Struck It Rich!

Brocade Pavilion sold Silk fabrics. It was in the same trade as the Xu Family that Shen Lang had previously married into, though its scale was somewhat smaller.

Though its owner, the Lin Family, was not as fabulously wealthy as the Xu Family, it was still a renowned rich household in Xuanwu City, with branch shops in more than a dozen surrounding cities.

Most importantly, the Lin Family was the Xu Family's competitor.

The moment Shen Lang and Tian Shisan entered, a clerk came forward to greet them.

"Welcome, honored guests. Are you here to look at fabrics? We've just put out a new cotton cloth—please feel it. It's fine and soft." The shop clerk had sharp eyes and immediately saw that Shen Lang had no money, so he promoted cotton rather than Silk.

Shen Lang got straight to the point. "Tell your master that I have a major deal for the Lin Family. It will earn him at least five thousand more gold coins every year."

The clerk froze. Though he still wore a smile, inwardly he was filled with contempt. Looking as poor as you do, if you could earn five thousand gold coins a year, would you be this down-and-out? "Honored guest, please don't make fun of a humble fellow like me," the clerk said with a smile.

Tian Shisan said from the side, "I am Tian Shisan of the Black Clothes Gang. Ask the Lin Family's master to come discuss a business deal."

At those words, the clerk no longer dared take the matter lightly.

Tian Heng's Black Clothes Gang was famous throughout Xuanwu City. They ran gambling dens, brothels, and moneylending businesses. Although they normally kept out of each other's way with the Lin Family, this was the sort of force one avoided offending whenever possible.

The clerk assumed Tian Shisan had come on behalf of the Black Clothes Gang to extort them.

"Master Thirteen, forgive us for failing to welcome you from afar." A plump shop manager hurried out and called loudly, "Tea! Bring the finest tea!"

The clerk hastily brewed a pot of fragrant tea and poured a cup each for Tian Shisan and Shen Lang.

The manager said, "Master Thirteen, it is the same if you tell me what you need. My master has long wished to befriend Gang Leader Tian Heng. This small token is merely a gesture of respect."

He then pushed over a box containing twenty gold coins. That was already a generous sum.

Tian Shisan smiled. "Manager Lin, you really take me for someone who comes begging for handouts. We truly have business to discuss with your master; we are not here to extort you."

The manager was stunned. "There really is business?"

Tian Shisan said, "There really is."

The manager said, "I cannot make the decision?"

Tian Shisan said, "You cannot."

The manager said, "Then please wait a moment, gentlemen. I'll invite my master over at once. Clerk, bring some pastries for these two masters."

Shen Lang and Tian Shisan ate pastries and drank tea as they waited for Brocade Pavilion's owner, Lin Mo, to arrive.

About half an hour later, a richly dressed middle-aged man entered. He was Lin Mo, the wealthy man of Xuanwu City and owner of Brocade Pavilion.

"You two have a major deal to discuss with me?" Lin Mo asked.

He had no fear of Tian Shisan. At his level of business, he too had powerful backers. Furthermore, his son had entered Southern Heaven Martial Academy and was performing excellently. After the Martial Examination, he would become a military official. Thus, Lin Mo was not particularly afraid even of Tian Heng. As long as everyone kept out of each other's way, all was well.

Shen Lang said, "Yes, a major deal! One that can earn Manager Lin at least five thousand additional gold coins every year."

Lin Mo frowned. What he hated most were boastful young men like this one. And with that pretty-boy appearance, Shen Lang did not look reliable at all.

"Speak," Lin Mo said.

Shen Lang said, "I have a formula to sell to Boss Lin. Two thousand gold coins."

The moment he heard that, Lin Mo's expression changed. His face turned cold as he said, "Lin's time is precious. I have no leisure to waste with an honored guest. See them out!"

With that, he directly lifted his tea cup, signaling for them to leave.

Even Tian Shisan was dumbfounded. One thousand gold coins had already been outrageous, yet Shen Lang had opened with two thousand. That was utterly insane. Tian Shisan truly regretted bringing Shen Lang to Brocade Pavilion.

Lin Mo rose and prepared to leave, not giving Shen Lang the slightest chance.

Tian Shisan glared coldly at Shen Lang and said in an icy voice, "You're courting death..."

Seeing his patron about to leave, Shen Lang directly took a piece of Silk from his robes and placed it before Lin Mo. "Boss Lin, look at the color on this Silk. Is it worth two thousand gold coins?"

Lin Mo turned around, his gaze falling on the Silk in Shen Lang's hand. It was only the size of a handkerchief.

Tian Shisan glanced at it and felt Shen Lang had gone mad. He wanted to sell such a tiny piece of Silk for two thousand gold coins?

Yet the owner of Brocade Pavilion suddenly widened his eyes, disbelief flooding his face. He strode over, snatched up the Silk, and held it before his eyes. Trembling, he said, "This... how is this possible? It is actually Golden Yellow Dye—how is that possible?!"

Tian Shisan was taken aback. Only then did he notice that the piece of Silk Shen Lang had produced was a dazzling golden yellow.

Shen Lang said, "What did the Xu Family rely on to prosper? Their Silk was supplied exclusively to the Monarch, because their Silk was thoroughly yellow."

In ancient China, yellow was the exclusive color of the imperial family. Only the Emperor, Empress, Imperial Noble Consorts, and the like could wear yellow garments.

This world was much the same. In the entire Yue Kingdom, only the Monarch's household could use yellow Silk.

But in this world, Silk was dyed yellow with gardenias. The yellow was yellow enough, but the color was thin and not bright enough.

The piece of Silk Shen Lang had brought out, however, had been dyed with an entirely new formula. Yellow produced by pagoda flower bud juice mixed with alum was exceptionally bright, giving it a golden-yellow sheen.

The Dragon Robes of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty had been dyed with this very Dye. Such Dragon Robes could still be seen in the Palace Museum—how noble and magnificent they were!

When Shen Lang had gone gathering medicinal herbs yesterday, he had also picked a great deal of pagoda flower buds. As for alum, it was a kind of Chinese medicine, and there was still some left at home.

While boiling medicinal herbs yesterday, he had also made half a bowl of this Golden Yellow Dye. Then he tore off a piece of his colorless Silk undergarment and put it in to dye.

After the dyeing was finished, he let it dry overnight and lightly baked it over a fire. That piece of golden-yellow Silk was thus more or less complete.

Immediately afterward, Lin Mo swiftly brought out another piece of yellow Silk, one dyed by his own family using gardenias.

Without comparison, there was no harm. The Silk on the left was yellow in a gaudy, blunt way. Shen Lang's piece on the right gleamed with an imposing golden yellow. The difference in quality was obvious at a glance.

Shen Lang said, "I dyed this piece of Silk in a rush overnight, so the result is actually not satisfactory. With sufficient time and materials, I can make an even brighter golden yellow. And if the silk threads are dyed first before being woven into Silk, the result will be even better."

Lin Mo was stunned. "You rushed this out in just one night, and it already has such an effect?"

Shen Lang said, "Yes. So once you obtain the formula, the Silk you dye will only become more golden and luxurious. What do you think will happen if you present this golden-yellow Silk to the Monarch's Weaving Bureau?"

Anyone could imagine it with their toes: the Monarch's Weaving Bureau would immediately abandon the Xu Family's Silk and adopt the Lin Family's.

At that point, the business of exclusively supplying Silk to the Monarch would fall into the Lin Family's hands.

How much money that business would earn was a minor matter. The key was the reputation and political resources it would bring.

Shen Lang said, "Master Lin, can this deal of mine make your Lin Family earn five thousand more gold coins every year?"

Lin Mo shook his head. "More than that."

Shen Lang said, "Then is my formula for Golden Yellow Dye expensive at two thousand gold coins?"

Lin Mo said, "Not expensive. Not expensive at all."

Tian Shisan stared at Shen Lang in shock.

Clearly, when Shen Lang had promised Tian Heng one thousand gold coins for his life the night before last, he had already thought of a way to make money. He had been fully prepared.

But what no one had expected was that he intended to earn two thousand gold coins! Even more unexpected was that the very thing he used to make money would also take revenge on the Xu Family.

That was right—Shen Lang bore grudges down to the smallest canthus. Simply making money was not enough; he also wanted to leave the Xu Family badly battered.

Once the Xu Family lost the business of supplying Silk exclusively to the Monarch, what kind of loss would that be? It was plain to see!

Why had the Xu Family's Silk business run rampant across several provinces without anyone sabotaging or obstructing it? Was it not because their Silk was supplied exclusively to the Monarch's Weaving Bureau?

Lin Mo gazed obsessively at the golden-yellow Silk in the sunlight, as if he could never see enough of it. After a long while, he said, "How can I trust that you made this Dye? It is entirely possible that you merely picked up this piece of Silk."

Shen Lang said, "I brought all the materials. Give me one hour, and I'll make this Golden Yellow Dye for you. I guarantee it will be even better than last night's."

Lin Mo said, "Truly?"

Shen Lang said, "Truly."

Lin Mo said, "Good. I'll give you the entire rear courtyard. Ask for whatever you need. As long as you produce this Golden Yellow Dye on the spot, it will prove that the formula truly belongs to you, and this deal is done."

Shen Lang said, "Two thousand gold coins."

Lin Mo said, "No bargaining."

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