CH 125

Chapter 125 – Jiang Ling

Ping’an Tavern was a two-store front establishment located on the main street. It had one counter and a room with 5 – 6 tables, which did not seem like it would seat many customers. However, once you stepped inside, it was very different altogether.

“They have a large courtyard at the back,” Yu Yuan said excitedly, “with a cluster of bamboo trees, like an umbrella-like canopy, which provided shade for around 10 tables. When it wasn’t raining or snowing, everyone liked to sit in the courtyard. If the weather was unfavourable, they would go to the pavilions on each side. The courtyard had three side pavilions with several tables in each one. There is also a second floor, but only private rooms. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a tavern. No wonder people liked to visit Suzhou, it’s really livelier than Hangzhou.” When he said this, he hesitated before continuing on sheepishly, “Perhaps it could be that I have visited only a few places and thus lack the experience, as I have not seen any places better than this in Hangzhou.”

Yu Tang and Xiang both pursed their lips as they laughed.

Yu Yuan added, “I rewarded the shopkeeper with a piece of loose silver and got some information about the Jiang family.”

Now they were getting to the main point.

Yu Tang and Lady Xiang sat up straighter.

Yu Yuan also looked solemn as he stated, “Jiang Chao, the head of the Jiang family, had never engaged in such an extensive maritime trade, so people are still unsure about joining him. This time he is seeking to raise funds and obtain goods for trading, but he only wants tea and porcelain, as he had already prepared the rest of the goods. I felt uneasy, and so when I found an opportunity, Ping Gui and I invited the informant to have a meal outside separately. I heard from him that Jiang Chao might not be the leader, and that he was only a partner in the business. He could not do this on his own, so he was looking for someone in Suzhou to join him. I think there should be more to this, so I’m going to ask around again tomorrow.”

Yu Tang nodded and said, “Then let’s try a two-pronged approach. I’ve found out where the Jiang family’s daughter lives, so tomorrow I’ll go and look for her while you go and meet Jiang Chao.”

Yu Yuan thought about it and said, “Why don’t I go with your sister-in-law to meet Jiang Chao? I am not quite confident in handling such matters.”

Lady Xiang was heartened by his words.

Not only was her husband good-looking and respectful of her opinions, but he also handled matters appropriately.

It was only experience that he lacked.

Even if she suffered some losses, it would be considered as buying a teaching experience and a life lesson.

Doesn’t everyone go through this process in conducting business?

There’s no need to even mention Yu Tang, who was more capable than Yu Yuan.

If the siblings worked together, there’s nothing to fear.

Their future would only get better and better.

“Sister, what do you think?” Lady Xiang asked Yu Tang.

It just so happened that Yu Tang wanted to meet Jiang Ling on her own, to examine her character first-hand. It was easier for her to have a private one-on-one conversation.

“Sister-in-law, you should accompany brother!” She smiled, “Lady Jiang is a woman as well, so we can talk freely. However, Jiang Chao is an ambitious and strong-willed leader, so if brother doesn’t see eye to eye with him, sister-in-law can still diffuse the situation at the side.”

Lady Xiang nodded her head.

However Yu Yuan said, “You said Jiang Chao is an ambitious leader, have you heard something about him?”

Only then did Yu Tang realize that she had slipped up, and hurriedly remedied the situation, saying “He sold the boat left behind by his father to join in the maritime trade with his uncle, and he started running his own maritime business in only two short years, so it is clear that this man is no ordinary person. If not a leader, what else could he be?” She then reminded Yu Yuan, “Such a person, even if you can’t work with him, you can’t afford to offend him.”

“Don’t worry, I will handle it at my discretion.” Yu Yuan responded.

Her brother, in the future, would also be someone capable of carrying on the family business.

There was nothing for Yu Tang to worry about.

Early the next morning, all of them had breakfast, went back to their rooms to freshen up before heading for the Yu(于) family.

The (于)Yu family is just a stone’s throw away from the Jiang family, with white walls and grey tiles, black lacquered doors and box-shaped gates on each side.

The Yu(于) family used to have someone working as an official, and the rank of the official was not low – it was at least a fourth ranked official.

The steward of the Yu(于) family was surprised to hear that someone had come to visit the family’s youngest madam, and even coming from Lin’an, and hastily went to report to Jiang Ling.

Jiang Ling was feeding her husband his medicine, and after some careful questioning, she still could not find out anything, so she asked the steward to invite the visitor to the hall, and then changed her clothes and went out to meet her.

From a distance, she saw a woman wearing a blue and green plain silk robe with her hair in a double conch bun standing tall in the hall, looking at the picture of the five daughters paying their respects in a birthday celebration hanging in the hall.

The warm morning sun shone on her and she looked regal as a tall freshly budded bamboo tree, making a strong impression on her.

She couldn’t help blushing as she entered, hurriedly explaining “It was my mother-in-law’s birthday a few days ago and I hadn’t had the time to take it down.”

The paintings hanging in the hall were supposed to be updated according to various seasons of the year. At this time, there should be paintings of flowers, birds, fruits and other similar things, but as the eldest young master’s health was deteriorating day by day, no one in the family was in the mood to attend to these matters.

Yu Tang didn’t know exactly when the eldest young master would pass away, but she guessed it should be around this year, and she couldn’t help but feel sad.

“Eldest young mistress is overly kind.” She turned around and smiled, “There is no one that stipulates what paintings must be hung, what’s most important is for your own family to enjoy it.”

Jiang Ling took a good look at Yu Tang’s face and instantly brightened.

She had seen many girls with beautiful facial features, but it was very rare to see a girl like Yutang who, in addition to having beautiful facial features, had a temperament as gentle as a jade and as radiant as a flower.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, you are?”

Jiang Ling was afraid that Yu Tang was an old acquaintance of the Yu(于) family.

However, Yu Tang was very surprised to see Jiang Ling.

In her mind, a woman like Jiang Ling who was much more successful than the average man, even if she was not a person with strong facial features and a sturdy build, she should be a woman with a dignified appearance, astute and disciplined, but Jiang Ling looked to be about the same height as her, with a slim figure and a palm-sized face with large peach blossom eyes, long eyelashes like a small fan. She had a tender face and a bashful smile. She looked nothing like a young mistress in charge of the household, but more like a young girl who hasn’t fully matured.

Yu Tang wondered for a moment if she had found the wrong person.

“Are, are you the daughter of the Jiang family?” She asked hesitantly, “Master Jiang Chao’s sister?”

Jiang Ling breathed out a sigh of relief.

Since she asked about her brother, it was obvious that she was a relative or an old friend of the Jiang family’s side. Even if she didn’t know her, her brother should.

“Then you are?” She asked Yu Tang gingerly.

Yu Tang smiled and explained her intention. “I am from Lin’an, my surname is Yu(郁). You may not have heard of me. My family is in the lacquerware business. My brother and I are here to buy lacquer paint. I heard that Master Jiang is going into the maritime business and is raising funds and seeking collaborators. Men and women have difference social statuses, so I was hesitant to go directly to find Master Jiang, so I came to you to find out if there was any possibility for us to work together.”

Jiang Ling didn’t know her, but she was impressed by her courage to come to see her even though they were strangers.

She warmly offered Yu Tang tea and talked about her brother’s business, “It’s rare that Lady Yu is interested. However, I’ve never been involved in my brother’s business. I do know about his fund raising activities. My brother is a practical and rational person, so if you can participate in it, he would certainly not let you suffer losses. My brother has always handled things carefully, and if women are involved in the business, there will be special female stewards to take care of it. I’ll ask someone to bring in our housekeeper, so you can ask her anything or ask her to send a message to my brother.”

Were there a lot of women involved in Jiang Chao’s business?

Yu Tang mused, but her face was impassive as she smiled and said to Jiang Ling, “Then I’ll be grateful to Eldest Young Mistress. “

“There’s no need for such politeness.” Jiang Ling was extremely courteous and immediately asked someone to invite the Jiang family’s housekeeper to come over. She did not ask how Yu Tang knew that the family was in the process of raising funds, nor did she ask how she found her way to her home.

Yu Tang frowned inwardly.

This Jiang Ling was not at all as shrewd as the rumors say.

As she contemplated, she carried on chatting with Jiang Ling while waiting for the Jiang family’s housekeeper. “I wonder if eldest young mistress invested some in Master Jiang’s business as well?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling became embarrassed. She stammered for a while and didn’t give a clear answer.

Did she not invest at all?

Yu Tang was greatly alarmed.

At that moment Jiang Ling felt that she had made a mistake.

Everyone in Suzhou didn’t trust her brother’s ability to do well in the maritime business. As his younger sister, she should have been the first one to support him. If people knew that even she as the sister, did not even invest in his business, they would develop greater distrust of him.

She explained anxiously, “I definitely want to join in. But as you can see, I am now the daughter-in-law of the Yu(于) family, so I have to ask my husband for permission before I can participate. My husband is extremely ill these days, so I haven’t had the chance to talk to him about it ……”

Yu Tang felt mentally drained. She forced a smile and managed a half-hearted “It’s alright”.

Jiang Ling was about to explain further when the housekeeper arrived.

The housekeeper was an ordinary-looking woman in her thirties, with fair skin and a black mole the size of a grain of rice at the corner of her mouth.

When she saw Yu Tang, she froze slightly before bowing towards Jiang Ling. Before Jiang Ling could say anything, she spoke up, “Eldest Young Mistress, is there anything I can assist you with?” After saying that, she also cast Yu Tang a wary glance.

Jiang Ling smilingly told the housekeeper the reason for Yu Tang’s visit, and introduced her and said that Yu Tang could call her “Matron Jiang”.

Both of them exchanged greetings and Matron Jiang asked, “Is Lady Yu from Lin’an? Who else is in your family? Why did you come to Suzhou alone to buy paint? And why did you think of investing in our Jiang family’s business? Are you going to join the business yourself, or with your family?”

Some women would take advantage of this opportunity to make some extra pocket money.

These were the type of questions Yu Tang originally prepared to answer Jiang Ling, instead it was Matron Jiang who brought it up.

“I am the only daughter in my family and have only one cousin. This time, I came here with my cousin and sister-in-law ……” Yu Tang was already a little disappointed with Jiang Ling and blandly stated the reason for her visit to Matron Jiang.

Matron Jiang was half convinced of her reasons, but still welcomed her and said, “This is a serious matter. Young Miss should go back and discuss it with your elders before making any plans.”