The matters in Jin Wang’s manor wouldn’t yield results in just a day or two, so for now, Mingxi put them aside and waited for news.
Two days later, there was progress on Fengcheng Marquis’s situation. In the end, the emperor didn’t feel at ease sending him back to Yuxiang City, nor did he assign him to the northern frontier. Instead, he was sent east to suppress sea bandits.
Xiao Muchen was furious and returned home, complaining to Mingxi for half the day, still unable to quell the fire in his heart.
Mingxi could see how upset he was and understood—this move from the emperor had truly wounded his heart.
“Zhang Gelao is quite cunning—leveraging power against power. On the surface, he appears to be a loyal subject, but in truth, he used Royal Father’s trust to push Fengcheng Marquis to the East Sea,” Mingxi said gently.
Xiao Muchen looked up at her, hearing her hit the nail on the head. “Yes. No one else sees through Zhang Gelao’s true nature, but you do.”
Mingxi smiled. It wasn’t that she saw through him—she just remembered from her past life. Zhang Gelao had always supported only Jin Wang. He was an old fox—cunning and patient. When the political winds were uncertain, he served the emperor faithfully to earn his trust.
In her past life, there was no incident of the Crown Prince being imprisoned, and Zhang Gelao only came forward to save Jin Wang when the Crown Prince tried to have him executed.
But this life was different. The Crown Prince had been placed under house arrest, and now Jin Wang held all the advantages. Zhang Gelao simply took the chance to give things a push. It wasn’t surprising.
Of course, Mingxi knew all this because she retained memories from her previous life. Xiao Muchen did not—he naturally couldn’t know the background.
Now that Zhang Gelao had suddenly added insult to injury, striking unexpectedly, it was only natural for Xiao Muchen to be furious.
What made him angrier was that the emperor actually approved it.
Mingxi was about to speak and offer advice when Xiao Muchen said, “Now that things have come to this, I can only use the situation to my advantage.”
“Use the situation to your advantage?” Mingxi looked at him. “What do you plan to do?”
“Since Zhang Gelao wants to send his trusted men to Yuxiang City, then I’ll give him a hand,” Xiao Muchen said, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
“Xiao Lin is still in Yuxiang City. We’ll probably need his cooperation for this.”
Mentioning Xiao Lin made Xiao Muchen sigh. “With Fengcheng Marquis off to the East Sea, leaving Xiao Lin in Yuxiang City was originally a good arrangement. But now that Zhang Gelao wants to take over, he’ll definitely target Xiao Lin. If Xiao Lin were just a regular general, it wouldn’t matter. But he’s the son of a royal—that complicates things.”
“You’re saying that if Zhang Gelao acts again, Royal Father might go along with it?”
“Highly likely.”
“Even if he wants to act, he’d need his men to reach Yuxiang City first and get a feel for the place before making a move. That should buy us some time.”
Xiao Muchen heard this and asked, “You have an idea?”
“Snakes have their paths, and rats have their runs. I may not have solutions for court politics, but we merchant families have our own methods,” Mingxi said.
Xiao Muchen suddenly recalled when she sent You Sanping to the south. He looked at her. “You thought this far ahead, even back then?”
“Not really. I just wanted to leave you a way out—never expected it would really come in handy.” Mingxi had suffered much in her past life and was more cautious in this one.
Xiao Muchen was silent for a moment, then looked at her. “I thought once you married me, you’d have it easier. I didn’t expect…”
“Are you trying to say we should divide responsibilities—your path is your path, mine is mine?”
Xiao Muchen immediately shut his mouth.
Mingxi smiled softly. “Down in Qinan, because we’ve been secretly trading with some merchants, life for the border people has gradually stabilized. That’s why there have been fewer conflicts. But if we block the trade routes again—what do you think will happen?”
Xiao Muchen instantly understood her meaning. His eyes lit up. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Because you’re a gentleman, upright and forthright. I’m different—I’m a woman, and my priority is winning.”
Xiao Muchen knew she was trying to comfort him in a roundabout way. He took her hand. “Of course not. If not for me, you wouldn’t have to go to such lengths. I’ll have someone contact You Sanping. Since he handled it before, he’s still the best choice.”
Mingxi agreed. “He’s at the horse farm. Send him a letter and see what he says. If he came back so confidently, he must’ve left someone there.”
Just a handwritten note and a seal from You Sanping would be enough.
“Then we’ll do as you say.” Xiao Muchen didn’t know much about business matters, but Mingxi did—so he naturally listened to his wife.
At this moment, Mingxi added with a smile, “Sending Fengcheng Marquis to the East Sea is actually perfect. We can make money again.”
Xiao Muchen: …
“You’re thinking about sea transport?” he asked.
Mingxi shook her head. “Fengcheng Marquis just arrived at the East Sea—he’ll be closely watched. The profits from maritime trade are enormous; he can’t get involved right now.”
“Since that’s the case, how do you plan to make money?” Xiao Muchen asked, a little puzzled.
“Inland river merchant ships,” Mingxi replied. “Items needed in the city like firewood, charcoal, bamboo and timber, tangerines, hickory nut pastries—local specialty goods used in daily life—and seafood and dried fish from coastal prefectures, all travel inland from the coast via large sea ships sailing up the Ganluo River against the current to reach various places.
Inland river boats, because some river channels and sandbanks are slightly elevated, find it quite difficult to sail upstream. So, most of them simply gather at the ferry docks along the main riverbanks.
Many large inland prefectures have large populations, many markets, and easy ways to make money. People there are curious about all kinds of things and have silver to spend. As a result, all kinds of merchant boats, small cargo boats, even sea ships and fishing boats from various coastal areas gather together. Then the goods are transported through inland waterways and sold everywhere. Over time, the riverside docks near the coast gradually turned into hubs for goods transported by boat.”
By this point, Xiao Muchen already understood what Mingxi was getting at. If things went as smoothly as she described, it would indeed be highly profitable.
And it would benefit the country and the people.
Xiao Muchen looked at Mingxi with shining eyes. “How are you so smart? You can even come up with ideas like this?”
“I grew up in Jiangcheng, I’m familiar with all this,” Duan Mingxi said cheerfully. “My Father started his career on ships. Business at sea has high profit margins, but it’s also high-risk. Many times, you’re relying on the weather. If a storm hits, the danger is very real.”
“So, you’re thinking of having Marquis Fengcheng build a ferry dock?”
“Marquis Fengcheng has been ordered to suppress the pirates. He has to have a base along the coast. If the funds the court allocates aren’t enough, wouldn’t he have to raise silver himself?”
This kind of thing wasn’t unheard of for the court to do!
“Zhang Gelao is surely going to choke Fengcheng Marquis by controlling this very point. He won’t let him grow powerful in the East Sea.”
“Which is why—if the court doesn’t provide the money, our opportunity comes.”
Once the ferry dock is built, silver will fly in like it’s grown wings.
“Once the dock is established, who manages it will also be a crucial matter,” said Xiao Muchen. “Since Father-in-law has experience, why not send him to the East Sea? What do you think?”
“My Father?” Mingxi froze for a moment. She hadn’t expected Xiao Muchen to suggest that.
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