Chapter 77 Making Money with Tao
"Heaven and earth can bear witness that I had only met you—no, I had only met her a few times—how could I have frightened her like that? I understand the reason even less than you do."
Tao Qing craned his neck and looked up to observe Qin Song in front of him at this moment.
Qin Song didn't get an answer from him and didn't have the energy to argue with him, so she changed the subject: "Alright, what happened between you and the Princess?"
"Why do you keep asking me about other women? Could it be..." Tao Qing leaned closer to her, a smile playing on her lips, "Are you jealous?"
Jealous? That's impossible; there are plenty of men out there.
Qin Song almost sneered, too lazy to coax him. He felt his eyelids were heavy, and his body, which had been tormented by him, was still a little sore. He was too sleepy to keep his eyes open.
The journey was bumpy, and with Tao Qingyang, that insatiable fox, Qin Song did nothing but feed him and sleep all day. Sometimes he overfed him, and their days and nights were almost reversed.
After two days of flickering sunlight, Qin Song estimated that it was time. She changed into a satin dress with a high collar and a front opening, and entered Suzhou properly.
Suzhou was bustling with activity. Qin Song lifted the curtain and looked out of the carriage.
Here, agriculture and commerce coexist, aristocratic families abound, and the people are prosperous. In addition, the water town nurtures them, so most of the people here are not short of money and have more leisure time to enjoy life without being bothered by worldly affairs. In their smiles and laughter, you can even hear some tenderness and affection.
As they were looking around, the carriage suddenly stopped.
“Miss, this is the carriage of the clan patriarch.” Chunhe recognized the special insignia used by the Qin family.
She had just finished reporting in front of the car when a gentle female voice rang out.
"Third Miss, you must be tired from your journey. Master, I've sent you to fetch you."
Qin Daoji was born into the direct line of the Qin family. According to the family genealogy, she was the third among the girls in Qin Song's generation.
Qin Song was surprised that this lady had come to greet her in person; she had assumed they had just bumped into each other on the road.
Qin Song and Tao Qingyang exchanged a glance, and the two of them tacitly got out of the carriage.
If Qin Song had just glimpsed the affluence of the common people by lifting the carriage curtain, it was the woman's attire and the jade-inlaid carriage with four fine horses pulling it abreast that truly made him realize the extravagance of the Qin family of Jiangnan.
Having only been inside the city for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Qin Song already understood the late emperor's apprehension towards the Qin family.
Although Qin Daoji was low-key and disliked extravagance, his protection of the Jiangnan region posed a significant threat to the Li imperial power.
Qin Song smiled and nodded to the woman. Before she could bow, the woman quickly stepped forward and affectionately pulled her along. "Oh, don't bother with the bow. Look how small your carriage is. You must be exhausted. Come, come, let's switch to this carriage and go back to the Qin residence now."
"Thank you, Madam." Qin Song knew that the Qin Group leader had married many wives, and she really didn't know how to address such a young lady, so she simply called her Madam.
This time, Qin Song only brought Chunhe with him, deliberately leaving Tao Qingyang behind.
Although this lady was dressed in gold and silver and was a bit ostentatious, she had a very lively personality and became very familiar with Qin Song upon their first meeting, exchanging warm greetings all the way.
Just a plate of sunflower seeds is all it takes for the two of them to be able to chat endlessly about everything from clothing and accessories to women's skincare and beauty.
Finally arriving at the Qin family ancestral home, Qin Song was arranged to rest briefly in a main hall. The lady said she was going to invite the master, but she disappeared without a trace after turning around.
More than two hours have passed, and the servant has changed the hot tea twice, but the master still hasn't come to greet them.
Chunhe, standing behind Qin Song, said softly, "Miss, don't worry. The clan elder has a large family and many affairs to attend to. He will definitely come to see you when he has time."
Qin Song couldn't help but laugh at Chunhe's anxious hand-wringing and constant peeking outside the door. No matter how you looked at it, she was the one who was more anxious. She hadn't asked the master when he would be back even once since she came in.
Seeing Qin Song's unwavering composure, Chunhe was even more unsure of his attitude. But having stood there for so long, she became increasingly confused and cautiously said, "Miss, don't be discouraged. Now that the master is gone, it's not easy for you, a weak woman. Everything still depends on the support of the Qin family. This is your family home, your support."
Does it have powerful backing?
A subtle hint of hostility flickered in Qin Song's eyes. She reached for her teacup, took a small sip, and did not respond to Chunhe's words.
Chunhe felt increasingly indignant. Her young lady had been pampered since childhood, and although she had suffered some hardships recently, she had never been wronged by her own people.
Chunhe waited patiently for a while longer, but finally couldn't fool herself anymore. She muttered angrily, "Is the clan chief playing favorites? Even if the clan chief is extremely busy, there can't be only one person in the clan who can speak, right? What about that lady just now? Even if she couldn't invite the master, she could at least arrange a place for you to rest, right?"
In fact, Chunhe had noticed it from the beginning, but she just didn't want to believe it. After all, this was the Qin family, and they were indeed her relatives from the same clan.
However, the more prestigious and influential a family is, the more it values its interests. Now that Qin Daoji is gone, her value must be assessed by the clan leader himself.
Sure enough, as Chunhe's complaints subsided, a commotion arose outside the hall, and two footsteps approached gracefully.
"It's Song girl. I'm sorry, I had some business to attend to and kept you waiting." The clan chief had white hair and beard, and his face was deeply lined, but he was very strong, walked steadily, had an elegant demeanor, and a calm expression.
Qin Song stood up and bowed, "Greetings, Grand Uncle. It is I who have bothered you."
"Don't mention it. Sit down." Clan Chief Qin, accompanied by his entourage, casually took the seat of honor.
Qin Song did as instructed and sat back in his original seat.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the sky darkened, and the Qin clan chief neither arranged for a meal to be prepared nor invited Qin Song to stay the night.
His attitude was clear: he wanted Qin Song to recognize her place. If she wanted to succeed, she had to put the Qin family first. She was now like a beggar coming to his door; how far she could go depended entirely on the Qin family.
To put it bluntly, they want the Qin family to sit on the dragon throne, not Qin Song.
Qin Song had long understood his meaning, so he specially sent a concubine who was tactless and incompetent to welcome her, clearly telling her that no matter how Qin Daoji planned for her, in his eyes, she was just a woman.
Chief Qin took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Speaking of which, why didn't Song'er invite General Tao into the house with her?"
They're not even pretending anymore.
When they changed carriages earlier, the careless concubine didn't ask about the identity of the person beside her, probably because he was wearing a mask and she assumed he was just an insignificant guard.
The clan chief now openly acknowledges Tao Qingyang's existence, clearly indicating that he knew of her whereabouts from the moment she entered the city, yet he has kept her hidden and neglected her for so long before finally revealing himself.
Seeing through things but not saying them was a principle Qin Song later learned to handle. She respectfully replied, "To be honest, Uncle, the Zhenbei Army has recruited too many people this time. General Tao wants to select a few trustworthy generals from Jiangnan to lead the army. He has gone to investigate in secret. Speaking of which, Uncle, you have many talented people around you. Do you know of any suitable candidates?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Qin clan chief turned his gaze over.
He was indeed interested.
If he could control her only remaining army, she would be even more under his control. In that case, helping her would be tantamount to securing benefits for the entire Qin family.
He put down his teacup, his tone softening considerably. "That's not difficult, but the Zhenbei Army is a large force. Is the imperial court still able to supply it with provisions and military supplies in a timely manner?"
There's really no need to beat around the bush when talking to someone who understands.
Qin Song stood up again and sincerely cupped his hands: "Grand Uncle has a keen eye. The Zhenbei Army has already marched into the capital. Ostensibly, they are going to the capital to report on their duties, but in reality, they will support the former Crown Prince Li Xu in Kaifeng. I hope that Grand Uncle will generously help us."
"The Northern Garrison? The former Crown Prince? What does this have to do with my Qin family?"
When asked to do something, the old clan chief pretended to be confused again.
Qin Song maintained a smile throughout, saying, "Song'er will marry the Crown Prince and eventually replace him. Song'er will bear the surname Qin, the Zhenbei Army will also bear the surname Qin, and the entire country will bear the surname Qin."
"Hahaha..." The old patriarch suddenly laughed out of nowhere, "Song girl, what a boastful statement! How do you plan to replace the crown prince? My Qin family's century-old reputation, do you expect me to bear the stigma of rebellion with you?"
The Qin family wielded immense power, and he had long held a high position. When he spoke in a slightly harsher tone, a suffocating sense of oppression permeated the entire room.
Chunhe, who was supporting Qin Song, was trembling slightly.
Qin Song remained calm and composed, as she had anticipated this, and continued to bring out several carefully selected agricultural craft illustrations.
"Grand Uncle, please calm down. Song'er is also a member of the Qin clan. The Qin clan's reputation cannot be ruined by Song'er. However, now that the throne has changed hands, the Li family's empire is already wary of the Qin clan. How can the Qin clan sit idly by and wait for its doom?"
Qin Song presented the manuscript in his hand, saying, "Grand Uncle, please take a look. These are all agricultural techniques that benefit the country and its people. I urge you to find the most skilled craftsmen in the country to study and create them. If such a divine artifact can be produced, the Qin family will be admired by all the people and can take over without bloodshed."
These techniques were probably already shown to the clan chief by Qin Daoji, but Qin Song had translated and annotated many parts of them. What was once just empty talk is now different.
While the Qin clan chief was taking a closer look, Qin Song bowed and declared, "Whether it's the Zhenbei Army or extraordinary skills, we all have to rely on the Qin family. The prosperity of the Qin clan is the blessing of the people."
Qin Song uttered some flattering platitudes, and the Qin clan chief patiently read through the skill descriptions she handed him. Finally, he raised his head and said, "Alright, I've always been strict, Song girl, don't take it to heart. It's getting late, we're all family, no need to be so polite. I will do my best to help with the matter your father entrusted to me." After he finished speaking, he stood up briskly and instructed the servants as he left, "Go, prepare dinner, tidy up the lodgings, and take good care of Song girl and General Tao."
The Qin clan chief sent his third son, who was in charge of the household, to accompany Qin Song and his companion for a meal. They were not allowed to rest until it got dark.
As soon as Qin Song entered the room, she immediately closed the door, casually kicked off her shoes, and lay down on the bed. Chunhe helped her pick up her shoes, still feeling lingering fear: "Why has the old clan chief suddenly changed? Last time he accompanied Miss to Jiangnan, he was very kind to her."
Qin Song lay directly on the bed, burying her head in the pillow and completely relaxed: "Of course it's changed. Last time, I was the daughter of the most powerful patriarch in the Qin family. This time, I'm an orphan girl coming to ask for money, so naturally I'm not well received. Besides, what I want isn't a small amount, but a big business that the Qin family needs to support by emptying their coffers. Naturally, he needs to investigate me carefully to determine if I'm worth his big investment."
It's similar to investing; you have to consider the risks and returns before making a decision.
As Qin Song spoke, Chunhe leaned over to massage her shoulders.
Qin Song enjoyed the moment and continued, "But this old man is really greedy. He was given a gap in the Zhenbei Army, but he was still not satisfied. He was afraid that the people he arranged would cause trouble for Tao Qingyang."
"It's alright, I'll just kill him."
Suddenly, Tao Qingyang's nonchalant voice came from behind.
Qin Song immediately looked up and saw that Tao Qingyang hadn't gone back to his own room, but had just openly entered her residence.
She had been lying face down on the pillow and hadn't noticed the rosemary scent on Tao Qingyang.
“Don’t kill them,” Qin Song glanced at him, but didn’t make a fuss. Instead, he obediently lay back down and continued to enjoy the shoulder massage. “They will be very useful in the future.”
The thought of "discarding a donkey after it has served its purpose" is thrilling to Qin Song!
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Author's Note: Sorry, there were quite a few typos in the first few chapters, but I didn't dare to correct them, afraid of being banned again. Please bear with me! [dog head with rose in mouth]
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