Chapter Ninety-Two: The Condition

To put it this way: if the dishes in your house are all in mine as well, but one day my house can suddenly do far more than cook meals and, in addition, offer lodging, bathing, even all manner of performances and a whole range of other services, then what are you going to use to compare with me?

Very well, you may say you can imitate all of that too. But when you discover that my way of doing things cannot simply be copied, then what will you do? And even if, taking a huge step back, you managed to copy everything, and I went on to create something new, would you keep chasing after me? You will always be one step behind me, and I will only have one more character than you: marvel.

Although Jia Zhengyi had never taken a liking to the young man before him, the moment he heard him speak thus, he felt there was indeed some truth in it. Unconsciously, a trace of expectation stirred in his heart: what, exactly, was different about this person, that a duke who had not appeared in public for many years had personally recommended him? Setting aside his earlier disdain, he listened carefully as Gou Ye continued.

“In truth, at the most fundamental level, whether it is the merchant faction backed by the imperial clan or the merchant faction backed by the scholar-officials, they are all nothing more than merchants. In the end, merchants still do business with the people of the realm. The common folk will not care whether the support behind you comes from the imperial clan, the scholar-officials, or the royal house. What do they care about? They care whether this thing is useful to them, and whether what they pay for it is worth the price. So long as they feel it is worthwhile, they will open their purses. That is why what matters most for a merchant house should not be how to curry favor with the scholar-official faction. If one has no heart for doing business well for the people, then even if greater privileges are granted and money begins to pour in, in the end it will amount to nothing more than a brief bloom of glory.”

Jia Zhengyi narrowed his beadlike eyes. Only then did he truly begin to size up the young man before him. Though still so young, his vision was remarkably far-reaching. He was right: many merchant houses joined the competition merely for profit. Once they won, and gained the right to conduct maritime trade and commerce with other countries, they gradually ceased to value their original trades, and some simply abandoned them outright. In that one round they might indeed have made a fortune, but in the end they discovered that the businesses they had once run had all withered one by one. Then they spent vast sums trying to revive those trades, only to find that all had been in vain.

Was what Gou Ye had said not the very root of the matter? When a merchant acts only for profit and not for the people, retribution will eventually come. This time, Jia Zhengyi was extremely courteous as he asked, “Then in Young Master Gou’s view, what should be done?”

Gou Ye cleared his throat and took a sip of tea. Hearing Jia Zhengyi’s tone become much more polite, he too felt far more at ease, and he smiled before replying, “I said just now that, in the eyes of the people, who supports a merchant house does not matter. What matters are the benefits it brings them. And what I, Gou Ye, intend to do is precisely that kind of benefit: the kind the people will gladly pay for.

Take frozen confections, for example. Small as they are, why do the masses like them? First, because they are cheap; second, because they are something they did not have before. What I can bring to your merchant house is more of this kind of business method, each and every one of them something no other merchant house has ever had. What I am doing is not merely helping a merchant house win this round of scholar-official backing, but even allowing it to leave the imperial-clan merchant houses far behind and become the leader among merchant houses.”

Though Gou Ye had spoken only of a vision, it was already enough to make Jia Zhengyi’s blood run hot. Then Gu Shen went on to tell him about several other businesses Gou Ye had created, and even brought out the checkered shirt to show him. Jia Zhengyi nodded again and again, praising it under his breath. He could not help thinking to himself that those imperial-clan merchant houses truly had no eye for opportunity. This clothing business alone far surpassed frozen confections, yet they had actually overlooked it. And then there were those snacks Gou Ye had devised, things unheard of even in the capital, as well as the novels he wrote, which could earn a tiny bookstore nearly a thousand taels a month.

Looking back at Gou Ye, Jia Zhengyi’s face transformed into one of humble warmth. He no longer doubted in the slightest that this young man possessed the power to change their merchant houses. One day in the future, he would surely go farther and higher than Jia Zhengyi himself. To flatter him now could never be wrong.

“Young Master Gou,” he said, “forgive my earlier rudeness. I never imagined that someone so young could possess such extraordinary talent. Your future will surely be astonishing, astonishing indeed!”

Seeing Jia Zhengyi’s expression change in an instant, even Yun Niang, who had been sitting nearby listening, could not help covering her mouth as she laughed softly.

Gou Ye, naturally, was one to press advantage when the slope ran downhill. Excessive grandstanding was not always a good thing. Since the conversation had reached this point and the balance had already shifted in his favor, he might as well say what he truly wanted to say.

“Manager Jia, what I said just now, and what my friend Gu Shen added, you have both seen for yourselves. If your merchant house is willing to trust me, then I will fulfill what I said earlier. If not, that is no matter. I can simply find another merchant house.”

Jia Zhengyi hurriedly waved his hands. “No, no, I believe you! I believe you completely! I trust in Young Master Gou’s talent. With your abilities and our merchant house’s strength, you will surely have room to display your full skill. You need not waste any more thought or effort considering other merchant houses.”

Gou Ye gave a light chuckle and continued, “I am also relieved by what Manager Jia has said. But before anything else, I need to make one thing clear: I can join your merchant house, but I have one condition.”

“Please, speak freely. So long as I can do it, I will certainly see it done.”

Gou Ye nodded, his expression becoming solemn. “I want your merchant house to use its influence to have the prefect of this region come down to the county and preside over the investigation of a major case. I want to bring a formal accusation against one person.”

“Against whom? It is enough to require the prefect’s personal presence?” Jia Zhengyi could not help asking. To merchants like them, the prefect was no small official; at the very least, he held the rank of deputy fourth grade.

“My county magistrate, Qin Hui!”

Jia Zhengyi’s eyes widened. To denounce a county magistrate, and Qin Hui at that, was no trivial matter. He knew very well that although the magistrate himself was not of high rank, his wife was the daughter of Prince Zhu Jin, the former feudatory lord. To move against her husband would not be simple.

He did not dare promise at once, yet neither did he wish to let the man before him slip away. So he looked at Gou Ye with some hesitation.

“Young Master Gou, forgive me for not being able to give you an immediate answer. This matter is of great importance; I must report it to the higher authorities of the merchant house before I can reply. Moreover, Young Master Gou, you must know who the magistrate’s wife is.”

“Of course I know. Is she not Zhu Jin’s daughter? He was only a former feudatory lord. And now, is he not also a member of the imperial-clan merchant house? I already hold some evidence of Magistrate Qin’s crimes. As long as someone dares to investigate, I will dare to expose him. But I also know that I stand alone and lack strength. That is precisely why I have come to you now. Surely Manager Jia understands what I mean?”