38. Winds Rise in Northeastern Jiangxi

Whether intentional or not—and Xia Lin was certainly being intentional—he couldn't admit to it. What he wanted was to appreciate the transformation of Miss Tang’s porcelain-doll-like expressions. His mindset was akin to an old man polishing a piece of cliff-side cedar; he took immense satisfaction in watching the wood change color under his hands.

However, he couldn't voice this aloud. He tapped the box and said with a smile, "This is a new product I’ve developed with the craftsmen. Look at the color, look at the painting. Look closely—do you see the difference?"

Look closely? How could one look closely? The details on that painting were so exquisite, so vivid, that no young lady could bear to stare for long without feeling bashful.

Wait. Exquisite? Vivid?

Miss Tang arched her eyebrows. She lifted her gaze to inspect it carefully and saw that the lines on the painting were distinct and raised. The flowers, birds, fish, and insects were accented with gold thread and gold particles, giving it a tactile, three-dimensional quality that was truly delightful.

The gold thread had become one with the porcelain; within the painting was gold, and within the gold was the shy, evocative artwork.

Refined—only "refined" could describe it. It would be no exaggeration to call it an imperial tribute.

"This... this is far too exquisite."

"There are eighty pieces in this set. This will be the key to your Tang family’s tea business soaring to new heights."

Hearing this, Miss Tang was momentarily stunned. Hadn't they already soared? In just over a month, their profits had reached the total annual profit of the entire Tang trading firm—and that was pure profit compared to gross. If this wasn't soaring, what was?

"A tribute item," Xia Lin said. Seeing the confusion in Miss Tang's eyes, he tapped the box gently. "Send a set to the Emperor."

"His Majesty? How could our tea possibly catch the Emperor’s eye?"

"Haha, there is something you haven't grasped." Xia Lin tapped the box again. "What kind of good tea do you think the Emperor actually gets to drink? You must know that there are three things in this world that are never consistent: the vinegar of Qingxu, the wine of Qinghua Village, and this tea from Huizhou. These three items change based on the weather, the temperature, the craftsmanship, and even the vessel they are stored in. If you were the manager of the Imperial Household Department, would you choose to give the Emperor slightly inferior tea, or would you risk his displeasure and losing your head by giving him the finest tea that might have a slight defect?"

At this, Miss Tang had a sudden realization. She set her teacup on the table. "So that’s it! Then where do those annual tribute teas actually go?"

"Hard to say, can't say, and daren't say." Xia Lin laughed. "In any case, you needn't worry about that. Just present this item, and the matter will be settled. After that, your Tang family is set to soar."

Miss Tang’s eyes were liquid and glistening. It wasn't that she was flirting; she was born with eyes like that, and even during a normal conversation, she looked both shy and charming. They say Jiangnan produces beauties, but in truth, the lands of Luoshan are no less so. The *Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River* seemed to have been written just for her: "Graceful in demeanor, charming in speech. Her attire is extraordinary, her beauty timeless, her frame true to the portraits. Clad in radiant silks, adorned with jade and turquoise."

Ah... truly, she was perfection.

Perhaps this was just the "white moonlight" filter, but it didn't matter. She deserved such praise. Don't talk to me about men having aspirations across the four corners of the world; that’s only because they haven't met the person who has taken root in their heart. When King Zhou met Daji, or King You met Baosi, the strongest empires crumbled in an instant. No matter how resolute a hero may be, he can be ground down like an iron pestle into a needle.

Xia Lin leaned his head back against the chair, admiring Miss Tang in her contemplation. He watched for a long while until she finally snapped out of it. "By the way, can the workshop increase production?"

"No." Xia Lin rejected her without hesitation. "Not only can we not increase it, but after this frenzy, we must actually decrease production. In the future, mid-range products will only be released as sets. We will depict various stories on the porcelain, but every story will always be missing one part."

"Hm? Missing one part?"

"Yes, missing one part. For example, with *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, we will always be missing the chapter on the 'Autumn Wind at Wuzhang Plains.' With Laozi’s journey, we will always be missing the chapter on 'Leaving the Hangu Pass to the West.'"

"Wouldn't that drive them crazy?"

"Exactly. Let them be anxious. The more anxious they are, the more obsessed they become. Then, from time to time, we release a set, allowing one person to complete their collection. And then, guess what... hehe."

Xia Lin’s words stirred Miss Tang’s spirit. "You... you are quite devious."

"Ah, there is no commerce without deceit, as they say. Only with a drive do they have motivation, and only with motivation will they be willing to spend money. However, you must manage your subordinates well. I have released the goods to you, but if your own people steal from the storehouse, then..."

Xia Lin drew out his tone. Miss Tang understood immediately and nodded firmly. "I will supervise it personally."

Yes! That was exactly the effect Xia Lin wanted. "Supervising personally" meant she had to stay here. Only by keeping her by his side would he have a chance. If he really let her run back home, who knows which prince or noble might snatch her away? Then wouldn't Xia Lin lose his bait without catching the fish?

So, keeping her here was the best solution. Tang Wanqiu was indeed as clever as she was beautiful. Clever as ice and snow, ha ha ha...

"It seems I won't be able to leave anytime soon," Tang Wanqiu teased, looking at Xia Lin. "It seems it's time to open a Tang family shop here as well."

"Fine by me. I’ll grant you a plot of land."

Xia Lin was a man of action. He promised the land in the morning, and by the afternoon, his planning proposal was ready. It was right next to the workshop, only about a hundred meters away. He planned a five-hundred-meter radius for her.

"It’s too big. This is far too big."

"Not at all." Xia Lin pointed at the map. "Miss Tang, do you realize where your place of prosperity should be?"

Tang Wanqiu’s almond-shaped eyes widened, and she covered Xia Lin’s mouth with her hand. "You... are you trying to get me killed?"

"Crap, crap, crap..." Xia Lin slapped his own face. "I was infected by Old Zhang. My apologies, my apologies."

Seeing he realized his mistake, Tang Wanqiu rolled her eyes and let go. Even though Xia Lin had been spouting nonsense, for the first time, he felt the softness and sweet fragrance of her palm. It was truly wonderful... so fragrant.

But they had to discuss business. He cleared his throat to dispel the awkwardness. "This location is actually better suited for your Tang family’s development than Luoyang. Look at its position—it sits at the crossroads of four regions: Huizhou, Raozhou, Shezhou, and Hongzhou. Above, you have tea-producing regions; below, grain-producing regions. To the left is Poyang Lake, and to the right is the land of Su and Hangzhou. With Miss Tang’s vision, you should see what a geomantic treasure this is, right? I’ll tell you this: within three years, this place will be upgraded from a township to a county."

Tang Wanqiu studied the map carefully and nodded in understanding. "It is indeed excellent. But this tiny place... becoming a county?"

"Not just a county, but the highest-ranked county in the empire!"

Xia Lin wasn't just spouting nonsense. Fuliang County was a fifth-rank county, while metropolitan counties were only sixth or seventh rank. A fifth-rank county was already half a grade higher than a third-rank prefecture. The county magistrate was a fifth-rank official—it was indisputably the number one county in the world.

Of course, the place was currently a desolate backwater, so his words were somewhat exaggerated. Even Miss Tang covered her mouth to hide a smile. But Xia Lin didn't mind; the more they doubted, the better. When he gave them the surprise, they would realize they had truly underestimated him.

In the end, the five-hundred-meter radius was officially granted to Miss Tang. She was a woman of action and immediately began organizing people to start construction. Her purse was as full as her chest; with money, everything was easy. The workers who were previously idle now had work, and everyone was happy.

Two days later, Miss Tang came to find Xia Lin, holding a drawing made by a craftsman. "Daosheng, take a look. What name should we give this place?"

"Doufu Alley."

"Hm? Why?"

Why? Because it was the name it was always meant to have. But Xia Lin couldn't tell her that the name had been chosen by his charming ancestor long ago—especially since he was that charming ancestor. So, he just made it up on the spot.

"Because of the wealth. Soon, it won't just be your family here. I’m having you build shops and houses here, just waiting for the value to rise. When outsiders come to do business, this place will be full of bosses, and everyone will be a millionaire. So, naming it 'Doufu'—'Contesting Wealth'—is perfectly reasonable."

"Good." Miss Tang clearly loved the name. "Then it shall be called Doufu Alley."

The bustling construction continued until the end of the year. At year’s end, Xia Lin paid the first round of taxes since Xinping Township had separated from Poyang County. The tax manifest landed on the desk of Governor Guo, who was checking it as a matter of routine.

In previous years, a county’s tax revenue was usually between three thousand and five thousand taels—after all, this was the wealthy Jiangnan region. The total revenue for the entire territory might be between one hundred thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand taels, which was considered quite high nationwide...

"Ah????" When Governor Guo saw the tax payment for Xinping Township, he doubled over in his seat like a cooked shrimp.

"Ah? Two hundred and seventy thousand???"

"Bao Heng! Get over here!"

Governor Guo slammed the table. "Hurry up!"

A moment later, the tax official Bao Heng came in, trembling with fear. He bowed to the Governor, but before he could speak, he was interrupted. Governor Guo roared, "A single township, two hundred and seventy thousand in taxes? How did you calculate this muddled account? Speak! If you can't explain it, I’ll have you thrown into prison!"

Bao Heng stepped forward to examine the accounts, then pulled out his own list to compare. His eyes cleared, and his voice grew louder. "My lord, it is correct. It is indeed two hundred and seventy thousand."

"You dare to spout nonsense! If this account is wrong, your life won't be enough to pay for it!"

"It is truly correct, my lord. Please, take a look."

The tax official handed over the manifest. Only then did the Governor see that the primary taxpayer was the Tang family’s firm, contributing two hundred and twenty thousand taels, while the remaining fifty thousand came from the various villages of Xinping Township.

"Ah???" Governor Guo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stood up, paced back and forth, and glared at the tax official. "What are you standing there for? Prepare a boat! Come with me to Xinping Township to investigate! Two hundred and seventy thousand—if they can't produce the actual gold and silver, the imperial court will have my head!"

"M-my lord... the silver has already been deposited and is currently in the treasury."

"Ah?" Governor Guo scratched his head. "Wait, where did they get so much money? How did they earn it? Prepare the boat, prepare the boat! I must go and see for myself."