Chapter 49: Favor and Awe in Equal Measure

Zhu Xu listened, then pulled Fu Changzong's stack of papers from his bosom and handed them to the young eunuch at his side, saying in a low voice: "Send it in."

Feng Zhu paid no attention at all to Wei Liangqing's expression, and said flatly: "The name—His Excellency has named it the Huitong Trading Company. You choose the locations yourself. Our company charges no safekeeping fee; we pay interest every month, and the longer the term, the higher the interest. Deposits and withdrawals carry a three-ten-thousandths handling fee; withdrawals are free. Within one month, open three more branches in the capital; within two months, at least one branch in each of Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Nanjing, Zhejiang, and Fujian."

Wei Liangqing listened, nodding in agreement from time to time—these were all trivial matters; all he needed was to buy a street-facing shop.

"Eunuch, His Excellency sent me to deliver this." The young eunuch who had been in Zhu Xu's room earlier walked in and handed him the stack of papers.

Feng Zhu's expression changed abruptly, and his whole demeanor shifted as well. He took it with great solemnity, opened it for a look, then swept a glance at Wei Liangqing, gave a low cough, and said: "This is a guarantee. I'll lend it to you for three days." With that, he pushed it over to Wei Liangqing.

"A guarantee?"

Wei Liangqing was startled for a moment, then took it and looked—his face lit up with joy at once. "Eunuch Feng, is this money house truly guaranteed by the Ministry of Revenue?"

Feng Zhu raised an eyebrow, his expression turning sour, and said to him in a shrill, thin voice: "Does Lord Wei not recognize the great seal, or does he think His Excellency is a robber or a swindler?"

Wei Liangqing gave a stiff smile and said: "Eunuch Feng jests. With this in hand, the money house will have no problems at all."

Feng Zhu sneered inwardly. You never lacked for money before, and you've probably had little dealing with this sort of people—trying to pry money out of their pockets won't work even with a knife at their throats. You must use both intimidation and temptation, apply both prongs at once, for it to work.

But he didn't spell it out either. Let this Wei fellow hit a wall or two—it would do him good. He pulled another small booklet from his bosom and said: "This is the detailed set of rules I wrote. It's different from ordinary money houses—you must read it carefully. His Excellency has great plans for this, so you must do it well. If you botch it, you'd best wash your neck clean."

Wei Liangqing immediately took it with the utmost respect, a fawning smile on his face: "Rest assured, Eunuch. His Excellency's affairs—even if I had to smash my liver and brains on the ground, I would see them done."

Feng Zhu nodded faintly and said: "You're a clever one. His Excellency choosing you is your opportunity. So long as you do well, never mind silver—even your uncle's release is only a matter of time."

Wei Liangqing's thoughts of rescuing that already-useless uncle of his had in truth grown quite faint, but this promise carried real weight. He hurriedly said: "Rest assured, Eunuch. I'll go make preparations at once, and the moment there's progress, I'll come report to you."

Feng Zhu kept the same expression, as if he hardly regarded Wei Liangqing as worth a glance, and said: "Very well. If there's anything you don't understand, come find me here. This eunuch isn't very convenient about leaving the palace. If I'm not in, leave a message—when I see it, I'll notify you."

Wei Liangqing, reading the situation, tucked the items on the table into his bosom, and at the same time pulled out a stack of banknotes and handed them to Feng Zhu, smiling ingratiatingly: "Troubling you, Eunuch. A small token, unworthy of your acceptance."

Feng Zhu glanced at it—fully five thousand taels. Delight rose in his heart, but his face stayed impassive as he said: "Mm, fine. Put it down."

Wei Liangqing promptly acknowledged with a yes, set down the banknotes, said his farewells, and hurriedly left.

Seeing Wei Liangqing gone, Feng Zhu immediately composed himself, trotted out, and arrived at Zhu Xu's private room. With a face both respectful and not without a hint of pride, he said: "Your Highness, you've come. Was there anything amiss in what this servant said?"

Zhu Xu looked at this Feng Zhu—they say eunuchs produce talent, and Feng Zhu counted as one.

He drank a cup of tea and said with a beaming, approving smile: "Well done. This teahouse is fine too."

Feng Zhu's expression changed abruptly. With a thud he knelt to the ground, and with tears and sobs said: "Your Highness, you mustn't wrong this servant! I bought all of this for you—this silver, I haven't dared spend a single coin of it. I've kept every bit for you." As he spoke, he pulled out a large pile of banknotes from his bosom—some from Zhou Jianyu, some from Wei Liangqing.

Zhu Xu remained all smiles, but his words carried a chill as he put on airs: "Little Feng, the things this prince does are best kept from others' knowledge. Of course, if Her Majesty the Empress were to find out, at worst I'd get a beating—but you…"

Feng Zhu jerked his head up to look at Zhu Xu, then prostrated himself deeply again and cried out loudly: "Your Highness, this servant would never dare breathe a single extra word even if beaten to death! If ever it were discovered by another, it would all be this humble one acting on the Empress's orders—I would never dare implicate you in the slightest!"

Zhu Xu's expression did not move. His 'favor' had been given; whether this 'awe' was enough, he didn't know. These eunuchs who had grown up in the palace from childhood had neither past nor future—they either clung to power or clung to money, and needed constant rapping on the knuckles.

Zhu Xu deliberately left him hanging for a while, then said flatly: "Enough. I won't pursue this matter. Listen—I have a few things to say."

Feng Zhu's heart relaxed. He hastily wiped his terrified face, looked up at Zhu Xu, and said: "Speak, Your Highness—this servant is all ears."

Zhu Xu tapped the table with his fingers, thinking as he spoke: "First, those who invest in the Huitong Trading Company must not leave their real names—have them find proxies. Second, assign them tasks without making a stir, have them win over customers, and best of all get them to deposit their own gold and silver in as well. Third, leave an opening for more people to invest later. Fourth, treat northern and southern customers differently—the Shanxi merchants, and those from border places like Datong, must be handled quietly and specially; comings and goings must all be recorded. Fifth, the structure I've arranged must not be casually altered, and the people I've placed must not be casually disposed of."

Feng Zhu nodded as he listened, indicating he had committed it all to memory.

When Zhu Xu finished, he looked at him and said: "All remembered?"

Feng Zhu nodded like a pecking chick: "Remembered, remembered—Your Highness, this servant has it all."

Zhu Xu stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said: "This teahouse is fine—I'll grant it to you. This prince never treats his own people poorly."

Feng Zhu was still shaken at heart, but at these words he was overjoyed again: "Yes, Your Highness. Rest assured—this servant will never betray your trust!"

Zhu Xu waved his hand and left the teahouse with Fu Tao.

Fu Tao hadn't said a single word since entering the teahouse. Zhu Xu sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked at him with slight curiosity: "Elder Brother, have you nothing you want to ask?"

Fu Tao went 'Ah' and shook his head: "No."

Zhu Xu nodded with great satisfaction. See through it but don't say it—good lad, promising future. That chief accountant post is yours.

Fu Tao delivered Zhu Xu to the palace gate, watched him enter through the gate, and then, as if pardoned from a death sentence, drove the carriage away at speed.

Zhu Xu had played his part, shown his concern, done his busywork—now he strolled along at great leisure, taking in the palace scenery anew, then headed straight for Kunning Palace.

The capital's famed den of dissipation—the Yuanfang Pavilion.

"Your Highness, he's been in there over four hours already."

In a wineshop across from the brothel, two shrewd, capable-looking men spoke to a man of very imposing bearing seated on a long bench.

A youth of fifteen or sixteen, clad in a white robe trimmed with gold, with a long, lean face and an expression of exasperation at a pupil who would not learn, sat there—carrying a presence all his own.

The current Prince Xin, fifth younger brother of the Emperor Zhu Youxiao, Zhu Xu's fifth elder brother—Zhu Youjian!

The Chongzhen Emperor of history!

He stared at the carriage below the brothel, his eyes seeming ready to spit fire.