Chapter 228: Inquiries

The vitality of a harbor is a testament to a city’s prosperity, and the docks of the capital were always teeming with people and bustling with activity.

Alighting from her carriage, Hua Zhi inhaled the salty sea air, her mind already racing with culinary possibilities. While seafood wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, those who loved it were truly passionate. Catering to that niche market alone would be more than enough to make her fortune.

She stood watching for a while, noticing that while many people hurried past the stalls selling seafood, wrinkling their noses at the smell, there was a steady stream of customers, mostly servants from some mansion in green robes and small caps. Clearly, not everyone was averse to the finer points of seafood.

Approaching the stalls, she examined the dried goods on display. To maximize their cargo, the boats could not transport live seafood in any significant quantity, so dried fish predominated.

But it was not fish she was after.

Hua Zhi looked up to find a middle-aged man watching her with a hesitant expression. Smiling, she approached him and curtsied slightly, "Are you the ship's captain?"

The man was short and wiry, and seemed quite taken aback by the elegant young lady bowing to him. Uncertain of how to respond, he rubbed his hands together and replied, "Yes, I am the captain. My surname is Zhang, Zhang Xing. You must be..."

Xu Ying, her maid, stepped forward and introduced the boatman to Hua Zhi. "I am a servant from Hua family. This is our eldest miss."

Zhang Xing recognized Xu Ying immediately and realized he had not been mistaken. Though surprised that a young woman from such a prominent family would take such an interest in his business, he was well-versed in the ways of the world and hid his astonishment.

Bowing deeply, he said, "May I ask what you require, young lady?"

"May I have a look at your ship?" Hua Zhi asked.

Zhang Xing, though uncertain of her intentions, did not dare refuse. Besides, his crew was small, and having an extra pair of eyes on board would not be a bad thing.

Once on board, Hua Zhi merely inspected the ship's layout and cargo-handling methods, staying on deck. This put Zhang Xing at ease, and he offered her tea and some deep-fried fish.

Rubbing his hands together, he looked quite embarrassed. "Please don't laugh, miss. This is all I have on the boat."

Hua Zhi moved closer, gently lifting her sleeve with one hand, and with the other, she picked up a golden-fried small yellow croaker and put it in her mouth. With a satisfying crunch, she took a bite, and the timing of the cooking was just right.

Zhang Xing was surprised by her casual and generous manner. However, he also felt a sense of closeness because of her actions. Someone who didn't mind losing face and didn't show disgust at simple food was surely a good person.

Putting down her chopsticks, Hua Zhi looked up. "I'm here today to ask you something, Captain Zhang."

Zhang Xing perked up. "Yes, please go ahead."

"These seafood you have on your boat must be the most common and least valuable things where you live." Hua Zhi casually inquired about Zhang Xing's business.

Zhang Xing's heart skipped a beat. "I don't know why you say that, miss. I can swear that there's nothing wrong with these things."

"I'm not an official, and I'm not here to investigate the quality of the goods. I'm just telling you that I know a little about where Captain Zhang lives." Hua Zhi looked towards the bustling docks. "By the sea, there should be more live things."

Zhang Xing carefully considered his words. "You're right. Of course, the ones that are just caught are all alive, but we can't keep them alive forever. Once they leave the water, they can't survive. But the boat is so small, we can't fit much if we load it with live things, so we can only sell them as dried goods."

Hua Zhi reached behind her and took a stack of paper from Ying Chun and placed it in front of Zhang Xing. "Captain Zhang, please look at these and see if you've seen them all."

Zhang Xing wiped his hands on his clothes before daring to touch the clean paper. In their poor place, paper was also yellow, and only a very few people had the opportunity to learn to read. He himself was illiterate, but he had learned a few characters through gritted teeth after he had some money, so as not to be taken advantage of when he was out at sea.

Carefully flipping through the pages from beginning to end, Zhang Xing looked up and said, "I have indeed seen all these things, and there are a lot of them."

Hua Zhi nodded, not surprised. The things she drew were all common, and as long as these were available, she could get that business started. As for the rarer ones, if there were any, she would naturally see them when she went there.

"I don't know if Captain Zhang runs this business alone or for someone else?"

"It's my own business."

"Is this boat also yours?"

Zhang Xing didn't know what she was up to and could only nod.

"If I want to cooperate with someone on a big deal, could Captain Zhang recommend one or two reliable people?" Hua Zhi paused for a moment and then said, "Captain Zhang's boat is too small to handle such a big deal, but it wouldn't be a problem to join in."

Zhang Xing's spirits lifted. "Although I'm a small person, I do know a few people. I just don't know how big a deal the young lady wants to do or how big a ship she needs."

"First, I'd like to ask Captain Zhang, how many days did it take you to travel this route?"

"I usually stay in the big docks for a few days, so I can't say for sure about the speed. But I do know the situation on this route. If the wind and waves are good, about ten days is enough. If you encounter continuous stormy weather, it would be considered smooth sailing if you can arrive in half a month."

Pausing, Zhang Xing added, "You need a big ship to have this speed. My boat is a bit too small."

That was honest enough. Hua Zhi nodded. She had estimated about the same. Based on this speed, it should take about a month for a round trip, including the stopover time. But she could use several ships. The second ship would leave seven or eight days after the first ship, and then the third ship would follow. Before the business was fully established, three ships would be enough. As for the dried goods, one ship could be used for a long time, and she could let Zhang Xing handle it.

Zhang Xing's business isn't particularly profitable. It's just a bit better than staying home and working. If he could find a steady buyer, not only would his work be much easier, but he wouldn't have to be away from home for so many days at a time. Even if it meant making more trips, he could earn more money that way.

His heart raced at the thought. Seeing that Hua Zhi wasn't saying anything, Zhang Xing worried that the deal might fall through.

After a moment's hesitation, he said, "May I inform the young lady that before I started working on my own, I worked for a merchant house for many years. The boss was a kind man, and when I left, not only did he not cause any trouble, but he also sold me this boat at a low price. If you are truly interested in this business, I would be willing to act as a middleman and introduce you to him. Moreover, the boss still has faster ships, but the cost is higher than other vessels. If I could persuade the boss to use one for a round trip, it would take no more than half a month. What do you think?"

That would be excellent!

If we have that speed, all the other problems will be solved!

Hua Zhi didn't show any other emotions. She simply nodded and said, "I plan to travel south. I would be grateful if you could write me a letter of introduction. Don't worry, if this deal goes through, I won't leave you out."

Zhang Xing was delighted. He immediately returned to the boat and wrote a letter, sealing it and handing it to her. If it weren't for the fact that the cargo on the boat hadn't been sold yet, he would have wanted to return with her immediately. If this deal went through, not only would the young lady be grateful, but the boss wouldn't shortchange him either.

———TN: Your comments on my translations are always helpful and encouraging. They help me relax and feel less stressed.