After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 205 Song Heng Visits to Discuss Cooperation [Updated with Latest Chapter]

After spending the entire day recalling the details and writing down the potato planting methods, Gu Lin handed it to Lin Xiaoyao. After that, he didn't have much time to concern himself with the matter, because Song Heng, the new head of the Song family, came to request an audience.

After the wealthy merchant attempted to destroy evidence by setting fire to the house and kill soldiers that night, several members of the Bai family were imprisoned and exiled. Soon after, the Song family also underwent a change of power. The entire clan unanimously supported Song Heng, who had saved the entire Song family in front of the prefect, to become the head of the family. The original head of the family was unwilling to step down, but due to pressure from the clan, he had no choice but to voluntarily transfer power to Song Heng.

Upon hearing that Song Heng had brought gifts, Gu Lin had a guess in mind. He first had his servants invite the other party to the main hall, and then got up and left the courtyard to go to the main hall to entertain him.

Song Heng sat in the chair prepared for the guests at the bottom of the hall. The servants of the mansion did not neglect him and served him tea and snacks in turn. When Gu Lin entered, Song Heng noticed him and looked up. Upon seeing him, he immediately stood up, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Boss Gu."

Upon hearing the way the other person addressed him, Gu Lin paused slightly, raising an eyebrow. Song Heng's way of addressing him was quick to change.

After they were seated, Gu Lin invited the other man to sit down and have some tea. Then, feigning curiosity, he looked at Song Heng and asked, "May I ask what brings Mr. Song here to visit?"

Song Heng put down the tea and turned to look at Gu Lin. Although he said he was looking, he lowered his gaze slightly, not looking directly at Gu Lin's face, out of consideration for the other man's status.

Song Heng spoke up: "The other day, Boss Gu invited us to a banquet, where he expressed his desire to cooperate with merchants from Youzhou Prefecture on the white porcelain business. Is that true?"

Hearing Song Heng's question, Gu did not show any surprise. He smiled slightly and said, "Of course."

Confirming that the other party had no intention of backing out and was still willing to cooperate with them, Song Heng felt relieved, and his expression softened: "Mr. Gu is magnanimous, and I admire him greatly."

Hearing the other person's praise, Gu Lin maintained a smile and remained silent.

He didn't believe that Song Heng brought gifts just to praise him.

Sure enough, Song Heng continued, "The Song family has been operating a caravan for over a decade, traveling between the north and south, and even reaching the depths of the grasslands. I, Song, would like to purchase the distribution rights for white porcelain in the capital, Jiangnan, Youzhou Prefecture, and other places from Boss Gu."

Upon hearing this, Gu Lin couldn't help but exclaim: What a huge appetite!

He likes ambitious and enterprising people, but he is destined to refuse Song Heng's request.

Gu Lin said with a serious expression, "This deal will disappoint Mr. Song, so I cannot agree."

The words and tone were gentle yet firm, and Song Heng could tell there was no room for negotiation. If the other party had said "it might disappoint him," there would have been room for discussion.

He didn't immediately ask the young man why he refused his cooperation. Song Heng looked up at Gu Lin, waiting for his answer, his demeanor very composed.

As expected, Gu Lin explained, "The distribution rights for Gu's white porcelain will be sold to many merchants, but the same merchant will not be allowed to monopolize the trade of white porcelain in multiple locations."

As Gu Lin spoke, he observed Song Heng's reaction. He saw that after Gu Lin finished speaking, a hint of regret flashed in Song Heng's eyes, but there was no other reaction.

Gu Lin was somewhat surprised but also somewhat understanding. No wonder he was the kind of person who could protect his family during turmoil and help it reach new heights.

After clearing his mind, Song Heng said to Gu Lin, "I understand what you mean, Mr. Gu. How about I buy the white porcelain distribution rights for Youzhou Prefecture and the Northern Barbarians?"

According to Gu Lin's original idea, a merchant could only purchase the distribution rights for one place. However, considering that Song Heng had submitted to Zheng Hao, and that the young man had told him that Song Heng had some ability, he could try to entrust him with important responsibilities and offer him some benefits.

Gu Lin rubbed his fingertips under his sleeve, still smiling.

He changed his mind at the last minute and said to Song Heng, "Okay."

The young man added, "The distribution rights fees for Youzhou Prefecture and the Northern Barbarians are different. Because the Northern Barbarians are far away and the costs are high, the distribution rights fees for the Northern Barbarians will be slightly lower. However, Boss Song bought the distribution rights for white porcelain in the entire Northern Barbarians, so it cannot be compared with the price of the distribution rights for a single prefecture."

Song Heng expressed his understanding and replied, "I trust Mr. Gu. Just name your price."

Gu Lin didn't beat around the bush. After calculating the price in his mind, he said, "The white porcelain distribution rights are signed every three years. Youzhou Prefecture is geographically remote, so the price for a three-year distribution right is 1,500 taels. The white porcelain distribution rights for the Northern Barbarians would be 9,000 taels over three years. How about that?"

"it is good."

Without hesitation, Song Heng immediately responded.

Seeing Song Heng's straightforwardness, Gu Lin hesitated and advised Song Heng, "This matter is not urgent. Why don't you go back and think about it some more, Mr. Song?"

Although Gu Lin had handled a considerable amount of silver, including tens of thousands of taels, it didn't mean that tens of thousands of taels was a small sum. Zhenyulou made money quickly and could be converted into cash easily, but other businesses and transactions were not like that.

Even though he knew that Song Heng was unlikely to back out after signing the contract, Gu Lin didn't want him to regret it and then cooperate with Zheng Hao out of resentment because of his power and the contract.

Hearing the young man at the head of the table advising him, Song Heng was somewhat surprised. If it were any other merchant, they would have made him sign the contract immediately after he agreed to cooperate. But the young man in front of him seemed to be afraid that he would suffer a loss, and asked him to consider it again.

Although Song Heng had never dealt with the wives of officials before, he knew from the few words he heard from his mother and wife that these wives and husbands of officials, regardless of the rank of their sons or husbands, would hold themselves in high esteem and look down on merchants.

They are used to being offered benefits by their subordinates without hesitation, and they never consider the gains or losses of their subordinates.

Looking sideways at the young man at the head of the table, Song Heng felt a strange unease; he found it hard to believe that this Boss Gu and Lord Zheng were family.

Many thoughts raced through Song Heng's mind, but he didn't show any of them. He smiled generously and said to Gu Lin, "Boss Gu's price is reasonable. Why should I hesitate? If I wait a few more days, I'm afraid the white porcelain business will be completely sold out. At that time, I'm afraid I won't even be able to drink a bowl of meat soup."

Hearing Song Heng's words, which were half joking and half serious, Gu Lin raised his eyebrows. He wasn't surprised that the other party had seen through his thoughts. Smart people know that rare commodities are worth hoarding. People are always scrambling to make money. Who would let money sit still and wait for someone else to make it?

Gu Lin asked Da Yan to bring the contract and gestured for the other party to give it to Song Heng. After Song Heng took it and read it carefully, he saw that the contents of the contract were the same as what Boss Gu had said at the banquet that day, and there were no additional clauses. He then signed his name without hesitation.

Da Yan took the contract and handed it to Gu Lin, who then signed his name in the blank space.

Upon seeing this, Song Heng smiled and said, "I wish to have a pleasant cooperation with Boss Gu!"

"It's a pleasure to work with you!" Gu Lin replied with a smile.

After finishing their business, Song Heng got up to say goodbye, and Gu Lin asked Da Yan to escort him out of the mansion.

Zheng Hao had just finished his shift and walked in from outside, where he met Song Heng. Song Heng bowed respectfully, and Zheng Hao nodded slightly in acknowledgment before brushing past him and walking toward the young man.

"Uncle Gu, the tonic can be drunk after it has cooled down a bit."

Upon hearing this, Song Heng, who had not yet completely left the area around the main hall with Da Yan, remained expressionless, though a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Although he had only recently submitted to Lord Zheng, he had a rudimentary understanding of him. Lord Zheng was a man of deep mind and profound wisdom, yet he treated scholars with respect and was a rare and wise ruler. In short, no matter your status, as long as you can demonstrate your value to the other party, he will be a good lord who will not hesitate to trust and employ you. Moreover, he will not be stubborn or self-willed when it comes to the strategies and suggestions you offer, but will seriously consider the possibility of implementation.

Such a man should be preoccupied with his career and politics, so why would he care about matters of the home?

Although serving elders is a very important and proper duty for juniors, if there are servants around, one can instruct them to take the medicine. Why would one abandon official duties in broad daylight to urge the elder to take the medicine?

Judging from the tone of Lord Zheng's voice just now, it is clear that this is not the first time this has happened.

Seeing the young man walk directly towards him and stand beside him without any regard for the presence of outsiders, Gu Lin was startled. Hearing the other man's low and gentle words, he couldn't help but look up outside. Seeing that Song Heng left with Da Yan without any reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief, turned to Zheng Hao, and said irritably, "Be careful when you're alone. If someone finds out something's wrong, do you still want your career?"

Hearing Uncle Gu's reproach, Zheng Hao was not angry.

His eyes were gentle as he explained to the other person, "Even if Song Heng discovers something is wrong, he wouldn't dare to tell anyone."

Gu Lin was still uneasy upon hearing this. Thinking of how the Song family's caravan often ventured deep into the northern grasslands, he said to Zheng Hao, "Aren't you trusting him too much?"

Seeing the young man beside him looking at him with a serious expression, Zheng Hao was taken aback. Generally speaking, if he didn't mention official business or his subordinates, Uncle Gu would rarely bring it up on his own initiative.

Without pausing for long, Zheng Hao understood what Uncle Gu meant and said, "Uncle Gu, don't worry, he wouldn't dare betray me."

Gu Lin looked up and saw that when the young prefect spoke these words, his expression was not one of extreme confidence, but rather one of calm and composure, which told him that the other party knew what he was doing.

He didn't ask for details, only saying, "It's best to be careful."

Zheng Hao nodded to show that he had listened, his eyes dark and unfathomable as he lowered his head slightly.

Although Song Heng and his family expressed their willingness to submit to him and even revealed all their family secrets, Zheng Hao was very suspicious and would not easily trust them. Thoroughly investigating Song Heng and his family was the first priority, and then sending people to monitor the Song family's every move was the most important thing.

If Song Heng and the Song family do anything wrong, Zheng Hao will immediately order them to be executed, leaving them no chance to retaliate.

.

Under a bright sun and clear blue sky, the people of Youzhou Prefecture have been busy selecting land for cultivation since the snow melted.

A man dressed in shorts, who was bending over tending the wheat field, got up, took a few breaths to rest, and then his gaze fell on the newly built waterwheel not far away.

He turned to the elderly man with gray hair standing in the field next to him and said, “Uncle, you’re right, this waterwheel is really something! Since it was built, it has become much easier for my family to take care of the fields. We have several fields, and before, my parents, husband, and I had to carry water to irrigate them. Now, I can let them stay at home and take care of the crops all by myself.”

The old man, whom the man called "Uncle," snorted irritably: "We farmers have always relied on our physical strength and the heavens and earth for our livelihood. Things like waterwheels, which seem to save effort, might anger the local earth god."

The man's expression changed, and he quickly turned to look around to see if anyone else was there. After seeing that no one was around, he turned back to his uncle and whispered, "That's something the government gave us. Even if it's not good, we have to accept it. Besides, the waterwheel is indeed a good thing. Uncle, don't say anything that might cause trouble."

The old man's expression tightened, and before he could refute, a cry for help came from not far away: "Help! Erzhu has fainted!"

The man and his uncle exchanged a glance, immediately put down their farm tools, and then hurried towards the source of the sound.

Upon arriving at the scene, the man found a crowd gathered around. After squeezing through the crowd, he saw his son lying unconscious on the ground. He rushed over, took his son from someone else's arms, and anxiously asked, "What happened? What happened?"

Seeing Li Wutie staring at him, the boy quickly replied, "Uncle Tie, I don't know what happened to Erzhu. He drank a mouthful of river water and then fainted."

Li Wutie looked down at his son in his arms. The boy's face was pale and his lips were turning blue. He didn't look like he had simply fainted. He shouted, "Where's the doctor? Go find a doctor quickly!"

Just as he finished speaking, someone rushed over: "Quickly move aside, don't block the way, the doctor is here."

Li Wutie looked at the village doctor and hurriedly said, "Uncle, please take a look quickly, what's wrong with my Erzhu?"

The village doctor stepped forward, first observing Erzhu's complexion, and then taking his pulse.

Gradually, the village doctor's expression turned grim: "Erzhu has been poisoned. Did he eat something he shouldn't have?"

"Impossible!" Erzhu's brother denied, "Erzhu and I haven't eaten anything else since we ate the roasted bird."

The village doctor looked at him seriously and asked, "Are you sure you haven't eaten anything else?"

Stared at by a group of people, the boy couldn't help but feel nervous. He recalled the scene repeatedly before nodding firmly and saying, "After eating the roasted bird, I went to relieve myself. Erzhu said he was thirsty, so he went to the river to drink water."

Upon hearing this, the village doctor said with a serious expression, "Take the child to the clinic first."

Upon hearing this, Li Wutie immediately ordered someone to pick up his son and find someone to borrow an oxcart to take him into town, leaving the villagers to whisper amongst themselves.

Suddenly, Uncle Li said, "Erzhu isn't poisoned!"

Everyone turned to look at him. Uncle Li's wrinkled face showed certainty: "Erzhu wasn't poisoned. The waterwheel offended the Dragon King and the Earth God, and they have punished him!"

Someone spoke up: "Li Da, you shouldn't speak carelessly. It would be bad if you angered the gods."

Uncle Li retorted, "I'm not making this up. If the waterwheel hadn't offended the gods, how could Erzhu have been poisoned after drinking the water?"

Someone whispered, "Didn't we get water poisoning from it?"

Seeing that no one believed him, Uncle Li snorted, "Just you wait and see!"

Hearing what sounded like a curse, some of the younger generation, hot-tempered, tried to retort, but were pulled away by their elders because of the advanced age of Uncle Li.