Qin Yuan was unaware that she had stirred up a turbulent situation in the palace, and was still worrying about her grand plan for the future.

No one wanted to do ginseng business, so they unanimously elected Mr. Songshan to persuade her.

The reasons are nothing more than that it's better to do what you know than what you don't; the Marquis's family is unfamiliar with the ginseng business; the trade routes in the Northwest have always been profitable and shouldn't be abandoned; and the people and people in Liaodong are unfamiliar with the area, and even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, so many things still need to be considered carefully.

Such as these.

Qin Yuan didn't expect everyone to agree when she gathered everyone to discuss this matter, but to her surprise, not a single person agreed.

Mr. Songshan said, “If Madam is only interested in the ginseng business, why not go for Shangdang purple ginseng? As Su Shi said, ‘Shangdang is the backbone of the world, Liaodong is the bottom of a well.’ Since ancient times, everyone has believed that Liaodong ginseng is far inferior to purple ginseng. Even if we can’t squeeze into the Shangdang business, aren’t there other places like Jizhou and Huizhou that also produce ginseng?”

Everyone nodded.

Qin Yuan retorted, "Sir, you are unaware that red ginseng is now available in Liaodong."

In her previous life, after Lin Ziqi returned to Beijing, he was promoted and became wealthy, and she also benefited from it, getting involved in the ginseng business.

Although Shangdang is rich in purple ginseng, it has been extensively harvested since the Han Dynasty, making it increasingly difficult to find today, thus driving up the price of ginseng.

In order to sell ginseng at a good price, the various tribes of the Di people in Liaodong have figured out a method of boiling it in boiling water and then drying it in the sun, trying their best to preserve and prolong its medicinal properties. Although it is not as good as purple ginseng, it is not much different.

Ten years from now, the ginseng mainly used in Beijing will be Liaodong ginseng.

Goryeo has long needed to purchase ginseng from abroad, and Liaodong ginseng is so valuable that it can make a fortune simply by consuming ginseng from Goryeo, without even competing with the Central Plains.

Otherwise, where would Yelü Guzha get the gold and silver treasures to bribe officials in the Daxing court?

In order to get a share of the profits in the future, it would be even better if she could cut off the Yelü clan's source of income.

Mr. Matsuyama hesitated and asked, "Red ginseng?"

Qin Yuan spoke eloquently: "Fresh ginseng is boiled and then dried, turning red in color, hence the name red ginseng. It is easier to store than fresh ginseng. I have heard that the Yelü clan sells this ginseng to countries such as Goryeo, making a lot of profit. You also know that the royal families of vassal states like to imitate our Central Plains royal family in everything they do, and they highly value the use of ginseng for medicine and health preservation, and the price is much higher than that of ginseng in the Central Plains."

Butler Han and Butler Cao both sighed in unison.

This is indeed for our Lord Marquis.

"Liaodong, Liaodong," Mr. Songshan frowned and pondered for a long time before finally saying, "How about we have Fengyun Pavilion investigate thoroughly first?"

The lady insisted that the Yelü clan was involved in this business, and that as long as she put in the effort to inquire, she could always get some useful information from the merchants in the East and West markets.

Everyone said, "What you say is very true, sir. We're so busy with the festival preparations that we don't even have time to finish them. After the festival, we still have to harvest pepper. Why don't we finish one thing before doing the other? Besides, we don't know much about ginseng, so we'll have to put in the effort to figure it out."

Qin Yuan could only say, "That's true. In a few days, the whole clan will go to the ancestral temple for a sacrificial ceremony, then go to the palace for a banquet, followed by the city-wide lantern festival... Everyone should go and do their own thing."

Perhaps they will only trust her business acumen once pepper makes a fortune.

Mr. Songshan remained seated until everyone had left, then said, "Madam, why don't you start from scratch and do this?"

Qin Yuan was a little puzzled: "It seems that you are on my side, sir."

Mr. Matsuyama nodded.

"As the saying goes, a horse won't get fat without night grass, and a man won't get rich without windfall gains. The Marquis's mansion should have accumulated a lot of wealth after years of fighting. However, the Marquis is a man who does great things. According to the plan that the Madam previously laid out, this money is enough to buy shops and ancestral lands to pass on to future generations and ensure their safety, but it is not enough to carry out great things."

Mr. Songshan didn't say what important matter was going on, but his eyes shone brightly, as if he wanted to see through Qin Yuan's eyes to her heart.

Qin Yuan remained unmoved and did not respond to this question. She simply said, "Although the Qiang people have been driven out of the northern border, they are like centipedes that do not die easily. They have occupied the area around Changbai Mountain, suppressed the Di people, and have found a way to make money. After lying dormant for decades, I dare say they will become a major threat to Daxing."

Mr. Matsuyama was astonished: "Madam has thought so far ahead."

Qin Yuan said, "The Marquis now has soldiers and money. If the Yelü family's source of wealth is cut off, the Yelü hostage will be unable to win people's hearts in the court, nor will he be able to use the ginseng business to collude with the vassal states to cause trouble."

Mr. Songshan couldn't help but clap his hands and sigh, "How many men are born in vain between heaven and earth, truly not as valiant as a woman like you, my lady. How fortunate the Marquis is to have you as his wife."

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Why not say how fortunate I am to have the Marquis as my husband?"

I wonder how the Old Man Under the Moon (the matchmaker) tied the red thread of fate.

In this life and the next, we are different people, and different possibilities arise.

Mr. Songshan nodded in admiration: "Your Excellency and I are husband and wife, sharing joys and sorrows, and it is no exaggeration to say that we have formed a marriage alliance."

Qin Yuan asked solemnly, "Sir, do you think it's worth doing business with ginseng right now?"

Mr. Songshan calculated with his fingers: "If we are to do it, we should do it as soon as possible. The Yelü clan has been living in the Di region for almost a year. If they stay longer and take root there, it will be more troublesome to seize them."

Liaodong is a land that can be attacked or defended at will; such a good place cannot be given to others.

The Di people were more civilized than the Qiang people, and could be driven around.

Mr. Matsuyama's fingers trembled slightly, and his long beard quivered as well.

Qin Yuan smiled.

Mr. Songshan asked, "Do you have any capable people at your disposal who can collect ginseng?"

Ginseng is the king of herbs. Since the Zhou Dynasty, it has been used to ward off evil, calm fright, improve eyesight, uplift spirits, and enhance intelligence. Long-term consumption of this herb can lighten the body and prolong life.

Ancient legends say that ginseng has the power to grant immortality and bring the dead back to life.

Therefore, the practice of counterfeiting ginseng has been passed down from generation to generation, with all sorts of counterfeiting techniques. Some use reed rhizome, radish, and platycodon to counterfeit it, while others use sand ginseng, codonopsis, and ginseng seedlings to replace it. Even more counterfeit ones use atractylodes and other substances to fill in the ginseng and increase its weight. Some even resell ginseng that has already been boiled and lost its medicinal properties. There are countless tricks involved.

Collecting and identifying valuable materials requires extensive experience and skill, as well as unwavering loyalty.

Where can you find someone like that?

Qin Yuan said, "Renhetang can be used by me."

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners often process herbs and have a thorough understanding of their properties.

Allocation, transportation, and storage can be handled by hiring a few more skilled workers.

Mr. Songshan said, “Since you have already thought it through, why not use your own dowry shop to do this business? If you are worried about future complications, you can also choose a shop in the Marquis’s mansion. You can have your people manage it, and the rent can be converted into public funds every year. The account book can be kept separately and there is no need to go through the general account. You only need to report to the Marquis.”

This became a matter between Lord Gu and Qin Yuan, and no matter how it turned out, it was none of anyone else's business.

Whether it's a profit or a loss, only the Marquis knows.

Whether to do it or not, it's up to the Marquis to decide.

“That’s a good idea,” Qin Yuan clapped her hands. “I’ll make the arrangements once Shen Changle is done with the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern festival.”

By doing this, the Marquis's soldiers, the Marquis's guards, and the Flying Cloud Pavilion can still be used by her.