Chapter 35: Taking the Bait

Chapter 35: Taking the Bait

Inside the trading house, the head manager warmly received Yin Pan’er.

Seeing the manager’s reaction, Yin Pan’er knew Xiao Ce’s plan was indeed working.

Especially the story about her father’s serious illness that Yin Pan’er had just told, which made the manager believe it more.

She wondered if Yin Weiyong would be furious if he knew.

“Young Lady Yin, if I may ask, where are you from?” the manager inquired.

Yin Pan’er said, “I came from the Capital.”

The manager said, “No wonder this young lady seems different from ordinary folks. So you’re from the Capital… Couldn’t you buy it there?”

Yin Pan’er nodded and said, “We bought some in the Capital before. We heard a servant from the Crown Prince’s Mansion stole it to sell. Later, we tried many ways to buy from the Crown Prince, but he simply wouldn’t sell. He kept it for himself. Thinking about it, that makes sense. Someone of the Crown Prince’s status is extremely noble and not short of money! He wouldn’t sell such a treasure.”

“But the fact that the Crown Prince has it means the Immortal who saved my father back then must have left quite a lot. That’s why, following my father’s orders, I came here to look for it.”

Yin Pan’er once again followed Xiao Ce’s script, putting out the message he wanted to spread.

At this moment, she admired Xiao Ce immensely. He had actually predicted all these things and taught her the corresponding responses in advance.

She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, “Xiao Ce’s scheming mind is too frightening.”

Then she thought, if he weren’t scheming, the entire Great Xiao Kingdom wouldn’t consider him a good-for-nothing.

“The Crown Prince? Is that the deposed Crown Prince?” the manager said.

Yin Pan’er pretended to be surprised. “Deposed? You mean the Eldest Prince, Xiao Ce? He was deposed?”

Yin Pan’er’s acting was excellent, with a completely unaware expression.

Seeing that Yin Pan’er didn’t know, the manager initially wanted to say the Crown Prince had also come here.

However, he definitely wouldn’t say it. He thought if Yin Pan’er knew, wouldn’t he have an extra competitor?

“I also just heard about it,” the manager said vaguely.

Yin Pan’er nodded and said, “I heard the Crown Prince got a lot from that Immortal! But he won’t sell it! What a pity! Manager Fu, I’ll have to trouble you to make some inquiries. As long as you can get it, name your price. As long as it’s not more than one thousand taels of Silver per catty, I’ll buy as much as you can get!”

The manager’s eyes lit up, and he then smiled and nodded.

After saying everything she needed to, Yin Pan’er saw the fish had taken the bait and left.

Who knew that just after stepping out, she was stopped by several stewards.

They warmly greeted Yin Pan’er, trying to get information from her.

Yin Pan’er repeated the words Xiao Ce had taught her again.

Following Xiao Ce’s instructions, Yin Pan’er visited several other large trading houses, then deliberately let them taste the refined salt and white sugar.

She told the story once more.

That day in Anhua City, the biggest news originally was that the King of Northern Desert had arrived and was going to provide disaster relief.

But after Yin Pan’er’s actions, within the merchant circles of Anhua City,

everyone was searching for two supreme treasures called ‘Tianshan Snow Salt’ and ‘Tianshan Snow Sugar Frost.’

With the curative effects and story carefully crafted by Xiao Ce, plus the taste of the refined salt and white sugar being confirmed by several head managers as not being ordinary goods,

and with some stewards and managers finding out from Yin Pan’er’s mouth that the deposed Crown Prince of Great Xiao, now the King of Northern Desert, might possess a large quantity of these items,

if they could buy these things, even without anything else, the young lady today had offered to buy at one thousand taels per catty.

They could make a profit by reselling.

Some wealthy people also thought that treasures said to come from an ‘Immortal’ would not be a loss even for personal use.

And now this deposed Crown Prince, the King of Northern Desert, was providing disaster relief outside the city.

These wealthy people truly dared not go out, afraid of being taken hostage by those disaster victims. However, they remembered that the local county magistrate, Xu Zhiyuan, had received this King of Northern Desert.

They thought of visiting Xu Zhiyuan to get some information about this deposed Crown Prince from him, to see if they could make a breakthrough through Minister Xu.

…

Meanwhile, in the government office, Xu Zhiyuan was writing a memorial.

A yamen runner hurriedly reported, “Minister Xu, outside, outside…”

Seeing the yamen runner’s frantic appearance, Xu Zhiyuan’s heart tightened. “Have the disaster victims rioted?”

These past days, his greatest worry was the disaster victims rioting.

The yamen runner shook his head. “No, no. All the influential managers of Anhua City have come! They say they request an audience with you, sir.”

After hearing this, Xu Zhiyuan looked curious. “It’s already evening. They come to see me? Recently, with more and more disaster victims, these merchants have been avoiding me. They’re afraid I’ll ask them to donate money for disaster relief. Why are they seeking me out now?”

The yamen runner shook his head.

Standing beside Xu Zhiyuan was a very intelligent and gentle woman.

“Husband, could it be they heard the King of Northern Desert is coming to solve the disaster victim problem?”

Xu Zhiyuan shook his head. “I don’t think it’s about that. Although His Highness the King of Northern Desert made bold promises, and I see he is not as the rumors say, for him to take the disaster victims to the Four Northern Desert Prefectures, how easy could that be?”

“Everyone in the Great Xiao Kingdom knows the Four Northern Desert Prefectures are a bitter, cold place for exiles. Who would be willing to go there?”

The woman listened to Xu Zhiyuan’s words and nodded. “Husband, will you see them or not?”

Xu Zhiyuan gave a bitter smile, then stood up. “I’ll see them. We cannot place all our hopes on the King of Northern Desert. Later, we will certainly need these merchants for disaster relief.”

Saying this, Xu Zhiyuan waved his hand and had the yamen runner lead the way.

In a reception hall in the back courtyard of the government office, Xu Zhiyuan saw what the yamen runner said was true.

All the influential trading house owners from Anhua City had come.

Seeing Xu Zhiyuan arrive, these trading house owners all stood up to greet him.

Xu Zhiyuan cupped his hands in salute and greeted them one by one.

“Respected owners, what wind blows all of you here?” Xu Zhiyuan said with a smile to the crowd.

“Minister Xu, we simply heard the former Crown Prince, the current King of Northern Desert, has come and is providing disaster relief outside Anhua City. We wondered if there was a chance to meet him.”

“That’s right. We heard Minister Xu has already met His Highness the King of Northern Desert. We’ve long heard of the King of Northern Desert’s name and feel great admiration. We just wish to pay our respects, so we thought of asking Minister Xu to introduce us.”

…

Listening to them, Xu Zhiyuan thought to himself, they didn’t even seem willing to make up a good lie.

What kind of reputation did Xiao Ce have? With that kind of reputation, could they really feel admiration?

After hearing them out, Xu Zhiyuan smiled faintly. He really didn’t want to beat around the bush; he had his own pile of worries.

“Respected owners, everyone here is no outsider. Moreover, looking at you, it seems you came for the same matter. I have weathered storms with you all, so I believe we can trust each other! Please speak frankly!”

Hearing Xu Zhiyuan’s words, the merchants glanced at each other.

The leading merchant said, “Minister Xu, since you are so direct, we won’t beat around the bush either. We long heard the King of Northern Desert befriended an Immortal in his early years. The Immortal gave him many celestial-grade items, including ‘Tianshan Snow Salt’ and ‘Tianshan Snow Sugar Frost.’ We were hoping to see if we could get to know His Highness the King of Northern Desert and purchase some!”

Hearing the merchants say this, Xu Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised. “You also know about Tianshan Snow Salt? And the Snow Sugar Frost?”

As Xu Zhiyuan said this, the merchants’ eyes lit up.

“Minister Xu, you know about it too?”

Seeing the merchants’ eyes, Xu Zhiyuan didn’t hide anything and spoke frankly. “Yes. Are you talking about that pure, fine salt without impurities, and that white, frost-like sugar?”

The merchants nodded one after another. “Minister Xu, did His Highness the King of Northern Desert give you some?”

Looking at the merchants’ expressions, Xu Zhiyuan suddenly felt something was off. “Yes, but I originally thought those were just better-quality salt and sugar, so I accepted them. Could it be these things are very expensive?”

“Minister Xu, could you let us take a look?”

Xu Zhiyuan nodded and ordered someone to fetch them.

A short while later, a yamen runner brought two exquisite wooden boxes. When opened, the merchants gathered to look.

Those who brought stewards had their stewards inspect.

Initially, the merchants wanted to taste it themselves.

“Everyone, seeing your expressions, I know this item must be of great value! I cannot accept such expensive things. I must return them to His Highness the King of Northern Desert.”

After Xu Zhiyuan finished speaking, the merchants didn’t insist on tasting anymore.

Having dealt with Xu Zhiyuan for so long, they naturally knew he was an incorruptible official.

Now that they knew Xiao Ce could give such things away, they realized Xiao Ce’s side was not an impenetrable fortress!

“Everyone, are these things very precious?”

The leading merchant said, “Minister Xu, yes. This item is refined by celestial aura in the Tianshan Mountains…”

The merchant embellished the story he had gotten from Yin Pan’er and recounted it.

Xu Zhiyuan asked, “Then what is the price?”

The merchants shook their heads. Although they had already learned the price from Yin Pan’er’s mouth, none of them would say it.

“We only know it’s very expensive! We actually also heard His Highness the King of Northern Desert cares for the disaster victims and wants to provide relief. We heard the King of Northern Desert doesn’t have much money himself, and there are so many disaster victims now! We thought of buying some of that Tianshan Snow Salt and Tianshan Snow Sugar Frost at a high price. Firstly, to support the King of Northern Desert’s relief efforts, and secondly, to do something for the disaster victims.”

One merchant said hypocritically, and the other merchants chimed in agreement.

“We wonder if Minister Xu could help convey our request.”

Xu Zhiyuan thought to himself, they really sounded better than singers, but if they truly could buy at a high price, perhaps it could really help Xiao Ce.

“I can only say I will convey the message. But according to what you said, those items are celestial-grade. His Highness the King of Northern Desert may not necessarily sell!”

The merchants all said, “Minister Xu, please inquire first. What if the King of Northern Desert needs money and wants to sell?”