Chapter 71

That evening, Manager Zhu boldly produced a large-denomination banknote worth five hundred thousand taels in front of the Prince; the Prince counted it twice, utterly astonished, exclaiming, "Are the wealthy merchants of Ever Peace really this rich?" The imperial family is truly pathetic!

As the emperor's son, he had never before seen so many Great Jin banknotes.

Manager Zhu stood at attention and said, "This money has been recovered; there's only a tiny issue, just a tiny bit."

The Prince also sat up straight, highly alert, asking, "What's the matter?" Could it be that all the inventory sold for just this?

"The Zheng clan firm originally came for the koi carp, but I said the Bai family in Jiangnan had already moved first, so they turned to large-scale purchasing of our Myriad Phenomena City goods. They had intended to buy two hundred thousand taels, but the person in charge said the folk customs of Hidden State are fierce and bandits rampant; they worried bringing too much goods would attract attention, making it hard to leave Hidden State…"

The King got angry upon hearing this, "…! No way! Others have already reformed three thousand of them… Alright, go on, it seems after I'm done eating I'll have to suppress the bandits."

"I say, as long as he spends five hundred thousand taels on Vermilion Bird Street, my lord will send troops to escort him out of Secluded Prefecture, and heading further south will be much safer…"

The King thought for a moment… …Don't say it, it's wonderful!

"Feasible. Secluded Prefecture has become like this today; the fierce customs and rampant bandits are largely to blame, and wealthy merchants without some ability dare not come. I will escort them safely out of Secluded Prefecture to show the wealthy merchants of the world!"

The Zheng family is the first major client from the south, and also the first order on Vermilion Bird Street; they must be safely escorted away.

"When are they leaving?" I had Zhao Chuan assign two hundred people to make the arrangements.

In three days.

Shopkeeper Zhu Zhanggui is also bold; he earlier sent a note to Zheng Yifang letting him queue to reserve the escort detail. The personal guards who protect the feudal lords have just taken on a private job like this. Five hundred thousand taels— the King, who looks toward money, will spare nothing.

Grain and cloth were burning through money, so they relied on Myriad Phenomena City to look back and replenish.

The King looked at the shipping list; a total of three thousand items were sold, of which over eight hundred were display handicrafts, and the rest were small accessories like bookmarks and canvas bags.

The King roughly estimated that for this order of five hundred thousand taels, he himself… made a profit of four hundred thousand taels.

The King almost laughed until his mouth split, he raised his little head and called Zhao Bao, "Here, put it into my privy purse!"

Zhao Bao counted again and again, entered it in the accounts, and finally confirmed that the pig's trotter maiden was not just beautiful; she also had a head for business.

Then Zhao Bao thought of a practical problem: "Your Highness, after the wealthy merchants of Everlasting Peace return, news of our palace and Vermilion Bird Street will spread back. I don't know what His Majesty and the Second Prince will think."

The King is usually open-minded; given the situation in Secluded Prefecture, if he weren't big‑hearted, he'd probably be worried to death.

"I ask you, between Father Emperor and the Second Brother, who could spend a month personally coming to Secluded Prefecture to have a look?"

"Definitely not." The Second Prince suffered from this round of grain‑transport there and back; at least several years will pass before he has any interest in coming again. As for the Emperor, needless to say, he would never leave Everlasting Peace.

"That's unthinkable. If you hadn't seen our palace's current state with your own eyes, when I told you how splendidly the mansion was built, would you have imagined the Prince's mansion to be this large?"

Zhao Bao shook his head wildly; he really couldn't imagine it!

"Look, whether this mere merchant can see the Second Brother is another matter; he's boasting too much, and my arrogant Second Brother would only scorn him for lacking insight. As for building another palace in the northern borders, that was already approved by my father long ago~"

Zhao Bao pondered it, and indeed that's the case.

Looking again at the King happily swinging his chubby little legs back and forth on the stool, Zhao Bao felt greatly relieved. Though still young, His Highness's grasp of people's hearts is formidable, not inferior to any adult.

Even the best inns on Vermilion Bird Street weren't open, so the Zheng party still had to return to lodging in Secluded Prefecture City.

Upon entering Secluded Prefecture City, Zheng Yifang thought, "This is more like it; this is what a northern border should look like." That prosperous, ornate Vermilion Bird Street is really beyond ordinary perception.

They first went to the Aquatic World to check prices, and indeed it was far cheaper than the few items at the Golden Family Treasure Pavilion, with huge profit potential.

Zheng Yifang planned to buy a batch to take back to Everlasting Peace; the plan for Jiankang was temporarily put aside, and he would go back to consult his father's opinion. Since the Prince of Secluded Prefecture promised to escort them out safely, that's easy to arrange— relying on Myriad Phenomena City, Secluded Prefecture will surely see frequent back‑and‑forth traffic.

After settling in, they weren't idle either; a clerk stopped people holding fine combed cotton, saying any surplus they had would be bought by their firm at one tael of silver per bolt.

When everyone heard, they asked, "There's still such a good deal?"

But each household was limited to two bolts; once in hand it was soft and light, white as winter snow, and some were reluctant to sell.

Also, those in difficult circumstances were greatly tempted; turning over two bolts netted a profit of one tael and eight hundred cash! The clerk indeed received several bolts. Onlookers saw the settlement of silver on the spot, and even more people became interested.

Also, honest people sneered at those reselling: "The King himself spends money to subsidize the fine combed cotton, selling it cheaply to us to get through winter, yet you resell the King's goodwill— do you think the King doesn't know selling directly to southern merchants would earn more? Later this price won't be available— who do you think you're fooling?"

Those who cared about face turned away, embarrassed to sell.

Everywhere there are perceptive people who ask the clerk, "Why don't you just line up to buy at Everpeace Cloth Shop?" The clerk of course doesn't answer, only saying that those who want to sell should go to Prosperous Inn, and they'll receive it there in the evening.

Those eager for a good deal also ran outside the city to inquire on Vermilion Bird Street; by evening the news spread throughout the city: the King was selling the fine combed cotton at a hundred cash per bolt to them, while those without Secluded Prefecture household registration needed thirty taels, and it was a precious overseas good.

Secluded Prefecture household registration became utterly precious; it was a feeling never before experienced, and at this moment everyone took pride in being a Secluded Prefecture resident.

Those few who resold were mocked, and the Prince of Secluded Prefecture's reputation rose another notch.

If the King knew, he wouldn't just not be angry; he'd probably thank them for their assistance.

Although the palace said every household would get a share, after nightfall no one wanted to leave, for fear that if they left they'd still not get a place in line tomorrow.

After all, Secluded Prefecture has tens of thousands of households, and even those far away are rushing in; it can't be settled in a day or two. They simply braved the cold wind and queued all night, and only when the grain and cloth were actually in their hands could they truly feel at ease.

He Guang went out for a stroll, then returned and had someone reopen the gate that had been closed.

The officially hired clerks and palace servants took turns, distributing relief grain around the clock without pause.

After the King found out, he also went out for a stroll to digest and take a look— there's no helping it, the roasted lamb leg with chili powder is just too delicious!

The King stood at the street corner and let out a burp— no way, everyone doesn't know how good this delicious stuff is!

When I return from the sea voyage, I'll open a big tavern here, specializing in roasted lamb with chili powder~

And won't it dazzle those unsophisticated southern folk?!

Zhao Bao grabbed a cloak and ran after him, only to see his lord at the street's windy spot, hands on hips, laughing loudly…

"Oh dear, Your Highness! Just after eating, I choked on a bellyful of wind; if I turn around carefully my stomach will hurt!"

The King: …

Won't last three seconds.