Moma Liangshan

Chapter 61 In the Fanlou Pavilion, Shishi is filled with melancholy.

Wang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "The Li family owns 10% of the shares in the Eight Immortals Winery, and I own 90%. The Li family initially paid 150,000 strings of cash for that 10%. This time, during my trip south to Mingzhou, I reached an agreement with wealthy merchants in the Wu-Yue region: a jar of Eight Immortals wine will cost eight taels of silver. The prosperity of Wu-Yue is no less than that of Tokyo. The wealth the Li family has gained since the Eight Immortals wine entered Fanlou is undeniable. Of the 90% stake, 10% will be given to the Emperor, and 30% will be sold to the public." Li Shishi pondered briefly and said, "Most of the wine on the market comes from official cellars. The Eight Immortals Winery has repeatedly made surprising moves, inevitably attracting covetous eyes. Having His Majesty hold shares will indeed save you a lot of trouble." Wang Hao said, "What you said is only one aspect. I will auction off the remaining 40% of the shares in Fanlou in eight separate auctions, with the highest bidder winning. I need His Majesty's..." "I'll put on a show so that the auction participants can truly understand the preciousness of the Eight Immortals Wine." Li Shishi seemed to understand and said, "Brother, do you want the Emperor to personally bid higher?" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Sister is wise!" Li Shishi looked worried and said, "The Emperor is the supreme ruler; how could he possibly participate in a marketplace auction in his open identity?" Wang Hao closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "Rebuilding the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office will cost at least two million strings of cash, and the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Household Department have not allocated a single penny. Such a huge sum of money must be raised by me myself. The Emperor will surely understand my difficulties, so I would like to ask you to truthfully convey my request to the Emperor. If successful, the one million strings of cash can be raised smoothly, and the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office can break ground soon; if unsuccessful, given the Emperor's magnanimity, he surely will not punish me severely!"

Li Shishi pondered for a moment and said, "What you say is all true, brother, but there is one thing I don't understand. I hope you can tell me!" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Please speak, sister!" Li Shishi said, "Why don't you explain to the Emperor yourself, brother?" Wang Hao smiled slightly and said, "Although I am favored by the Emperor, I am still a subject. There are some things that are inconvenient to say in person!" Li Shishi looked at Wang Hao and slowly said, "So you thought of me because I have an affair with the Emperor?" Wang Hao clearly sensed the meaning behind Li Shishi's words. With a hint of anger, he said, "If it's difficult or unwilling for you, sister, I'll find another way!" Li Shishi's anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a playful tone. She said, "What can you do if I refuse to meet the Emperor on your behalf?" Wang Hao replied, "Without the Emperor's support, I'm afraid I'll have a hard time keeping even a 30% stake in the Eight Immortals Winery to raise the million strings of cash." Li Shishi laughed, laughing so hard she almost fell over. After a long while, she said, "Everyone says you're wise, brother, but I never imagined you could be stumped by a mere million strings of cash. The Eight Immortals Winery is your..." "Our greatest asset now is the financial support of the Eight Immortals Winery. If we lose that support, how can your various plans be realized step by step?" Wang Hao shook his head helplessly and said, "No matter how far-reaching the plan, if we can't take the first step, it will only be a castle in the air. I have no other choice!" Li Shishi looked at Wang Hao and said, "Can I trust you, sister?" Wang Hao frowned and said, "Sister shouldn't ask me; she should ask her own heart!" Li Shishi suddenly stood up and said, "There was once a woman who lost her mother at birth. When she was four, her father died unjustly in prison, and she ended up on the streets. She was spotted by a brothel owner and taken in as her daughter. The owner saw her beautiful appearance and devoted all her resources to her education. Ten years later, she was proficient in everything—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, poetry, and more. Do you know who this woman was, brother?" Wang Hao looked at Li Shishi and said, "That woman was you, sister!" Li Shishi nodded and said, "Do you know what this boudoir of mine is called in the marketplace, brother?" Wang Hao shook his head. Li Shishi said, "The Daoist Palace!"

Wang Hao was surprised and said, "Such rumors, aren't the rumor-mongers afraid of getting burned?" Li Shishi said, "His Majesty has long resided in the deep palace and rarely hears the gossip of the common people. As for me, I have benefited greatly; since then, no one has dared to cause trouble in Fanlou." Wang Hao didn't know why Li Shishi suddenly mentioned her background, so he could only listen silently. Li Shishi continued, "I have been famous throughout Tokyo for the past five years. In these years, I have about 300,000 strings of cash in my own hands. Since you are so poor, I will entrust you with this 300,000 strings of cash, but you must agree to one condition!" Wang Hao was surprised that Li Shishi was so wealthy and said, "Please speak, sister!" Li Shishi looked melancholy and said, "If one day my glory fades, you must arrange a place for me to live in seclusion." Wang Hao was puzzled and said, "A minor hermit lives in the wilderness, a major hermit lives in the city. Even if it's true..." "If one day your glory fades, you could easily flee eight hundred miles away, choosing a city or a mountain to settle down in. Why waste three hundred thousand strings of cash?" Li Shishi shook her head and said, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime! Without my current glory, I would be utterly powerless to protect such a vast fortune. My brother has the world in his heart; if he uses three hundred thousand strings of cash for the sake of the nation, I, Li Shishi, can consider it a meritorious act." Saying this, Li Shishi took a wooden box from her wardrobe and handed it to Wang Hao, saying, "This is the record of the three hundred thousand strings of cash, scattered among various banks in Tokyo."

Wang Hao carefully took the wooden box, holding it in his hands, and said, "Sister, I have no way to repay your kindness in helping me in my time of need!" Li Shishi laughed loudly and said, "As long as you keep your promise in the future, I will be satisfied." Wang Hao looked at Li Shishi and solemnly said, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond!" Li Shishi calmed down and said, "I will tell the Emperor about your plan. I am sure His Majesty is wise and will make appropriate arrangements!" Wang Hao said, "Thank you for your trouble, sister!" Li Shishi said, "You have just returned to Tokyo, and I suppose you haven't tasted the delicacies of Fanlou. It's getting late, how about I treat you to a welcome dinner?" Wang Hao, seeing that he couldn't refuse such hospitality, said, "I will leave it to you." Li Shishi called over a maid and said, "Prepare food and wine for two people." Half an hour later, the food and wine were brought into the room. The two sat down one after the other. Wang Hao said, "Sister, do you have a bad feeling?" Li Shishi looked up and said, "Do you think my planning for the future is too much of a worrywart?" Wang Hao, who knew the course of the Northern Song Dynasty, slowly shook his head and said, "Sister, I admire your foresight. But frankly, I can't hand over 300,000 strings of cash to someone else!" Li Shishi smiled slightly and said, "Brother, you have lofty ambitions and there are many places where you need money. Naturally, you can't entrust your limited wealth to others, that's one reason. This world belongs to men. The more outstanding a woman is, the more gossip she will attract; and women, especially beautiful women, rarely have a good ending if they lose the protection of men, that's another reason."

Wang Hao couldn't deny Li Shishi's words, saying, "I'm just a seventh-rank county magistrate. Are you confident that I'll have the strength to protect you in the future?" Li Shishi was very certain, saying, "Yes!" Wang Hao frowned, saying, "I am where I am today entirely because of the Emperor's favor. However, the reason the Emperor was able to take notice of Wang Hao was entirely due to your recommendation, kind words, and skillful maneuvering. To be frank, the Emperor is my only backer, and you are the only bridge between me and the Emperor. In other words, without you, I wouldn't have today or my future!" Li Shishi laughed, a loud laugh, saying, "Back then, when you ventured to Tokyo alone with the Eight Immortals Wine, even without me, you would have had alternatives. It's just that I was the best choice!" Wang Hao pondered, saying, "If it weren't for you, sister..." "While I'm not exactly struggling, achieving my current meteoric rise is impossible," Li Shishi said. "Your strength lies in the fact that you never lost your integrity and dignity when you were down on your luck, and you never offended the integrity and dignity of others when you were successful. Throughout history, there have been countless tales of talented men and beautiful women, but upon closer examination, how many of them truly had a good ending?" Wang Hao was somewhat surprised and said, "During the Han Dynasty, Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun's 'Phoenix Seeking Its Mate' has been passed down for a thousand years, but after Sima gained power, he sought a new love." Li Shishi nodded and said, "During the Tang Dynasty, Cui Yingying was Zhang Sheng's companion, supporting him on his journey to the capital for the imperial examinations. After Zhang Sheng passed with flying colors, she was 'abandoned after starting a relationship.'" Wang Hao smiled awkwardly and said self-deprecatingly, "Is it perhaps in men's nature to be fickle and heartless?"

Li Shishi smiled and said, "Nature originates from destiny, and since fate is like this, it's best to go with the flow!" Wang Hao pondered for a long time before finally saying, "Whether it's Sima Xiangru or Zhang Sheng, although they were able to escape poverty in the end, their own destiny was not actually in their own hands." Li Shishi's beautiful eyes widened, and she said, "Brother wants to control his own destiny?" Wang Hao understood the hidden meaning in his words in ancient times and said, "Life, love, freedom—if you could only choose one, sister, how would you decide?" Li Shishi pondered and said, "Only by living can one pursue love!" Wang Hao nodded and said, "Only by being free can one obtain love." Li Shishi was confused and said, "Life, love, and freedom are inseparable, yet you can only choose one of them. Don't you think that's too difficult, brother?" Wang Hao said, "A beautiful life requires many beautiful elements. Life, love, and freedom are not all elements, but it's already difficult to obtain them all at the same time." Li Shishi suddenly chimed in, "So life is not easy, and in order to pursue the ultimate beauty, sometimes we have to do things we don't like?" Wang Hao and Li Shishi drank a cup together and he said, "That's probably it."

Li Shishi rose and personally poured wine for Wang Hao, saying, "Little brother, do you know what day it is today?" Without hesitation, Wang Hao replied, "It's the day you're welcoming me back, sister!" Li Shishi put down the wine pot and said, "Today is my twentieth birthday. After today, you will no longer be a teenage girl!" Wang Hao couldn't hide his surprise, thinking to himself, "Age truly is a woman's eternal curse!"