Chapter 43: Jinling

Jinling City.

Ever since the founding of the Great Song, it has been the location of the Imperial Capital.

For over two hundred years, benefiting from the prosperity of Jiangnan and serving as the center of power for the Great Song, this place has become extremely flourishing, with a population exceeding one million.

It is said that those who claim to be the wealthiest in the world are in Jiangnan, and those who claim to be the wealthiest in Jiangnan are in Jinling.

At this moment, it is the height of summer, and Jinling is sweltering.

Just like in previous years, the ice transported from the North Territory last winter is highly sought after by the common people.

But it is the same as before.

Because ice is difficult to transport and hard to obtain, after supplying only a portion of the powerful and noble in the city, Jinling City falls into the predicament of having no ice to sell.

Even the Imperial Palace, because last winter was not very cold, could not transport enough ice from the North Territory and could only use it sparingly.

Unable to lavishly bestow ice blocks upon ministers as in previous years, this makes ice even harder to find in Jinling City.

However, just as ice prices were soaring, a trading firm suddenly appeared in Jinling City, selling ice in large quantities.

For a time, the powerful and noble of Jinling, tormented by the heat, flocked to it.

"Yan Commandery Trading Firm, I have never heard of it before."

In a restaurant opposite the trading firm, many patrons drank wine while discussing it.

Looking at the crowd of ice buyers squeezed at the entrance of the firm, they sighed endlessly.

"Nowadays, with ice being so expensive, this firm is truly going to make a fortune."

"Indeed, Yan Commandery, isn't this a commandery under Yanzhou?"

"Yes, it is from Yanzhou, but to transport ice all the way from Yanzhou to sell, and at such a cheap price, is the owner of this firm not afraid of losing money?"

"..."

The crowd discussed it heatedly.

In their view, for the two thousand plus li from Yanzhou to Jinling, the silver spent on water transport alone would cost more than the profit from the ice.

They truly could not understand why the firm could still sell the ice so cheaply.

"Forget whether they are losing money or not; it's so cheap, I'll buy some to take home later so the child can have some ice to cool off."

"Exactly, five qian of Silver per jin, it would be a waste not to buy it."

"You all had better be quick if you want to buy, lest it sells out."

With another burst of noise, several patrons in the restaurant went downstairs.

Yan Commandery Trading Firm.

Guan Zhong stared at the accounts, while two people beside him were responsible for putting Silver into a chest.

He was the steward sent by the Prince's Mansion to Yan Commandery, and together with the two servants beside him, he was responsible for overseeing the accounts.

When they first arrived in Jinling, they had been idle in the Merchant Association.

The descendants and servants sent by the Rich Clans deliberately kept their distance from them.

Regarding this, they were angry yet helpless.

After all, they knew in their hearts that the Prince's Mansion's position in Yan Commandery was not yet stable.

But yesterday, this situation suddenly changed.

The reason was that a group of Rich Clan descendants had suddenly arrived from Yan Commandery.

It was said that these Rich Clan descendants rode fast horses and kept changing horses along the way, arriving in five days.

After arriving in Jinling, they immediately apprehended the clansmen and servants of the Huang and Dong Families.

Afterwards, they handed the authority of the Yan Commandery Trading Firm over to them.

The status of the three men in the firm rose abruptly as a result.

Only then did they know that something major had happened in Yan Commandery.

The rebellion of the Huang and Dong Families had been extinguished by the Prince's Mansion, and the Zhang Family no longer had its former arrogance.

The Prince's Mansion controlled Yan Commandery, and their Highness had become the true Yan Wang.

"You two stay here and watch this afternoon; I will go deliver a letter to His Highness?"

Touching the letter placed against his chest, Guan Zhong looked solemn.

This was a letter brought by the Dong Family descendants at the behest of Yan Wang, for him to deliver to Noble Lady Mi in the Imperial Palace.

If he guessed correctly, this Noble Lady Mi was the biological mother of Yan Wang.

During these days in the Imperial Capital, he had already learned quite a few things at the root of the Imperial Capital.

The imperial concubines in the palace also had ranks, divided into Noble Consort, Imperial Concubine, Zhao Yi, Jieyu, Beauty, Cairen, Noble Lady, Selected Lady, and Palace Maid, among several others.

Yan Wang's biological mother was only a Noble Lady, which showed her status in the palace was low, to the point where she could not even rely on her son for status.

However, this was not something he should consider.

No matter how little Yan Wang was valued by the Emperor, he was still not someone a servant like him could compare to.

"Xiangguo Temple." This was a very prosperous place within Jinling City.

The female relatives of many powerful and noble families in the Imperial Capital often went there to burn incense and pray.

According to Yan Wang's oral instructions, his mother occasionally left the palace to go to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense and pray.

However, using this method to transfer the letter was somewhat difficult.

But there was another way, still near Xiangguo Temple.

There was the residence of the Great Eunuch Liang Cheng.

According to Yan Wang's oral instructions, this time he also had to bring ten thousand taels of white Silver to visit, to bribe Liang Cheng on his behalf, feigning closeness in order to seek some convenience in the palace.

And this method had a greater possibility of getting the letter inside.

Having figured this out, he withdrew Silver from the accounts and had the servants carry it toward Xiangguo Temple.

Yan Wang sent him to Jinling, which was a sign of trust in him.

No matter what, he had to get the matter done so as not to fail the kindness of Yan Wang.

The residence of Liang Cheng was very famous, and almost everyone in Jinling City knew of it.

After crossing five bridges, passing three streets, and turning through several alleys, he stopped in front of a large residence.

"Truly opulent," Guan Zhong sighed endlessly.

In front of the mansion before him, two stone lions were vivid and lifelike.

On the bright vermilion gate, the golden door studs shone brilliantly.

In front of the gate, a row of servants of the Rich Clan stood or sat; the clothes on their bodies were all silk and satin, and their belts were hung with gold and jade.

The sharp contrast made him immediately think of the shabbiness of the Prince's Mansion.

He suddenly felt very bitter inside.

His Yan Wang was, after all, a noble Imperial Prince, yet he was not even as well-off as a eunuch.

But this thought flashed by in an instant; he dared not slight this Liang Cheng.

Who in Jinling City did not know that he was the Emperor's favorite?

Whether they were Imperial Princes or powerful nobles, they were all willing to curry favor with him so that he might put in a good word before the Emperor.

"What are you doing? Don't linger in front of the gate, get lost!" Guan Zhong had just stopped.

The servant of the Rich Clan in front of the mansion gate revealed an expression like a vicious dog and walked toward him, brandishing a stick.

Guan Zhong's expression did not change; he fished a Silver Ingot out of his sleeve and went up to meet him.

"Two brothers, please do me a favor." Guan Zhong stuffed the Silver into the servant's sleeve.

Seeing that each Silver Ingot was worth a full fifty taels, the servant immediately turned his anger into a smile and asked, "Where are you from? Could it be that you also want to ask Liang Chief Steward to handle something?"

"Exactly." Guan Zhong took out a name card from his sleeve, which he had also brought from Yanzhou, "His Highness Yan Wang has prepared some modest gifts for the Chief Steward."

"That stupid..." The servant of the Rich Clan almost said 'stupid Imperial Prince', but suddenly stopped and laughed awkwardly, "So it is the Ninth Prince."

"Yes, His Highness Yan Wang has recently recovered from his illness and misses the Emperor and his mother; he also remembers the care the Chief Steward showed him when he was in Jingshi, so he specifically ordered this humble one to come," Guan Zhong said one by one.

The two servants looked at each other, "It is easy to handle if there is a name card. Like this, you wait here, and I will report it for you. It is a coincidence that the Chief Steward is at the residence today. As for whether he will see you, that will depend entirely on your own luck."

Guan Zhong smiled apologetically, "Brother, please go ahead and send it; there will be more gifts later."

The two nodded, showing an expression of 'the child is teachable', and turned to enter the mansion.

After turning past a screen wall painted with cranes, the servant walked through a long corridor and saw Liang Cheng, who was fishing by the lotus pond in the garden.

At this moment, the arrogance on the servant's body instantly vanished, and like a docile puppy, he said in a low voice, "My Lord, the Ninth Prince has sent a name card over."

Liang Cheng let out an "Oh," then suddenly reacted, "Who?"

"The... the Ninth Prince. His servant said the Ninth Prince has recovered from his illness and came specifically to thank you, My Lord." The servant turned pale with fright, thinking he had caused trouble.

Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng was even more surprised, "The Ninth Prince has recovered!"

Frowning, his fair, beautiful eyebrows twitched several times, "Let that servant in; this one has matters to ask him."