Fengqiao Town, abandoned clay kiln.
A few faint rays of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tiled roof, casting dappled light spots on the damp ground, barely dispelling a bit of the chill. In the air, apart from the musty smell, there seemed to be a faint trace of blood - it was the trace left after the brief confrontation between Sun Dayong and the men of Zhao Babai who attempted to approach and investigate yesterday, reminding us that this place was fraught with danger.
Shen Ruoxin was sitting on the stone mill, holding a bowl of slightly warm rice soup in her hands and sipping it in small sips. Days of exhausting herself had made her face pale and her chin a little pointed. Only those eyes remained clear in the dim light, but at this moment, there was a heavy sense of worry and a hint of unbelievable complex emotion in that clarity.
In front of her were several secret letters that had just been brought back from Pingjiang Prefecture by Afu at a risk, all written in tiny characters. The letter was jointly written by Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang. Between the lines, it was filled with anxiety and urgency, detailing the tumultuous events in the mansion over the past few days.
"... The young master forced himself to interfere in the accounts and demanded the key to the warehouse, pressing him step by step... Mo LAN and the Chief Steward Wang are arguing their case. For now, they are delaying on the grounds that the lady and you haven't returned, but this is probably not a long-term solution...
"... At Su Ji, although there have been no major moves yet, the rumors about the Splendid Pavilion in the city have quietly changed direction...
When reading this, Shen Ruoxin's heart kept sinking. Her elder brother Shen Yu's reaction, within her expectations, was more intense and direct than she had anticipated. He is determined to seize power completely and keep the Splendid Pavilion firmly in his hands! Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang were in the front, and the pressure they were under could be imagined.
However, what followed made Shen Ruoxin slightly frown, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"... For some reason, the rumors that had previously slandered the second young lady for being unfilial and plotting the family property gradually subsided. On the contrary... Praise rose one after another. On the streets and in the alleys, in teahouses and taverns, there are many people talking about the second young lady being entrusted with a critical mission at a time of crisis, observing mourning for her father, sharing her brother's worries, and running around for her cousin's marriage, all for the sake of supporting the Shen family... What's more, some people even compare you to... The female husband of the present age, a remarkable woman in the business world...
"... Several silk and satin stores that had been adopting a wait-and-see attitude actually sent people to show their goodwill and inquire about the new embroidery styles... Even for the birthday banquet of the governor's wife, someone sent an invitation, specifically inviting "Miss Shen Er of Jinxiu Pavilion or her representative" to attend the ceremony...
"Fame spreads throughout Pingjiang..." "Extraordinary woman?" Shen Ruoxin put down the bowl of rice soup, her fingertips unconsciously twirling the few thin sheets of letter paper, and her tone carried a hint of self-mockery and an indescribable taste.
She was trapped in this dilapidated earthenware kiln, unable to sleep or eat well for dozens of lives and the imminent crisis. But outside, she had already been shaped into a rising female merchant star in Pingjiang Prefecture? What is this? It can be regarded as... A pleasant surprise?
Second Miss, this... Isn't it a good thing after all? In the corner, Wang Bo, who had been keeping silent and regulating his breath, slowly opened his eyes and looked at Shen Ruoxin. "At least, the wind direction outside has changed, which is beneficial to the reputation of the Brocade Pavilion." Perhaps the eldest young master will also have some reservations because of this?
"Good thing?" Shen Ruoxin shook her head, but there was no sign of joy on her face. Instead, her worry grew even deeper. "Uncle Wang, don't you think..." Is this going too smoothly?
She stood up and took two steps in the cramped space: "Previously, in order to counter the rumors, we did indeed lead the way towards' filial piety 'and' clan affection '." The effect... It's surprisingly good. When did the people of Pingjiang Prefecture become so easily persuaded? Moreover, the invitation from the governor's wife... When will our Shen family be worthy of having the lady of the prefect personally submit a memorial?
This sudden "good reputation" and "praise" not only failed to make her feel relieved, but instead made her sense a hint of something unusual. Just like... Someone gave a subtle push from behind!
Who is it? What is the purpose?
Could it be... Su Ji's counterattack? First, lift her high up to a height that doesn't match her status, and then let her fall hard? Or, is it to lull her into a false reputation and make her let her guard down?
Or perhaps... Has another force intervened?
Countless speculations flashed through Shen Ruoxin's mind, but no matter which one they were, they all made her feel uneasy.
What made her even more uneasy was the logic behind this "reputation".
"Uncle Wang," she stopped and looked at him sharply, "Have you noticed?" Whether it was dealing with local ruffians in the past or this so-called "fame in Pingjiang" now, what is the foundation we rely on, or rather, what others are willing to "praise" us for?
Uncle Wang's gaze narrowed slightly as he mused, "Yes..." The reputation of the Shen family? Yes... The rules of Shilin?
"Right!" A trace of coldness flashed in Shen Ruoxin's eyes. "It's the 'Pingjiang Shen Family', this seemingly decent background!" It's the skin of the "scholarly family" that's not particularly prominent but also different from that of ordinary merchants! It's because my elder brother was a scholar, and it's because we still managed to reach the level of "scholar" among the "scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants"! So, the ruffians and scoundrels would be somewhat wary. Neighbors would hold meetings to discuss filial piety, and even the wives of the prefect... Perhaps for some reason, they are willing to give this "courteous family" a little face!
Her words were like cold blades, cutting through the superficial appearance and revealing the cruel core.
It seems that we are taking the initiative to deal with the situation and leveraging our strength, but in reality, we have been trapped in the value system of this "gentry" or "quasi-gentry" all along! All our responses are based on the compliance and utilization of the rules of this system! The "fame" we have gained is not because of how irreplaceable the embroideries in the Brocade Pavilion are, nor because of how much wealth we have mastered, but because... We happen to meet a certain "standard" in their evaluation system!
This is like... Living under someone else's roof may seem free, but in fact, it is restricted everywhere! Shen Ruoxin's voice carried a profound sense of self-reflection and anxiety, "Today they can praise you for 'filial piety', and tomorrow they can step on you for some other rule!" Today, the governor's wife can hand over invitations. Tomorrow, if we touch upon the interests of some higher classes, she can also turn her back on us without mercy!
Our reliance on this system is too deep! Deep to... Even we ourselves are almost convinced that this is where our true strength lies!
Uncle Wang fell silent. He has lived most of his life and naturally understands this truth. Just being in the middle of the game, it's inevitable to have path dependence many times. It is truly rare for the second young lady to see this so clearly.
"Well..." Miss Yi Er, look... Uncle Wang asked.
We must have... Something that truly belongs to oneself! Shen Ruoxin's gaze once again became resolute. She recalled the conversation she had with Wang Bo the day before, and the question about the "peculiar silk", "Something that doesn't rely on anyone, any class, or any empty name, and can truly help us stand firm..." "Hard power!"
She paused for a moment and continued, "This incident has also exposed another fatal problem - information!"
Her gaze swept over the secret letter in her hand: "Mo LAN and Xiu Niang have been sparing no effort in Pingjiang Prefecture, dealing with my elder brother and handling the changes outside." But the decisions they made and the difficulties they encountered, I am far away in Fengqiao, but I can only know about them later! Just like this time when the eldest young master launched a challenge, if I had received the news earlier, perhaps I could have made plans in advance or come up with more specific countermeasures, so as not to have put Mo LAN and the others in such a passive position!
Uncle Wang, the "information account" you proposed can indeed greatly improve the organization and management of internal information. But... Shen Ruoxin frowned. "Information is collected from all over and sent to Pingjiang Prefecture, and then passed on to me from Pingjiang Prefecture..." This process of "circulation" is too slow! So fragile! Afu was able to bring out the letter smoothly this time. What about next time? If Pingjiang Prefecture is under closer scrutiny or if Fengqiao Town is completely exposed, our communication could be cut off at any time!
The lag and fragility of information circulation have left her, who is nominally the "backbone", in a state of passive reception and lagging decision-making in many cases. This is extremely dangerous for the rapidly changing situation.
I need... Faster, safer and more direct information channels! Shen Ruoxin whispered, "It's more accurate to say to myself than to say to Uncle Wang, 'I need a...'" What enables me to truly achieve "remote control command"... "Internet!"
The illusion of "relying on the gentry" and the constraint of "lagging information flow" - these two profound hidden dangers exposed under the false prosperity of "fame in Pingjiang" - were like two heavy mountains weighing on Shen Ruoxin's heart.
She realized that the current crisis in Fengqiao Town and the internal and external troubles of Pingjiang Prefecture were indeed imminent. However, if these two problems could not be fundamentally resolved, even if she managed to get through this disaster by chance, the future would surely be full of dangers and there would be no truly smooth path.
The second stage of the Splendid Pavilion, or rather, the path that Shen Ruoxin truly desires to take, must not merely remain at the level of business competition and intelligence maneuvering. She must take root and seek the "hardcore" to settle down and make a living. Grow upwards and build an independent and autonomous "neural network"!
"Uncle Wang," Shen Ruoxin raised her head, her eyes burning with a resolute flame that almost illuminated the dark clay kiln. "Regarding what I asked you last time..." That kind of "peculiar silk", you... Think it over again! No matter what the cost is, we must find it! Besides...
Her voice was lowered even more, with an unquestionable determination: "Help me..." Contact a person...
She said a name.
When Wang Bo heard this name, a sudden flash of horror flashed in his murky eyes!