Chapter 75: Pinky Promise
“Daddy, no fighting, pinky promise, we’ll never break it for a hundred years.”
That’s right, the naive Qin Wanwan made a surprise return, all for a pinky promise.
She started with Daddy Xie Chong: “Whoever breaks it will be a poor bum forever.”
Pfft…
Xie Chong felt like he’d been stabbed.
The cold expression on his face almost broke; this was too malicious!
Xie Chong wanted to retract his finger.
It was held down by Qin Wanwan’s small hand.
“Daddy, don’t move around.”
A look of utter despair appeared on Xie Chong’s usually expressionless, cold face as he was forced to pinky promise and press his thumb.
Shang Wuyang drank his tea, hiding his uncontrollable laughter.
“He’s already so poor his clothes have patches, how much poorer can he get? Will he have to beg?”
This was unequivocally kicking him while he was down.
Qin Wanwan patted her chest heroically.
“Don’t worry, Wanwan is here, Wanwan can support Daddy.”
Then she ran to Shang Wuyang: “Daddy Shang, you have to pinky promise too. Whoever breaks it won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
This time, it was Shang Wuyang who felt like he’d been stabbed.
“Is your mouth coated with poison?”
How could she think of such a vicious vow.
Qin Wanwan put her little chubby hands on her hips and huffed: “Daddy Shang is most afraid of not sleeping.”
Shang Wuyang: You got me!
Ke Ke admired Qin Wanwan immensely.
“Kid, you’re amazing, you’ve perfectly handled both your daddies!”
After Ke Ke finished admiring her, he immediately received two death stares.
Ke Ke: “Okay, big bosses, I’ll shut up.”
After dealing with her two daddies, Qin Wanwan took Ke Ke and ran off.
She didn’t come back after that, but the two of them didn’t continue fighting either.
The atmosphere was eerily quiet for almost a minute before Shang Wuyang spoke first.
“Speak, how much money do you want.”
He put on a rich and arrogant air: “Wanwan isn’t your daughter, is she? I’ll give you a sum of money, enough to equip a hundred thousand soldiers with new weapons. How about you let Wanwan stay with me from now on?”
He leaned back lazily in his chair, reaching out to smooth his cloak.
Xie Chong sat upright, like a treasured sword, exuding righteousness and sharpness.
“What do you take her for.”
Although Shang Wuyang’s offer was tempting, Xie Chong didn’t hesitate for a second.
A gentleman loves wealth and obtains it righteously; he liked money, but he only took what was rightfully his.
Shang Wuyang sneered: “As if you’re so righteous.”
He’d even made himself look like the villain.
“Wanwan can get better living and educational conditions with me, what can you give her?”
Xie Chong’s eyes were firm: “I will teach her martial arts for self-defense, and I will try my best to give her what you mentioned. Shangyang City is a mixed bag, and you are often targeted for assassination, which is very dangerous for her.”
“Is it safe around you?”
The two of them started arguing as they talked.
Shang Wuyang took a sip of tea, suppressing his inner frustration: “It’s not impossible for her to go back with you.”
Shang Wuyang: “Conditions.”
He knew clearly that Shang Wuyang was a merchant and wouldn’t make a losing deal.
“I want you to open a market in Shahe City, and also three thousand mu of land rights.”
Shangyang City was, after all, just an oasis. Outside the oasis was either Gobi or desert.
If he wanted to cultivate potatoes on a large scale, he would need land.
Shahe City was vast and sparsely populated, and Xie Chong had complete control over Shahe City. To obtain so much land, it had to be with his consent.
Xie Chong stared at him, as if trying to see through him: “What do you want so much land for.”
“Well, you can go ask some of your subordinates.”
He didn’t state it directly: “Opening a market in Shahe City would be beneficial to you and the commoners of Shahe City. This would be mutually beneficial, and I will also be in Shahe City then.”
This was also the reason for his compromise.
Shahe City was still recovering and had no merchants yet, which presented an opportunity for him.
Shangyang City already had mature operational rules, so he didn’t need to constantly monitor it.
Xie Chong pondered for a moment: “I can give you the land, but you have to purchase it at Shahe City’s land prices.”
“Purchase is acceptable, but with a fifty percent discount.”
Xie Chong: Am I some kind of sucker?
The two of them discussed the land price for a considerable time, and in the end, it was sold to Shang Wuyang at seventy percent of the price.
There were also other conditions for opening the market that needed to be discussed in detail.
Xie Chong had actually planned to open the market as well, but this couldn’t be decided by him alone; it had to be reported to the Imperial Court.
Regarding this, Shang Wuyang’s suggestion was to speak directly with the Crown Prince, Yin Yuanli.
Xie Chong frowned: “No, if the court officials find out, it will be detrimental to the Crown Prince.”
Shang Wuyang smiled, a very scornful smile: “If you honestly submit your memorial to the higher-ups like that, I can tell you this market will absolutely not open.”
“General Xie, you are truly pitifully naive. Do you know how many people in Shangjing want to bring you down?”
Xie Chong was a typical military man, rough yet thoughtful on the battlefield, possessing extraordinary soldier’s intuition.
But in the Imperial Court, he was somewhat outmatched.
Those people in the court, each of them had eight hundred wicked schemes.
He vaguely sensed that someone in the court was targeting him, but he couldn’t quite figure out who it was.
“You were born grassroots, with no background or money, and you have a close relationship with the Duke of Zhenguo, who is clearly on the Crown Prince’s side. Even if you do nothing, those with many schemes in the court will categorize you as belonging to the Crown Prince’s faction, especially since you saved the Crown Prince this time.”
Without waiting for Xie Chong to refute, Shang Wuyang continued: “Emperor Tianqi has many children. Although the Crown Prince was acknowledged by the Imperial Advisor, this person’s ambition is continuous, insatiable. The Crown Prince has a fixed circle.
For those who want more and greater benefits, defecting to the Crown Prince means too little in terms of interest distribution. Moreover, many daughters from aristocratic families have also entered the palace and given birth to princes. Naturally, they will choose those closer to them.
You, a grassroots, continuously achieve merits and control too many soldiers. Those people look down on your former hunter identity, and they fear the power you wield. They want the prince they support to ascend to that position, so naturally, they want to eliminate you, this threat.”
“The court is now divided into factions. Consider the Grand Secretariat, which is responsible for reviewing and managing memorials; their families also have women who have entered the palace and given birth to princes. If the market opens, your influence will inevitably expand further. Do you think they will allow it?”
Xie Chong clenched his fist: “But this is a good thing for Shahe City.”
“Yes, it’s a good thing for Shahe City, and it’s a good thing for you, but it’s not a good thing for them.”
He sneered: “Those in power are mostly from noble families, born into wealth, accustomed to the best food and clothing, never experiencing the suffering of the common people. The commoners are nothing more than ants in their eyes. Do you think they care about the life or death of the commoners in Shahe City?”
No.
Xie Chong silently answered in his heart.
“Your Crown Prince, although young, is intelligent. The Emperor is not foolish, but he is also incompetent and muddled.”
“Give the memorial directly to Yin Yuanli, and he will make the Emperor agree to open the market.”
Xie Chong wasn’t truly stubborn and old-fashioned. Shang Wuyang had explained things so clearly, and Xie Chong had figured out many crucial points, so he agreed.
