Chapter 70: Advertising

Dressed in princely robes, noble and resplendent to the extreme!

The Ming imperial clan numbered countless members, and princes were by no means few.

But in the capital, young in age, and matching the description—there was only Prince Hui, Zhu Youxu!

That is, the present Zhu Xu.

Wei Liangqing's expression was extremely agitated—not because of the carriages Zhu Xu had brought, but because he knew very well the relationship between His Highness Prince Hui and Her Majesty the Empress!

"Your humble subject Wei Liangqing pays respects to His Highness Prince Hui." Wei Liangqing knelt to the ground with a thud and performed the great salute.

Zhu Xu glanced at him, then cast a look at the shopkeeper's clerks who came out behind, waved his hand, and said with a smile: "Rise." With that, he strode inside.

Wei Liangqing was immensely excited, quickly stood up, and trotted alongside Zhu Xu, saying attentively: "Your Highness, why trouble yourself to come to a place like this? Whatever you command, this humble one will handle it properly."

Zhu Xu looked at the layout inside the trading company and nodded inwardly—it was close to the design he had envisioned. This Wei Liangqing did show some respect for his 'noble patron.'

"Well done." Zhu Xu sat down at the table in the main hall and smiled at Wei Liangqing.

Hearing this, Wei Liangqing knew that 'Her Majesty the Empress' and His Highness Prince Hui were on the same side. Not daring to conceal anything, he took out the account books and said with surging emotion and a tone of seeking credit: "Reporting to Your Highness, all of this was done according to Her Majesty the Empress's decree. These are the account books—in a single day today, we took in two hundred thousand taels."

Zhu Xu frowned slightly and said to Wei Liangqing with an indifferent look: "Her Majesty the Empress? What Her Majesty the Empress?"

Wei Liangqing's face showed alarm, then he hastily slapped his own mouth and said: "This humble one's mouth is wicked—everything was done according to the noble patron's instructions."

"Noble patron?" Zhu Xu raised an eyebrow, his expression growing colder.

Wei Liangqing's face changed, unsure what Zhu Xu was thinking, and after hesitating said: "Your Highness, this..."

Zhu Xu poured himself a cup of tea and said with a detached expression: "My sister-in-law is the Central Palace Empress, mother to all under heaven—what could she possibly lack? Remember, you work for this prince. Before anyone—even before my imperial brother—you must say the same. Understood?"

Wei Liangqing's mind cleared instantly, and he bowed at once: "Yes, Your Highness. This humble one understands. Even before His Majesty, this humble one will never implicate Her Ladyship... nor Your Highness in the slightest."

Only then did Zhu Xu nod with satisfaction. He casually flipped through the account books, noting that all the entries were small amounts—clearly he did not yet fully trust Wei Liangqing. He gave a slight hum and said: "Mm, well done. Today this prince gave you some advertisement. In a few days, I will have the sign spread across the entire capital. I want the name of the Huitong Trading Company visible in every corner!"

Now that Wei Liangqing had seen Zhu Xu—which was as good as seeing 'Her Majesty the Empress'—he was no longer a rootless duckweed. His mood was naturally one of great excitement as he said: "Yes, Your Highness."

Zhu Xu controlled the Huitong Trading Company extremely tightly—whether accountants or clerks, nearly all were his people—so he did not say much more. He watched the clerks bustling about inside and out, registering and storing the silver and goods he had brought back from the Ministry of War.

Wei Liangqing attended him carefully. His Highness Prince Hui was someone close to Her Ladyship, with an extraordinary connection—if he could solidify this relationship, he could gain trust even without seeing Her Ladyship!

Zhu Xu had long since planned everything out. He sipped his tea and waited.

Meanwhile, outside, there was already a great commotion.

The Mysterious Inn.

"You're saying... Prince Hui?" Yang Huaizhong looked at the gatekeeper before him, startled.

"Yes, everything His Highness Prince Hui brought back from the Ministry of War was all stored at the Huitong Trading Company." said the gatekeeper.

Yang Huaizhong's heart stirred slightly, lost in thought—could it be that the person behind Wei Liangqing was this prince?

The gatekeeper looked at Yang Huaizhong and said: "Shopkeeper, the Huitong Trading Company? Prince Hui? You think the person behind Wei Liangqing might be His Highness Prince Hui?"

Yang Huaizhong neither confirmed nor denied, and after a long deliberation said: "Not necessarily. The only establishment still open in the entire capital right now is this Huitong Trading Company. But even if it's not him, its backer is no small matter. Find a time to go see Wei Liangqing again—tell him the silver has been transferred over and can be added at any time."

The gatekeeper also saw that Wei Liangqing was no simple figure, and nodded: "Yes, Shopkeeper."

Such suspicions were naturally not limited to Yang Huaizhong, so wealthy merchants and great households throughout the capital once again thought of currying favor with the Huitong Trading Company—in simple terms, sending silver.

At the gate of the Court of Judicial Review, Zhang Heming sneered at Cao Wenzhao and said: "You think the Ministry of Justice doesn't dare accept, but the Court of Judicial Review would?"

Cao Wenzhao couldn't be bothered with him. He waved his hand, and a guard stepped forward to knock on the gate.

Just as with the Ministry of Justice before, no one dared come out to accept.

"The criminal Zhang Heming, privately detaining a current Duke of the realm, intending to frame Her Majesty the Empress—witnesses and evidence are complete. Please accept this case, your honored ministry!"

"The criminal Zhang Heming, privately detaining a current Duke of the realm, intending to frame Her Majesty the Empress—witnesses and evidence are complete. Please accept this case, your honored ministry!"

"The criminal Zhang Heming, privately detaining a current Duke of the realm, intending to frame Her Majesty the Empress—witnesses and evidence are complete. Please accept this case, your honored ministry!"

Not long after such shouting, the gate quietly opened a crack. A young man in servant's garb ran over and said in a low voice to Cao Wenzhao: "This general, the Court of Judicial Review only handles adjudication—it has no authority over interrogation. If the Ministry of Justice won't accept, we too are helpless."

Cao Wenzhao frowned with displeasure and said: "Could it be that the Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review finds my official rank too low, and requires His Highness Prince Hui to come personally?"

The young man's face immediately turned bitter. His Highness Prince Hui was currently parading the Minister of War around the entire capital—who would dare to be the second?

Not knowing whether Cao Wenzhao was serious or putting on an act, he said with a wry smile: "General, it's not that this humble one is making difficulties—we truly cannot accept. For a high official of the second rank like a Minister, without an imperial decree, only the Embroidered Uniform Guard can detain him."

Cao Wenzhao was now furious and shouted angrily: "The Ministry of Justice pushes it to the Court of Judicial Review, the Court of Judicial Review pushes it to the Embroidered Uniform Guard—tell me, where will the Embroidered Uniform Guard push it? I'll go directly there and save you all the trouble."

Seeing Cao Wenzhao truly angered, the young man stammered and could not speak.

Cao Wenzhao knew he was merely pushed out to take the fall, and had never intended to make things hard for him—his words were meant for the surrounding commoners to hear.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard naturally wouldn't dare either." Zhang Heming glanced at Cao Wenzhao and said with some schadenfreude.

Cao Wenzhao looked vexed, gave a snort, and said: "Escort him to the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

Zhang Heming, who had been somewhat anxious and reluctant to move before, was now extremely cooperative, even occasionally striking up conversation with Cao Wenzhao.

Cao Wenzhao was equally cooperative, speaking in soft, gentle tones with an excellent attitude.

"Your Highness, there's news."

At this moment, inside the Huitong Trading Company, Feng Zhu rushed in hurriedly and spoke in a low voice to Zhu Xu.

Seeing it was Feng Zhu, Wei Liangqing felt even more certain. His gaze toward Zhu Xu grew more fervent, and his waist unconsciously bent a few degrees lower.

Zhu Xu was idly swirling his teacup to pass the time. He looked up at him and said: "Oh, good news?"