Smuggled salt was already wildly profitable, and the salt Shen Tang supplied was all top-grade refined salt, whose profits couldn't even be compared with those of coarse salt. On top of that, he could claim a forty-percent share. Even the Xu Clan, wealthy as it was, couldn't help being tempted...
By rights, he should have gone in person.
Unfortunately, though Xu Xie was the Xu Family patriarch, he was also the governor of Heyin Commandery, which lay a great distance from Longwu. Unless absolutely necessary, he couldn't leave his post. The same went for the Xu Family's business. After he took office, many of the clan's ventures had gradually been handed over to trusted aides or reliable relatives to manage. He entrusted this smuggled-salt deal with Shen Tang to his most trusted attendant.
The attendant said, "I won't let the patriarch down."
Xu Xie reminded him, "Good. Do the job well."
If his attendant handled this assignment well, Xu Xie could entrust him with more business and groom him into a trusted right-hand man.
"Remember, treat Lord Shen with respect."
"Don't offend the officials under Lord Shen."
The attendant committed each instruction to memory.
The attendant had grown up alongside Xu Xie, who trusted him as he trusted himself. And since the attendant knew how much Xu Xie admired and was grateful to Shen Tang, he wouldn't be careless when dealing with Longwu, much less offend anyone. Xu Xie was very much at ease.
While Wu Xian's side was making feverish preparations for war, Xu Xie's attendant led a lightly equipped merchant caravan to Longwu Commandery to buy goods. Once they had collected the salt, they would distribute it to various places according to the clan's orders, settle the payments, and be done with the deal.
As for spending time