Chapter 286: Sweet Port Turbulence – Dirty Tricks

"Tell them not to worry. As long as they're willing to put in the effort, you can squeeze oil from stones. Besides, do they dare to nitpick with the Haiyi Guild?" Third Master Zhu sniffed disdainfully. "When the Haiyi Guild tightens the money supply, those money-grubbing dogs will be crying for their parents."

As the Sugar Industry Guild, the Haiyi Guild was powerful and wealthy. It not only dominated the local sugar trade but also effectively controlled local finance. Ordinary merchants and landlords really didn't dare to cross them.

"You," he pointed to another subordinate, "go tell Zhao Jijiao: watch South China closely. Within three to five days, South China will definitely have problems. Strike when the opportunity arises!"

Then he instructed several others to implement various tasks. He didn't fully trust Zhao Jijiao's men, so he arranged his own manpower separately. Keeping that group of riffraff on the payroll was mainly so he could use them as scapegoats if something went wrong.

After sending everyone away, Third Master Zhu closed his eyes to rest. The plan was proceeding step by step. As soon as South China's cash flow broke, all the methods would be unleashed. He doubted they could withstand this chain of tactics.

While he was calculating, a servant boy rushed in and whispered in his ear. Third Master Zhu's eyes instantly widened. "Really?"

"It's true! People at the dock saw it with their own eyes. The ship that arrived this morning—South China's people are unloading it now. It's all heavy iron chests! Definitely silver!"

"I didn't think they'd be bold enough! To actually dare transport silver from out of town." This move exceeded his expectations. To dare transport silver directly by ship in these chaotic waters showed guts!

Admiration aside, this complicated matters. Third Master Zhu pondered for a moment. "Where is the ship from?"

"Replying to Third Master, I heard it's from Guangzhou!"

The word "Guangzhou" made his eyelids twitch. Was the Gao family starting to intervene? Or was it just funds they'd mobilized in Guangzhou?

Third Master Zhu's mind spun like a windmill. Because he wasn't asking questions, the servant boy dared not speak or leave. After a long while, Third Master Zhu asked, "How much silver was transported? Do the people at the dock know?"

"Well, it's said a total of one hundred iron chests were unloaded. As for the weight, it's really impossible to tell."

Just knowing the number of chests didn't tell him how much silver there was. Third Master Zhu had heard that seasoned old bandits had a skill: they could tell how much silver was on a cart by the tracks it left. Unfortunately, he didn't have such talent on hand.

"How many people to carry each chest?"

"Just one person!"

That meant each chest was at most 1,000 taels. Third Master Zhu felt slightly relieved. But on second thought, even at 1,000 taels a chest, that was 100,000 taels. If South China really got 100,000 taels, his plan would fail—not only fail, but the consequences of not collecting sugar this year would be unimaginable!

Sweat began beading on his forehead.

"Hmph, it might be the Empty City Stratagem!" Third Master Zhu muttered. He immediately ordered, "Go, invite the strategy master. Prepare brush and ink, write a letter!"

Moments later, the strategy master arrived.

"Write a letter to Guangzhou immediately. Ask: 1. Current sugar prices in Guangzhou; 2. Tightness of the money market; 3. Has anyone been mobilizing large funds recently, and what is the interest rate?"

The strategy master's brush flew, quickly writing down these questions.

"That's all. Seal it immediately. Send someone to Guangzhou post-haste. I want a reply as soon as possible."

"Third Master, there are no ships to Guangzhou today—"

"Send a ship specially. Don't load cargo, leave immediately! Be fast! Wait in Guangzhou once they arrive, and come back only when there's news!"

Zhu An painfully felt that communication with Guangzhou was too slow. The things he wanted to inquire about weren't secrets. An investigator could visit a few guild teahouses in a day and know exactly where South China's silver came from. Unfortunately, a round trip for this news would take at least ten days. In ten days, who knew what else might happen!

With this silver, South China immediately increased purchasing intensity. The weighing stations increased to ten. The unease and restlessness were once again suppressed. The Ascending Peace Island left the dock that night, fully loaded with nearly 600 shi of sugar. This news threw the Haiyi Guild into turmoil. Two ships had already transported 1,600 shi of sugar. If South China kept transporting received sugar away to liquidate it, Third Master Zhu's plan would be completely ruined—commoners outside didn't know, but everyone in the sugar business knew clearly: Guangzhou sugar price was 3.8 taels. Shipping sugar out meant earning money back!

"Third Master! Stop holding out! If this goes on, we won't have food to eat this year!" The fat manager of "Riyuelai" begged bitterly.

"I haven't collected even 5,000 shi of sugar yet! It all went cheap to South China!"

"What do we do? Looks like they have silver again."

"I said earlier this shouldn't be handled this way!" Hindsight experts were publishing their brilliant opinions.

The commotion made Third Master Zhu irritable. He shouted, "What's the noise!" He stood up and glared at everyone. They all involuntarily lowered their voices.

"You lot... shortsighted fools! Just staring at the few coins in front of you! The knife is already at our necks, yet you're thinking about the profit in your own homes. If we don't finish off South China, in a few years, the sugar-boiling masters begging under Patriarch Zou's Temple will be our seniors!"

He waved his hand. "Are sugar-boiling masters arrogant? You've all been in this business for decades. Last year, how much did it cost to hire a master? Three meals a day, meat at every meal, or he'd walk immediately. This year? Give his whole family bowls of rough rice and he'll work day and night! You all want to end up like them?"

At these words, everyone's faces turned dark. South China's strength was obvious. Whether clever contraptions or sorcery, South China had changed the sugar industry situation in Leizhou of the past hundred years. Now South China was pressing step by step, not only getting into sugar boiling but also sticking a foot into the most profitable transportation and sales sector.

"Why don't we make peace with South China?" Feng Guangfeng suggested. "Let South China join the Haiyi Guild too. Every family gives up a share so everyone can eat. And South China is good at boiling sugar. If we cooperate, we might not lose out."

Everyone buzzed again. This idea didn't sound bad. Uniting might be beneficial.

"You're all confused!" Third Master Zhu said deeply. "What is South China here for? Isn't it to swallow Leizhou sugar whole! They have wealth and power; would they share with us?"

"I oppose too!" The young master of "Rixiechang" jumped out. "South China hasn't fully fledged yet. If we don't knock them out now, when they're full-fledged, the Haiyi Guild will have to change its name!"

"Besides," Third Master Zhu knew these people couldn't get past greed, "Leizhou sugar only has this much share. If we give South China a share, how much? Too little, they won't be satisfied. Too much, we lose out."

Put this way, everyone nodded again. No one wanted to lose their dominant position. Seeing the situation controlled, Third Master Zhu told everyone to disperse.

Having sent the group away, Third Master Zhu couldn't help cursing them as "shortsighted." But he had to think of new tracks. Even pig-like teammates were ones who shared his fate.

Just as he was about to return home for a nap, a servant boy came and whispered something. Third Master Zhu looked impatient but said, "Call him in."

A man in ragged clothes was brought in. Large hands and feet, dark skin, burn scars on both hands. He quickly knelt and kowtowed.

"What is it?" Third Master Zhu asked, already knowing what this man came for.

"We really have no way out, so we came to beg Master," the man kowtowed again. "The silver given last time is almost spent. Women and children are starving. Beg Master for mercy, award some more silver..."

"Silver? You think I run a charity here?"

"Beg Master for mercy! Several hundred mouths to feed. 50 taels, we've been spending it tightly..."

This man was Lin Zhuang, originally a local sugar-boiling worker. This year, because South China opened, sugar-boiling workers lost jobs in large numbers. He was elected to petition the yamen requesting a ban on South China's machine sugar production, but it was rejected. With no way out, he'd sought help from Third Master Zhu and received 50 taels of silver.

But this aid wasn't unconditional. Third Master Zhu had instructed him to take men and mix outside the sugar trading houses, looking for opportunities to cause trouble.

"You have the face to say it!" Third Master Zhu leaned back. "What about the things I told you to do? It's been seven or eight days, and there's not a peep! Even if I threw silver into water, I'd hear a splash."

"This..." Lin Zhuang pleaded, "It's not that we didn't try. It's really that this violates the King's law. South China has a plaque inscribed by the County Magistrate. Doing this, we're afraid..."

"Afraid of what? South China caused you to lose jobs, ruined your families. Do you have any blood in you? Silver, I have plenty, but I never give it to trash!"

Lin Zhuang seemed moved by his words, kowtowed again, and said loudly, "Third Master rest assured. Whether we are trash or not, we'll show Third Master in a few days!"

Third Master Zhu nodded. "Tell everyone, if trouble happens and you get lawsuits, go in and I'll look after you. The Haiyi Guild will support your families! For those dead or injured, we pay the compensation!"

He gave Lin Zhuang a few more instructions. Lin Zhuang's face grew uglier, but in the end he nodded.

"Third Master, leave this to us. But your words must count!"

"When have I ever not owned up to my words?" Zhu An said seriously, shouting, "Men, bring 50 taels for Lin Zhuang!" He lowered his voice, "After it's done, there'll be another reward for you!"

Lin Zhuang's face flushed. "Good, I'll go arrange it now."

Watching Lin Zhuang leave, Third Master Zhu chuckled inwardly. Just this sugar worker causing trouble would be enough for them to swallow.

Then he called a sedan chair to go home. However, the arrival of 50,000 silver agitated him. A sure thing had suddenly developed a twist.

Is South China really not fated to die? Third Master Zhu had this strange thought. He had dominated Hai'an Street for decades. There had been outsiders trying to dip their fingers into this fat meat, and every time he'd beaten them off. Why was South China so hard to chew?

Thinking of this, he couldn't sleep. His sixth concubine, currently favored, came in to serve.

"Make me a bowl of tea!"

In a moment, a bowl of strong tea was presented. Zhu An drank and thought.

Using the topic of South China refusing sugar to cause trouble was already weak now that silver had arrived. Cane farmers still hoped to sell sugar. Even if trouble brought down South China, they'd only vent anger—the sugar still wouldn't sell. Lin Zhuang's group, having nothing and having his guarantee, would act without scruples. But the other side had escort agency men and hundreds of employees; the effect was hard to say. However, once an incident occurred with casualties, it would give South China a headache.

Just this wasn't enough to put South China to death. Pity that their financial situation was still unclear. Third Master Zhu drank cup after cup of strong tea, unable to think of a suitable method.

Watching his sixth concubine serving him, an idea suddenly came.

The sixth concubine was the sister of his sworn brother at sea—Gu Dachun. Gu Dachun was the leader of a small band of pirates nearby. Called pirates, it was actually a gang centered on the Gu family—relatives and fellow villagers. They had three or four boats and seventy or eighty people. Usually they fished and did small coastal trades. When opportunity arose, they also robbed passing merchant ships and coastal villages.

(End of Chapter)