The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 984: normal but
Chapter 984 It’s Normal
“Three days ago… I went to each prefecture under the pretext of sending dividends to the eight major families in Xiliang after the reconciliation was completed, but the eight major families all said that the empress promised that although she had detained you, she would not vent her anger on your business in Xiliang. As for how you offended the empress, I don’t know, but I think the Xiliang empress has detained you for so many days, and it shouldn’t be long before she releases you. They told me not to worry and sent me away. I am incompetent… Until now, I still don’t know why you were imprisoned.”
Bai Qingqi frowned and shook his head, tapping his fingers on the table beside him: “You can’t say that. You have found out that the royal family and nobles of Xiliang don’t know why the Queen of Xiliang imprisoned Master Fengnian. This is also a clue.”
Before coming here, Bai Qingyan told Bai Qingqi that this Chen Qingsheng… had an extraordinary talent in networking, and he could make friends with all kinds of people…as long as Chen Qingsheng wanted to make friends, he could, and he was also an expert at gathering information.
If Chen Qingsheng found out that the royal family and nobles of Xiliang didn’t know why Bai Jintong was imprisoned, then it would seem that… the Queen of Xiliang had never revealed a single word to the outside world.
Chen Qingsheng seemed a little annoyed. The eldest girl asked him to follow the third girl in the hope that he could get reliable information at such a critical moment, but he still couldn’t find out why the third girl was in prison.
Chen Qingsheng said in annoyance, “I have spent money and used connections, but I still cannot see Master Fengnian. I only heard that Master Fengnian was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. The Queen of Xiliang visited him three times. I have not even been able to find out whether Master Fengnian was tortured or not! I am really ashamed.”
Bai Qingqi calmed down, picked up the teacup beside him, and asked again: “Master Fengnian’s business in Xiliang has really not been affected since he was imprisoned?”
“Indeed, I haven’t!” Chen Qingsheng answered honestly, “At first, several shopkeepers suggested closing the shop first, but I thought…keeping the shop open would prove that Master Fengnian has a clear conscience, and…if there is a problem with the shop, it means that there is a big problem with Master Fengnian. I thought…if the Queen of Xiliang hadn’t taken action against the shop, then…Master Fengnian wouldn’t have such a hard time.”
Xiao Ruohai, who had already done some research in Yunjing, said, “It’s hard to say. After all… Young Master Fengnian brought papermaking technology from Tianfeng Country, as well as the manufacturing technology of jadeite brocade. Nowadays, jadeite brocade is popular among the nobles of the Great Zhou. The price of jadeite brocade is very high, and the price of fur in Xiliang is also very high in the Great Zhou. In the past, the people who farmed in Xiliang… could make a profit from food.”
“But now, the people of Xiliang make jade brocade by capturing prey and peeling their fur to hand over to Master Fengnian’s shop, which then transports it to Da Zhou by Master Fengnian’s caravan, making huge profits from Da Zhou. There were people who wanted to get a piece of Master Fengnian’s business, but the big merchants in Da Zhou, Dayan, and Tianfeng Kingdom who buy jade brocade and fur only accept Master Fengnian’s goods.”
“Since Tianfeng’s papermaking technology is advanced and the price is extremely low, Yan State needs a huge amount. Several noble families in Xiliang have contributed money to Mr. Fengnian to participate in papermaking, and they have recruited the people to make paper and send it to Yan State for profit! It can be said that Mr. Fengnian’s shop has penetrated into the livelihood of the people of Xiliang in such a short period of time. Even if the Queen of Xiliang wants to make things difficult for Mr. Fengnian, she cannot easily touch his shop.”
Bai Qingqi paused in knocking on the table, as if he had suddenly grasped the key. Then he understood what Jintong was going to do in Xiliang.
Bai Jintong participated in the livelihood of the people of Xiliang…
The goal is to weaken Xiliang through trade routes and control the lifeline of Xiliang’s population.
“Mr. Fengnian, are you still doing grain business?” Bai Qingqi asked.
Chen Qingsheng nodded: “Master Fengnian will sell the grain collected from the Great Zhou and Yan Kingdom to the people of Xiliang…”
Bai Qingqi’s thoughts became clearer and he asked, “How much profit did you make?”
Chen Qingsheng seemed to have thought of something. He looked at Bai Qingqi and said, “Master Fengnian transported the grain to Tianfeng Country and Xiliang respectively. The grain business in Tianfeng Country was profitable, but… the grain business in Xiliang just broke even.”
Xiao Ruohai had suspected this before, and now he was sure that the third girl was arrested because of this incident…
Bai Qingqi pursed his lips tightly, thinking that the Queen of Xiliang might have sent people to investigate, and even thought that Bai Jintong wanted to use this method to weaken Xiliang, so she arrested Jintong.
It seems that the Queen of Xiliang became wary of Bai Jintong after reading the stories of buying a deer to subdue Chu and buying a fox to conquer Dai.
Xiao Ruohai looked at Chen Qingsheng and asked, “So, what about other businesses? Has Master Fengnian’s business of buying jadeite brocade and furs at high prices and sending them to Jin State ever made a profit?”
Chen Qingsheng looked at Xiao Ruohai and nodded quickly: “Yes, I made a profit, and it was a huge profit!”
Xiao Ruohai turned his head, looked at Bai Qingqi, and bowed: “Third Master, Ruohai believes that… Master Fengnian did nothing wrong. After all… businessmen pursue profits. Since jade brocade, furs, and paper can bring huge profits, Master Fengnian naturally wants more Xiliang people to participate in it. If the price of food is lower, the people will be willing to spend more time on jade brocade and furs, and Master Fengnian will naturally make more profits.”
“Yes! It is normal for businessmen to pursue profits!” said Chen Qingsheng.
Bai Qingqi nodded and looked at Chen Qingsheng: “Your Master Fengnian must have said the same thing, otherwise… it would not be as simple as imprisonment. However… now the Queen of Xiliang has imprisoned your Master Fengnian for too long, and the eight major families of Xiliang probably saw that your Master Fengnian was in prison, and the shop was still running well in your hands, and their interests were not damaged at all. Therefore, for the eight major families, your Master Fengnian seemed dispensable, so they would not go to the Queen of Xiliang to fight for your Master Fengnian.”
Chen Qingsheng’s face turned pale, and he bowed to Bai Qingqi and apologized: “It is my fault for not considering it carefully. Please punish me, Third Young Master.”
“You are following the orders of your Master Fengnian. You were able to run the shop so well when Master Fengnian was away, which shows that you are extraordinary and have made great contributions!” Bai Qingqi knocked on the table in front of him, lifted the hem of his gown, crossed his legs, picked up the teacup, and said calmly, “Starting today… gradually raise the price of grain, doubling it every day. Other merchants doing grain business will always be tempted, and there will always be a time when the Queen of Xiliang will be anxious! Send someone back to Da Zhou and issue an order to strictly check the entry and exit of grain merchants at the border from now on, and find a reason to detain them, especially those going to Xiliang!”