perceptive — nothing escapes your eyes.”

Qi Beinan replied, “Master Ming’s long-term foresight is exactly what a merchant should have. After all, if a merchant doesn’t seek profit, what else is there to seek?”

“Truth be told, it’s not difficult for others to find the Wanyue Silk source if they wished. I can tell you frankly, the person who told me of this route doesn’t even live in Linzhou and has no interest in trade.”

He went on, “But just because I don’t spread word doesn’t mean others can’t learn of it by other paths. When that happens, what then?”

Ming Da caught the hint immediately and was delighted.

“Master Qi need not worry. As long as you promise to keep silent, I have my own means of precaution. I can guarantee that, for a time at least, only our two houses will trade Wanyue Silk.”

“And should the route ever be discovered, I will never believe you to be the one who leaked it.”

Qi Beinan said, “It’s best we speak clearly now — for everyone’s peace of mind. If any mishap occurs, let neither side ruin goodwill with suspicion.

“To that end, I’ll accept your gesture, Master Ming.”

Ming Da was overjoyed.

“To deal with someone as straightforward and sensible as Master Qi — truly refreshing.”

Qi Beinan smiled faintly. “Please, Master Ming, have some tea.”

Ming Da left with brisk steps that morning; by afternoon, the intermediary for the Du family’s trade arrived.

The merchant caravan had returned smoothly with fine goods, though Qi Beinan’s investment would only yield profit once the goods were sold.

The caravan, however, sent a chest of items ahead as a courtesy gift.

Qi Beinan tipped the intermediary half a 吊 of coins, then opened the chest with Xiao Yuanbao.

Inside was an assortment of goods, neatly arranged despite their variety — a dazzling array of everything imaginable.

Cosmetics and toiletries commonly used by women and ge’er: rouge, jade-powder foundation, lip balm, facial wash, bath beans, rose alkali, and perfumes;

Color threads, flower-hairpins, powder boxes, combs, embroidered handkerchiefs;

For the household — copper vine-pattern hand warmers, iron lotus-shaped candle holders, red and white candles;

For scholars — writing brushes, decorative stationery, ink basins, bookmarks;

And even toys for children — Shengguan Tu game boards, clay whistles, nine-ring puzzles, pitch-pot sets, puppets, and more.

“I never knew caravans brought back so many different things!”

Xiao Yuanbao spent over an hour unpacking and admiring the contents, still not finished looking.

The goods were purchased from other prefectures — not as costly as silk, where one bolt could cost several guan — but all practical household items.

Many designs were unseen in the county — stylish, pretty, and useful, who wouldn’t like them?

“As long as the land stays peaceful and there are no bandits, caravans will keep bringing goods from other regions,” said Qi Beinan. “We just never saw them before because we lived in the countryside and rarely visited town.”

Xiao Yuanbao sniffed the powder, smelled the bath beans, smiling in delight.

“I’ve heard of merchant fairs in the city before, but never got to go. Now that the caravan delivers fine goods straight to our house — isn’t that even better?”

“I was just worrying what to give Second Sister for her wedding — now, with all these lovely things, that’s one less worry.”

“And with the New Year coming, we’ll have plenty of social calls and gift exchanges. When others bring gifts, we’ll have to return them.”

“If the storeroom’s empty, that’s awkward. Buying gifts right before the year’s end — prices rise on everything, the quality worse, the cost higher.”

Clutching the new items, Xiao Yuanbao couldn’t bear to set them down. “With these fine goods, when I give presents, people’s eyes will light up!”

Qi Beinan laughed. “No one manages a household’s affairs better than you.”

“Just pick what you’d like to send as gifts,” he said. “If you find you like these things, next time the Du family’s caravan departs, give them some silver and have them bring back another chest.”

Xiao Yuanbao nodded in agreement, then said, “Wanyue Silk is precious. Though it’s meant for sale, I still want to keep four bolts for ourselves.

“One for Madam Feng—she’s seen all kinds of fine things in her life, but this new silk is truly special; she’ll surely appreciate it. One as a wedding gift for Second Sister. One for Sister Gui. Brother Xin’s household already has plenty of Wanyue Silk—ours came from his home to begin with—so there’s no need to send more there. And one more for Teacher.”

Qi Beinan, hearing Xiao Yuanbao’s plan, nodded. “Those are all fitting gifts. But knowing Mr. Jiang’s temperament, he likely won’t accept a gift outright. Better to have a set of clothes made for him in his size—he’ll find that easier to accept.”

Xiao Yuanbao widened his eyes. “Brother, you always think things through! Then let’s keep one more bolt—we should have clothes made for ourselves too.”

“Brother doesn’t like bright colors,” he added, “but I saw one in a soft jade-white shade that isn’t too flashy.”

Qi Beinan waved a hand. “I’m a man; I’ve no need to wear clothing that glows under the moonlight. You should keep two bolts for yourself instead.”

After some discussion, the two decided to keep eight bolts of Wanyue Silk in total.

By the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the county town was ablaze with red lanterns strung up along the streets. Shops on both sides were festooned with festive decorations.

In the chill of winter, that splash of red warmth made the streets feel almost cozy.

That morning, the merchant caravans that had gone out began setting up stalls across town, shouting their wares from their wagons.

Qi Beinan was on leave, and with the cold weather, he had risen late. While he and Xiao Yuanbao were eating mutton dumplings, they could faintly hear the hawkers’ cries outside.

The large merchant houses had rented dozens of street stalls in the market, setting them up together to sell New Year’s goods.

The town was freezing, but people flocked to the market to buy gifts and curiosities, crowding into the warmth of the festivities.

Qi Beinan and Xiao Yuanbao weren’t going merely for the fun of it—they also wanted to see how the businesses they were involved with were doing.

After breakfast, they wrapped themselves in thick cloaks and walked to the market.

The skies were dry—no rain, no snow—but the cold still bit sharply in the alleys, their breath turning into clouds of white mist as they spoke.

In winter, there were no chirping insects or birds—only the popping of firecrackers set off by mischievous children. The sound lent the streets a sense of lively warmth instead of desolation.

By the time they arrived, the market was already bustling.

Several caravans had laid out their stalls—food, clothing, daily wares—everything imaginable. The sight dazzled the eyes.

Each small stand had two clerks calling to customers. Townsfolk wandered happily from one stall to another, searching for good deals amid the noise and laughter.

Thanks to Qi Beinan’s introductions, the Du family’s caravan had brought back many new and practical goods this year. Their stall was crowded, business booming—they’d made dozens of sales already.

Because of the crowd, four constables were stationed nearby to maintain order.

Having been well-treated by the merchants, the constables were now eating wontons and mutton soup at a nearby noodle stall.

Xiao Yuanbao wore a pair of white rabbit-fur earmuffs and kept his hands tucked in his sleeves.

Standing beside Qi Beinan, he was shielded from the wind and didn’t feel cold at all.

But being shorter, he couldn’t see much beyond the crowd. Finally, he climbed onto a small stone pedestal at the edge of the street.

From his new perch, he could see the whole scene at once.

Qi Beinan looked at him—now just as tall as himself atop the stone—and couldn’t help but smile. Worried he might slip, he steadied Xiao Yuanbao by holding his arm.

“Yo, Old Ming, back again this year for the fun, eh?”

A line of porters came slowly down East Street carrying heavy crates. Their procession made quite a stir as they passed by the Mu family’s fabric stall, heading for an open space nearby to set up their own booth.

The Mu family’s shopkeeper, who was supervising his clerks, couldn’t resist teasing Ming Da.

“So, did all those tables and stools from last year finally sell? No matter if you’re just bringing out the leftovers—it’s all for the market’s liveliness, after all.”

Each year, when the caravans returned, all the merchant families gathered here to sell their goods. The place was always packed, and the Ming family would never pass up such an opportunity to display their wares.

However, their main trade was timber—furniture, cabinets, and chairs. The goods were large and heavy, attracting plenty of spectators but few buyers.

Every year their stall ranked among the least profitable, earning them plenty of mockery.

“We’re all here for the bustle—why shouldn’t I join in?” Ming Da said easily this year, more confident than before.

Master Mu laughed. “That’s the spirit, Old Ming. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother hauling all that weight here just to lug it back home unsold. One wrong knock, and you end up breaking your own wares. What’s the point?”

The other merchants nearby chuckled at the banter.

Ming Da said nothing, only glanced at Master Mu.

He thought to himself, Laugh while you can. I’ll see if you’re still smiling later.

Master Mu, seeing Ming Da return silently to his booth, assumed he’d been embarrassed and let out a smug chuckle before calling out to his customers again.

“Come, ladies, come! Have a look at our latest fabrics from Yangzhou Prefecture—most fashionable and fine!”

“What’s the price for this fine silk?”

“Five guan for you, Madam. In Yangzhou, ladies of your grace all wear silk this fine—it would suit you perfectly.”

No sooner had Master Mu’s clerk finished speaking than the Ming family’s stall began shouting from across the way.

“This way, this way—new, top-quality silk fabrics!”

“Old Master, the Ming family’s selling cloth this year too!”

“What, the lumber traders couldn’t keep their timber business afloat? Now they’re meddling in my fabric trade as well?”

Hearing the cries, Master Mu pushed his own assistants aside to peer forward. “I have to see this—what cheap goods they’ve scraped up to pass off as fine!”

“New silk from Yangzhou—glimmers under moonlight! It’s called Wanyue Silk!”

The Ming family had chosen a lively-tongued clerk who stood on a tall stool, describing the fabric in vivid tones.

Soon, the crowd of curious townsfolk gathered before the stall. The clerk clapped his hands, and out came a woman and a young ge’er, both dressed in newly tailored Wanyue Silk garments.

The light, thin silk floated softly over the embroidered underlayers—elegant and graceful.

Then two assistants brought four lanterns and shone them upon the models. Instantly, the silk shimmered faintly, sparkling like dusted silver powder under the light.

It was not harsh or dazzling—just a soft gleam, delicate as starlight. For a moment, the silk upon their shoulders looked like radiant wings.

“What you hear may deceive—but what you see tells the truth! Come touch it yourself—one of a kind! Limited stock—first come, first served!”

“Buy a bolt now, have a skilled tailor make it into a robe—come spring, wear it for flower viewing; come summer, it’ll be light and cool!”

The women browsing at the Mu family’s stall turned to look. One of them tossed down the cloth in her hands. “Yours doesn’t look like the new Yangzhou silks at all. That Wanyue Silk over there must be the real thing.”

She hurried off toward the Ming family’s stall.

“Hey—don’t go!” cried the Mu family’s assistants, but no one stayed. The crowd drifted toward the new silk, eager to see.

Master Mu stood dumbfounded. Even as a cloth dealer himself, he could tell that fabric was extraordinary.

How had Ming Da, a timber merchant, managed to get such stock? It irked him deeply that an outsider had seized such a profitable opportunity.

He frowned, suddenly recalling something—back in autumn, a drifter had come saying someone wanted to partner with the Mu family’s caravan for a new kind of silk.

They’d claimed it was made in a distant place, gleamed under moonlight, rare and beautiful, not yet known to the public, and cheap at that.

At the time, he’d been busy with the caravan’s departure and dismissed the messenger as a talker, thinking, I’m one of the top cloth merchants in the neighboring counties. My caravans go to and from Yangzhou—I’d surely have heard of such silk if it truly existed.

He’d thought it just idle boasting and brushed it off.

Now seeing it for himself, he realized there truly was such a product—and his heart twisted with regret.

Qi Beinan, watching the scene, said with a faint smile, “Master Ming does know how to draw a crowd—bringing in two good-looking models to show the fabric. Makes it hard not to buy.”

Xiao Yuanbao said, “That’s definitely Brother Xin’s idea. He mentioned it to me a few days ago but wouldn’t explain—just told me to come watch the show.”

“The children of merchant families truly have quick minds. At his age, he already knows how to sell.”

The market was now roaring with voices, and though they couldn’t hear the details, it was clear the Ming family’s silk was selling briskly.

Xiao Yuanbao spotted a woman leaving the crowd, her maid carrying two bolts of Wanyue Silk. He stepped forward and asked, “Madam, that color you chose is stunning—may I ask the price?”

“It’s the Wanyue Silk they’re selling over there—the first time it’s appeared in the county. Eight guan a bolt.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes widened. “That high?!”

The woman replied, “It may not be top-grade silk, but it’s certainly above average. Since it was brought by caravans from Yangzhou, of course it’s pricier than common silk.”

“If you sent someone to Yangzhou to buy quality silk yourself, you’d have to pay for their travel and tips—it wouldn’t be much cheaper than this.”

“You’re right, Madam,” said Xiao Yuanbao, slightly crestfallen.

The woman smiled. “Well, I must be going. If you like it, have your husband buy a bolt for you before the colors sell out.”

She glanced at Qi Beinan, then added with a knowing tone, “Such fine material will vanish fast.”

Xiao Yuanbao pursed his lips. Why do people always say things like that? Do we really look that much like a pair?

It wasn’t the first time people had mistaken them for a couple—but he no longer blushed or panicked like before.

Watching the woman walk away, he turned to Qi Beinan, stretched out his hand, and whispered, “Buy it for me.”

Qi Beinan’s lips curved. He lightly tapped Xiao Yuanbao’s palm. “Am I your husband now, that I should buy you silk?”

Xiao Yuanbao blinked. “I never said you were my husband. But you are my brother, aren’t you? Can’t my brother buy it for me, only a husband or wife can?”

Qi Beinan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll buy it for you.”

He began to lead Xiao Yuanbao toward the stall, but the younger man grabbed his sleeve in alarm.

“I was joking!”

Qi Beinan said, amused, “What’s wrong with joining the fun?”

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes went wide. “We’ve got plenty at home—what’s the point of joining in? Eight guan! Are you trying to bankrupt us?!”

Qi Beinan stopped in his tracks, a trace of regret in his eyes.

“Should we take this opportunity to sell our stock too?”

“If we were to sell all forty-two bolts at the same price as the Ming family, even after deducting the one hundred guanspent to purchase them, we’d still make more than two hundred guan in profit.”

“No rush,” said Qi Beinan. “Let the market open fully first. When the weather turns warm, that’s when we’ll sell. By then, the price may have risen further.”

Xiao Yuanbao looked worried. “It’s good to let Master Ming make a name for the Wanyue Silk first, but he’s got more bolts in stock than we do. Once everyone in town has bought their share, we might have trouble selling ours.”

Qi Beinan replied, “The first batch of Wanyue Silk wasn’t large. The Ming family only has twenty or thirty more bolts than we do.

“They’ve signed a contract with the silk makers and will replenish their stock later. We’ll sell ours once most of theirs is gone.

“There are far more wealthy households in this city than you imagine. When they see such fine material, they’ll buy it not just to wear but to gift.

“The kind of families who can afford Wanyue Silk are not ordinary ones. To give proper gifts, they’ll want fine things in hand. Once they see quality silk, they’ll buy extra bolts to send to friends and associates.

“As long as few people are selling Wanyue Silk, we’ll never be short of buyers.”

Xiao Yuanbao didn’t understand trade as deeply as Qi Beinan and had no better idea, so he agreed.

On the nineteenth, the two returned to the village estate, preparing to attend the wedding feast at the Fang household on the twenty-first.

The Fang family, marrying off a daughter, had freshly repaired their old earthen courtyard before year’s end—it looked quite new now.

That day, they were already decorating: hanging red cloth and lanterns, pasting double-happiness paper on the windows. The air was filled with festivity.

In their poorer days, Fang Youliang’s relatives from other towns never came to visit, but news of a wedding had drawn many early guests. The place was lively.

Xiao Yuanbao brought over his prepared wedding gift for Second Sister Fang, eager to chat with her a while.

Qi Beinan didn’t go along; he stayed at the estate reviewing the accounts.

“Why, isn’t this the Wanyue Silk everyone’s scrambling for in town?”

Second Sister Fang was wearing a bright red festive dress that day. In her room, she opened the gift and gasped.

“Bao Ge’er, this gift is far too precious! How can I accept it?”

The bolt of Wanyue Silk alone was worth several guan, not to mention the four red candles, a pair of lotus-shaped candleholders, and two silver butterfly hairpins.

“This Wanyue Silk wasn’t bought at the market price,” said Xiao Yuanbao. “Brother had it sent back early through the merchant caravan. It’s not as expensive as what’s being sold outside.”

“I know Second Sister likes warm autumn tones, so I picked the Fuguang shade. Do you like it?”

“I do. I couldn’t like it more.”

Cradling the fabric carefully, Second Sister Fang’s cheeks flushed as she said softly, “Once I’m married, I’ll have it made into a gown.”

Xiao Yuanbao couldn’t have been happier hearing that.

He had originally planned to gift her rouge, perfume, and lip color as part of her bridal set, but Qi Beinan had reminded him otherwise—her groom’s family dealt in cosmetics.

No shortage there; and since the caravan’s stock wasn’t of rare or luxury quality, giving it might not have pleased her.

So he changed those items to candles instead.

They chatted for a while, but with so many relatives outside, Second Sister had to go attend to guests, so they couldn’t talk long.

The next morning, Xiao Yuanbao came early to help comb her hair for the ceremony. Later, the groom’s wedding party arrived.

Second Sister, her face covered with a red bridal veil, was lifted into the flower sedan and carried away.

The groom, in a vivid red wedding robe, rode a mule adorned with a large red flower on its neck—a fine, handsome sight.

Xiao Yuanbao glanced toward the courtyard, where Qi Beinan stood surrounded by guests, speaking politely, calm and refined.

He couldn’t help but let his mind drift.

If… if he and Beinan Brother could ever marry…

But they already lived under the same roof—would Qi Beinan still come riding a mule to fetch him?

Probably not. He’d hardly ride out and circle the streets just to return home again.

Xiao Yuanbao shook himself from the thought and tapped his own forehead.

Of all things to think about, why this nonsense?

When he turned, he almost bumped into Qi Beinan, who had come up behind him without a sound.

“Admiring the groom that long?” Qi Beinan asked mildly.

Xiao Yuanbao answered, “Second Sister’s groom is naturally a fine match.”

Qi Beinan’s brows moved slightly. “No matter how fine, he’s someone else’s now.”

“Enough looking. Come, let’s go eat.”

On the twenty-fourth—the day of the Little New Year—the all-purpose messenger, Baishitong, came to deliver the Du family’s profit share to Qi Beinan.

Two jiaozhi banknotes, each for eighty guan.

In total, their venture with the Du family had earned eighty guan.

Qi Beinan checked the ledger; the accounts were in order, though he didn’t know if there was another book elsewhere.

Even if the Du family had skimmed some profit, it didn’t matter much—he’d made money with barely a word or effort. Whether the gain was slightly more or less made little difference.

He was only doing this one round of trade and did not intend to make it his lifelong business, so there was no need to consider his partners too deeply.

All of these ventures were simply to earn a wave of quick profit—his real goal was to build up capital for the Pingzhou investment.

Qi Beinan calculated carefully. At present, he had roughly six hundred guan in hand. Once he sold the remaining Wanyue Silk, he could earn a few hundred more.

That would bring his total to about one thousand guan of silver—enough to start operations in Pingzhou.

He asked Bai Shitong, “What’s the current price of Wanyue Silk in the market?”

Bai Shitong replied, “Master Ming’s new stock is excellent. The wealthy families in town are all scrambling for it. The price has risen by a full five hundred wen.”

Although Bai Shitong hadn’t originally known what new material Qi Beinan and the Du family had cooperated on, the moment the Ming family’s silk appeared on the market, he immediately realized that it was the same product Qi Beinan had once planned to let the Du family handle.

He couldn’t help but think back—Master Mu, once so proud, had rudely thrown him out. And now, watching a mere timber merchant like the Ming family steal all the attention in the silk trade, the Mu family must be seething with regret.

His guess wasn’t wrong. Just a few days ago, the Du family had invited him over with fine tea, speaking politely and asking him to sound out Qi Beinan—clearly hoping to get access to the Wanyue Silk supply route.

But Bai Shitong, who made his living as a broker, knew the key to survival in this trade was discretion.

If Qi Beinan had wanted to appear publicly, he would never have needed Bai Shitong as the middleman in the first place.

Naturally, Bai Shitong did not mention Qi Beinan’s name at all. He accepted the Mu family’s hospitality, promised only to inquire, and left the rest to depend on Qi Beinan’s will.

“If they’d agreed earlier,” said Qi Beinan coolly, “the business could’ve been theirs.

“But merchants who fear risk and only move once the profit is obvious—how could such easy fortune exist in this world?”

Bai Shitong said, “Master Mu asked that you name any conditions you wish.”

Qi Beinan smiled faintly. “He’s not the only one asking me to name my conditions.”

Bai Shitong immediately understood the meaning—Qi Beinan had more than one merchant vying for partnership—and he wisely fell silent.

Qi Beinan said, “You handle your affairs with tact and care.”

Bai Shitong hurried to reply, “It’s only because the Master trusts me with such an important deal. I wouldn’t dare be careless in any task connected to you.”

Qi Beinan nodded. “I’ll be relying on your skill again soon.”

Bai Shitong’s eyes lit up. “This humble one will always make your business my top priority.”

Qi Beinan rewarded him with ten guan of silver for his successful work.

After the New Year, as spring warmed the land, the price of Wanyue Silk rose again—after two flower-viewing banquets, it climbed from eight guan per bolt to over ten.

Qi Beinan heard that the Ming family’s caravan was preparing to depart, and their entire stock of Wanyue Silk had already sold out. The only bolts circulating in town were those resold by clever small merchants who had stocked up early from the Ming shop and were now profiteering.

The name of Wanyue Silk had become famous—but just as its reputation peaked, the supply ran dry.

Buyers, desperate to get their hands on it, were scouring the market like headless flies.

Though the nominal price was ten guan per bolt, resellers were charging at least two guan more for a single bolt.

Qi Beinan knew the timing was perfect. He quietly let word slip that he still had Wanyue Silk for sale.

He passed the news through two channels—Bai Shitong, who knew everyone in town, and Second Sister Fang, who moved in circles of affluent women.

That very day, Bai Shitong came to collect fifteen bolts to sell.

As someone who specialized in carrying messages and making quiet deals, he already had several people asking him daily where to buy Wanyue Silk.

Once Qi Beinan released his stock, Bai Shitong quickly distributed it among his clients—earning handsome tips from grateful buyers.

Meanwhile, Second Sister Fang’s clientele consisted of noble ladies, gentlewomen, and young ge’er—the very people most eager for fashionable fabrics.

Whenever she went to style someone’s hair, she’d drop a hint that she knew where to get Wanyue Silk, and soon everyone was asking her for introductions.

In barely ten days, all forty-two bolts in Qi Beinan’s possession were sold out.

He sold them at ten guan apiece, though he didn’t know how much Bai Shitong and Second Sister Fang had charged the final buyers—nor did he ask. Middlemen had to earn their share too.

When the accounts were tallied, the total profit was four hundred and twenty guan; after deducting the hundred guan cost, more than three hundred remained.

Qi Beinan now held a full thousand guan of capital.

At last, the matter of the Pingzhou shop was settled.

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