Chapter 1775: Lady Fengguo, the Imperial Profiteer

Shanxi Camp, the old Bai family residence.

In the inner hall, two people faced each other in silence. One of them was Zhu Youjian, sitting upright in a grand armchair. He had already removed his gilded armor and wore only a narrow-sleeved military riding robe, with a willow-leaf saber of the sort cavalrymen commonly used still hanging from his belt. Both scabbard and hilt were plain and unadorned, and showed clear signs of wear — clearly a real weapon that saw regular use.

The other person was Widow Xu, kneeling perfectly straight on a prayer cushion, facing Zhu Youjian. Her body was upright, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and tear streaks still marked her pretty face. She looked utterly pitiable — nothing at all like the fierce woman who had just been ready to trade blows with the little emperor.

The room was utterly quiet, so quiet that the breathing of the two could be heard. Zhu Youjian's breathing was steady, while Widow Xu's was somewhat rapid — clearly she was startled, frightened, and helpless all at once.

Widow Xu had become head merchant of the Beijing Shanxi merchants at such a young age not merely by relying on the strength of the Bai family's Tianzihao firm. If she herself had no real ability, she could not even have managed Tianzihao properly — how then could she have become head merchant?

Yet this crafty businesswoman, who could handle every side and every faction in Beijing, a city of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, now found herself completely unable to read the intentions of this little His Majesty before her.

Had this little His Majesty really traveled all the way out to Shanxi Camp in Beijing's outer city just to arrest her for colluding with foreigners and selling out the country?

Did the Great Ming not have the Embroidered Uniform Guard? If the Embroidered Uniform Guard could not be trusted, there was still the Eastern Depot, and still the headquarters army — any of them could come and arrest her!

There was not even any need to arrest her. One verbal decree, and she would have to bind herself and deliver herself to the Imperial Prison — though of course, delivering oneself to the Imperial Prison was merely a gesture. Behind that gesture, all manner of maneuvering and money-changing hands on all sides would be indispensable. Although the Bai family's Tianzihao firm would inevitably suffer a grievous blow, her life could still be preserved.

But this little emperor had come lunging at her himself — and had even declared he would seize her by force!

What exactly did he mean?

Had he taken a fancy to her modest beauty? Surely not, Widow Xu thought to herself. I do have a bit of good looks, but he is an emperor — what sort of beautiful woman could he not have? Why go about it this way? How ugly would the gossip be if word got out!

"Not bad. A bit of good looks, and not too old either!"

Just as Widow Xu's heart was thumping wildly, Zhu Youjian spoke — and the moment he opened his mouth, the words were anything but pleasant.

Widow Xu's heart leaped into her throat, but Zhu Youjian did not pounce on her like some lecherous, unprincipled tyrant. He merely sighed, then said, "Widow Xu, for the Bai family, for your son, you — a woman of a household — have shown your face in public, dealt with every faction, and borne all manner of risks. It has truly not been easy.

And We, at so young an age, bear the whole realm upon Our shoulders, and happen to face this time when the mountains and rivers lie broken — that is even less easy! You have it hard, and so you cannot simply be a proper widow, nor can you conduct business by the book. We have it hard, and so We cannot be a proper enlightened sovereign, still less dream of the fine thing of ruling with folded hands... If We were to do things by the book, the realm would fall into utter chaos, and whether the Great Ming could even survive would be hard to say. And if you did things by the book, that bit of property belonging to your son would be swallowed up until not even the dregs remained!"

What on earth was this little emperor trying to say? Widow Xu listened in utter confusion, though inwardly she did feel somewhat more settled.

But at that moment Zhu Youjian shifted tack, and began saying things that made Widow Xu blush and her heart race.

"Widow Xu, do you know why We want to seize you — you yourself?"

Could it be anything other than craving my body? My body is quite a sight! A thought that made even herself blush suddenly surfaced in Widow Xu's mind.

Zhu Youjian, however, paid no attention to the widow's changing expression, and simply went on: "Because you are the only woman among the eight head merchants of the Beijing Shanxi merchants, and what is more, a young and beautiful widow — the most suitable person to serve as Our royal mistress and imperial profiteer. That is why We, heedless of the world's gossip, struck and seized you! Though it has damaged your reputation, you are a widow who shows her face in public, and you come from a military family of the Western Guard Garrison — presumably you will not care overmuch about such things."

What is a royal mistress? Widow Xu thought. And... what does 'imperial profiteer' mean? Do I look much like a profiteer? I do business honestly — I have never swindled or cheated anyone!

Zhu Youjian continued, "What We have taken a fancy to, Widow Xu, is your ability to manage the enormous enterprise of the Bai family's Tianzihao firm! At present, We do not lack for fierce fighting men, nor for civil officials who can command armies and handle affairs — but We happen to have no merchant who can properly manage the imperial estate properties for Us. Shen Tingyang of the Chongming Shen family is a capable merchant, but he has too many misgivings and does not dare wade into the murky waters of the imperial estates. Moreover, his family's foundation lies on the rivers and seas, not in the vicinity of the capital. If he forced his way in, he would likely be attacked from all sides; his days would not be easy, and he might not even handle the assignment well. But you are different. You are already head merchant of the Beijing Shanxi merchants, you control the Bai family's Tianzihao firm with its heritage of more than two hundred years, you have close ties with the great eunuchs of the palace, and you are the nominal goddaughter of Xu Yingyuan and Lady Ke. Putting you in charge of part of the imperial estate properties should not be too difficult, should it?"

Take charge of imperial estate properties? Widow Xu thought. How many people's sources of profit would that cut off!

And the accumulated abuses of the imperial estates ran far too deep — one could say that ever since the Exalted Emperor, the dynastic founder, established the Ming realm, no one had ever properly considered how the imperial family's properties should be managed.

Seeing that Widow Xu remained silent, Zhu Youjian understood that this young woman was also afraid of those eunuchs of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses.

Zhu Youjian smiled and said, "We know that the people of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses all have their eyes on the profits of the imperial estates, and that it is not easy for anyone to get a foot in. That is precisely why We had to seize you yourself. Once We have seized you, you are Our woman! With that title, no other profiteer can compare with you, and the people of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses will have no choice but to yield to you somewhat. The Tianzihao enterprise, and indeed the entire Bai family's properties, will be beyond anyone's reach. The silver you save each year in tribute payments to all sides — that must amount to several hundred thousand taels, no?"

"Does Your Majesty wish..." Widow Xu asked timidly, "to take this humble woman into the palace?"

"You need not enter the palace. Once you enter the palace, you enter a cage — how then could you handle affairs for Us?" Zhu Youjian said. "However, We shall give you a title impressive enough to overawe people. Later We shall enfeoff you as Lady Fengguo, and then no one will dare lay a finger on you!"

Lady Fengguo? Widow Xu shuddered, and what came to mind was her own godmother, Lady Fengsheng... that fine body of hers had been carved with 3,600 cuts. It had truly been too horrible!

Watching Widow Xu's frightened expression, Zhu Youjian smiled and added, "While the late emperor lived, no one dared touch a single hair on Lady Fengsheng's head!"

But what if you are gone... Widow Xu lifted her eyes and glanced at Zhu Youjian. This little emperor did look rather robust — but who knew whether he would live to a hundred?

Zhu Youjian went on, "Moreover, We are not asking you to take away all the fat from the Directorate of the Imperial Horses. We do not want those eunuchs to be driven to desperate measures! But neither are We willing to let the Directorate of the Imperial Horses' interests expand any further. These past days We have confiscated and seized quite a number of properties, with an estimated market value of thirty million taels. Next We shall also confiscate the Prince of Fu's household — another enormous batch of properties! If these properties can yield even ten percent profit, We can gain several million a year, and then We can abolish the Liaodong levy and let the common people catch their breath. A ten percent profit — that should not be difficult for you, should it?"

So Zhu Youjian was also the richest man in the Great Ming!

From the very beginning!

The Ming imperial family's properties were numerous. Besides land, there were also a great many imperial shops, numerous imperial workshops, and the textile bureaus located in Jiangning, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and elsewhere, as well as other properties reserved for imperial use. If managed properly, they could still yield considerable profit.

Yet with so many imperial properties, there was virtually no profit to be handed up — they could not even cover the expenses of the inner court!

And Zhu Youjian was now a His Majesty who "understood confiscation best of all." The properties seized and confiscated grew ever more numerous. If they were all handed over to the property-squandering Directorate of the Imperial Horses to manage, would he not have labored in vain?

Hearing that Zhu Youjian only wanted her to manage the new additions, without touching the existing holdings of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses, Widow Xu finally nodded. Although she would not touch the existing holdings, it would still draw enormous enmity — and only the status of "Lady Fengguo" could shield her. So she truly was the most suitable person to take over the task!

"Your Majesty," Widow Xu nodded and gritted her teeth, "since this slave has been seized by you, she is no longer her own mistress, and must naturally toil unto death for Your Majesty. But it is this slave alone, and has nothing to do with the Bai family! This slave must first leave the Bai household, and only then can she become Your Majesty's Lady Fengguo!"

"Fine," Zhu Youjian nodded, and asked with a smile, "But with just you alone, can you manage so many properties?"

Widow Xu shook her head and said to Zhu Youjian, "This slave will recruit her own people. But whom this slave employs, and how much she pays them — Your Majesty, please do not interfere.

As for the ten percent annual dividend, this slave must first inspect and verify the properties before she can know whether it can be done."

(End of Chapter)