"Do not hide it from me, brother. You know I purchased a manor outside the city. It has thousands of mu of arable land, with much wasteland surrounding it. I wish to reclaim it, but the farmers are not enough to handle the workload. Therefore, I have come to ask for your assistance," Fang Er said.
"So that's how it is. It seems you have grand ambitions, brother Fang. What can I do to help?" Steward Zhang asked, appearing to understand.
"Reclamation requires tools, but the tools currently available are too inefficient. I wish to develop a new type of farming tool myself, but I lack the connections to acquire iron. Therefore, I was wondering if you could help me with that?" Fang Er asked Steward Zhang.
"If you're looking for iron, brother Fang, you've come to the right person. I have a friend who deals in iron. He usually trades with the grasslands. With this upcoming conflict, the court is strictly investigating smuggling. He happens to have a batch of iron on hand. Since you're interested, shall I invite him over so you can discuss it in person?" Steward Zhang said.
"That would be excellent. Here, please accept this small token of my appreciation," Fang Er said, taking a small porcelain bottle from his embrace and handing it over.
"Hahahaha, only brother Fang truly understands me! No need to say more, I'll help you negotiate the price later!"
Upon seeing the porcelain bottle, Steward Zhang snatched it up as if he were a lecherous man spotting a naked beauty, quickly tucking it into his embrace.
"Lian'er, send someone to invite Shopkeeper Dong Liang over. Tell him I have a lucrative opportunity to introduce him to."
Steward Zhang put away the porcelain bottle and said to the maid standing nearby.
The maid acknowledged and walked out.
Fang Er and Steward Zhang chatted while waiting for Shopkeeper Dong.
After about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, an old man named Zhang led a middle-aged man, around thirty years old, into the courtyard.
"Come, come, Shopkeeper Dong, allow me to introduce you. This is my young brother, Fang Anzhi, a Wuwei of the eighth rank from the Imperial Martial School. Brother Fang, this is the Shopkeeper Dong Liang I mentioned earlier, who specializes in the iron trade. He has connections for both ironware and raw ore."
Steward Zhang warmly grasped Shopkeeper Dong Liang's hand and introduced him to Fang Er.
"Dong Liang, greetings, Captain Fang."
Upon hearing Steward Zhang's introduction and seeing the teenage Fang Er, Dong Liang quickly cupped his hands in greeting.
"No need for formalities, Shopkeeper Dong. Please, have a seat."
Fang Er returned the greeting and gestured to a chair beside him, inviting Dong Liang to sit.
"My subordinate mentioned you have a lucrative opportunity, Steward Zhang. Please enlighten me?" Dong Liang said eagerly to Steward Zhang after sitting down.
"Hahahaha, brother Dong, your straightforward nature never changes! Brother Fang, please don't take offense," Steward Zhang said with a laugh, then continued, "My brother here wishes to acquire some iron. Do you have any available, brother Dong?"
"Oh? So that's it. Captain Fang, are you looking for ore, iron ingots, or ironware?" Dong Liang asked Fang Er.
"Iron ingots would be best. May I ask how much Shopkeeper Dong can supply and what the price would be?" Fang Er asked.
"As for iron ingots, I do have some in stock. Approximately two hundred shi. Two strings of cash per shi. How many do you need, Captain Fang?"
"Two hundred shi, I'll take it all!"
Fang Er agreed crisply.
Two strings of cash per shi is two taels of silver. At this time, one shi is equivalent to 120 jin, making one jin of iron ingots less than seventeen wen. That's a fantastic deal!
"Shopkeeper Dong, since brother Fang is so agreeable, what about the price?" Steward Zhang, true to his word, began to bargain for Fang Er.
*Bang!* Dong Liang slammed his hand on the stone table and stood up. "No more haggling! Captain Fang, two hundred shi of iron ingots for three hundred fifty strings of cash. How does that sound?" He quickly put his hands behind his back.
Seeing his slightly trembling shoulders, Fang Er felt a pang. "Deal!"
"Hahaha! We are all good brothers, showing such respect. Today, I, Old Zhang, will host. Let's go to the Drunken Immortal Restaurant. We won't return until we're drunk!" Steward Zhang suggested after the deal was struck.
Fang Er naturally had no objections.
"Excellent, I've been craving the fine wine at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant. Let's go!" Dong Liang said, his mustache twitching with delight.
At the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, Da Li was busy. Fang Er decided not to call for him.
Grabbing Steward Zhang, who was about to go upstairs, Fang Er said, "Let's go, let's go to the back courtyard to eat."
"The back courtyard? I haven't heard of any private rooms in the back of this restaurant?" Steward Zhang asked, perplexed.
"Hahaha, brother Zhang, you don't know this, but this restaurant is my enterprise. Therefore, it's better for us to go to the back. Let's leave this area for other guests."
Fang Er, with one hand holding Steward Zhang and the other holding Shopkeeper Dong, led them towards the back courtyard.
Zhu Zi quickly went to arrange food and drinks.
In a room in the back courtyard, the three were seated. Servants bustled about, bringing tableware and dishes.
Since the owner had arrived, all the dishes from the kitchen were commandeered by Fang Er. As for the guests outside, well, sorry, you'll have to wait a bit longer.
Looking at everything before him, Steward Zhang took a moment to collect himself. "Brother, is this restaurant truly yours? I heard outside that it belongs to General Cheng and General Yu Chi."
"I brought those two in to add prestige. This restaurant is a business venture of the three of us," Fang Er explained.
"You have impressive means, brother! If there's another deal like this in the future, could you spare an old brother a bit of the gravy? I've heard the Drunken Immortal Restaurant is making a fortune daily!" Steward Zhang said, looking at Fang Er with fawning admiration.
Dong Liang also wanted to say something, but considering this was his first meeting with Fang Er, he swallowed his words.
"We'll talk about it. I'll definitely remember you, brother," Fang Er said, pouring wine for both of them.
The three of them drank until the curfew.
After taking three hundred fifty taels of silver from the restaurant's accounts, Fang Er had someone escort Dong Liang home. They agreed that the iron ingots would be delivered to Fang Family Manor the next day. Fang Er then stayed at the restaurant.
The next morning, Fang Er returned to Fang Family Manor with Zhu Zi. He learned that the iron ingots had already been delivered. Fang Er was greatly satisfied, thinking Dong Liang seemed quite reliable.
In the warehouse, iron ingots were piled up. Fang Er stepped forward to examine them and felt a pang of disappointment. The quality was too poor!
He instructed Zhao Hu and the others to transport the iron ingots, the forging tools, and the furnace to the workshop construction site.
Fang Er went to the back courtyard to visit Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing's wounds had largely healed, and she had started to walk around.
When Fang Er entered, Xiao Qing was sitting in the courtyard, talking to Wangcai and Xiao Mi. Seeing Fang Er enter, she quickly said, "Young Master, you're back. Should I ask the kitchen to prepare something for you?"
"No need. I stayed at the restaurant yesterday and ate when I got back. Does your wound still hurt?" Fang Er asked with concern.
"It doesn't hurt anymore. It's just that my back has been feeling itchy these past two days," Xiao Qing replied.
"That's good. The itchiness is because the wound is healing and new flesh is growing. Don't scratch it, endure it. It will stop itching in a couple of days once the wound has fully healed." Fang Er picked up a cup of water from the table and drank it.
"Young Master! That's my cup!"
Xiao Qing said, her face flushed.