Chapter 602 Investing is a Sure Win
Xu Jingzhen helped implement the "raising of the marriage age for young women" in the imperial court not only because he genuinely believed that young women were not merely appendages of men, but also independent individuals who should live well for themselves, but also because Mr. Bu Ke had secretly approached him.
Yes, Mr. Ke sought out Xu Jingzhen and, after in-depth discussions with him, received Xu Jingzhen's words: "I will act according to circumstances in the court."
If it is feasible, I will certainly speak on your behalf.
"In that case, thank you very much, Mr. Xu."
In fact, after speaking with Mr. Bu Ke, Xu Jingzhen understood that Li San Niang must have secretly contacted Mr. Bu Ke, and these were all Li San Niang's thoughts and suggestions!
As the leader of the Bad People, Mr. Bu Ke had planted both overt and covert surveillance around Li San Niang, this extraordinary person. How could he not know that Li San Niang, her father, and her second brother had gone to see Doctor Gao for help again?
Therefore, only by taking a two-pronged approach could we have the scene in the imperial court today.
As for how Xu Jingzhen knew that Li Sanniang was Mr. Bu Ke's man, it all started several months earlier, when Emperor Wu was preparing to send troops to attack the Western Turks. He arranged for Yao Chong, Xue Yao, Mr. Bu Ke, Xu Jingzhen, and General Wang, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to meet and discuss the matter. That was the first time Xu Jingzhen met Mr. Bu Ke, who secretly commanded the Bad People.
Therefore, after making initial contact, and with further contact due to official business, how could Xu Jingzhen, with his intelligence, not discover the existence of the extraordinary person?
Furthermore, since Xue Yao was sent to the Western Regions, some of the matters that were originally under Xue Yao's management in Chang'an were transferred to Mr. Bu Ke, and some were handed over to Xu Jingzhen.
Under such circumstances, by carefully piecing together various intelligence reports, Xu Jingzhen naturally discovered that the Bad People had been monitoring many people in Chang'an City, including Li Sanniang.
This is why Xu Jingzhen said to Fang Chengxian on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival: "We are still ourselves."
(Chapter 587 plot)
At the same time, Xu Jingzhen truly gave up any involvement with Li Sanniang at that time, understanding that it was really impossible for them to be together again.
However, besides agreeing with the idea of "raising the marriage age of young women," Xu Jingzhen also helped Mr. Bu Ke because he felt it could help Li San Niang. But actually, he also wanted to get closer to the Bad People. In the future, if he needed anything in the court or outside the court, Mr. Bu Ke would find it difficult to refuse him.
Ultimately, there's always some kind of profit involved.
It's not shameful, it's just not so innocent.
Li San Niang would never know about the affairs of the court, because the Li family's social standing is really not high. Unless Li Er Lang gets promoted in the future, it is possible to raise the Li family's status and then they will have their own channels of information.
However, Li San Niang has a good attitude. As she puts it, "I am neither a god in heaven nor the King of Hell in the underworld. I am just an ordinary doctor."
All I can do is try to save as many people as possible within my capabilities; there's no need to force certain people or facts.
In this life, all that matters is having a clear conscience and doing what is within one's power.
So, after doing everything she could, Li San Niang put the matter out of her mind and left everything to time, only waiting to see if laws would be enacted in due course.
After returning home, Li San Niang chatted with the Li family members after dinner about the trade matters related to the Silk Road that she had learned from her meeting with her fellow time travelers a few days earlier.
"...In that case, I do think it's a good approach."
My family owes a life-saving debt to the Xing family. Although Mr. Xing is a merchant, he is truly a kind and righteous person.
I was thinking of investing some money in the Xing family's caravan so that I could get some dividends when they made money in the future.
In this way, whether you use the money for food and daily expenses or save it as a dowry for Dewdrop, you can do as you please.
Although I don't know much about business, I do understand that everything involves risk. You might invest money and make a fortune, or you might lose all your capital without earning a single penny.
Therefore, I will only mention this matter to my parents, elder brother and sister-in-law, and second brother and sister-in-law.
If you are interested and willing to take the risks, then once I have discussed it with the Xing family, I will inform you, and we will sign a written agreement to invest.
Let me be clear from the start, you'd better think it through, this is a risky business!
Li's father stroked his beard and looked at Li San Niang, asking, "Your information is quite exclusive. We haven't even heard a word about it in Chang'an yet, and you already know about it?"
It seems you know some people who work for the government.
Otherwise, how could we have gotten this information in advance?
However, what you said makes a lot of sense.
In business, even close brothers need to keep clear accounts.
Father Li glanced at his two elder brothers, then looked at his third sister-in-law, saying, "If they're going to invest, you'd better write the agreement carefully, including the risks."
Don't let this money matter damage the relationship between you siblings; that wouldn't be good.
Mr. Li then looked at Mrs. Li and continued, "Your mother and I can still come up with a thousand taels of silver. Moreover, if we really want to vigorously open up trade routes, then these medicinal herbs are definitely a good thing."
"Erlang, you'll have to work hard these days, going to the countryside to collect as many medicinal herbs as possible. Maybe then our family can make a little extra money."
Li San Niang clasped her hands together twice, "Father, you are right! Isn't that so?"
If this were a large-scale trade market and it encouraged traveling merchants, there would indeed be a huge demand for medicinal herbs. At that time, the price might rise by 10% or 20%, or even 30% or 40%.
There are also some over-the-counter drugs, and the demand for them is estimated to be much higher.
Brother Li, who has been collecting medicinal herbs for many years, naturally understands the supply and demand issues in the market. Hearing this, he nodded and said, "I will remember it, Father. I will take it to heart."
After exchanging a few more words, the gathering dispersed, and everyone went back to their rooms.
Brother Li returned to the house and, while massaging Sister-in-law Li's calves, told her what Third Sister Li had said in the main hall.
"Third Sister meant well; she was always looking for ways to make money for our son's multiple households."
Sister-in-law Li leaned against the headboard, raised her hand to touch her swollen belly, and looked up at Brother Li: "We don't know if the baby in my belly is a boy or a girl yet. If it's a girl, we should save more money so that it can be used as her dowry in the future."
Even a young man needs money to get married; and learning martial arts requires expensive herbal remedies to build up his body from a young age.
"So how much should we invest?"
Sister-in-law Li hesitated for a moment, thinking it over and over, before finally deciding to say, "Take out half of it. Dalang will be getting married in a few years, and the family doesn't need this money right now."
While we don't need a lot of money in the next few years, we should invest this money and let it generate more money.
"Keep half of it; if there's an emergency at home that requires money, it'll be enough."
Brother Li nodded, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
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