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CHAPTER 18
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Xiang Yi was led away by Yang Zhen's insistence and tugging. Tan Jian quietly pondered whether he should invite his older brother along as well. Now that he knew about the theater troupe, perhaps he should ask Tan Ting to join them? However, he hesitated, fearing that if his elder brother agreed, his plan to enjoy the performance without any surveillance might fall through. So, he pretended not to have thought of it and hurried away.
No one extended an invitation to Tan Ting. Neither his younger brother nor his sister-in-law, and certainly not his own wife.
Left alone, he pursed his lips and returned to his study.
Hardly had he entered the study, when he received a letter from the family, a formal request for his consideration.
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Tan Ting immediately focused his attention on the letter and opened it to read. This year's harvest had been poor due to unfavorable weather conditions. Many local commoner households were struggling to produce enough to pay their taxes to the government. The times were tough.
Seizing this opportunity, there were proposals to purchase land at lower prices since many landowners were struggling. Numerous large and small clans had already taken action. The idea was to purchase the lands at a reduced price and then transform the struggling farmers into tenant farmers, who would cultivate the land on behalf of the new owners. The prominent clans naturally had connections with local government offices and didn't need to contribute much in terms of public grain.
It was a solid business opportunity, essentially a guaranteed profit.
In recent years, during times of natural disasters, there were always those who took advantage of the situation to acquire land. It wasn't just the aristocratic families; even the imperial relatives and royal kin were participating. Bargain purchases of land were becoming a common occurrence.
However, the extreme cold weather this year has led to more impoverished farmers than usual. Many households faced the coming winter with insufficient funds.
The members of the clan jointly submitted a formal request, not only seeking to acquire land but also requesting financial assistance from within the clan to purchase the land.
With this move, the Tan family, which already owned vast tracts of fertile land in Qinglong County and even in Ningnan Prefecture, would further expand their landholdings exponentially. The lives of the clan members would undoubtedly improve as a result. Borrowing money from within the clan was not an uncommon practice.
However, as Tan Ting was about to pick up his pen to approve the request, he hesitated and put down the pen. He stared at the request letter, lost in thought.
If they were to acquire more land under these circumstances, the farmers who lost their fertile fields this winter would undoubtedly face even harsher difficulties. Though the lives of commoner farmers might seem unrelated to the noble families, if their lives worsened, it could lead to an increase in homeless people, exacerbating tensions between the noble families and the commoner farmers. Minor conflicts could be brushed aside, but if it escalated to a major dispute with bloodshed, the consequences would be dire.
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Tan Ting's thoughts somehow turned to his wife. She, too, came from a commoner background. When they first formed their marriage alliance, the relationship between the noble families and commoner clans was not as strained as it was now. However, over the past decade, the situation had changed dramatically. If another major incident occurred, it was likely that the two sides wouldn't be able to coexist harmoniously.
At that time, what would become of him and her?
Tan Ting furrowed his brows, pushed the request letter aside, and took out two sheets of paper. The Crown Prince, responsible for managing court affairs, had always placed the well-being of the people first and prioritized agricultural matters. Moreover, the Tan family already had a set of clan rules: be kind to neighbors, cultivate good relationships, and not exploit the weak due to their strength.
After careful consideration, he wrote a detailed response on the paper, referencing court laws, the Crown Prince's stance, the Tan family's clan rules, and the teachings of their ancestors. Tan Ting advised against lending money within the clan for land purchases and warned the clan members against taking advantage of the situation. He stressed that they should avoid causing minor losses for the sake of a larger gain.
After writing the response, Tan Ting personally visited the family's estate outside the city to discuss winter preparations and provide instructions. Once he returned to the city, he could hear the distant sounds of a bustling theater performance. Although Tan Ting wasn't particularly interested in attending a play, the theater noises were louder than usual today. Looking in the direction of the commotion, he saw that the theater performance was taking place at the Shi Cui Restaurant.
Tan Ting wasn't typically drawn to theatrical performances, but he decided to check it out this time.
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As Tan Ting approached the Restaurant, his loyal servant, Zheng Ji, rode alongside him. Zheng Ji overheard Tan Ting's question and was momentarily stunned. "Have I not watched a play in a long time?"
Trying to recall, he answered, "It seems like it's been about half a year, Master."
Was half a year considered a long time?
Zheng Ji wasn't sure, but he saw his master fall into silence before turning his horse around. "Very well, let's go and watch."
Zheng Ji didn't hesitate to follow his master. Knowing that his usually reserved master wasn't fond of crowded places, he was surprised by this sudden change in plans.
Reaching the bustling Shi Cui Restaurant, Tan Ting's horse finally came to a stop. Qinglong County wasn't large, and the busiest place in the county was the street leading to the county office. As they arrived, the sounds of the bustling theater performance grew louder.
Zheng Ji observed that his master didn't appear in a hurry to enter the restaurant and instead looked towards a modest shop not far away. The shop's signboard read "Ji Xiang Seal Shop."
Zheng Ji quickly approached Tan Ting. "Master, do you have any instructions?"
Tan Ting nodded and was about to speak but hesitated, his gaze falling on Zheng Ji. "You won't do. Send Qin Fang instead, and instruct him not to reveal his identity..."
Tan Ting conveyed the task to Zheng Ji, who then set off to find Qin Fang. Qin Fang was a steward Tan Ting had employed in the capital. He seemed to be the least likely to be associated with the Tan family.
As Zheng Ji left, Tan Ting stared at Ji Xiang Seal Shop in the distance, sighing deeply.
With Zheng Ji gone, Tan Ting found himself among the noisy crowd. He glanced around but didn't see anyone of interest. Deciding to seize the opportunity, he stepped into the Restaurant.
…..
He had just stepped inside when he hadn't even walked a few steps, and he saw someone emerging from the crowd, hurrying towards him. At the same time, the person cleared a path through the noisy crowd. It was the manager of Shi Cui Restaurant.
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The manager of Shi Cui Restaurant had managed to establish his establishment in Qinglong County thanks to the Tan family's support. He had heard that a scion of the Tan family had arrived, and at first, he thought he was being deceived by the people below. However, upon seeing Tan Ting in person, he was drenched in sweat with disbelief.
He had no idea why this young master from the Tan family had come. Anxiously, he led Tan Ting towards the back courtyard, creating a path through the noisy crowd. However, Tan Ting didn't move and instead cast a glance towards the stage, quickly realizing what was happening.
"Second Young Master reserved a table right beneath the stage. The main act hasn't started yet. Would Young Master like to go and sit there?" he asked, noticing Tan Ting's slight frown.
Tan Ting hadn't realized that the main act hadn't started yet, and therefore, Tan Jian and the others hadn't arrived as they were likely waiting for the appropriate moment. The manager tried to guide him towards the VIP area, but Tan Ting halted. He looked at the stage and had a realization.
"Find me a seat near the windows," he said, leaving the manager puzzled about his intentions.
Without offering further explanation, Tan Ting let the manager handle the arrangements and walked to a quiet seat by the window. About half a quarter of an hour later, the hall suddenly quieted down. Someone announced the beginning of the play, and others cleared the area. Turning his head towards the entrance, Tan Ting saw his younger brother walking in, smiling.
Despite being a grown man who was married and had a family, Tan Jian seemed to be perpetually cheerful, and he attended the theater as if it was as grand as an imperial procession. Tan Ting glanced at Tan Jian with a touch of disdain.
Following Tan Jian was his sister-in-law, Yang Zhen, who held various colorful objects in her hands, indicating that she had been shopping around the streets. Tan Ting wasn't too interested in her activities and instead focused his gaze behind her.
She also entered the hall.
Compared to the lively appearance of Tan Jian and Yang Zhen, she had nothing in her hands. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that she wore a delicate string of light purple silk flowers around her wrist. Today, she wore a pale blue long coat with moon-white edges. Her neckline lacked fur, exposing her fair neck. Amidst the noisy atmosphere of Shi Cui Restaurant, where everyone seemed excited, she stood quietly, seemingly unaffected by the commotion.
Yang Zhen saw something interesting and turned to her, talking animatedly, while Tan Jian chimed in. She exuded an aura as gentle and tranquil as a spring breeze caressing a secluded pond. Her eyes shimmered with a soft and bright light, and a faint smile graced her lips.
From a distance, Tan Ting watched, captivated.
However, at that moment, as if sensing something, she suddenly turned her head and looked directly at him.
In an instant, the smile on her face seemed to evaporate, disappearing completely.
Tan Ting stood there, stunned.
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Ji Xiang Seal Shop
Some craftsmen came to collect a batch of engraving tools. Upon seeing the craftsman, Jiang, the shopkeeper, congratulated him, "Working for the Tan family must be good, right? You all have to work diligently and produce delicate work. It would be even better if you could stay in the Tan family!"
The craftsman agreed and sighed, "The Tan family is good, but there are some people and in-laws in the Tan family who are no easy opponents. We almost brought trouble upon Madam Xiang from the Xiang family!"
Hearing this, Jiang, the shopkeeper, was taken aback and quickly had the craftsman sit down to explain what had happened. The craftsman proceeded to recount the incident that occurred in the Tan family's ancestral hall the previous day.
"If it weren't for Madam's straightforwardness and honesty, we would have been implicated by these troublemakers! We narrowly escaped a disaster!"
With that, the craftsman took his engraving tools and left. Jiang, the shopkeeper, was left speechless for a while. Cold sweat trickled down his temples. It wasn't until his nephew arrived from the countryside and called out to him that he snapped back to reality.
"Uncle, what happened?" his nephew asked.
Jiang, the shopkeeper, wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and began to tell his nephew about the astonishing event he had just heard.
However, Jiang, the shopkeeper, halted his explanation as a stranger walked into the shop. However, to his surprise, the customer was genuinely interested in the 'ĺ’Ś' character seal and asked about its price.
Jiang, the shopkeeper, told the truth, "This seal is priced on the higher side. Are you interested? Perhaps you'd like to take a look at other seals in our shop."
He thought this would discourage the customer, but instead, the customer firmly held onto the seal.
"Shopkeeper, name your price," the customer said boldly.
Given the audacity, Jiang, the shopkeeper, didn't hesitate and named a high price, "Twenty taels."
In times like these, with the current state of affairs, twenty taels could buy several mu of fertile land. He had named a high price, expecting the customer to frown. However, to his surprise, the customer raised an eyebrow and responded, "The price is not justified."
Although the shopkeeper's asking price was high, saying that the seal wasn't worth it was something he disagreed with. Just as he was about to respond, the customer promptly placed thirty taels on the counter.
"This seal is worth at least thirty taels," the customer asserted.
Jiang, the shopkeeper, was momentarily stunned. The customer had already pushed the silver over to him.
Wait, could it be that the customer meant something different when he said it wasn't worth it?
Jiang, the shopkeeper, couldn't help but secretly pinch the silver with his fingernails to check if it was fake. It wasn't.
As the shopkeeper observed the customer more closely, he noticed that the customer spoke with a Beijing accent and didn't resemble the Tan family at all. Realization dawned upon Jiang, the shopkeeper, and he looked at the pile of silver before him. He was no longer hesitant and immediately sold the 'ĺ’Ś' character seal to the customer.
The customer seemed to cherish the seal and carefully took it away.
Jiang, the shopkeeper, meticulously counted the silver and couldn't help but feel pleased about getting a good price. This would also help ease Madam Xiang's financial situation.
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Feeling cheerful, Jiang, the shopkeeper, answered his nephew's question from before, "What I wanted to say just now was... Ah, never mind."
His nephew, named Fu Yao, might not have come from an affluent family, but he was academically inclined. Unfortunately, he couldn't devote all his time to studying because of family responsibilities. He would occasionally visit bookstores in the county to read or buy a copy of the Qingzhou Daily to peruse.
The "Qingzhou Daily" wasn't the official reports from the imperial court; it was from the neighboring Weiping Prefectural Qingzhou Academy. They copied the official reports from the capital, along with contemporary writings and interesting stories, and sold these copies at a very low price to lower-class scholars who couldn't afford to attend school. Fu Yao had come into the city today to purchase one of these copies.
Unlike earlier, Jiang, the shopkeeper, didn't speak as excitedly. Instead, he omitted the prominent Tan family name and explained the situation as involving a woman of humble birth who had married into a prestigious family as a concubine.
Fu Yao, being a passionate young man, upon hearing Jiang, the shopkeeper's words, momentarily forgot about the "Qingzhou Daily."
"How could such things happen? If not for the lady's innocence, she might have been falsely accused and even put to death by those people. Eventually, they might smear us lower-class clans and families as well! These aristocrats are becoming more and more audacious in bullying others!"
He was indignant, "They're abusing their power even more!"
He then turned to Jiang, the shopkeeper, and asked, "Which family is behind this?!"
Jiang, the shopkeeper, was somewhat affected by his fiery words and almost revealed the surname of the family in question. He swallowed the words just before they left his lips. He suddenly remembered that his nephew was quite skilled with the pen; if he revealed the family's name now, it could potentially cause problems.
Thinking about it, even someone as quiet and cautious as Madam Xiang probably wouldn't want this matter to spread, especially if it reached her younger siblings in the nearby Qingzhou County.
He had met Madam Xiang's younger brother, Xiang Yu, a few times. He was not the type to endure injustices silently. If he found out, who knew what kind of situation might arise...
Jiang, the shopkeeper, regretted mentioning it to his nephew; he could only instruct him, "If you know, that's enough. Don't spread this matter haphazardly. But keep it in mind."
Seeing his nephew nod in response, Jiang wasn't sure if his nephew truly understood the gravity of the situation.
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