Chapter 422

Although the Fang family intervened in the lychee business, their shipment was half a day late.

This half day was the biggest opportunity.

The first batch of lychees were not only a feast for the lips and tongue, but also represented prestige.

Zheng Ruqian raced back to Jiuzhen Store and pulled Zhang Xianglian and Miao Zhaoying, and called over four or five aunties from White Water Noodles Workshop to help sort the lychees.

Only those with intact appearance and uniform size remained, everything else was removed.

Ones with green and red mixed could not be included, nor ones with any flaws, or missing branches and stems, even the little stems had to be the same length.

Of the three cart loads of lychees, normally yielding hundreds of catties, after this sorting there was less than ten catties left.

"Take the rest to sell at Jiuzhen Store, Jiang Sheng come with me to deliver the goods." Zheng Ruqian hitched up the biggest and most luxurious carriage from his house, and called Jiang San and Jiang Si to sit on the shaft.

The words Imperial Merchant sounded pleasant, but matching it required sufficient ability.

Zheng Ruqian was very clear, this business fell into his lap from the grudge between the Jiang and Liao families, he didn't originally have the Liao family's business foundation, nor sufficient connections in the Imperial City.

In order to find out the process of Imperial Merchants making deliveries, he had sent out many gifts, and drank wine a few times with the manager of You Ran Ju, before grasping all the details.

Doing business with the imperial court was different than others, aside from product quality, safety was the most important.

All the people the Liao family had transporting lychees were confidants, and their family members' indenture contracts were firmly held by the Liao family head, this was to guard against problems with the goods.

The imperial recipes were prepared in advance by Guanglu Temple, and the Liao family even sent someone to predict the arrival time of the lychees, to facilitate Guanglu Temple incorporating them into that day's meals.

These were all very difficult for Zheng Ruqian, but he still tried his best.

Once the biggest and best fruit was selected, brother and sister sat vigilantly into the carriage.

Outside was the whistling street, inside were lychees nestled on crushed ice. Even though she knew Fengjing's security was good, Jiang Sheng still couldn't help feeling nervous, "If the Fang family really opposes us, will they send people to overturn our lychees?"

In theory they would, and the Liao family had done just that when competing for the lychee business.

But sister, time flows by, and people grow up.

Zheng Ruqian snapped his fingers and lifted the side curtains, "I already guarded against this, take a look at both sides."

Jiang Sheng peered out to see city guards wielding sabers.

No matter how much the Fang family wanted to, they wouldn't dare rush out now and throw themselves on the blades.

"Big brother you..." Jiang Sheng was extremely surprised, "A person of high morals hides, yet you could summon the city guards."

Zheng Ruqian smiled wryly.

He was just an ordinary merchant, of course he couldn't summon the city guards, he just borrowed their might.

It was well known the city guards rotated in three shifts, he just happened to pass by when they changed shifts, even with ten times the guts the Fang family wouldn't dare make a move.

The location of the Imperial City was central, as long as the timing was right, the trip from Jiuzhen Store to the city gates would be safe and sound.

After the carriage halted, Jiang San's voice came from outside, "Young Master, young lady, we've arrived."

Under Jiang Sheng's gaze of admiration and deference, Zheng Ruqian arrogantly jumped down from the carriage, and took out a token from his robe.

Outside vehicles were not qualified to enter the Imperial City, and carrying in ice would melt it, so they could only wait for someone from Guanglu Temple to come receive it.

And not just by reaching out a hand, the tokens also had to fit together seamlessly before it could proceed.

After waiting half a cup of tea, still no one from Guanglu Temple arrived.

According to Zheng Ruqian's inquiries, they should have been waiting at the city gates early on, as they couldn't let Imperial Merchants carrying ice and lychees wait long, because the ice would melt and lychees lose freshness.

"Could it be another of the Fang family's schemes?" Jiang Sheng wondered, "What can we do if no one from Guanglu Temple comes?"

"It won't happen, don't worry." Zheng Ruqian's manner was resolute, "Imperial business is no joke, Guanglu Temple doesn't have that much power, at most they'll just be late."

And what they had to do was slow down the ice melting as much as possible, to keep the lychees as fresh as possible.

Under Zheng Ruqian's direction, Jiang San first moved the carriage into the shade of a tree, then took out small blankets from inside and firmly wrapped up the ice and lychees.

After another half cup of tea, the city gates slowly opened, and the leading middle-aged eunuch strode out arrogantly, his contempt apparent from a distance. Judging by his clothes, it was the Guanglu Temple attendant who arrived late.

Zheng Ruqian waved his hand for Jiang San to pull the carriage forward, then bowed respectfully, "Greetings Attendant, I wonder if you are from Guanglu Temple to receive the lychees?"

"I am." The middle-aged eunuch answered snidely. "Let me see your token."

They both held out their hands, the specially shaped tokens fit together seamlessly, nothing out of the ordinary.

Jiang Sheng felt slightly relieved, praying for the Guanglu Temple person to quickly take away the lychees.

"Please inspect them, Attendant." Zheng Ruqian took back his token, and cooperated with Jiang Si to lift out the crushed ice onto the shaft.

Ten full catties, not only checking quality but also weighing for exact amount, finally screening for poisons.

This attendant's age was not small, he could be considered proficient at this task, inspecting not just the surface but flipping them over, even taking out some lychees to smell their freshness.

Just when Jiang Sheng thought the mission was ending, he suddenly reached out and crushed a lychee, "Feels not as fresh as the ones the Liao family sends." "You see, the head is small enough, but the pit is still big, so the flesh is naturally thinner." The middle-aged eunuch's face was cold, "With this kind of quality, my household doesn't dare offer it to His Majesty."

Indeed there were no easy business deals in this world, nor simple ascents to the peak.

When they were village children, trying to do business with county residents.

When they left Xieyang County, trying to do business with prefecture residents.

When they left Anshui Prefecture, trying to do business with Fengjing residents.

People always yearned for higher peaks, and there were always difficulties on the climbing path, disdain and arrogance most common, extortion and bullying not rare.

If Zheng Ruqian really was a fledgling chick just leaving the nest, he might really be frightened.

But he wasn't, the youth who had been bullied countless times maintained his smile, took out a heavy money sack from his robe and slipped it over when the other wasn't looking, while his tone remained humble, "These were the ten catties picked from one hundred, Attendant please rest assured, the biggest and best are all here."

This could also be considered an unspoken agreement in business deals.

To cooperate smoothly, some benefits had to be offered.

The middle-aged eunuch weighed the heavy pouch, seemingly somewhat satisfied, "Luckily your fruit arrived promptly, the Imperial Court and Noble Consort have been thinking of this taste, they were just mentioning it yesterday."

"Then I trouble you, Attendant, to deliver it to the Imperial Court's eyes as soon as possible." Zheng Ruqian still maintained humility.

As long as they could cooperate smoothly, lowering one's posture was normal.

Merchants valued profit first.

But what he didn't expect was, after the middle-aged eunuch pocketed the silver, his face changed again, "It's just that your ice has nearly all melted, if the lychees can't be transported to the palace then it's over, and we'll be in trouble along with you."