Chapter 120
“Brilliant! Brilliant!” Xu Xi thought for a moment and fully understood Ming Yu’s meaning. He had to admit that Wang Ye’s understanding of human nature was unparalleled.
“What Wang Ye said is indeed insightful.”
“This…” Ming Ye, who was usually generous, found it hard to understand Ming Yu’s logic. After all, the royal relatives were members of the royal family. If Ming Yu’s idea were followed, how could he possibly ask for more money from them? It would clearly be a scheme, one aimed at deceiving people he knew.
“Trust me, no one will go against money. Isn’t it better for everyone to happily make money together?” Ming Yu popped a preserved fruit into his mouth and insisted on convincing the crown prince.
Xu Xi also joined in, “Wang Ye is right; human nature is unpredictable. Maybe someone really thinks this way. It wouldn’t hurt to tryWang Ye’s approach.”
“Then let’s do it your way,” Ming Ye thought for a moment and nodded. Although he felt uneasy, he was also eager to give it a try.
This didn’t quite align with his position as the crown prince, so he had to suppress his excitement and tried to change the topic. “Didn’t the fourteenth brother come to see me today to discuss something? What was it about?”
Finally, Ming Yu remembered his purpose. He slapped his forehead. Upon arriving, he had been so eager to play chess that he completely forgot the important matter.
“Ah! Actually, it’s nothing major. I just wanted to inform you, Brother, that I might not have much time for the merchant caravan matters from now on. So, I’ve handed the caravan over to Third Brother.” Ming Yu quickly explained the conversation with the third prince and his decision.
“What?” Xu Xi exclaimed, “Does Wang Ye mean to say that the caravan trade to the West is being stopped?”
“Yes! Exactly. It’s a waste of time and effort, and there’s not much profit, so I’ve decided to stop it.” Ming Yu nonchalantly spoke, seemingly oblivious to the shock on Xu Xi’s face.
The crown prince exchanged a look with Xu Xi. The crown prince didn’t say anything, only lowering his gaze, lost in thought.
Xu Xi took a deep breath. What did Duan Wang mean by this? How could he just give up such a good business? And handing it over to the third prince? Didn’t he know that the third prince and the crown prince were sworn enemies?
The third prince had been wanting to take over this business for a long time, but the emperor had kept him in check. Now, he suddenly approached Duan Wang. Could it be that Duan Wang was tricked into handing over the caravan to him?
With the previous turmoil over the goods from the Western Regions, the crown prince had turned his disadvantage into an advantage, gaining both money and connections. But now, the third prince’s move to remove the foundation beneath him was a brilliant move indeed!
He didn’t understand why Duan Wang had placed such trust in the Third Prince. If things proceeded as the Third Prince wished, the Crown Prince might once again be forced into submission under him. At that point, the Third Prince’s smug face would surely make one sick.
“Wang Ye, why are you doing this? The profit from this business is immense; how can you simply refuse it? Losing the caravan would be a significant loss,” Xu Xi couldn’t help but say. “The Third Prince and the Crown Prince have always been at odds, and you’re surely aware of that. Even if you don’t want the caravan, it can’t just be handed over to him so casually; that would affect the Crown Prince…”
Her words were a direct accusation. If it were anyone else, such remarks could be considered as treason. Upon hearing it, Ming Ye lifted his head, scowling lightly, and said, “Xu Qing, enough. How are you speaking to Duan Wang?”
Xu Xi furrowed his brows and swallowed his words in the end.
Ming Yu showed no sign of anger, tilting his head to look at the Crown Prince and smiling as he said, “How does Brother feel about this?”
Ming Ye stared at him with a complex look, but finally sighed and reached out to ruffle his hair. “This is all yours; however you choose to handle it is up to you. Fourteenth Brother, it’s your decision.”
“Your Highness!” Xu Xi, in a fit of anger, protested. How could the Crown Prince lose his advantage this way? To think that the network he had painstakingly built would be discarded like this?
Ming Ye glanced at him and waved his hand. “Xu Qing, no more words.”
Though Xu Xi was reluctant, after hearing the Crown Prince’s words, he could only sigh in resignation. The Crown Prince’s kind-heartedness had always led him to be accommodating, which had brought him to this situation. It was no use lamenting; whatever decision the Crown Prince made, Xu Xi would follow it. If things returned to the past, so be it—he would always stand by the Crown Prince, ready to bear everything together.
Ming Yu covered his mouth and chuckled, but stopped when Xu Xi shot him a sharp glare. He then straightened his face and said, “Why do you look so miserable? Third Brother has always wanted the caravan business, so I’m simply letting him have it. Let him play around with it; it’s no big deal. This small business really isn’t a matter.”
Xu Xi’s face turned red with anger at the words. What did he mean by ‘small business’? What wasn’t a big deal? It was said that Duan Wang’s mental condition had improved significantly, but now, it seemed like he was just speaking nonsense.
The trade with the Western Regions was something others could only dream of. How could Ming Yu make it sound like such an easy matter? If it were truly a small business, why would the Third Prince be so persistent about it? Why would he go to such lengths to take control of it?
“Actually, I am considering things carefully. The main goal now is to open the Western Qi Corridor. Once it’s built, trading with the Western Regions will no longer be a difficult task. At that point, countless friendly caravans will be passing through the Western Qi Corridor, bringing more goods from the Western Regions into Great Yan. So, do you think the goods from the Western Regions will still be as profitable as they are now?” Ming Yu explained with a fox-like smile.
“This…” Xu Xi hadn’t thought of that. He had been blinded by the current profits and only now began to realize the problem.
Ming Yu shook his head. “So, let the Third Prince take over this thankless task if he wants. Of course, the caravan won’t lose money, but it won’t achieve the results we’re seeing now. With more caravans, competition will increase. As more goods come in, their value will undoubtedly decrease. This is indisputable.”
Xu Xi, perceptive as always, quickly understood. With Ming Yu’s clear explanation, there was no room for doubt. “So, even if the Third Prince takes over the caravan, he won’t achieve the results he expects?” Xu Xi felt much relieved, but the thought of letting the caravan go so cheaply still left a bitter taste.
Ming Yu curled his lips. “Whether the Third Prince will achieve his goals, I don’t know. But as Crown Prince, you represent the future of the nation. If you keep neglecting national affairs and instead focus on business, won’t you worry about how the public will view it? Once or twice might be fine, but if it continues, do you really not care about your position?”
Ming Yu said these words slowly, and at first, Ming Ye hadn’t thought much of it. However, by the end, his heart tightened, and a cold sweat began to form on his back.
Ming Yu was right. How could he ignore his identity for the sake of immediate profits? His usual caution had been thrown away in the face of recent public adoration. If court officials ever used this against him, he would be in deep trouble.
He had intended to pick up his tea to soothe his dry throat but didn’t notice his trembling hand, spilling half the cup of tea.
Xu Xi was already stunned. He had never expected the outcome that Ming Yu had just described. This was something he should have considered first, but he had been blinded by the immediate profits and had focused solely on the money and connections he could gain from the Western goods. If Ming Yu hadn’t pointed it out, he might have continued down this dangerous path.
No one had yet realized the potential harm in attacking the Crown Prince; for now, people were merely fascinated by the rarity of the goods from the Western Regions. But it wouldn’t take long before those old courtiers realized the issue and used it as an excuse to attack the Crown Prince. At that point, the Crown Prince would have no way to defend himself, and he would be in a perilous position.
Realizing this, Xu Xi fell to his knees and kowtowed, “Your Highness, I have sinned. I failed to consider this matter, and I was wrong. If… if what Wang Ye says is true, I would rather die than refuse the consequences.”
Ming Ye took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice, “Get up. This isn’t entirely your fault.” He, too, had been blinded by the immediate benefits before him. Just a moment ago, when Ming Yu mentioned handing the merchant caravan over to the third brother, he had felt a moment of resentment and disbelief. After all, he had provided all the goods for the caravan’s trade westward, and when it was all calculated, he was entitled to a share of it. How could it be so easily transferred by fourteenth brother without any objection?
“Fourteenth brother is right. It’s not too late for him to transfer the caravan now. We can still take some corrective measures,” Ming Ye said thoughtfully. To avoid any future problems, he needed to consider all potential outcomes.
“There’s no need to be overly anxious,” Ming Yu said, taking a sip of tea and smacking his lips. “It’s not that serious. These are just small trials; it hasn’t reached a critical point yet. Besides, we have father and me behind you. Brother only needs to say you are helping me. We brothers maintain a good relationship, and no one will find fault. If any issues arise, Brother can just shift the blame to me. Let them come to me directly if they dare. I’m not afraid of these old men. Also, father is supporting us. Your share of the profits from father wasn’t given for nothing. Now, handing the caravan over to the third brother, his people won’t be able to make trouble out of this. We’ll take our chance and move on. You can just continue being at ease as the Crown Prince.”
After hearing this, Ming Ye felt relieved. Ming Yu was right. If he continued controlling the caravan’s trade goods, the third brother, who saw him as a thorn in his side, would definitely cause trouble.
He knew the third brother well enough. The third brother had ambition and drive and had long wanted to dethrone him as Crown Prince. He had previously suggested to their father several times that as Crown Prince, Ming Ye was unsuitable for handling such matters and that it should be handed over to him. Luckily, their father hadn’t agreed, so he had to give up on the idea.
If things continued like this, Ming Yu’s prediction would most likely come true, and Ming Ye could easily end up in a trap if he wasn’t careful.
Handing the caravan over to the third brother would make him think he had won and had taken control of Ming Ye’s business. This would satisfy his ambitions, and he would no longer make trouble. If the matter got too big, the third brother would be involved too, and he wouldn’t be able to escape blame either.
When Ming Yu’s Western Qi Corridor project succeeded, and merchants were able to trade goods westward, these goods would no longer be scarce. Even if the third brother got control of the caravan, he wouldn’t be able to replicate its current success. It would become like chicken ribs—something that’s neither tasty enough to eat nor worth discarding.
By then, the third brother would surely regret his actions. Thinking of this, Ming Ye felt relieved and even a little amused. He had never expected the always sharp third brother to be tricked by the fourteenth brother.
Ming Yu paused, then smiled and said, “Brother, don’t blame me for acting on my own. Third brother was in such a hurry, I just went along with it. And anyway, we didn’t lose out. We’re still making a big profit. In the future, when we split the earnings, we’ll both get a fair share.”
Ming Yu raised his eyebrows and winked, making the situation seem bold and shameless, leaving Ming Ye speechless and amused.
Ming Ye let out a sigh of relief and nodded, “The caravan was always yours. There’s no need for me to share any profits. I only provided a bit of old stock, and these two rounds of trade have already earned hundreds of times the investment, all thanks to the fourteenth brother.”
Ming Yu’s plan was perfect. Since the caravan had been transferred, the matter was over, and he didn’t need to dwell on it any further.
As for the money from the caravan’s transfer, Ming Ye would never take a single coin. In the future, if Ming Yu ever encountered difficulties, he would definitely not stand by idly. The brothers had to support each other for their future success.
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