Chapter 205

The matter of withdrawing investment from the Tang family’s merchant ship couldn’t be resolved quickly, as no one was willing to accept losing half of the invested funds.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t get involved in this matter, but in her view, withdrawing the investment might not necessarily be a bad thing, especially given the awkward relationship with the Tang family now.

In mid-to-late March, the imperial court sent officials to Changle Town to select sites and requisition land from the local people to establish the Maritime Trade Office. This caused a commotion among the townspeople, as once land was requisitioned by the court, the compensation price would certainly not be low. The only question was where it would be built. Rumor had it that the court would offer 50 taels of silver per mu of land as compensation!

Someone had spread the news, and it was like throwing a bomb into a pot of oil. Everyone hoped this “big pie” would fall into their laps. All eyes were on the requisitioned land. When the officials came to inspect it, people crowded around to find out which land would be chosen.

What surprised Wang Yuan’er was that, while squeezing into the crowd, she saw Cui Yuan among the accompanying officials, dressed in a brand-new official uniform. His youthful and handsome appearance stood out prominently among the older officials and attendants.

Wang Qing’er, who was also following her elder sister to see the commotion, naturally noticed Cui Yuan and was shocked: “Elder sister, isn’t that Master Cui? Why is he here?”

The reason was obvious—he had become an official.

Wang Yuan’er suddenly recalled what Cui Yuan had mentioned earlier, that he would be spending more time in Changle Town in the future, which meant they’d have more opportunities to meet.

“Could it be that he is the new official in the Maritime Trade Office?”

Wang Yuan’er was indeed correct. By the emperor’s new decree, Cui Yuan was appointed as the Maritime Trade Commissioner of the fifth rank, responsible for overseeing the affairs of the Maritime Trade Office, such as collecting customs duties from trading ships, procuring imported goods on behalf of the court, and regulating ship trade.

Cui Yuan’s first task upon assuming office was to construct the office building for the Maritime Trade Office.

“First, congratulations to Master Cui on your promotion. I shall toast to you with tea instead of wine,” Wang Yuan’er said.

In the private room of Huifeng Garden, Wang Yuan’er and Cui Yuan sat opposite each other. Between them were a few plates of snacks and some tea. Wang Yuan’er held her cup with both hands, her eyes smiling as she looked at Cui Yuan across from her.

Cui Yuan raised an eyebrow, picked up his tea cup, and clinked it with hers.

“When I saw you wearing the official robes earlier, I almost thought I was mistaken. I never imagined that you would be the leading officer in the Maritime Trade Office,” said Wang Yuan’er.

“This position came to me purely by coincidence,” Cui Yuan replied with a faint smile.

“I’ve long recognized that you are no ordinary person, but I must admit I failed to fully see your potential.” Wang Yuan’er’s gaze landed on the ornate buttons of his official robe. She added, “In the past, I was blind to your worth and may have offended you. I hope Commissioner Cui does not take it to heart.” With that, she stood up and gave a polite bow.

Every time she addressed him as Commissioner Cui, Cui Yuan found it increasingly awkward and unpleasant. He said, “You can just call me by my name. This ‘Commissioner Cui’ sounds too formal. It’s far less comfortable than how things were before.”

Once those words were spoken, both of them felt a bit uneasy. They cleared their throats, each picked up their tea cups and took a sip of tea. Seeing that they both seemed a little embarrassed, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter when their eyes met.

Wang Yuan’er coughed lightly and decided to inquire about the matter of compensation for land requisition.

“Fifty taels is rather exaggerated. Thirty taels is more likely. If there are houses on the land, compensation for demolishing the houses would be added to the basic land compensation. Although the court’s requisition of land does not amount to outright forceful seizure, the compensation is not particularly high,” Cui Yuan explained while pouring more tea for Wang Yuan’er.

“The Book of Songs says: Under the whole heaven, every inch of land belongs to the king. When the court requisitions land, it’s possible they might not even compensate a single coin, isn’t it?” Wang Yuan’er teased.

It’s often said that the mountains, rivers, and even every blade of grass under the heavens all belong to the monarch. Whatever they desire can be obtained with just a single word and a piece of official paper. Besides, haven’t those royal and noble families committed such blatant acts of forceful seizure before? Otherwise, where does the saying about not fighting with officials come from?

Before the nobility’s power, ordinary people were as weak as ants.

Cui Yuan glanced at her, took a sip of tea, and said, “I think you’ve read too many unofficial histories.” Putting down his teacup, he continued, “Have you heard of the Revolt of King Zhou?”

In the previous dynasty, King Zhou enjoyed hunting. To expand his hunting grounds, he forcibly confiscated land from a minister, launched massive construction projects, and expanded the palace. He also demolished the homes and farmland of surrounding commoners and officials, seizing hundreds of miles of land. This left the people destitute and the ministers resentful. Some ministers and generals overthrew the tyrannical rule of King Zhou with armed force. They successfully installed his uncle, King Yu, on the throne. As for King Zhou, he fled to another country in exile. This is what is known as the Revolt of King Zhou.

“Any wise and competent ruler understands one principle: if you want to secure your throne and ensure the enduring prosperity of the state, there must be systems and rules in place to enable normal functioning. Furthermore, a wise ruler must lead by example and adhere to these regulations; otherwise, losing the country is inevitable.” Cui Yuan’s eyes glimmered with radiance as he said, “Throughout history, tyrants rarely held their thrones for long. Therefore, whether it’s a ruler or a government, land acquisition and demolition must always comply with the law. Let alone that His Majesty is a diligent and benevolent monarch.”

Wang Yuan’er blushed and said, “I was just joking around. It’s rare to see Lord Cui so serious—it leaves a humble girl like me at a loss for words.”

Since knowing Cui Yuan, she has always been accustomed to his jovial and carefree demeanor. Seeing him suddenly so serious, dressed in official robes, and speaking about governance felt quite unfamiliar.

Cui Yuan burst out laughing, saying, “You are indeed interesting.”

“So, in the future, you’ll be managing the affairs of the Maritime Customs?” Wang Yuan’er shifted the topic to his duties.

“This is my first venture into officialdom. Consider it practice. Whether I am suited for it or not, time will tell.” Cui Yuan, seemingly lost in thought, pressed his lips together.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t notice. She thought of the merchant ships she and Song San were collaborating on, already setting sail, and then to her own plans. She said, “I want to open a shop to sell imported goods. Do you think that’s feasible?”

Cui Yuan returned to his senses, somewhat surprised. “Open a shop?”

Wang Yuan’er nodded and said, “I was thinking that with open trade, foreign goods are novel and interesting. I’m collaborating with Song San, and merchant ships are bringing goods back. It’s easy and cheap to get supplies this way. What do you think?”

Was this her way of consulting him? Cui Yuan’s eyes brightened. For some reason, he felt an unusual kind of happiness. After a moment of pondering, he said, “Shops selling imported goods are most numerous in Jiangnan and Jiangzhe regions, and they are indeed popular among ladies and noblewomen. I heard there’s a kind of mirror with a smooth surface, so clear that even the smallest pores on a person’s face can be seen vividly.”

“Such mirrors exist?” Wang Yuan’er widened her eyes in surprise.

Her bright and radiant eyes inspired Cui Yuan to continue speaking. He nodded and said, “Not only that, but there are also stones as beautiful as beads, extremely hard, and under sunlight or lamplight, they can display many changing colors. They are perfect for making jewelry and are very attractive…”

Wang Yuan’er quietly listened. When she heard about foreigners with blue eyes and blond hair, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “Aren’t they monsters?”

Like a child, she covered her mouth, revealing her bright and wide eyes, looking completely different from her usual wise and composed self. Cui Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Where do you plan to open such a shop?” Cui Yuan asked with a smile.

Inspired by his earlier words, Wang Yuan’er grew more certain that opening a shop selling imported goods would work. She replied, “Certainly not in Changle Town. I’m thinking of heading to Tongzhou or the capital city.” After pausing, she added shyly, “But I’ve never been to the capital. The shops there are likely costly, and I probably can’t afford them.”

She always thought of potential future flash floods, and after all, Changle Town was just a town—not nearly as bustling as Tongzhou or the capital. People there were also less receptive to new things. Since opening a shop was about making money, it was natural to choose a prosperous location.

“If funds are insufficient, it’s not necessary to buy one outright. Most shops in the capital are either part of a lady’s dowry or belong to merchants. Many of these shops are not self-operated but rented out. You can start by looking into that,” Cui Yuan suggested.

In wealthy families, ladies often had shops as part of their dowries, but not all of them managed the shops themselves. Many chose to rent them out instead, earning an annual income of several hundred or even a thousand taels.

“Listening to you, it seems I must make a trip to the capital,” Wang Yuan’er said after hearing his explanation. She decided to visit the city herself since she could only judge its suitability through fieldwork. Merely listening to others’ accounts didn’t provide enough information about the terrain or circumstances.

“If you trust me, I can have someone keep an eye on things for you,” Cui Yuan offered gently.

Wang Yuan’er’s eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful.” But she quickly realized she might have sounded presumptuous and awkwardly added, “Wouldn’t this trouble you too much?”

“I’m far more familiar with the capital than you are. As for trouble…” He glanced at his satin boots and remarked, “These shoes are getting worn.”

Following his gaze, Wang Yuan’er saw that his satin boots were indeed somewhat worn. Her face turned slightly red. “If you don’t mind my poor craftsmanship, I could make them for you,” she murmured, blushing.

With a meaningful smile, Cui Yuan replied, “I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Wang Yuan’er laughed heartily. “Alright, two fan covers and a pair of shoes.”

Cui Yuan couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh, noticing that she didn’t realize the deeper significance of making shoes for a man.

The two then talked about Hou Biao’s appointment and matters concerning Wang Chun’er, thoroughly enjoying their conversation.

Before leaving, Cui Yuan said, “If the Maritime Trade Office is established, I’ll likely be quite busy. I have a servant named Chen Shu. If you need to find me but can’t, you can relay a message through him.”

Wang Yuan’er quickly agreed with a smile.

As Cui Yuan stepped out, he walked a few paces before turning back and looking at her with piercing eyes. “Did you truly forget me?”

Wang Yuan’er froze, confused by his words.

Seeing her blank expression, Cui Yuan shook his head, clearly disheartened. “It seems you really have forgotten.”

With his hands behind his back, he walked away, leaving Wang Yuan’er puzzled. Had she forgotten him?