Chapter 120 Conquering Others with Virtue Yun Qi looked at his words and actions and had already guessed in his heart...
Yunqi observed his words and actions, and had guessed something in his heart. He did not respond, but said with a solemn face:
"Business has its own rules. Borrowing and returning are as natural as cattle and sheep eating grass. But we are not completely without humanity. Since Taiji said that there are some difficulties this year, we will also consider you as much as possible since you have opened your mouth. This way, we can maintain long-term cooperation. Don't you agree?"
Having hit a snag with neither a soft nor a hard approach, Taiji frowned slightly and said, "That's true. Then how do you consider my situation?"
Yunqi saw that the man's arrogance had subsided, and glanced at Wang Xiangqing. Wang Xiangqing understood, and enthusiastically picked up the teapot to fill up Taiji's teapot with milk tea, and said with a smile: "We have a suggestion. Why not discuss the repayment every year according to the actual situation. For example, if the cattle and sheep are fat and the price is good this year, we can pay more. If it happens that there is a snowstorm, then we can pay less accordingly. In general, 60% will be paid annually."
That sounds good. Taiji picked up the mahogany milk tea bowl, took a big sip, and said, "Okay, then how do you make it?"
Wang Xiangqing then explained to him.
Every spring, Dashengkui would send a manager to the tribe to discuss this year's debt repayment amount with the Taiji and collect debts.
"However, there is one thing that needs to be made clear." Wang Xiangqing said solemnly, "This discussion also includes the cattle and sheep taxes and other levies you have collected from herders this year."
This was what the princess emphasized repeatedly before they came out.
The princess said, "I know what some of them are thinking. If the deed is signed and the money can't be repaid, then the whole banner will have to pay it back. Then they simply don't pay from their own pockets, but force the people under their jurisdiction to share the money. They can enjoy it for nothing, and they can also push the blame onto Dashengkui or even me. Once the people are angry, they will helplessly say, 'It's the princess who asked you to pay it back.' I will never be such a fool. I can't let these people harm the people without reason."
Sure enough, when Wang Xiangqing said this clause, Taiji frowned again.
What are you doing? You even have to care about this?
He said, "This... is a little inappropriate. I will report to you how much tax I collected for cattle and sheep."
Yunqi picked up the milk tea and blew the butter on it. "I also think it's inappropriate. How many gods do we need to take care of these things? We should pay back as much as we borrow. This year, it's really impossible. It's my bad luck that I made a bad debt. I don't want you to pay it all back. Pay 90% and let it go."
What he meant was that in the future, you should not borrow money for Dashengkui or take care of the annual affairs.
Taiji was stuck. He had personally experienced how comfortable it was to have Dashengkui help him run the annual business. If he lost him, he would be upset. But this was a unique business, with no other companies, so he was in control.
After thinking it over again and again, he nodded reluctantly.
Coming out of the tent, Wang Xiangqing complimented Yunqi: "Aunt Yunqi just showed her grace, like a magic needle that stabilizes the sea. This method is also very good, it not only saves face but also maintains dignity, and we will not suffer any loss. The old ones are still the wisest."
Yunqi climbed onto his horse and smiled, "It's not my suggestion, it's the princess's order."
Wang Xiangqing paused for a moment, then immediately turned to praise the princess: "You are worthy of being my master. You are so young, yet you can come up with such a perfect solution. You are simply a man born from heaven. From now on, our Dashengkui's business in Mobei will surely prosper."
Business is booming, but it is not just about this. Yunqi is not a pure businessman like Wang Xiangqing. She values another thing more.
Sending managers to discuss debt collection every year is, in a small sense, a small matter of paying off debts. But in a big sense, it can be seen as a disguised way of keeping local tax revenue in hand. With the money in hand, other matters can be intervened at a very low cost.
In the princess's words, it means seizing economic control and intervening in its internal affairs.
It is indeed a bloodless, silent and effective method, Yunqi thought.
After everyone got on their horses, Yunqi came to his senses and led everyone to the next debtor tribe.
Most of the taijis listened to this gentle repayment model, either nodded after thinking for a while, or agreed to it very readily. They didn't care about that, as long as they could pay less money, it was a good thing. Besides, it was just a request for negotiation, not a big deal. As long as it didn't affect their food and drink, it was no big deal.
Not everyone thought this way. For example, a middle-aged Duke of Fuguo, who was always irritable, slammed the table loudly when he heard Wang Xiangqing's intention. He glared at him and said, "What nonsense! I don't understand! Pay me back when I recover!"
Wang Xiangqing had rarely seen such an attitude since he became the shopkeeper of Dashengkui, and was startled by his roar and shuddered. But he saw Yunqi next to him didn't even move his body, just used his little finger to pick his ear.
He calmed down and smiled politely: "Doctor Fuguo, do you still have any concerns? As for business, we should talk about business, and everything is easy to discuss..."
"Talk about shit!" The Duke of Fuguo suddenly shouted and stood up. He was a big man, with a round body like a hill, casting a shadow. "Money, money, what else can you do besides asking for money? Get out of my place!"
Several tribal men who were sitting in the tent stood up, put their hands on the hilts of the swords at their waists, and looked fierce.
Wang Xiangqing's cold sweat ran down his forehead.
Yunqi stood up silently and said coldly: "Does the Duke of Fuguo have to do this?"
"Yes, what can you do to me?" The Duke of Fuguo said with a contemptuous tone on his face.
If the princess came in person, he would have to give her some face, so it would be fine. Now, they are just two dogs, what is there to be afraid of?
Moreover, if he were to explain, why were the Taijis in front so afraid of a young woman? If he rolled up his sleeves and frightened such a young and weak woman, she would burst into tears and dare not make a sound. Even if she went to someone to cry, the worst that could happen was that she would be scolded. He also played a role in the destruction of Galdan.
Yunqi took a deep breath and said, "Okay, you can do whatever you want."
Then he turned around and was about to leave. At this moment, he heard the Duke of Fuguo scolding him from behind. "How dare you, you bastard, come to me for money?"
Wang Xiangqing heard it clearly, and was so angry that he was shaking. He turned around and said, "I'll see how long you can be so rampant!"
"Longer than your life." Unbridled laughter broke out in the tent.
Wang Xiangqing was still furious until they had ridden far away. He whipped Yunqi and caught up with her, wanting to curse the Duke of Fuguo with her to vent his anger, but he saw that there was actually a hint of smile on her face.
No, what's so funny about this?
Are you still laughing in this situation?
Wang Xiangqing couldn't help but ask. Yunqi glanced at him and said, "Finally, a fool has emerged to establish his authority. This is also a good thing."
Arriving at the post station, she immediately spread out paper and ground ink, wrote down the whole story in detail, sealed it, and asked the postman to deliver it to the princess's mansion as fast as possible.
The chestnut horse galloped across the emerald green grassland, its mane flying backwards, leaving a trail of dust behind.
The princess's letter was delivered at the speed of an urgent military report on this Princess Post Road, and was definitely the first priority. Not long after, the postman delivered the letter box to the princess's residence.
The eunuch in the memorial room next to the gate of the princess's mansion saw the red strip on the letter box and knew it was urgent news. He immediately took the letter box and hurried to see the princess.
In the hot summer weather, the kitchen specially prepared rose marinated ice yogurt and sent it to the bedroom, put it in an ice container, ready for the master to eat after waking up from a nap.
Mu Xue woke up slowly on the cool bed. She saw that the little princess next to her was still sleeping, so she got up quietly, picked up the silk quilt and covered the little princess's belly.
After sitting down in the main room, Rong'er brought a bowl of icy cold rose-glazed ice yogurt. It had a rich milk flavor, a light rose scent and sweetness, and was very refreshing to eat at this time of year.
The little princess could now utter a few words, in both Manchu and Mongolian, which was a bit confusing. The clearest words in Chinese, besides "mother", were "eat". But children have weak stomachs and cannot eat many things, such as cold or spicy food. Mu Xue had to carry the little one on her back to enjoy the food alone.
Mu Xue ate half a bowl of yogurt when she suddenly heard the eunuch from the memorial room asking to see her, so she let him in.
"My Lord, there is a letter box from Aunt Yunqi, with a red sticker."
"Leave it there."
“Yeah.”
The eunuch in the memorial room placed the letter box on Xiang Fei's bamboo and gold-painted square table and respectfully pushed it aside. Rong Er hurriedly took out a bunch of keys from the locked box in the inner room, took out the corresponding key, unlocked the box, and brought it forward.
At this time, Muxue had almost finished her yogurt.
She put down the bowl, picked up the memorial from the box, and read it carefully.
Finally, there appeared the old man who didn't pay back his debts and was even more arrogant than his creditor.
She put the memorial book down, picked up the bowl of yogurt which still had a little bit of yogurt left, scooped a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth, squinted her eyes and enjoyed the cool and sweet taste.
What can we do?
We have no choice but to convince people with the truth.
After finishing the yogurt, Mu Xue wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and ordered, "Call the second-class guard Tong Shoulu."
Tong Shoulu was watching the guards training at the horse farm when he heard the princess summon him. He was puzzled. Huang Zhong, a guard sitting next to him drinking tea, heard the call and asked, "Did you only call him? Did you call me?"
A trace of embarrassment flashed across the face of the messenger: "This time, only Guard Tong was called."
"Let's go." Tong Shoulu picked up the handkerchief and wiped his face, then followed the maid into the inner hall.
The princess was writing in the main room with the windows wide open. A gentle breeze blew across the rice paper on the desk, but the jade paperweight held it down, so it did not move at all despite the wind.
"My master, may you be blessed with good health." Tong Shoulu bowed.
"Get up."
Mu Xue put down her brush, the ink of the word "truth" on the rice paper was not yet dry, and the tip of the brush was hidden.
"Do you recognize these two words?"
"My Lord, it is the word 'truth'."
"Good, do you know what that means?"
Tong Shoulu thought for a moment: "Reason? Reason?"
It sounded familiar. The princess seemed to have said something similar when she ordered him to train the musketeers. He tried to recall it and remembered something: "The master said that the truth lies only in..."
"Only in what?"
"The truth is only within the range of firearms!" Tong Shoulu finally remembered completely what the princess said.
Mu Xue laughed: "Good, you still remember."
"Get ready. Take the musketeers to the grassland to hunt for me tomorrow. Invite the deputy general as well. This is the best season for hunting on the grassland. Maybe they will be willing to go hunting and gain weight in advance."
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