The person who arrived was none other than the Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang.
He was dressed in an indigo brocade robe, with a white jade pendant hanging at his waist. He had a handsome face and an imposing presence between his brows.
Several guards followed behind him, each with a solemn expression and their hands on the hilts of their swords, clearly well-trained.
Upon seeing Yinxiang, the young men in brocade robes paled instantly, hastily took a few steps back, and bowed their heads in greeting: "Greetings, Prince Yi!"
Yinxiang gave them a cold glance, his gaze sharp as a knife: "In broad daylight, bullying a weak woman in the street, whose sons are you?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
The leading boy's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he stammered:
"In response to Thirteenth Master, we simply... simply had some misunderstanding with Miss Xie..."
"A misunderstanding?" Yinxiang sneered, turning his gaze to the carriage. "Miss Xie, is this true?"
The carriage curtain was slightly lifted, revealing a beautiful face; it was Xie Wan, the eldest daughter of the Xie family.
She still had a hint of panic in her eyes, but she was clearly relieved when she saw Yinxiang and immediately got out of the car to give a deep bow.
He said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Prince Yi. These young gentlemen stopped the carriage earlier and spoke frivolously. If it weren't for this young master's help..."
Her gaze fell on Lin Yun, filled with gratitude.
Only then did Yinxiang notice "Young Master Lin" standing to the side.
Seeing that although he was simply dressed, he had an extraordinary bearing, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes: "And who is this young master?"
Lin Yun's heart tightened, but she remained expressionless.
He bowed respectfully and said, "My surname is Lin. I was passing by when I saw that you gentlemen were behaving inappropriately, so I offered my assistance."
She deliberately lowered her voice, making it sound calm and powerful.
Yinxiang nodded slightly: "Young Master Lin's act of bravery and righteousness is admirable."
He turned to the group of teenagers and shouted sternly, "Get out of here now! If there's a next time, don't blame me for being impolite!"
The boys, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, readily agreed and slunk away.
After they had gone some distance, Yinxiang said gently to Xie Wan, "Miss Xie, you have been frightened. Would you like me to send someone to escort you back to your residence?"
Xie Wan shook her head and said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, Thirteenth Master, but my servants are already nearby and I dare not trouble you any further."
She then looked at Lin Yun and gave him a graceful bow: "Thank you for your help today, Young Master Lin. May I ask your name? The Xie family will definitely pay a visit to express our gratitude another day."
Lin Yun quickly waved her hand: "Miss Xie, you're too kind. It was nothing, not worth mentioning."
She thought to herself that if her identity were exposed, it would probably cause unnecessary trouble, so she politely declined Xie Wan's offer.
Seeing that she was unwilling to reveal anything, Xie Wan did not press her. After thanking her again, she ordered the driver to drive away.
After the carriage had gone some distance, Yinxiang looked at Lin Yun with great interest: "Young Master Lin has an extraordinary bearing. May I ask which family you come from?"
Lin Yun felt a chill run down her spine, but calmly replied, "I am merely the son of an ordinary merchant, not worth mentioning."
Yinxiang smiled slightly: "It is rare for a merchant's son to have such courage."
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yinxiang headed straight for the textile factory outside the city. His purpose in coming to the palace was to report to the Emperor on the progress of the textile factory.
The factory is nearing completion, and the new textile machines have been assembled in batches and will soon be put into production.
However, how to promote this batch of cotton cloth became a major problem for him.
As the carriage reached the corner of the long street, Yinxiang suddenly heard a commotion ahead.
He lifted the carriage curtain and saw several young men in brocade robes surrounding a carriage, while a gentleman in an indigo robe stepped forward.
Yinxiang frowned and immediately ordered his guards to step forward and stop him, which led to the scene that unfolded earlier.
This young master Lin is quite a character. Despite his own appearance, which is said to be a scourge to the country, he still dares to step forward and save people.
Moreover, he always felt that this person had an extraordinary demeanor and that there was a sense of familiarity in his words and actions.
Thinking of this, Yinxiang said to Lin Yun:
"Young Master Lin, it is an honor to meet you today. Why don't we meet at the teahouse ahead? It would be a good opportunity for me to express my gratitude for your righteous act earlier."
Lin Yun hesitated for a moment, but seeing the Thirteenth Master's sincere expression, she nodded and agreed: "I would be honored to comply."
Inside the private tea room, the delicate aroma of tea wafted through the air.
Yinxiang personally poured Lin Yun a cup of tea and said with a smile, "This is Longjing tea, a new tribute from Jiangnan. Young Master Lin, please have a taste."
Lin Yun took the tea with both hands, took a sip, and praised, "The tea soup is clear and refreshing, with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. It is indeed a good tea."
Yinxiang smiled slightly, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry: "Young Master Lin is so young, yet he possesses such courage, which is truly rare. May I ask what kind of business you usually engage in?"
Lin Yun put down her teacup and calmly replied, "We run a small business at home, nothing to mention."
Yinxiang nodded, seemingly mentioning it casually: "I have been troubled by something recently, and I wonder if Young Master Lin could offer some guidance?"
Lin Yun looked up at him: "Please speak, Thirteenth Master."
Yinxiang sighed softly: "His Majesty ordered me to oversee the textile factory. The new textile machines are about to go into production, and soon a large quantity of cotton cloth will be produced. However..."
He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "I know very little about business, and I am at a loss as to how to promote these cotton fabrics."
If the price is too low, unscrupulous individuals may hoard and speculate; if the price is too high, ordinary people may not be able to afford it.
Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Lin Yun's eyes.
She pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "The Thirteenth Prince's concerns are very valid. I believe that attracting investment and sales might solve this problem."
"Investment and sales?" Yinxiang's eyes lit up. "I'd like to hear more about it."
Lin Yun smiled slightly and explained, "The so-called investment promotion is to distribute the sales rights of cotton cloth to reputable merchants in various regions."
The imperial court can first set a reasonable wholesale price, and then publicly recruit merchants to bid, with the highest bidder winning.
In this way, the court's profits could be guaranteed while preventing cotton cloth from being monopolized by a few.
Yinxiang listened intently and pressed for details, asking, "How exactly does it work?"
Lin Yun continued, "First, the imperial court can issue a notice specifying the quantity, quality, and bidding conditions of the cotton cloth;
Secondly, a deposit system should be established to ensure that merchants fulfill their obligations in good faith;
Finally, the winning merchants were required to sell all the cotton cloth within the stipulated time and pay the court on time.
In the event of a breach of contract, the deposit will be forfeited.
Yinxiang clapped his hands and praised, "Brilliant! This method can both screen out powerful merchants and ensure that cotton cloth circulates to the hands of ordinary people."
He looked at Lin Yun with more admiration, "Young Master Lin is so young, yet you have such insight. It is truly admirable."
Lin Yun shook her head modestly: "You flatter me, Thirteenth Master."
Yinxiang gave her a meaningful look, but did not ask any further questions.
He simply said, "In any case, your suggestion has been of great help to me. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to come to my residence."
Lin Yun cupped her hands in thanks: "Thank you for your kindness, Thirteenth Master."
The two chatted for a few more minutes.
Afterwards, Lin Yun bid farewell to Master Thirteen and left the teahouse with Xiao Tao and Manager Chen.
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