Chapter 1112: Chapter 1103: Favor
Su Jin was still in confinement and couldn’t participate in such a grand event.
But Prince NanAn and the others witnessed the entire process.
One by one, they clicked their tongues in admiration.
No wonder the eldest sister-in-law is so good at business.
This is clearly learned from Marquis Dongxiang.
If Marquis Dongxiang chose business over being a general, what would be left for the Zhou Family?
The fifteen years spent rebuilding the Flying Tiger Army was enough for him to seize the position of the richest in Daqi.
Although it was a busy night, Old Master Zhou was delighted.
With this trip to the border, at the very least, he could earn a hundred thousand taels.
Old Master Zhou knew that Marquis Dongxiang was repaying the favors he owed for helping the Flying Tiger Army over the years.
But for many years, Marquis Dongxiang had also helped him a lot.
Now that the Flying Tiger Army had been vindicated and its prestige was even greater than before, having a good relationship with Marquis Dongxiang undoubtedly provided the Zhou Family with an unassailable backing.
This was an invisible fortune, especially since his seventh daughter married into the Beining Marquis Mansion as the Heir’s wife of Marquis Beining, thanks to her status as a merchant’s daughter.
Many generals congratulated Old Master Zhou.
Old Master Zhou smiled and said, "If there is anything you fancy, esteemed generals, just take it."
"How could that be? These are meant to be exchanged for grain and grass to give to the court," the generals shook their heads.
"We can’t take advantage of Old Master Zhou."
Old Master Zhou laughed, "If you feel uneasy, I’ll sell it to you at the price I just paid for it."
Marquis Dongxiang also said, "The shopkeepers of the Zhou Family have a keen eye. Once these items leave the camp, they won’t be at such good prices."
"If there’s something you like and you don’t have money on you, just write an IOU."
A general couldn’t hold back and said, "Then I won’t be polite."
Old Master Zhou made a gesture of invitation.
Once someone led, the generals flocked forward.
Each item here, once taken out for sale, would increase in value by at least three hundred taels.
This was equivalent to a year or more of their salary.
This was a rare chance given to them by Nanliang.
After being away from home for a long time, bringing a string of pearls to their wife and a string of Buddha beads to their mother would delight them.
Even buying with their eyes closed would be a bargain, but no one bought more than one item. If they bought too much, Old Master Zhou’s trip would have been in vain.
Old Master Zhou looked at the Marquis and asked, "Is the Marquis not choosing a couple of pieces?"
Marquis Dongxiang glanced at the items and smiled, "The things are good, but they fall short of what the Emperor uses."
Old Master Zhou, "...."
As a close friend of Marquis Dongxiang, how could he not understand the meaning behind his words?
If something is missing, rob the Emperor for it.
Don’t waste unnecessary money.
Especially with so many merits accomplished, given Old Master Zhou’s understanding of Marquis Dongxiang, the Emperor would surely offer significant rewards.
The Emperor in the Imperial Palace suddenly shivered.
This was a feeling the Emperor was all too familiar with.
On the court, whenever Marquis Dongxiang glanced at him, he would feel this way.
Today was the day Nanliang compensated Daqi. Considering those compensations, the Emperor could guess that his private treasury had once again caught the attention of Marquis Dongxiang.
It just so happened that the treasury had accumulated a bit of wealth...
The Emperor, "...."
The Emperor raised his hand to his forehead.
Eunuch Fu didn’t know why the Emperor suddenly seemed so depressed.
Just as he was about to speak, a little eunuch walked in from the outside and reported, "Your Majesty, Prince Jing seeks an audience."
Prince Jing?
The Emperor’s brow furrowed.
Ever since Princess Jiuling recovered, she had moved out of the palace.
The Emperor had bestowed her a residence.
After Mr. Zhao’s leg healed, Princess Fuqing had a grand wedding from that residence.
Now with Princess Fuqing expecting, Princess Jiuling’s mood improved day by day, even after the serious injury, looking much better than when she first returned to Daqi.
Prince Jing rarely visited the palace, why the sudden audience request?
"Have him brought in," the Emperor said.
The little eunuch retreated, and soon Prince Jing arrived.
Prince Jing paid his respects to the Emperor, who asked, "What brings you to the palace suddenly? Why didn’t Jiuling come with you?"
The Emperor rose and sat with Prince Jing on the Arhat Couch to talk.
Prince Jing said, "I plan to set off for a trip back to Nanliang in the next couple of days."
The Emperor knitted his brows.
Princess Jiuling had fled back to Daqi, and Prince Jing had used the pretext of fetching her back to stay in Daqi for a year.
Though the excuse was flawless, Prince Jing had overtly opposed Nanliang, and given the temperament of the Emperor of Nanliang, he would never tolerate him.
Going back now would undoubtedly be seeking death.
The Emperor couldn’t stop what Prince Jing wanted to do, but Prince Jing was Princess Jiuling’s husband, and out of consideration for her, the Emperor couldn’t let him take such risks.
But this trip, Prince Jing must go back.
Ultimately, he was a descendant of the Nanliang Royal Family. Now, with internal strife in Nanliang, he had to either support the court or help the Zhao Family.
Doing nothing and staying in Daqi under the guise of taking care of Princess Jiuling would ruin his reputation when he eventually returned to Nanliang.
Moreover, Princess Jiuling had long recovered.
He couldn’t stay in Daqi forever?
The Emperor understood Prince Jing’s predicament and knew it was impossible to expect him to treat Daqi as his home for the rest of his life, never returning to Nanliang. The Emperor asked, "Does Jiuling know you’re returning to Nanliang?"
"I haven’t told her," Prince Jing replied.
This journey was dangerous, and Princess Jiuling might not agree to it.
But whether she did or not, he had to do it.
Prince Jing took out a sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it to the Emperor, saying, "If I don’t come back, please take care of Jiuling and Fuqing."
It was a divorce letter.
If he died, Princess Jiuling would have no reason to return to Nanliang either.
This divorce letter was a mark of Prince Jing’s resolution.
The Emperor didn’t persuade him further and said, "Take care."
Prince Jing took his leave.
After Prince Jing left, Eunuch Fu looked at the Emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, towards whom does Prince Jing lean on this trip back to Nanliang?"
The Emperor looked at the divorce paper in his hand and said, "Those who have betrayed the Nanliang Court will not be valued even if they return."
"Helping the Zhao Family would preserve the last dignity of the Nanliang Royal Family."
The Emperor of Nanliang had desecrated the ancestral tombs of the Donglin Prince Mansion, and Zhao Xu was the surviving heir of Donglin Prince Mansion. If he ascended to the throne, surely someone would avenge Zhao Xu.
Prince Jing, dissatisfied with the Emperor of Nanliang, couldn’t disregard those ancestors.
Helping Zhao Xu would ensure Zhao Xu showed leniency for Prince Jing’s sake.
"Prince Jing is a wise man."
"There’s no need to worry about him."
Moreover, relying on the relationship between the Zhao Family and Prince Ling, Prime Minister Zhao wouldn’t allow anything so depraved to happen.
When Prince Jing returned from the palace, he hadn’t mentioned his journey back to Nanliang to Princess Jiuling.
When she awoke, all that remained on her pillow was a letter.
Princess Jiuling knew that living in Daqi wasn’t easy for Prince Jing. With his unique status, no minister dared to associate with him freely.
Prince Jing spent a year in Daqi without even a drinking buddy.
If it weren’t for the timing being off to return to Nanliang, Prince Jing probably would have gone back long ago.
Princess Jiuling looked at the letter, her eyes misty.
She liked living in Daqi.
Prince Jing preferred staying in Nanliang.
She hoped that one day they could live comfortably in both places.
