Chapter 58 Chapter 58...

Although the Lingdong aristocratic families cannot compare with the four great families of the capital in terms of wealth, their combined strength is still considerable.

The eight companies that have come today are the best of the best. Some of them are even ranked among the top in the country.

Ji and Jing summoned them urgently without any prior warning, and the heads of these eight families all came in person.

This reveals a glimpse of the respect shown to Ji and Jing.

Because they were all family heads, they remained relatively calm in the face of the cold and solemn atmosphere in the army.

After we were seated, tea was served.

The aroma of the tea amazed Qian Yongming, the head of the Qian family, who couldn't help but smile.

"This tea has a fresh aroma. What kind of tea is it?"

Ji Yujing personally replied to him: "How could Miss Lin's tea not be fresh?"

These words are full of affection.

Laughter immediately filled the council chamber.

Lin Qingdai: "If you family heads don't mind, when you leave, I will prepare a cup of flower tea that I have sun-dried and various ointments that I have made myself."

“Lingdong is rich in resources, which is very suitable for craftsmen like us.”

The heads of the families all agreed.

Especially the head of the Le family, whose smile he couldn't hide at all.

“That would be wonderful. To be honest, Madam Ji, before I came here, my husband specifically asked me to ask you if you could give her some herbal ointment.”

"Of course, buying is also an option."

In just a few months, Lin Er Guniang became famous in Lingdong.

Aside from her beauty and business acumen, it's her extraordinary products.

Herbal balm is one of them.

Lin Qingdai paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Dai Dai really didn't know that the name of herbal ointment had spread so widely."

Ji Yujing: "Can I use that herbal ointment?"

Lin Qingdai: "...It's not that it's impossible?"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the tense atmosphere in the council hall dissipated considerably.

After laughing, I drank some tea.

Ji Yujing steered the conversation to the main point, his words calm and straightforward.

"Since the esteemed clan heads have come in person, Ji Ci has already seen their sincerity, so I will not beat around the bush."

Qian Yongming: "General, please speak frankly."

Ji Yujing's lips curled slightly: "The heads of the families may have already sensed the changes in the situation."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the other family heads turned considerably colder and more solemn.

They definitely felt it.

Especially after Wu Wengan was assassinated in Lingdong.

“The team I have built from scratch has become the backbone of Lingdong Anhe. There have been many difficulties along the way, but I have never asked any of you for help.”

"Yes and no?"

"yes."

Sometimes, even when powerful families secretly offered assistance to Ningdong Army, he refused them all.

"But today, I need the help of all the family heads to help Ningdong Army get through this crisis."

"What crisis could cause General Ji such concern?"

Ji Yujing: "For example, going up against Tianyun City?"

The heads of the families were startled, a chill running down their spines.

Their fears have come true; Wu Wengan's death will disrupt the harmony between Lingdong and Tianyun City.

"What does the general think..."

Qian Yongming asked, but before he could finish speaking, he suddenly noticed the patch of light blue in his field of vision.

He immediately understood what Ji Yujing was planning to do and revealed it in the next instant.

"Does the general want us to emulate the four great families of the capital?"

As expected of a big shot in the area, communication was effortless.

Ji Yujing: "Yes."

His answer was clear and simple, but Qian Yongming and others were inwardly seething with turmoil.

The four great families of the capital city once gave up half of their fortune. Not everyone has that kind of courage.

When one is disturbed, it's impossible for their face to be completely free of signs of distress.

Ji Yujing observed this and thought, "If the Ningdong Army is defeated, who knows how many soldiers will return alive? Their ability and morale will definitely be severely damaged."

"By then, who will defend against the invasion of Dongshao Kingdom? When this place becomes Xuanzhi's possession or controlled by the royal family, can you guarantee that you will live well?"

At that point, forget about personal wealth; just being able to save the lives of everyone in the family would be a good outcome.

The heads of the families knew in their hearts that Ji Yujing was right.

When things really get chaotic, everyone will become prey for powerful warlords or foreign barbarians. They'll eat them however they want, whenever they want, entirely depending on their mood. Someone as polite and easy to talk to as Ji Yujing is probably nowhere to be found again.

Furthermore, if the future emperor truly originates from Lingdong and has received their assistance... their families might actually gain an opportunity to rise to prominence because of this.

The hesitation continued, and Ji Yujing remained silent.

The council chamber has become a desolate place.

After about half a cup of tea's time, Lin Qingdai suddenly looked at Ji Yujing, her gentle laughter breaking the cold silence.

"General, may I speak with the heads of the various clans for a few minutes?"

"Madam, please."

Lin Qingdai smiled at him, then looked at Qian Yongming and the others.

But unexpectedly, she didn't talk about the current situation, but started talking about business.

"You patriarchs need not worry about money."

What do you mean?

"Actually, if I had two or three years, the profits from the businesses I run would be enough to support the Ningdong Army, if not support it, but to support the team independently in times of crisis."

"Unfortunately, the times did not allow it."

The moment the topic of doing business came up, the heads of the family got excited.

Chen Lingsheng, the head of the Chen family, said, "Does Madam Ji mean that this money is just a loan and will be repaid after we get through this difficult time?"

Lin Qingdai smiled and nodded: "Yes."

After replying, she continued...

"You have a second option."

What is it?

Lin Qingdai smiled and said, "I will lead you to earn back this money within two or three years, or even more."

Qian Yongming asked, "What are your thoughts, Madam?"

Lin Qingdai took out the documents she had brought with her. "I suppose all of you family heads know that Lingdong has a wealth of medicinal herbs, comparable only to the far north of Xun Kingdom."

Everyone nodded.

Lin Qingdai continued, "When I first came to Lingdong, I started to assemble a team to study these medicinal materials and make them into medicines. Now, one medicine has been completed and is just waiting for the final side effect verification. If there are no problems, we can submit it to the relevant departments to obtain a sales license."

"May I ask what medicine it is, madam?"

"The muscle-regenerating ointment can be widely used for severe external injuries to promote wound healing. The accompanying analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs are still under development. If successful, I will involve you, the heads of the families, in the business. As long as you operate legally, I can entrust you with full control over the distribution."

At this point, Lin Qingdai handed the documents in her hand to Ji Yujing.

"Could you please distribute these to the heads of the families, General? One for each person."

Ji Yujing: "Do I have one?"

Lin Qingdai's lips curled slightly. "Of course there are."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yujing kept one copy and gave the rest to Xu Xian.

Xu Xian distributed the portions one by one, and gave the extra portions to Hua Wenhuai and others.

After giving everyone some time to examine the list, Lin Qingdai spoke again, "But the process of producing medicine is complicated, and it is impossible to distribute it on a large scale in less than a year or two. The products listed on this list are those that are currently available, including the herbal ointment mentioned by the Le family head."

"You esteemed family heads, Dai Dai guarantees that whatever the Lin Family Business has in the future, you will have it all at cost price."

"The trade route to the far north is now being opened, and my maternal grandfather's family is in the south. If there is any need for trade, you can mention my name to negotiate. For difficult cases, I can negotiate on your behalf."

Ji Yujing looked at Lin Qingdai, and only then did he realize that she had already thought of everything that would happen when she made the suggestion to him.

The name "Second Miss Lin" carries significant weight and inspires trust.

Once she steps in, business people will definitely think twice, no matter what else is on their minds.

At home, she is his wife.

But in public, she was just Miss Lin the Second.

A peerless genius who can amaze the world with his own talent and skills.

He really liked Lin Qingdai like this.

It wasn't because she had been of great help to Lingdong and herself, but because she was so beautiful and radiant.

Not just him, no one can resist her charm.

Amidst his fluctuating thoughts, Ji Yujing's lips curled into a slight smile.

Ji Yujing was already strong enough, and now with the addition of Miss Lin Er, the heads of the various families began to feel that this deal was worthwhile.

They might even think that if they hadn't happened to live in Lingdong, they wouldn't have had such a good opportunity.

They are unwilling to do it, but many are willing to place bets.

Everything went exceptionally smoothly afterward.

After discussing how to hand over the donated money, the head of the Qian family mentioned going to take a look at the Lin family's trading company.

If possible, I'd like to look into pharmaceuticals.

Lin Qingdai did not disagree.

"Then I won't disturb the general and everyone else any longer."

After saying this, he left the military camp with the eight family heads. They were all business-loving people, and the atmosphere was harmonious and warm.

Only Ning Dongjun's high-ranking officials and Mr. Yu Yong remained in the council chamber.

Cong Xin was the first to speak, "How did Madam come up with these things? She's only been in Lingdong for three months."

He was genuinely shocked.

The list covers a wide range of products, from food, sauces, and wines to everyday items and even women's favorites like sachets and herbal balms...

The resources of Lingdong were utilized to the greatest extent possible.

If these collaborations are successful, they will undoubtedly bring numerous job opportunities to ordinary people.

Absolutely wonderful.

Hua Wenhuai laughed and said, "If Miss Lin is willing, I will give her my position as the chief strategist in the army."

These words reminded me of the battle with Dongshao Kingdom.

"You know what, the lady really knows how to fight."

At this moment, Mr. Yu Yong looked at Ji Yujing and said with a smile, "What did I say before? When Miss Lin Er enters the game, the prodigies will fight each other in chaos. You, Ji Yujing, may not be able to stand in the center all the time."

Ji Yujing laughed, "If Miss Lin Er stands in the center, I can do it too."

"My wife is worth it."

"Wow, you've got a sweet tongue. You weren't talking like this a few months ago."

The generals were curious, "What did the leader say back then?"

Yu-Ning: "I created opportunities for him to spend time with Dai-Dai, but he said he was too old to need company."

"Ha ha ha ha."

"That sounds like something Master Jing would say."

"He used to be so stubborn, but now he insists on picking you up personally, even if it's just a short distance away."

Ji Yujing: "..."

A bunch of chatterboxes, so noisy.

...

The people of Lingdong united as one and secretly prepared for battle. Although they were worried about the outcome, they had no choice but to face the inevitable.

However, the situation was different in Tianyun City in the west. Ten days after receiving Wu Wengan's gift, Wu Tingshan received his corpse.

Following instructions from Ji and Jing, after inspection, Wu Wengan was sent back to his hometown.

Throughout his life, Wu Tingshan fought countless battles against the Azure Kingdom.

He had killed many enemy soldiers, and his own soldiers were constantly being killed by the enemy. He thought he had long since become indifferent to life and death.

But in that open space in the military camp, I saw Erzi, who only loved reading poetry and painting, lying there quietly, his face pale.

His tears welled up, a torrent that was impossible to suppress.

"Who is it? Who is it?"

On the second note, he shouted at the top of his lungs, his hatred blatantly evident.

The person who arrived was Wu Xiang, the second most powerful figure in Ningzhou. He said apologetically to Wu Tingshan, "The torrential rain that day washed away all the evidence. We tried our best, but we still couldn't find the real culprit."

"General Ji asked me to pass on a message to the general: Wu Wengan's death has nothing to do with Lingdong. He genuinely respected General Wu and would never do such a despicable thing."

Wu Tingshan knew that Ji Yujing was not lying.

If it wasn't him, then who was it?

“He died in Lingdong, and he is to blame.”

Why didn't you send someone to protect him? Why?

Wu Xiang recounted the story truthfully: "When the governor first arrived in Ningzhou, he was provided with supplies. But the governor said that no one would care about his life. He personally ordered a reduction in these supplies, using the saved manpower and money to help the poor."

Rescue the poor?

As a result, he ended up losing his life.

Godson, how could you be so silly?

You are my legitimate son, Wu Tingshan. How could no one care about your life?

Wu Tingshan knelt down beside Wu Wengan, tears dripping onto his face, his rough fingers slowly and gently stroking Wu Wengan's face.

Inch by inch, it took a long time.

Finally, he covered Wu Wengan's eyes with his palm.

He stroked from top to bottom, saying, "Rest in peace, my godson. Your father will avenge you."

At the end of sorrow lies desolation.

Wu Tingshan's emotions seemed to have been completely drained away.

With his back to Wu Xiang, he said in a deep voice, "Let's go back."

Wu Xiang bowed to him, and then bowed to Wu Wengan.

"Then I, Wu, will take my leave. I hope the general will take care of himself."

After saying this, he left with his entourage. As he turned away, tears slid down his cheeks.

As soon as he left, the wolf faction in the army swarmed towards Wu Tingshan.

"General, who would dare to touch the Second Young Master!"

"This is outrageous! They've even dared to kill members of the Tianyun City faction."

"General, we can't just let this go. Otherwise, what will become of Tianyun City's prestige?"

Wu Tingshan stood up. "Ji Yujing may be wild, but he has a kind heart and won't kill innocent people."

"Who else could it be but him?"

"Lonely Cloud City, Zhang Qiyuan, Azure Kingdom, and..."

Emperor Taining, is that you?

If it really is you, then I, Wu Tingshan, have been blind.

But the hatred for killing my son is irreconcilable, and I will avenge him no matter what.

If one has dedicated their life to the country but cannot find peace in their old age, and even suffers the loss of their child, then they should not live.

"From this moment on, Tianyun City enters a state of war preparedness."

...

On September 13th, it rained in the capital.

It wasn't very large, but it lasted for several hours, and water began to accumulate in the pits on the surface.

Min Yu'an led his team into the city.

He had a good relationship with Lin Qingyu and secretly sent someone to the Lin family to explain the situation.

The Lin family knew everything, but did not show it at the time.

He gave the soldier a silver ingot and also had the soldier deliver a bag of gold melon seeds to Min Yu'an, saying it was to thank them for taking care of Dai Dai in Lingdong.

The soldier thanked him repeatedly and then left.

As soon as he left, the Lin family's banquet hall became instantly bustling with activity.

The first to shout was Lord Lin: "That Ji Yujing, how dare he act arrogantly towards my precious son."

"I have misjudged him."

"No, I'm leaving right now to go to Lingdong and bring my Dai Dai home. This is outrageous! Do you think the Lin family has no one left?"

Lin Yansen was really angry at this moment. After making his harsh remarks, he rubbed his sleeves and rushed out.

After walking only a short distance, Zhuo Shuming said softly, "Stop."

Lin Yansen immediately stopped in his tracks without any hesitation.

He was still arguing verbally, saying, "Don't stop me! That's our daughter, our own flesh and blood."

"We've protected and nurtured her for so many years and never said a harsh word to her. Who does Ji Yujing think he is? What gives him the right?"

Zhuo Shuming glanced at him coldly, "On what grounds? On the grounds that he is Ji Yujing."

If he doesn't love her, what difference does it make if he marries a princess?

Lingdong is his territory, so whatever he says goes.

Even an emperor wouldn't break ties with a princess for her happiness.

But that's not the point.

The key point is that if Dai Dai really feels wronged, she will definitely find a way to send a message home.

She gave birth to her daughter; how could she not know her? She may look delicate and gentle, but she's actually quite independent, assertive, and intelligent. This little thing is nothing to her.

There must be a reason why things have turned out this way.

"Do you think this isn't a show put on by Dai Dai and Xiao Ji together?"

Lin Yansen: "...Why would Madam think that way?"

Zhuo Shuming: "It's a show for Min Yu'an and the others, to send them back to the capital. If Ji Yujing is too domineering, His Majesty won't hold the Lin family responsible for this."

After listening, Lin Qingyu exclaimed, "Brilliant!"

"Maybe that's true."

Lin Yansen: "That's just speculation. What if my darling suffers in Lingdong?"

Zhuo Shuming: "Your daughter is a hundred times smarter than you. She could never suffer as much as you do."

Lin Yansen felt deeply offended. "Without me, where would such a smart daughter come from?"

Zhuo Shuming: "That's about all it's good for."

"Zhuo Shuming?"

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

Seeing that her parents were about to fight again, Lin Qingyu quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Father is just concerned about my sister. If you are really worried, I will send someone to Lingdong to check on things. I will go myself to see what progress Dai Dai’s drug research is making.”

"If it succeeds, it will be a huge deal that has been made in the long run, and it will also benefit the people."

Both Zhuo Shuming and Lin Yansen were satisfied with this explanation.

That night, the Lin family lived peacefully as always.

The next day at dawn, Lin Yansen went to the palace for the morning court session as usual.

Zhuo Shuming, unusually, got up to help him change his clothes.

Lin Yansen felt a little flustered. "Madam, please don't be like this. I'm scared."

Zhuo Shuming glanced at him disdainfully, "What are you afraid of? Do you think I'm going to eat you?"

“If Min Yu’an mentions the situation in Lingdong today, you must be as angry as you were last night. Don’t waste your daughter and son-in-law’s efforts to extricate you from this matter.”

Lin Yansen paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Today I will definitely let Madam see the strength of a first-rank marquis."

Zhuo Shuming laughed, "I'll wait and see."

Lin Yansen entered the court as usual, handsome and relaxed, as if unaware of what had happened in Lingdong.

Before His Majesty appeared, he chatted with Zhou Zhangping and a group of old friends.

Unbeknownst to anyone, he kept glancing at the eldest and second princes out of the corner of his eye during their casual conversation.

Now, the Third Prince and his mother have been sent to Taixin Temple by the Emperor for confinement and recuperation. The Fourth Prince has always disliked court affairs, and the position of Crown Prince seems to be a battle between the First Prince and the Second Prince.

He never expected that the eldest prince would return to the capital after years of silence.

Putting everything else aside, he understood the emperor's heart. He was humble and diligent, focused solely on his work, and never showed a trace of ambition to rise to power.

The emperor rarely praised him, but Lin Yansen knew that the emperor liked princes like him.

Then there are those like the Fourth Prince.

Lin Yansen remained expressionless despite his turbulent thoughts.

He couldn't control the changing of imperial power, but he had to protect his wife, children, and the entire Lin family.

After a short while, the emperor appeared, his imperial aura spreading silently.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live Your Majesty!"

Amidst the scorching roar, the entire hall of humps knelt on the ground.

Emperor Taining gazed intently at them, then waved his hand, "All of you, rise."

Xiao Qi: "If you have something to report, do so now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

Min Yu'an was the first to step forward and immediately knelt down, saying, "This humble general has failed to fulfill His Majesty's instructions. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

Emperor Taining remained silent for several breaths. "What happened in Lingdong?"

Min Yu'an: "General Wu's second son, Wu Wengan, died in Ningzhou. General Ji was furious, believing that we had killed the governor of Wuzhou."

"In an attempt to keep us here, Miss Lin clashed violently with the men sent by General Ji, and the Lin residence was immediately sealed off."

"But Your Majesty, we really didn't kill Wu Wengan."

Before the emperor could even react, Lin Yansen jumped out.

"What did you say? Ji Yujing has sealed off the Lin residence and restricted Dai Dai's access?"

"How dare he! A penniless brat like him, how dare he treat my precious baby like this."

"His Majesty."

After cursing, Lin Yansen knelt down beside Min Yu'an.

"I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to annul this marriage, and I will immediately set off to Lingdong to bring Dai Dai back."

Emperor Taining: "Get up and stand aside."

The voice turned cold; this was a premonition that the emperor was about to lose his temper.

Lin Yansen still tried to struggle: "Your Majesty..."

Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Taining stopped him.

“If you say another word, I will give you thirty lashes.”

He wouldn't die, but he would lose all face as a first-rank prince.

"If you don't care about yourself, why don't you think about your children?"

Lin Yansen gritted his teeth and endured it, finally standing up and returning to his original spot.

His mouth was still moving, silently cursing.

"Who wants to become Wu Tingshan's enemy?"

That was him, the ruler of the country.

He hated Wu Ying to the core, yet he didn't kill her.

This was solely because her father was Wu Tingshan, the foremost general of Xun Kingdom. Compared to him, Ji Yujing could only be considered a junior.

It's perfectly normal for him to be shocked and angry if he offends Wu Tingshan.

"This is not your fault, get up."

Min Yu'an breathed a sigh of relief and kowtowed to the emperor, saying, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Majesty."

He got up and stepped aside.

The court was silent for several breaths when the eldest prince suddenly stepped forward, bowed to the emperor, and said, "Your subject has something that I have hesitated for a long time, but I have decided to report to Father Emperor."

Emperor Taining: "Speak."

The Crown Prince said, “When I was traveling in the far north, I unexpectedly discovered that General Wu’s men were asking about warhorses and had made a considerable number of deals.”

"As everyone knows, the funds for Tianyun City's resistance against the enemy are all allocated by the royal family. The number of warhorses and weapons purchased, when and from where, must all be recorded."

"For the sake of the stability of the country, I would like to request that Your Majesty review the relevant records."

The Second Prince, who had been silent in the court for a long time, was furious upon hearing this.

"Song Yunmian, what do you mean?"

"You're doubting my maternal grandfather..."

Before the ruthlessness could fully spread, Emperor Taining spoke, unusually calm.

"Yunmian, when did this happen?"

"In mid-February this year, the far north was covered in snow and extremely cold."

"Zhang Quanning."

"Your subject is present."

"Immediately retrieve the relevant records; I'll be waiting for you here."

"promise."

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Quanning led away the relevant personnel from the Ministry of War.

Inside the imperial court, the high-ranking officials, who were used to weathering storms, were unusually quiet, barely daring to breathe loudly, a chill running down their spines.

If Wu Tingshan hadn't reported these warhorses, given the Emperor's current temperament, he would certainly have characterized his actions as—

They intended to rebel.

Treason is a serious crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.

All kinds of documents in the Ministry of War are archived and managed by designated personnel. They can be easily checked down to the month, especially when the order to check is issued by the emperor himself.

In the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the relevant files were placed in front of Emperor Taining.

Emperor Taining examined the records closely and found very few entries for February of this year, and no reports of the purchase of warhorses were found.

After a long silence, Emperor Taining flew into a rage and threw the dossier to the ground.

"Wu Tingshan, how dare you!"

"Zhang Huining."

"Your subject is present."

"Issue my decree that Ji Yujing take Tianyun City as quickly as possible and capture Wu Tingshan alive."

"Yes, military funds..."

Emperor Taining's gaze seemed to pause for a moment, then return to clarity, appearing even colder.

"Military spending?"

"Do I want to raise another vicious tiger?"