Chapter 138: Yan Jiu Invites You
Yan Shiyi’s roundabout plan was to have his sister, Yan Shierniang, beg Li King to agree to a preliminary match between the Black Feather Camp and them.
Yan Shierniang was speechless: “Before we came, didn’t you warn me never to meet Li King alone, not to get too close to him, and not to speak to him?”
Yan Shiyilang fanned himself with his fan, saying, “The situation is different now! Second Brother really needs your help. Didn’t you just send him a box of silver? If you ask him, he’ll definitely agree.”
“If he doesn’t agree, then cry. Jun Yanqing can’t stand seeing you cry…”
Yan Shierniang roared, “What kind of person do you think I am? Do you have a brother like you?”
Yan Shiyi was not ashamed at all, but looked at her strangely: “What’s wrong with you? If I had asked you to see Jun Yanqing before, you would have been ecstatic.”
After being siblings for over a decade, who didn’t know who?
Yan Shierniang blushed, unable to scold her Second Brother righteously anymore. Twisting her fingers, she whispered, “Eldest Brother is here, I don’t dare.”
Yan Shiyi also flinched, as if Yan Jiu were watching them from nearby. He covered his mouth with his fan and whispered:
“Why hasn’t he come home yet? Wasn’t he here to see Zheng Yun killed? Zheng Yun has already been taken back and buried by the Zheng family, what is he still doing in the border city?”
“Go and persuade him to go home quickly. He usually hates noise. There’s no curfew in the border city recently, and it’s as noisy at midnight as it is during the day. Can he sleep?”
It’s terrifying when Eldest Brother doesn’t sleep well. Anyone who dares to approach him will be met with a glare that makes their legs go weak.
Yan Shierniang dared not: “I’m not going! If you want to go, go yourself! I’m busy. Rouge Shop is opening a branch in the border city, and business is booming.”
“I also want to find some sisters to form a women’s polo team and win the Prince’s trophy.”
Yan Shiyilang had no choice but to go find Jinsui himself. However, he either couldn’t find her, or Jinsui simply ignored him: “No, the Black Feather Team is very busy and doesn’t have time for a preliminary match with you.”
The Black Feather Team is my own male model team for bringing goods, how can they show up so early!
Just as Yan Shiyi was worrying, Yan Jiu approached him:
“Tomorrow at 11 AM, bring the Imperial Guard by the Prince’s side to watch your training. Keep him on the training ground for half an hour by any means necessary. After it’s done, I’ll guide your training.”
Yan Shiyi was overjoyed. Even if they couldn’t compete with the Black Feather Camp, having Eldest Brother personally guide them would be enough to win! Their Eldest Brother had mastered the Thirty-Six Stratagems!
When Father was still alive, Eldest Brother loved playing polo the most. Every match, his team would win. Later, after Father passed away, Eldest Brother took over as Head of the Family and never played again.
Yan Shiyi almost jumped up: “Alright! Eldest Brother, don’t worry, I will definitely complete the mission.”
He didn’t even ask why Gu Changxiao needed to be kept at the training ground. Yan Shiyi was just carefree and simple-minded, not stupid.
Eldest Brother had been in the border city for so long without returning home, so there must be something important keeping him here. The reason the matter hadn’t been resolved was likely because of this Imperial Guard.
The next morning, Yan Shiyi wore a red headband with ‘Yan Cloud Team’ written on it, a black and red riding outfit that was very heroic, and held a golden riding crop. As long as he didn’t speak, he looked like a handsome young man sitting on his horse.
Jinsui, chewing on a tomato, asked him, “What are you doing here again? I already said I wouldn’t let the Black Feather Team play a preliminary match.”
Yan Shiyi rolled his eyes on horseback and scoffed, “I’m not here for you, I’m here for the Imperial Guard.”
See, the moment he opened his mouth, the handsome young man disappeared, instantly turning into an annoying pest.
Jinsui turned to Gu Changxiao and asked, “Did you two make plans?”
Gu Changxiao shook his head: “Young Master Yan, what do you need from me?”
Yan Shiyi said seriously, “A merchant from Chang’an has come to our area, selling polo equipment that he claims are new styles from Chang’an, and he’s also teaching us Chang’an playing methods.”
“You know, few people from Yandi have been to Chang’an. I heard that the Imperial Guard just came from Chang’an, so you should be familiar with their playing style. We’d like to invite you to take a look.”
He leaned over and smiled at Jinsui: “To make sure the Imperial Guard doesn’t come for nothing, after it’s done, our Yan Cloud Team will order a hundred sets of saddles from the border city, and give the Imperial Guard a big red envelope, how about that?”
Jinsui quickly pushed Gu Changxiao: “This morning I’m discussing East Sea Infrastructure with Liu Xiaowei. I have nothing else, you should go quickly!”
Jinsui was tempted by the prospect of making money, and Gu Changxiao was equally tempted, wanting to see the merchant from Chang’an. At this juncture, someone from Chang’an was very intriguing to him.
Gu Changxiao led his bay horse and galloped away with Yan Shiyi.
Neither of them knew that the merchant was indeed from Chang’an, but he was from the Yan family and had returned a month ago, staying with the Yan family ever since.
Last night, to complete Eldest Brother’s mission, Yan Shiyi specially brought him from the Yan family and rehearsed their lines overnight, all to keep Gu Changxiao there for a longer period.
As soon as the two left, the Yan family steward arrived: “Greetings, Your Highness. My family’s Lord requests your presence.”
Jinsui hadn’t finished her tomato yet. Looking at the receding figures of Yan Shiyi and Gu Changxiao, she immediately guessed that Gu Changxiao had been sent away by Yan Shiyi.
What were these two brothers from the Yan family up to?
She finished her tomato in a few bites and asked the Yan steward, “Do you know why the Yan family head wants to see this King?”
She had encountered Yan Jiu more than once in the past few days. Yan Jiu had eaten Grandpa Ling’s Central Plains Hodgepodge and visited the Trade Zone.
He had watched a Cuju match and bought many tickets, visited the Medical Team led by Chen Yunniang, and was very interested in their tools.
He had also visited the Rouge Shop that Yan Shierniang had just set up, praised Yan Shierniang’s work, and ordered a hundred lipsticks, saying he was preparing New Year’s Gifts.
He had also visited the coal balls. At that time, he was wearing white clothes and white shoes. When he came out of the coal ball workshop, the handkerchief he used to cover his nose had turned gray, and his hem and shoes were completely black.
Jinsui couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “Lord Yan, please remember to wear black next time you come. This place is hard to keep clean.”
Yan Jiu’s brow was slightly furrowed, but hearing Jinsui’s laughter, he also smiled and casually said, “The Yan family wants to buy some coal stoves and coal balls. I’ll have my steward come to discuss it later.”
That evening, Jinsui heard that the inn where the Yan family head was staying had requested three large buckets of hot water, and the Yan steward had prepared a large box of bathing supplies, including but not limited to milk and flower petals.
Jinsui sighed to Gu Changxiao: “This guy has mysophobia and likes to put on airs like a young master. It’s really hard for him to stay in our border city.”
Finally, she added enviously, “It’s great to have money! When I have money, I’ll do the same!”
Gu Changxiao: …
In short, every time he encountered Yan Jiu these past few days, he didn’t have the demeanor of the Yan family head at all, completely acting like a tourist visiting the border city.
He also never spoke to Jinsui alone. It wasn’t until Yan Shiyi specifically took Gu Changxiao away that Jinsui realized.
Every time she met Yan Jiu, she was with Gu Changxiao. Speaking of this, she found it strange. Before, she was with Gu Changxiao every day.
But there were always times when they were apart. Gu Changxiao often went for Military Training to train soldiers, or went on patrol with Cheng Yu and Han Xing.
But since Yan Jiu arrived in the border city, Gu Changxiao had been with her when entering and exiting, never acting alone.
Jinsui’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Heh, cunning men!
At this moment, the Yan steward smiled and said, “My family’s Lord has taken a liking to several special products from the border city and wishes to establish long-term cooperation with the border city, so he wants to chat with Your Highness alone.”
Jinsui scoffed at this statement. The business of border city special products, in the eyes of the Yan family, should be a small matter, right? Why would the Yan family head personally inquire about it?
This person is definitely hiding something from Gu Changxiao and wants to tell her. Jinsui thought all the way, what could it be?
Her imagination ran wild, and she even thought, could Yan Jiu be trying to support me, a marginal prince, in a rebellion?
Thinking this, she felt a little excited.
Soon, they arrived at the small wooden building where Yan Jiu was staying. The Yan steward stayed downstairs, letting Jinsui go up alone.
She went halfway up and ran back down: “Get me a pair of new shoes.”
The Yan steward turned to get a pair of new cloth shoes without asking a single question. They were large, likely kept for Yan Jiu.
As expected, the servants of a cleanliness-obsessed family head were also thoughtful.
When she reached the door and changed, she found a hole in her sock and blushed. Compared to Yan Jiu, the family head, her life as Li King was too shabby!
Putting on Yan Jiu’s large shoes, Jinsui entered: “Good morning, Jiulang!”
Yan Jiu was wearing a light blue wide-sleeved robe today, with a sapphire blue small crown, and golden auspicious cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs.
In short, the outfit was very luxurious. Jinsui thought that in all the times she had seen him, she had never seen him wear the same outfit twice.
He had more clothes than Yan Shierniang!
Yan Jiulang gestured for Jinsui to sit and brought over a teapot to boil tea. Beside it were many small ingredients: milk, sugar, black tea, honey beans, and cheese.
Yan Jiu smiled and said, “I drank this tea yesterday at the teahouse opened by the female family members of the Tuntian Camp and found it to be very good. I wanted to invite Your Highness to try it.”
Jinsui maintained her smile, feeling very sorry for Yan Jiu, because this was the most ordinary milk tea! As for the recipe, there was no need to say that she had taught it to Chen Yunniang.
She had never thought of inviting Yan Jiu for tea, but he, after drinking it for the first time, wanted to invite her to try it.
Jinsui felt guilty, so she stepped forward and took the small milk pot from his hand: “I know how to make this milk tea. I’ll make it for Jiulang!”
Jinsui skillfully stir-fried black tea with sugar, added a small amount of clear water after caramelizing, then added milk after boiling. Honey beans and cheese were placed at the bottom of the bowl, and then the cooked milk tea was filtered in.
Yan Jiu took a sip and smiled: “It’s even more delicious than what I tasted yesterday. Brother Jun has great skill.”
The address “Brother Jun” startled Jinsui for a moment before she realized, oh right, my name is Jun Yanqing.
While drinking tea, both fell silent. Jinsui really wanted to remind him that with Yan Shiyi’s brain, Gu Changxiao wouldn’t be there for long.
If you have something to say, you should say it quickly, but since he didn’t speak, she couldn’t rush him and could only drink tea.
After a while, Yan Jiu put down his tea bowl and casually asked, “Something big happened in Chang’an again. Have you heard about it, Brother Jun?”
Jinsui shook her head: “I’m busy with border city affairs, and news from Chang’an is blocked. Please tell me what happened, Jiulang?”
Yan Jiu first sighed: “The Zhou family was raided and their entire clan was demoted to commoners.”
Jinsui thought back and forth in her mind, but couldn’t recall who the Zhou family was. Well, of course, if you mention any noble from Chang’an, she wouldn’t know.
She could only imitate Yan Jiu’s light sigh: “Truly, the heavens are unpredictable. What crime did the Zhou family commit to anger the Emperor?”
Yan Jiu looked at her meaningfully but did not answer, instead saying, “Back then, the ancestor of the Zhou family was one of the generals who first accompanied the Grand Ancestor in the uprising.”
“When the country was founded, Grand Ancestor Jun promised that the Zhou family would live as long as the nation. Unexpectedly, after only a hundred years, the Royal Family forgot the Grand Ancestor’s promise.”
Jinsui became even more hesitant to respond, only saying, “Perhaps the descendants of the Zhou family were too incompetent!”
Yan Jiu, however, said, “Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger. The Imperial Family is the most heartless. They will make any promise when they need you, but when you are useless, they will discard you like a hunter’s bow after the birds are gone.”
Jinsui cautiously asked, “Does this Zhou family have any past connection with Jiulang?”
She then added, “Also, Jiulang, have you forgotten that my surname is also Jun, and I am also a member of the Imperial Family.”
Yan Jiu quickly cupped his hands in apology: “Your Highness, please forgive me. I was just expressing my feelings. Yan Jiu is not targeting Your Highness.”
Jinsui waved her hand and smiled: “It’s fine, we’re just chatting!”
Yan Jiu said softly, “They say a tiger fallen in the plains is bullied by dogs, but no one mentions that a tiger fallen in the plains will also make friends with those in the plains.”
“But when the friends of the plains help the fierce tiger return to the mountains with all their might, how will that fierce tiger treat these friends of the plains?”
“When he regains his position as king of the beasts, will he remember his old friends?”
Jinsui listened, completely bewildered, and could only dryly reply, “Friends in adversity will naturally not be forgotten.”
“Does someone from the Zhou family have a past connection with Jiulang? Does Jiulang want to secretly help the Zhou family?”
Combining the previous words, this was the only reason she could think of. Was he trying to ask me, Li King, to mediate and help the Zhou family?
You think too highly of Li King’s connections. Li King himself has been banished to the border, how can he help people in Chang’an!
Yan Jiu smiled and shook his head: “The Yan family has never had any dealings with the Zhou family. I was just expressing my feelings at the moment.”
Jinsui: …
Are you dizzy from drinking too much milk tea? You specifically sent Gu Changxiao away to invite me here, only to say this?
She quickly asked, “Jiulang wants to do some business with the border city. Which business are you interested in?”
Your sister is cooperating with me on Rouge Shop, your brother is partnering with me to open a restaurant, what else are you interested in?
Yan Jiu smiled and said, “Indeed, I’m interested in two things: one is sea salt…”
Seeing Jinsui’s expression stiffen, he quickly added, “Your Highness, please rest assured, the Yan family has Salt Permits. As long as you give the sea salt to the Yan family, they can legally sell it in Yandi.”
“Secondly, those coal balls. Firewood and charcoal are expensive in winter. I believe the coal ball business will be very popular.”
Jinsui nodded approvingly. Your foresight is indeed good! You picked out the two most profitable businesses at once.
Many other gentry youths also came. After visiting the coal mine, they all left with disgusted grimaces.
Only you, the Yan family head, despite your disgust, immediately recognized the future huge profits of the coal ball business.
As expected of the foremost gentry family in Yanzhou, your vision is indeed stronger than others!
Jinsui smiled and said, “No problem. After the ball game, we will formally sign the contract. Being able to cooperate with the Yan family will allow me to confidently scale up salt production and coal mining.”
At this moment, the Yan steward said at the door, “Family head, there’s an urgent letter from the city.”
Jinsui, with a keen eye, finished her last sip of milk tea and took her leave. Yan Jiu escorted her downstairs.
When she reached the market area, she saw Gu Changxiao approaching with a dark expression.
Only then did she realize that the Yan steward’s interruption earlier was not due to an urgent letter, but a reminder that Gu Changxiao had arrived.
Jinsui’s heart skipped a beat. She and Yan Jiu had nothing to discuss that couldn’t be revealed. Why hide it from Gu Changxiao?
Yes? Why? Hehe, cunning men!
