English Novel
Chapter 28 - The Empress' Worries!
Chapter 28: The Empress’ Worries!
In the grand hall adorned with imperial insignia, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, sat with his back straight.
“Oh? Our neighbour is stirring up trouble again?”
The elderly man, despite his gray hair, had eyes that were as sharp as ever.
Mao Xiang stood before him, his head bowed slightly to avoid that piercing gaze.
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the note in his hand. Despite his decades of experience in battle and politics, he couldn’t decipher the meaning behind it.
“Bonds?” he stroked his chin, frowning.
“Why can’t I make sense of this?”
He thought for a while but couldn’t figure it out.
Finally, he said, “Have the brocade guards keep a close watch. I refuse to believe that someone who could resolve the grain crisis in Hangzhou would act without a reason…”
Mao Xiang bowed respectfully.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In the Zhou Dynasty, Wu Zhao paced back and forth, her brows furrowed in thought.
“Wan’er, what do you think he’s trying to do?” Wu Zhao frowned.
“He confidently told me he would take money from the Qing people, but now he’s lending money to them. I don’t understand the scheme he’s setting up or his purpose.”
Shangguan Wan’er pondered for a moment but eventually shook her head.
“Wan’er cannot figure it out either. Lord Yang’s actions are often unpredictable and reckless. Only when his plan comes to fruition will we truly understand. For now… it’s all a mystery.”
Wu Zhao sighed, setting the intelligence report aside. She clasped her hands behind her back, walked to the window, and looked out at the clear sky.
“I know he’s taking a huge risk this time, which is why I’m so puzzled. His plan is impossible to read. If he were on the outside, it would be one thing, but he’s deep in the Qing Capital. If he’s exposed, he won’t even have a chance to escape…”
Shangguan Wan’er’s lips curved into a small smile.
“Your Majesty need not worry about Lord Yang. Someone as cunning as him would surely have an escape route planned.”
Wu Zhao nodded instinctively.
“That’s true…”
She paused, then shot a sharp look at Shangguan Wan’er.
“My concern for him is purely that of a ruler for her minister…”
Shangguan Wan’er gave an innocent smile.
“Wan’er never suggested otherwise, Your Majesty.”
“Anyone who wants to buy bonds, line up properly! One at a time, no need to rush. Register your information first!” A soldier’s deep voice commanded as he maintained order.
Outside the courtyard, a line stretched for hundreds of meters. Qing citizens, clutching their money bags, eagerly waited their turn.
Inside the house, Yang Yi watched the scene with a faint smile.
“Send more people to spread the news about making money with bonds. The farther it spreads, the better.”
A guard nodded respectfully.
“Yes, sir.” He quickly retreated to carry out the order.
Yang Yi stroked his chin, turning to Li Cunxiao and Dian Wei.
“Did you buy the souvenirs and specialties I asked for?”
Li Cunxiao nodded.
“Yes, sir, everything is prepared.”
Dian Wei scratched his head. “Sir, what’s the point of buying these souvenirs?”
Yang Yi’s lips curled into a mysterious smile.
“Oh, they’ll be useful soon enough.”
The days passed quickly, and soon, a month had gone by. Yang Yi’s bonds were due for redemption once again.
Outside the courtyard, the crowd buzzed with anticipation.
“One thousand taels of bonds deposited for one month, now with interest and principal, totaling fifteen hundred taels of silver. Here you go,” a Great Zhou guard announced as he counted the money, handing it to a Qing citizen—a middle-aged woman trembling with excitement.
In just one month, she had earned five hundred taels! It was more profitable than loan sharking and far easier than running a business.
The people in line erupted in chatter, their eyes glued to the thick bundle of silver. Temptation and greed sparked among the crowd.
“This is crazy! It’s faster than stealing money!”
The news of earning fifteen hundred taels from one thousand in just a month quickly spread through the capital, causing a new frenzy.
It wasn’t just the common folk anymore—wealthy merchants, who had once been skeptical, found themselves unable to resist the lure of such quick profits.
“Brother Liu, you’re buying bonds too?”
“Yes, and you?”
“Of course! Buying bonds is much faster than doing business. I have to buy!”
“But I’ve heard some people say there might be something wrong with these bonds.”
“What’s wrong? Didn’t everyone get their money? My second aunt’s child invested five hundred taels and got seven hundred and fifty back! That’s a huge profit.”
“Wow, it’s like stealing money!”
“Yeah, let’s go. If you’re scared, just buy a little.”
“No way—I’ve mortgaged my house. I’m buying five thousand taels for a year!”
Although many sharp minds in the capital suspected something was amiss with Yang Yi’s bonds, seeing others getting rich quick made even the most cautious grow envious. Wealthy families and merchants who once hesitated began to jump in, unable to resist the temptation.
In Prince Kang’s mansion, the tension was palpable.
“Prince Kang, this time we can buy too!” Gong Yibu said with a greedy grin.
“I’ve secretly bought several times, and there haven’t been any problems. Yang Yi has been here for nearly two months. If something was wrong, we’d have known by now.”
Prince Kang, Balto, fidgeted on his seat. He gritted his teeth.
“But I just can’t believe there’s such easy money…”
Gong Yibu slapped his thigh in excitement.
“Even if there’s a problem, so what? We’ll just invest short-term, for a month. He can’t run off that fast!”
Balto’s eyes flickered with greed, and he breathed heavily.
“Prince Fu invested ten thousand taels last time and made five thousand.”
Balto’s chest heaved, overtaken by intense greed.
“We’ll buy for one month. This time, we’ll go big…”
Gong Yibu chuckled.
“I’ve prepared two hundred thousand taels. In a month, that’ll be three hundred thousand.”
Balto’s eyes took on a gambler’s gleam.
“It’s been two months without a hitch. I’ll bet nothing happens in the next month either. I’m going in with four hundred thousand taels.”
Gong Yibu gasped, stunned by the enormous sum. Even for a prince, four hundred thousand taels was no small amount. Prince Kang was betting big.
The two continued their discussion late into the evening. By the time Gong Yibu finally left the mansion, night had fully fallen.
Clouds gathered, veiling the moonlight, and the pitch-black night felt like an enormous net cast over the capital, plunging the entire city into a silent, dark slumber.
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