Chapter 283 Lure the snake into the hole
Jiang Yu raised the corners of her lips as she went upstairs and entered the private room where Prince Rui was. She saw Prince Rui standing by the tea table, looking at her with a smile and bright eyes. At that moment, Jiang Yu thought of a word—isolated from the world.
"The Duke of Chu"
She called out to Prince Rui, and Jiang Yu, who had been slightly lost in thought, bowed to Prince Rui, saying, "Your Highness Prince Rui."
“I told you, there’s no need for such formalities.” Prince Rui gestured for Jiang Yu to sit down opposite him. Xia He and Prince Rui’s attendant tactfully withdrew from the private room.
Prince Rui's gaze lingered on Jiang Yu's face for a moment before he reached for the teapot and poured her a cup of tea. "I've heard about what happened today."
His tone was calm but tinged with worry, which warmed Jiang Yu's heart. She said, "There was some trouble, but Your Majesty is wise, and the matter has been resolved."
This is absolutely true. If it weren't for the emperor's support, things wouldn't have been resolved so easily.
"That's good. If... if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can talk to me." He quickly added, "Aren't we friends? You've helped me a lot before."
Jiang Yu accepted his kindness and said with a smile, "Okay, I won't stand on ceremony with you from now on."
Upon hearing this, Prince Rui's smile widened, once again dazzling Jiang Yu. She picked up her cup to hide her embarrassment, only to hear Prince Rui say again, "I think the Earl of Qingshan might not be the mastermind either; there must be someone else behind him."
Jiang Yu was taken aback by these words and looked up at him. Prince Rui had never participated in court affairs, so she hadn't expected him to say something like that.
Prince Rui saw the surprise in her eyes, and his ears burned slightly. He did not participate in court affairs, partly because he disliked them and partly because he was unable to, but that did not mean he was truly ignorant of them.
However, whenever he had a spare moment, he would always pay attention to Jiang Yu, what she was doing, and what difficulties she was encountering. Knowing this, his clever mind would involuntarily begin to analyze. That's why he said what he just said.
He felt it was somewhat impolite and embarrassing to pay so much attention to a woman. Meeting Jiang Yu's surprised gaze, his ears involuntarily burned.
"I...I haven't been busy these past few days, so I've been keeping an eye on the reform of money shops," he explained.
Jiang Yu didn't think much of his explanation. After all, no one is immune to the consequences. The reform of the money shops had caused quite a stir, so it would be strange if Prince Rui didn't know about it.
"I also think that Earl Qingshan has someone backing him." Jiang Yu, who trusted Prince Rui quite a bit, analyzed:
"The reform of money shops involves too many things, including the interests of the forces behind each money shop, the interests of powerful and wealthy merchants who have large savings in the money shops, and the interests of many industries in the future. The Earl of Qingshan, Consort Su, and the Eighth Prince have been immersed in the vortex of power for many years, and they are not really simple. They understand the principle that moving one thing can affect the whole situation."
Now that the Eighth Prince has just been made Crown Prince, it's safe to assume that Earl Qingshan wouldn't act at this time. But he did anyway, so it's likely he was ordered to do it by someone behind the scenes.
Prince Rui nodded after hearing this, "Who do you think is behind the Earl of Qingshan?"
"What does Your Highness think?" Jiang Yu asked.
Prince Rui smiled and said, "How about we write down that person's name at the same time?"
Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Okay."
She dipped her finger in the water in the cup and wrote the two characters "Lingnan" on the table. Then she looked at what Prince Rui had written, and two elegant characters came into view—the very same two characters, "Lingnan."
After seeing each other's words, the two looked at each other and smiled, feeling as if they were on the same wavelength.
“If it were him, that would be perfect,” Jiang Yu said.
Prince Rui looked puzzled, so Jiang Yu explained her original plan to frame the Prince of Lingnan, and then said, "If it really was him who instructed the Earl of Qingshan, then I will just play along."
Prince Rui frowned. "The Prince of Lingnan is ruthless. You must be careful."
"I know," Jiang Yu said with a smile. She always had two bodyguards with her, but they were not usually seen in public.
Although Prince Rui was still worried about her safety, he had no better options than to have her be guarded by more people. Perhaps he should research a powerful concealed weapon that she could carry with her at all times.
"Where do you think those who want to obstruct the reform of the money shops will start next?" Prince Rui asked.
Without hesitation, Jiang Yu answered the question: "Exchange with silver notes."
Prince Rui nodded. "Yes, they may counterfeit silver notes, they may rob newly transported silver notes, or they may hoard silver notes to create chaos."
Jiang Yu nodded; she had considered all of these points. Just then, Prince Rui asked again, "Do you have a solution?"
Jiang Yu hadn't expected Prince Rui to have thought about this matter so deeply, so she asked, "What suggestions do you have?"
Prince Rui picked up his cup, took a sip of tea, and said, "I suppose you've already made arrangements with the various banks."
“Yes.” Jiang Yu did not hide anything. “I have the accounts and bank draft templates of all the money shops.”
Prince Rui nodded, "Then let's lure the snake into its hole, and then make an example of it."
Jiang Yu smiled; she thought so too. "If it's the Prince of Lingnan, the best catalyst would be Xie Ning'an. After all, the Xie family had colluded with the Prince of Lingnan before."
Prince Rui: "I think so too."
The two shared such similar views that they couldn't help but laugh.
"How's your research going?" Jiang Yu changed the subject.
Prince Rui recounted his research progress, and Jiang Yu, drawing on some experiences from his previous life, offered subtle reminders. Prince Rui was once again enlightened, and if he hadn't wanted to spend more time with Jiang Yu, he would have wanted to go back and continue his research immediately.
However, Jiang Yu understood his feelings, and after chatting for a few more minutes, they ended the conversation and parted ways. Prince Rui was somewhat reluctant to part, but he didn't dare show it.
...
The reform of the money shops was the next crucial step, and the exchange of silver notes was a matter that could easily lead to unrest if not handled properly. The next day, upon arriving at the government office, she began to draft the detailed rules for the exchange of silver notes, which she then prepared to submit to the Emperor.
The exchange of silver notes was not simply a matter of ordinary people exchanging old silver notes for new ones; it involved many things and required the emperor's cooperation.
Halfway through writing the memorial, Xia He came to report that Bao Tianheng's son was requesting an audience. Jiang Yu was taken aback and said, "Let him in."
Bao Tianheng is dead, and the person behind him was Uncle Qingshan. Now Bao Tianheng's son has come to see him, presumably because of his family's money shop. Bao Tianheng is dead, but the money shop still exists, and naturally, the money shop's crisis remains.
A short while later, Xia He led in a man who was about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old and dressed in black. This man was Bao Xingxuan, Bao Tianheng's son.
"This humble servant pays his respects to the Duke of Chu." Bao Xingxuan knelt directly in front of Jiang Yu and said, "This humble servant wishes to offer Hengxin Bank to the imperial court."
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