Chapter 126 - Officials and Merchants Collude

On the other hand, Xie Shiyun was moved beyond measure when he heard that Ji Yuxian was willing to donate grain. He immediately exclaimed, “Eldest Young Master Ji, is what you said true?”

“Why would I dare to deceive my Lord?” Ji Yuxian smiled faintly.

“As expected, the Eldest Master is compassionate and kind. This minister will submit a memorandum to the Emperor tomorrow during the morning court. Eldest Master, you can anticipate a reward!” Xie Shiyun grinned, as though he had a hand in this charitable act.

Ji Yuxian shifted his eyes and looked at Zhu Hecheng. “Shopkeeper Zhu, you have not said a word yet. I wonder if you agree?. If you have any issues or difficulties regarding this, I definitely will not force you!”

The conversation had already reached this point; Xie Shiyun was present, and even the Emperor was involved. How could Zhu Hecheng reject the proposal? He could only plaster a smile on his face and say, “This old man naturally agrees. It is my honor to render my assistance to the people of Daliang, and share the burdens with His Majesty. How could I disagree?”

On the surface, Zhu Hecheng was all smiles, but his heart was aching and his chest was constricted, as though his heart had been dug out and placed on a barbeque pit to be roasted. His entire body was twitching in pain, and yet, he still had to conceal his agony and feign a radiant smile.

He loathed Ji Yuxian bitterly from the depths of his heart. It was fine if he wanted to be charitable, but why did he have to drag him down with him?

Under this situation, he had no grounds to reject Ji Yuxian’s proposal at all!

He had predicted that Ji Yuxian would not just invite him out to drink for free.

Instead, this one round of drinks had cost him half a million kilograms of grain, and it was too big of a loss!

How were half a million kilograms of grain normal to Ji Yuxian? It felt like flesh had been sliced out from his heart!

“Shopkeeper Zhu, you are such a kind-hearted person, I admire you. Here’s another toast to you!” When Ji Yuxian heard Zhu Hecheng’s agreement, he raised his wine glass and declared, his tone full of sincerity.

“As royal merchants, it is reasonable for us to serve the country!” Zhu Hecheng smirked dryly.

“This minister should be the one toasting both of you!” Xie Shiyun’s face was brimming with smiles. He imagined himself at court the next day, informing the Emperor about the Ji family and Zhu family’s grain donation. The Emperor would be very pleased, and might even reward himself. He was in a wonderful mood, his face flushed and glowing.

“The two of you have helped the court solve a very difficult problem, and at the same time, have saved hundreds of thousands of people. Your contributions are immeasurable. I must raise this glass of wine in honor of both of you!”

Ji Yuxian and Zhu Hecheng sounded in agreement and drank with Xie Shiyun.

Ji Yuxian put down the wine glass and continued nonchalantly, “One million kilograms of grain is not a small amount. Since it’s an emergency, we should transport it to the citizens of Xuzhou as soon as possible. This afternoon, I have already contacted the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency and commissioned them to help with the grain transportation. They understood that the grain is to save lives, and refused to accept a single piece of silver. They have also arranged for the best and speediest bodyguards for this job.”

“Good!” Xie Shiyun thumped the table emotionally. “In our nation’s time of need, Qinglong Bodyguard Agency’s display of empathy and reason speaks volumes of their manager’s compassion and loyalty. This minister would like to applaud them! I will relay all this to the Emperor tomorrow!”

Zhu Hecheng was in a daze, as his heart ached at the loss of his half a million kilograms of grain. He had not paid any attention to the agency that Ji Yuxian had hired for transportation.

“Shopkeeper Zhu!” Ji Yuxian’s long and narrow eyes swept past as he opened his mouth languidly.

“Ah?” Zhu Hecheng woke up from his trance. When he heard Ji Yuxian address him, his entire being shivered subconsciously. He hastily put on a smile and said, “Eldest Master, what’s the matter?”

“The citizens of Xuzhou are waiting for the life-saving grain. When will Shopkeeper Zhu’s half a million kilograms of grain be ready for dispatch?” Ji Yuxian asked with a smile.

Ji Yuxian had not even asked him if he owned half a million kilograms of grain, and instead questioned him when they could be dispatched. It was as though he had already concluded that he had sufficient grain in his granary. Zhu Hecheng was not given any leeway to delay, and could only swallow back his words.

Zhu Hecheng clenched his teeth and squeezed out a smile from his thick lips. “I will get my men to make preparations tomorrow. It should more or less be ready the following day!”

“Fabulous! Then I shall inform the people at the bodyguard agency to collect the grain from your granary the following day. Then, they will load the carriages swiftly and be on their way. With every day we save, it means one day less of starvation for the citizens.”

“Yes, yes! Eldest Master, you made thorough considerations.” Zhu Hecheng forced out a smile in agreement.

Once the matter relating to the grain was settled, the atmosphere in the suite seemed to become more harmonious. This was especially so for Xie Shiyun, who was in high spirits and started to converse enthusiastically.

The three men drank till a few hours before midnight, before going their separate ways.

Xie Shiyun’s servants had to support him as he made his way out, utterly drunk.

Ji Yuxian sent Xie Shiyun off in his horse carriage. He bid farewell to Zhu Hecheng at the entrance of the tavern, before each of them returned to their respective manors.

Zhu Hecheng was plagued with anxiety. Every drop of wine he drank that night was comparable to sprinkling hot oil on his chest, roasting him. How could he have the mood to return home? He ordered his carriage driver to make a U-turn at the end of the road and chased after Xie Shiyun.

The moment Xie Shiyun’s horse carriage reached the gates of the Xie Manor, Zhu Hecheng had arrived as well. He got off his carriage and hastily shouted, “Minister Xie, please hold up!”

Xie Shiyun turned back and was stunned for a moment. In his intoxication, his eyes were flushed red as he stammered, “Zhu… Shopkeeper Zhu… You… Why have you followed this minister… back to his manor? Are you too drunk to remember your way back home?”

How could Zhu Hecheng be in the mood to joke with him? He cautiously glanced around before hurriedly disclosing, “Minister Xie, let’s talk elsewhere!”

Xie Shiyun nodded his head and brought Zhu Hecheng into his manor. They sat down in his reception area and got his servants to serve some tea.

“What’s the issue?” Xie Shiyun was feeling exhausted in his inebriation and asked impatiently.

Zhu Hecheng knitted his brows and whispered, “Minister Xie, regarding today’s matter… Is there any room to back out?”

After reflecting, Zhu Hecheng still could not bear to part with his half a million kilograms of grain.

Xie Shiyun leaned back on his wide wooden chair. His complexion darkened when he heard this. “Shopkeeper Zhu, you don’t want to fork out half a million kilograms of grain?”

Zhu Hecheng said awkwardly, “It’s still half a million kilograms of grain. It gives me a headache!”

Xie Shiyun raised his head to stroke his mustache with a smile. “There’s no way out. You heard what Ji Yuxian said today, and made a promise in front of this minister here. How can you take back your words? Your family’s granary also has more than half a million kilograms of grain stored in Xuzhou, so it’s an appropriate time to take it out!”

Zhu Hecheng’s smile became much more respectful. “I have indeed made some profits at Xuzhou, but most of them were from bribes. Minister Xie, you should be very clear about this!”

Xie Shiyun’s complexion instantly became chilly, his eyes dimming considerably. “Shopkeeper Zhu, are you threatening this minister? You and Lord Shang Shu seem to share a close relationship. If something were to happen to me, Lord Shang Shu will be dragged down as well. I’m sure you’ll need to consider carefully how to give an account to Lord Shang Shu, Shopkeeper Zhu.”

Zhu Hecheng hastily replied, “Minister Xie, you have misunderstood, I did not have such an intention at all! No matter how stupid I am, I will not betray my friends and destroy my family’s path of retreat!”

Only then did Xie Shiyun’s complexion warm up slightly. “Shopkeeper Zhu’s family business has grown to such a scale, you must be a smart man! Regarding these half a million kilograms of grain, you can just consider it a sacrifice to avoid a crisis, Shopkeeper Zhu!”

Zhu Hecheng remained indignant. Why did he have to sacrifice his wealth?

“Minister Xie…”

“There’s no need to discuss any further. You’ve already made a promise; how can you go back on it?” Xie Shiyun interrupted Zhu Hecheng’s speech.

Zhu Hecheng had no other grounds to back out. He could only reply, “Yes, I understand!”

Xie Shiyun grinned and added, “Shopkeeper Zhu, you don’t have to be too heartbroken. Xuzhou is your turf, and the grain is heading to an area under your control. At most, you can just resort to your old methods!”

Zhu Hecheng’s brows twitched and his eyes instantly shined. He replied gratefully, “Thank you for the advice, my lord!”

Xie Shiyun yawned and got up to send his guest off. “This minister still needs to attend the morning court session. I shan’t hold you back, Shopkeeper Zhu!”

“Minister Xie, you should rest early. I shall take my leave!”

Zhu Hecheng stood up, and paid his respects, before turning around to leave.

He stepped out of the gates of the Xie Manor. Under the murkiness of the night sky, Zhu Hecheng’s pupils turned. His lips hooked into a glum smile, as he boarded his horse carriage with a cold grunt.

It was night-time at the Ji Manor

Su Jiu was still waiting in the study. When she saw Ji Yuxian return, she immediately went forward to receive him. She asked anxiously, “How is it?”

Ji Yuxian chuckled and pulled Su Jiu in by the hand. “Your husband is handling this! What is my wife still uneasy about?”

Happiness was written all over Su Jiu’s face. “It’s done? Zhu Hecheng agreed to donate grains?”

“Yes, with Xie Shiyun present, how could he dare to refuse?” Ji Yuxian nonchalantly raised his brows, his inundating phoenix eyes carrying a sense of devious elegance.

Su Jiu’s heart jumped for joy and she quickly replied, “Then I’ll get Ah Shu to prepare the best bodyguards tomorrow. We’ll depart as soon as possible!”

“Mm, this is an important matter. The bodyguards you select need to be trustworthy!” Ji Yuxian advised.

“Don’t worry, Ah Shu will consider this!” Su Jiu chirped. Her heart swelled with gratitude, and she took the initiative to wrap her arms around Ji Yuxian’s slender waist. She smiled and said, “I will not let you lose your half a million kilograms of grain in vain. I will get my men to calculate the cost and include it in your granary’s accounts!”

Ji Yuxian sent a sidelong glance at her in frustration. “Must my wife draw such a clear line between us?”

“That’s not….”

Just as Su Jiu spoke, the man suddenly bent over and pressed his wine-colored lips onto hers. He sucked her lips intimately and grunted, “What is mine is also my wife’s. Since this half a million kilograms of grain are forked out by the Ji Manor, it also comes from you. After all, I’m not letting go of this half a million kilograms of grain solely to resolve Qiao An’s problems. As a citizen of Daliang, it’s only right for me to make such a contribution!”

Su Jiu’s eyes were lucent, her eyes were overflowing with happiness as she tiptoed to plant a kiss on Ji Yuxian’s lips. “Alright, I will listen to you!”

Ji Yuxian lips instantly bloomed into a smile. He made a move and hugged Su Jiu, while muttering warmly, “Today, your husband got intoxicated. If my wife is truly grateful, she can serve her husband tonight!”

Su Jiu arms intertwined around his neck, and her heart was unspeakably carefree.

The next day, Su Jiu instructed Ah Shu to send a horse carriage over to the Zhu family’s granary to collect the grain.

She had initially predicted that Zhu Hecheng would appear extremely reluctant, and deliberately stall for time. However, what happened was beyond her expectations. He had readily loaded the grain onto the horse carriage and only raised one condition – That the managers from the Zhu Family would be allowed to follow the carriage to Xuzhou.

This request was not over the top. After all, their family had already forked out so much grain. It was reasonable for them to send their own man to oversee the transfer. Ah Shu hence readily agreed to it!

Drawing on the lesson they had learned prior, Ah Shu got his men to inspect every single bag of grain. They only loaded the bags of grain onto the carriage once they confirmed that everything was in order.

When the Emperor received Xie Shiyun’s memorandum at the morning court session, he was delighted as expected. He showered the Ji and Zhu families with high praises, and personally bestowed a written title to them, before instructing his attendants to send it to their respective manors.

The words he bestowed the Ji Manor were “A Model Benevolent Merchant”, and to the Zhu family, he bestowed the words “A Virtuous Merchant”.

When Zhu Hecheng received the imperial edict, he was ecstatic. He especially ordered his men to mount the Emperor’s graceful and simple calligraphy and display it above the gates of the Zhu family.

Ji Yuxian, on the other hand, behaved more inconspicuously. When he received it, he looked at it once, before asking Old Yu to store it aside safely.

Su Jiu giggled. “You make it look as though it is really easy to take advantage of Zhu Hecheng.”

Ji Yuxian smiled faintly. “I’m afraid he’s the one who’s having trouble sleeping!”

After all, he did not donate the grain out of his own free will. When he came to the realization that his half a million kilograms of grain were traded for a mere inscription, his heart would surely ache to the point of insomnia.

Su Jiu sprawled on the tabletop and subconsciously nibbled her fingertips as she continued, “But when our men from the bodyguard agency went to collect grain from the Zhu family, Zhu Hecheng did not make any excuses to stop us, and even loaded the grain readily. Why?”

Ji Yuxian frowned at her habit, and could not help but pull her into his embrace. He chided her gently, “How many times have I mentioned this? You are not to bite your fingernails!”

Su Jiu smiled smugly. “It’s a habit! Why do you think Zhu Hecheng suddenly came to accept this?”

Ji Yuxian went into deep contemplation for a minute. Suddenly, his phoenix eyes turned and he smiled warmly. “How could he be willing to part with his money? If he’s happy, there is naturally a reason for it.”

“What’s the reason?” Su Jiu asked.

“You’ll find out very soon!”

…

At the Imperial Palace, the Emperor was in good spirits. Given the Ji Manor donating grains, he started to pay more attention to Yu Zhaoyi and spent a few nights at her palace.

On the surface, Yu Zhaoyi was happy – but her attention was placed elsewhere. She purposely wore the jade bangle that the Emperor had bestowed to her as a gift and went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. When she saw Imperial Concubine Xian walk over, she intentionally flashed the bangle to flaunt the Emperor’s gift to the other concubines.

Imperial Concubine Xian took a peek at it, a hint of disdain flashing by her eyes. Just as she predicted, the Emperor chose to go to Imperial Concubine Xian’s palace that night instead.

It was only then that Yu Zhaoyi breathed a sigh of relief. Early the next day, she ordered her servants to send a set of jewelry embedded with halcyon gemstones to Imperial Concubine Xian.

Imperial Concubine Xian discerned that Yu Zhaoyi was tactful, and chose not to scheme against her.

On the other hand, Empress Dowager Xiao was displeased when she caught wind of this matter.

When the Emperor went to Fushou Palace to pay his respects that morning, Empress Dowager Xiao especially brought up this matter. She rebuked, “Yu Zhaoyi’s maternal family placed the country first, and helped share the burdens of the nation. As the Emperor, it is your job to pamper and dote on her, to win over her heart and not let it grow cold. But with just one word from Imperial Concubine Xian, you softened your heart and gave in to her. This is not right!”

The Emperor hurriedly bowed his head. “My royal mother has imparted an important lesson, your son has understood.”

“As an Imperial Concubine, it is downright outrageous for Imperial Concubine Xian to harbor jealousy against the women of the rear court!” Empress Dowager Xiao added.

When he heard Empress Dowager’s words, the Emperor agreed that Imperial Concubine Xian had become arrogant after receiving his favor, and tacitly decided to ignore her for a few days.

“Also, Imperial Concubine Rong has been serving by my side every day. She’s being filial in your place. You are not to forsake her!”

“Yes, your son will take note!”

At that moment, Imperial Concubine Rong was walking over from an auxiliary palace. She went forward to pay her respects to the Emperor and presented a fragrant sachet to him with both hands. She spoke elegantly, “I heard that the Emperor has not been able to rest well because of the disaster at Xuzhou. Your concubine made this sleep-inducing fragrance sachet. His Majesty can keep it near to you when you sleep at night. I’m sure it’ll be effective!”

The Emperor’s brows twitched as he received the fragrance sachet. He smiled. “The Imperial Concubine is fastidious!”

Imperial Concubine Rong pulsed her lips slightly, before taking a step back to serve Empress Dowager Xiao tea.

Empress Dowager Xiao glanced at that fragrance sachet and grinned. “For the past two days, I noticed her sewing and drying herbs. She paid so much attention to detail, and I was under the impression that she was making it for me. As it turns out, she cares more for the Emperor!”

Imperial Concubine Rong took a peek at the Emperor, and the tips of her ears reddened. Her graceful countenance that was comparable to a lotus now carried a hint of coquettishness. “This concubine has done a considerable amount for the Empress Dowager, why choose to tease me now? After all, the Empress Dowager has been concerned and anxious over His Majesty’s lack of sleep over the past few days. This concubine did this for the Emperor, as well as the Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Xiao chuckled cheerfully. “Look at this! I only said one sentence and she has quibbled on and on. All this flattery, it’s obvious she’s feeling guilty.”

This made Imperial Concubine Rong’s face flush even redder. She had been married to the Emperor for twenty odd years, and her son had already matured. However, at that point, she was responding like a maiden who had just confessed her feelings. She appeared to be in a predicament, and hastily lowered her head to continue sipping her tea, as though she had never heard anything.

The Emperor observed from the side. As he stared at Imperial Concubine Rong’s slender back view, he felt as though he had been brought back to the moment when he first met her. She was just as gentle and elegant as before, like the fragrance of the osmanthus flowers that bloom in the seventh month. Although its scent wasn’t very poignant, it still made one feel refreshed.

He had seen one too many women change their temperaments after entering the rear court. Some of them became bitter and jealous, some resentful and self-pitiful, while others were arrogant and domineering. She was the only one, who did not seem to change even after twenty years.

At that moment, when he saw Empress Dowager Xiao getting along affectionately and happily with Imperial Concubine Rong, he felt just like a commoner. It felt a bit more like home.

To him, such an experience was hard to come by and extremely precious.

The burdens that had built up in his chest slowly dissipated, as though it had been soothed by a flowing spring of water.

That night, the Emperor had his dinner at Imperial Concubine Rong’s palace before staying over for the night. They loved each other deeply the whole night, their merger bringing about the same emotions on Imperial Concubine’s first day in the palace. However, as his feelings were stirred, another elegant and beautiful face popped up before him. In a moment of disorientation, he shouted a name.

He did so softly, and the voice faded just as he opened his mouth.

But Imperial Concubine Rong heard it. The warmth in her chest dissolved and was replaced with a sense of bitterness. She locked her arms around the man’s neck and covered his lips with hers, serving him with even more tenderness.

Early the next morning, Prince Zhao, also known as Xiao Jing, went to the Hualin Palace to pay his respects to Imperial Concubine Xian. He realized that Imperial Concubine Xian’s complexion was off, and casually asked after her.

At that time, Imperial Concubine Xian was depressed and unhappy. She had kept it all to herself since she had no one to share her concerns with before. With Prince Zhao, she repeated everything that happened over the past few days.

The mother and son pair had always shared quite a close relationship and there was nothing that couldn’t be said.

“It’s not because I’m being petty and jealous. I’m afraid the Emperor loves and favors Imperial Concubine Rong, and the mother and son hold a high place in his heart. There is no place in Daliang that can accommodate and tolerate us mother and son anymore!’ Imperial Concubine Xian held a colorful teacup with gold embellishments in one hand. She took irregular sips of tea, obviously absent-minded.

She needed to be wary against Yu Zhaoyi. The palace only had three princes at the moment. If Yu Zhaoyi gave birth to a son, then another person would be introduced in the fight for the position of Crown Prince. After all, the Emperor was still young, and even a baby would be a threat.

Additionally, she needed to be even more guarded against Imperial Concubine Rong and Prince Rui. The Emperor was already showing favoritism to Prince Rui. If Imperial Concubine Rong was favored as well, then the position of Crown Prince would be even more uncertain.

When Xiao Jing heard Imperial Concubine’s words, his forehead wrinkled slightly. He recalled another matter, seemingly in contemplation.

Imperial Concubine Xian changed the topic and asked, “You aren’t young anymore, so it’s not proper for you to only have concubines. It’s time for you to marry a consort. You previously sought the hand of the Miss from the Nangong Family. Has the Emperor given you a response?”

When she mentioned this, Xiao Jing’s face became even gloomier. He replied solemnly, “Not yet. Ever since that time, my father, His Majesty has never mentioned it again. I’m not sure what his intentions are.”

“This is not good!” Imperial Concubine Xian discerned.

The Nangong family controlled military power, and the old Nangong General was highly respected in court. If he was able to marry the young Miss of the Nangong family, it would be adding another layer of guarantee in his fight for the crown. However, if the Emperor does not agree, it would mean that he had no intention of letting Xiao Jing gain any form of association with the Nangong family.

Imperial Concubine Xiao understood the Emperor. He was concerned that the Prince would hold too much power, and would be beyond his control if the Nangong Family was linked to him in marriage. Another possibility was that he had no intentions of passing the crown to Xiao Jing, and hence made preparations against him.

She was even more worried that this incident would cause the Emperor to bear grudges against Xiao Jing, and suspect that his efforts were born out of ill-will.

When Xiao Jing first sought the hand of Nangong Bi in marriage, she felt that it was inappropriate. However, she wanted to test the Emperor’s intentions through his response and therefore did not stop him. Looking back, however, this seemed to be a poorly planned move.

He could not marry Nangong Bi and had even annoyed the Emperor.

When she saw Xiao Jing’s dismal complexion, Imperial Concubine Xiao hurriedly comforted him. “My royal son, you don’t have to worry too much. I’m sure the Emperor has only forgotten this matter because he is concerned about the situation in Xuzhou!”

Xiao Jing nodded his head. “I hope that’s the case!”

“There are many things to look out for. Get your subordinates to be more cautious and take care not to offend the Emperor. It would be extremely disadvantageous to you!” Imperial Concubine Xian instructed.

“Yes, your son remembers!”

The mother and son pair chatted for a while longer before Xiao Jing left the Hualin Palace.

Xiao Jing stood outside the Hualin palace for a minute and gazed at the sky, before turning around to head into the depths of the inner palace. He ordered his trusted personal attendant, “Go look for Yu Zhaoyi, tell her that this Prince has something to discuss with her!”

“Yes!” The little eunuch sounded in acknowledgment before moving swiftly.

It was that same garden. The trees towered and covered the sky and the sun. There were flower patches and rockery in the surroundings to conceal them, a perfect place to carry out a secret affair.

Xiao Jing waited for almost half an hour. When he was starting to feel impatient, he finally saw Ji Yu saunter over slowly.

The girl had groomed herself. She had donned a pale pink palace robe, which happened to be Xiao Jing’s favorite color. On her temples, a simple, yet eye-catching rose dangled on both sides of her temples, each embedded with precious gems. Her lofty eyebrows were neatly trimmed, and rouge had been applied on her cheeks. She appeared youthful and sweet-tempered.

“I haven’t seen you in a few days. Why have you suddenly come to find me?” Ji Yu giggled, her eyes gleaming as she gazed at Xiao Jing.

Her eyes betrayed her emotions. It only took a glance to know that this girl had harbored real feelings for Xiao Jing.

Xiao Lie’s lips curled into a subtle smile. He asked, “Did my father, his Majesty, spend the last few nights at your palace?”

Ji Yu’s eyes hooked into little crescents. She glared at him, though elation brimmed in her heart. “So you were jealous. If you aren’t jealous, then I guess you won’t remember me!

Xiao Jing, however, wasn’t in the mood to flirt with her. He only asked, “Why did you push my father, his Majesty away? If you do this, what if he realizes and chooses to forsake you?”

As they say, people at the side-lines have the best view. When he heard Imperial Concubine Xian mention this, he immediately knew that Ji Yu had intentionally pushed the Emperor to Imperial Concubine Xian.

Ji Yu having feelings for him was originally a good thing. He was only worried that she would love without care and put him at a disadvantage instead.

When Ji Yu heard this, she froze. The radiance in her eyes slowly faded as she asked gloomily, “What do you mean? Are you unhappy that I pushed the Emperor away? You said you liked me. So it turns out that you just wanted me to draw close to the Emperor and gain information from me?”

Xiao Jing’s smile was riddled with guilt. He hastily embraced Ji Yu and comforted her. “You are overthinking things. How can this prince do this! When you’re in your palace, this prince’s heart also dwells in the palace. My father, his Majesty, can enter your palace whenever he pleases, and every time I think of this fact, it feels as though I’ve been sliced by a knife! I think of you day and night, don’t you know?”

Only then did Ji Yu’s lips curl into a smirk. She stretched out her hands and thumped the man’s chest as she grumbled bashfully. “Then, just now you said….”

“Yu’er, this prince said this for your good, and in consideration for our future in the long term. How can this prince let you remain as my father’s concubine? It is only if I become the Crown Prince and inherit the crown, that we can openly be together. I, as the Emperor, and you as the Empress. It won’t be long!” Xiao Jing continued to assure her. “The most important matter at hand is for you to help me ascend the position of Crown Prince. The best strategy is for us to make decisions that would benefit us. We definitely cannot act based on our feelings!”

Once Ji Yu heard this, she became a little more at ease. However, she frowned. “I know you’re lying to me. I’m your father’s concubine, so how can I be the Empress in the future?”

Xiao Jing smiled faintly. “In the future, I will send you out of the palace, and then bring you back in with a different identity. Once I ascend to the throne, who will still dare to disobey me?”

When Ji Yu heard this, she was delighted. “You love me to such an extent?”

Xiao Jing bent over and gently kissed the girl on her lips. He smiled and said, “Of course, you are the only person in this prince’s heart. My love for you has already permeated my bones.”

Ji Yu’s heart softened and she nodded her head. “From now on, I’ll listen to you. I won’t continue to be headstrong!”

“As expected of my dear Yu’er!” Xiao Lie kissed the girl without restraint, before picking her up and bringing her behind the dense rockery. It didn’t take long before the ambiguous sound of moaning and grunting emerged from the gaps between the rockery.

…

In the twinkling of an eye, the bodyguards in charge of transporting the grain had already been gone for around eight or nine days. On the first day, Su Jiu had written a letter to Qiao An, and discerned that he should have already read the letter.

As Su Jiu waited for news from Xuzhou, her anxiousness was mixed with anticipation.

She only hoped that everything would go smoothly.

These one million kilograms of grain were sent to save lives. To save the lives of the citizens of Xuzhou and to save Qiao An’s life. The bodyguards sent by the agency were aware of this fact and were all very skilled. They traveled in the day and through the night at the speed of a bullet. It only took them ten days before the carriages of grain reached Xuzhou City in the evening.

Once they entered the city, the sky was already dark. The Zhu family’s managers wanted the bodyguards to leave the grain in their granary, located in their rear courtyard.

Firstly, it was already night-time, and the people working in the government office had already retired for the day and had gone back home. There was no one to receive the grain. Secondly, Xuzhou was currently in a mess, and the commoners were starving. If they saw such a large amount of grain, they would swarm around to loot it. Hence, putting it in the Zhu Family’s granary was the safest option.

The person in charge of this transportation was a veteran bodyguard in the bodyguard agency. His name was Qu Wu.

When Qu Wu heard that manager, he thought that what he suggested was reasonable, and ordered his men to transfer the grain carriages to the Zhu family’s granary.

The Zhu family’s granary was the largest in Xuzhou. The grain storage in the rear courtyard was as big as ten rooms and was even bigger than the storehouse at the government office.

Once the horse carriage entered the estate, the manager came looking for Qu Wu. He smiled. “Sir, you may unload the grain. May I trouble you to dismiss all the bodyguards? They can return to collect the grain tomorrow morning.”

Qu Wu frowned and asked, “Why?”

The manager replied, “We have designated people to watch over the Zhu family’s grain storage. We do not permit outsiders to stay the night. If something happens, it’ll be difficult to see who’s responsible!”

Qu Wu further questioned, “Then, what if the grain disappears or is found to be lacking in quantity? Who should I look for? If you don’t trust us, why should we trust you? After all, this grain was commissioned to us to transport. Before it reaches the Xuzhou government office, we are the people in charge. If anything happens, we will be the ones who bear any responsibility.”

The manager replied, “Sir Qu, you are overthinking things. You can leave the grain here. I can promise you that nothing will happen.”

Qu Wu pondered for a moment before saying, “We can dismiss our men after leaving the grain behind. But the manor must sign a written note to prove that we have left these one million kilograms of grain in the Zhu family’s granary. If anything happens, it will have nothing to do with our bodyguard agency. If not, the people from the bodyguard agency will not leave!”

“This…” the manager seemed to be a little hesitant before continuing, “Alright then. I will just sign a written note for you, Sir Qu.”

Once the two people came to a compromise, they ordered their servants to bring over a brush and some ink. Once the situation was penned out clearly, the manager signed his name, before getting the supervisor of the Zhu Family’s granary in Xuzhou to sign as well.

The manager blew the remnants of dried ink off the paper and passed it to Qu Wu. He smiled and said, “With this, you should be assured, right Sir Qu?”

Qu Wu carefully placed the agreement in his robes and replied, “I will go find a guesthouse for my brothers to stay in. I will be back early tomorrow morning to collect the grain.”

“Alright, you traveled for ten days consecutively. It must have been a tiring journey. Sir Qu, you should rest well. This grain will be taken care of by the people in our granary, you can put your heart at ease!” Once the manager said this, he took out fifty taels of silver and passed it to Qu Wu. “Sir Qu, it’s your first time in Xuzhou; I have not taken care of my guest well. Sir Qu, you can use this money to have some drinks with your brother!”

Qu Wu stared at the silver and smiled. “How can I accept this?”

“Ay, we have traveled together for ten days. Sir Qu, you have taken care of me during this journey. Just treat this as the way I repay your kindness!” The manager shoved the silver to Qu Wu, his face brimming with smiles.

“Then, respecting others is not comparable to following orders!” Qu Wu accepted the silver and bid farewell to the manager, before leading the bodyguards from the bodyguard agency out to find a guesthouse.

The moment the manager saw Qu Wu and the rest leave, he smirked and turned around to ask, “Has everything mentioned in Master Zhu’s letter been prepared?”

The other managers in the granary quickly responded with smiles on their faces, “Don’t worry, this is not the first time we’ve done this. I guarantee that everything will be done without a hitch. We will not sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning, we will produce identical sacks to pass to those bodyguards!”

“Very good. Time is not on our side. Hurry, and order the men to start work!”

“Yes… Yes!”

The managers of the granary summoned their servants into the rear courtyard. Their numbers reached close to one hundred. Those that were in charge of unloading the grain unloaded the grain, while those that were in charge of opening the bags opened the bags. Their actions were practiced, as they divided their labor to work.

They opened the doors to one of the storehouses. Inside, the store was filled with fine sand. Upon close inspection, these particles of sand were different from ordinary sand. It was specially mixed with other ingredients and filtered through a sieve. The grains of sand were about the same size as grains of wheat. An entire bag of sand was comparable in weight to a whole sack of grain.

The laborers in the granary took out half of the grain that was transported from Shengjing, and replaced it with an equal amount of sand, before re-bagging them.

Just like this, half a million kilograms of grain was mixed with half a million kilograms of sand to become one million kilograms of ‘grain’.

Moreover, the half a million kilograms of grain that was left untouched was transferred to the Zhu family’s grain store to become the Zhu family’s grain, to be sold to the commoners at a higher price.

In the end, Zhu Hecheng could not bear to part with this half a million kilograms of grain. Instead, he used this method to repossess this half a million kilograms of grain.

The grain was transported to Xuzhou. The people of the Ji Manor would not learn of this, neither would the court. Once the bodyguard agency concluded the transfer, they would return to Shengjing and would be unaware of whatever happens next. Zhu Hecheng did not need to sacrifice a single grain to gain the reputation of a virtuous merchant. This move of his could be considered brilliant.

And this half a million kilograms of grain was transported to Xuzhou and was resold by the Zhu family. They had even saved on the transport fees.

From sacrificing his wealth to taking advantage of the situation, Zhu Hecheng was laughing in his sleep!

Till 11 pm that night, the lanterns in the Zhu family’s granary were glowing brightly. The laborers soldiered on arduously.

The managers from Shengjing and the granary managers of Xuzhou sat at the side to give orders, while they sipped tea and chatted.

“Is Master Zhu doing well? How is the business in Shengjing?”

“Master Zhu’s health is fine, but the business has been quite sloppy. Recently, a new trading company cum commercial house was opened in Shengjing. It sells all sorts of products, and can almost be compared to a street itself. The stores in its vicinity lost their business to them, and Master Zhu has been quite frustrated over this recently.”

“I’ve heard of this trading company here in Xuzhou. The manager in charge of this company must be one of a kind!”

The manager grunted coldly. “Such a measly existence is not worth mentioning!”

“Indeed… of course he can’t be compared to Manager Chen’s wealth of knowledge!”

“Brother Wei is exaggerating. In Xuzhou, you oversee so many merchant stores, and I admire you. Master Zhu constantly commends your efforts!”

“Master Zhu is magnanimous!”

…

As the two people were chatting, the doors of the granary were suddenly pushed open. A group of people charged in with a grand hullabaloo.

At the forefront stood the imperial envoy dispatched by the Emperor, Qiao An. Behind him, Hu Dapao had led an intimidating group of soldiers. On both sides stood the bodyguards of the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency, who were in charge of the grain transport.

The complexion of the two men who were in the middle of a conversation instantly changed. They got up with a whoosh.

Qiao An walked forward. He did not even pay any attention to the two men as he directly instructed the guards behind him, “Arrest all these people. Don’t touch the grain that has been tampered with sand, this is all evidence!”

The two managers scampered forward to block him. “Who are you? Who permitted you to enter? No one is to move!”

Qiao An took out a parchment and flashed it at the two men. He asserted coldly, “This official is an imperial envoy sent by the court to investigate the matter of grain tampered with sand. We have caught you red-handed today, no need for explanations. Both of you can follow this official right now!”

“So, it was the imperial envoy. This is all a misunderstanding. We were worried that the grain would be mixed with sand, and so we took it out to check!” The two men were frightened out of their wits as they explained in fear.

Hu Dapao had already brought his men to block all the exits from the main and side gates, to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the darkness to flee from the estate.

Qiao An walked over and inspected the storehouse full of sand, as well as the people who were mixing the sand into the bags. He grabbed hold of a handful of grain and sneered, “So this is what you call checking?”

Their legs turned to jelly, and they plonked on the ground on their knees, their entire bodies trembling.

“Official sir, please spare our lives! These lowly ones were only following orders!”

“Under whose orders?” Qiao An questioned coldly. As he said this, he sent the transcribers that accompanied him with a signal with his eyes.

Those transcribers immediately busied themselves with taking records.

“These lowly ones… were…. following the orders of Master Zhu!”

In Daliang, tampering and embezzling with grain was a serious offense that was punishable by the execution of the individual and his family. The two men did not dare to conceal the truth and coughed out Zhu Hecheng’s name.

Qiao An nodded his head. “Good, as long as you testified truthfully, this official will explain this clearly to the Emperor and plead for leniency on your behalf!”

“Yes… yes! These lowly ones have told you everything. We only beg this lord to spare our lives!”

Qiao An did not involve the Xuzhou office and directly interrogated the people who managed the Zhu granary, together with Hu Dapao.

These people were caught red-handed and knew that they were going to die without a doubt. However, they wanted to fight back before atoning for their crimes and dying, so they relented and conveyed everything they knew.

According to the testimonies of the granary managers, the Xuzhou office and Zhu Hecheng had colluded. All the food aid that was distributed by the court was tampered with in the same manner by Zhu Hecheng. Half, or maybe even more than half of the grain was replaced with sand.

The excess grain was transferred to the Zhu family’s granary and resold at a high price. The profit they gained was split with the Xuzhou office, with a four to six ratio.

The Zhu family took 40 percent while the Xuzhou office took 60 percent.

The grain distributed by the court was originally not enough. With half of the grain mixed with sand, the citizens were unable to eat their fill, and could only resort to buying grain from the Zhu family.

Since the Xuzhou office gained profits from such a venture, they turned a blind eye to the deeds of the Zhu family and deliberately sheltered them. This caused the situation in Xuzhou to worsen.

Qiao An knew that the officials involved did not only include the Chief of Xuzhou. Just one chief alone would not have the guts to tolerate such a matter. However, those managers of the Zhu family had already spilled everything they knew, and forcing them to speak will not yield any other information.

At the moment, Qiao An was investigating incognito. The Ministry of Justice was in charge of interrogating the Chief of Xuzhou, and he had no authority to conduct it.

Once the people of the Zhu family had all given their testimonies, Qiao An got them to sign their names individually. A total of ten signatures were obtained, including the laborers and the two managers,

Qiao An spent the next few nights writing a memorandum. He did not inform the Xuzhou office and passed the memorandum, as well as the signatures to serve as evidence, to a guard. He asked the guard to send them to the capital at the fastest possible speed, and submit it to the Emperor.