Chapter 136: The Bai Family of the Northern Lands
He Dongting said, “Yuan Yuan once mentioned a rhyme: not only is there sunken silver at Jiangkou, but there are also treasures in the mountains.”
Xie Siquan, who had grown up in Shu, had heard countless tales like this and wasn’t particularly interested. “If it’s related to the Western King, I know a bit. When I was young, elders told me that Zhang Xianzhong [1] pillaged countless treasures along the way. Some were hidden in the waters of Jiangkou, and another batch was secretly transported into the mountains and buried, accompanied by three hundred stonemasons.” He handed the stone dragon back to He Dongting. “I advise you to drop this idea early. Don’t waste your time chasing those treasures. The mountains are even more dangerous than the rivers, and you’re not short of money. Why bother?”
He Dongting held the stone dragon in both hands. “This was carved by Yuan Yuan. Naturally, the treasure hidden with it would be hers.”
Xie Siquan looked at him.
He Dongting raised the palm-sized stone dragon toward the moon. “The stone dragon and stone tiger were originally a pair. Yuan Yuan carved the stone tiger, and I engraved a star chart on its back for her. She said that afterward, Western Sichuan would be my home as well. The stone dragon doesn’t have a star chart because she said, wherever I go, her home would be there too.”
Xie Siquan listened with a dark expression but didn’t interrupt.
He Dongting chuckled softly. “I also heard that rhyme. Stone dragon to stone tiger—now the stone dragon is with me, and the stone tiger is in Sichuan City. That’s fine too; in the future, whatever Jing’er wants, we can provide.”
Stone dragon and stone tiger—buy out Rongcheng.
With the combined wealth of He Dongting and Xie Siquan, if they put in full effort, they could indeed buy an entire city.
Xie Siquan looked up at the moon and said hoarsely, “Sister is the treasure of my heart.”
He Dongting said, “She is the same in my heart.”
Xie Siquan gritted his teeth. “Han people are all cunning. You once promised to take care of my sister, but you didn’t. If you dare to remarry or treat Jing’er poorly…”
He Dongting cleared his throat and interrupted him. “I won’t. I’ve seen the doctor. I may not have many years left.” The wind on the roof blew his hair, revealing many strands of white hidden among the black. He sighed. “I came to Sichuan this time to hand some things over to Jing’er. He’s still young. If I’m no longer by his side in the future, I hope you’ll help take care of him. I owe him that—I failed in my duty as a father.”
Xie Siquan was silent for a moment, then suddenly cursed.
He reached to throw the wine jar but was stopped by He Dongting, who said gently, “When your sister and I married, you were still young, and she didn’t allow you to drink. Now, let’s have a proper drink.”
He Dongting poured a cup of wine for Xie Siquan and drank from the jar himself.
Two people who had been at odds for over a decade sat down and drank a long-awaited cup of wine that day.
He Dongting drank slowly, glancing at the moon and then at the small courtyard—the old house where the Xie siblings had once lived, memories he shared with Yuan Yuan. He missed his late wife.
Xie Siquan raised his cup and drank it dry, lips pressed tight. After a while, he said coldly, “Don’t think you can just escape to my sister’s side. If you see her and she mentions that the child hasn’t been well cared for, she’ll scold you for sure.”
He Dongting nodded. “Yes, I’m useless, but I miss her very much.”
He had been slowly poisoned, his lungs weakened, with little time left, yet he remained unusually calm.
Death was not frightening to him—it was the long-awaited homecoming.
A few days later, Xie Jing and Lord Bai Jiu’s party returned to Sichuan City.
Xie Jing had just recovered from a serious illness. He looked slightly leaner, but his spirit was fine. After staying indoors for several days, his skin was porcelain-white, making his eyes appear even darker and brighter.
On the way back, Lord Bai Jiu rode in Xu Jun’s carriage.
Xu Jun’s smile froze when he noticed the white jade lion pendant tied to Lord Bai Jiu’s robes.
He knew this jade lion well. He had seen Xie Jing wear it multiple times. If he remembered correctly, it was part of a pair—the other carefully kept by Xie Jing in a box, which Xu Jun had helped retrieve, exchanging it for the white jade Buddha bead bracelet Xie Siquan had previously given away.
Xu Jun couldn’t forget even if he tried.
He looked carefully at the two in the carriage and noticed something. Previously, he hadn’t thought deeply, but now he could see the closeness between Xie Jing and the man sitting beside him.
Xie Jing’s hair was also tied, with a few fine braids decorated with coral beads. The carriage jostled, the beads tangled. Lord Bai Jiu reached over to adjust them, leaning close and speaking gently to him.
Xie Jing turned to listen, expression serious, reaching to undo the tangles. “Messy? Should I let it down?”
Lord Bai Jiu shook his head and looked at him a few more times.
Xie Jing blinked and suddenly smiled. He stayed seated, looking at Lord Bai Jiu with an expression softer than ever.
Xu Jun, on edge, hesitated, then blurted, “Mr. Bai, are you very interested in coral?”
Lord Bai Jiu replied, “It’s interesting. I haven’t seen it used like this elsewhere.”
Xu Jun said, “It’s not particularly rare—just polished beads. Not worth much. If you like, I can have some sent over when we return.”
Lord Bai Jiu nodded. “Thank you, Second Master.”
Xu Jun promised the coral, but there was no sign that the other would stop. And looking closely, it was clearly not for him—it looked like it was for his little nephew.
Xu Jun’s thoughts were complicated. The Bai family of the Northern Lands had an impeccable reputation. He had always respected Lord Bai Jiu, believing him virtuous and esteemed. He never imagined this connection with his little nephew. Seeing their hands about to touch, Xu Jun said, “Jing’er, I left something on the horse yesterday. Could you find Hu Da and ask him to bring it?”
Xie Jing agreed, lifted the carriage curtain, and went.
The carriage fell silent for a moment.
Xu Jun glanced at Lord Bai Jiu and tentatively asked, “Mr. Bai, I heard the Bai family’s business in the Northern Lands is extensive?”
Lord Bai Jiu said, “It’s alright. My ancestors were diligent and honest. That’s how the business grew gradually.”
Xu Jun asked, “What industries do they run?”
Lord Bai Jiu said, “Brewing and general goods at first, then pawnshops. Now, in Shanghai, textile and dye factories.”
Xu Jun: “I heard from Boss He that they invested in modern banks too?”
Lord Bai Jiu: “Yes, a little financial investment, all minor. Honestly, it’s nothing compared to the family legacy.”
Xu Jun inquired further. From his experience in trade and commerce, he realized that many businesses were Bai family-owned. He was secretly astonished. Not counting the three northern provinces’ distilleries and factories, the Bai family’s trade network covered most of China, even extending to other countries along the border. Their operations included banks, liquor, textiles, medicine, foreign goods, grain stores—too numerous to list.
Lord Bai Jiu: “Since my grandfather’s time, the Bai family expanded into inland trade over many years. Now it’s modestly successful. But there are too many branches to oversee. Some opportunists have used the Bai name for loans and fundraising. Within our banks and silver houses, we try to stop them.”
Xu Jun: “Try?”
Lord Bai Jiu: “There are just too many. Loans under twenty thousand silver are rarely questioned.”
Xu Jun: “…”
Xie Jing returned with the items. “Second Master, Hu Da only has this small bundle left, plus a water pouch. Is this what you were looking for?”
Xu Jun, a bit uneasy, accepted it, flipped through it, then stood. “I’ll go look further. You sit.”
After Xu Jun left, the carriage contained only Xie Jing and Lord Bai Jiu.
Xie Jing, puzzled, asked, “Master, what were you talking about with the Second Master just now? Why did your expression change?”
Lord Bai Jiu didn’t mention it and soothed him: “Just some family talk. We mentioned your uncle’s hard work starting the business.”
Xie Jing: “Ah?”
Lord Bai Jiu pinched his chin, lifted him, looked for a moment, and smiled. “What a pity.”
Xie Jing, confused: “Pity what?”
“Pity I didn’t meet your family earlier, and didn’t meet you sooner.” Lord Bai Jiu leaned closer, lips smiling, kissed him lightly, murmuring: “Had I known you were this good, I would have betrothed you to me and bought half a city to raise you.”
Xie Jing’s hand rested on his shoulder. At first, he was still aware of the outside, listening carefully, but soon Lord Bai Jiu’s fingers brushed and kneaded his ear, making it burn red. He could hear nothing else.
Author’s Note: Mini Scene:
Lord Bai Jiu: A bit of Versailles style—humble thanks.
Footnotes:
[1] Zhang Xianzhong (1606-1647) was a notorious Chinese peasant rebel leader and warlord who, during the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, established a short-lived kingdom in Sichuan, becoming infamous for extreme brutality and massacres that significantly depopulated the region, ultimately leading to his defeat and death by the invading Qing forces.
