Chapter 82: The Outcome

Zhu Xu did not sleep a wink all night, tossing and turning, rolling back and forth.

He had given deep and careful thought to the matter of sticking his head out, and he also knew that no matter how low-key he tried to be from now on, he would still be dragged into the court struggles — fortune and misfortune alike unforeseeable.

Most critical of all was Zhu Youxiao's attitude. After all, he was Zhu Youxiao's brother, and should be at the top of the list of those Zhu Youxiao was most wary of.

Zhu Xu's bed was big enough, and the July weather was not yet truly hot — just comfortable. He tossed and turned in boredom, picked up a book, glanced at it a couple of times but couldn't read on. Something in his heart always kept him from settling down, and he felt drained of energy.

He barely managed to endure until dawn, then walked out of the bedroom with two dark circles under his eyes, lay down on his reclining chair, and listlessly gazed at the doorway where the sky was just beginning to pale.

Zhu Xu's eyes were vacant as he carefully and repeatedly mulled over the events of the past two days in his mind. Indeed, many places had stirred taboos, but relying on his youth, the problem wasn't too great. As for Empress Zhang's side, there shouldn't be any issue either.

The real problem now was the backlash from those court ministers — taking a man's wealth was worse than killing his parents, and this was tens of millions of taels at that. All Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers were implicated, offending nearly every civil and military official in the court.

The force of their backlash would determine the severity of Zhu Youxiao's "punishment" of him.

"Ah, once today's court conference is over, it'll be fine. Sleep, sleep."

Zhu Xu shouted aloud, curled up on the reclining chair, closed his eyes, and hypnotized himself in every way to fall asleep.

Tossing and turning, he didn't know how long passed before Zhu Xu finally drifted into a dazed sleep.

In the Golden Carriage Hall, Zhu Youxiao sat high on the dragon throne, expressionless as he looked down below.

The assembled civil and military officials below were in an uproar like a pot of porridge. Though the confiscation of the ill-gotten gains had just succeeded and the spoils had not yet been divided, most people were implicated in this affair. Whether they sought to exonerate themselves, shift blame, settle private grudges, or vent personal spite under the guise of public duty — all mixed together, attacking and undermining one another, like a thousand ducks quacking without end.

Yet Zhu Youxiao found it more pleasant to listen to than ever before. He listened calmly, watched calmly, and said nothing at all.

This court conference ran from morning to noon, from noon to evening, with endless quarreling — only ending after eight or ten hours.

Only when the sky was about to darken did Yao Qingqing feel she truly couldn't let Zhu Xu sleep any longer. She gently shook him and called: "Your Highness, wake up."

Zhu Xu's head was muddled and heavy. He opened his eyes, looked at the sky, and groaned painfully: "It's not even dawn yet..."

"Your Highness, it's almost dark."

Cao Huachun also appeared before Zhu Xu, speaking in his shrill, thin voice.

Zhu Xu was startled, but his head still ached terribly. He shook his head and said to Yao Qingqing not far away: "Sister Qingqing, fetch a basin of water — I want to wash my face. Xiao Cao, go ahead and speak. I'm listening."

Zhu Xu had slept far too long. His waist ached and his back hurt; he crawled weakly out of the chair and walked toward the water basin.

Cao Huachun watched Yao Qingqing go to fetch water, then smiled at Zhu Xu and said: "Your Highness, you missed a fine show today. The court today was extraordinarily lively — His Majesty single-handedly overpowered the assembled ministers, leaving no voice of opposition in the entire court."

Zhu Xu splashed cold water on his face. Hearing this, he paused and said: "Tell me in detail."

Cao Huachun followed at Zhu Xu's side, speaking with considerable schadenfreude: "Whether the Grand Secretariat or the Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers, they were all quite embarrassed this time. Almost none dared to sing a contrary tune to His Majesty. Nearly all officials of the third rank and above were fined half a year's salary, and Zhang Heming was even stripped of his rank and exiled to guard the frontier."

Zhu Xu wasn't particularly surprised by this. This matter certainly wouldn't end like this — no doubt Zhu Youxiao would gradually purge the high officials implicated this time.

Zhu Xu wiped his face to sober himself up a bit, then turned to look at Cao Huachun and said: "And what about me?"

Cao Huachun furrowed his brow and said: "At court, quite a few people did impeach Your Highness, but His Majesty brushed them all aside lightly. After that, no one brought it up again."

"No one brought it up again?"

Zhu Xu walked back toward his reclining chair, pondering those words.

After thinking for a long while without any clue, he still felt weak all over. He shook his head and said: "Forget it. Let's not worry about this matter for now, and we won't meddle in court affairs either. According to our previous plan, the trading house has been initially established. Next, we need to help Li Deyong's side lay out the distribution channels."

Cao Huachun didn't understand such matters and only nodded vaguely.

That year, the capital's weather heated up unusually fast — it was already hot by mid-July.

Zhu Xu was confined to his quarters. Jinghuan Palace was only so big, and he felt it was like a cage, making him miserable all over — unable to eat well or sleep well. After much pleading and wheedling, he finally got Empress Zhang to lift the confinement order, though he could only leave Jinghuan Palace — he still couldn't leave the imperial palace!

Still, he carefully and cautiously managed the workshop outside the palace, keeping all other matters temporarily quiet, lest others seize on a handle and stir up the barely-settled storm once more.

The East City Workshop.

Li Deyong watched jar after jar of corn flour — that is, maize meal — being carried into the warehouse, an indescribable radiance on his face.

He was introducing it to the crowd around him, speaking with soaring pride: "This is called corn. Its per-mu yield is about twice that of wheat. If planted in good fields, it might even triple!"

"That impressive?"

"I heard it came from foreign lands. The pastries made with it yesterday had quite a distinctive flavor."

"If that's the case, even if we really cut the price in half, we'd still make money."

Li Deyong let out a scornful laugh and looked at the crowd, saying: "You actually expect me to cut it in half? Let me tell you — once we sell enough and capture the market, we'll raise the price. Slowly, gradually, up to ninety or eighty percent of the price of white flour. In short, we squeeze out the maximum silver!"

"Ah, then we'll make a fortune."

"Right, before long we'll have recouped our investment."

"Manager Li, I heard the master gave another hundred thousand taels. Is that true?"

Li Deyong gave a light snort and warned with smug satisfaction: "Don't go prying into things you shouldn't. The master has invested several hundred thousand taels in total. Within three months, we must earn it all back — hear me!"

"Rest assured, Manager. As long as this maize meal doesn't run out of stock, I guarantee that however much we make, I'll sell it all."

"Right, no need for three months — I reckon a month or so will be enough."

"Manager, some more of my fellow villagers have fled here as refugees. Could you help settle them again?"

Li Deyong waved his hand grandly, looked at the crowd, and said with a confident face: "As far as I know, the master has indeed been planning to buy land recently. When the time comes, no matter how many people there are, I'll have them all arranged."

"Thank you, Manager."

"Thank the master!"

"Right, Manager — I'd be willing to work like an ox or a horse for the master."

"Manager, when can we meet the master and thank him in person?"

Li Deyong waved his hand and said with an air of pride: "The master is a person of noble status — not so easy to meet. Next time he comes, I'll let everyone see him and soak up some of that noble aura."