The following day, Bai Ruozhu set out with Zhang Liliang and her elder brother. A few days ago, she had asked Zhang Liliang to help her find a supply channel for precious stones and jewelry. Now Zhang Liliang had gotten some news and had arranged a meeting with a merchant for today.
Bai Ruozhu decided to hold the meeting at the Guest Welcoming Inn. Nowadays, hosting guests at the inn was considered respectable and showed high regard for the guest. Moreover, she had her private room at the inn, which she could use for free, thereby saving some expenses.
The jewelry merchant they’d arranged to meet was named Deng Gongquan. Upon hearing from Zhang Liliang that he’d been invited to the Guest Welcoming Inn for negotiations the previous day, he was particularly pleased.
When Bai Ruozhu met Deng Gongquan, she quietly observed him. He appeared to be in his forties, his eyes were not big yet they showed sharp intelligence. His belly was slightly bulging, indicating that he had been living quite comfortably.
Deng Gongquan proved to be a neat and efficient person. Apart from being slightly surprised at Bai Ruozhu’s presence initially, he didn’t have any intention of patronizing her. He quickly produced several samples: grains of pearl, half round pearls, emerald beads, round gemstones, tortoiseshell ornaments, and so on.
These small pieces were the leftover materials from larger pieces and thus, were not very expensive. Bai Ruozhu examined their quality and then negotiated the prices with him, which marked the beginning of their formal partnership.
"Miss Bai, the knitted short-sleeve garment you’re wearing is impeccable. I have something to discuss that I am unsure if I should," said Deng Gongquan slyly with a sip of his tea.
Bai Ruozhu nodded, saying, "From now on, we’re business partners. Mr. Deng, feel free to speak your mind. It’s better to be direct."
Stroking his thin moustache, Deng Gongquan’s smile held a hint of cunning.
"From what I’ve heard, your establishment, Hua Xiangrong, is the leading weaving pavilion in Beiyu City. However, there are those who follow and imitate your model. You must have heard of Yun Xiaorong, haven’t you?" asked Deng Gongquan.
Bai Ruozhu was taken aback. Yun Xiaorong...wasn’t that a blatant rip-off?
Seeing her reaction, Deng Gongquan knew she was unaware, and his satisfied expressions surfaced instantly.
"Since we’re going to work together in a long-term partnership, and you’re a straightforward person, I’ll offer you a token of regard," he boasted, twirling his mustache with
smug satisfaction.
Both Zhang Liliang and Bai Zehao immediately sat upright. This was their first time hearing of the shameless competitor, Yun Xiaorong.
Gratefully, Bai Ruozhu nodded at Deng Gongquan, "Then, I am obliged to you, Mr. Deng. I’m all ears."
Delighted with Bai Ruozhu’s response, Deng Gongquan began, "Recently, I came across some information. My rival has been supplying to a weaving pavilion. If it hadn’t been for Zhang, I would have thought that he was supplying to your establishment. I also got hold of another piece of news.."
He lowered his voice considerably, "This rival of mine is quite disreputable and adores helping his patrons cheat. I heard that he has helped them produce a batch of fake pearls, merely clamshells, refined and coated to mimic pearls."
By now, artificial pearl cultivation techniques existed, and small pearls were farmed at not very high costs. But if clamshells were being used to forge pearls, the cost would be even more trivial.
The corners of Bai Ruozhu’s mouth quirked up slightly. They wanted to compete with her, resorting to counterfeits behind her back, not knowing that she was aware of their plans now. This information was absolutely well-timed to lash out at the competition.
She stood and bowed respectfully to Deng Gongquan, saying, "I ought to thank you for this welcoming gift, Mr. Deng."
Deng Gongquan laughed heartily and replied unpretentiously, "We are going to collaborate for a long time, so this small token is nothing. As for my goods, you can trust me completely. I will never indulge in deceitful business that tarnishes my reputation."
"Boss Deng, you’re straightforward, and I really admire that." Bai Ruozhu took out several silver banknotes and spoke to Deng Gongquan, "You must often go to the seaside to collect pearls. I was wondering if you could help me gather some coral. They don’t have to be large or intact; shavings or fragments that can be made into coral beads or thin slices are enough. They don’t necessarily need to be red either."
Deng Gongquan accepted the money, nodding and saying, "No problem, it should be easy to handle. Most people want an entire piece of coral, so fragments won’t be too expensive."
"Thank you, Boss Deng." Bai Ruozhu added.
Deng Gongquan happily stroked his small beard. He had given Bai Ruozhu some clues, and she was savvy enough to bring him more business. He enjoyed collaborating with people like her the most.
After Deng Gongquan left, Zhang Liliang quickly asked, "Ruozhu, how do you plan on dealing with Yun Xiaorong?"
Bai Ruozhu poured a cup of tea and took a slow sip, saying, "Don’t rush, the timing is not right yet. Even Deng Gongquan’s words need to be confirmed. We should either stay still, or strike accurately and decisively when we act, leaving the opponent no room for retaliation."
If it was a fair competition, she would have welcomed it, but instead, the opponent was imitating her skills and even her shop’s name. Wouldn’t there soon be Wind Xiaorong, Moon Xiaorong, and Rain Xiaorong in Beiyu City if she didn’t make a point?
Zhang Liliang and Bai Zehao both agreed. Bai Ruozhu was indeed calm. They were near-outrage when they first heard about Yun Xiaorong’s shop, far from Bai Ruozhu’s composure.
Bai Ruozhu actually also felt like cursing loudly; she definitely would have if nobody was around. But cursing is pointless, it’s better to calm down and not lose her composure because of the opponent’s actions.
The three had a brief conversation in the private room before descending the stairs. Zhang Liliang and Bai Zehao had other business to attend to, so Bai Ruozhu asked Wei San to see them off, as she was still touring the market.
Once the two left, she exchanged a few words with the welcoming shopkeeper, then headed outside. As she left, she caught a glimpse of a slender figure entering a private room on the second floor. It was Wu Wanqing, if she wasn’t mistaken.
She wasn’t sure why she had such a strong impression of Wu Wanqing’s figure. Perhaps it’s because of her keen observation skills, or maybe it’s because she harbored suspicion and thus paid more attention.
Not wanting Wu Wanqing to see her and ask about the belt she had ordered, fearing it would dampen her mood, she quickly left.
But she’d barely taken a few steps when she saw Senior Fox approaching.
Looking at Senior Fox, she thought he must be going to meet Wu Wanqing. It appears Wu Wanqing and Senior Fox are indeed very close; had she overthought things?
Senior Fox wasn’t wearing a mask; he was very casual when in Beiyu City. Seeing Bai Ruozhu, a smile immediately spread across his face, and his crescent-shaped eyes curved upward, giving a very likable impression.
But Bai Ruozhu had an awful feeling; shouldn’t he be glaring at her and shouting, "You trickster, you intentionally made Du Fuling misunderstand last time!"
But he didn’t seem angry at all. In fact, he was smiling particularly brightly at her, which gave her an unsettling feeling.
----
Recommended is my friend Qin Wu’s new book "The Love Battle of the Famous Gates: The Chief’s Mysterious New Favorite", very good, don’t miss it~
Synopsis: One day, Mr. Shen took off his white lab coat and suddenly became the president of a mysterious group. A certain woman was taken aback, "They say there is no fool in commerce, have I been tricked by you?" Mr. Shen just silently smiled. She is the mysterious woman by Mr. Shen’s side. Everyone says: Mr. Shen spoils her, spoiling her to the point where he’d rather make enemies with the world for her, Mr. Shen must be mad. Upon hearing this, Mr. Shen looked at the woman with an indifferent expression, "In your eyes, am I a tyrant?" The woman pushes away his hand from her bare waist, "Not only a tyrant, but a lecher too!"