Chapter 67: No Mistake in the Trap

In front of everyone, Yingniang handed 3,000 taels of silver to Liu Zhanggui. Chen Xie didn't see this scene; otherwise, he would have been very disapproving. After leaving Chunxiang Tower, Chen Xie slowly walked toward the Zhang family residence under the night sky. He had to run away; Yingniang was a woman so tender she could drip water. She was at her most charming, well-maintained, and in great shape. If Chen Xie didn't run, he would definitely be devoured at night.

The next morning, as soon as the city gates opened, Chen Xie returned, waiting for a group of fat lambs to come to the slaughter.

A bunch of wealthy bumpkins woke up very late. Standing upstairs, they drooled at the sight of the carriages in the courtyard below. They hadn't seen them clearly last night, so they could now examine them in broad daylight. Yingniang was quite devious, leaving the carriages in the courtyard for everyone to see, but not allowing anyone to board them.

The streamlined design, gilded craftsmanship, and all-handmade construction (industrialization was impossible, so this can be ignored), the wheels and axles made of high-quality steel. What seemed very backward to modern people was unimaginable high technology in the Ming Dynasty. Once you owned such a carriage, you would have no other desires.

Qian Buduo, who was shrewd, didn't join the others in surrounding the carriages. He quietly slipped out of Chunxiang Tower and met Wang Chulong at the door, bowing and smiling, "Brother Wang, please!" "Brother Qian, please!" Someone called from behind, "Brothers, where are you going?" Li Heng also came out, and it was clear that having another competitor was inevitable.

Back at the Zhang family estate, Chen Xie went to bed to catch up on sleep, as he hadn't slept well the previous night. He woke up at noon, and while getting dressed, the head maid Yuzhu reported softly, "At 10:30 AM, three gentlemen from the city came, but I saw you sleeping soundly and took the liberty of turning them away."

The two maids by Chen Xie's side had gained more power and boldness. However, they were still very careful to observe Chen Xie's expressions. The divine doctor seemed indifferent, took the towel to wipe his face, and said, "Turning them away is fine, it's not a big deal. In the future, be more careful and ask about the urgency of matters; don't act on your own."

This was just a gentle reminder, not even a reprimand. Yuzhu was secretly delighted. She was already sixteen, and most women her age in the village were already nursing children. She was very anxious about this. She wanted to settle down, have a child, and secure her position. This kind of thinking was completely beyond Chen Xie's understanding. Chen Xie wasn't a good person, nor was he a eunuch. He was just an ordinary man who had studied medicine for a few years and knew that having a child too early was unsafe. Otherwise, do you think Divine Doctor Chen would let her go?

Leisurely walking out with his hands behind his back, Chen Xie didn't see anyone in the living room, so he called the front courtyard manager, Gu San, to ask. Gu San was Xiaoxuan's father, brought to the Zhang family estate by Chen Xie. Seeing Xiaoxuan's face, and finding him loyal and hardworking, Chen Xie put him in charge of some of the servants in the front courtyard. His usual duties involved environmental cleanliness, and he couldn't be trusted with the kitchen, which involved money and grain. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't give him more responsibilities.

Gu San came quickly and bowed to Chen Xie. In the past, they would kneel to speak, but Chen Xie found it troublesome and abolished this rule. Now, the servants at the Chen family estate spoke with their backs bent, which was a bit of progress.

"What does the master need?" Gu San was one of Chen Xie's most loyal lackeys, ready to bite anyone Chen Xie told him to.

"Where are the gentlemen from Dengzhou?" Chen Xie no longer felt awkward speaking. A modern underdog had successfully evolved into a Ming Dynasty master. When he spoke, his tone was very appropriate, and his chin was slightly raised.

"Master, they went to Zhang Tietou's shop. When they arrived at the estate, they sent their servants out. I had someone keep an eye on them and saw them go there," Gu San replied. Chen Xie thought this was good; he was very vigilant and worked hard to protect the master's interests. Such a person should be promoted and trusted.

"Good, you did well," Chen Xie said, turning to look at Yuzhu. "Note this: add one tael of silver per month to Gu San's family as a position allowance." This was a new term, and Yuzhu quickly wrote it down. "How should we determine the levels of this position allowance? We can't make everyone the same, or the monthly rules will be in chaos."

Chen Xie leered and whispered in her ear, "I'll give the allowance to whoever I like. Whoever serves me well and satisfies me will get the allowance."

Yuzhu's face turned red, and she glared at Gu San. "You go." After Gu San left, she smiled seductively. "Master, what does it mean to serve well? Could it be that I haven't satisfied you?"

Chen Xie, hearing her coquettish voice, burst out laughing. "Satisfied, of course, I'm very satisfied. Whatever you want, I'll buy it for you." He laughed heartily and walked out, with his lackeys following immediately. They headed to Zhang Tietou's shop, surrounded by a crowd.

Zhang Tietou was in a panic. A group of gentlemen wanted to see how the carriages were made. How could he agree to that? The divine doctor always talked about core technology. Carriages weren't coal stoves; one look wouldn't allow them to be replicated. There were many techniques that had been developed through hard work. If others saw them, the divine doctor would skin him alive.

But he couldn't just block them. At first, three gentlemen came, and Zhang Tietou excused himself by saying the workshop was too dirty and would soil their clothes. They said they didn't mind and insisted on going in. Zhang Tietou had to reluctantly say he needed to consult the master, or he would be in trouble. The three gentlemen were reasonable and didn't cause a fuss, just looking from outside.

Later, more gentlemen came, totaling fifteen, and with their servants, there were fifty to sixty people blocking the entrance, clamoring to get in. After some commotion, when Zhang Tietou was about to give in, Chen Xie arrived with his servants. He scanned the crowd and saw that Qian Buduo, Wang Chulong, and Li Heng were the worst, standing far away and watching the commotion, restraining their servants from approaching. The others weren't causing trouble, but their dozens of servants were.

"Hey, everyone's here. What's going on?" Chen Xie's voice was sarcastic as he appeared.

The crowd quickly dispersed, each returning to their positions. These people had thick skins, so they didn't care about Chen Xie's sarcasm. This wasn't a big deal; it would be good to get a look inside, but if they couldn't, it wasn't a big loss. They could buy the carriages and find craftsmen to replicate them. Copying was a Chinese tradition, and trying to charge patent fees was a dream.

"You all just want to go in and take a look?" After some insincere pleasantries, Chen Xie sounded surprised. Everyone nodded, and Chen Xie generously said, "Is that all? Fine, Zhang Tietou, take the gentlemen in and show them how the wheels and axles are made."

Chen Xie's generosity made everyone secretly pleased, except for the three most cunning who stood aside, smiling but not speaking. Qian Buduo whispered, "Gentlemen, it seems some people have forgotten their pain. The cement and flush toilets weren't enough of a lesson."

Li Heng and Wang Chulong smiled knowingly. Was it so easy to take advantage of Chen Xie? How long had the short-haired divine doctor been in Dengzhou? How much commotion had he caused? These people were blinded by greed.

"Gentlemen, the one-year agency contract is about to expire. Why don't we join forces to secure more agency rights?" Li Heng suggested, and the other two were intrigued.

"Brother Li, the Jiang and Zhe provinces are the richest in the world. Why don't we join forces to capture this market?" Wang Chulong, moved by the idea, proposed. Li Heng was also intrigued, his eyes darting around, while Qian Buduo said calmly, "Don't think too soon. Let's see what the divine doctor thinks. Right now, the Jiang and Zhe business is handled by the two of you. As the divine doctor says, the American goods he provides are in high demand, and it's a seller's market. A new term, haven't heard of it? Besides, aren't you interested in this current business?" The two looked surprised. Yes, how could they forget that the carriages could also be sold?

Qian Buduo, who claimed a close relationship with the divine doctor, was well-prepared. He reached out, and a servant brought a cloth bag containing several scrolls. Qian Buduo smiled, "Gentlemen, look at mine."

Zhang Tietou led the gentlemen into the workshop, and the servants were stopped, claiming, "The place is crowded, and it's not suitable for too many people." The gentlemen naturally didn't want to say they wouldn't go in, especially with Chen Xie looking at them with a sinister smile. If they said they wouldn't go in and let the servants go, Chen Xie would likely lose his temper.

With no choice, these gentlemen, who didn't understand the craft, had to leave their specially chosen "servants" behind. Once everyone was inside, Chen Xie didn't stay, saying, "Gentlemen, take your time. I have some errands to run and will be back soon."

The iron door of the workshop slammed shut, and Chen Xie smiled sinisterly, turning to look at Qian Buduo and the others approaching.

"Gentlemen, why didn't you go in and take a look?" Chen Xie's tone was very unfriendly, almost accusatory. But these three had thick skins and remained unperturbed, even smiling happily.

"A bunch of fools!" Wang Chulong. "They're asking for trouble." Li Heng.

"Divine Doctor, I heard you like scrolls? I brought you a few. Would you like to see them?" Qian Buduo directly appealed to Chen Xie's interests. This information was bought at a high price from Yu Zhanggui. The damn Yu Zhanggui, using a few old scrolls to win the divine doctor's favor, secured the national agency for a batch of medicines, and in the past two months, made a fortune selling them.

These three were the most cunning, but in Chen Xie's eyes, they were still fat lambs, ready to be trapped.

"Old Qian, who did you learn from, Yu Zhanggui? Last time, I was cheated. Three scrolls, none of them valuable. The most expensive was Zhang Ziyang's 'Galloping Horse,' but it was only worth 3,000 taels. Do you understand what I'm saying? If you don't rub salt in my wound, we can still be friends." Chen Xie's attitude was that of a man who had been cheated, ready to explode at any moment.