DLWAV CH96

One could only imagine how stunned Lu Dang was that afternoon, when he suddenly received word that the Liu household had sent over three hundred thousand taels of silver.

After all, that was three hundred thousand taels. Not thirty.

To put it in perspective, back when Lu Dang had served as head eunuch, his annual salary had been no more than seven hundred taels. Even adding in all the tributes quietly sent from various quarters, it would never have exceeded fifteen thousand taels in a year.

And most critically, hadn’t Third Master Liu already refused them in no uncertain terms?

Why would he suddenly send them this much money?

Could it be that Third Master Liu had come around?

That had to be the only explanation.

Lu Dang suddenly understood.

“Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.”

He clapped his hands together in delight, laughing out loud.

Then he set off toward the main courtyard, eager to deliver the good news to Ao Ruize.

After all, it had been his idea from the start to recruit the Li family and the Canal Gang, and he had been the one following up on both matters throughout.

So now that Third Master Liu had pledged himself to Ao Ruize’s cause, this credit naturally belonged to him.

On top of that, just two days ago he had brought the Fulin Escort Bureau, the third largest in Jiangnan, into the fold. Now he was back on equal footing with the middle-aged man and the others.

But in the very next moment, he ran straight into the middle-aged man coming the other way.

The middle-aged man was equally excited, and upon seeing him, even forgot about the one-sided hostility he had been maintaining: “Mr. Lu, good news. Xiao Li, who has been embedded in the Jiangnan Military Command, has been successfully promoted to acting company commander.”

“And half a month ago, Song Qingying brought out a formula for making ice and a formula for making coal briquettes.”

“In a few days we plan to sell those two formulas as well. Conservatively, another million or so taels should be no problem.”

Lu Dang: “……”

This was of course something worth celebrating.

But…… the three hundred thousand taels that had just come in suddenly felt considerably less impressive.

But the middle-aged man wasn’t finished: “And earlier this morning, Professor Chen sent word that they’ve located a high-quality iron ore deposit. By mid-next-month at the latest, they should be able to begin mass-producing refined iron.”

With a steady supply of refined iron, they could begin working on weapons and equipment.

Lu Dang: “……”

Still losing.

No.

Lu Dang was naturally not willing to concede defeat.

And most importantly, their great undertaking had only just taken its first step. He would have countless more opportunities to turn things around. So wasn’t it far too early to draw any conclusions?

Thinking this, Lu Dang steadied himself at once: “Truly worthy of Mr. Gao.”

“With Mr. Gao here, the day we return to the capital grows ever closer.”

“Are you also here to see the master? Let’s go together.”

But what they hadn’t expected was that upon reaching the main courtyard, they were informed by two junior eunuchs that Ao Ruize had gone out to fish.

Because ever since both their identities and their lodgings had been discovered by the Li family and the Canal Gang, they had taken on new identities and moved to a new location.

They were currently staying at a large manor house in the outskirts, and a few li from the manor, there was a modest river running through Ganquan Mountain. For some time now, Ao Ruize had been going there every single day.

So upon first hearing this, Lu Dang didn’t think much of it. He assumed Ao Ruize had simply been cooped up for too long, and with few other places he could safely go, his enthusiasm for fishing had yet to wear off even after all this time.

The middle-aged man had come not only to share good news, but also because a problem had come up with the research into short-range laser missiles back in China, and the experts at the National Academy of Sciences were all at a loss. He had no choice but to come and ask Ao Ruize for help.

Though on reflection, he figured that whatever the difficulty, once it reached Ao Ruize’s hands, it would typically be resolved within a week.

So there was no great urgency.

With that, the two of them parted and chose not to disturb Ao Ruize’s leisure.

Compared to the jubilant mood of Lu Dang and the others, the rear courtyard of the Yangzhou prefectural residence could only be described as deep winter.

Because every time Song Qingying brought out a new technology, just when they thought they could use it to reclaim some of what they had lost, within a month someone would begin selling the formula for that technology openly on the market.

Because of this, ventures that should have netted them several million taels of silver, after months of exhausting effort, had yielded barely a hundred-some thousand taels in the end.

And whoever had been leaking their formulas had, by rough estimation, pocketed at least two or three million taels in the process.

Most critically of all, even now, they still had not managed to determine who had been behind the leaks.

To this day, everyone still believed the Song household had a traitor in its ranks.

Because of all this, they had become the laughingstock of Yangzhou. After all, a prefect who couldn’t even tell the loyal from the treacherous among his own people, what was he if not an incompetent official?

So was it any wonder that Song Jiyang and his daughter were seething with rage?

Song Jiyang was practically pointing his finger in the new constable’s face as he berated him: “Investigate! Go and investigate again!”

“If you still can’t get to the bottom of it, you can go and guard the prison gate yourself!”

The previous chief constable had been a seasoned investigator with decades of experience and still hadn’t managed to uncover anything after months of inquiry. The new one was nothing but a hired relation who had probably never read a book on criminal investigation in his life. What could he possibly turn up?

Song Qingying drew a slow breath. The moment the new constable had gone, she said directly: “Since things stand as they do, from now on we simply sell the formulas ourselves as well.”

Song Jiyang: “What?”

Song Qingying gritted her teeth: “Earning a little less is still better than having someone else pick the fruit we’ve grown.”

Song Jiyang understood this perfectly.

But how could he possibly be content with it?

Still, it was undeniably the most reliable approach available to them right now.

So what good did it do to be discontent?

Thinking this, Song Jiyang slammed his fist down hard on the table.

Song Qingying had no wish to keep dwelling on these frustrations either. As though remembering something, she asked: “Father, has there been any word from Lord Liu at the Ministry of Personnel?”

Song Jiyang’s term was nearly up, and a vacancy had opened for the post of Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief at the Censorate. Both Song Jiyang and Song Qingying had their eyes on it.

The Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief was only a senior third-rank position, but the Censorate was responsible for overseeing all officials. In modern terms, it was the equivalent of a national disciplinary commission, and the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief was effectively its third-highest officer.

And their interest in this post was not merely because Song Jiyang wanted to advance further, but also because Consort Xu of the Prince of Huai’an’s household, having watched the Song family stumble one time after another until their standing in the Prince’s eyes had fallen considerably, had once again set her sights on Song Qingying, hoping to marry her to her worthless son.

And Song Jiyang had actually been tempted.

Because the Prince of Huai’an’s household was, for the Song family in their current state, already an excellent marriage connection. And because Song Qingying was indeed of marrying age.

Even though she was only sixteen this year.

On this subject, Song Jiyang immediately brightened: “Lord Liu said that while many people are after this position, including no shortage of sons of princes and nobles, my record of achievements is genuinely outstanding. So as long as the matter is handled properly, this position is not beyond reach——”

But in the very next instant, his teeth were grinding again: “However, he says we need to prepare twenty thousand taels of silver.”

“Twenty thousand taels?”

Song Qingying’s expression shifted at once.

“Twenty thousand taels for a single junior third-rank vacancy? Why doesn’t he just rob us outright?”

And most critically, a few months ago, twenty thousand taels would have been nothing to them. They had, after all, made close to two million taels from those soap and glass formulas.

But afterward, in order to appease the Prince of Huai’an’s fury, they had been forced to hand all two million taels over to the Prince’s household.

So those twenty thousand taels represented almost the entirety of what they currently had.

But they were in no position to bargain, were they?

Because if they missed this opportunity, it would be far harder for Song Jiyang to claw his way to that position again.

And fortunately, they were dealing with Emperor Zhangwu’s reign. Back when Emperor Jianxing had been on the throne, they wouldn’t even have had the option of buying a post.

What could Song Qingying do? She could only say: “Then give it to him.”

Twenty thousand taels was what it was. She didn’t have many money-making formulas left, but twenty thousand taels was still an amount she could earn back.

Song Jiyang had been waiting for exactly those words: “Good.”

“I’ll send Lord Liu my reply at once.”

Twenty thousand taels paid out, and sure enough, two months later, Song Jiyang received his official transfer notice from the court.

“Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.”

Looking down at the assembled Yangzhou officials and wealthy citizens who had rushed to congratulate him on his promotion, Song Jiyang laughed with undisguised satisfaction.

No matter how little they thought of him, here they were, presenting their congratulations like good and obedient subjects.

Upon hearing the news, the middle-aged man couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

After all, he had been hoping to follow in Song Qingying’s wake and make a few hundred thousand more taels.

But then again, they were not short of silver at this point.

The money they had made before was already more than sufficient for their current needs, and on top of that, Third Master Liu was sending them tens of thousands of taels every few days.

So they didn’t give the matter much further thought.

Though even now, the middle-aged man still hadn’t managed to figure out why Third Master Liu had suddenly changed his mind.

As for Third Master Liu, he had first been busy cleaning out the traitors within the Canal Gang, and then busy making money. He had even less reason to concern himself with such trifles.

Because ever since he had thrown caution to the winds, he had stopped concealing his craving for Ao Ruize’s company entirely.

He also felt it wouldn’t do to simply take without giving anything in return. So whenever Ao Ruize had tended to his needs to his satisfaction, he invariably pressed some silver into his hands.

Which was precisely why Lu Dang and the others kept receiving shipments of tens of thousands of taels from the Liu household every few days.

But even with his considerable talent for making money, a man could only sustain so much spending. Which was why he had no choice but to keep working even harder at it.

As a result, the one person in the Liu household whose mood had been less than pleasant lately was the steward.

He had never imagined that on the third day of the seventh month, their Third Master had still been insisting he was going to find a way to drive Ao Ruize off, and then the very next day, their Third Master had burrowed into Ao Ruize’s arms and managed to leave the man’s clothes in some disarray.

On the sixth day of the seventh month, their Third Master had abruptly taken Ao Ruize along to seek entertainment at the Little Qinhuai River. He had assumed at the time that their Third Master had definitively made up his mind to personally cut off any hope Ao Ruize harbored, only to have their Third Master bring Ao Ruize to his bed that very same afternoon.

And most critically, in barely a single month, their Third Master had sent over seven hundred thousand taels to Lu Dang’s camp.

You couldn’t spend that much money patronizing an emperor.

So how could the steward not worry on Third Master Liu’s behalf?

After all, compared to believing that Ao Ruize’s feelings for Third Master Liu were genuine, they were far more inclined to believe that everything Ao Ruize was doing was calculated to win Third Master Liu over and thereby gain control of the Canal Gang.

One could only imagine what would be waiting for Third Master Liu once Ao Ruize had achieved his objective.

And the critical thing was that Third Master Liu was clearly in the grip of infatuation right now and wouldn’t hear a word of counsel.

It was under these circumstances that the steward, setting off once again on Third Master Liu’s instructions to deliver money to Lu Dang’s camp, ran into Lu Dang.

Upon seeing the steward, Lu Dang, who happened to have just cleared his hands of everything and found himself at leisure, couldn’t help asking:

“Third Master Liu’s sincerity is plain for all to see.”

“But there is one thing I have never been able to work out, and that is why Third Master Liu would suddenly change his mind and come over to our side.”

The steward: “……”

The steward nearly laughed out loud in sheer exasperation, but thinking of Lu Dang’s standing, he held himself back: “Has Lord Lu forgotten? It was you who sent someone afterward to persuade our Third Master.”

Lu Dang was immediately baffled: “When did I ever send someone to approach your Third Master again?”

After all, on the Little Qinhuai River they had already made themselves clear: they would not make any further overtures to the Canal Gang.

He was not the kind of man who went back on his word.

The steward: “……”

The steward was also baffled: “So Mr. Ao is not one of your people?”

Lu Dang said at once: “Who is Mr. Ao?”

Hearing those words, the air around them went still for a single instant.

The steward and Lu Dang arrived at the same thought simultaneously.

Something had gone wrong.

They rushed out at once.

And so when they burst into the Liu household, what they found was Ao Ruize sitting with Third Master Liu nestled against him in the garden pavilion, playing the qin.

The steward immediately pointed at Ao Ruize: “That’s him——”

Almost simultaneously, Lu Dang’s voice rang out: “Master?”

Lu Dang: “……”

The steward: “……”

In the next instant, the steward understood.

He looked at Ao Ruize, then looked at Lu Dang.

Only one thought remained in his mind: in all of Da Qian, who could a head eunuch of that stature possibly address as “Master”?

Three characters rose in his mind.

Emperor Jianxing.

The steward: “……”

The steward: “…………”

The steward: “…………….”

So their Third Master had truly and literally slept with an emperor.

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