In the small study at the back of the Jinxiu Pavilion, the lights were like beans, reflecting Shen Ruoxin's slightly tired but exceptionally bright face. Since the farce of "kinship recognition" on that day, the idea of establishing information channels has taken root in her heart. There are many spies in Pingjiang Prefecture. The territory of Zhang Ji and Zhao Ba PI is even more intricate. To spread out directly here is no different from plucking the tiger's hair right under its nose, and the risk is too high.
One's gaze needs to be directed further away and less noticeable.
"Fengqiao Town?" Wang Bo looked at the spot that Shen Ruoxin had gently tapped on the map and slightly frowned. "Second Miss, why is it Fengqiao Town?" It was thirty miles by water from the prefectural city. Although there were many merchants and travelers there, it seemed that the connection with our silk embroidery products was not the closest.
Around Pingjiangfu, famous for SILK, there is Shengze town, in terms of convenient transportation, there is 浒墅关, Fengqiao town in the middle, the position is a bit awkward.
Shen Ruoxin put down the charcoal in her hand and explained, "Uncle Wang, it's precisely because it's not the tightest that it doesn't easily alert Zhang Ji and the others."
She paused for a moment and continued, "More importantly, Fengqiao Town is neither too big nor too small, with a moderate population. It's not like the city of Fucheng, which is full of dragons and tigers. It's suitable for us..." Take the first step and test the depth of the water.
Li Molan listened by the side, lost in thought: "What the second miss means is to first set up a point in Fengqiao Town, collect some information from the periphery, and at the same time..." Let's practice our manpower and the way we convey messages?
Exactly so. Shen Ruoxin nodded. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." We are completely in the dark now. We must first learn how to "see" and how to "listen". Moreover, this point must be concealed and have no obvious connection with the Splendid Pavilion.
Her gaze turned to A Xing, who had been standing quietly by her side all along.
"Ah Xing," Shen Ruoxin looked at her, her eyes solemn, "I want to leave this matter to you to handle."
A Xing suddenly raised her head, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes, followed by an uncontainable panic: "Two..." Miss Two? I... I can't do it! I'm clumsy and haven't been far away...
"No, you can." Shen Ruoxin interrupted her, her tone brimming with unquestionable trust, "You are meticulous, observant, and the one I trust the most." Moreover, your identity is the least likely to arouse suspicion. This time, I'm not asking you to do anything earth-shattering. I'm just going to "see" and "listen".
"But..." What should I do? A Xing was still unsure, and her little face turned a little pale.
I've already made up my mind. Shen Ruoxin was confident and said, "You pretend to be an orphan girl who came from the countryside to the town to sell flowers to support the family." This identity is similar to your previous experiences and is not easy to be exposed. Uncle Wang will arrange everything in advance, including a secluded hut where you will stay in the town, as well as a code number and contact person for emergency assistance - an old boatman surnamed Sun on the dock. He owes Uncle Wang a favor and is reliable.
She took out a piece of paper with a few simple patterns and marks drawn on it: "This is the code we agreed upon."
Shen Ruoxin further elaborated on the key points of observation: pay attention to the conversations of merchants from other places in the inn, especially those related to silk, cloth and the exchange of money. Pay attention to the movements of cargo ships on the dock to see if there are any unusual bulk goods or mischievous people. In the teahouses and taverns, are there any casual chats about the big business houses in Pingjiang Prefecture, especially the Zhang family or other unknown forces?
Remember, safety comes first. Shen Ruoxin solemnly instructed,
She asked Li Molan to guide her on some simple self-defense techniques and escape methods from the side. Although they might not be able to deal with strong criminals, at least they could handle some unexpected situations and buy time to escape.
Listening to the second young lady's meticulous arrangement and looking at the heavy trust in her eyes, A Xing's inner panic was gradually replaced by a sense of mission and determination. She knew that this was the second young lady playing a big game of chess, and she was fortunate enough to be one of the key pieces in it.
"Miss Er, don't worry!" A Xing nodded vigorously, her eyes determined. "I will surely be cautious and live up to your expectations!"
Three days later, Fengqiao Town.
A "flower girl" wearing a coarse cloth dress washed to a pale white, with her hair in a double bun and carrying an old wicker basket appeared on the riverside street of the town. The basket contained a small bunch of roses with dewdrops and a few bunches of unknown wild chrysanthemums. The flowers were not bright, but they exuded a fresh and wild charm.
This is A Xing.
Following Shen Ruoxin's instructions, she didn't rush to the bustling city center but wandered around near the pier and outside several small inns by the river.
"Flowers for sale..." The flowers just picked from the mountain... Her voice was timid, with a hint of a local accent, and not very proficient.
At first, few people showed interest. Most of the porters and boatmen on the dock and the merchants in a hurry in the inn were not interested in this unremarkable little flower. A Xing was somewhat discouraged, but remembering the second young lady's instructions, she still held her temper and pricked up her ears to listen to the sounds around her.
Have you heard? The silk from Zhang Ji has dropped in price again. Our hard-earned money is even harder to earn! Several short-sleeved porters were complaining while unloading goods by the dock.
"Exactly!" I wonder where they got so many bargains and messed up the market situation!
A Xing's heart stirred, but she didn't dare to show it on her face. She just lowered her head and tidied up the flowers in the basket.
She walked to the door of a small inn named "Wangjianglou", where the innkeeper was talking to a well-dressed middle-aged man who looked like a steward.
"... Manager Liu, don't worry. For the few Suzhou embroidery cushions you requested, I've already sent someone to Pingjiang Prefecture to inquire. I'm sure I'll get you the freshest styles! The fellow nodded and bowed.
Manager Liu shook his head and said, "No need." The situation in Pingjiang Prefecture is in a mess now. Although the items in Jinxiu Pavilion are good, the prices are unlikely to be low. I heard that recently a batch of imitation Suzhou embroidery cushions have come out on the market. The stitches are thicker, but the appearance is new and the price is much cheaper. Just keep an eye out for those for me.
"Imitating Suzhou embroidery?" The fellow was stunned for a moment. "Well..." Could that be the same?
"Hehe, why be so meticulous when giving some unimportant favors?" The appearance should be passable, but affordability is what matters." Manager Liu said this and then turned around and entered the inn.
A Xing silently kept this conversation in her heart. Imitating Suzhou embroidery? Cheap? What's the secret behind this?
She stood outside the Wangjiang Tower for a while. A little maidservant in a green armor came out and saw the wild chrysanthemums in A Xing's basket. Her eyes lit up: "Hey, your chrysanthemums are quite fresh. How much is a bunch?"
"Three..." Three coins. A Xing said timidly.
Give me two bunches. The little maidservant took out a copper coin.
While wrapping flowers for her, Ah Xing asked casually, "Sister, your inn is doing a great business. You've got quite a few distinguished guests, haven't you?"
The little maidservant took the flowers and pursed her lips, saying, "What's so good about it?" A few rough boatmen came, making a lot of noise. There were also two merchants from the north, mysterious and staying at home all day. I had no idea what kind of business they were doing.
"Merchants from the north?" A Xing's heart tightened.
"Yeah, judging from the accent, it sounds like it's from Shandong or Hebei. They are quite generous, but people just watch..." It's a bit fierce. After saying that, the little maidservant hurriedly went back with the flowers.
A Xing's heart was beating a little faster. From the north? Mysterious? Could it be related to Zhao Ba PI and the others? She didn't dare to think much and hurriedly left with the basket slung over her shoulder.
In the evening, A Xing came to an unremarkable corner of the pier and found Old Man Sun who was mending the fishing net. The old man's hair was grizzled and his face was covered with frost. When he saw A Xing, he merely moved his cloudy eyes but said nothing.
A Xing stepped forward, placed the remaining bunch of roses and two bunches of wild chrysanthemums from the basket on the wooden barrel beside him, and said in a low voice, "Old man, the flowers can't be sold. I'll leave them here for now. I'll come back to pick them up tomorrow morning." This is the agreed-upon code, indicating "Safe today, but there are scattered messages."
Old Man Sun didn't even lift his eyelids and mumbled a vague "Mm-hmm".
A Xing didn't dare to stay any longer. She turned around and merged into the crowd coming and going on the pier.
In the small study of Jinxiu Pavilion, Shen Ruoxin receives "flower language" from Fengqiao Town every day. She recorded these scattered pieces of information in a specially made password book and attempted to connect and analyze them.
Although the information obtained so far is still rather vague and even somewhat contradictory, Shen Ruo KPI is well aware that this net has quietly been cast and has begun to operate. A Xing's performance exceeded her expectations. She was not only brave but also meticulous. Although the information she conveyed back was fragmented, she often managed to capture some key details.
The backing mountain in the north? Cheap imitation Suzhou embroidery? Unidentified vessels unloaded goods at night? Shen Ruoxin looked at the several key pieces of information recorded in the password book, her brows furrowed.
Her intuition told her that the counterattack by Zhang Ji and Zhao Ba PI might have already begun. Moreover, this time, it seems that they have brought in more powerful external support and chosen to start from the "quality" that Jinxiu Pavilion is most proud of and the "market order" on which it relies for survival.
Impact the market with inferior counterfeits, disrupt prices, and perhaps even... Involving illegal activities such as taking waterways and evading tariffs?
If that's really the case, the consequences will be unimaginable! This will not only harm the interests of the Splendid Pavilion, but also may affect the entire silk industry in Pingjiang Prefecture!
She must figure out as soon as possible where exactly the source of that batch of "cheap goods" lies. Who exactly is the "northern backer" that Zhao Baopi has hopped on?
Just as Shen Ruoxin was deeply worried about these newly emerged intelligences and thinking about her next move, Wang Bo walked in in a hurry once again, with an unprecedented solemnity on his face:
Miss Two! Something's wrong! We... The fellow we sent to Shengze Town to buy mulberry silk was beaten up! Goods... The goods have also been snatched! The other party was ruthless and left a message saying... "From now on, they'll have the final say in the silk thread business of Pingjiang Prefecture!" "