During the Yongxi era, the Zhao family held power in the Song dynasty. After the turmoil of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the peace and stability of the past twenty to thirty years were especially precious. Whether the rulers were capable or not, the common people didn’t fully understand. The emperor’s will was unpredictable, and who dared to criticize it openly? Unless they didn’t value their own heads, it was better to eat more and speak less! At least, since the founding of the Song dynasty, life within the borders had been relatively peaceful. Even though there were wolves to the north and tigers to the west, that was the soldiers’ concern. Ordinary families only needed to adapt and focus on promoting social prosperity.
If you asked who the current emperor was, some less informed commoners might mistakenly think it was Liu Jiyuan, or in more exaggerated cases, Li Yu, depending on where they were from. After all, dynastic changes could happen at any time. Yesterday, one might have considered themselves a subject of Northern Han, and today, they suddenly became a citizen of the Song. Who knew if a new king might emerge tomorrow? However, if you inquired about the wealthiest person of the time, anyone in the six northern provinces would confidently tell you it was the Shi brothers of Aolong Fort. In the south, however, the answer would be different. The wealthiest in the south, and the only one who could compare to Aolong Fort, was Jun Chengliu, the owner of the Jinxiu Trading House.
Aolong Fort became wealthy through ranching and mining, while the Jun family in Jiangnan amassed their fortune through the trade of jewelry and textiles.
The famous "Jinweaving House" and "Jinweaving Workshop" in Jiangnan employed the finest embroidery artisans and tailors, earning the Jun family immense wealth every year. Even the emperor and his ministers wore clothes made by these two establishments. This alone spoke to the success of the Jun family’s business. Their reputation in the jewelry trade wasn’t just due to the skilled jade and goldsmiths they employed, creating impeccable works of art, but also because of Jun Chengliu’s unwavering honesty and integrity over the past twenty years. Although the Jun family dominated these lucrative industries, they never took advantage by raising prices. Any jewelry sold by the "Jinxiu Jewelry House" was guaranteed to be at a fair price.
Jun Chengliu’s rise to become the richest man in Jiangnan was no accident. What was truly remarkable was that even amidst his luxurious lifestyle, he never forgot to spread kindness. Every autumn and winter, he generously distributed food to the poor. He was lenient with his tenant farmers, waiving rent during natural disasters and offering financial aid to help them through tough times. Though the current situation had finally stabilized, the damage left by the wars of two or three decades ago had not fully recovered. Jun Chengliu understood this deeply, and his compassion earned him even more respect. In Jiangnan, especially in the Suzhou-Hangzhou region, everyone referred to him as the "Old Bodhisattva." For the elite and wealthy, visiting the Jun family was a mark of prestige, and even high-ranking officials and nobles were eager to be called his friends.
If Jun Chengliu had any regrets, it was that he had no heir to pass on his vast business empire. He had three beautiful daughters, each with a sharp business mind, but no sons.
Five years ago, Jun Chengliu began gradually shifting the focus of his business to his eldest daughter, though outwardly it appeared as if he was still in charge. This was a time of extreme preference for sons over daughters, where women were valued for their virtue rather than their talents. Despite the pressures of the time, women, no matter how capable, were not recognized for their abilities. Jun Chengliu’s regret was that he had to find a man to marry his daughter and couldn’t directly pass his business to her. His eldest daughter, Qiluo, had shown an exceptional talent for business from a young age. At the time, Jun Chengliu eagerly hired a tutor to teach her to read and write, but the tutor, feeling insulted, left in a huff, seeing it as an affront to teach a girl. It was then that Jun Chengliu realized how little room this era had for intelligent women. If he handed his business to his daughter in the future, he feared their clients would sever ties with the Jun family. Later, he secretly dressed his daughter as a boy, only then could he hire a tutor, and outsiders believed that the cross-dressed Qiluo was his illegitimate son.
Now, at twenty years old, Jun Qiluo had dual identities: she was both the eldest daughter of the Jun family and the illegitimate son, Jun Feifan, who was kept out of sight. Under the guise of Jun Feifan, she had led caravans on four trips along the Silk Road, three to Goryeo, and one overseas to Japan, bringing back rare fabrics and jewelry, further boosting the Jun family’s fame abroad.
Faced with this situation, Jun Chengliu could only smile wryly. Many of his business friends hinted that he could "legitimize" his illegitimate son, fully endorsing "Jun Feifan" as the rightful heir to the Jun family. Some even bluntly said that the sharp, decisive young man had already surpassed his father in business acumen. At just twenty years old, he was already dazzlingly brilliant, and in another ten years, he would undoubtedly be the commercial overlord of Jiangnan.
If they knew that the revered Jun Feifan they spoke so highly of was actually a woman, how would they react?
Qiluo had the absolute ability to elevate the Jun family's prestige, but she couldn't continue presenting herself as a man forever, could she? If she were to take over the family business as Jun Feifan, it would mean living her entire life as a man, unable to marry and have children. On the other hand, if she returned to her female identity, they would have to find her a husband. But in this era, what man would allow his wife to engage in business? Even if he were to marry into her family, he would demand absolute authority and refuse any female involvement. Her second brother-in-law, a scholar who knew nothing about business, was focused on studying for the imperial examinations, and despite that, he still wouldn't allow his wife to interfere in business matters. As a result, her second sister, Xiu Kun, obediently focused on serving her husband, not daring to touch the account books anymore. The young couple now lived in the Jun family's villa, awaiting the birth of their first child. Although her second brother-in-law was a bit stubborn, he at least had integrity and loved his wife. However, Qiluo would never want such a marriage!
Recently, Qiluo had once again disguised herself as a man to lead a caravan through the Silk Road to trade in Western Xia.
Jun Chengliu sat in his study, deeply worried. A bowl of lotus seed soup on the table had already gone cold. The first signs of snow appeared in late autumn; this year's winter was arriving particularly quickly! He couldn't help but sigh again. Three months ago, a caravan carrying gold, silver, and silk disappeared without a trace after leaving the Great Wall. Scattered clothing and bodies were reportedly seen near the Helan Mountains... Rumor had it that a group of ruthless bandits had taken control of that area.
That region was a lawless zone, where both Han and non-Han people lived together, and it was also home to the Song dynasty's most feared enemy—the Liao people. Throughout history, wars between nations did not typically involve the massacre of civilians. However, in these war-torn times, it was inevitable that some displaced people would band together as thieves, attempting to gain without labor. The imperial court was unlikely to intervene easily.
Thinking back to his confidential meeting with Minister Ma yesterday only made Jun Chengliu feel heavier. He, of course, hoped for long-lasting peace for the Song dynasty and didn't want to see the hard-won stability disrupted by war again. But after all, wasn't that a matter for the state? He was just a law-abiding, honest merchant! His kindness and generosity over the past twenty or thirty years were not to pray for a son from the heavens or to gain people's gratitude. Beyond praying for peace in the world, he hoped that his three beloved daughters could have a happy future.
But was it good or bad for the government to escort the caravan out of Jiayu Pass? Indeed, under official escort, bandits would not dare to act recklessly. But what if they attracted the attention of the Liao people? Those merciless Khitan were the Song people's nightmare! Of course, beyond Jiayu Pass was technically Western Xia territory, but the Helan Mountains were also home to Liao people! Although the Liao's power was mostly in the north, the tense atmosphere between Liao and Song made both sides wary. Minister Ma analyzed that the Liao could not have strong forces in the northwest of the Song, and therefore he guaranteed Qiluo's journey would be completely safe. Moreover, there were soldiers to protect them! But why did he still feel uneasy? He was not usually a man to worry needlessly, but...
"Father, you called for me?" A deep, clear voice came from the doorway, accompanied by the appearance of a handsome young man. His fair skin, noble demeanor, and beauty were enough to make women feel ashamed. His thick, heroic eyebrows added a touch of strength to his overly beautiful face, giving it a masculine energy. This kind of handsome, fair-skinned man was common in Jiangnan, and even though he was exceedingly beautiful, no one would suspect him of being a woman in disguise. Everyone knew that Jun Feifan was the future heir of the Jun family and a wealthy merchant everyone sought to curry favor with. He had a wealth of experience and exceptional talent, making people overlook his humble origins. Since he turned eighteen, many had sought to arrange a marriage with him, from nobles to distinguished ladies. Matchmakers nearly broke down the Jun family's door. Given this situation, who would ever imagine that the stunningly handsome Jun Feifan was actually a woman!
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