Chapter Ninety-Five: What Is Lost in One Place Is Gained in Another

Wei Renshi understood very well that in any trade, any enterprise, indeed in any kind of work, one must show strength before one can truly stand firm.

That strength had to include not only the ability to do the work, but also the ability to respond.

The first required no explanation. The second meant that whatever happened, good or ill, one could calmly produce an effective method, enhancing one’s own reputation or, at the very least, minimizing one’s losses.

Others would watch how you handled affairs and judge your ability and worth from it, then decide how to treat you in the future.

As for actual skill, One Dream Tavern’s business hardly needed further praise.

But in terms of handling affairs, One Dream Tavern had never yet shown what it was capable of.

If this time it could effortlessly dissolve the “scheme” of the Nine Towers and One Pavilion, then only then would One Dream Tavern truly have secured its place, both in the trade and in the city of Luoyang.

“Sun Peng, have someone deliver an invitation to Nine Towers and One Pavilion,” Wei Renshi ordered. “Tell them that three days from now, I will host a banquet at One Dream Tavern for their proprietors.”

“Young master, what do you intend to do?” Sun Peng asked.

Wei Renshi smiled. “Whatever their purpose may be in recommending One Dream Tavern as the guild head, this meal is unavoidable. If we speak face to face, perhaps we’ll perceive something.”

Sun Peng nodded and promptly went off to prepare the invitation.

Wei Renshi had not expected that the faint outline of an industry alliance had already emerged. Since the people of Nine Towers and One Pavilion wanted to recommend One Dream Tavern as guild head, then serving as guild head was surely no simple blessing.

If Nine Towers and One Pavilion joined hands to push One Dream Tavern into that position, then should One Dream Tavern accept, what would be waiting for it remained uncertain—but it would certainly be nothing good.

And if they refused the recommendation, then Nine Towers and One Pavilion would have a ready-made pretext to unite against One Dream Tavern in the open.

One could not fight an unprepared battle.

Wei Renshi selected several of the finest spirits and set out for Zhang Gan’s residence.

After the porter announced him, he was admitted not long afterward.

When he reached the main hall and met Zhang Gan, Wei Renshi presented the wine and said with a smile, “I’ve come back to Luoyang these past few days, and I thought I ought to pay a visit to Brother Zhang.”

“You came, and that is enough. There is no need for such courtesy,” Zhang Gan said with a smile when he saw the gift.

“I opened One Dream Tavern in Luoyang, and by now I’ve managed to gain a foothold here. That things have gone so smoothly must have much to do with Brother Zhang’s support when I first opened,” Wei Renshi said with a smile. “This kindness is something I should acknowledge.”

“If you put it that way, then shouldn’t I owe Young Brother Wei an even greater debt of gratitude?” Zhang Gan chuckled. “That wine which can only be had in three bowls and cannot be taken into the city—now it can only be drunk inside One Dream Tavern, and even then one person may have at most three bowls a day, with none of it allowed out of the tavern. Yet I was able to buy it from One Dream Tavern and use it to win quite a few connections. That is all Young Brother Wei’s generosity to me.”

“Whatever the case, One Dream Tavern has finally secured its footing in Luoyang,” Wei Renshi said with a smile. “The others in the trade have now acknowledged us as well. In fact, seeing how well our business is doing, they even plan to recommend One Dream Tavern as the guild head of the tavern and restaurant trade.”

“Hm?” Zhang Gan’s brow furrowed slightly as he turned to look at Wei Renshi. “Who intends to recommend One Dream Tavern as guild head?”

“Why, naturally the largest players in the tavern and restaurant trade here in Luoyang: Nine Towers and One Pavilion,” Wei Renshi replied with another smile.

Zhang Gan shook his head. “Being guild head is no good thing. Young Brother Wei must not fall into their trap.”

“So Brother Zhang sees it the same way?” Wei Renshi asked with a smile.

Zhang Gan narrowed his eyes, then after a pause said, “It seems Young Brother Wei has already seen through it. Then do you know why they would recommend One Dream Tavern for the post?”

“I would be glad to hear the details,” Wei Renshi said, sitting up straighter.

“Every year, after the summer tax is collected, the Prefect of Henan must remit it to the imperial treasury,” Zhang Gan said with a smile. “The amount of tax collected is tied to the local governor’s achievements for the year. In other places, far from the emperor’s eye, the court cannot be bothered to interfere. So the governors often tack on all manner of extra levies besides the fixed taxes, such as the grain tax, house tax, tea tax, and so on, in order to raise more revenue. Once the local needs are met, they send as much as possible to the capital to showcase their accomplishments. But Luoyang is the Eastern Capital, and with the Son of Heaven near at hand, the Prefect of Henan does not dare add arbitrary levies so brazenly. Still, he wants to remit more tax to make his record look better, so he can only send up the full amount. Yet local affairs require funds too. If all the collected tax is sent to the treasury, where is that money to come from? The burden then falls on the great merchant houses of Luoyang. Since a guild head is supposed to set the example, naturally it must bear more than the others below it.”

“So that’s how it is,” Wei Renshi said, nodding. “At first I had thought of refusing the position of guild head, but hearing this, it seems I must win it all the more.”

Zhang Gan was taken aback. “What do you mean by that?”

“If handled properly, it can be a very good thing,” Wei Renshi replied.

“You mean being guild head is a good thing?” Zhang Gan asked.

Wei Renshi shook his head. “I mean the matter of paying money for the prefecture’s use.”

“Paying money for the prefecture’s use is a good thing?” Zhang Gan gave a derisive laugh. “Young Brother Wei, let me be blunt: do not imagine the people in the prefecture to be so virtuous. You have not seen how greedy they can be. If you think that by contributing money to the prefecture you can win its favor, then I must tell you this: when you are in trouble and need their help, they will each one of them wash their hands of you, and more than that, they will kick you while you are down.”

Wei Renshi nodded with a smile. “Brother Zhang’s warning is well taken, and I understand that. But what if I never intended to rely on their protection in the first place?”

“Then what do you seek, Brother Wei?” Zhang Gan asked again.

“Reputation,” Wei Renshi said with a smile.

“Reputation?” Zhang Gan let out another sneer. “What kind of reputation can you win by paying for the prefecture’s expenses? At best, people will think you are merely one who curries favor. As for the prefecture, it certainly will not grant you any reputation.”

“Brother Zhang does not know this,” Wei Renshi said. “The reputation I speak of does not come from the prefecture.”

Zhang Gan stared at Wei Renshi for a moment, then said, “I have said all I can. As for what you mean to do, that is your decision. I am curious, however: how do you intend to turn something everyone else avoids into a good thing?”

“Then please, Brother Zhang, watch the show,” Wei Renshi said with a laugh. “What is lost on one side may be gained on the other.”

“Then I shall wait and see,” Zhang Gan said with a smile.