Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 397 Idea

"Why are you here?" Liu Yuechu muttered to herself, then thought of the palace, "Could it be that you were also summoned by the Empress?"

"Of course, otherwise could I ask you?" Huang Wanwan is now married and dressed as a married woman.

Her already heroic appearance was made even more striking by the woman's traditional jacket and skirt, making her look even more domineering and aloof, and exceptionally beautiful.

"It's already set for the day after tomorrow, but you can postpone it by a day and don't have to come with me."

Even though Liu Yuechu didn't want to use her brain, she realized that the palace would definitely send someone to sow discord between her and Huang Wanwan. After all, the Liu family's business was not to be underestimated, and the palace did not want the two brothers to join forces, as that would be too dangerous.

The safest way is to let Liu Musheng and her drift further and further apart, and ideally, to divide up the Liu family's business.

No matter how large a family is, once it separates, each member will naturally have their own interests and will harbor resentment.

Huang Wanwan hadn't considered this. "Why don't I go with you? I don't want to go to the palace alone. With you here, not so many people will be watching me. I really don't want to talk to the people in the palace; it's too tiring to go around in circles." She also wanted to save herself the trouble.

"..." Liu Yuechu pouted, "You haven't been married long, and you've already caught my brother's laziness? Let me tell you, he's already a lazy pig that can't climb a tree, and there's no going back. You can't follow in his footsteps. Otherwise, what if your nephews and nieces inherit your laziness?"

Huang Wanwan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Anyway, with such capable aunt and uncle, what's wrong with them being lazy? Maybe if you say that, even the gods in heaven will want to descend to earth and be reborn to enjoy a life of luxury!"

Liu Yuechu was both amused and exasperated.

The nannies and maids standing nearby couldn't stop smiling.

Yuan Cuo was pleased to hear this, but he was soon summoned away by the people from the side courtyard. They said they would come to invite Liu Yuechu again once everyone had arrived.

Huang Wanwan was unaware of what was going on. After Liu Yuechu said a few words, he suggested that they take her along later.

"No, no, how could I be good at it? I'm good at managing the trivial matters of the inner quarters of the mansion, but the grand affairs of merchants and foreign lands give me a headache just thinking about them." Huang Wanwan wasn't just being polite; she was aware of her own shortcomings. "Please allow me to learn more, until I'm no longer a disgrace to the Liu family, then I'll ask you for some guidance."

Liu Yuechu understood her thoughts, "Even if you don't come, my older brother has to come. Either of you two has to do the work."

“This is no longer the Liu family’s residence, but the Duke of Baoguo’s mansion. I can’t show my face as casually as before, since there are too many eyes watching. You all need to help me share some of the burden.”

Huang Wanwan agreed, "Let him go then. It's not appropriate for me to show up right now, I'm not prepared myself. But he seems to have gone to the horse farm today, I don't know if he can make it back in time."

Liu Yuechu shrugged, "Anyway, he can't make it back in time, so you go."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I just found out myself."

……

Huang Wanwan had nothing to say; after all, she had walked right into the trap. She could only wait for Liu Musheng to send back a message.

The two played with the children for a while before Liu Yuechu was invited to participate in the discussion.

The discussion went smoothly, thanks to the groundwork laid by Yuan Cuo early on.

Once the deal was struck, a contract was signed immediately.

However, Liu Yuechu always felt that the Yan envoy treated her with utmost respect, which was not like the behavior of a diplomatic envoy, but more like that of a subordinate manager...

"Actually, I really hope that Madam can visit Yan when she has time. The customs and culture there are completely different from those of Daqi, and the craggy rocks have a unique charm," the Yan envoy said with a smile.

Liu Yuechu politely agreed, "We've been talking for so long, and it seems I haven't even asked how to address you yet?" She noticed that everyone directly called him "Envoy A," but the name sounded strange.

At least the surname "A" does not exist in the Great Qi Dynasty.

The old man smiled and introduced himself, "My name is Ari Zifan Chunlei Fengshanhe..."

Liu Yuechu touched her nose instantly. "The envoy's name is indeed unique." No wonder no one calls him by his full name.

The envoy seemed to have thought of this as well, and couldn't help but smile. "The name is too long, and I'm afraid the lady won't be able to remember it. But it's a custom of us Yan people that everyone's name is very long."

"Then they'll call you 'Envoy A' as well," Liu Yuechu said with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Madam Liu may address me as Feng Shanhe, which is a term of endearment used by close friends,” he said, adding, “The Duke of Baoguo also addresses me in private.”

His smile was meaningful.

Liu Yuechu was stunned for a moment.

Judging from this, it seems that Yuan Cuo had a very close personal relationship with him?

He's already the son of the Chu Emperor and the Qi Emperor, so surely he's not related to the Yan Kingdom in any way?

But this was just a thought she had casually entertained; she didn't dare to say it aloud.

Feng Shanhe also personally presented Liu Yuechu with two auspicious pendants, one a small steamed bun and the other a small dumpling, saying they were unique gifts from the Yan Kingdom. Liu Yuechu accepted them with a smile.

This negotiation pushed the Ministry of Revenue to the brink of despair.

The Minister of Revenue is not in charge; the one currently in charge is Fang Ziqing's father, Vice Minister Fang.

He went to see Emperor Qi Xiao as soon as he left the Duke of Baoguo's mansion, and told him everything. He was sweating profusely. "Your Majesty, all the preparations are very good, and the Duke of Baoguo's proposal is also very good. It's just that implementing it is really difficult. We really have no money."

He put out all the expected expenditures for the year, saying, "This is the best I can do, and I can only afford to spend 30,000 taels of silver on the repairs."

"The Duke of Baoguo proposed to put the royal forests that have been left unused on the market for sale, including some of your vacant residences. He also wants to sell them all to make up for the shortfall caused by the war with Chu."

"It's not that I disagree with him doing this, but I feel that this money is a bottomless pit. How much strength can it actually increase? Can we join forces with Yan and Meng to win? Nobody knows."

Vice Minister Fang's words were very subtle.

In fact, this was also what the Left and Right Chancellors were worried about.

If Yuan Cuo deliberately emptied the Qi Dynasty, he could have sold off all the royal possessions and then lost all his money...

At that time, the Ministry of Revenue was in debt and had no money. What could be done when there were floods and droughts in the summer?

Emperor Qi Xiao understood, and his thinking became even more demanding.

If Yuan Cuo had sided with the State of Chu at the most crucial moment and had instead drained the State of Qi dry...

"He only proposed selling the royal family's vacant mansions and gardens? He didn't offer any other suggestions?"

The fact that his own son was trying to plunder his father's wealth made Emperor Qi Xiao even more unbearable.

Fang, the Vice Minister, swallowed hard. “The Duke of Baoguo didn’t mention it, but I think it’s worth a try.”

If Emperor Qi Xiao did not give up, it would prove that he still had the desire to claim credit.

"How do we test it?" Emperor Qi Xiao asked immediately.

"Are there any noble titles and mansions that cannot be inherited by their sons? Can they be reclaimed?"

"The loss of this batch of funds still amounts to a considerable amount of silver."

It's more reliable to raid the mansions of dukes, marquises, earls, and viscounts than to raid the mansions of Emperor Qi Xiao.

"Go and count how many there are," Emperor Qi Xiao said bluntly.

"But what about the Imperial Clan Court?" The first thing that Vice Minister Fang thought of to cut off the Empress Dowager's influence was her collateral relatives.