CHAPTER 85: CHAPTER 83: CATCHING PEOPLE AND SEIZING EVIDENCE

Wang Jian looked worried.

Old Mrs. Chen waved her hand, saying, "It’s nothing, you don’t need to worry. Wait for a while, and maybe it will get better. Then we’ll come to buy from you."

Wang Jian glanced toward the direction of the Familiar Medicine Institute in the village: "Is it that the village has run out of silver coin? I heard that the Familiar Medicine Institute spent quite a bit of silver." The last time he came to the village, he happened to see Chen Family Village burning something, with the smell of herbs wafting in the air.

He asked a few children and learned that Chen Family Village was burning unfinished medicine.

Making familiar medicine is not like selling herbs; it’s not that easy. Just burning it would waste a lot of silver, and even if the Chen Family Village united to earn some silver through the wool trade, they couldn’t withstand such wastage.

"If you ask me, you should put the Familiar Medicine Institute on hold," Wang Jian suggested, "It’s especially cold this year. In a few days, it will snow. Even if you’re in a hurry to make familiar medicine, you need to get through this winter first. I noticed that the children in the village are wearing clothes stuffed with reed flowers; those aren’t warm at all. Continuing like this will make them sick from the cold."

Wang Jian had hit the worry on Old Mrs. Chen’s mind. Her back hunched further, and she instinctively reached to touch her waist.

There was little silver left on her waist.

Seeing Old Mrs. Chen’s action, Wang Jian was more convinced of his guess.

Wang Jian said, "Keep the wool I brought for you. The trading team will be leaving in a couple of days. You can sell woolen products again, stockpile some bedding and food for the New Year!"

"That won’t work," Old Mrs. Chen quickly refused, "Miss Chen said we can’t buy things outside on credit. Besides, you’re doing small trade..."

Wang Jian replied, "To be honest with you, Old Madam, this time the fur merchants around Zhenzhou made good money. Although I sold cheaply, it’s still much better than previous years. I can afford to credit you some wool. Besides, the Chen Family Village is right here; you wouldn’t run away, would you?"

Old Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but turn her head to look at the Familiar Medicine Institute.

Wang Jian knew that the real decision-maker in Chen Family Village wasn’t the village chief Chen Yongsheng, nor the old lady in front of him, but Miss Xie.

Wang Jian said, "Miss Xie has been very busy lately. I haven’t seen her for several days."

Old Mrs. Chen nodded, "Not just you, even I have to wait outside to catch a glimpse of her. Earning money may seem easy, but I don’t know how much effort my granddaughter has put in. Just talking about woolen products, how easy is it to make them? When she first made a pair of wool socks, my granddaughter’s hands were all worn out."

Old Mrs. Chen spoke for a while, clearly beginning to feel sorry for her granddaughter.

Wang Jian seized the opportunity, "In any case, Miss Xie is at the Familiar Medicine Institute and won’t come out. Old Madam, you should make the decision quickly, make the woolen products and sell them to merchants. It’s also nice to prepare for the New Year and provide sustenance for the village’s elderly and children."

With visible hesitation on her face, Old Mrs. Chen said, "I’ll show you the wool."

Old Mrs. Chen was silent for a moment, then finally followed Wang Jian forward.

Wang Jian sighed with relief in his heart. Dealing with Chen Family Village wasn’t easy. He wanted to offer concessions to bridge the gap with Chen Family Village but was afraid of Miss Xie’s suspicion.

Even though Miss Xie only traded in woolen products, she had the market prices in her mind. Any mistake on his part would be discovered by her.

So he could only take it slowly with Chen Family Village.

As Old Mrs. Chen looked at the wool, her eyes began to light up: "These are good things! But we can’t take them."

Though she said so, her hand didn’t leave the pile of wool.

"I’d say, the Chen Family Village is too distant from me," Wang Jian said, "How familiar is Chen Family Village with the Tian Family Trading Team? Without any silver, they still let them take away the medicine. Why can’t you do that to me?

If you don’t buy, I can’t sell this wool elsewhere, and I won’t earn any silver. This is the only deal before the New Year, and if it’s finished early, I won’t have to stay at the store, which is very cold in winter."

Old Mrs. Chen was swayed, "Can this really work?"

Wang Jian said, "It can work."

Old Mrs. Chen pressed her lips together, "Actually, the credit may not last long. I heard Miss Chen say that the medicines this time are pretty good."

Wang Jian knew that many medical workers had come to the capital, and it seemed they wouldn’t rest even during the New Year, working until the Official Medicine Bureau was completed.

Song Xian wanted to claim this credit at the start of next year.

Chen Family Village naturally had to prepare the medicine before that, to be selected by the Imperial Hospital. How could Song Xian let these deals fall into the hands of other pharmacies?

The evidence of selling paper medicine and herbs by the Chen Family Village hadn’t been caught, so this time they had to seize the opportunity of familiar medicine to hold Song Xian accountable.

Wang Jian did not rush Old Mrs. Chen further, showing great patience as he waited nearby.

Finally, Old Mrs. Chen couldn’t resist whispering, "Then leave the wool, and I’ll let someone inform you once it’s finished."

Wang Jian smiled, "Okay, as long as you’re assured, Old Madam, everything will be fine."

Old Mrs. Chen smacked her lips, "What do I have to worry about? It’s not like you’re asking for silver coin. If you’re not assured, we can go to the government office to draft a document."

Wang Jian lowered his face, half-joking, half-grumbling, "This bit of wool, are you trying to shame me?"

After finishing their conversation, Wang Jian asked, "Where should the wool be stored?"

Old Mrs. Chen looked around, "I won’t tell Miss Chen about this, lest she nags me endlessly. I’m tired of hearing it, so just send it to the empty house at the end of the village."

Wang Jian acknowledged, instructing his helper to move the goods.

The money wasn’t given, but the amounts were carefully noted. Once everything was settled, Wang Jian finally left with his men.

Once they were away from Chen Family Village, Wang Jian instructed his attendant, "Send a message to Mr. Song and tell him the fish has taken the bait."

Now that Li You had left Zhenzhou, there was no outsider interference; it was up to the Song Family to resolve their matters behind closed doors. If they secured evidence of Song Xian’s collusion, regardless of whether Song Xian was a court official, Song Qizheng had the right and responsibility to sacrifice personal interests for the greater good.

No matter how formidable Song Xian was, his troops were ultimately not as numerous as Song Qizheng’s.

Once the northern matters were settled, perhaps the lord would assign him to the capital city. Wherever he went, turbulence was sure to follow. Wang Jian began to look forward to seeing Zhenzhou become a scene of chaos and bloodshed.

...

After Wang Jian left, Old Mrs. Chen returned home. Just as she stepped into the courtyard, Chen Zigeng came quickly to meet her.

Old Mrs. Chen was startled, reaching out to grab Chen Zigeng, and the two of them slipped into the house to whisper. Old Mrs. Chen recounted the conversation she had just had with Wang Jian to Chen Zigeng.

"How about it?" Old Mrs. Chen asked anxiously, "Did I do anything wrong?"

Chen Zigeng shook his head, his eyes on Old Mrs. Chen’s hand.

"It’s fine," Chen Zigeng said, "It sounds like Grandma was just dazzled by the wool, with eyes only for the silver coin."

Hearing this, Old Mrs. Chen felt as if something was stuck in her throat.

Her eyes only saw silver coin?

Chen Zigeng did not avoid Old Mrs. Chen’s gaze, "Grandma doesn’t believe it? Then look at what’s tightly held in your hand."

Old Mrs. Chen opened her palm, and there was a handful of wool in her hand.

Old Mrs. Chen’s old face turned red as if she was caught red-handed.

Coughing lightly, Old Mrs. Chen said, "What should we do with this wool?"