kingnovel Chapter 1239 Yuanzhou No. 5 Chamber of Commerce
Chapter 1239 Yuanzhou No. 5 Chamber of Commerce
The sky was turning a pale white, and wisps of smoke rose from the village chimneys along the roadside.
Unwavering determination sustained Shen Zheng all the way, as the sun rose in the east, hung high in the sky, and slanted westward.
Finally, just as Shen Zheng's entire body began to protest, the outline of Yuanzhou Prefecture City appeared in her field of vision.
Looking into the distance, the towering city walls stretch for miles, and above the city gate, the three gilded characters "Yuanzhou Prefecture" gleam in the sunlight.
As you get closer, the shouts, hawking, and neighing of mules and horses rise and fall at the city gate, creating a lively scene.
Looking at the scene before her, and then looking up at the tomorrow sky, Shen Zheng slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
She arrived an hour before sunset.
Led by Liu Mingyuan, the group successfully entered the prefectural city.
The streets are wide and flat, the bluestone pavement is worn smooth by the footsteps of pedestrians, shops line the streets one after another, teahouses on the street corners emit wisps of tea smoke, merchants talk loudly, literati recite poems and compose couplets, laughter mingles together, making this city exceptionally vibrant.
Yuanzhou Prefecture was a prefecture that combined prosperous commerce with a flourishing literary culture, but Shen Zheng had no heart to appreciate it at the moment.
"Lord Shen." Liu Mingyuan caught up with Shen Zheng on horseback and said in a low voice, "At Jubao Pavilion, you can only enter at 5 PM. Would you like to come with me to the Chamber of Commerce to rest for a while? The Fifth Chamber of Commerce is not far from Jubao Pavilion; it's only a short walk away."
Children, reciting limericks, frolicked past the horse's belly. Shen Zheng thought for a moment and then nodded: "Then I'll trouble you."
The head of the chamber of commerce was unaware of her arrival, and both morally and logically, she should go and meet him.
"This way, Lord Shen." Liu Mingyuan spurred his horse forward to clear the way.
The Fifth Chamber of Commerce is located on the west side of the city, a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle. Above the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce hangs a black and gold plaque that reads "Fifth Chamber of Commerce Yuanzhou Branch". The characters are vigorous and powerful, and Shen Zheng can tell at a glance who wrote the plaque.
"Has the Fifth Master ever visited Yuanzhou?" Shen Zheng asked, tilting her chin slightly as she looked at the plaque.
Liu Mingyuan followed her gaze to the plaque, his eyes filled with reverence. "Reporting to Lord Shen, this plaque, personally inscribed by the chairman, was transported from the capital."
It turned out to be the case.
Shen Zheng withdrew her gaze, stepped into the Chamber of Commerce gate, and found that all the people coming and going were well-dressed merchants who spoke gently and reasonably, and no one made a fuss.
This shows that the person in charge of the Yuanzhou branch is indeed exceptionally capable.
Liu Mingyuan led Shen Zheng towards the main hall. Along the way, many merchants greeted Liu Mingyuan, and some even secretly inquired about Shen Zheng's identity, but Liu Mingyuan turned them all away without changing his expression.
"Knock knock knock—" Liu Mingyuan knocked on the door of the main hall.
"Come in." The voice inside the hall was calm and steady.
After Liu Mingyuan pushed open the hall door and invited Shen Zheng in, he immediately said to the person in the hall who was engrossed in tidying up accounts, "Manager Chen, a distinguished guest has arrived."
Distinguished guest?
The official slowly raised his head, and the moment his gaze met Shen Zheng's, he was first stunned, then extremely surprised: "Lord Shen?!"
He didn't even put down the account books before getting up to greet him: "I am Chen Zhikuan, and I was unaware of Lord Shen's arrival. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly. I hope Lord Shen will forgive me!"
After gesturing for Liu Mingyuan to close the hall door, Shen Zheng stepped forward and asked, "Does Steward Chen recognize me?"
"I recognize you! I recognize you!" Chen Zhikuan was extremely excited. "A month ago, the chairman sent someone to deliver your portrait. I have already memorized your appearance and would never mistake you!"
"...Portrait?" Shen Zheng didn't expect that the Fifth Nazheng would pull this stunt.
Chen Zhikuan, thinking she wanted to see it, hurriedly said, "Lord Shen, please take a seat. I was afraid the portrait would get dusty, so I hid it in a treasure box. I'll go get it right away..."
"No need, no need." Shen Zheng called to Chen Zhikuan, straightened her robe and sat down. "Please sit down, Master Chen."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhikuan quickly shook his head, his respectful expression becoming even more pronounced: "I'll just stand here."
After the initial excitement subsided, he gradually guessed Shen Zheng's intention in coming in person: "Lord Shen, you... have you come for the Crimson Thorn Grass Elixir?"
Shen Zheng took a sip of the hot tea that Liu Mingyuan had presented and nodded directly: "That's right. The matter of the Red Thorn Grass Elixir is of great importance, and I cannot allow any mishap to occur."
This morning, Chen Zhikuan heard some rumors.
Rumor has it that someone in Liuyang Prefecture has been poisoned by a strange poison, and that the person poisoned has a close relationship with Lord Shen.
Some say the poisoned person was a government official.
Some say that the poisoned person was the Earl of Yongning.
Some even went so far as to say that the poisoned person was Lord Shen himself...
Despite the growing rumors, Chen Zhikuan dared not ask any further questions. Instead, he said, "Please rest assured, Lord Shen, your orders are the top priority for our Yuanzhou branch. The entire guild will do everything in its power to obtain that bottle of Red Thorn Grass Elixir for you. I will lead my men there as soon as dusk falls..."
"I will personally enter the bidding," Shen Zheng interrupted Chen Zhikuan before he could finish speaking.
Chen Zhikuan was taken aback. "You...you're going there in person?"
The bidding market was a chaotic place, and he dared not let Lord Shen be placed under a precarious situation...
If this matter reaches the chairman's ears, his time in charge will likely be over.
“As I said before, this is a matter of great importance, and I must go in person.” Shen Zheng’s tone left no room for argument. Chen Zhikuan was still hesitant, so she pressed further, “Sir Chen, I should be able to use the Chamber of Commerce’s name to enter the bidding, right?”
Can?
Chen Zhikuan hesitated for only a moment before replying, "Yes, yes. Don't worry, Jubao Pavilion will still give the Chamber of Commerce this much face..."
After saying that, he sighed inwardly.
If Lord Shen wanted to go, he wouldn't dare stop him.
I just hope everything goes smoothly today and nothing goes wrong.
"That's good, thank you very much, Manager Chen."
Hearing Shen Zheng thank him, Chen Zhikuan was moved and couldn't help but say a few more words: "Lord Shen, to be honest, after I received the news yesterday, I went to the owner of Jubao Pavilion to try and buy the Red Thorn Grass Liquid directly from the seller. This would save us the bidding process and allow the item to be delivered to you sooner, but..."
"But neither Jubao Pavilion nor the seller has given in?" Shen Zheng had expected this to happen.
On her way to Yuanzhou, she had considered this idea, but with the bidding about to begin, it would be easier to attend the meeting directly than to go through the trouble of negotiating with the seller.
"It's alright. Now that I'm here, I'll go and bid." Shen Zheng's tone was calm, but her gaze was sharp. "Besides, what I want... no one can take away from me."
What you're really looking for at auctions is money and power, isn't it?
She has everything, so who can take the Red Thorn Grass Elixir from her?
Chen Zhikuan was taken aback by Shen Zheng's expression and quickly stated, "Lord Shen, please rest assured, we have prepared sufficient silver notes and will definitely not allow the Red Thorn Grass Liquid to fall into the hands of others!"