Hong Wu listened, chuckling, as he led them upstairs.
Lu Liu offered polite words, though his arm still linked loosely around Lu Yang’s.
Lu Yang shot him a playful look, silently teasing him, and by the time they reached the second floor, Lu Liu’s cheeks were flushed bright red.
Glancing at Li Feng standing inside the private room, Lu Liu felt even more embarrassed for reasons he couldn’t explain.
Hong Chu invited them to sit and said to Li Feng, “On behalf of Li Feng, I owe you an apology today. We’ll make it up another day with a proper banquet.”
Li Feng remained at the back, saying nothing further.
The three of them sat as a server brought tea and melon seeds, then another plate of beef towers—just like what they had ordered in the main hall downstairs.
Hong Chu asked Lu Yang, “Have you finished touring the market? How does it feel?”
Lu Yang replied that it was incredible—things he had never heard of or seen before.
Hong Chu continued, “Do you see any areas for improvement?”
Among people of similar background, there was an unspoken understanding. Lu Yang raised his eyes and, sensing why he asked, spoke honestly: “I’ve never managed a grand market before. Over the past two days, I’ve observed merchants arriving in the city for specific goods. They seem to spend silver freely, waiting for the final announcement to see who spent the most.”
Hong Chu nodded. “Exactly. It’s the same every year. The grand market only issues delivery orders, not goods. Each warehouse prepares its stock and registers the order with our accountants. At closing, we host a large banquet on this street to announce the results and distribute the fabrics.”
Lu Yang lowered his eyes in thought and asked, “Do you know how courtesans set their prices?”
Hong Wu’s eyes widened.
Hong Chu raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Lu Yang smiled. “The price is determined by competition. The bonus—the prestige—reflects the merchant’s wealth. I heard even imperial merchants participate. Ordinary merchants rarely challenge them. If I were buying a lot this year, aiming for first place with over a thousand taels of fabric, I’d adjust my purchases to secure the position. But if an imperial merchant joined, I’d buy less, skipping optional items.”
There was competition among major merchants, aside from imperial buyers. This brought both profit and honor.
The merchant who claimed first place gained recognition and could showcase their wealth to the market, attracting countless future collaborators. Even small differences in silver between rankings sparked rivalry.
With imperial merchants revealing their spending, other merchants could calculate and adjust to maximize their own share.
Hong Chu found this fascinating and asked for more: “So, your idea is?”
Lu Yang explained, “Have the accountants post a red list on the main street, showing only the top ten. Then hire a few runners to announce that a particular merchant is first.”
Suddenly, Hong Chu shifted topics. “Have you ever patronized a courtesan?”
Lu Yang nearly choked—he hadn’t!
“I only heard stories. Growing up in the city, men brag endlessly. They pay silver for a song or a night, boasting about their luck. The aim is to show off wealth and status.”
Hong Chu looked disappointed. “I haven’t either.”
A brief silence filled the room.
Lu Yang took a deep breath, deciding to build camaraderie. “We should go together sometime.”
Hong Chu laughed.
“You pay,” Lu Yang added.
Hong Chu nodded, and Lu Yang smiled.
No wonder the top scholars enjoyed playing with wealthy patrons—someone else paying is always satisfying. Even thinking about it brightened his mood.
Hong Chu looked at Lu Liu. “Little Lu, do you want to go?”
Lu Liu stiffened, stammering, “I… I probably don’t need to…”
He was entirely different in temperament from Lu Yang.
Hong Chu said, “I’ll pay.”
Lu Liu wrestled with the idea, then peeked out the window at the colorful fabrics. He wanted to experience it firsthand and see what the courtesans were like. Finally, he nodded.
Shun Ge’er, seeing both of them going, wanted to speak but didn’t dare, so he just watched Hong Chu.
Hong Chu didn’t bring him along.
“I don’t want to offend Li Feng; he’s dangerous.”
Li Feng: “….”
Shun Ge’er muttered, “You took my big sister…”
Hong Chu didn’t mind. “Just listening to music, nothing more.”
He called for the waiter: “Wu, serve the dishes.”
The conversation returned to the red list.
Hong Chu asked Lu Yang, “With a red list, a few merchants will be motivated. Can we set more rankings, create more bonuses, and engage more merchants?”
Lu Yang proposed an idea that could be expanded later. They had much to discuss.
They could set the bonus, but how many?
Even the highest-value goods were just over a thousand taels. The lower ranks couldn’t have too small bonuses.
The plan was feasible—it would generate more orders and silver. If it failed, this year would bring a loss.
Lu Yang suggested having the accountants calculate, using tangible goods for the bonus—sugar, tea, and wine.
Wine transported poorly, sugar sold poorly in summer, but tea was viable.
Then Lu Yang had a sudden thought: “Herbs! How could I forget? Our company also trades in medicinal herbs!”
Two clerks immediately pulled small abacuses from their pockets and began calculating.
Before the results, they ate while discussing the types of bonuses and ranking strategies.
The market opened the next day, and Hong Chu had other matters in the afternoon, so he didn’t elaborate further.
He left Lu Yang a business card: “Decide if you want a stall. Bring this card to the market steward.”
Lu Yang thanked him repeatedly.
Li Feng did not accompany them, remaining on guard.
As Lu Liu left, he glanced at Li Feng several times.
Downstairs, the shopkeeper handed over the packed beef towers—just slices of meat, no tower structure.
They put on their straw hats and returned home without further shopping.
The two hours of experience had left all three of them drained.
Lu Liu and Shun Ge’er, full and satisfied, supported Lu Yang as they walked forward.
“Brother, are you drunk? You feel so weak,” Lu Liu asked.
“Brother Yang, have you eaten enough? You have no strength at all,” Shun Ge’er added.
Lu Yang’s arm rested on their shoulders. “I’ve truly had my eyes opened today. Did you hear that? He plans to spend two thousand taels of silver on bonuses—two thousand! I don’t even have that much money…”
Lu Liu steadied him. “Yesterday, Dafeng looked just as tired coming home. Brother, it’s okay. We’re making money now.”
He added, “Soon you’ll be spending without blinking an eye!”
Lu Yang said, “Even making nine taels a month from my little shop would be plenty.”
Shun Ge’er encouraged him: “You’ll open a grand restaurant one day!”
Lu Yang had no intention of opening a restaurant.
He was eager to meet the God of Wealth and seek guidance.
No wonder Master Wu’s family, wealthy as they were, had only an ordinary shop in the city. The difference could be so vast.
If Hong Chu knew Lu Yang had once earned only a hundred taels a year, would he still invite him to dine?
He dared not imagine.
Lu Yang also wanted to meet the top scholar of that family, his heart pounding. He had found his goal.
That afternoon, Lu Yang returned home and rested. As the time approached, he rose, washed up, changed into fresh clothes, and took the previously prepared gift to the school, picking up Xie Yan. The couple then headed to Master Wu’s household.
