Chapter 137 – Making Money

“What should we do?”

Xu Tingjie paced back and forth, his expression flustered. “Could he have been deliberately bluffing us?”

Dong Xian sat in his seat, his face stern. “Calm down. He doesn’t have any evidence. And if he truly believed it, why would he tell us? Why wouldn’t he just report us directly?”

Xu Tingjie asked, “Who could it be? Who would write that report letter? The Zhu family? Or the Wang family? The Wang family has a new head, and last time they thought the split was too much, they were being passive-aggressive about it. But how can toppling our table put food on their plate? The same goes for the Zhu family; they’ve refused to share profits several times now, relying on the fact that we can’t catch them.”

Dong Xian said, “Don’t panic. These days, he’s been out at sea investigating smuggling with his ships. Everyone knows not to move goods around right now. Without evidence, what can they do to us?”

Xu Tingjie said, “Perhaps this is the reason they’re considering betrayal? Because they feel that the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade has gone too far, and now they can’t move goods anymore, so they might as well report us?”

Dong Xian remained calm. “They don’t have evidence. If they really reported us, they’d have to pay all the taxes they’ve avoided for years first. Do you think they dare?”

Xu Tingjie said, “What if it’s an insider…?”

Dong Xian snapped, “Don’t panic! First, think about what evidence or records we have and destroy them. Right now, what we need to pay attention to is whether what Xu Chun said about the prohibition of opium is true. Those merchants who came to the capital and haven’t been heard from since might be in trouble. Li Meiyi may be upright, but he’s not stupid.”

Xu Tingjie said, “It can’t be. The tax revenue generated from this commodity is extremely high every year for the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade. Could the imperial court really ban it? They say it’s harmful, but it can be controlled. How could they give up so much tax revenue?”

Dong Xian said, “You don’t understand His Majesty. He ascended the throne young and values cleanliness above all else. He doesn’t tolerate any sand in his eyes.”

Xu Tingjie asked, “Could it be that the Jingguo Duke has some channels of information?”

Dong Xian said, “His guards go out on horseback daily to run errands. Those horses are extremely fine steeds, perfect for riding back and forth to deliver messages and gather intelligence. As members of the aristocracy, they are naturally more informed than you and me.”

Xu Tingjie panicked. “Does that mean there’s a chance it’s true?”

Dong Xian said, “Regardless, it wasn’t banned before. First, destroy all the evidence, don’t keep any account books, and don’t meet anyone outside. Let’s wait until this storm passes.”

Xu Tingjie said, “Liu Bin?”

Dong Xian said, “Make sure he keeps his mouth shut and burns all the ledgers.”

But then Xu Tingjie suddenly said, “He’s been somewhat dissatisfied. Could it be that he’s the one reporting us?”

Dong Xian said, “He wouldn’t dare. Unless he wants to see his family destroyed. Where could he go to be clean after all these years? We took what we did, and he took what he did.”

Xu Tingjie’s heart settled slightly, and he stood up, still very uneasy as he asked Dong Xian, “As long as there’s no evidence?”

Dong Xian said, “Every family negotiated their shares privately. They don’t know each other’s arrangements. The only one who has access to all the account books is Liu Bin. What he took isn’t less than what we did. He also has a wife, children, and parents. His entire family depends on this. Does he have room to betray us?”

Xu Tingjie felt relieved. “I’ll remind him again.”

Dong Xian sneered. “We’re all in the same boat. If the boat capsizes, we all die together!”

Xu Tingjie muttered, “We can only hope that the news of the imperial court banning opium is untrue.”

==

Perhaps the heavens didn’t hear Xu Tingjie’s prayer in his heart, for the next day, the imperial edict had already been widely issued. And it wasn’t just sent to the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade, but to every province and county across the land. This was because it wasn’t just related to the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade, prohibiting entry through ports, but also banning sales and transportation on the market, as well as prohibiting planting by the common people.

The edict stated that drugs like opium had caused great harm to the nation, leaving behind significant problems. “On a small scale, it can destroy livelihoods and lives; on a large scale, it can lead to the destruction of a country and its people.” Now, the edict strictly prohibited it, aiming to correct the root cause. Strictly prohibiting private possession and sales. Once discovered selling or transporting in violation, all goods would be confiscated, and a double penalty of silver would be imposed, along with one hundred strokes and three years of penal servitude. Privately opening opium dens and luring virtuous families’ children would result in a sentence of suspended hanging. Local officials responsible for customs, river transport, and other supervisory positions who failed to investigate would be dismissed and investigated, facing severe punishment.

The edict on banning opium was published on the same day, displayed in the port, the government office, and at street corners. The ship owners, who had previously been noisy in the customs hall, suddenly vanished. All quietly turned their ships around. It was a joke to think anyone would dare to force their way through. The edict clearly stated that upon discovery, immediate confiscation would occur. At this point, regular customs clearance through the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade would definitely not be possible. If they didn’t quickly find another solution, they wouldn’t even be able to protect their goods.

Smuggling was clearly not feasible in Jinhaiwei anymore. They either had to turn to the East and South Seas countries or find alternative routes elsewhere to preserve these goods. The officials of the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade must have known about the rumors long ago. That’s why they had suppressed their customs clearance. At this moment, anyone hoping to sneak through would truly be delivering themselves to their doom.

Xu Tingjie and Dong Xian looked at each other in silence, having no choice but to reluctantly comply. On one side, they dispatched people to the capital to inquire about the fate of the merchant representatives who had complained. On the other side, they were busy secretly establishing a united front here, discreetly instructing each cooperating merchant.

Seeing that the edict had been issued, Xu Chun was in a great mood. He enthusiastically wrote a few pages of calligraphy in his study and reluctantly concocted a twisted poem, setting it aside to carefully revise it later in the evening. However, he heard laughter and cheers coming from outside the window and walked over to take a look. It turned out that the guards were playing a simple three-person polo game with the city garrison soldiers. Each team had three players, and the horses galloped back and forth, quite spectacular.

He was naturally playful, and his heart itched again. Seeing that he had worked hard for two days and could barely satisfy Jiu Ge, he eagerly went downstairs to comfort the guards.

Just as he arrived, he saw Huo Shiduo hurriedly selecting a team of people. With a smile, he also walked over, holding a horsewhip in his hand, and asked, “Brother Huo, is there an urgent official matter? It’s almost evening, time for dinner.”

Huo Shiduo looked at him. Since it was after work hours, he wore a narrow-sleeved jade-colored robe, with his hair simply adorned with a jade hairpin, not wearing official attire. Smiling, he stood beside Sheng Changtian, looking like brothers, making him seem even younger. He was completely like a wealthy family’s young master, but who could have imagined that he was so well-informed?

A few days ago, when he said opium would surely be banned, Huo Shiduo had thought it would be the same as before—much ado about nothing. Who knew it would be an unprecedented strict order, not only banning consumption and sales but also imposing penalties for private possession and transportation, and prohibiting pharmacies from keeping stocks. The law clearly stated the punishments for various offenses, leaving no room for maneuver.

He merely clasped his hands in greeting. “We are sealing off opium dens house by house throughout the city. The governor said the imperial court’s edict was urgent. Upon receiving it, no opium den must remain open. Additionally, we need to search each pharmacy.”

Xu Chun asked, “Are there many opium dens in the city?” In the two months since he arrived, he hadn’t wandered around much outside, mostly lingering around the port. He had also posted a notice declining invitations to banquets. The local gentry, unable to ascertain his background, naturally didn’t invite him. Later, he had been busy investigating maritime smuggling, leaving him with even less time.

Huo Shiduo said, “There are probably seven or eight, but the merchants have invested heavily in this. It won’t be easy to seal them off and confiscate the goods. The opposing party, in a temporary fit of anger, consists mostly of clan forces. Fights break out frequently here. If someone leads a resistance, it could escalate into violence. Therefore, it’s essential to mobilize sufficient manpower. After all, we’re only seizing property, not harming people. If there’s resistance, immediately put them in leg irons. That’s the way to handle it.”

Xu Chun said, “Do you need me to lend you some men?”

Huo Shiduo glanced at the burly guards on the field, somewhat envious, but still shook his head. “No need. Your men are too heavy-handed. If someone gets killed, it won’t be easy to deal with. The Office of Supervising Foreign Trade needs to be cautious as well. It’s best to strengthen the manpower at the port. There are always people who harbor false hopes, thinking it’s just ointment, not opium, that you want to seize. They’ve invested heavily, and seeing their goods about to be lost, they might lose their heads and fight to the death with you.”

“The local officials most fear causing deaths. You’re new to your post and lack experience. Be sure to take note. Don’t confront them head-on. Just restrain them and let them cool off and go hungry. Once they calm down and realize they can’t go head-to-head with the government and that preserving their lives is paramount, they’ll naturally accept the punishment.”

Xu Chun hurriedly clasped his hands and said, “Thank you, Brother, for teaching me.”

Huo Shiduo waved his hand, calling over half of the soldiers, and they left in a flurry.

Xu Chun was lost in thought as he turned around and called out to Qing Qian. “Sister Qing Qian, the matter from the other day, we can reel them in now.”

Qing Qian smiled. “These past few days, I’ve noticed that Clerk Liu has been looking at me hesitantly, clearly very worried. I suspect he’s the one.”

Xu Chun said, “Let’s bluff him. Have Commander Pei bring a few people to help you.”

Qing Qian said, “Can’t Chun Xi do it? Commander Pei seems a bit aloof and isn’t familiar with us.”

Xu Chun shook his head. “Chun Xi won’t do. He lacks the air of authority that comes with being an official for a long time. I’ll talk to Commander Pei and have him assist you as needed.”

Qing Qian laughed. “Prince, you’ve also developed considerable authority now.”

Xu Chun chuckled. “You haven’t seen real authority. Someone who doesn’t smile easily, just looking at you makes your legs weak, and you just want to kneel down and beg for forgiveness, unable to utter a single word of defense.”

Qing Qian was puzzled. “There are such people? I’ve met a few officials before when I was drafting documents. Zhu Zhenyuan has authority from presiding over many trials at the Ministry of Justice, but it hasn’t reached the level you describe.”

Xu Chun smiled slightly without saying anything, merely ordering her to proceed. Meanwhile, he summoned Pei Dongyan and had him arrange people to cooperate with Qing Qian. He also sent Qi Luan with people to the port to assist in investigations over the past few days.

After making these arrangements, he said to Sheng Changtian, “The manpower still isn’t enough. Fortunately, there were some people who recommended themselves a few days ago. I picked a few, and Changtian Ge, you should recruit some more sailors and soldiers for me. Indeed, we need to increase the manpower at the port. Thankfully, we’ve made some money from investigations recently, so things are a bit more comfortable now.”

Sheng Changtian, however, said, “This money isn’t enough to pay off the ship loan yet. We need to investigate a big case and make two to three million. Then we’ll have more than enough.”

Xu Chun chuckled. “Brother, you’re dreaming.”

Sheng Changtian said, “When luck comes, it will happen sooner or later. I’ve heard before that some Western merchants collected silver in our country, and on their way back, pirates seized their entire ship. Imagine if the imperial court encountered them and took them down with one cannon shot. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”

Xu Chun felt a sense of longing but shook his head and said to Sheng Changtian with a smile, “Ships cost money, cannonballs and firearms cost money, and maintaining sailors and soldiers costs money. Even if we find something, we have to split a portion with the admiral. This matter still needs to be done slowly. We need to think of more ways to make money.”

As Xu Chun pondered how to make money ethically, an unexpected visitor arrived at the Office of Supervising Foreign Trade that night. Through Jiang Mei, he conveyed that he wanted to present Prince Xu with an opportunity to make a fortune.