Chapter 241
Chapter 241
After Yueqian saw that the Wang had left, she touched her husband’s arm, indicating her desire to leave as well. The remaining royals and some nobles still had matters to discuss, as this incident was undoubtedly significant. Even the position of the consort was executed. Although the Wang had stated that the matter couldn’t be spoken of, how could such rumors be kept hidden?
Ultimately, the position of the Second Prince’s consort remained vacant. Many families wanted to seize this prime opportunity for themselves. Even those who had not fully supported the Crown Prince were now looking for opportunities with him. If their daughters became the consort, would they still need to support the Crown Prince?
However, the Crown Prince had also gained an advantage. Since the Wang himself had stated he would take the Crown Prince as another disciple, it meant that the uncle-nephew relationship wasn’t strained at all. Many officials who had always taken a single stance were beginning to change their expressions.
Many officials didn’t trust either prince, but they had always believed in and followed the Wang. Now that the Wang had taken a neutral stance, they had to do the same.
This change was quite significant. Additionally, there was the matter of the reception for the Hu Region delegation that needed to be discussed again. Since the Second Prince was no longer in charge, the Crown Prince now had an opportunity, didn’t he?
These were all urgent matters that needed to be discussed. Not only did the major families need to consult, but many smaller families also had to discuss. Their directions were even more sensitive, as they were merely small fish in a raging storm. If they chose the wrong path, they could easily be swept away and die. But if they chose correctly, they could escape these storms.
In the end, only Yueqian and Mu Heng were left, slowly walking back to their manor. Since Yueqian was still pregnant, Mu Heng didn’t allow her to walk too quickly, taking quite a bit of time to return to their manor.
From the earlier events, chaos had descended upon the capital of the Bai Region. The execution order for Consort Bai had caused a great stir among the people. Many saw it as an opportunity to rise, leading to a scramble for the position of the Second Prince’s consort.
Eventually, the “Jia” family secured the position. Given their solid foundation, the Second Prince seemed to benefit considerably from this.
As mentioned earlier, the Gui family didn’t amount to much. If not for Gui Zhong being an exceptional scholar, the Gui family would have remained just a typical poor farming family, without any reputation. Their power was considered minimal, which offered little benefit to the Second Prince’s faction.
This was in contrast to the Jia family, an ancient lineage where each generation held at least a chief-level position. Currently, they held the Chief of Tax Department, responsible for overseeing tax collection and preparing Bai Region’s taxes for the Hu Region.
This position came with significant influence and opportunities for minor corruption. Naturally, as allies of the Second Prince and by extension the Wang, they would need to reduce their own take to avoid drawing too much attention and harming the public.
Still, there were many things that they could accomplish as the family of the Second Prince’s consort, and it would be better if their daughter became the empress in the future.
In fact, the Wang was well aware of their nature. However, which officials weren’t corrupt to some extent? Who genuinely worked without expecting rewards?
If there was anyone, it would be someone like Gui Zhong, who remained a scholar in both title and spirit, refraining from corruption and wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, he didn’t raise his child well, allowing her to become narrow-minded and plot against her own allies, leading to near ruin. Hence, he had to take responsibility for his actions.
The Wang felt sorrow over Gui Zhong’s passing. However, he gained the likes of Furen Mu and Governor Mu as replacements, seeming to benefit even more from the situation.
He also proved that his judgment was correct. It seemed that Furen Mu was truly formidable. She managed to send someone to him. How easy was it to enter the Wang’s manor? Were his guards and shadows weak? Certainly not!
He knew well how strong his people were; otherwise, how could they have managed such battles? This showed that Yueqian’s people were truly skilled, so skilled that even his own men couldn’t catch them. They were like the wind, appearing and disappearing quickly, delivering their message and then vanishing. This was it! This was the mark of a true master.
Moreover, when she called for him and he came as she wished, it showed Furen Mu just how magnanimous he was. This was confirmed when, after the incident on that day, Yueqian came to see him at the palace herself. Though she claimed to come to collect the reward of the Cold Jade Palace he had promised, they exchanged several words, each one showing that Furen Mu had fully opened her heart to them.
Previously, even though he had invited the couple to stay in the Bai Region, it was evident that there was still a gap between them, a reserved exit, a backup plan. They didn’t fully trust the Wang of the Region at first. But now, things were different, proving that he had gained more from this situation than he had lost.
As for Furen Mu’s skills, her own husband, Governor Mu, might not know as much as he did. Otherwise, why would he worry so much? If it were him, knowing his wife was that strong, he would be more concerned about himself—afraid of being a burden to her rather than worrying about not being able to protect her.
But then again, each family is its own. He wasn’t interested in revealing such matters to others, but he knew that this skilled person could be utilized. That was enough. And Mu Heng, who was destined to become strong, only needed time. In a few years, he would surely become a remarkable person, commanding respect from many strong individuals under his leadership.
Losing Gui Zhong, he gained two scholars and two masters!
Of course, the Wang also faced the major task amid fierce competition. Many officials were anxious, unsure of where to stand, so they turned to the Wang to gauge the wind’s direction. This meant he had to engage in numerous rounds of political maneuvering, which gave him quite a headache before the matter could be resolved.
Additionally, there was the issue of welcoming the Hu Region delegation. Instead of assigning it to someone else, the Emperor decreed that he trusted no one but his brother, the Wang, for this task. Hence, the Wang had to oversee everything. Naturally, some of the duties were also assigned to Yueqian and her husband.
Yueqian was assigned the task of presenting a plan for cultivating Ming Fa flowers. This plan was not particularly beneficial, as by the time cultivation could begin, the epidemic might have already spread too far to be treated in time. Therefore, the cultivation plan existed merely to demonstrate generosity.
No one believed that actual cultivation would take place, especially in the Hu Region, where they deemed it nonsense. Once the epidemic ended, the use of Ming Fa flowers would likely return to normal.
The existing production was already abundant, and the herb wasn’t widely used. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be beneficial to have people in the Hu Region abandon other crops to start growing Ming Fa flowers. What the people of the Hu Region really wanted to know was how much they could trade with the resources they had.
The Emperor planned to use Ming Fa flowers as this year’s tax. In negotiations, he would decide personally. Yueqian and Mu Heng were tasked with inspecting and supporting production to meet demands. They also had to prepare the medicine for sale, which would be more profitable if sold as finished products, increasing their value and tax deductions.
This idea aligned with Yueqian’s thoughts, so she had already prepared a plan. It was the same plan she had copied before distributing it to the people of Red Earth City to improve and build roads.
It turned out that the roads that were first cleared, which everyone initially thought would be of little use beyond making it easier for people to travel from one village to another, didn’t seem to offer much benefit beyond that.. However, they soon realized what the true advantages of having these roads were.
Every road connected all the villages, and there were two convenient exits. One led to the border, where many tribes were located, with two routes for bringing goods in, and another road for taking goods from Red Earth City to sell outside.
The facilitation of these two routes differed. The first route brought goods for sale inside, with no safety guarantees from Red Earth City. If goods could be sold, they were brought in, but they still had to queue to pay tolls.
Red Earth City does not oppress or dictate that tribal people can only sell their goods to the Governor and not to the common folk. They do not enforce such restrictions because Red Earth City earns revenue through toll collection, which is a stable income, regardless of what goods are brought for sale.
This approach lowers the cost of goods for villagers and reduces the travel expenses for tribal people coming to sell their wares. This free market exchange will automatically adjust market prices.
Unlike the inbound route, Red Earth City has another road for exporting goods, ensuring that vital goods aren’t sold entirely outside the city, leaving local residents, especially those with limited purchasing power, deprived. Hence, there is a need to inspect goods being exported.
There are regulations specifying which goods can be sold and which cannot. On this second route, as the city authorities, they protect goods being transported out until they leave the village to prevent any accusations and to encourage the distribution of goods, thereby increasing purchasing power in the future.
Additionally, there are four major roads connecting Red Earth City to surrounding cities, allowing for efficient travel in both directions.
These four roads connect to various towns with large city gates where travelers must register their entry and exit. Unlike other cities, there is no toll collection. However, residents of the Bai Region must also register and pay an annual fee for a membership card.
In comparison, frequent traders will profit more compared to those who enter and exit once a year because the high entry cost for infrequent traders feels burdensome. This system encourages frequent visits and higher profits, and it allows for rule enforcement.
In case of rule violations, the violator’s card can be confiscated, and they can be banned from entering the city for several years. This will make it much harder for individuals with criminal records to gain entry, or they may fear that something bad will happen to them if they stay here, unlike other cities plagued with hidden criminals.