Free Web NovelChapter 472: Chapter 4: The Prefectural Magistrate Is Invited to Ensure Fairness
"Actually, besides coming to Nanyuan for the birthday celebration, the Emperor also tasked me with finding opportunities to establish trade between some of our merchants and Nanyuan. I had originally planned to discuss this with the Crown Prince of Xi Yan, but something came up, so I decided against it. Since the Gu family is Beili’s largest merchant, I thought I would talk to them. Unfortunately, I’ve been turned away both times I visited under the pretext that the old master is ill," Prince Yu said, his face etched with worry.
"The Gu family isn’t lying. Their household has been in turmoil lately. Mr. Gu was indeed so angry he was bedridden for several days. I hear he’s only just started to feel a bit better these past few days," Zhan Yi said.
"I hear the Gu family is holding a celebration the day after tomorrow. When you all go to offer your congratulations, might I accompany you and have you introduce me to Mr. Gu?" Prince Yu finally got to his point.
"A celebration? What celebration?" Zhan Yi asked, confused.
Prince Yu was surprised. "You don’t know, Old Master Zhan?"
"Is one of the Gu family’s branches having another baby?" Zhan Yi asked, turning to Qian Fanji.
Prince Yu: "..."
Ye Qianning: "..."
Zhan Chi: "..."
"...The wedding of Gu Yuan, son of Gu Xichao from the fourth branch of the Gu family, and Gao Yunyue, the Prime Minister’s second daughter," Qian Fanji said calmly.
Zhan Yi’s face lit up with understanding. "Oh, so it’s that wedding Mr. Gu was dead set against."
"Yes." Qian Fanji nodded.
Prince Yu was rather confused.
"What’s there to celebrate about their marriage? Given Mr. Gu’s temperament, he won’t even attend the ceremony." Zhan Yi clicked his tongue at the thought of the Prime Minister’s family. "Gu Yuan seems like a decent, scholarly type. How on earth did he fall for Prime Minister Gao’s second daughter? That girl is a real handful."
"The fourth branch of the Gu family might be gloating now, but I fear they’ll be so oppressed by the Prime Minister’s family in the future that they won’t be able to hold their heads high," Zhan Chi snorted.
"Tell me about it. Marrying up is never that easy," Zhan Yi wholeheartedly agreed.
Ye Qianning agreed. ’The fourth branch of the Gu family is really in for it. Prime Minister Gao is so arrogant he completely looks down on merchant families. No matter how much money they have, he’ll always see them as a class below.’
’Gao Yunyue is arrogant, domineering, and completely unreasonable. Having a daughter-in-law like that is going to be an ordeal.’
Listening to all this, Prince Yu was lost in a fog. He couldn’t help but ask, "So... none of you are attending?"
"We’re not."
"In that case... I won’t go either," Prince Yu said.
"That Gu Xichao from the fourth branch is incompetent. Any business in his hands won’t get far. You shouldn’t waste your time, Your Highness," Zhan Yi said with a dismissive wave.
"Then I wonder if I might trouble you to introduce me to Mr. Gu, or to Gu Shuo, the one who manages the imperial businesses?"
"That can be done," Zhan Yi nodded.
Prince Yu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Old Master Zhan."
"Don’t thank me just yet. The Gu family is in an uproar at the moment. Even if I make the introduction, you might not accomplish anything. As for Gu Shuo, he resigned from his post managing the imperial businesses a while ago and is just waiting for the handover. The Emperor hasn’t decided on his successor yet," Zhan Yi added, seeing the current situation as difficult.
"An uproar about what?"
Prince Yu wasn’t very familiar with the commercial dealings within the Capital City.
"Sigh, it’s all about splitting the family assets. A big business and lots of heirs isn’t always a good thing. Greed corrupts their hearts, and there are too many disagreements. They’ll start a fight over who got a slightly larger or smaller share of the businesses. It’s all that nonsense that made Mr. Gu sick." The thought of it gave Zhan Yi a headache. ’Poor Mr. Gu really has it tough.’
Prince Yu’s expression grew serious. The Gu family had many business divisions, and it was uncertain whose hands the southern one would fall into.
Eager as he was to secure a partnership, he didn’t dare make a rash visit after hearing all this.
"I have a mine in my possession," Qian Fanji said calmly. "Next winter, Nanyuan will need to purchase coal. I can sell a portion to Nanyuan at cost price."
His words stunned everyone present.
Zhan Yi froze. ’Is this kid really that much of a big shot?’
’He actually owns a mine?’
Zhan Chi’s eyes widened. He had always been curious where the Qian family’s money came from.
’A Chief of Staff’s salary isn’t high, yet their family is incredibly wealthy on top of supporting so many people. At one point, he’d even suspected Qian Fanji’s father, the Chancellor, of corruption and taking bribes. He had mocked Qian Fanji about it for years.’
’How embarrassing to think about it now!’
Ye Qianning was also surprised. ’No wonder he treats wealth like dirt. His family literally owns a mine!’
Prince Yu snapped back to reality, his expression full of excitement. "You... you’re truly willing to sell coal to Nanyuan at cost price?"
"Yes. However, you will need to send your own people to transport it," Qian Fanji said.
"Excellent, no problem," Prince Yu agreed on the spot. Even though the journey was long, sending a few squads of soldiers to transport the coal in the winter would still save a massive amount of money.
Zhan Yi shot him a suspicious look. He couldn’t help but feel that the Qian boy’s offer was too good to be true.
’Would he really do something with no benefit to himself?’
"Minister Qian, what do you want from Nanyuan in return?" Prince Yu asked again.
"Nothing."
"Hm?" Prince Yu froze.
’He would sell coal to Nanyuan at cost price without asking for anything in return?’
’The profit Minister Qian was giving up was by no means a small sum.’
’The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He was happy, yes, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch.’
Ye Qianning, also slightly suspicious, glanced over with her wide, round eyes.
Qian Fanji turned, his gaze meeting Ye Qianning’s. A softness filled his eyes, and his voice was gentle. "She was born in Nanyuan."
"Her?"
Prince Yu followed his gaze to Ye Qianning...
Zhan Yi was taken aback once more. ’This kid... is a hell of a smooth operator.’
Zhan Chi’s expression was strange as he lowered his eyes to think.
’From confusion to shock, then to utter disbelief... Did this mean...?’
"Just because Miss Xiang was born in Nanyuan?" Prince Yu’s voice shot up.
"Correct." Qian Fanji nodded.
Receiving a definitive answer, Prince Yu was momentarily at a loss for words. ’Just because Miss Xiang was born in Nanyuan, he would sell a huge amount of coal to Nanyuan at cost price?’
’Who would believe such a thing?’
’It’s completely insane...’
Ye Qianning was also confused. ’Is it because he feels he owes my mother and wants to do something for Nanyuan to make up for it?’
"Minister Qian, you can’t be serious."
No matter how he mulled it over, Prince Yu couldn’t find a logical explanation.
"I am not speaking lightly. If Your Highness doesn’t believe me, we can draw up a contract as proof," Qian Fanji said calmly.
Prince Yu would certainly love to have it in writing. ’But is he really willing to lose that much money, all for a young girl?’
"If Your Highness is still hesitant, then I will add one more condition," Qian Fanji said. "Nanyuan must prohibit the buying and selling of children within its borders."
"Er..."
Prince Yu was struck dumb. The trafficking of children was common in Nanyuan. Families with too many children to support would often sell them for money.
As cruel as it was, it was a means of survival.
If it were prohibited, many families would be unable to support their children, nor could they sell them. The whole family couldn’t just starve to death, could they?
’In Ye Qianning’s memory, children were often sold at the small markets. Because Nanyuan was so impoverished, the practice was most common there, especially during winter.’
’If Beili wanted to prohibit it, it would be relatively easy to control. Nanyuan, however, seemed unable to get a handle on it, simply because it was too poor.’
’In ancient times, people had as many children as they pleased, making it impossible to support them all.’
"If you can do this, we have a deal. If you cannot, then consider my offer unmade," said Qian Fanji.
