Chapter 1299: Your Majesty Has a Serious Illness (Part 1) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Having lost your former status, a delicate young lady like you probably won't have an easy time." Venturing into the world and indulging in worldly pleasures requires resources. Without some family wealth to support you, just making a living would consume your entire day's energy; where would you find the leisure to enjoy romance and freedom? Qi Cang winked at Mei Meng, "What are your plans for the future?"
Mei Meng lowered her eyes to look at the sword at her waist.
What surfaced in my mind were fragments from my dream.
[Ideally, I'd like to open a private school, preferably near a river where I can fish and take a ferry, and at the foot of the mountain, a restaurant that sells sour fish soup.]
Qi Cang knew that Mei Meng had thoughts of retiring from public life, but he hadn't expected her ideas to be so naive. His fierce face, which could scare a child, scrunched up: "I knew you were naive. You said the river is easy to find, and restaurants aren't hard to find, but do you know how much money a private school costs?"
I might as well open a martial arts school.
[He'd never lifted a finger in his life, nor lived a life untouched by worldly concerns.] He wanted to rouse Mei Meng from her reverie, to check her pockets. [But you are, after all, a scholar with a refined heart; making some money shouldn't be difficult. However, this will inevitably create more trouble. Shen Youli might let you off the hook once, but she won't let you off the hook a second time.]
The best profession for a scholar is to serve as a strategist or retainer, especially for someone as experienced as Mei Meng. She looks down on those of too low social standing, and those of too high standing risk getting embroiled in the power struggles of the world. Unless her employer is already affiliated with Shen Youli's camp, which would be safe, but Mei Meng herself wouldn't agree to that. How many excellent opportunities had she had before if she could surrender to Shen Tang? It's precisely because she couldn't do that that she's ended up like this.
Qi Cang suggested, "How about...robbing the rich to help the poor?"
Even though he lost an arm, he still has the skills to kill.
Mei Mengdao: [Are these all the methods you have?]
Qi Cang heard the contempt in her words and gave a heavy snort.
She retorted dismissively: "Fine, Your Majesty, then name one!"
The two descended from the desolate mountain hut and walked for a long time before finally spotting a teahouse. Despite the fighting nearby, the teahouse's business was largely unaffected, and in fact, it thrived. Some daring merchants traveled between the two places, buying and selling, and made a small fortune.
Of course, it is mainly related to the Kangguo-occupied areas.
[...We don't dare go anywhere else; any checkpoint could skin you alive. Forget earning a living, just surviving is a miracle...and they even claim our goods are stolen, from the grain depot, and they'll forcibly confiscate them.]
High returns come with high risks.
There were two groups of people resting at the restaurant.
Judging from their accents and clothing, one group came from the Northwest, and the other from the Southwest. The group from the Northwest looked energetic, showing little sign of uncertainty about the future, except for the wear and tear from their long journey. The group from the Southwest, on the other hand, looked distressed, as if their business was going poorly.
In war, there's always a shortage of food.
When food is scarce, of course we have to catch the fattest sheep and slaughter them.
The merchant with the southwestern accent looked enviously at his fellow merchant. The other merchant's caravan was three times the size of his own, with goods filling more than thirty horse-drawn carriages. The guards they hired also looked like trained fighters, each one tall and strong, giving people a great sense of security.
To have such a large-scale trading operation, I must learn a great deal about their business acumen. Even a few pointers would be invaluable.
They offered me tea, said nice things, and tried to get close to me.
He kept calling me "good brother".
The merchant from the Northwest smiled modestly and said, "Our fortune isn't all mine alone; half of it comes from my sister's business partner. In our line of work, you can be ignorant of other things, but you must be well-informed and know exactly what you should and shouldn't do."
Talking about these things makes people perk up.
For example, these guards all have impressive backgrounds.
What's their background?
More than half of them have been to the battlefield and seen blood! For merchants to ensure the safety of their goods, they need reliable guards. If it weren't for our sister's connections, do you think these people could be hired so easily? They originally wanted to re-enlist, but unfortunately, they didn't meet the requirements.
[Conditions not met?]
[I heard it's because he has no other brothers to care for his elderly parents, has a young child, and his wife is pregnant...]
Oh, I see.
Merchants from the southwest looked on with envy at the guards.
After a few sips of wine, the merchants from the Northwest felt a surge of warmth coursing through their bodies: "For example," they said, "there are some businesses you just shouldn't get involved in."
What kind of business?
Come closer and listen.
The two whispered amongst themselves.
Their voices weren't loud, but Mei and Meng could hear them clearly.
Merchants from all over the country could do business in the Kangguo-occupied territory without any problems, but they couldn't inflate prices excessively. The authorities had a red line; regardless of whether the merchants were losing money, crossing it meant certain death. The prices of some goods were beyond the merchants' control.
The price is fixed!
Other things are not subject to restrictions.
These words left the man from the southwest speechless.
[How can this be? Isn't this blatant robbery?]
Shouldn't you be the one to decide how to price your own goods?
If it weren't for the huge profits, who would be willing to risk traveling to regions with unstable security? Kangguo's actions make no sense!
The woman from the Northwest quickly covered his mouth: "What do you know?"
The merchant from the southwest felt many unfriendly gazes directed at him. He carefully observed them and realized the gazes came from the merchant's guards. The thought that these guards were retired soldiers from the Kang Kingdom army sent a chill down his spine. Fortunately, they made no further move.
A merchant from the Northwest asked: "Did you see that?"
The merchant from the southwest wiped away his cold sweat: "Truly arrogant."
Merchants from the Northwest also understood him.
I used to think that way too.
But everything has its advantages and disadvantages.
While huge profits can make you rich overnight, the risks are high. Losing your goods is secondary; the real fear is losing your life on the way.
If one follows the rules of Kangguo and conducts business honestly, the profits at the end of the year are not much lower than those from taking risks, and there is also a guarantee of safety. Moreover, if one does well and catches the eye of a noble person, there might even be a chance to establish a relationship with the royal family.
The older sister he recognized was a typical example.
Also, if you want to make money, try to avoid food.
This business strategy defies common sense.
Mei Meng and Qi Cang couldn't help but listen carefully.
[Not touching grain? That's not right...] In general, when warlords fought each other, the transportation of grain was of paramount importance. No matter how many cooks transported grain, it was impossible to guarantee that there would be enough to eat at the front. To ensure a safe supply, they would generally encourage civilians to trade and transport grain from other places.
Private grain supplies are a backup option, as they can be plundered to survive in critical moments. So why does this person say that the grain business is off-limits?
What do you know? You'll lose money if you touch it.
Transporting grain to war zones—isn't that just about profiting from soaring grain prices? The problem is, what if grain prices don't rise there? The labor costs of the merchants, the cost of buying grain at high prices, the losses along the way… all of these could wipe out even the most humble merchant.
【How...how could we possibly be losing money?】
A merchant from Northwest China retorted: "Do you know the local grain price?"
He was asking about the grain prices in the Kangguo-occupied areas.
Qi Cang asked Mei Meng with his eyes.
The merchant from the southwest was taken aback.
The merchant from the Northwest said, "I don't need to ask around; I know the price is at most one or two times the usual amount, not much higher. Do you think such a small profit is worth the effort of transporting it all the way here, wasting manpower? It wouldn't even cover the cost of the cooks and guards..."
You can still make some money.
In some parts of the Northwest, grain is cheap and production is high. If you pull some strings to get some old grain from previous years and then sell it here, you can still make a profit after discounts, but the cost-effectiveness is too low. You'd be better off thinking of other ways to make money...
How could this be?
Mei Meng also wanted to ask why this was the case.
Shen Tang's troops were never troubled by food supplies.
The merchant from the Northwest said, "Come closer."
So it is, and so it is.
Actually, he was just repeating what he'd heard. He had a distant relative of a farmhand's daughter, whose allocated land was separated from the official land of the Ministry of Agriculture by only a hill. It was said that a celestial being had used magic to make the land fertile, yielding harvests several times a year…
Do you understand now?
【I see, I see, I see.】
Upon hearing this, Mei Meng smiled bitterly, sighed, and stopped listening.
These things are no longer important.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar.
The caravan guards, noticing the banner tucked into the newcomer's waist, cast surprised glances their way. They didn't recognize the man, but they knew the banner came from Kang Kingdom! The newcomer ignored their stares, tightened the reins, and forced his warhorse to neigh and stop.
The messenger took the wooden box off the horse's back.
The wooden box didn't look big, but it was quite heavy.
The man looked around the teahouse, his gaze settling on Mei Meng's table. He strode forward and presented her with the wooden box.
【Who are you? 】
My family's general's surname is Lü.
Mei Meng paused, then asked: "What's this?"
The wooden box contained many gold and silver bars, enough to support an ordinary family comfortably for two or three generations. On top of it sat a broken token. The money was one thing, but what did the token mean?
The messenger relayed Lü Jue's instructions truthfully, saying: "This is a token of the general's goodwill. If Your Majesty wishes to return home to retrieve this item, the journey is long. You may accept it for now; it will alleviate your immediate needs. Whether you return it later or use it for other purposes is entirely up to Your Majesty."
It's not a gift, it's a loan.
Qi Cang secretly raised an eyebrow.
Mei Meng really intended to go back and retrieve her family's wealth. Even living in seclusion required worldly support, and she wasn't stupid. If she didn't take it, it would just benefit someone else in the end. Qi Cang, having nothing better to do, followed along, never expecting someone to be such a sucker, willingly handing over so much money.
This money—
Not to mention one private school, ten would be enough.
Incidentally, it can also cover the tuition fees for students.
The messenger said, "As for this token, it's a token from the bank."
Simply put, it's used for withdrawing money.
There are only two coins, the main one and the secondary one, and the one in front of Mei Meng is the main one.
She fiddled with the token.
The token was specially made, bearing two seals: one was Lü Jue's tiger tally seal, and the other was likely a scholar's seal used by the silver shop to verify its authenticity. Mei Meng recalled the slap she had given herself, ultimately feeling soft-hearted and regretting her harsh words.
He must have cried his eyes out after that slap.
How is your general's injury?
[It's alright, the army doctor said he'll be fine in seven or eight days of bed rest.] The messenger didn't know why Lü Jue had been beaten by the army, nor did he know why his lord was suddenly furious and wouldn't allow the army doctor to cure him all at once, but seeing the general's crying and laughing appearance, it seemed like a good thing.
She didn't know if the dream was real or not, a beautiful dream from her near-death experience, or a prophecy of the future... But, several years later, at midday, a young wandering swordsman truly knocked on the door of the private school, and she... Mei Meng lowered her eyes: 【I'll accept the token; return the rest.】
Until then, let's not see each other, let's not think about each other, and let's each be well.
The messenger looked troubled.
Qi Cang slapped the wooden box shut.
"If you don't want it, give it to me."
Mei Meng glared at him: 【For you?】
Qi Cang accepted the wooden box, saying, "Can't I just take it by force? You're willing to suffer without consequence, but I don't want to wrong myself. Listen to me, if a man is willing to give it to you, take it. Who knows when he might change his mind? Wouldn't it be a loss to lose both your money and your lover? Oh, no, this isn't something a man is giving me; I'm taking it by force."
Treat yourself well, and don't waste other people's time.
In his opinion, Mei Meng is just too conflicted.
Take a step back, and life is a vast wilderness where ten thousand horses gallop!
Mei Meng: [...]
Once the messenger has completed its mission, it will not linger.
Mei Meng rubbed her temples and sighed.
Qi Cang used his remaining hand to pick up the gold bar and wipe it on his clothes; its gleaming gold was quite rare. "We have travel expenses now, and the money to open the private school. Are you still going back to Qi State?"
Mei Meng shook her head: "No."
But without a goal, the world is vast, yet you don't know where to go.
Furthermore—
[The State of Qi is about to suffer a national mourning period. If she goes there, she will easily fall into the hands of Cui Zhi...] She doesn't have many blood relatives in the world. Her brother and his children are unlikely to listen to her advice to retire while she is still young. After thinking about it, she decided to give up.
[National Mourning?]
Yes, it is a time of national mourning.
Shen Youli probably won't kill her.
Shen Tang even spared Mei Meng, only asking her to live under an assumed name afterward. It's impossible that she wouldn't spare a defeated ruler with a will to survive. Given the temperament of the Qi ruler, surrender was inevitable. Why would Shen Tang kill such a pragmatic person?
I didn't say it was Shen Jun who killed her.
Qi Cang guessed: [Cui Zhishan? Surely not. They were ex-husband and ex-wife, after all. Even a night of passion can have a hundred nights of kindness.]
It's Youbao, Youbao-kun!
Mei Meng never told the King of Qi that if he wanted to surrender and save his life, he had to get rid of You Bao, who was by her side. It wasn't that she hadn't warned him, but compared to You Bao, whose every word was agreeable and understanding, Mei Meng seemed repulsive and her words were always unpleasant to hear…
Qi Cang couldn't recall the person for a moment: [You Baojun?]
Now that Mei Meng has stepped outside the game, things that were previously puzzling have become clear: [You Baojun must be Shen Jun's man.]
[Then she's even less likely to die. That person probably wouldn't mind having another mascot to enhance her reputation; it's free to keep her around.]
Wu Xian has already taken care of him, let alone the ruler of Qi.
Mei Meng: [You're talking about Shen Jun's demands, but you've forgotten You Baojun's position. She also needs to perform meritorious service, doesn't she?]
The ruler of Qi can live or die.
Since Shen Jun didn't explicitly state that this person couldn't be killed, You Baojun would naturally choose the option more advantageous to herself. Just watch, the State of Qi will suffer a national mourning. Her previous act of wearing mourning clothes to die wasn't for her own impending death, but for the national mourning that would follow: [What can be done?]
If there is a national mourning...
Mei Meng's pale face was hidden in the shadows of the teahouse.
Only bitterness remained on the tongue: [The state of Qi was about to perish.]
Qi Cang took a deep sip of tea: "It's not your homeland, so its fall is nothing. We, the people of Qi, aren't even saddened. Let's not dwell on such sorrowful matters. This fool has sent so much money; where do you plan to open your private school? If you don't have a place, I do have a good idea—beautiful scenery, clear waters and lush mountains. It's just that the yin energy is rather heavy, which will need the yang energy of your students to suppress it!"
|ω`)
That should be about all of Mei Meng's scenes in the main story.
She retreated to the mountains and forests largely because the King of Qi was too ruthless. It was the time when the king ordered his subject to die that caused a complete break between the two, almost negating Mei Meng's persistence over the past ten years and nearly causing her Dao heart to collapse (if it was just a blow from Tang Mei, it would actually be alright, as she is the kind of person who becomes stronger with each battle).
Of course, this doesn't mean her retreat to the mountains to teach was self-destructive; it simply means she chose another viable path. Could it be considered abandoning martial arts for literature? Or is she trying to save the world through teaching?
The fate of the character Mei Meng was actually decided from the very beginning. After a life of toil and a grand dream, true life begins.
Also, Mei Meng and Lü Jue's story is considered a tragic ending in the main text, and they still have to be separated for more than ten years.
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