Chapter Thirty: Policies from Above, Countermeasures Below

The weather had suddenly grown hot; in the daytime, wearing a long robe, one would break into a sweat after just a few steps. The willow catkins drifted wildly, everywhere one looked.

Wei Renshi withdrew his gaze from the distance, and, turning his head, found Xi’er covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Seeing that she’d been caught, Xi’er pointed at his hair and said, “Young master, you’ve turned into an old man too!”

Wei Renshi lifted his hand and brushed a large handful of willow fluff from his head, then grinned and pointed at Xi’er. “And you've become an old woman yourself!”

Xi’er hurried to pat at her own hair.

The two looked at each other and burst out laughing together.

Perhaps it was the coming of early summer, but everything around seemed to grow lively, brimming with vitality.

The North Market was as bustling as ever. Wei Renshi sought out the Jiao family’s trading firm and entered. This time, the manager behind the counter recognized him at once and hurried out to greet him.

“Greetings, young master. The foreign merchants you were looking for have been found; all of them understand Han speech,” the manager said as he invited Wei Renshi inside. “Would you like to go now, or would you prefer to rest a while first?”

“Let’s go now,” Wei Renshi replied. “Thank you for your trouble.”

The manager immediately called for a carriage. Not long after boarding, they arrived at their destination.

It was a collection of stalls, each with a tent behind it. Many foreign merchants could be seen within, some observing the outside, others resting.

The manager led Wei Renshi to a tent and said, “Young master, this is a merchant from Tash. The neighboring tent holds several from the Western Regions.”

Wei Renshi had little fondness for Tash and, thinking it over, decided he had no need for goods from so far away. He turned on his heel and entered the adjacent tent.

As he entered, several merchants from the Western Regions stood up at once. One of them stepped forward and asked, “Sir, what might you be looking for? Please have a look.”

“Adili, this is the honored guest I mentioned yesterday,” the manager said to the merchant.

Adili stepped back, bowed, and said, “So it is the esteemed guest. Adili pays his respects to this nobleman of the Great Tang!”

“You are too kind,” Wei Renshi replied with a smile, then asked, “I wish to do some business with you. I’d like you to bring back some goods from the Western Regions for me. May I ask where you are from?”

“I come from Shule,” replied the merchant. “And what does the gentleman wish me to bring back?”

“Persian cumin,” Wei Renshi said. “I need a great quantity. It’s also known locally as ziran or kuming. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes, yes!” Adili nodded vigorously. “It’s for treating stomach pains, isn’t it? How much do you need?”

Wei Renshi wasn’t entirely sure if Adili understood what he meant, but since he mentioned curing stomach pain, it was likely cumin. Wei Renshi knew that cumin seeds could be used medicinally to treat indigestion and abdominal pain.

Still, he needed to be certain. After some thought, he said, “Bring a thousand catties for now.”

“So much?” Adili was momentarily stunned, then replied, “Very well! My caravan will return to the Western Regions at the end of this month. It will take just over a month to get there, stay a month, and then over a month to return. By that reckoning, the goods will arrive in four months.”

A four-month round trip… Wei Renshi shook his head helplessly. With caravans relying on horses, that was not slow.

“Do you require a deposit?” Wei Renshi asked.

Adili glanced at him, then at the manager, and smiled. “Shopkeeper Tian is a trusted client—no deposit needed.”

“Adili, just so you know, the goods you’re bringing are for our firm’s new enterprise. We’ve worked together for years, the firm is right here, we’re not going anywhere,” the manager said with a laugh.

“Understood, understood!” Adili retrieved a roll of sheepskin, wrote something on it, then turned and said, “It’s noted down—four months from now, I’ll bring it back and we’ll settle accounts then!”

The manager nodded. “As always, once you bring it to the firm, I’ll pay you cash.”

Wei Renshi glanced around the tent but saw nothing remarkable. The glass cups were indeed beautiful but extraordinarily expensive. By his calculation, buying one would nearly cost as much as starting his own distillery.

He clicked his tongue—were these not simply fine river sand baked into shape? How could they be so costly!

After leaving, Wei Renshi had no intention of visiting other foreign merchants.

On the way back, he asked the manager, “So your surname is Tian! May I ask where you’re from, Shopkeeper Tian?”

“From Fuchang, of course. I’ve been working for my old master for many years,” Tian replied cheerfully.

“Fuchang?” Wei Renshi smiled. “Would you happen to be related to Tian Dali from the Fuchang county office?”

“He’s my younger brother,” the manager replied with a laugh.

“I see!” Wei Renshi continued, “You’ve been in business many years; you must be knowledgeable. I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”

“Oh? What would you like to know?” Tian asked.

Wei Renshi thought for a moment and said, “The wine business. I know only of state monopoly and licensed taverns, but if someone else wanted to enter the trade, what methods would they use?”

“So, you’re interested in the wine business?” Tian looked somewhat surprised at Wei Renshi.

“I’m just curious,” Wei Renshi shook his head. “I know the court enforces the state monopoly, but I see wine shops everywhere. There can’t be that many licensed taverns, can there?”

Tian laughed. “Of course not! The wine trade, though officially regulated, has many ways around the rules. If someone truly wants to do this business, there are plenty of methods.”

“Oh?” Wei Renshi was intrigued. “Are they all loopholes?”

Tian chuckled. “Naturally. The court says only official outlets or licensed taverns may sell wine, but those who run the trade are hardly common folk—they’re prominent families. They simply select a few of their own tenants to register as licensed tavern keepers, fund the purchase of ingredients and brewing, and sell under those tenants’ names. That’s one way. Another is to find someone from a family of tavern keepers—those with secret recipes and skills—partner with them, use their expertise and name, and you just act as a partner. That’s another approach. And, well, if you have connections in the court or with the authorities, who cares whether the wine comes from a licensed tavern or not? That’s yet another way.”

Ah! Policies above, countermeasures below.

Hearing Tian’s words, Wei Renshi realized they matched his own thinking, and he felt reassured. He cupped his hands in thanks. “So that’s how it is. I’ve learned a lot! It seems the business world is full of tricks.”

“Isn’t it just!” Tian laughed as well. “If you ask me, young master Wei, you’d best not grow too curious about the merchant’s trade. You’re a scholar, soon to be a student, and destined for the court. Even if the authorities are more lenient toward merchants now, and not as strict about students as before, it’s still not a good reputation. If you have any ideas, let the Jiao family take the lead—you collect dividends, earn some money, and keep your good name. Isn’t that ideal?”

Wei Renshi simply smiled, thinking how much this manager Tian was aligned with the Jiao family.