A Thousand-Mile Exile, An Encounter with an Old Friend - Chapter 25

“That old man agreed so quickly?” A flicker of surprise crossed Zhu Qinghou’s eyes. He had assumed Li Zhen possessed little influence in Yejing, but it seemed he was mistaken.

The long wind of the grasslands whistled by, stirring the vast green fields into waves of swaying grass. Occasionally, bits of debris blew onto Zhu Qinghou’s face, which he casually brushed away.

“Mm.” Li Zhen offered no explanation, merely stating in a measured tone, “Yejing has dispatched people to negotiate the details.”

Rather than “negotiate,” it was more accurate to say “supervise.”

Having spent much of his life in the political arena, Zhu Qinghou saw through the court’s intentions instantly. He asked offhandedly, “Who is coming?”

Unsurprisingly, the arrivals would likely belong to the Crown Prince’s faction. Given Li Jue’s temperament, the mere mention of Yongzhou opening trade would have sent him into a frantic spin, terrified that Li Zhen might find a way to stage a comeback.

He guessed correctly.

Li Zhen said flatly, “The Xiao family of Lanling.”

Speak of the devil. Zhu Qinghou’s eyes narrowed slightly. He squinted against the sunlight, looking toward that splash of yellow and green running wild beneath the vast sky in the distance.

“How far away are they?” Zhu Qinghou asked softly.

“They have already reached Yongzhou.”

The envoy team pulled on their reins, and the carriage came to a slow halt on the boundless grassland. An attendant approached the carriage and reported respectfully.

Inside the carriage sat the eldest son of the Lanling Xiao clan, the current Supervising Censor, Xiao Shengjue.

He had volunteered for this inspection mission to Yongzhou for two reasons: to keep an eye on the Prince of Su, and for a private motive.

“Our young master is truly devoted,” two attendants whispered among themselves. “For a criminal slave, he traveled thousands of miles to Yongzhou, willing to overlook her family’s crimes and take her as a concubine.”

The only daughter of the Zhu clan had once been the most radiant “Liu-Jade” of Yejing, pursued by countless noble sons. Now, she was merely a lowly commoner with a criminal record; being able to serve as their master’s concubine was considered a blessing from her past lives.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Shengjue recalled Zhu Liujun’s face.

Strangely enough, he had planned to quietly spirit her away in a small sedan chair after the Zhu family fell to keep her safe. Yet, that rogue Zhu Qinghou had left behind hidden contingencies; many in Yejing seemed to be under a spell, protecting Zhu Liujun and denying him any chance to act.

Now that Zhu Qinghou was in the Prince of Su’s hands, he was likely already dust. This trip would be well worth it—he could watch the Prince for the Crown Prince and claim his beauty at the same time.

At the thought, Xiao Shengjue became impatient. “Upon entering the city, we go first to pay our respects to the Prince of Su.”

“They will certainly come to see you first. Have you thought about how to ‘entertain’ them?”

Zhu Qinghou maintained his usual lazy posture, but his tone carried a hint of cunning.

Li Zhen pushed a scroll toward him, answering with a question: “How do you think they should be entertained?”

Zhu Qinghou took it and realized it contained a detailed record of Xiao Shengjue’s group—their backgrounds and roles, documented without a single omission.

“You had scouts planted around them already?” A note of surprise touched Zhu Qinghou’s voice. After reading it thoroughly, he hatched a plan. He closed the scroll and smiled. “I was just worrying about where to find the money to open the trade markets. Well, look at that—the ‘walking purses’ have arrived.”

Li Zhen lifted his gaze toward him and asked calmly, “You want money?”

“Naturally. The Xiao family clings to the Empress Dowager and the Eastern Palace; they must have pocketed a fortune. If I don’t squeeze them for a bit, wouldn’t that be a waste?” Zhu Qinghou was full of enthusiasm, not overthinking Li Zhen’s words.

Li Zhen was quiet for a moment, his fingers subtly brushing against the fabric of his robes. “…Is it only they who have money in this world?”

Abruptly reminded, Zhu Qinghou had an epiphany. “You’re right! The Eastern Palace must have plenty of silver as well. I’ll have to squeeze them for all they’re worth!”

Li Zhen: “…”

Zhu Qinghou didn’t notice the Prince’s silence. He clapped his hands, a plan forming in his mind within seconds, and let out a delighted, low laugh.

Tinkle, tinkle. The sound of flowing water was rhythmic and clear.

White porcelain cups wobbled as they drifted down a small indoor stream. Simple palace lanterns cast shimmering, scaly light upon the water’s surface.

Xiao Shengjue and his companions sat on their floor mats, looking at the meager meal before them. Their expressions were sour. Was the famous Prince of Su truly this poor? Or was he intentionally slighting them?

Zhu Qinghou leaned against the balcony above, looking down at their barely concealed disgust. He almost burst out laughing.

He then looked at Li Zhen in the seat of honor. The Prince’s expression was calm, his movements slow and deliberate.

—He looked like someone who had long since grown accustomed to such humble fare.

Xiao Shengjue and the others exchanged glances, wondering if they were being too cynical. Perhaps the Prince of Su wasn’t being rude; perhaps he really lived like this.

The meal tasted like wax to the guests, making it nearly impossible to swallow. Zhu Qinghou, meanwhile, watched with great relish as he slowly enjoyed his own exquisite meal in the shadows.

If they were going to play poor, they had to commit to the act.

Over the next few days, Xiao Shengjue and his party discussed the trade markets with Li Zhen in the study. Establishing markets beyond the border and coordinating with the Wei people were tasks that required massive amounts of silver.

Li Zhen simply remained silent. Gradually, the guests began to catch on.

Good heavens, the Prince of Su really is broke.

Regarding the ownership rights of the trade markets, Xiao Shengjue felt a surge of ambition. He wanted to get his foot in the door to score a major achievement for the Crown Prince. However, this was Li Zhen’s fief. As the saying goes, “the mountains are high and the Emperor is far away” no matter how much silver the Crown Prince had, his reach shouldn’t extend here.

Just as he was hesitating, the scouts sent by Yongzhou to investigate the trade locations returned with maps and meticulous details. The potential for profit from trading with the Wei was staggering; it wasn’t just a small gain, it was a literal mountain of wealth falling from the sky.

Even so, Xiao Shengjue wavered.

It wasn’t until he learned that the Prince had started soliciting private funds collecting tens of thousands in just a few days—that he finally couldn’t sit still.

Inside the study.

Zhu Qinghou sat beside Li Zhen, casually flipping through the documents on the desk. Lately, Li Zhen had been very cooperative. If Zhu Qinghou wanted records written, they were written; if he wanted silver raised, it was raised. It was almost surprising.

Could the ‘Child’ parasite actually be controlling the ‘Mother’ parasite in reverse, making Li Zhen obey me?

Zhu Qinghou was used to people following his lead, so despite a flicker of doubt, he didn’t dwell on it. After all, this plan benefited the Prince’s manor. Unless Li Zhen was a fool, he would know to follow the plan.

Just then, a soldier reported: “Your Highness, the Supervising Censor requests an audience.”

Xiao Shengjue had arrived.

He was granted entry. Not long after he sat down, he sensed something unusual.

There seemed to have been someone else in the study. A faint, lingering scent of night-blooming cereus floated in the air—ethereal and suggestive. Furthermore, on the armchair next to the Prince, a purple fox-fur cloak was draped. He wondered who could possibly be allowed to sit so brazenly by the Prince’s side.

Pushing the thought aside, Xiao Shengjue respectfully stated his business.

For some reason, even though he knew the Prince was “poor,” sitting before him made Xiao Shengjue feel inexplicably small. He had the uncanny sensation of being watched by a predator. A chill ran down his spine, and his survival instincts screamed at him to flee.

The Prince remained silent for a while before finally speaking. “Silver? This Prince does not lack it.”

Xiao Shengjue stared at his own toes, not daring to look at the eyes hidden by the white silk. Not lacking it? You’re clearly just implying it’s not enough.

It made sense; securing the rights to the trade markets wouldn’t be easy. Good things were meant to be fought for. If he had obtained it too easily, he would have suspected a trap.

“Thirty thousand taels,” Xiao Shengjue said. “Plus, my team will personally oversee the construction so Your Highness need not worry. What say you?”

Thirty thousand taels was the maximum amount he could mobilize on short notice. Compared to the potential profits, it was a drop in the bucket.

The Prince remained as still as a mountain. Behind the screen to his left, a shadow seemed to flicker. Before Xiao Shengjue could look closer, the Prince spoke: “Thirty thousand taels?”

His voice was incredibly flat and low, making it impossible to read his tone. Was it a question of disdain, or was he surprised by such a high price?

Xiao Shengjue couldn’t be sure. He went through several possibilities in his head before falling silent, waiting for the Prince’s reaction.

However.

After saying those three words, the Prince went silent.

The massive study was plunged into a deathly stillness. Even the muffled sound of a bell from behind the screen became clearly audible.

Behind the screen, Zhu Qinghou suddenly gripped the bell in his hair to stop it from ringing.

Xiao Shengjue looked toward the screen in confusion, only to hear another chime from the other side. He turned to see the Prince holding a purple jade bell, idly toying with it.

The sound had come from there.

Did I mishear earlier?

Xiao Shengjue didn’t have time to dwell on the interlude. He waited another few heartbeats. Seeing that the Prince still hadn’t responded, sweat began to bead on the back of his neck. He grew increasingly tense, feeling as though he had already lost the upper hand.

He hesitated, then glanced at the jade bell in the Prince’s hand. It inexplicably reminded him of a certain beautiful, arrogant figure. Gritting his teeth, he increased his offer, trying to persuade the Prince.

If the money came from them, they would naturally manage all affairs. Every blade of grass and every beam of wood in the trade market would be under their jurisdiction. Once the market opened and international trade began, wouldn’t recouping the silver be as easy as turning a palm?

Zhu Qinghou let go of the bell and casually shook it again.

Xiao Shengjue, his nerves already frayed, instinctively looked toward the screen again. His suspicion deepened. He felt certain someone was behind that screen.

…And that person was Zhu Qinghou.

Hearing the bell again, Xiao Shengjue’s mind jolted. He looked back at the Prince and saw the bell swaying in his hand. His racing heart finally settled.

I must have misheard.

After much persuasion, the Prince finally gave a slight nod. His voice was faint, and if one listened closely, it carried a hint of resignation. “Very well.”

Xiao Shengjue breathed a secret sigh of relief. It was a strange thing—when the Zhu family fell, the house-search hadn’t yielded much silver. They had razed the entire estate and dug three feet deep, but the total amount found was less than a thousand taels.

After Zhu Qingping was executed by slow slicing, the Crown Prince’s advisors spent three days and nights calculating the accounts of the Department of State Affairs, only to find the treasury was shockingly empty.

The outside world thought they had struck it rich by raiding the Zhus. Only they knew there was no money.

The most urgent task now was to earn some silver for the Eastern Palace.

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