Chapter 57
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The two hurriedly returned to report the situation to the Crown Prince.
“It’s these deceitful merchants who have set a trap for us!” Respected Elder Liu continuously wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck with a handkerchief. “Your Highness, gathering this batch of grain isn’t just for lending relief to the disaster-hit counties in Shanxi. Half of it is surplus, ample for a year’s turnover in the newly established warehouses. Besides yourself, who else would abruptly gather such a substantial amount of grain? It must be a false play orchestrated by those cunning merchants. What’s even more laughable is that they claim the merchants from the capital are willing to pay seven hundred copper coins per stone for the mid-quality grain, which is even more expensive than the market price. Who has so much money burning in their pockets!”
“Do they want to swindle us?” The Crown Prince looked at Xue Yao.
“In my humble opinion, this matter might not necessarily be orchestrated by the Zhejiang merchants,” Xue Yao replied, “Based on our previous assumptions, if someone leaked the urgent news of Your Highness’ grain procurement, even if the Zhejiang merchants had the audacity to make a hefty profit, they would have been prepared early, buying grain at low prices in batches from Jinling City.”
In reality, overnight, the Zhejiang merchants, regardless of cost, purchased a large amount of grain from the hands of their fellow merchants in Jinling City. If this was just to inflate grain prices, the risk seemed too great.
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. “Are you suggesting that there are indeed these so-called capital merchants who, before me, had negotiated deals with them, causing them to spare no expense in procuring grain?”
“Exactly,” Xue Yao analyzed, “Today, I heard the grain shop manager say that the capital merchants are buying grain at six hundred and ninety copper coins per stone. Only at this price would the Zhejiang merchants be willing to pay an exorbitant price of five hundred and ninety copper coins from their fellow merchants in Jinling. Without such confidence, these Zhejiang merchants would not dare to take such a huge risk.”
Respected Elder Liu didn’t agree, “For the sake of profit, what wouldn’t these deceitful merchants do? Who’s foolish enough to spend six hundred and ninety copper coins in large quantities for grain? This group of Zhejiang grain merchants acted in a coordinated manner, emptying Jinling City of its grain, just to make us offer a price higher than six hundred and ninety copper coins, so they can compete with the capital merchants they’ve concocted!”
Xue Yao ignored him and continued to look at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince asked Xue Yao, “Are there any other signs that can prove the existence of these capital merchants who, before us, used a sky-high price to buy grains in Zhejiang?”
The Crown Prince had hit the mark, and Xue Yao immediately responded, “It’s the attitude of the grain shop manager, his approach to doing business — no airs, no attempts to keep us in suspense, neither humble nor arrogant, calm and composed. These aren’t the traits of a cunning merchant holding a pile of goods, trying every trick to ensnare people.”
“This simply means he’s the most cunning among cunning merchants,” Respected Elder Liu objected, “He might have fooled you, but he can’t fool our household!”
Xue Yao respectfully said to the Crown Prince, “Given the gravity of the situation, relying solely on my personal judgment isn’t enough. I hope Your Highness will deign to visit the grain shop and inquire directly.”
“Very well, let’s assume there really are capital merchants willing to pay a price higher than retail, to buy a large quantity of grain,” the Crown Prince said, “Aren’t the Zhejiang grain merchants afraid that something unusual might be afoot? You mentioned earlier that the capital merchants only paid a deposit. Aren’t the Zhejiang merchants concerned that they might change their minds? Could these capital merchants be agents sent by Jinling grain merchants, specifically to deceive them into buying grain at a high price in Jinling?”
Xue Yao honestly responded, “I can’t speculate on that, but judging by the proprietor’s reverence for the capital merchants, it’s likely that the other party holds some significant status. Perhaps there’s something about him that gives these Zhejiang merchants confidence.”
The Crown Prince fell into deep thought.
Respected Elder Liu whispered a suggestion, “Why don’t we remain idle for now and put some pressure on him? No matter what kind of capital merchants they are, it’s not easy for them to come up with a million taels of silver just like that.”
“The problem is we can’t afford to wait any longer.” The Crown Prince exhaled heavily. “In another half a month, most of the disaster-stricken counties’ farmers will turn to landlords and wealthy merchants for loans. The effectiveness of the new reform will be severely compromised.”
Respected Elder Liu nervously proposed, “How about we, in the name of disaster relief for the court, request the Zhejiang merchants to postpone their other businesses and sell rice and grain to us at a modest profit?”
“Do you want the new reform to become a laughingstock?” One of the Crown Prince’s advisors argued, “During the trial period of the new reform, we need to prove to His Majesty that we don’t need to exert pressure in the name of the court, and it doesn’t hinder private trade. We rely on advantages like convenient transportation and slim profits to benefit the people while filling the treasury.”
The Crown Prince fell into deep thought.
The people in the hall immediately held their breath, waiting for his command.
“Withdraw all of you and summon Xu Liang and Zhang Qing to meet me,” the Crown Prince said, and then walked to sit by the tea table.
After Xue Yao left, he thought that these Xu and Zhang fellows were among the Crown Prince’s top-notch bodyguards.
Summoning these two was likely for a secret investigation or interrogation task.
The Crown Prince might be trying to uncover the true identity of the so-called “capital merchants.”
•••
Inside the imperial palace training ground.
The Fifth Prince sparred with the swordsmanship instructor for dozens of rounds. His arms and the outer sides of his thighs were swollen from the instructor’s cane, while his own sword never once touched the instructor’s armor.
Exhausted to the point that he could barely lift his arms, the Fifth Prince turned to call out to the Seventh Prince, who was playing chess in the nearby pavilion, “Old Seventh, come up and have a few rounds.”
“Won’t.” The Seventh Prince wasn’t one to give Fifth Brother much face.
“Hey!” The Fifth Prince turned and walked over, visibly upset, reprimanding his younger brother, “You’re always lazing around, never understanding the joy of martial arts. Look at me, sweating buckets, sparring with Instructor Li for dozens of rounds, evenly matched. It’s absolutely exhilarating!”
The Seventh Prince chuckled lightly. “Never seen you win once. Big Brother just keeps getting thrashed.”
“Nonsense!” the Fifth Prince protested, “You’ve been fixated on the chessboard, when did you see us sparring?”
The Seventh Prince placed a black piece on the board. “Been listening.”
“Can you tell who’s winning by just listening?”
“The sound of the cane whipping and the sound of swords meeting leather are different.” The Seventh Prince had been sitting here for half an hour, only hearing Fifth Brother getting struck by the cane. He couldn’t face the battle and had a eunuch bring the chessboard.
The Fifth Prince’s face immediately turned red.
Old Seventh, this chubby little rascal, always managed to startle his older brother from time to time.
Unlike other children, Old Seventh often seemed more naive and out of touch with human emotions than kids his age. But in certain situations, he displayed an unusual level of insight.
The Fifth Prince, eager to regain his dignity as the older brother, hurriedly explained, “You see, Instructor Li comes from a background of great generals. Although I might have a slight edge in strength and reflexes, my experience falls far behind his. He can anticipate each move before I even strike. I just need more real combat practice. Now, look at yourself, you never participate in training. Every time, you only scramble at the last minute when Eldest Brother is assessing us. Sooner or later, it’ll backfire on you. Stand up and spar with the instructor for a couple of rounds to gain more experience.”
“The roasted lamb leg is almost ready,” the Seventh Prince announced as the dishes were about to be served. Training would have to wait.
“You can eat after we’re done training!” The Fifth Prince didn’t waste time and grabbed the Seventh Prince’s wrist.
The Seventh Prince looked up at Fifth Brother for a moment, then immediately pouted, bent over, and clutched his lower abdomen. “Awww!”
“They’ve stopped applying the ointments on you, and you’re still pretending? You want to feign illness forever with such a minor injury?” The Fifth Prince was eager to let his younger brother experience Instructor Li’s prowess, to save face. Without further ado, he dragged his sibling onto the training field.
So, after a three-month hiatus, Instructor Li faced the Seventh Prince once again.
Instructor Li found this little prince quite irritating because the Seventh Prince was unlike the Fifth Prince, who was all about “real combat.” This plump roly-poly liked to “play dirty.”
Specifically, the Seventh Prince didn’t enjoy facing an opponent head-on. He always danced around, wore down his opponents’ patience, and then launched a surprise attack out of the blue, not following conventional strategies.
Furthermore, despite the Seventh Prince appearing fair and plump, his agility was surprisingly nimble. He was the sprightliest chubby fellow Instructor Li had ever encountered!
So, before their duel this time, Instructor Li gave a little introduction, “Your Highness, let’s have a sincere sword fight. In actual combat, you’ll encounter arrows flying and enemies swinging their swords wildly. There won’t be ample space for you to dodge around or take shortcuts.”
The Seventh Prince narrowed his tea-colored eyes, eyeing the instructor with a smirk. “If your grandpa can dodge your sword, naturally, those arrows and swinging blades are easy to evade.”
Instructor Li was evidently displeased with the young prince’s arrogance but, due to his status, couldn’t dampen his spirits directly. He could only retort, “Your Highness, as a man, why do you always prefer a defensive strategy?”
The Seventh Prince revealed two small, sharp teeth in a mischievous smile, lowered his head, and stared at his own sword. “The way you all willingly walk into a trap is quite entertaining.”
“What did you say?” The instructor didn’t catch that.
The Seventh Prince suddenly raised an eyebrow, “No more dodging this time. Your Highness’ roasted lamb leg shouldn’t get cold.”
With this statement, Instructor Li understood clearly. As a seasoned warrior, his fighting spirit was ignited, and he shouted, “Watch my moves!”
Instructor Li flicked his cane and attacked the Seventh Prince!
The Seventh Prince’s left ear twitched slightly, his eyes showing a hint of puzzlement.
Faced with the instructor’s close-range attack, the sensation became even clearer.
The flow of energy around the instructor surged.
Since recovering from the lower abdominal injury, the Seventh Prince had noticed that things were somewhat different around him.
When he focused on a specific point, everything around him seemed to slow down.
Even the fluttering wings of a flying insect moved in slow motion.
The Seventh Prince could feel the airflow caused by the wing vibrations, effortlessly anticipating the trajectory of the flying insect through careful analysis of these airflow changes.
No need to rely on his eyes.
At this moment, intensely focused on the instructor, the Seventh Prince could feel the invisible airflow surrounding him.
The cane thrust towards his left shoulder, but the airflow from the instructor’s wrist and ankle collided in the opposite direction.
It was a feint. He planned to attack from the right.
The instructor feigned a move. His wrist quickly aimed for the prince’s right shoulder.
To everyone’s surprise, the sluggish young prince didn’t move to the right but instead shifted to the left, as if he had anticipated the instructor’s attack pattern.
How was this even possible!
Just as the instructor was about to regain control, his right hand holding the cane suddenly felt a heavy grip from the young prince. He yanked it forward with astonishing force!
“Thud!“
Suddenly, a powerful slap struck his right shoulder, and the instructor toppled to the ground. As he regained his composure and lifted his eyes, he saw his cane being held upside down in someone’s hand.
Following the cane upwards, the Seventh Prince, with a lowered head and a blank expression, fixed his gaze on him.
“You’ve become slower than before,” the Seventh Prince said with some disappointment.
Instructor Li: “…………”
It was clear that this young guy hadn’t followed the usual moves!
Upholding the dignity of a martial artist, Instructor Li was ready for a rematch.
However, the Seventh Prince had already caught a whiff of the scent of roasted lamb leg. He returned the cane and dashed away from the training ground.
The Fifth Prince’s inner turmoil was simply unbearable.
He wondered if this instructor had received some favors from Consort Xi since he seemed to let the Seventh Prince off the hook every time.
In the past, at least, there used to be a little game of cat and mouse, with some chasing before letting up. But today, the instructor was unexpectedly knocked down by Old Seventh in a single move!
Where could Fifth Brother’s dignity possibly go!
He turned his head to look at his chubby little seventh brother—
The Seventh Prince had pulled a dagger from his pocket and had already started slicing the lamb leg.
That dagger…
“Isn’t this the dagger Eldest Brother gave us?” The Fifth Prince erupted in anger. “How could you use this dagger to cut meat?”
The Seventh Prince, while slicing the meat, looked up at his Fifth Brother. “Your grandpa uses it to cut beef too.”
“Not beef either!” The Fifth Prince angrily pointed at the dagger. “This was a longsword used by our front-line soldiers to behead the leaders of the Wokou pirates. After it was captured and reforged, it was divided into seven daggers. How can you use it to cut meat? Its blade represents the might of the Great Qi Iron Cavalry, its tip delivering a stern warning to the coastal invaders!”
The Seventh Prince glanced at the dagger and asked in surprise, “It can talk, too?”
“That’s not the point!” The Fifth Prince snatched the dagger, picked up a cloth from the table, and carefully wiped away the oil stains from the blade. “Eldest Brother gave us this dagger, symbolizing his deep affection for us.”
“Who would give someone they like a dagger?” The Seventh Prince began tearing the lamb meat with his bare hands.
“What’s wrong with daggers?” The Fifth Prince glanced disapprovingly at his younger brother. “What else do you suggest giving?”
The Seventh Prince’s peach-blossom eyes narrowed in a gentle smile as he spoke softly, “A rabbit.”
He raised an eyebrow and smiled proudly at his Fifth Brother. “Your granpda got a pure white rabbit, timid and not very fast, but Yaoyao likes it.”
The Fifth Prince blinked, recalling something, and asked, “Are you talking about the silly white rabbit that A’Yao sent to the Imperial Kitchen?”
The Seventh Prince’s hand, tearing at the lamb meat, froze in place, and the smile on his face disappeared. Face full of shock, he slowly looked up at the Fifth Prince!
“Wh… what’s wrong?” The Fifth Prince suddenly felt a strong sense of hostility.
•••
It had been two days, but the Crown Prince still ordered everyone to stay put.
The Sixth Prince knew his brother was in deep trouble. He had the Second Prince consult divinations and predict when the Zhejiang merchants would be willing to lower their prices.
The Second Prince mentioned that excessive divination might render it ineffective, so the Sixth Prince decided to have a casual chat with Xue Yao to alleviate his anxiety.
The two of them chatted about the autumn hunt before leaving the capital.
The Sixth Prince said, “Before departing, Seventh Brother even gave me a gray rabbit. I asked Aunt to take good care of it. I wonder if it has grown plump now.”
Xue Yao’s heart skipped a beat. “The Seventh Prince’s rabbit that he gave to you, you… you didn’t roast and eat it, did you?”
“How could I eat the rabbit Seventh Brother gave me!” The Sixth Prince vehemently argued, “That’s his sincere gesture. He only gives rabbits to close people, even Second Brother didn’t receive one. If I ate the rabbit he gave, what kind of big brother would I be!”
Xue Yao, face turning pale: “……”
Didn’t the chubby cub give the rabbit for the purpise of eating it?
【Lu Qian’s sense of security -5.】
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