Chapter 64
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The turmoil in the capital naturally doesn’t affect Ming Yu. When the first batch of banknotes returned, Ming Yu inquired about the situation in the capital in great detail. Only then did he truly feel relieved, as his objectives were achieved. The initial shipment of goods had already sparked a trend. The arrival of items from the Western Regions had refreshed people’s perception, and nearly everyone was aware of and receptive to these items. His promotional efforts had reached the intended level, gaining its popularity. In the future, there would be no need for deliberate promotion; people would eagerly seek them out.
“Wang Ye, His Royal Highness mentioned that according to the marketing methods you’ve outlined, these goods will likely sell out completely in a short time. The Crown Prince would like to inquire, what is the plan if there are no goods to return after that point?” Crown Prince Ming Ye had sent an attendant specifically to make this journey, seeking to inquire about Ming Yu’s next steps.
The items from the Western Regions, which were initially underestimated by Crown Prince Ming Ye, have unexpectedly caused such a tremendous sensation. Every day, wealthy and influential individuals from the capital come knocking with silver in hand. Countless amounts of silver are pouring in each day.
The cost of the clothes and porcelain that Ming Ye initially sent out has already been covered. It’s important to note that aside from this initial cost, he also gains half of the remaining profits. And that very half has already equated to the income from his estate for several years. How could he not be pleasantly surprised by such an unexpected outcome?
Even more importantly, this action has significantly expanded his network of relationships. Many princes and princesses in the palace have shown goodwill and approached him due to these items. High-ranking officials in the court have also shown their appreciation. The Crown Prince’s reputation has risen several levels in a short span of time. With this momentum, as long as he manages things well, his position is less likely to be easily shaken.
The subtle rise of the Crown Prince’s influence had infuriated Imperial Concubine Hui. Her son, the Third Prince Ming Tao, was no less talented, educated, or capable than the Crown Prince. Why should he be ranked below the Crown Prince? She refused to accept this.
Seeing the Crown Prince thriving with such a profitable venture had undoubtedly stirred envy in others. Such a great opportunity shouldn’t be monopolized by the Crown Prince alone. Finding it hard to understand, she sought out the Emperor and expressed her concerns, trying to influence him through subtle persuasion. She expended effort to convince the Emperor to have the Crown Prince relinquish control of this business venture or perhaps involve the Third Prince Ming Tao in it as well.
Having known Imperial Concubine Hui for decades, the Emperor still harbours some tolerance toward her. After all these years, how could he not understand her thoughts? In all honesty, the Emperor initially regarded Ming Yu’s endeavors as minor ventures to earn some extra income. He didn’t anticipate it to become such a significant matter. Now, within the capital, everyone values goods from the Western Regions. Wealthy and influential households feel embarrassed if they don’t possess at least a couple of such items.
As the entire capital went crazy over goods from the Western Regions, it’s impossible to deny that there were individuals behind the scenes fueling the frenzy. A couple of days ago, the Crown Prince came to report the earnings from the first phase, it even astonished the Emperor himself. He realized that everything was planned according to Ming Yu’s strategy, which had resulted in such a remarkable impact. This unconventional approach of the Old Fourteenth seemed to be quite skillful. Now, the Emperor, as a father, no longer needed to worry about the Fourteenth Prince lacking funds; he’s certainly not destitute anymore.
The Crown Prince had decided to offer his entire half of the earnings to the Emperor. This was a decision he had made well in advance. The Emperor was most fearful of factionalism and corruption among his officials. As the Crown Prince, he couldn’t afford to have even a hint of scandal. With this business venture, many officials were aligning with him. If he made any misstep, he might find himself in a precarious situation. Therefore, he proactively reported this matter to the Emperor, aiming to keep things transparent and put the Emperor’s concerns to rest completely.
Indeed, the Emperor was genuinely pleased. However, when the Old Fourteenth initially wrote to him about this matter, he had clearly indicated that he wouldn’t participate in the business dealings of his two sons. Now that they had achieved success, how could he, as a father, simply reap the benefits without any involvement? Wouldn’t it be as if he were taking credit for their achievements? This thought was unsettling for him.
However, the Crown Prince had prepared his arguments well in advance. After explaining his perspective repeatedly, the Emperor eventually relented a bit, begrudgingly accepting the Crown Prince’s intentions.
With this development, the business deal now had the greatest assurance. With the Emperor’s involvement, it became even more challenging for anyone to undermine their position.
It wasn’t possible for Imperial Concubine Hui to change the Emperor’s mind no matter how much she cried and pleaded. In fact, she ended up annoying the Emperor to the point that he avoided her altogether. This provided fodder for the palace’s ladies and concubines to gossip about for a while.
As for the Crown Prince’s business with the Western goods, everyone understood the Emperor’s stance. He had essentially given his approval. Though some might envy and resent, there was little they could do since the Emperor had acknowledged it. They could only hope to benefit somehow from the Crown Prince’s businesses.
Ming Ye knew that his current success was largely thanks to Ming Yu. His understanding of Ming Yu’s words had deepened further. Observing Ming Yu’s urgency for funds, Ming Ye had sent a portion of the silver ahead. As for the next steps, they needed to exchange messages to coordinate further actions. The goods Ming Yu had sent would likely be sold out soon. What would they do then? Even if Ming Yu’s trading caravan set off again as soon as possible, it would still take time.
Ming Yu had long considered the Crown Prince’s concerns, but what could he do now? Their trading caravan couldn’t possibly satisfy the needs of the vast territory of the Great Yan. These goods could only be introduced gradually. Once the trend was set, people wouldn’t hesitate to follow suit. Perhaps after a couple more successful trade journeys, their profits and benefits would attract others. When the scent of profit wafted through, perceptive merchants would naturally swarm in.
In fact, the purpose of Ming Yu forming the trading caravan wasn’t just about reaping profits from it. It was meant to set an example, to attract more caravans to come. As long as trade was established, could their developments in Liangzhou fail?
This was a long-term development plan that Ming Yu could only conceive in his mind. He couldn’t spell it out explicitly. However, since the Crown Prince had sent someone to ask, he had to provide some assurance. He promised that the trading caravan would depart for the Western Regions as soon as possible, aiming to bring back goods promptly. The specifics could only be communicated through a letter to be carried back. As for future matters, why not place reservations? They could submit a down payment first, and the strategy of scarcity-driven market strategy would certainly come into play.
Once the attendant from the capital had left, Ming Yu couldn’t help but burst into laughter. If he hadn’t restrained himself, he might have been rolling on the ground with joy while clutching the silver.
Now things were going well. With the funds, he could proceed with his plans to build canals and establish horse farms. Money could indeed make things smoother. The current popularity of Western goods in the the Great Yan meant that as long as there was demand, silver would continue to flow in.
With money in hand, he felt more confident. He had studied the topography of the Longlan Mountains and its surrounding areas extensively and had even sent people to survey there. Now, they just needed a feasible plan to initiate action on his goals.
As the goal drew closer, Ming Yu couldn’t help but feel impatient.
Outside Shi Chongguan, Chacha Qi came to find Tuoba Ren, but was stopped by guards. He couldn’t force his way in, so he paced anxiously, muttering to himself, “Is Hunle Wang merely unwell? If he’s unwell, he should be undergoing treatment. Last time, I personally brought Wuman here, and Hunle Wang declined the offer. But now, I’ve brought a doctor. Why is he still not allowing entry?”
Wuman was a specialized healer from the Western Suixi Kingdom, much like doctors in the Great Yan. Hunle Wang had not been seen for almost a month. Every time they inquired, they were told he was unwell and is recovering in his tent. Whenever Chacha Qi expressed his desire to visit, they were informed that the King wouldn’t see outsiders and was focusing on recuperating.
Not seeing the figure of Hunle Wang for nearly a month and having all attempts at visitation denied left everyone puzzled. After all, Hunle Wang was the younger brother of Khan. If anything went wrong, they wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.
Initially, Chacha Qi didn’t pay much attention, considering Hunle Wang, this sickly person with a blow from the wind could made him have headache and fever. It was frequent for him to catch illnesses so it was not at all strange.
But after ten days then half a month passed with no news, he began to worry. If something happened to Hunle Wang, and Khan blamed them, they might not be able to escape punishment. Thus, they decided to send Chacha Qi to investigate the situation.
Chacha Qi had visited twice before, both times without entry. During his last visit, he brought Wuman and stated that Hunle Wang’s condition couldn’t be treated by Wuman. This time, he had brought a doctor from the Central Plains, intending to find out what exactly was happening with Hunle Wang.
The guards stationed outside the main tent exchanged a glance, displaying a troubled expression. They had received orders not to allow anyone to enter the tent, so they had to adhere to their instructions.
Facing Chacha Qi’s inquiries, the guards remained unwavering, sticking to their principles with a wooden response, “Wang Ye is under the care of a doctor. There’s no need for anyone else.”
“You!” Chacha Qi was furious, so he lost his temper completely, “Is Hunle Wang inside or not? Or has something happened to him? If you don’t tell me the truth, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
As he spoke, Chacha Qi drew his sword with a swift motion.
The two guards were taken aback, not expecting General Chacha Qi to resort to violence so quickly.
In this tense atmosphere, a voice emerged from within the tent, “What’s going on? Cough, cough!”
The guards were relieved as their Wang Ye had finally appeared. Chacha Qi, hearing the voice, was also surprised. Could it be that what the two guards were saying was true? Perhaps Hunle Wang was genuinely unwell and had been resting indoors all this time. This realization brought a sense of regret for Chacha Qi’s impatience.
After thinking for a moment, Chacha Qi put away his sword, bowed, and loudly explained, “General Chacha Qi has come to visit Wang Ye but was obstructed, leading to a minor confrontation. I hope Wang Ye won’t take offence.”
The tent fell silent for a moment. Then, Tuoba Ren coughed a few times before seemingly speaking to someone inside the tent in hushed tones. Following that, footsteps approached, and someone lifted the curtain.
Chacha Qi squinted and saw an unfamiliar, extraordinarily handsome figure. The young man exuded an air of learning and sophistication. His complexion was somewhat pale, and he carried an air of graceful weariness in his gestures.
Chacha Qi was almost stunned, while the stranger elegantly bowed and smiled, “Wang Ye requests your presence, General.”
Chacha Qi snapped out of his daze, suppressed his racing heart, and walked inside.
Tuoba Ren reclined on a divan, and his expression didn’t seem particularly odd. Chacha Qi greeted, “I’ve heard that Wang Ye is unwell, so I’ve specially brought a doctor. I hope Wang Ye recovers soon.”
“You’re considerate,” Tuoba Ren waved dismissively, “It’s just an old ailment. Rest is all that’s needed. Moreover, Ben Wang’s accustomed to elderly healers so the outside doctors are not to my liking.”
Tuoba Ren’s words seemed to carry implications. Chacha Qi looked at the serene figure beside him. He had never seen this person before. There was no way he could have been one of the attendants Tuoba Ren brought with him. So who was he, and how did he come here?
Tuoba Ren seemed to sense Chacha Qi’s thoughts and laughed, “This is Ben Wang’s personal physician.”
Chacha Qi doubted it. He had been with Tuoba Ren for a while, and he had seen all his attendants and doctors. This person was not one of them.
Chacha Qi scrutinized the person before him, a refined and elegant presence that outshone anyone around him. Chacha Qi pondered—how had this person appeared? If he had indeed been around for some time, Chacha Qi would surely have encountered him before. His presence couldn’t have gone unnoticed. But if he had only recently arrived, what was his connection to Tuoba Ren’s month-long illness?
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Scarcity, marketing at its finest.
Thank You for the new chapter (๑ơ ₃ ơ)♥