There was not much business that his retainers could leverage or exploit, only a few hundred thousand taels a year at most.
I didn’t expect to come across such a big piece of fat meat in such a cold and desolate northern land!
The profit of tens of thousands of taels is enough to cover his expenses for half a year!
"Okay, go ask around. If there's no one behind this business, take it over."
When the third prince spoke, the guests were overjoyed.
The Third Prince’s rule has always been that whoever discovers it will take care of it. If he gets the cashmere pants business, any retainer will become rich if they are just a little greedy!
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I will do my job with all my heart. Just wait for good news from me." The retainer quickly showed his loyalty and happily put on the boots for the third prince. He was more attentive than a servant.
At this time, the young official also came back with new cashmere clothes.
The third prince accepted it without hesitation and then took people to see the emperor.
The emperor had gotten up early, had breakfast, and was talking with several accompanying officials. The eldest prince and the second prince were both present.
Even the unpopular Sixth Prince was finally summoned to have tea and chat together.
The Third Prince came in a hurry. As soon as he entered the room, he acted as if he didn't see anyone else. He laughed loudly and said, "Father, look what good things I brought you!"
Everyone frowned, but the emperor was quite impressed. He smiled and glared at his son, then said to several ministers, "This kid is always so reckless!"
Of course, the ministers could not say anything bad about the other person's son, so they quickly smiled and agreed.
"The Third Prince has always been so genuine!"
"Yes, if my son were as close to you as the Third Prince, I would be so happy. But unfortunately, my son is like a mouse seeing a cat when he sees me!"
"Haha, indeed. We are so envious of the Emperor!"
The emperor was getting even happier with the coaxing, and then he turned to the Third Prince and asked, "Tell me, what good things did you get that are worth you running here so early in the morning to shout about it!"
The third prince chuckled, greeted everyone perfunctorily, and then sat down next to the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I sneezed this morning when I woke up. Someone downstairs noticed and sent me a set of cashmere clothes. They were so soft and warm, so nice! So, I immediately found a set that would suit Your Majesty and brought it to you!"
After saying this, he signaled his attendants to bring the tray, and he personally unfolded the cashmere clothes for the emperor to see.
Although the emperor was incompetent, he was still better than a fool. He unfolded the cashmere clothes, took a look, and weighed them. He praised them, "It's really good. It should be a good thing to keep warm. This cashmere should come from the grassland, right?
"The north is barren, and trade with the grasslands is the only way to make money. But the people are clever enough to come up with the brilliant idea of making clothes out of cashmere."
Several ministers nodded and came forward to take a look at the cashmere clothes as if to join in the fun.
"Your Majesty is right. Local conditions and customs nurture their people. People in different places have their own ways of living."
"This cashmere coat looks really good. I'll find a set to try on later."
"The Third Prince is indeed filial. He brought the good things to the Emperor first."
The last minister who spoke was a supporter of the third prince. He praised the third prince in every sentence, and sure enough, the emperor smiled even more happily.
The eldest prince and the second prince also responded in a perfunctory manner, but with smiles on their faces, they actually wanted to eat the third prince in their hearts.
This idiot has accomplished nothing, but when it comes to flattery, he is really omnipotent!
The Sixth Prince remained silent, his expression a bit awkward, as if they hadn't seen each other for years.
But the Second Prince was observant and could still sense something was amiss. So, he started to stir things up.
"Sixth brother, what do you think of this cashmere coat? There are such good things in the north, so I'm sure you must know about it. Then why didn't you present it to the emperor? If it weren't for my third brother, the emperor and we wouldn't have known about it. Wouldn't we have been freezing!"
Everyone looked over when they heard the sound, and the Sixth Prince immediately knelt down and explained awkwardly.
"Father, please forgive me. I do know about these cashmere clothes, and I even wear one to keep warm. But the cashmere is shaved from the grasslands, and is originally covered in grass and sheep dung. Even after washing, I wouldn't say it's clean. It's fine for a rough person like me to wear, but it's not worthy of being presented to Your Majesty."
He spoke sincerely, and there was a look of sincerity in his eyes, as if the best things in the world were not worthy enough to be presented to his father.
The emperor thought about how he had left his son in the temporary palace to guard the imperial mausoleum for so many years and felt he owed it to himself.
But this child not only did not hold any grudge against him, but his respect for him was so profound that he felt a surge of guilt...
Seeing that the Second Prince was about to speak, he spoke up to stop him, "Alright, Xiao Liu is still young, it's normal that he doesn't think so much."
After saying that, he asked the Sixth Prince to come forward and asked a few questions about his daily food, clothing, housing and transportation, reluctantly fulfilling some of his father's responsibilities.
The Sixth Prince was so moved that his eyes turned red, and he expressed his longing and gratitude for fatherly love vividly.
The Third Prince was unwilling to be overshadowed, so he took advantage of an opening and quickly said, "Father, the cost of these cashmere clothes is very low, but I heard they cost several taels of silver per set, and ordinary people simply can't afford them.
"These unscrupulous merchants are truly despicable! I intend to send my retainers to research these cashmere clothes and pants. I will ensure that all the people in the north can afford them so that they can have a warm winter. By then, the people will live and work in peace and contentment, and will surely praise my father's kindness!"
The emperor waved his hand indifferently and instructed, "Do what you want, but remember not to dwell on it too much. These are just trivial matters. Meeting with the Khan of the grassland and exploring the grassland's intricacies is the most important thing!"
"Yes, father, I will not forget the important matter!" The third prince hurriedly poured tea for the emperor with a smile, looking like a spoiled child. The eldest prince and the second prince secretly curled their lips at the sight, but the emperor just fell for it, and they were so angry that they stared blankly!
The Sixth Prince lowered his head to drink tea and continued to pretend to be an honest child.
When he finally had the chance to leave, the first thing he did was to call the guards and give them detailed instructions...
In Taijia Village, Tai Yongning and Tai Yongfeng got up early and took a bus back to the city with the clothes and food prepared by their family.
The Tai family, young and old, felt a little lonely at home. Old Man Tai sat at the door, puffing on his pipe and looking at the light layer of snow in the yard outside. He said to his son, "Go up the mountain to see your mother in the next two days. It will be difficult to go there after the heavy snow."
"I understand, Dad." Tai Jizu and Tai Jiye responded in unison.
At this time, Zhuzhu ran in from outside, hugged her grandfather's thigh and shouted, "Grandpa, take Zhuzhu to catch birds, okay? My brother said roasted birds are delicious!"
The old man picked up his granddaughter and glared at the three boys following behind him, "You only know how to instigate your sister to be naughty!"
The three boys were grinning foolishly and were about to speak when a feather arrow flew in from somewhere, and with a "swoosh" sound, it pierced deeply into the door frame!
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