Chapter 74 The Liu Family: Prestigious Clan of Wind City

“Miss Chen, what—what are you doing?! Hurry and put your clothes back on! What kind of man do you take me, Li Yuanjing, for?”

Chen Chuxue, after all, was born into a wealthy family and clearly had never wanted for anything since childhood. Her figure was even more alluring than Li Yuanjing had imagined...

Especially her skin...

Though not as fair as Xun Keqing’s, nor possessing the delicate suppleness of Jade Maiden, hers was still exceptional—soft and lustrous.

Yet Li Yuanjing quickly regained his composure and rebuked her coldly.

“Master, do you... do you find me unworthy?” she asked.

But as soon as Li Yuanjing finished speaking, Chen Chuxue looked as though struck by lightning. Her spirit seemed all but severed, and she stared at him in a daze.

“Well...” Li Yuanjing was momentarily at a loss for words, not expecting her to be so sensitive...

Nevertheless, he could understand her plight. At this point, what else did she possess but her body? Perhaps, once, her beauty had been her pride, but now, after all that had happened, it was just a thing of the past...

He hastened to explain:

“Miss Chen, you misunderstand me. It isn’t that you’re lacking, nor that I am indifferent to you. In fact, you may have sensed it too—when I first saw you, I was...”

“But—”

“Miss Chen, the world is such that liking someone does not mean one must possess them. With Jade Maiden by my side, I have enough.”

“As for your request for a share, I can agree to that—but I must add a condition.”

“Oh?” Chen Chuxue was stunned, but a glimmer of hope returned to her eyes. She quickly said, “Master, please speak. If it is within my means, I shall do my utmost!”

Li Yuanjing nodded. “I can give you a ten percent share. In the future, you will also have a say in the textile workshop. All due dividends and wages will be rightfully yours.”

“But—”

“You must pledge yourself to my service for ten years! Serve me with all your heart for a full decade. Can you do that?”

“A ten percent share?”

“Ten years of service?”

Chen Chuxue was jolted, looking at him in disbelief. “Master, you—you're not deceiving me, are you?”

“Why would I deceive you?” Li Yuanjing replied coldly. “A true man’s word is his bond. I will write the contract for you right now!”

With the account books at hand, there was also paper and ink. Li Yuanjing immediately drafted a contract and signed it first.

“Master...” Chen Chuxue, after reading it carefully, could not help but burst into tears of joy. She kowtowed deeply to Li Yuanjing and exclaimed, “The next ten years of my life belong to you, Master. Should I ever be disloyal, may a thousand arrows pierce my heart!”

...

The next morning.

Though Li Yuanjing rose early, his eyes were bloodshot.

Last night...

He had maintained an air of righteousness before Chen Chuxue, but once alone in his chamber...

The bitterness was his alone to bear.

Fortunately, Chen Chuxue, Zhang Kun, and the others soon awoke as well. After a simple breakfast, Chen Chuxue led them to inspect the textile trade in Feng County.

They toured shops and workshops, examining their locations and more. Though they could not be too thorough, these outward observations allowed them to infer much about the actual situation.

After a morning’s tour, Li Yuanjing had a clear idea.

It was much as Chen Chuxue had said. These ordinary workshops yielded at most a twenty percent profit, and that only through relentless cost-cutting, as their looms and techniques lagged far behind.

Indeed, as later generations would say: productive forces determine productive relations.

After lunch, instructing the group to rest, Li Yuanjing considered going out to make some purchases and then finding some pretext to bid farewell to Zhao Bingchun and return to Quanzi Village.

Suddenly, outside his room, came Zhang Kun’s respectful report: “Master, there’s a well-dressed scholar outside. He says his name is Liu Haoran, and that he was your classmate at the county academy. He has urgent business with you...”

“Oh?” Li Yuanjing was instantly alert and thought carefully.

After a full minute, he recalled who Liu Haoran was—the son of Liu Yun, a prominent grain merchant and local magnate in Feng County.

In fact, the Liu family was even more powerful than the Xue family. Liu Yun’s elder brother, Liu Mao, held an official post in Qizhou. Though not a civil official but a military one—not quite a general, only a battalion commander—his clout was not to be underestimated.

Liu Mao was a commander of battle-hardened troops, not some common garrison officer or city guard.

Thus, no matter who it was, the Liu family commanded respect.

Still, Li Yuanjing was puzzled. On normal days, Liu Haoran, who looked down on everyone and would never deign to associate with a pauper like himself, was now seeking him out?

Previously, even if Li Yuanjing groveled, Liu Haoran would not spare him a glance.

But soon, Li Yuanjing understood. He brightened and said, “Show him in.”

“Yes, sir.”

...

Soon, Liu Haoran arrived—a fine fur coat on his back, his complexion fair and handsome, resembling a modern-day idol.

Upon seeing Li Yuanjing, he broke into a smile and clasped his hands in greeting. “Brother Yuanjing! I’ve searched high and low for you. Thankfully, fate favors us, and I found you in the end. Ha ha!”

Seeing Liu Haoran’s affable manner, Li Yuanjing was reassured. It seemed his guess was right—Liu Haoran was likely here because of the Murong family’s connection.

“Brother Liu, you are too kind. This place is humble and unworthy of your presence. Please, come in.”

Since Liu Haoran was so cordial, Li Yuanjing saw no reason to be less so. He smiled and welcomed Liu Haoran inside.

They sat as host and guest, and after tea was served, Liu Haoran steered the conversation, chatting about everything under the sun.

Why haven’t you been attending the academy lately? How are your studies progressing?

All manner of small talk.

Li Yuanjing handled every question deftly, and the atmosphere grew much warmer.

After a few sips of tea, sensing the moment was right, Liu Haoran’s eyes gleamed. He smiled and said, “Brother Li, I hear you’ve had some unpleasantness with the philanthropist Xue from Iron Ox Town? My parents came to my father about it today.”

Li Yuanjing showed no reaction outwardly, but inwardly he was alert.

So—it was Zhao Bingchun who had passed word of his arrival in the county.

Still, with Liu Haoran showing such consideration, Li Yuanjing had no need to hide anything. He gave a wry smile: “I didn’t expect you would know of it, Brother Liu, but yes, that’s true…”

He recounted to Liu Haoran the story he had already prepared.

“Outrageous!” Liu Haoran exclaimed, slapping the table and rising to his feet, his bearing righteous and indignant. “This brute Xue has gone too far! He openly threatens a fellow disciple of the Ming School!”

He continued, “Brother Yuanjing, you needn’t worry! Since this is how it is, I’ll inform my father at once. He’ll certainly stand up for you.”

“That Xue brute sends at least thirty percent of his grain through our Liu family’s trading house every year—he wouldn’t dare refuse my father!”

“That’s... I’m truly grateful, Brother Liu.” Though Li Yuanjing had expected as much, hearing it said aloud still lifted his spirits.

After all, Liu Yun wielded considerable influence in Feng County—perhaps even more than the magistrate, Zhao Bingchun. With a word from him, even if Xue tried further mischief in secret, Li Yuanjing’s role as the “wronged party” would be firmly established.

Moreover, the deaths of the third boss and the stout, scar-faced man under Prince Qi would be even harder to pin on Li Yuanjing.

Seeing Li Yuanjing’s repeated bows and his look of delight, Liu Haoran’s face remained composed, but inwardly he couldn’t help but sneer.

He couldn’t fathom how this penniless wretch had such luck, gaining the favor of both Mr. Murong and Young Master Murong.

Still, recalling his father’s instructions, Liu Haoran dared not put on airs before Li Yuanjing. He smiled and said, “Brother Yuanjing, I hear your poetry and calligraphy are quite accomplished. Would you write something for me?”

“If you have a poem, all the better.”

“I am willing to offer fifty taels of silver for an original piece in your hand!”