Chapter 15 — Hoa Mi Revenge of Vengeance

The new election of the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce was scheduled for the full moon day of June. I officially submitted my candidacy letter. Using the seal on the To family's core evidence, Luc Hanh Vien signed as a witness. As soon as the news spread, the whole of Giang Nam felt like someone had thrown a stone into a pot of boiling water. In the tea room of Tu Hien Lau, Lady Trieu patted her thighs and said to the merchant ladies at the table:
“Have you heard?”
“The eldest lady of the To family wants to run for President of the Chamber of Commerce.”
“A young woman, only twenty-four, wants to be President.”
"I've been doing business for so many years, this is the first time I've seen such a ridiculous thing."
"Can she be elected? There are so many shops in the Su family, but a noble lady has never stepped out of the door—"
“Don't underestimate her.”
Lady Trieu lowered her voice, her eyes brightened,
"Haven't you heard about Tham Thanh Van's story?"
"The debt of 17,000 taels was thoroughly investigated by her, without missing a penny."
“Even an old fox like Ton Quan has to be completely convinced.”
“I tell you, this girl is not simple.”
These rumors were all passed down to me by Luc Truong Thanh. Lately he has become my eyes and ears at the chamber of commerce, helping to find out all kinds of information, running around here and there, extremely resourceful.
“Eldest Miss, currently in the Chamber of Commerce there are three parts of the Dong family that firmly support you.”
"Two parts are standing around examining the situation, while three parts are close to Treasurer Ma, their attitude is unclear."
"The remaining two are brands from out of province. Whoever gets elected will follow them."
I flipped through the list in my hand, using a marker to circle a few names.
“The guys are considering this situation, you ask them out for tea.”
"No talking about voting, just talking about business."
"The Su family's ceramic shop is looking for a new kiln to cooperate with. Coincidentally, several of them are in the kiln business."
Luc Truong Thanh nodded. As he took the list and left, he looked back and said one sentence:
“Eldest lady, father told me to convey the message.”
“He said, this chair of the President of the Chamber of Commerce is easy to sit on, but it is difficult to sit firmly.”
“The lesson of Tham Thanh Van is still palpable.”
“After you sit up, the first thing you need to do is not to establish authority, but to make others admire you.”
"How to make people feel satisfied and satisfied?"
"You have to do something that only the To family can do, no one else can do it for you."
I stood in front of the window and thought for a while. What the To family can do, others cannot do. We don't have to rely on a lot of money, and we don't have to rely on a lot of shops. It is based on the foundation and reputation of the To family that has been built for hundreds of years in the Jiangnan business world. This thing Tham Thanh Van cannot steal, nor can the Five-Colored Nightingale suck it away.
“Six treasurer.”
Luc Truong Thanh paused and turned back.
“You should contact the old ceramic kilns.”
"This year's official allocation quota, the To family's share was transferred by Tham Thanh Van to Treasurer Ma's people."
“I want to get this level back.”
"It's not for the Su family alone, but it's allotted from the beginning in the name of the Chamber of Commerce."
“So that all small and medium-sized kilns receive fair quotas.”
Luc Truong Thanh's eyes glowed brightly.
“Understood.”
He quickly strode away. Xuan Vu from behind brought a bowl of green bean soup, pouted and said:
“Madam, aren't you being too polite to that Sixth Young Master?”
“The way he looks at people—”
“Don't talk nonsense.”
I took the bowl of green bean soup.
“He is the assistant appointed by the Patriarch, public and private are separate.”
"Yes."

Xuan Vu tugged at her braid, still not convinced, but didn't say another word. News came from the main courtyard that today the Patriarch got out of bed. People walk around the courtyard. With Mother Vuong guiding her hand, she trudged step by step under the shade of a hundred-year-old camphor tree, raising her head to look up at the branch where the birdcage used to hang. Vuong Ma Ma said, the old man standing under the tree smiled and uttered a sentence in his voice:
“This tree, its life is stronger than mine.”
Full moon day of June, great election day. Tu Hien Lau has had all its tables and chairs replaced with new ones, it's unclear whose intention it was. The Dong family members sitting in the front row discovered that there was something else placed on the table. A thin book with the words on the cover: "Plan for redistributing the official quota of Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce." The plan was personally drafted by the To family. The content is extremely simple: Quan Dieu ceramics quota, which was originally manipulated by a few big brands, will now be reallocated based on the actual output and delivery performance of each house. Big brands will have to get a little less, so that small and medium-sized kilns get a little more. Just half a page through the plan, several Dong families of the leading small kilns secretly exchanged glances with each other. When I stood on the stage, Tu Hien Lau was much quieter than the previous chaotic drama. No horizontal panels fell, no paralyzed people collapsed on the floor. He was wearing a knitted moon-white silk shirt, a treasure pressed to the bottom of a chest in the Su family's treasury room. This shirt was made on the day my mother got married, and I have never had the heart to wear it for a long time. On the side hangs a familiar piece of jade and jade.
“Dear Dong family, I am To Van Ngam.”
“A fourth-generation descendant of the To family, grandson of Old Lady To Hoai Vien.”
My voice is not too loud, but the echo wall of Tu Hien Lau is very effective, each syllable resonates all the way to the last row of seats.
“The events that happened here last month are clear to everyone.”
“A son-in-law from a foreign family impersonated the Su family to run for President.”
“And secretly siphoned off 17,000 taels of white silver.”
"We have recovered part of this debt, the rest is currently being reported to the government for settlement."
“But today, I'm not standing here to dig up old debt books.”