Voluht Future Prospects (2/2)

Thedown smiled and replied, “Leader Liu, you can be at ease The one surnamed Han was formerly a secret operative within the arrass³ Although I aot rich, you can see that he has not disclosed our presence Without this secret chao”

The seated h and said, “Be that as it may … look at our current situation We are in a precarious state, while he is a rich person I cannot be at ease with his enthusias was about to retort, the door to the secret chaht voice could be heard to say, “Commander Liu, your suspicions are really not small I am now rich If it weren’t frodom of Shu, ould bother to worry about your business? You must know that if my master knew of this, then even if I wouldn’t die, I would still lose a layer of skin”

“It was a slip of little brother’s tongue I apologize,” said Commander Liu as he promptly rose to his feet before he asked, “I wonder which person is Brother Han’s superior?”

Han Wuji smiled and stated, “This isn’t a secret I aer of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets Our pavilion old, silver, and other valuables Therefore, regardless of location, regardless of who, as long as there is money to be made, there will be other influences”

Commander Liu’s eyes lit up as he replied, “So it is the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets Who doesn’t know that the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets is a latent power in Southern Chu? Of Southern Chu’s major merchants, out of ten, three or four are mely, Brother Han has such a respectable position in the pavilion Quite admirable”

Han Wuji indifferently stated, “There’s nothing to it To tell you the truth, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets is difficult to fully coer, in reality I am only someone who appears personally to handle affairs The real power and authority aren’t into money, little brother can make few decisions In fact, little brother is of mind to do business with your noble union”

Commander Liu’s expression ju as it is of benefit to our Eoes back, I will facilitate it at all costs”

Han Wuji’s expression became somewhat furtive, as he considered “Your noble union wishes to rebel It probably urgently requires weapons and provisions If little brother can help, what do you say?”

Coreatly surprised as he exclaimed, “What? Can you really help? If so, our union head will certainly give his profound thanks In the future, if we are successful, there will be benefits for brother Han”

Han Wuji sth that our Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets has in Southern Chu Recently, those Southern Chu ministers have already deter At the beginning of next year, he will ascend to the throne At present, Southern Chu has a thousand things it needs to do⁴ The Yong army wreaked havoc for al unpleasant to hear, the Southern Chu treasury has been emptied, while they have also lost much military equip these losses However, Southern Chu is a land of milk and honey⁵ after all This year’s foodstuff production is still fairly good At present, Southern Chu is short ofprevailed and acquired plentiful spoils of war However, Great Yong has suffered a drought and is short of food supplies If you are courageous enough and ht connections, you could steal and resell Great Yong’sthe Not only can we satisfy your own needs, you can also ”

Commander Liu’s frowned and stated, “I fear that this won’t be that easy At present, we just suffered losses in Great Yong I’m afraid that we don’t have the ability”

Han Wuji sly “Who doesn’t know that the Crown Prince’s actions are directed for the Prince of Yong? This business deal will result in tenfold to twentyfold profits You only need to dispatch so to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, begging hi as the Crown Prince doesn’t pursue the matter, no one will continue to pay attention to you At present, the Ministry of Revenue is in the hands of the Crown Prince You can say that Great Yong’sas the Crown Prince approves, this business will be extremely easy After a few days have passed, after the Crown Prince has ta items be ly white taels of silver will enter the Crown Prince’s pocket Why would he be dissatisfied?”

Still frowning, Co is already his Would he really attach such importance to this amount of ht now, the Crown Prince is being watched above by the E? You shouldn’t consider his identity as respectable I’m afraid that his enjoyment and pleasure cannot even match us merchants Moreover, don’t tell me that he doesn’t want to raise and maintain some fearless soldiers and advisers He has many places where he needs to spend money To tell the truth, we have plenty of , ill have to rely upon you Don’t conceal anything froh some ministers were implicated, the Crown Prince was not vicious Your real patron is unscathed”⁶

“You wait I will go back and discuss this with the union head Although h, the union head trusts , “However, hoill I find you?”

“I will provide you with a way to contact et rich and doesn’t care about any affairs of state As long as you do not harardless of whether you’re plotting rebellion or restoring the kingdom”

Commander Liu said, “Brother Han be at ease We are not foolish Who doesn’t love gold, silver, and other valuables? What’s reat benefit to us”

The two exchanged glances and laughed, the sound repressed and furtive

Within the Cold Courtyard of the residence of the Prince of Yong, I was lying down on the soft couch, looking at the scroll in my hand Because I felt the manor’s classified study was too restrictive, I lately only spent half a day there Afterwards, I would plan and strategize within the Cold Courtyard Watchinget involved?”

Hearing his questioning, I casually replied, “There was no other way In the future, this matter will most assuredly have proble’s household were to take part, not only would it not be able to fool the Crown Prince’s spies, it would also invite disaster Do you think that the Prince of Yong would allow military equipment to be stolen and sold off?”

Worried, Xiaoshunzi asked, “The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets will get in touch with Southern Chu ’s Crown Prince, and afterwards sle foodstuffs and military equipment After this, the pavilion will likely be unable to appear Moreover, young master’s relationshi+p with the pavilion will not be able to be concealed fro htly and said, “What are you afraid of? Nominally, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets will sell off all of the shares that it owns before mishap occurs I have already had the the shares to be received by the members of the Secret Camp Before our contract expires, the profits will continue to be mine When the contract expires, these properties will be theirs In this way, I can fulfill the promises that I had made at the tiinally only a tool to make money After this, all of my properties, minus the part distributed to the disciples of the Secret Camp, will be in the millions At that point, the pavilion will not have a further reason to exist”

“It is young master that is brilliant,” said Xiaoshunzi with a s his worries, “But it is unlikely to be able to conceal the s foodstuffs and ”

I indifferently replied, “When the Prince of Yong discovers this, I will have hie, hoe be able to depose the Crown Prince?”

Sitting up, I pushed open the , looking out at the pitch-black sky I coldly stated, “The strategies that I, Jiang Zhe, employ rely upon the sinister nature of the human heart If the Crown Prince did not have any selfishthe state, then this stratagem of mine would not work Xiaoshunzi, you must remember: once a person has been blanketed, it’s not that they can’t be splashed by the water, but rather that their intentions are impure If the Crown Prince is really worthy and virtuous, possessing the bearing of a sovereign, then my plan would be virtually useless If he were to consequently lose the throne, it is not because I had been vicious, but rather that he did not have the good fortune and nanimity to become the Son of Heaven”

Footnotes:

<ol><li>说来话长, shuolaihuachang – idio story; complicated and not easy to express succinctly</li><li>文华殿, wenhua dian – the Hall of Magnificent Culture</li><li>杀人如麻, sharenru flax; hu – idios to do</li><li>鱼米之乡, yu fertile region, land of– idiom, lit safe and sound; to come out unscathed</li></ol>