FBC – Chapter 266 Applying Eye Medicine

Gu Hua would never tell the envoy outright what kind of person Jiang Ruoxi was.

This concerned a royal princess; it touched the fate and rise and fall of an entire Dali state. If she planted a single seed of doubt, they would naturally go and investigate for themselves.

Jiang Ruoxi’s scandal couldn’t be contained in the capital. Even if people still feared the not-yet-overturned Jiang family and didn’t speak of it loudly, anyone asked would be glad to gossip about the secret scandals of the great houses — a chance to show off how well-informed they were.

Besides, everyone knew that Jiang Ruoxi had made a great scene trying to marry Mu Junyan. A woman who tried to use a man’s power to satisfy her own desires and who had no shame or bottom line — whichever man encountered her would have the worst of luck for eight generations.

The envoy wanted to press the matter, but Gu Hua only sighed: “There are things I cannot say directly. Your excellency can send someone to Bianjing to ask around and you’ll find out.”

Once she said that, what else was there to be unclear?

The envoy’s expression visibly clouded.

Dali might be a defeated state, but that did not mean it could be publicly humiliated.

Since the two sides were exchanging princesses in marriage, both should show sincerity.

Dali was being offered a genuine princess. If the Liang emperor had no credibility and tried to pawn off some piece of junk, Dali would surely refuse.

The envoy’s eyes flicked: “May I ask which other princesses in your country are of marriageable age?”

“Of marriageable age there is only the Third Princess, Zhao Luorou. She’s sixteen this year and has not yet been matched to a prince. The other princesses are too young; the eldest is only twelve, not suitable.”

The envoy’s eyes brightened. “May I ask which consort is this Third Princess Zhao Luorou born of?”

“She is the daughter of the once most-favored Consort Jiang — now Consort Jiang, formerly the noble consort.” Gu Hua smiled. “Consort Jiang was weighed down by the Jiang family and stripped of her noble consort rank, but it’s possible she may be restored to favor.”

The envoy did not respond to that, instead looking thoughtful.

Although they shared Jiang family blood, a true princess was different.

Gu Hua invited him to tea with a smile.

She didn’t care what he was thinking. No one could stop the marriage between the two countries, and it truly would benefit both states’ peace.

Zhao Luorou was more inexperienced and more pampered than the former Zhao Luoxuan; if she were married off to Dali, she would not pose a danger to Juzhou.

Gu Hua wondered whether Consort Jiang, knowing her beloved daughter was about to be married off to distant Dali, would feel the same grief as the empress and mother did when Zhao Luoxuan was sent away in marriage.

Suddenly the envoy’s face showed an indescribable look of guilt. “Madam Mu, regarding the matter of the Duke of Yong, our new king feels deep sorrow and guilt. He has specially ordered me to bring generous gifts to you as atonement for the acts of the late king. Please accept this and spare your grief.”

Gu Hua bowed slightly. “When two nations go to war, life and death are uncertain. My husband is a general; he had already placed life and death beyond worry. That said, if war can be stopped and both peoples can live in peace and work, that is also very good for your country.”

The envoy admired that, that despite recently being widowed she could remain so composed, showing no signs of mourning.

Pei Jinglei explained that the trade talks and the silver and profits he offered were all decisions made by Madam Mu. Now all trade in the southern border region under the Mu family’s protection was decided by Madam Mu.

Indeed, she was a woman with a strong core and keen wisdom.

“Yes, yes — Our new king thinks the same.” The envoy’s attitude grew more respectful as he handed over the list of gifts. “Treat these gifts as a token of friendship between our two nations. Here is the inventory; please inspect it, madam.”

Gu Hua took it with both hands but didn’t open it — she passed it to Zhou Zhilan.

She didn’t care about the gifts, but she accepted the friendliness.

Zhou Zhilan took people to count the gifts.

“And what are your thoughts on cooperation between our two countries?” the envoy asked.

At the mention of this his face brightened: “It’s excellent! Moreover, to be able to cooperate directly with Madam Mu and the merchant Pei family — we never expected it.”

No middlemen, direct lowest-price transactions; Pei’s family also immediately ordered tens of thousands of samples of Dali specialties. The two sides discussed matters very happily.

Pei Jinglei smiled: “I have long heard of Dali’s indigo-dyed wax-print cloth and their exquisitely embroidered ‘wind, flower, snow, moon’ patterns. Seeing the samples the envoy brought was like opening my eyes — we’ve never seen such goods. And the rare mountain delicacies — in Liang they sell for exorbitant prices, even in the capital. Now to trade directly with you, the profit margins reach eighty percent — we are very fortunate.”

Gu Hua pursed her lips slightly and smiled: “That’s the benefit of peace and trade. Money for everyone.”

“Yes, yes — Madam is absolutely right.”

She shifted the conversation: “In two months the marriage envoy will arrive. Will the new king personally come to Juzhou?”

The envoy answered without hesitation: “Of course. Our new king attaches great importance to this marriage. He will personally bring the princess to meet the envoys of your country and further discuss the marriage arrangements.”

“He greatly likes Liang’s customs and scenery. When he was about ten he pretended to be a merchant and went to Bianjing himself. There he had a small mishap and disappeared for a while, terrifying his mother, the current queen dowager, who nearly lost half her life — fortunately he returned. The state diviner did a reading and said that after great danger there would be great fortune. It proved true — what great fortune he has had.”

Gu Hua smiled. “Your new king really is mischievous and brave.”

“Right. And our queen dowager is originally from Liang. She taught him the Liang script and language. Therefore, the new king is friendly toward Liang.”

Gu Hua, curious, asked: “Oh? The queen dowager is from which place in Liang?”

“Seems to be… Shuzhou.”

Gu Hua froze.

Shuzhou?

Her brother Ji’s hometown.

Her interest in the Dali new king increased.

She had heard he was only eighteen.

Even with the covert support she had given him, to seize the throne from a prince born of the queen dowager’s line was no small feat.

“Oh, by the way,” the envoy added, “the new king has an unfinished matter. After meeting your delegation he hoped you could help.”

Gu Hua asked curiously: “Oh? What matter? Tell me and I’ll see if I can help.”

“The new king said that when he went to Bianjing he was robbed of his purse by ruffians and left penniless. Luckily he met a brother and sister who generously gave him money so he could return home. He has long wanted to find them to return the money and repay their kindness.”

Gu Hua laughed: “What a fine story. You can ask if there are any clues; we can help look into it.”

The envoy brightened: “Wonderful.”

Gu Hua raised her teacup: “Please have some tea, sir.”

As for the trade route she and Pei Jinglei had discussed — transporting salt and grain through Dali — that would have to wait until after the marriage and cooperation were stable.

To avoid drawing attention, she had the envoy find a Dali merchant the new king trusted to sign the trade agreement with Pei Jinglei, so the transaction would be strictly commercial between merchants and not involve state border trade, avoiding many complications.

Everything progressed smoothly, and the envoy returned to Dali.

Soon Chiyan reported back: after the envoy left and had reported Jiang Ruoxi’s marriage matter, the new king immediately ordered his spies in Bianjing to investigate Jiang Ruoxi. The news had not yet returned, and for the time being the new king remained silent.

The marriage procession continued on.

The first batch of tung oil from Zhao Luoxuan’s farm had just been refined.

Pei Jinglei had also connected with the grain-transport guild. Because the refined tung oil produced in Juzhou was nearly forty percent cheaper than the official tung oil, the guild took the whole batch at once and said they wanted as much as would be available in the future.

Just from this batch of tung oil they had earned fifty thousand taels of silver.

Zhao Luoxuan was stunned.

“Fifty thousand taels? My profit? This is only the first batch.”

Gu Hua, cradling her large belly, lay on the imperial couch and watched her with a smiling face.

“Madam Princess, don’t you believe you can earn so much silver?” she teased.

Zhao Luoxuan excitedly jumped up and spun around: “I can’t believe it!”

“Pei family will open a silver house in Juzhou. Then the silver you earn will be withdrawn directly from the silver house — you won’t have to wait more than a month to see the banknotes.”

Zhao Luoxuan clapped her hands: “Wonderful, wonderful, this is great! The seeds Master Pei sent have been all planted; in the future Juzhou’s vegetables and fruits won’t need to be shipped from elsewhere. Fantastic, truly fantastic!”

Gu Hua rubbed her belly and soothed the most mischievous one inside, smiling: “The girls at the orphanage and the Rose House have also finished their first batch of kesi silk embroidery. The kesi masters that Second Uncle Pei sent all said they did well. Soon they’ll be able to support themselves with their own skill.”

Zhao Luoxuan bubbled with excitement: “Today is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month — the town must be lively. Shall we go have a look?”

Zhou Zhilan, who had been braiding a hair ornament, brightened: “Yes, let’s go and have some fun.”

Gu Hua smiled: “Sure. Mother says moving around more before the birth helps the delivery go smoothly. Actually, I’m a bit scared.”

Zhou Zhilan and Zhao Luoxuan helped her up.

Zhou Zhilan laughed: “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

“And me. I can beat people up now!” Zhao Luoxuan raised an arm, clenched her fist and struck outward with force.

“See? My fist is whipping up such a wind!” she boasted.

Zhou Zhilan laughed: “Yes, yes — the wind’s strong enough to start a fire.”

Zhao Luoxuan snorted: “We should find time to spar, Zhilan sister.”

“Alright.”

The women laughed together as they left the residence.