Chapter 317: News spreads back to Beijiang

Afterward, Tang Xiao Yu informed her of the palace maid's name and characteristics, telling Su Wan Er to find a way to bring the person over herself, without being too deliberate to avoid being discovered by those with ulterior motives.

"Are there any interesting things in the court recently?" Tang Xiao Yu asked while unpicking her sleeve, where two pairs of silk stockings and a set of sexy lingerie were stuffed in the lining.

Fortunately, these things didn't use much fabric, otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to bring them in.

Su Wan Er's eyes lit up, but she blushed a little, "The day before yesterday, when the Emperor was having dinner at Yu Chen Gong, he casually mentioned that Si Gui had rejected Yan Chonggu's proposal to send an envoy to pacify Beijiang in the court. Si Gui believes that there is no movement in Beijiang and that Western Liang should be prioritized."

"Beijiang pacification?" Tang Xiao Yu's eyes narrowed, "Yan Chonggu? Why would he suddenly care about Beijiang?"

"I don't know!" Su Wan Er didn't care about this, so she didn't ask further.

Tang Xiao Yu pondered this matter, fearing the Imperial Court had designs on Beijiang, and immediately said to Su Wan Er: "Keep an eye on news about Beijiang in the future; if you do well, I have more good things for you!"

"More good things?" Su Wan Er looked at the very little fabric, unable to understand why this person was so deeply researched in this aspect.

Tang Xiao Yu said at the right moment: "Naturally, there are. The Emperor will get tired of these things after seeing them for a long time, and I have many 'fresh goods' in my hands! As long as our cooperation goes smoothly, I can make the Emperor never be able to leave you!"

This was Tang Xiao Yu's confidence; she wouldn't be stupid enough to throw all her trump cards at once. Things like silk stockings couldn't be impossible to imitate.

The embroidery skills of the current embroiderers were very good! It wouldn't be difficult to imitate this thing, so it was impossible to keep hanging Su Wan Er with just this gadget.

Tang Xiao Yu was telling Su Wan Er that only by cooperating with her could she continue to capture the Emperor's heart.

And this was exactly what Su Wan Er wanted; both sides got what they needed, and the result would naturally satisfy the other party.

Su Wan Er had previously thought about finding an embroiderer to make silk stockings; this thing didn't look difficult, it was just a matter of finding suitable materials.

But she didn't know how things like scented soap, perfume, and body wash were made. If she offended Tang Xiao Yu because of finding an embroiderer, it would be a loss that outweighed the gain.

To prove her value, Su Wan Er continued: "The Emperor is very fond of me now, and there will be an opportunity for family to visit once a month in the future, which can be considered as opening a path."

Tang Xiao Yu nodded: "Use your own judgment, I shouldn't stay long, remember to go and get that palace maid!"

"Rest assured, sister!" Su Wan Er smiled: "This matter is not difficult!"

Afterward, Tang Xiao Yu left the Imperial Palace and was only able to get out after undergoing another body search.

To prevent being followed, Tang Xiao Yu turned around the streets and alleys of the capital several times before finally stopping in front of an unremarkable small courtyard.

Pushing open the door, a half-withered leaf stuck in the door crack slid down slowly. Tang Xiao Yu looked left and right, and after seeing no one, she entered the room.

She walked to the desk, spread out paper and pen, quickly wrote down lines of small characters, and stuffed them into the copper tube on the carrier pigeon's leg.

"So far away, I don't know if it can reach! Go!"

This carrier pigeon had been trained for several months before it remembered the homing route, and now it was just in time to be put to use.

In the Yan Residence in the capital, Yan Chonggu was sitting upright at the desk practicing calligraphy, and the residence exuded a slightly silent sense of weight. There weren't many servants in the residence, but their actions were disciplined.

Yan Chonggu straightened his back, admiring his own calligraphy. Sitting opposite him was a man of about forty, whose face was five or six parts similar to Yan Chonggu's. This was Yan Chonggu's son, Yan Shi'an.

"Father, why did you bring up the matter of Beijiang in the court that day?" Yan Shi'an asked, puzzled, his tone carrying a hint of complaint, "Lu Wenchang got the lucrative errand of coordinating grain and fodder, and our Yan Family just got empty words? 'Pacify Beijiang'? What is there to pacify in that bitter and cold place? Who to send? To do what? Wasting money and manpower for nothing."

Yan Chonggu looked at his son and didn't answer directly, but instead asked: "Shi'an, what is our Yan Family's current situation in the court?"

Yan Shi'an was stunned, then frowned and said: "Why does Father ask when you know the answer? Si Gui holds the court, the Lu Family follows closely behind, and our Yan Family... has the name of a veteran of three reigns, but real power is getting less and less."

He was telling the truth! The current generation of the Yan Family, and even the previous generation, had shallower and shallower attainments in literature. Even though Yan Chonggu set family rules, the descendants were indeed mediocre in talent; this was a gift, and one couldn't force it.

Even though Yan Chonggu found many famous teachers to teach them, the response was still mediocre, but they were quite talented in doing business!

Now that the Si Family's power was overwhelming, his Yan Family was only slightly stronger in doing business.

But for the status of a scholar-gentry family, both official position and wealth were indispensable. Aside from Yan Chonggu, an old minister who was about to retire, the only ones left to hold up the Yan Family's facade were a few collateral descendants holding idle positions in local areas.

As for those poor scholars who joined the Yan Family, Yan Chonggu didn't recognize them as Yan family members; both sides just got what they needed!

The poor scholars were for their official careers, and the scholar-gentry were for enhancing their own influence.

If the Yan Family had a say in the court, then these poor scholars would naturally benefit and would lean toward the Yan Family.

Once the Yan Family lost power, these people would probably run faster than anyone else, fearing they would be implicated.

"Then what does our Yan Family rely on to maintain today's facade?" Yan Chonggu asked again.

"Naturally, it relies on business." Yan Shi'an had a glow in his eyes when he said this, "Jiangnan's silk, tea, canal transport, as well as Xuzhou's salt permits, medicinal materials, and restaurants and inns, etc., our Yan Family has a share in all of them. Our business is a bit bigger and stronger than the other families."

"Yes, business." Yan Chonggu put down the paperweight gently and sighed, "But scholar-gentry are ultimately scholar-gentry. Having money without power is like walking on a night road holding gold bricks; sooner or later, someone will covet it. Why can Si Gui sit firmly as Prime Minister? Why can the Lu Family rise step by step? Because they have power in their hands, can protect their own wealth, and can turn other people's wealth into their own."

Yan Shi'an was silent for a moment and whispered: "Father means..."

"Our Yan Family is not good at reading; this is destiny, and one cannot force it." Yan Chonggu said slowly, "But doing business is our strength. Since we can't compete with those people in the court, we must find another way, using the methods we are good at to stabilize our family status, and even... go a step further."

Why can scholar-gentry families remain standing for thousands of years? The reason is nothing more than three points: they hold a large amount of hereditary land and wealth, which is the foundation of their economy! Then there is the monopoly of culture, which gives them knowledge and the right to speak, and the imperial power also has to rely on them to govern the country.

Finally, there is the intricate network of relationships. Their top-level intermarriages are constant, and one move affects the whole body; even the Si Family has intermarriage relations with the Yan Family, and there are Yan Family members among the harem concubines. ===== CHAPTER 318 =====