Chapter 393: The Ship Has Arrived

The sky was a blanket of ominous dark clouds, thick with the promise of an approaching downpour.

A few maidservants fussed around, holding umbrellas, cloaks, and even wooden clogs, but no one dared try to stop the young lady from leaving. They all knew it would be pointless—her mind was made up, and no amount of pleading could change that.

On the dock, chaos reigned as people rushed about, but this small group, moving with deliberate calm, stood out like a sore thumb.

When the young lady's carriage pulled up, the dock workers greeted her, announcing, “Eldest Miss, that’s the ship.”

Without needing further guidance, Hua Zhi spotted it right away. She had seen the Dongli Shipping Company’s vessel before, back in Jingyang, and recognized their distinctive emblem.

Even so, she was a little surprised when she saw who was stepping off the ship. With a warm smile, she approached them and greeted, "I didn't expect you both to come. You must’ve had quite a journey, young master, Mr. Wu."

Xia Jiang and Wu Zheng both quickly returned her greeting. Stepping into an unfamiliar city, seeing her familiar face gave them a sense of relief. The atmosphere in Dragon City had been heavy, and they couldn’t shake the unease gnawing at them since they’d arrived.

Noticing their discomfort, Hua Zhi skillfully shifted the conversation. "If it's alright, I'd like to inspect the cargo," she said, her tone casual but decisive.

"Of course." Both men lit up at the mention of the cargo—after all, it was what had brought them here in the first place. Xia Jiang spoke up, his pride evident. “We’ve been very careful with it during the journey. There’s been about a one percent loss. Following your instructions, we kept the bodies chilled, so they’re in good condition.”

Wu Zheng nodded with a grin. “We did hit a few rough patches at sea, had to anchor and wait for the waves to calm. If not for that, the losses would’ve been even smaller.”

So, that was the reason why they were a few days late arriving—beyond the initially expected time. Hua Zhi felt a wave of relief as she, with some help from Ying Chun and Bao Xia, finally made her way aboard the ship.

The vessel was quite large, and as soon as they stepped on board, a rush of salty, humid cold air hit them, almost like a welcome from the sea itself. Xia Jiang, standing nearby, explained, "Even though we had ice stored on board, Mr. Wu suggested it would be smarter to keep it in a more ventilated area, so we decided to place the ice trays right at the entrance."

"That's a smart move," Hua Zhi remarked as she crouched down, her hands reaching for the ice. But before her fingers could even graze it, Ying Chun quickly grabbed her hand, and in a blink, Li De had already picked up the fish that Hua Zhi was reaching for.

With an exasperated sigh, Hua Zhi swatted Ying Chun’s hand away, finally taking hold of the fish herself. "How am I supposed to judge the quality of this fish by just looking at it?" she muttered under her breath.

Ying Chun, who had tried to help, could only look on helplessly. If Hua Zhi had to do everything herself, what exactly was their role here?

Hua Zhi continued to carefully inspect a variety of fish, examining them through touch, sight, and smell. She was relieved to find that, despite a slight loss of freshness, the fish were still good enough for soup or drying for later use. Nothing would go to waste, at least.

She then turned her attention to the other types of seafood that had survived the long journey. The seawater they had used to store them had been carefully conserved, and about half of it remained. It should be enough to last a few more days.

"Bao Xia," Hua Zhi called, "Have your people pick a selection of each type to take back with us."

"Understood," Bao Xia replied promptly.

After Ying Chun finished washing her hands, Hua Zhi stepped off the ship. While the goods she had just handled would certainly bring in some profit, the taste left much to be desired.

"Eldest Miss, Manager Xu has arrived."

The seafood tray was large enough to require an experienced manager, someone capable of overseeing the larger operations. Manager Xu, whose full name was Xu Biao, had been chosen after a discussion among several of the maids. They had unanimously agreed he was the right man for the job. And, as it turned out, he was quite competent.

With a swift motion, Xu Biao signaled the others to wait and approached Hua Zhi to greet her.

"Eldest Miss."

Hua Zhi gave him a small nod, then turned to Wu Zheng and Xia Jiang, speaking with authority, "Please have your men assist with unloading the cargo. And send another manager to accompany me to the store so we can weigh the goods."

"Of course, Eldest Miss. Manager Xu will take care of that; I’ve already made arrangements," Wu Zheng replied with a respectful bow.

With a quick nod from Hua Zhi, Xu Biao led his team aboard to begin the task.

Once the formalities were out of the way, Hua Zhi felt comfortable enough to change the subject. "Are the two of you here in the capital for other business as well?"

Xia Jiang and Wu Zheng exchanged a brief glance, and it was Xia Jiang who spoke up first. "My father entrusted me with this business. He sent me to the capital to broaden my horizons, learn a thing or two, and if possible, strike a deal or two along the way."

Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing look. "Business rivals are like sworn enemies. I don’t have many ties with the other trading families, so I’m afraid I won’t be much help to the Xia family."

Then, turning her gaze to Wu Zheng, she asked, "What about you, Mr. Wu?"

Wu Zheng chuckled lightly, almost apologetically. "I have the intention, but not the means. You need a large quantity of goods, and our fishing company has its own commitments locally. To meet your needs, we'd have to collaborate with another company. But I’m not looking to bite off more than I can chew." He smiled again, a bit sheepishly. "This is our first delivery, and I wouldn’t feel right until I personally see it through to you, Eldest Miss. Besides, I was also keen to visit the capital. Although I’ve been to a few places before, this is my first time in this city."

Hua Zhi paused for a moment, thinking it over. "I’ll arrange for someone to show you around the city, Mr. Wu. It’s best to avoid getting into any unnecessary trouble. The capital is full of influential figures. If you accidentally cross them, the Xia family might find it hard to leave."

Xia Jiang was ambitious and capable. Although he was initially taken aback by these words, he made up his mind to go and see. Even if he didn't discuss any business, he could still observe how business was conducted in the capital.

"If you have any requests, please let the servants know, Li Steward, please make sure the two gentlemen are comfortable."

Li De bowed in acknowledgement.

Wu Zheng and Xia Jiang were both surprised. They hadn't expected to be treated so hospitably. The young lady seemed to come from a wealthy family, and they had thought they wouldn't even get to see her on this trip. They didn't expect to be taken care of so well.

"We don't need such elaborate arrangements, we can stay on the ship," Wu Zheng said.

"As guests from far away, it is only proper to show some hospitality," Hua Zhi said, looking up at the sky and not wanting to dwell on the topic. "It may rain soon, Bao Xia, go tell Xu Biao to go to the dock and get some people to quickly transport the fish to the Hai Wei seafood store."

"Yes."

Just as they were about to say their goodbyes and head off, Ying Chun leaned in close and quietly told Hua Zhi, "Miss, someone's coming."

Hua Zhi turned to see three unfamiliar figures walking toward them.

"I never imagined we'd run into the young lady here," one of them said with a polite nod. "I’m Liu Ruyi, from the Liu family."

Another followed up, "Peng Runze, from the Peng family."

The third man added, "Qi Hongdong, from the Qi family."

With a graceful nod, Hua Zhi returned their greeting, "Greetings, gentlemen."

Liu Ruyi glanced over at the man carrying a large barrel off the ship, raising an eyebrow. "Is this your latest venture, Miss? Something new?"

"Yes," Hua Zhi replied, a confident smile playing on her lips. "I've recently opened a shop called 'Seafood' in the southern part of the city. We specialize in, well, seafood. You’re all more than welcome to stop by anytime."

"I've had seafood before," Liu Ruyi said, his tone laced with a hint of skepticism, "but the taste... let's just say it was something hard to describe. Are you sure you can handle this, young lady?"

Hua Zhi could tell immediately that Liu Ruyi was the one leading this trio, and while his comment might have been a subtle jab, she didn’t take offense. Instead, she replied smoothly, "Mr. Liu, you must know that I only deal in food and drink. If it’s not good, it reflects badly on me. But once you try it, I’m sure you’ll change your mind."

Her reputation in the capital was solid in this regard. Everyone knew that when it came to food, her establishments never failed to deliver. Whether it was her canned fruits, the various shops on Green Moss Alley and Liyun Lane, or the food stalls with long lines and reserved tables, each place had its own distinct flavors and loyal patrons. Even the fried noodles and jerky she’d recently made for the students were known to be exceptional. There had even been a student from Liu Ruyi's family who, during the exam period, had sneakily grabbed a couple of pieces of her jerky—and was still talking about it.

Wait, wasn’t the person who made that jerky standing right in front of him now?