Unconsciously, two more days passed.
In these two days, the business of their sugar shop was extremely popular.
The limited supply of white sugar, as soon as it was displayed, was immediately bought up.
It was said that this white sugar was even speculated to three or four hundred taels of silver per catty.
The three catties of white sugar Wu Xiong bought earlier, when resold, made him a net profit of several hundred taels of silver.
Once this matter spread, many people smelled a business opportunity and wished they could buy all the white sugar themselves.
Upon learning of this, Su Yourong couldn't help but complain to Shen Jing: “You really are a profiteer! Always thinking of crooked ways!”
It was obvious that Wu Xiong's reselling of white sugar was another play arranged by Shen Jing!
She suddenly realized that compared to Shen Jing, her own business tactics were simply pathetic.
Her Qin She (Music House), after all the effort, at the end of the month, after various expenses, at most only earned one or two hundred taels of silver.
Shen Jing, with a little effort, made several hundred taels of silver.
This silver truly seemed to be picked up off the ground.
“No merchant is without guile!”
Shen Jing smiled indifferently and continued to check Chi Chi's “homework”.
Hmm, this girl's arithmetic talent is still a bit lacking!
Out of ten simple calculation problems, she actually got four wrong.
“Who said that?”
Su Yourong pouted, “I'm not a profiteer! Look at my Qin She (Music House), it's all honest business.”
“That's why you can't make big money!”
Shen Jing laughed heartily, “You're not cut out for business! Also, your Qin She (Music House) has only been open for a short time; if it were open longer, it would definitely go bankrupt!”
“Bah, bah!”
Su Yourong gave him a defiant look and asked again: “There's still no news from the workshop. Your plan is about to fail. Aren't you worried at all?”
She had already understood Shen Jing's entire plan.
This scoundrel, in order to lure the Song family members to steal their sugar-making technology, even specially set up a fake workshop and deliberately sent people to leak some information to the Song family members.
He was counting on the Song family members sending people, then burning down the workshop and blaming it on the Song family members.
But he didn't know if the Song family members were on guard, as there had been no movement until now.
“It doesn't matter!”
Shen Jing smiled dismissively, “Don't we still have a backup plan?”
He still understood the principle of not putting all your eggs in one basket.
If the Song family members didn't fall for it, he would take the initiative.
Speaking of the backup plan, Su Yourong couldn't help but become curious again, “How are you so sure that Song Rui will return to Luochuan Prefecture in these two days? Could it be that you've planted an informant in the Song family members?”
“Not only do I know, but many people know.”
Shen Jing smiled, “Song Rui is responsible for the procurement of various raw materials for the Song family members' cloth business. These days of every quarter, he will transport high-quality silk and dyes purchased from other places back to Luochuan Prefecture by water.”
Song Rui is Song Jinshan's eldest son.
Although the Song family members' character is not good, the quality of the silk and cloth they weave is indeed impeccable.
A large part of the credit for this goes to Song Rui, who, at Song Jinshan's request, strictly controlled the quality of various raw materials.
He would rather spend more silver than purchase inferior raw materials.
He had, after all, mingled with the Song family members for so long; how could he not know when Song Rui would return to Luochuan Prefecture?
So that's how it is!
Su Yourong suddenly understood, raised her hand to smooth her beautiful hair, and then asked with a half-smile, “This matter, no matter how you look at it, has the suspicion of using Princess Qinghe. Aren't you afraid she'll cause you trouble again?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Shen Jing looked innocent, “If this matter succeeds and goes to the yamen, I'm just telling the truth! Is she going to blame me for telling the truth?”
“You're going to reason with a princess?”
Su Yourong found it amusing, “If the princess wants to punish you, even if your left foot steps into the room first, it's wrong!”
Did he think the princess was a judge?
And would listen to his sophistry, listen to him reason?
If the princess wanted to punish him, any random reason could make him cry out in pain.
“Never mind him!”
Shen Jing said indifferently, “First, let's take down the Song family members!”
...
East Gate Wharf.
Over five thousand catties of goods were being prepared for loading onto the ship.
Of the over five thousand catties of goods, what was said to be all white sugar was actually only half a bag of white sugar.
That half bag of white sugar was specifically for show.
The rest was all coarse salt for feeding livestock!
“Sir, please make it convenient.”
Du Heng stopped the clerk who was about to inspect the goods and quietly slipped a silver ingot into the clerk's hand, “Haven't you already seen it? This is all white sugar, and it's all sealed. If it gets opened and damp, our losses will be severe…”
“This isn't good, is it?”
The clerk frowned and said righteously, “All these goods must be opened and inspected one by one! What if you're smuggling prohibited goods? If the higher-ups investigate and find our inspection lax, we'll lose our heads!”
Listening to the clerk's words, Du Heng couldn't help but curse in his heart.
What prohibited goods!
He just thought they were transporting all white sugar and was greedy, feeling that this amount of silver was too little!
Damn it!
Such a large silver ingot, and he's still not satisfied!
His appetite is truly enormous!
The King of Hell is easy to deal with, but the little devils are troublesome!
Du Heng cursed inwardly, then quietly slipped two more silver ingots to the clerk, smiling apologetically, “With just these few things, what prohibited goods could there be! We're just looking for wealth; we wouldn't dare do anything that would cost us our heads!”
“It still needs to be inspected!”
The clerk coughed lightly, walked to the pile of goods, patted it symbolically, and then said with a laugh, “It has been inspected, and it is indeed all white sugar! Go pay the ferry tax, and then you can load the ship.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Du Heng breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and bowed, “When we return, I will definitely invite you for a few drinks. Please do me the honor!”
“No problem, no problem!”
The clerk weighed the silver in his hand, hidden under his sleeve, and was secretly satisfied.
He's sensible!
Hmm, transporting such valuable goods, and only charging them this little silver, they got off cheap!
“Quick, load the ship! All of you, be careful. If anything goes wrong, your lives won't be enough to compensate!”
Du Heng called out to the dockworkers, then ran to pay the ferry tax.
The ferry tax was collected according to the weight of the goods.
Except for goods exempt from tax by the imperial court, all had to pay.
However, compared to commercial tax, the ferry tax was almost negligible.
For over five thousand catties of goods, only ten taels of silver in tax were paid.
Actually, the proper tax only needed to be a little over five taels of silver.
Du Heng deliberately paid a little more tax, also to appease these little devils in the yamen.
With silver paving the way, Du Heng quickly obtained the tax receipt.
The tax receipt clearly stated the name of the goods: white sugar!
It's settled!
Du Heng put away the tax receipt with satisfaction, exchanged a few pleasantries with the tax collector, then quickly ran to supervise the laborers loading the ship, while also secretly cursing Shen Jing in his heart.
This Sunzi is truly cunning!
He doesn't know where this Sunzi learned these underhanded tricks.
Damn it!
His own father even told him to maintain a good relationship with this Sunzi, but this Sunzi is so cunning, it's hard not to be extra cautious when dealing with him!