"Zikuan?"
"I saw you were sleeping so soundly, so I didn't have the heart to wake you, fearing you would have no appetite after drinking last night. I went to the kitchen and brewed a bowl of porridge for you."
In the grand Shu family, how could there ever be a need for the son-in-law to cook himself? Yet he remembered my preferences and cared about my appetite.
"It is delicious. This is wonderful."
"I'm glad you like it."
The days of living amid schemes and calculations suddenly felt so far away. So this is what peaceful, beautiful days feel like.
In the accounts office of the Shu residence, I laid a heavy ring of keys on the table between us.
"These are the keys to all the core storehouses of the Shu family. From today on, you are the other master of the Shu family. Your word is my word."
"Ji'er, this is far too precious."
"I trust you, just as you believed you could solve my difficult problems."
"All right. I will certainly not fail your trust."
We did not have long. Uncle Fu came in at a run.
"Miss, this is bad. Our three shipments of silk bound for the north have been seized at the Hai River."
"Why?"
"The newly appointed official said we violated the new water transport regulations, and he wants to confiscate all the goods."
This is clearly the newly appointed official trying to extort our Shu family. The shipment of goods is worth five hundred thousand taels of silver. If delayed, not only will we face massive financial compensation, we'll also lose the reputation the Shu family has built over decades.
"Zikuan, what do you think?"
"This matter shouldn't be resolved with money. He didn't detain them earlier or later, but chose to do so right after we fell out with the crown prince. The person pulling the strings behind this is almost certainly the Eastern Palace."
"Are you saying, young master, that this is the crown prince's retaliation against us?"
"Exactly. If we send money to grease his palms, we will walk right into his trap. Instead, it will seal our guilt for violating the regulations."
"Then what should we do?"
"Since he wants to use the regulations to suppress us, then we shall debate the law with him properly. Ji'er, I need you to do three things for me. First, send someone immediately to transcribe the newly promulgated imperial laws, word for word. Second, investigate the background of the new chief director. Third, and most importantly, help me prepare writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. I want to write a formal complaint."
"A formal complaint?"
"Yes. He wants to use the local court to suppress us, so I will take him to court publicly, before the entire officialdom of Great Xia. Not only will I get our ships back, but I will also make him and his master behind the scenes suffer a double loss trying to outsmart us."
Looking at how confident and radiant he was, I knew I had truly found a treasure.
The old shopkeepers did not see it that way. Since ancient times, commoners do not fight officials. Merchants suing officials is unheard of in the great Xia dynasty.
"Young master, the office of waterways protects its own. Why would they offend the local authorities for a merchant? In case we fail to win and completely fall out with the local authorities, how will we do business on the Hai River in the future?"
This is the typical mindset of merchants. They would rather pay to settle matters quietly than have a direct conflict with the government. What is Zikuan thinking?
"I understand the concerns of all the uncles. I understand. But times have changed. In the past, we could use money to smooth things over and keep the peace. But not anymore. Right now, the one keeping tabs on us is the crown prince. If we take one step back, he will take ten steps forward. Faced with a vicious wolf, our only way to survive is to bare our fangs and let him know the Shu family is not a fat sheep to be slaughtered at will."
The Shu family has already been dragged into the struggle for imperial power. We no longer have any room to retreat.
"Good. Then assemble our people immediately. Let's divide up and get to work. The three tasks Zikuan assigned, within one day they must all be fully organized."
"Yes, my lady."
A man focused on his work is indeed the most charming. From this moment on, the two of us as husband and wife have truly begun to fight side by side.
The evidence piled up night after night on his desk. He chose to ignore the path to heaven and barge straight into hell.
"Ji'er, it is done."
I finally understood the power of knowledge. Using his most lethal weapon, Lin Zikuan has forged the sharpest spear for our Shu family.
"Get some sleep first. Leave the rest to me."
He took it to the seventh prince's manor himself.
"It seems the crown prince still refuses to let this go. What brilliant writing. What flawless logic. And what a brilliant move. Brother Zikuan, this is a master stroke. Beautiful. Tell me, what do you need me to do?"
"Help me get this written complaint of their crimes into the hands of one specific person. Vice Minister Zhang Hong."
"He is a tough nut to crack. Completely incorruptible. Moreover, he never takes sides. To get him to help you won't be easy, I'm afraid."
"Your Highness, I only need him to enforce the law impartially. With Lord Zhang's temperament, he will surely be glad to use this complaint to excise that deeply entrenched rot."
"Makes sense. This deal is worth making. Rest assured, within three days, you will definitely hear good news."
Imperial Palace, Hall of Supreme Harmony, morning court.
"Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial to present. The Hai River water transport is in utter chaos. Local officials are abusing their power, seizing the legitimate merchant ships of businesses, intending to line their own pockets, which shakes the very foundation of our nation. This subject has a formal complaint here, with ironclad evidence. Please review it, Your Majesty."
"We just punished the crown prince, who is in charge over the granary matter, and to think he still refuses to reform. He has completely turned a deaf ear to our words. Investigate. Conduct a thorough investigation. We grant you the authority to act first and report later. No matter who is implicated, they shall be severely punished without leniency."
They came for the chief director before the sun was properly up.
"I'm not even fully awake yet."
Asset seizure and dismissal from office. The water affairs office was swept clean.
In the accounting office courtyard of the Shu residence, the ledgers were re-opened and the shipments logged out again. There must not be the slightest mistake.
After surviving this crisis, the Shu family's reputation spread throughout the business world of Great Xia. Everyone now knew that the Shu family not only possessed the emperor's favor, but also had Lin Zikuan, who won fame in a single battle. Not to be trifled with.
"As you command, son-in-law."
Gained fame in a single battle. From this day forward, he has truly secured a firm foothold. As husband and wife united in purpose, no one can ever shake the Shu family again.
All over the capital, with no one coming to disturb us, I poured all of my energy into the business and into nurturing the relationship with my husband. Lin Zikuan was a natural business genius. Even though he did not know the tricks of the trade, he could always hit the nail on the head and get straight to the core of the problem. He always had novel ideas that made those old shopkeepers admire him to no end.
"Father, I'm starting to think I, your daughter, don't even exist in your eyes anymore."
"Ha. With a son-in-law like this, what more could a father ask for?"
Yet new trouble quietly arrived. This time, the target of the adversary was the person I cared about most.