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墨書 Inktalez
"Do you want me to come up with some verses for you?" Jiang Han asked with a smile.
Piao Xue chuckled shyly and nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Then it depends on your sister's skills! Who knows, at that moment, if I crave pastries or stir-fried dishes, if your sister's cooking makes me happy!"
"That won't be a problem! But if I'm not satisfied with the food, then there's nothing I can do!" Jiang Han replied with a light laugh.
Piao Xue quickly added, " Shopkeeper Jiang, it's not just my sister; I will also learn to cook! In the future, the two of us sisters will cook for you together, and we will definitely make you happy!"
"Well, we'll see about that then." Jiang Han gestured for the three women to leave, indicating that she needed to rest well.
In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed!
Che Chengyun thought the rumors had died down and that Jiang Han had given up on asking for treasures. Little did he know, while he was enjoying pastries at Hui Xin Ju, he was suddenly called to the Wangfu by Langya Prince!
As he entered the grand hall of the Wangfu, he noticed several Chief Stewards present. These Chief Stewards were responsible for the various merchant caravans of the Wangfu across different regions, each bringing in substantial wealth for the estate.
The businesses these caravans engaged in included salt, iron, silk, grain, and more. It was precisely due to the lucrative profits from these ventures that Langya Prince could afford to maintain such a large army. Otherwise, relying solely on the income from his fief would barely cover basic sustenance.
"Uncles! I didn't expect you all to come," Che Chengyun said as he clasped his fists in greeting to the Chief Stewards.
The four Chief Stewards wore solemn expressions; they merely nodded slightly and anxiously awaited Langya Prince's arrival.
Che Chengyun leaned in to take a look and found his father and Jiu Gong discussing matters in the inner hall. He could only wait.
After a moment, the Langya Prince stepped out alone. His expression was grim as he scanned the four Chief Stewards and said, "Let’s hear about the situation from each of you."
The first plump Chief Steward stepped forward and reported, "Your Highness, rumors are rampant in Binzhou. The officials and merchants there have heard that our caravan has been involved in gambling debts, selling off Weapons and Tokens, and then seizing them back. They have been bullying the common people and merchants, forbidding any news of this from spreading!"
"The entire situation has caused panic in Binzhou. The officials and merchants are demanding that we settle our accounts early and are unwilling to do business with us! The four major families in Binzhou are all making such demands, fearing that we might delay payments, leading to this kind of situation!"
"Chen Shu!" Che Chengyun exclaimed angrily. "I haven’t gambled, nor have I sold off Weapons and Tokens only to seize them back!"
The plump Chief Steward sighed and furrowed his brow. "Your Highness, I have watched you grow up since childhood. I know you would never do such a thing, but they won’t believe it, especially since you ordered that anyone who speaks of this matter be punished."
"This is a classic case of trying to cover up something only to make it worse. Even if it’s just a rumor, your actions to deny it have only solidified their beliefs."
He clasped his hands in front of him and continued, "Although Your Highness holds great power and many officials are under your command, we must maintain our credibility. Moreover, the four major families in Binzhou were once friendly with us, but our strength there is insufficient to confront them all at once. Now that you’ve taken this action, they are frightened and demanding early settlements from us."
"The immediate payments we owe them, along with the early settlements they request, have caused cash flow issues that are damaging other business ventures! All these factors combined amount to losses totaling eighty thousand taels of silver."
"Furthermore, we had anticipated a net profit of two hundred thousand taels next month, of which one hundred seventy thousand taels was earmarked for maintaining the army. However, based on my estimates now, next month’s profit will likely be only one hundred thousand taels!"
Upon hearing this, Che Chengyun felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing frozen in place. The other three Chief Stewards then took turns recounting the situations in their respective states.
In just one month alone, the combined losses across the four states amounted to approximately three hundred fifty thousand taels of silver—equivalent to thirty-five thousand taels of gold. And this was merely the loss for the first month.
Starting next month, projected losses could reach as high as five hundred thousand taels of silver! This was all money needed for maintaining the army; if they couldn’t produce it, the very foundation of their military would be shaken.
The Langya Prince's gaze was deep and penetrating as he finally fixed his eyes on Che Chengyun. "This is what you've done, stirring up rumors and facing suppression! You almost brought disgrace upon our Langya Wangfu!"
"Thirty Wan Dajun, and you can hardly provide military supplies and provisions! Che Chengyun, you truly are the king's good son."
Che Chengyun's eyes widened in shock as he took two steps back, murmuring, "Father, my original intention was not like this."
"This is a rumor spread by Jiang Han," he continued, "such a lowly rumor. I never imagined it would have such an effect."
"Your Highness!" The Old Steward who followed Che Chengyun sighed. "Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Your gamble with Jiang Han is known to many in the capital."
"So the common people speculate that you must have taken the Weapon and Token from Jiang Han!"
"Perhaps, Your Highness, it would be better to hand over the Weapon and Token. Acknowledge everything openly?"
Che Chengyun suddenly turned to the Old Steward and asked, "What do you mean?"
Taking a deep breath, the Old Steward gathered his courage and said, "Let Your Highness admit to losing the wager, then gather the people and return the Weapon and Token to Jiang Han. Do it openly!"
"Then you can come forward and perform a scene of a wayward son, which will help quell the rumors."
"I did not gamble!" Che Chengyun gritted his teeth. "I am not what the rumors say!"
"Your Highness," the Old Steward replied gently, "the common people, merchants, and many officials believe this matter. A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth! You are not guilty, but you may have to endure this for now."
"Compared to helping you clear your name from these slanders, it would be better for you to admit it; that way, the loss will be smaller."
The Old Steward spoke each word carefully, presenting the best solution.
Che Chengyun felt wronged, his eyes reddening as he repeatedly exclaimed, "I did not gamble! I am a legitimate son of the Wangfu! I am not what the rumors claim!"
"Father, can't we use our authority to arrest those spreading these rumors?" He looked at the Old Steward.
The Old Steward crossed his arms and sighed. "Under normal circumstances, yes. But this matter is tied to business!"
The more we react, the more it seems to others that we want to avoid the truth coming out, and the less they will believe us!
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