Chen Dachang is listening to the report from his subordinates.
"There were secret sentries outside the house, all of them were vicious. We didn't dare get close."
"Are there any secret sentries?"
"Exactly!"
Chen Dachang's interest grew. "Is she relying on someone now? Have you figured out the way for those secret guards?"
"They all look like people who make a living on the edge of a knife, and they have killed many people."
Chen Dachang smiled and said, "This woman is really capable. I have to find a way to meet her tomorrow."
"Why not just send a visiting card?" someone suggested.
Chen Dachang waved his hand. "Don't worry about her for now. The most important thing right now is the negotiation with the Jiangnan Textile Chamber of Commerce. When is the date set?"
"The tentative date is the first day of February."
"These people really plan to discuss serious matters after the Lunar New Year."
Chen Dachang looked out the window and saw that lanterns of various shapes had been lit, which was truly beautiful.
He laughed. "They're not in a hurry, and neither are we. It just so happens that at the end of the month, a batch of cotton cloth will be delivered to Jiangnan. If we can get a head start on the market, those people will realize how powerful we are."
"I wonder how much cotton cloth will be delivered?"
Chen Dachang smiled and said, "We received a letter from Madam Zhao saying that a warehouse of cotton cloth will soon be shipped to Jiangnan on the canal in Luozhou. We don't know exactly how much a warehouse is, but it's probably quite a lot."
"A warehouse? So many."
Chen Dachang looked at the guy who made the noise and asked, "Do you know how much inventory a warehouse has?"
The clerk bowed and said, "Your Excellency, I once worked in a textile workshop in the capital. If the warehouse Madam refers to is a textile workshop's warehouse, then the inventory in one warehouse is approximately 100,000 bolts of cotton cloth."
"One hundred thousand horses, so many?" Chen Dachang raised his eyebrows.
"With 100,000 bolts of cotton cloth hitting the market, the people at Jiangnan Textile Workshop should be worried."
Chen Dachang laughed heartily. "It's better to be anxious. Please arrange a meeting with General Manager Rong for us. There are some things we should discuss with him."
The General Manager Rong that Chen Dachang mentioned was none other than Rong Xin.
Rong Xin is the confidant that Gu Jiu arranged in Jiangnan.
Chen Dachang thought that Jiang Yan's appearance in Jiangnan was definitely not a coincidence.
Others may not know about this, but Rong Xin should know something about it.
After all, Rongxin has been operating in Jiangnan for so many years and has established a network of relationships.
Someone who looks very similar to Jiang Shuyi came to the city. I don’t believe that Rong Xin didn’t get any news at all.
I won’t watch the lanterns anymore.
Chen Dachang went to see Rong Xin overnight.
They first exchanged pleasantries and talked about many things in the capital.
Seeing that Rong Xin wasn't falling for his tricks, Chen Dachang simply said, "I went out to see the lanterns today and saw someone who looked very familiar in the market. Eunuch Rong, guess who we saw?"
Rong Xin raised an eyebrow, "I don't know! Please tell me clearly, Eunuch Chen."
Chen Dachang smiled, and said softly with a measured attitude, "We saw Jiang Shuyi."
Rong Xin frowned, obviously surprised.
Chen Dachang knocked on the table. "Are you surprised? We are surprised too. Jiang Shuyi, who was by the late emperor's side, had already been sentenced to death and buried alive with him, if I remember correctly."
How come she ended up in Jiangnan, watching the lanterns at the market?
Seeing that she is surrounded by maids and guards, she seems to be living a good life. But she is a woman, and she is hiding her identity, so who will protect her?
Rong Xin raised his eyelids, "Eunuch Chen, are you doubting me? I don't have the ability to protect the beloved concubine who was sentenced to death by the late emperor."
Chen Dachang smiled subtly, "Please forgive the misunderstanding, eunuch. We naturally don't doubt you. You and I are both servants of the royal family, and we all follow orders. We may not be able to do it, but the master above may not be unable to do it."
Rong Xin had a blank expression on his face. "I'm not clear about this matter. Eunuch Chen asked the wrong person."
Chen Dachang looked at Rong Xin with a half-smile.
Rong Xin said calmly, "I am working for my wife. I am only responsible for the shipbuilding business. I don't care about other matters."
Chen Dachang smiled knowingly, "I understand. Thank you, Eunuch Rong, for telling me the truth."
Rong Xin served tea and sent the guest away. "It's getting late, so we won't keep Eunuch Chen."
Chen Dachang stood up, bowed, and said, "Goodbye!"
He walked out the door directly without anyone seeing him off.
The godson came up and asked, "Chief Steward, did Rong Xin say anything?"
Chen Dachang laughed. "He didn't say anything, which was the same as saying everything. Jiang Shuyi was obviously not brought here by Madam Zhao. It's very likely that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince secretly arranged a useless chess move.
This woman surnamed Jiang's greatest assets are her face and her body. His Royal Highness the First Prince sent her to Jiangnan, so he naturally couldn't support her for nothing. Check who Jiang Shuyi's current man is, and it's very likely that the key lies in her man.
"The chief steward thinks Jiang Shuyi has another man?"
"Without a man supporting her, how can she wear gold and silver? Send someone to investigate slowly and don't alert the enemy."
"As you command, son!"
…
It is February now.
At the northwest border, the cold wind is howling and it is bitingly cold.
In the central army camp, a chess game was going on in the signing room.
The person who played chess face to face with the Duke of Lu was none other than the young monk Master Wuwang.
The Duke of Lu stroked his beard and casually dropped a piece of paper. "Master, you have been in the northwest for a year now."
"My Lord, you're right. It's been a year."
The Duke of Lu looked up at him and asked with a half-smile, "Did you gain anything?"
Master Wuwang's face was calm as he gently placed a white piece down. "A great harvest."
"Oh? Tell me, I'm really curious about what the master has gained."
The Hopeless Monk calmly reminded the Marquis of Lu, "It's time for you to make a move, my Lord."
"No rush. Master, please tell me what you have learned first."
The Duke of Lu was playing with a black piece, but was not in a hurry to put it on the chessboard.
Master Wuwang has a solemn appearance and the demeanor of a great monk.
He opened his mouth and said, "Your Majesty is a master of military management. Under your rule, the Northwest is as solid as a rock. Neither Beirong nor Xiliang can advance an inch. The Northwest cannot do without you, but you cannot do without the Northwest either. You are fifty years old now, and it is still uncertain whether you can be buried in the Northwest for the rest of your life."
The Marquis of Lu laughed out loud, "Hahahaha... You bald ass, only you dare to speak so arrogantly in front of me. That Liu Zhao kid really knows how to pick his men. If it were anyone else, I would have killed him in my rage long ago. I would have covered his head with lime and sent it back to Liu Zhao. You bastard, you've been doing nothing all day long, and all you do is send spies to my side."
Master Wuwang reminded him, "It's time for the Marquis to make his move."
Bang!
A black piece landed heavily on the chessboard. "Master, how do you break this move?"
Master Wuwang had a calm expression. Holding the white piece, he pondered for a moment and then easily cracked the game.
Marquis Lu looked at the chessboard, stroked his beard, and nodded. "Interesting. I think the master is a man of real ability. Why would he work for that bastard Liu Zhao? How about you work for me, and I'll pay to build you the most magnificent temple in the northwest? How about that?"
Master Wuwang shook his head slightly, "Since the life has been given to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I have no intention of changing it."
The Marquis of Lu sneered, "I never thought you, a bald donkey, could be a loyal minister. Go back and tell Liu Zhao to stop thinking about it and follow the old rules. If he doesn't provoke me, I won't cause him any trouble."
Master Wuwang looked at Marquis Lu and asked, "Since Your Majesty does not wish to support the First Prince, does he intend to support another Prince?"
Oh!
Marquis Lu scoffed, "Which of those princes who haven't even grown all their hair yet is worthy of my support?"
"But my Lord, don't forget that a new emperor appoints new ministers. The current emperor won't trust you as much as the last emperor did. When he grows stronger and believes he holds the military power, he will surely attack the Northwest Camp. If that happens, my Lord, without support from the court, this will be a difficult hurdle to overcome."
The Marquis of Lu laughed heartily. "You bald donkey, you only know how to exaggerate. My brother-in-law, the emperor, was born a bastard and a hooligan. There is nothing good about him. It can be said that he has no merits at all.
However, in my eyes, he has one redeeming quality: self-awareness. How about we make a bet? Within five years, no, within eight years, my brother-in-law, the emperor, won't dare to touch a hair in the northwest.
Now, of the entire northern border, only the northwest line can be defended. Look at the northeast line, it's almost been beaten to a pulp. If the Northern Rong hadn't been severely weakened, I'm afraid they would have been able to break in long ago."
Master Wuwang asked softly, "Eight years from now, what will the Marquis do? Will he return to the capital to die?"
"You, a bald ass, don't need to worry about my affairs. But you, a bald ass, are so devoted to Liu Zhao. What benefits has he promised you? Or is he more worthy of following than me?"
The Duke of Lu felt a little jealous and unhappy.
How could that young boy Liu Zhao deserve Wuwang to follow him so wholeheartedly?
He looked at Liu Zhao and felt that apart from being a little brave, he had no other advantages.
Could it be that he was mistaken?
Master Wuwang clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist chant, "In my humble opinion, the eldest prince possesses all the shortcomings of the Liu royal family. He is truly unbearable to look at."
"Hahaha... What you said is exactly what I want to say. I like it. Liu Zhao is really no good, very sinister. You are obviously dissatisfied with Liu Zhao. Could it be that you have secretly defected to another prince?"
Duke Lu asked curiously.
Master Wuwang shook his head slightly. "In my eyes, the other princes are also full of the shortcomings of the Liu royal family. There is nothing to recommend them at all."
"Oh! This is quite interesting. You dislike everyone, yet you still want to help Liu Zhao. What are you trying to achieve?" The Marquis of Lu sneered, "Are you short of money? I can give you whatever amount of money you want."
Master Wuwang raised his eyelids and said, "But the eldest prince has an advantage that no one else has, an advantage that no one can match."
"What are your advantages? Tell me quickly, tell me quickly. I'm extremely curious." The Duke of Lu laughed and urged. He thought this was just a casual chat, not about the struggle for royal power.
Master Wuwang smiled and said softly, "His Highness the First Prince is very lucky. He has a unique vision and married a good wife. I have had the honor of meeting Madam Zhao once. She is a rare person in the royal family with a truly kind heart and real ability. With her around, His Highness the First Prince will not have to turn back halfway."
cut!
Duke Lu looked disdainful and said, "A woman, even if she has ability, what good is it? She can't enter the court."
Master Wuwang laughed. "A woman trapped in the inner chamber is indeed insignificant to the overall situation. But when a woman uses her true ability to step out of the inner chamber and enter the court, is she still an ordinary inner chamber woman?
A woman, though holding no official position, yet possessing a place in the imperial court, what does this mean? It means she has put in ten times more effort than a man to achieve her present position. It means she is better than ninety-nine percent of the men in the world.
Although she is not in the court, she actually influences every aspect of the court, and even affects the decisions of His Majesty.
"My Lord, don't underestimate her. Look at the cashmere workshops in the city, look at the express delivery station outside the military camp, they are all her creations. Although my Lord has never dealt with her, her shadow is everywhere around me."
I've heard that the government will be vigorously promoting sweet potatoes in the northwest. They're said to have extremely high yields, reaching 1,000 kilograms per mu on fertile land, and 500 kilograms per mu on poor land. If I remember correctly, these sweet potato seeds were also presented to Madam Zhao.
I advise you, my Lord, not to underestimate her. Anyone who underestimates her will pay a heavy price. Princess Chaoyang is a lesson not far away.
I can even boldly predict that it won't be long before Madam Zhao's influence reaches deep into the Northwest Camp, profoundly influencing every aspect of life, from food, clothing, housing, and transportation to military deployments. She may be alone, but she possesses the strength of a million men. The Crown Prince is truly fortunate to marry her.
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