Chapter 14

After Zhao Jue was given the task of gathering military grain, he went to visit the Qin family estate. The servants there only said that the master had gone south and claimed to know nothing more.

Yesterday, by chance, Zhao Jue learned that Baixiang Zhai was one of Qin Trading Company’s bases. The shopkeeper there was a trusted aide of Boss Qin, responsible for gathering information and able to contact him directly.

The moment Zhao Jue heard this news yesterday, he came here to look for Boss Qin. After introducing himself and explaining his reason, the manager told him that Boss Qin would return to Baixiang Zhai today.

While waiting for Boss Qin, Zhao Jue had also been looking for other ways to get grain, afraid that Boss Qin wouldn’t be able to provide enough. He had been networking with noble families to borrow or buy grain, but the results were poor—everyone claimed they were struggling too.

It had already been three days since the military order was issued, leaving only seven days left.

Zhao Jue handed his reins to a servant and strode into the shop. “Manager Hu, has your master arrived?”

“Sir, the master came early this morning and is resting in the back courtyard,” Hu replied respectfully. “I’ve already passed your message to him. He said if you came, I should take you to him.”

Hearing this, Zhao Jue finally relaxed a little. “Please, lead the way.”

Hu led him to the study in the back courtyard.

From an open window, Boss Qin saw Zhao Jue and signaled to a servant grinding ink, “A guest has arrived, quickly open the door.”

“Yes,” the servant obeyed.

When the door opened, Zhao Jue happened to be right there. He stepped inside and saw Boss Qin slowly walking out from behind his desk, bowing with a polite salute. “General Zhao, I returned home in the middle of the night and received Manager Hu’s message, so I came here early this morning to await your visit.”

Zhao Jue made a gesture of polite refusal. “Boss Qin, Tan’er and your daughter are like sisters. You’re like an elder to her—no need to be so formal.”

“I was originally planning to attend the wedding banquet between you and Miss Shen, but something went wrong with my business in Jiangnan and I couldn’t come,” Boss Qin said, pouring tea for Zhao Jue. “I found a treasure in Jiangnan—once it’s shipped to the capital, I’ll send it to your home as a gift for Miss Shen’s marriage.”

Zhao Jue’s eyes flickered slightly. He had deliberately mentioned Shen Qingtan in a familiar tone to test Boss Qin, but from Boss Qin’s words, it seemed he didn’t know that Zhao Jue and Shen Qingtan had married other people.

A sudden wave of emotion rose in Zhao Jue’s heart. If Shen Qingtan had truly cut ties with him, she would have told Boss Qin and ended their cooperation. After all, if she had married another man, they would now stand on opposite sides.

So… could it be that she still had feelings for him?

“Another day, I’ll invite you for a drink,” Zhao Jue said, avoiding any explanation about the wedding mix-up. Taking a sip of tea, he added, “Boss Qin, you’ve traveled far and wide, and your skills are outstanding. You pioneered the transport of southern grain to the north, and your grain shops are spread all across the empire with an excellent reputation.”

Boss Qin modestly replied, “Not at all. In both business and life, honesty is most important.”

Zhao Jue got straight to the point. “I’m here today because I want to work with you. I need to buy 100,000 shi of military grain from you.”

Boss Qin was shocked. “One… one hundred thousand shi?”

He sighed. “You know there’s a food shortage now. I don’t have that much. What little I have is old grain bought at a high price.”

Zhao Jue’s tone grew heavy. “The peace our people enjoy is because soldiers at the border risk their lives to defend our land. The war in the north should have ended already, but Northern Qi knows we’re short on food, so they’re dragging it out until our supplies run out, then they’ll attack.

If the north falls, the people will suffer—there will be no peace.

Now the army is short on food. If the soldiers can’t eat, how can they fight?

To die in battle is honorable. But to starve to death on the battlefield—that’s tragic.”

Boss Qin’s face turned serious.

“Boss Qin, whatever grain you have—sell it all to me,” Zhao Jue said, standing up and bowing deeply. “On behalf of the soldiers at the border, I thank you.”

Boss Qin quickly stepped aside, not daring to accept such a bow. “As a subject of the empire, in times of crisis I should do what I can.”

Zhao Jue felt a weight lift from his heart and was about to speak when Boss Qin said helplessly, “It’s just… after the natural disasters, I’ve never had more than fifty thousand shi. I’ve also been away from the capital for over a month, so I’m not sure how much is left in the granaries. I’ll go check and give you an answer tonight.”

“Good,” Zhao Jue said, and before leaving, added, “Tan’er and I… our relationship ended. On our wedding day, something went wrong—she got into my second brother’s bridal sedan and entered his wedding chamber instead.”

Boss Qin froze, then sighed. “What a pity. Fate wasn’t on your side.” He then smiled faintly. “Still, though you didn’t become husband and wife, you’re now family—there’s still a bond.”

Zhao Jue’s expression dimmed. He didn’t explain further, but reminded, “I’ll be back tonight.”

“Alright,” Boss Qin said, as if seeing through him. “This concerns the war in the north—I won’t let emotions get in the way.” After a pause, he added with meaning, “I’m a businessman, and I have many mouths to feed.”

Of course, he wouldn’t turn away a deal that came to him.

Once Zhao Jue had his assurance, he finally relaxed. To avoid complications, he decided to find a chance to placate Shen Qingtan.

—

After sending Zhao Jue off, Boss Qin ordered the tea replaced with premium West Lake Longjing and had several snacks prepared.

Just as everything was ready, Manager Hu brought in Shen Qingtan.

She entered the study, removed her veiled hat, and saw Boss Qin standing by the desk.

He wore a square cap and wide-sleeved robe, his chin adorned with a smooth, neatly-kept beard. His demeanor was refined and elegant, showing none of a merchant’s slyness.

But she knew Boss Qin was the type to hide a sharp mind behind a mild face.

It had been about a year and a half since they’d met—though in truth, it felt like a lifetime.

In her previous life, Boss Qin had helped Zhao Jue but met a tragic end—his entire fortune seized by Zhao Jue, and he died unjustly in prison.

And she had been partly to blame.

Because on the day Boss Qin died, Zhao Jue had come drunkenly to her room and told her, “If he hadn’t found out you were alive and nearly tracked down your hideaway, he wouldn’t have ended up like this. Shen Qingtan, the sixty-plus members of the Qin family all died because of you.”

Her eyes burned with grief, and she quickly lowered her head.

Boss Qin didn’t notice. “Miss Shen, you sent a message specially—is it about the military grain?”

Yesterday, he had learned from Manager Hu that Shen Qingtan was now the second wife of the eldest branch of the Guogong estate.

The reason he met Zhao Jue today was first for the military grain, which concerned the soldiers at the border. Second, because Zhao Jue’s status wasn’t something he could openly offend. And third, to see if Zhao Jue had other motives.

“Master Zhao left just a while ago,” Boss Qin said with a hint of sarcasm, remembering Zhao Jue’s tone when mentioning her. “He really is such a ‘devoted lover’—ha.”

Childhood sweethearts—couldn’t he at least recognize her figure if not her face? Boss Qin knew exactly what kind of man Zhao Jue was: one who abandoned women for power and profit.

Boss Qin actually felt relieved. “Zhao Jue isn’t a good man. Him not marrying you was the best thing he’s ever done.”

The sourness in Shen Qingtan’s heart faded instantly, leaving only helplessness as she saw Boss Qin’s mix of anger and relief.

She sighed softly. “Uncle Qin, there’s some bad blood between him and me.”

Because she had once saved Qin Yao, she had met Boss Qin when he was trying to expand his business into the capital. At first, his ventures were unsuccessful and he was suppressed by merchants with noble backing.

With her good reputation in the capital, she introduced him to many official families and connections, helping him gain a foothold.

Boss Qin, being upright and grateful, secretly involved her in his business to repay her kindness.

“I thought about it carefully, and still haven’t given him a definite answer,” Boss Qin said, frowning. “Regardless of whether the grain is for the border soldiers, the fact is he was ordered to gather it. If I refuse, he might get an imperial decree to investigate me, and that could drag you down as well.”