Chapter 1249 - 1158: The Female Prime Minister 97
When the Emperor received the urgent secret letter sent by Yin Shuangshuang, he was worrying about how to sell those manufactured glass products and soaps at high prices.
Although Yin Shuangshuang had left the sales method, there was still a difficult problem. The Emperor did not have enough shops and trade routes to various places, and the Imperial Merchants who could help him sell were still being selected and recruited. The qualification of Imperial Merchants could not be given casually, otherwise, it would lose its value.
Even for the Emperor, without trade routes, he could not promote things quickly. Of course, the Emperor could use his name to encourage people to buy, but then the aristocratic families might not be willing to comply, and it would result in accusations of competing with the people for profit, which would be counterproductive.
As a result, while the Emperor was worrying, Yin Shuangshuang solved the problem. After reading the secret letter, the Emperor couldn’t help but laugh heartily and said happily to General An and Eunuch Gao beside him, "Yin Qing truly is my adviser; even while far away from the Capital City, she is concerned about my troubles.
She knows I lack trade routes, and astonishingly she had already made arrangements for me, helping solve this difficulty during her home visit.
The Bai Family and the Chu Family, I remember these two family businesses are from the aristocracy, always looked down upon by the great aristocratic families, yet unwilling to rely on me. Yin Qing is truly impressive, she managed to win them over for me."
Actually, Yin Shuangshuang also used clever tactics. The Emperor was dealing with obstinate old family heads, whereas Yin Shuangshuang faced Bai Hengru, the heir, who was less stubborn and more flexible.
Yin Shuangshuang persuaded Bai Hengru, who then persuaded his father, doubling the effectiveness. In plain terms, the Emperor tackled hard bones, while Yin Shuangshuang tackled soft ones, so naturally, Yin Shuangshuang succeeded more easily.
Eunuch Gao and General An both echoed the Emperor’s sentiments, sincerely admiring Yin Shuangshuang, who managed to solve all the Emperor’s problems, even while far from the Capital City, no wonder the Emperor trusts her so much.
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At this moment, far from the Capital City, Yin Shuangshuang was sitting in the imperial carriage gifted by the Emperor, bidding farewell to the reluctant Yin Zheng and Mrs. Wang, leading Heng Yue and Ying Chang’an, two skilled doctors, along with her cousins Wang Ruiqi and Wang Ruibo, and Wei Yingnan, who insisted on following Yin Shuangshuang to Qinglin County for her appointment.
With Mr. Nameless absent and Wei Yingnan being unable to sit still, having no mutual interests with lady-like individuals, and unable to relate to men, it was better to follow Yin Shuangshuang, allowing him to do as he pleased.
Wang Ruiqi and Wang Ruibo also had their own plans following Yin Shuangshuang. Wang Ruiqi intended to serve as an adviser under Yin Shuangshuang to hone his abilities.
Now that their grandfather, Wang Zhongxuan, had gained favor from the Emperor, Wang Ruiqi, even if he took an imperial exam, would not be resented by the Emperor. Wang Ruiqi was a good scholar, and Yin Shuangshuang had seen his knowledge; passing as an Advanced Scholar was no problem, ensuring Wang Ruiqi’s official career in the future.
As for Wang Ruibo, he hadn’t decided what to pursue, with his grandfather not at home. Wang Ruibo was not interested in literature, having heard that Qinglin County was close to the border and occasionally harassed by barbarians.
Wang Ruibo thought that he might contribute by helping fend off the barbarians, of course, he was also unwilling to part with Yan Yi, this half-master, still hoping Yan Yi would help him improve his combat skills.
The guards accompanying Yin Shuangshuang numbered in dozens, led by Yan Yi; the Yan Team had recently expanded to forty-five members with newcomers.
The Eagle Team, consisting of thirty members, were Hidden Guards rewarded by the Emperor; this group that both protected and monitored had to accompany Yin Shuangshuang. Now, Yin Shuangshuang was taking seventy-five guards with her.
The Cloud Team remained to protect the family. Initially, Yin Zheng and Mrs. Wang wanted Yin Shuangshuang to take everyone, but Yin Shuangshuang firmly refused, only then did they give up.
This journey to Qinglin County had Yan Qi, Yan Ba, and Yan Jiu responsible for gathering information ahead of time. Yin Shuangshuang already did her homework on Qinglin County, noting the mysterious deaths of two previous County Magistrates who died while in office in strange accidents.
It’s said the first County Magistrate drowned accidentally while playing outside, and the second died when his carriage fell off a cliff during an outing, killing both him and the horse with no remains.
Both cases concluded as accidental deaths, though Yin Shuangshuang was skeptical. The drowned County Magistrate died while inspecting rivers, which is an official duty, so couldn’t have been alone, yet he was found drowned by himself, a suspicious excuse.
Moreover, how could casual outings lead to a cliff for picnics? Qinglin County has grasslands and rivers, suitable for picnicking anywhere, so why the cliffs? How coincidental that the County Magistrate went out alone again, clearly abnormal.
Despite such anomalies, they all ended as accidents, indicating strong local power in Qinglin County with a hostility towards outsiders. For even the County Magistrate, the top official of the county, to die mysteriously, it’s likely his subordinates like the County Magistrate and the County Officer aren’t aligned with him.
In more severe cases, the County Magistrate’s power might be overshadowed by the County Magistrate. The County Magistrate is supposed to be the deputy, yet if the County Magistrate is weak, the County Magistrate may suppress him, effectively controlling the county.
After a simple understanding, Yin Shuangshuang was certain Qinglin County wasn’t a peaceful place; before establishing governance, she must first confront the local forces.
Located at the border, Qinglin County had a fierce culture, the county’s area was substantial but dilapidated, except for the towering city walls built to block barbarians’ harassments; inside were low, shabby streets and houses, and most common people wore tattered clothes with expressionless faces.
The children were surprisingly quiet, not because they were well-behaved, but because they lacked the energy to play, skinny as sticks, lacking children’s usual roundness and charm.
Yin Shuangshuang’s group was quite conspicuous, attracting local attention as soon as they entered Qinglin County. Still, the common people merely watched from a distance, not daring to approach.
Traveling far into the county city without anyone welcoming them until they arrived at the county government office, where a middle-aged man in a scholar’s robe hurriedly came to greet Yin Shuangshuang’s group.
Upon seeing Yin Shuangshuang, this middle-aged man paid respects and was polite: "Are you the newly appointed County Magistrate Mr. Yin? Xu Huirong, secretary of Qinglin County, pays respects to you, sir. It’s tough for you to have traveled so far; Apologies for not receiving any news in advance and failing to greet you at the city gate."