The Empress's No.1 Lackey

The assembly at Hu Ting concluded amidst a fervent atmosphere.

With the "conclusion," the detailed clauses for the market opening and the list of the first officially recognized imperial merchants were established, their specifics swiftly spreading throughout Hu Ting.

And predictably, they would soon spread throughout all the territories of the Nine Roads and Eighteen Prefectures of Great Yu.

In contrast, the fleeting departure of Prince Jing was especially noteworthy to those with a keen interest.

Everyone knew that the market's opening was unstoppable.

Next, a rolling flood of wealth would pour into the new market centered around the canal route, and the court, leading this feast, would quickly alleviate the financial crisis.

...

Zhuozheng Garden.

After the meeting, waves of people began flocking to Zhuozheng Garden to visit Mr. Zhao Douan, the true representative of His Majesty.

Among them, particularly the merchants and scholarly families who announced their support for the court today had to make up for their previous silence.

Mr. Zhao Douan, tirelessly and with beaming smiles, received each one. Only when the crowd had dispersed did he say to the equally jubilant Feng Ju, laughing,

"Your great achievement is now complete, yet you have only taken the first step of a thousand-mile journey. From now on, Doctor Feng will have to toil to maintain the Department of Commerce. I will depart for the capital tomorrow and will personally petition His Majesty for commendation for Doctor Feng and all your colleagues."

After Mr. Zhao Douan finished his remarks inside the hall,

The officials seated on both sides stood up one after another, all saying: "We all rely on your greatness, we dare not claim any credit."

But Old Feng's face, with a smile as blooming as chrysanthemums, betrayed his joy.

There was no doubt, this achievement would greatly assist the careers of everyone present.

"Since you all say so, then I will forgo petitioning for your commendations."

Mr. Zhao Douan remarked indifferently, only to burst out laughing after seeing the suddenly stiff faces of the officials, teasingly saying,

"I'm just joking."

With that, everyone regained their smiles, and the atmosphere relaxed slightly. Mr. Zhao Douan gave a few more follow-up instructions before letting them leave.

As soon as the officials left, a beautiful woman cloaked in a fox fur cape stepped through the threshold with a smile, holding a gift box, pretending to be aggrieved:

"Are you returning to the capital so soon, sir?"

Mr. Zhao Douan laughed and said, "Mrs. Xiao, please don't look at me with such eyes, lest the rumor mill starts churning about our scandal."

Xiao Donger, who wore a horse-face skirt and showed different faces to different people, sighed softly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears:

"It's already the talk of the town. Sir, you're unaware, when I was declared an imperial merchant today, the looks I received were so strange. They must be wondering how I pleased you to get aboard this ship."

It's as if you didn't try to please me, alas, although we have never touched, I have to bear this indelible scandal... No, you sound so wronged, yet those eyes of yours... like silk being drawn... Madam, please have some self-respect, there's no need to display such acting skills, especially when you know I'm immune to them...

Mr. Zhao Douan criticized inwardly, jesting lightly, but then seriously said:

"The Xiao family's stance this time, once the message is sent back to Qingzhou, Prince Heng's mansion will inevitably exert pressure. Madam, you may stay here for now, but if you wish to return, you should first visit the garrison in Qingzhou. I've already communicated with the Commander there. If Prince Heng's mansion is relentless, Madam, you can act according to the situation."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiao put away her act, reverting to the iron-willed matriarch controlling a major family, and gratefully bowed to him:

"Thank you for your protection, sir."

Mr. Zhao Douan smiled as this was something he had previously discussed with Zhenbao.

The Xiao family was akin to "buying a horse bone with a thousand pieces of gold"; the court had to provide sufficient protection to ease the minds of other imperial merchants.

After seeing Mrs. Xiao off, the female detective, Haitang, entered from outside, arms crossed, and said:

"Prince Huaian's mansion has yet to send anyone. Aren't you going there?"

Mr. Zhao Douan fell silent for a moment, then shook his head and answered, "There's no need."

Regarding the market's opening, he could represent the court, but as for deeper, fundamental issues of alignment, those were beyond his scope of representation.

However...

"It's discourteous not to reciprocate. Let's pack up. Tomorrow we return to the capital, and as we leave, have someone send a gift."

...

The next day, a cold wind blew through Hu Ting City.

Xu Junling changed into a thicker skirt and, accompanied by her maid and guards, climbed the stairs alone to the sixth floor of Da Feng Tower.

Looking toward the docks, she watched the slowly departing official boat turn and head north, silently.

"Commandery Princess, Prince has sent something. It's a parting gift from Mr. Zhao to the mansion, specially for you."

Maid Lv Shui approached, carrying a box.

Xu Junling paused, then curiously took it, her delicate hands lifting the lid of the box to find yet another worn book.

Her expression became complex because she remembered the same gesture from Taicang Prefecture when they parted last time.

She opened the book, flip-flip-flip... and indeed found a piece of paper sandwiched within.

Maid Lv Shui explained:

"The messenger said that Mr. Zhao visited Yansuo Lake and the day his boating trip with the Commandery Princess was interrupted, so he followed the local custom and left a couplet's first line, for the Commandery Princess to show to the scholars of Jiangnan, with a promise of a hundred taels of gold for anyone who can complete it."

A hundred taels of gold... such a grand gesture... Xu Junling raised an eyebrow, feeling a rise of competitive spirit, and glanced at the five-character first line on the paper:

"Willows locked in the pond's mist."

...

...

The official boat made its way north against the wind. In ancient times, sails could be angled to catch the wind, gaining propulsion even when sailing upwind.

Naturally, the speed was nowhere near that with the wind.

With a mischievous intention, Zhao Douan, having left a challenging couplet originally unsolvable by generations, returned to the capital filled with triumphant expectations.

But as winter deepened, conditions were bearable at first. As they entered deeper into Linfeng's jurisdiction, the northerly winds on the canal grew biting cold, and the weather took a turn for the worse.