Chapter 56
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Xue Yao’s keen judgment made the Crown Prince take notice.
The decision to acquire the fifty thousand stones of grain was influenced by Xue Yao’s assertion that Zhejiang merchants offer prices twenty copper coins higher. Even if it might be an exaggeration, the actual situation wouldn’t be much cheaper. Thus, accepting this fifty thousand stones of grain probably wouldn’t result in a loss.
The insight Xue Yao displayed now made the Crown Prince start seriously considering his claims of price manipulation.
Worried that the issue might indeed be as serious as he stated, the Crown Prince asked Xue Yao to have a private meeting in the study.
The two of them discussed several strategies for dealing with the possible price manipulation.
The strategy was to divide and conquer.
Xue Yao believed that there was more than one Zhejiang merchant collecting grain, which avoided the problem of a monopoly.
Some Zhejiang merchants, who might have relatively wavering resolve and fear the burden of holding onto the grain, were likely to proactively make concessions.
The strategy offered by the Crown Prince was to strike at their hearts.
Upon reaching Zhejiang, they would visit all the major grain traders. If the prices were raised too high by all of them, then they’d select one of the grain traders and maintain frequent interactions.
Deliberately disregarding other grain merchants would make them suspect that the chosen one was secretly lowering prices to monopolize the business.
As long as they stirred up doubt and competition among the grain merchants, it was the Crown Prince’s side that would profit.
Xue Yao was captivated by the Crown Prince’s elegant bearing. His adoring eyes shimmered, fixed on the Crown Prince’s stately figure.
The Crown Prince turned his head, and his serene phoenix eyes met Xue Yao’s wide and round eyes.
Xue Yao quickly lowered his gaze, his slightly embarrassed face blushing.
The Crown Prince thought the young reader-in-waiting found the study too stuffy, so he personally strolled over and pushed open the ornate wooden window.
Initially planning to depart for Zhejiang immediately, they considered that if someone leaked news of their urgent grain purchase, it wouldn’t be wise to appear in a hurry. They decided to stay in Jinling City for two days.
The next day, Xue Yao went alone to various grain traders and had conversations with different wealthy patrons. However, he couldn’t find another perceptive shop manager like the first one. The prices quoted by the other grain traders were no lower than six hundred and ten copper coins.
It seemed they wouldn’t be able to secure any cheap grain. Xue Yao decided to relax and enjoy the sights of Jinling.
Originally planning to accompany the Sixth Prince to the banks of the Qinhuai River to savor the local delicacies, the Sixth Prince used the excuse of not being acclimated to the local environment and declined.
Although the little rascal acted like he knew what he was doing.
But Xue Yao was perfectly aware.
The little rascal was feeling ashamed and remorseful for falling into his own trap.
Only thirty bags of grain, not even worth ten silver taels, not enough for the young prince’s daily chewing, yet it led the Sixth Prince to such self-blame and shame.
Xue Yao also became gloomy alongside the Sixth Prince.
In that situation, he couldn’t afford not to uncover the truth about how the Sixth Prince had been scammed. Otherwise, he would lose any say in this grain collection venture and become the subject of ridicule.
It was truly a case of friendly fire.
But it was the Sixth Prince who had the misfortune of running into trouble.
The Crown Prince had to consult with his advisers every day about the specific details of disaster relief and loans, and he also had to find time to comfort his little brother, which left him utterly exhausted.
Agreeing to bring the Sixth Prince along for the grain collection was meant to teach this young guy, who always loved to be generous, the value of hard-earned money.
The aim was to let the Sixth Prince witness firsthand the toil and labor of common folks, working hard for just a few pennies.
Little did they expect that this young fellow would experience the cunning of the common people first…
“In this world, there are good people and bad people. When dealing with strangers, you must be cautious,” the Crown Prince reassured, “Learning a lesson by losing a small sum of money isn’t a bad thing. I’ve already sent someone to investigate that old man who sold you the grain. He can’t escape the judgment of the local authorities. Don’t let this trouble you.”
“I’m not troubled,” the Sixth Prince anxiously looked up at his eldest brother. “Big Brother, don’t arrest that old man. He’s so old and came from a distant place, pushing such a heavy cart, just to deceive me of ten silver taels. He must be desperate.”
The Crown Prince was momentarily taken aback, his gaze turning helpless but tender.
This younger brother always had a way of reaching the softest spot in his heart.
The Crown Prince asked, “You don’t resent that old man?”
The Sixth Prince shook his head.
“Then who have you been getting upset with these past few days?”
“I haven’t been getting upset, Big Brother. It’s just that I’m not accustomed to the local atmosphere.”
The Crown Prince stared at him with an insightful gaze.
The Sixth Prince had no choice but to admit, “I’ll tell you, Big Brother, don’t make fun of me. I’m angry at myself. I keep thinking that after all these years of education, even an old man who farms can outsmart me. I’m such a simpleton. I don’t deserve a life of luxury. The heavens have been too kind to me, and I’m not worthy…”
“How could you have such peculiar thoughts?” the Crown Prince furrowed his brow and reprimanded, “Learning both the arts and strategies of war, is it for the purpose of going out and being caught by the authorities for a few silver taels! You, young man…”
Seeing the Sixth Prince lowering his head in shame, Xue Yao, who had remained silent nearby, quickly stepped forward, using pleading eyes to ask the Crown Prince not to scold the Sixth Prince further.
“Ah!” The Crown Prince also didn’t want to make his younger brother feel uncomfortable with harsh words. He flung his sleeve and walked out, hands behind his back.
In the eastern chamber, only the Sixth Prince, Xue Yao, and two attending eunuchs remained.
“Your Highness,” Xue Yao gazed steadily at the young guy’s troubled face.
“I just don’t feel quite well,” the Sixth Prince said with his head lowered. “A’Yao, you can go out and have some fun in the streets. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I’m not trying to worry about you,” Xue Yao said expressionlessly, looking at him coldly. “It’s just that there are some questions I can’t hold back anymore. Can I ask you a few, Your Highness?”
The Sixth Prince was taken aback and looked at him with confusion. “Go ahead.”
Xue Yao spoke with a cold expression, “How did you fall for such a simple scam?”
The Sixth Prince was stunned, his face instantly turning red.
He hadn’t expected Xue Yao to be so merciless.
Xue Yao continued with a cold expression, “A cart full of rice wouldn’t earn you more than a few coins. If it truly came from afar, do you know how much the transportation costs would be?”
The Sixth Prince felt extremely embarrassed, his gaze avoiding Xue Yao’s as he replied quietly, “I don’t know… in the palace, no one informed me about such things.”
Xue Yao gave a disdainful smile and taunted, “Even if you’re completely sheltered from such matters, you shouldn’t easily trust the common people. How many good folks are there among the people of Great Qi?”
The two eunuchs standing nearby were flabbergasted.
Had this young attendant gone mad? Even if the Sixth Prince had a good temper, he shouldn’t be spoken to in such a manner!
As expected, the Sixth Prince’s brows furrowed, his face showing signs of annoyance as he gazed at Xue Yao. “You can’t say that. There are plenty of good people in Great Qi. That old man was just a chance encounter, and I happened to stumble upon him. You can’t judge the character of all the common people based on a single incident.”
Xue Yao nonchalantly nodded. “So, this time being fooled was just a coincidence. Will you trust the common people in the future? What if you get deceived again? I suggest you return to the palace immediately to avoid causing trouble for the Crown Prince.”
For the first time, the Sixth Prince’s gaze turned sharp and angry. He stood up abruptly and said in a raised voice, “I will still trust the common people, but I’ve learned from this experience. I didn’t understand it before, but the purpose of coming out and gaining experience is to learn about these things. I will be more cautious in the future and won’t cause any trouble for you all!”
A moment of silence followed.
Xue Yao’s previously cold expression suddenly softened. He couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “You finally stood up for yourself, didn’t you? See, it’s like this. You understand the reasoning, and the fault isn’t yours. It’s the deceitful farmer’s wrongdoing, and your only mistake was in lacking experience. Now that you know, isn’t it better?”
Xue Yao took a deep breath and continued, “Why punish yourself for someone else’s mistake? It’s truly heartbreaking to see Your Highness like this. Should a person with a heart as compassionate as yours not receive the blessings of heaven, and instead let that deceitful farmer thrive, causing harm to others?”
A moment of silence followed.
The Sixth Prince’s angry expression slowly softened as he stared at Xue Yao with a bewildered look.
Stepping closer, Xue Yao spoke softly, looking at the young prince, “The one who makes a mistake should bear the consequences. You can’t attribute all the wrongs done by others to your own shortcomings. That deceitful farmer should be apprehended and imprisoned. There are many hardworking people in this world, but not everyone damages the interests of others for their own gain like he did. Encountering bad people is not your fault.” Xue Yao firmly gazed at the Sixth Prince and spoke even more resolutely, “Your Mother Consort’s perpetual melancholy is also not your fault, absolutely not. Your Highness, you’ve already done exceptionally well.”
Suddenly, a mist welled up in the eyes of the Sixth Prince.
Outside the window, autumn leaves rustled as the wind lifted them, creating a soft, soothing sound. Bathed in warm sunlight, they danced in mid-air.
“Thank you, A’Yao,” the Sixth Prince smiled, but his usually bright eyes were blurred by tears. Behind a veil of mist, Xue Yao’s gentle smile in his eyes was also obscured by the sheen of tears.
In his short fifteen years of life, the Sixth Prince had seemingly been waiting for the words “it’s not your fault” all along.
Finally, he heard them.
Xue Yao raised his hand, about to wipe away the teardrops at the corner of the young prince’s eye when a warning flashed in his mind: 【Lu Qian’s sense of security -1】.
“Oh!” Xue Yao hastily withdrew his hand.
“What’s wrong?” The Sixth Prince tilted his head in confusion.
“It’s nothing… it’s nothing,” Xue Yao struggled to express his discomfort.
What could have happened to the chubby cub?
During this time… weren’t the palace maids supposed to have fed him on schedule?
Following the Crown Prince’s journey to Hangzhou, the grain ships had yet to arrive.
This was Xue Yao’s idea as well. If news of their urgent grain procurement had already leaked, they needed to appear nonchalant.
It was the second day after landing that they officially set out to explore the grain merchants.
This time, Xue Yao and the eunuch accompanied the Crown Prince, who would only step in during the final negotiations for the delivery.
Similar to their trip to Jinling, they first selected a medium-sized grain merchant to inquire about prices.
Upon hearing that they had a big deal to discuss, the shop assistant promptly summoned the shop manager.
Respected Elder Liu maintained his usual seasoned demeanor. “Our lord wishes to transport a batch of grain to the northern regions. We’ve heard praises of your establishment’s reputation from local acquaintances, so we’ve come to pay a visit. We’d like to discuss a substantial business transaction with your manager.”
Xue Yao had considered various possibilities, thinking that these Zhejiang merchants might adopt an indifferent attitude and intentionally quote a high price.
However, reality defied his expectations.
“A major deal? How much grain does the honorable guest require?” The shop manager displayed an exceptionally humble attitude, using northern dialect. “What a coincidence. Some time ago, we had merchants from the capital come here for grain purchases. Our grain inventory has been fully committed, and the remaining stocks are only enough for retail sales until next year. We’re afraid our grain business this year won’t accommodate other large transactions. We can only hope that our honorable guests will visit us next year.”
Respected Elder Liu’s expression changed, and he turned to Xue Yao with a surprised look.
Xue Yao exchanged a similarly astonished gaze with him.
“Other merchants from the capital have been buying grain?” Xue Yao asked.
The manager answered truthfully, “Indeed, I’m not entirely sure about the details, but judging by their accents, they seemed to be merchants from the capital.”
“How much grain did they purchase?” Respected Elder asked urgently.
The shop manager smiled, considering this a matter of customer privacy, and thus he couldn’t disclose specifics. “Those two capital merchants urgently procured a large quantity of grain. They didn’t only patronize our establishment but also sent representatives to Jiangsu to acquire a batch of grain from other grain merchants to supply to them.”
The eunuch’s face turned pale in an instant.
The situation was completely different from what he had anticipated!
If these Zhejiang merchants had intended to hoard grain and drive up prices, that would have been a different matter.
If all the grain had been bought by someone else, that would be disastrous!
Last year, many regions suffered natural disasters, and the grain harvest in Henan and Huguang areas was collected by the Ministry of Revenue. Only the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions had surplus. If that surplus was also taken away, it would be terrible!
The frantic eunuch asked directly, “You just mentioned that the grain was booked by the capital merchants. Does that mean these merchants haven’t made full payment yet?”
“Oh…” The manager politely smiled again. Since the deal had been negotiated and the customer had paid a deposit, the specific transaction details had to be kept confidential on behalf of the client. He replied vaguely, “A partial exchange has already taken place, but the cargo ships have not all arrived.”
Xue Yao felt that the situation was completely different from what he had imagined. At this moment, he couldn’t afford to act hastily and needed to return to discuss it further.
However, Respected Elder Liu was already impatient.
Fearing that he might be burdened with a task assigned by the Emperor, he had tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Respected Elder Liu gritted his teeth and said to the manager, “What do you mean the cargo ships haven’t all arrived? I think they’re short on cash and want to hold onto the goods first! Our lord brought plenty of silver to Hangzhou for grain collection. Tell me, what price did you offer them?”
“Oh,” the manager smiled and didn’t hide the truth. “690 copper coins per stone.”
Respected Elder Liu was taken aback. “They bought medium-quality rice?”
The manager nodded. “Yes, it’s medium to lower quality.”
“Ridiculous!” Respected Elder Liu was so infuriated that his mouth twisted. He slammed the table. “You’re selling medium-grade rice in large quantities at a price higher than the market rate? Do you think our lord is a fool!”
The manager also stood up. “Please, calm down. This deal indeed caught us by surprise, and our grain inventory is indeed insufficient. If there’s still a need next year, we welcome our honorable guest to return.”
“You…” Respected Elder wanted to taunt further but was interrupted by Xue Yao.
In a hushed voice, Xue Yao reminded him, “Let’s go back first, Respected Elder. This matter is definitely not simple. We need to investigate thoroughly before taking action. The more challenging the situation, the more we must avoid acting recklessly.”
Thinking about how he couldn’t even find a decent price for medium to upper-grade rice in Jinling, and now these Zhejiang merchants had raised the price by over a hundred copper coins, Respected Elder Liu’s face turned as red as a pig’s liver. He didn’t have the face to argue with Xue Yao any further.
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