Chapter 20: The Zheng Matriarch’s Displeasure

As the General of Ningguta, one would expect him to be the uncrowned king of the region, a man whose word is law. In reality, however, his tenure has been far from smooth—one might even say it has been humiliating.

First, there was the local power, the Zheng family, who constantly opposed him in subtle and overt ways, obstructing many of his initiatives. It took him a long time to smooth over those relations, but just as he was considering bringing the Zhengs to heel, the Zhou family suddenly arrived.

The Zhou family is a prominent clan of the Xuan Kingdom with deep-rooted connections. Even the current Emperor must treat such families with extreme caution, let alone a mere general like himself. Offending the Zheng family would be one thing—at worst, he would simply face bureaucratic obstacles—but offending the Zhou family could potentially cost him his position as General.

Burdened by these concerns, Hu Buyun decided to wait and see. As long as the Zhou family did not commit any illicit acts in Ningguta, he had no justification to intervene directly.

"Let’s wait and watch. Remember to remind me when their opening day arrives," Hu Buyun finally decided. By attending the opening ceremony himself, he would effectively be extending a courtesy to the Zhou family. He reasoned that once word of this gesture reached the influential figures in the palace, it would earn him a favorable impression.

While General Hu Buyun chose a path of watchful waiting, the Zheng family held a vastly different opinion.

The Zheng family had been established in the Ningguta region for over a century. Back then, it was nothing more than a village; it was through the tireless efforts of their ancestors that the area developed into the city it is today. For years, the Zheng family had viewed this territory as their own fiefdom. Regardless of how many generals the imperial court appointed, the Zheng family maintained a firm grip on the situation, serving as the local power brokers in the eyes of outsiders.

Each of the six kingdoms of the world has its own advantages. The Xuan Kingdom is most famous for its ginseng and sable furs, both of which can be found in the vicinity of Ningguta. It was this advantage that built the foundation of the Zheng family’s prosperity.

Yet, favorable surroundings do not always foster noble characters. Relying on local resources, the Zheng family grew stronger, and with that strength, their ambitions expanded. They were particularly intolerant of suppression by outside forces. Hu Buyun’s arrival was unavoidable, as the Emperor of Xuan would never allow a member of the Zheng family to serve as General, lest Ningguta drift away from the kingdom’s control. Thus, even if it hadn't been Hu Buyun, another general would have been sent. Fortunately, Hu Buyun was a sensible man; while they had had their disagreements, they generally cooperated to maintain the basic order of Ningguta.

But who was this newcomer, Zhou Wenbing? He only had a cousin who served as a concubine in the palace—what did that have to do with the Zheng family?

Since ancient times, there has been a saying: "The mountains are high and the Emperor is far away; there are few people and many officials." No matter how powerful the Emperor might be, he could not manage affairs in Ningguta from thousands of miles away. Besides, this was considered a remote, impoverished backwater; what noble person would be willing to come here? Those who did were usually disgraced figures sent into exile, and they could hardly be called nobility.

With no one of consequence arriving and little attention paid to the region, the Zheng family treated Ningguta as their private domain. Anyone wishing to make a living here had to have their approval first. Now, Zhou Wenbing had arrived without so much as a greeting, buying two adjacent shops to open a ginseng store. What were they planning? This was a clear affront to the Zheng family. Furthermore, they had even sent an opening invitation to the Zheng household—this was an open slap in the face.

"This is too much! Absolutely intolerable!" Zheng Denggao, a heavy hitter in the Zheng family and the manager of the Yuelai Restaurant, was the first to lash out in the family’s ancestral hall.

"Denggao, do not be so hasty. Yugong, what is your take on this matter?" The speaker was a man of about fifty. Despite the wrinkles on his face, his eyes remained calm and unruffled. As the current head of the Zheng family, Zheng Tianhai had seen many things, including several different generals of Ningguta, yet the region had remained under the Zheng family’s control all the same. The arrival of one Zhou Wenbing was not something he felt the need to fret over.

Zheng Tianhai’s composure calmed Zheng Denggao’s temper. Zheng Yugong, the person addressed, was the aide at the General’s office and the representative of the Zheng family’s influence in official circles. He remained calm as well, dismissing the matter with indifference. "He is merely the cousin of the Xian Imperial Consort, not her own brother. Besides, in Ningguta, even if he were a true imperial relative, what of it? A tiger must lie down, and a dragon must coil when they come here."

Zheng Yugong spoke with confidence and force. This stemmed from his deep influence in the local government and the fact that Zhou Wenbing was not the first merchant to try his luck in Ningguta. Others had come before with significant backing, only to leave in disgrace. Did they really think wild ginseng grew like common cabbage? Or that one could simply walk into the mountains and pluck centuries-old roots? Wild ginseng, especially the aged variety, was rare and hard to find. Even the Zheng family struggled to collect many specimens over thirty years old in a year; often, even twenty-year-old roots were scarce. The surrounding mountains, save for the deepest, most inaccessible areas, had been picked clean long ago. Finding medicinal-grade ginseng now was exponentially more difficult than it had been in the past.

The clan leader, Zheng Tianhai, did not know what was on Yugong’s mind; he simply interpreted the words at face value. "So, you mean we can freely suppress this Zhou Wenbing?"

"Oh, that is not necessary," Zheng Yugong replied, shaking his head slightly. "Zhou Wenbing does not understand Ningguta, nor does he know how difficult it is to procure ginseng. We need not worry about someone like him. Once the shop opens and he realizes there is no ginseng to buy, he will naturally leave. By then, the territory will remain ours, and we won’t have made an unnecessary enemy. Isn't that ideal?"

Zheng Yugong’s meaning was clear: let Zhou Wenbing proceed. Once he saw that there were no profits to be made, he would naturally lose heart and leave on his own.

"Will he?" Zheng Denggao couldn't help but ask.

"Why wouldn't he? If there is no money to be made, why would he stay? Compared to the capital, Changdu, Ningguta is neither prosperous nor full of entertainment," Zheng Yugong said with a chuckle and a tone of absolute certainty.

"Hahaha, good! Since Yugong says so, let us pay him no mind. Isn't he opening a shop? We shall go and give him plenty of face. That way, when he leaves, it will be due to his own incompetence, and it will have nothing to do with us." Clan leader Zheng Tianhai trusted Zheng Yugong implicitly and was now full of confidence.

"Heh heh, let’s follow the leader's plan. When the opening comes, we shall all attend and see who in Ningguta dares to sell ginseng to his Zhou family," Zheng Denggao added with a laugh, though his expression was chilling, laced with threats. He intended to show up in person to intimidate the ginseng gatherers, making it clear that anyone who dared to sell to Zhou Wenbing was crossing the Zheng family. Zhou Wenbing might have a cousin in the palace, so they couldn't touch him, but the locals of Ningguta? Well... that was a different story.

...

Jia Ping'an had learned about the upcoming opening of the Zhou family's ginseng shop from Chang Chao. Unfortunately, Chang Chao’s resources were limited; he only knew that the Zhou family was wealthy and had boasted that they would pay the highest prices for quality ginseng. As a former beggar, Chang Chao had no way of uncovering their true background.

Jia Ping'an was not anxious; he had other ways to find out, such as Master Tong. As a former top scholar who had served as an official in Changdu for years, he would surely know what the Zhou family’s background was. Jia Ping'an could have asked his father, but he dismissed the thought as soon as it occurred. His father was still living in isolation, and he did not want to provoke memories of the unhappy events in Changdu. Besides, he had done Master Tong a great favor, so asking for information was not an intrusion.

Jia Ping'an arrived at Master Tong’s small courtyard once again. Unlike two days ago, there was an additional guest today. As he reached the front of the courtyard, he heard laughter from within. Upon pushing the door open, he saw Master Tong chatting with a man in his thirties in the modest main hall.

Jia Ping'an’s uninvited entry drew both their gazes, allowing him to get a clear look at the man. Master Tong he knew from before. Tong Gui, who stood nearby pouring tea, was also familiar—Jia Ping'an had saved his life. Seeing him capable of serving tea now, Jia Ping'an could not help but marvel at the power and wonder of the spirit spring water.

Aside from them, there was the middle-aged man. His features were plain, but his eyes were sharp. When Jia Ping'an appeared, the man scrutinized him from head to toe without any attempt to hide his curiosity. From this, Jia Ping'an sensed that the man’s status was likely significant. Otherwise, he would not possess such confidence; an ordinary person would not stare at a stranger with such unreserved intensity.