Chapter 7: Distributing Pay

A wisp of the setting sun hung from the willow tips, signaling that evening was approaching.

However, at this moment, the residence of Yan Wang was even more bustling.

The Rich Clans who had decided to buy shares were terrified that they would be unable to join the Merchant Association.

They immediately had their servants return to fetch silver, bring land deeds, and transport bolts of cloth, grain, and other goods.

The front courtyard of the Prince's Mansion was unprecedentedly busy.

"Qin Zhangfang, you must record this clearly; do not make any mistakes."

Liu Fu moved a rattan chair, allowing Zhao Xu to sit comfortably.

Numerous scions of the Rich Clans surrounded Qin Zhangfang, having him register the amount of their capital contributions.

Qin Zhangfang wiped his sweat and nodded repeatedly, "Your Highness, rest assured, this servant will certainly make amends for past mistakes and will not make a single error."

Zhao Xu nodded, then said to the servant holding the scale in front of him, "Look carefully; this is all silver, it cannot be weighed incorrectly."

The servants sent by the Rich Clans were also standing by, watching the numbers on the scale weight.

Beside the scale were crates upon crates of silver.

Large amounts of ready silver were not easy for the Rich Clans to produce.

After all, in ancient times, silver was a scarce hard currency.

Therefore, Zhao Xu's principle was: silver first, land second, and other things third.

Consequently, the Rich Clans pooled together 200,000 taels of ready silver, and the rest was paid with land, grain, and other goods.

They were busy until the sky grew dim before the tallying was finished.

Qin Zhangfang handed the Account Book to Zhao Xu.

"Your Highness, the treasury has now received 200,000 taels of ready silver, in addition to 60,000 mu of land, 50,000 shi of grain..."

Zhao Xu nodded as he listened.

At present, land in the Great Song was worth about five taels of silver per mu, which was relatively expensive.

"Your Highness, since you have received the silver, may you now impart the Ice-making Technique to us?"

The heads of the thirty-eight Rich Clans of Yan Commandery were all present, still waiting.

"Of course." Zhao Xu had everyone enter the room and demonstrated the ice-making process in front of them.

The heads of the Rich Clans were stunned in astonishment.

So the mysterious Ice-making Technique was actually this simple.

"This is too simple." Zhang Qian's expression immediately turned cold; he felt he had been played, "Your Highness, isn't the price you charged for this technique a bit too high?"

"Ai, Zhang Member of the Gentry, that is not the right way to put it. Although this technique is simple, if His Highness had not demonstrated it, how would you have known?" Dong Yuan spread his hands.

"You..." Zhang Qian was instantly rendered speechless by the question and could only glare at Dong Yuan.

This old fellow was clearly intent on clinging to Yan Wang's leg now.

Zhao Xu gave Dong Yuan an appreciative look.

Liu Fu had told him that at the beginning, the Dong Family, the Lv Family, and the Yang Family had all sent their eldest sons.

This showed that the attitude of these three families toward the Prince's Mansion was not as hostile as that of the Zhang Family, the Huang Family, and the Du Family, and they could be won over.

He smiled, "It is precisely because the technology is simple that it can yield ten thousand times the profit. Now that I have handed over the technology, you must keep it strictly confidential; otherwise, if the Merchant Association loses money, I will not be held responsible."

The crowd had nothing to say; Yan Wang's words made sense—it was precisely because it was simple that the profits were so abundant.

However, thinking that if the technology were leaked, they would earn less, someone immediately shouted: "If anyone leaks the Ice-making Technique, they are the enemy of our thirty-eight clans, and we will be at odds with them to the death."

Zhang Qian's expression turned ugly; he had just suddenly had the idea of selling this technique to others so he could earn back his money, and perhaps even make a large profit.

With Zhao Xu pointing it out like this, the crowd was incensed, and he immediately dismissed the thought, lest the other families find out.

His Zhang Family would become a public enemy in Yan Commandery.

"Good, since that is the case, let us swear an oath here: whoever leaks the Ice-making Technique outside the Merchant Association shall be struck by lightning and meet a miserable end," Dong Yuan said, turning to the crowd.

The crowd echoed him one after another, each taking the oath in front of everyone.

Although Zhang Qian was unwilling, he had no choice but to follow along and take the oath.

Zhao Xu joined the oath; he was making a net profit, and if the technology could be kept secret,

it was naturally a good thing.

After the commotion lasted until dark, Yang Cheng, the head of the Yang Family, said: "Your Highness, we are hosting a banquet at Tianxiang Lou tonight; would Your Highness do us the honor of attending?"

"I am truly sorry, but I have just recovered from a major illness, my body is still somewhat uncomfortable, and it is not suitable for me to drink wine. In a few days, in a few days," Zhao Xu declined.

He still had many matters that needed to be handled.

"Since that is the case, then another day." The Rich Clans were not angry; Zhao Xu's excuse was impeccable.

They bowed one after another, and the Rich Clans departed one by one.

Zhao Xu left all the affairs of the Merchant Association to them.

They needed to discuss who to send south and how to keep the transportation of raw materials secret.

After everyone left, Zhao Xu took Liu Fu into the treasury in the middle courtyard of the Prince's Mansion.

At this time, rows of crates were placed inside, all filled with gleaming silver.

Besides the silver, there were sacks upon sacks of grain, and in the corner, there were exquisite bolts of cloth and other items.

"Go, call Chang Wei here," Zhao Xu said.

With so much wealth piled up in the Prince's Mansion, it was like a child carrying gold through a busy market; it was impossible that no one would covet it.

These Rich Clans were all people who played both sides of the law.

Therefore, to protect this wealth for now, he could only rely on Chang Wei.

Liu Fu went out.

Before long, Chang Wei arrived outside the treasury.

Zhao Xu ordered the servants to bring out a small chest of Silver and asked, "How much Silver does the Prince's Mansion owe you in total?"

"The Imperial Guard's pay is three taels a month; for one hundred men, that is nine hundred taels for three months." Chang Wei's gaze toward Zhao Xu softened slightly.

This Yan Wang had said he would pay them within three days, and now not even one day had passed.

"There is one thousand taels of Silver in this chest; take it all." Zhao Xu handed the chest to Chang Wei.

"Nine hundred taels is nine hundred taels; the Prince's Mansion cannot owe back pay, and this general will not take a single cent more." Chang Wei said, stiffening his neck.

"What a stubborn fellow; since His Highness gave it, just take it." Liu Fu stood to the side joking, only to be met with a glare from Chang Wei.

"The extra is for the wounded soldiers. Furthermore, the mansion's storehouse is very important right now and needs to be strictly guarded. Have the soldiers work a bit harder; I will not mistreat those who serve with dedication."

As Yan Wang, holding military power was the top priority, so naturally, he had to win over the soldiers.

Moreover, Chang Wei had a straightforward temper and was a fierce general; during the day, he had hacked people down as if he were chopping vegetables, making it all the more necessary to tame him.

Hearing that the Silver was for the wounded soldiers, Chang Wei's gaze softened, and something different appeared within it.

Cupping his fists heavily, he said loudly, "Rest assured, Your Highness. With me, Chang Wei, here, not a single grain of rice will be lost from the storehouse."

"Mm, with those words from you, I am at ease." Zhao Xu smiled.

After Chang Wei left, Zhao Xu stretched and said to Liu Fu, intentionally or otherwise, "Liu Fu, there are bad people in our mansion."

"This servant understands; there are still spies planted by the Rich Clan within the mansion." Liu Fu's eyes narrowed into slits.

Otherwise, why would servants of the Rich Clan have come to rescue Zhang Han?

"Call all the servants and maids in the mansion to the front of the bedchamber." He dropped this instruction.

Zhao Xu walked straight toward the bedchamber.

At this moment, Feng'er was sitting on the steps in front of the bedchamber, resting her chin in her hand and daydreaming, while Luan'er was leaning against the doorframe, playing with her hair.

Suddenly seeing Zhao Xu return, Feng'er stood up with a smile on her face.

Luan'er, meanwhile, pursed her lips and smiled faintly.

Zhao Xu smiled; the two girls were only fourteen or fifteen years old.

In this era, they were at the age of young maidens, and the serious demeanor they maintained in the mansion was merely a facade required for dignity.

When no one was around, they revealed their true maidenly nature.

"Your Highness is back." Feng'er came over and naturally took Zhao Xu's arm.

Before Zhao Xu had gone mad, the master-servant relationship between the three of them had been very harmonious.

Luan'er was not as bold as Feng'er and simply stayed by his side.

"I've been busy all day and have neglected you two Beauties." Zhao Xu said with a grin.

There was no help for it; survival was the top priority at the moment.

"The mansion has many affairs; Your Highness should naturally prioritize important matters." Even as lively as she was, Feng'er could not handle such teasing from Zhao Xu and could not help but blush.

Luan'er lowered her head even more shyly, thinking to herself that the Ninth Prince's madness had healed, but why had he become so much more dissolute?

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly saw the servants and maids of the mansion arriving at the back courtyard one after another, and she could not help but look at Zhao Xu with a puzzled expression.

Zhao Xu smiled faintly and said, "Do not worry, just watch from the sidelines. Tonight, I am going to flush out the spies in the mansion."