Prince Takumi pursed his lips, suppressing his anger.
"Indeed, Qiao Lian'er's reputation has turned around against all odds. In recent days, the second son of the Pei Prince's Mansion has been spreading the policies and laws for her everywhere, exempting her from three years of taxes and corvée labor, and distributing supplies such as cotton clothes, charcoal, and seeds. This has immediately boosted her reputation."
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
Prince Takumi stared at Mutai: "What does Lord Mutai say?"
Mu Tai's face hardened.
Logically speaking, his plan should have hit Qiao Lian'er where it hurt.
If Qiao Lian'er, as the lord of Jinglang Prefecture, were to implement exorbitant taxes and mistreatment of the people, it would certainly provoke widespread backlash, as this would concern the people's vital interests and livelihoods.
Moreover, once the news spread among the people, it would be like a raging river bursting its banks, unstoppable, and it would be very difficult for Qiao Lian'er to clean up the mess.
He thought Qiao Lian'er's reputation was almost ruined, so he didn't pay much attention to the matter and just waited for the gunpowder to arrive in Da Nu Kingdom.
This was the foundation upon which he established himself in the court of the Da Nu Kingdom.
Who would have thought that Qiao Lian'er would reverse her reputation so quickly.
She adopted the most difficult, yet most direct and effective, approach: distributing supplies using financial resources.
The reason it is considered the most difficult is that even for the emperor's treasury, preparing supplies for the distribution of a large province would be a huge expense, so no ruler was willing to do it.
The most direct and effective approach is because it concerns the survival of the people; it is truly their lifeline. As long as they are well-fed and clothed, the people will only feel gratitude, and any rumors or gossip will be easily shattered.
Mu Tai couldn't imagine how rich Qiao Lian'er was.
However, many of the things she did suggest that she possessed enormous wealth.
For example, training and developing armored troops and elite cavalry.
For example, purchasing so many fine horses from the country of Da Nu.
Mu Tai clenched his fists, feeling a sense of helplessness as if he could do nothing against Qiao Lian'er.
"If Qiao Lian'er were easy to deal with, I wouldn't have had to wait until now; she would be dead long ago," he said sinisterly.
"My situation in the Kingdom of Danu is not good right now. Only when I regain Emperor Zhenyou's trust will I have the strength to deal with Qiao Lian'er."
"Our cooperation will be much smoother then."
"So you'd better make sure there are no problems with that shipment. Once the gunpowder is in the gunpowder depot, if the emperor is pleased, it will only benefit you and not harm you."
Prince Takumi could tell that Mutai's words carried a threatening tone.
He frowned: "Of course it's the best goods. I'll personally write back to Dongfu Kingdom and ask a trustworthy person to arrange it."
"You'll find out when the time comes. When Prince Takumi comes to me for cooperation, I can't tolerate any falsehood when it comes to sincerity."
Prince Takumi was constantly being questioned, and his expression had become quite unpleasant.
He wanted to lash out, but the thought of his two younger sisters' tragic deaths made him hold back.
"The gunpowder will arrive in a few days, but we can't let our guard down with Qiao Lian'er either. Otherwise, she will gain the unwavering trust of everyone in Jinglang Prefecture, and it will be difficult to deal with her."
Mutai closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to say another word.
He said slowly, "I will send a team of top-notch experts to your command, according to the second plan."
If Qiao Lian'er hadn't been his enemy, he wouldn't have made arrangements for Takumi.
To avoid attracting attention, Prince Takumi only brought a small number of people with him, so he had to rely on Mutai's help for many things.
He led this team of experts to the border.
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