Chapter 993: Protracted war, helping them (1/2)
It was really Ning Cheng’s flaw for not bringing up Mu Linger replacing Ning Jing. However, this was a minor point in the whole alliance plan, after all. This time, he explained everything thoroughly in his letter. Currently, all of the people on Jun Yixie’s side, including Uncle Cheng and Manager Jin, were in the dark regarding Ning Jing’s pregnancy. He had already talked things over with Bai Yuqiao and arranged for her to find a servant girl to wait on Mu Linger.
In actuality, the servant would be taking care of Ning Jing. Bai Yuqiao had ways to prevent the guards from entering the women’s tent and seeing either of them, but she would have to take precautions to hide the pair from Jun Yixie if he wanted to talk. Thus, the only way to guarantee the women’s safety was to see Jun Yixie up north in the battlefields.
This time, Jun Yixie had asked Nurturing Heart Pharmacy to send out the extortion letter because of his increased trust in Ning Cheng after East Qin and the Ning Clan troops began to fight. He was now making preparations to fight up north. With winter around the corner, Northern Li’s stock of medicine was very limited. Jun Yixie had a way to obtain grain, but not medicine. Too many grain shops existed in the world. Despite Long Feiye controlling the flow of it from the south, he couldn’t control all the grain businesses in the world. Moreover, Tianan Country had grain merchants of its own who specialized in wartime sales. Thus, it wasn’t strange that Jun Yixie had found sellers.
However, medicine was a different question. Most of it was grown in Medical City or Pill Fiend Valley and Jun Yixie had limited stores of his own. He had no choice but to use Mu Linger’s “baby” to pressure Pill Fiend Pharmacy. Once the in and outs of the situation was clarified, Gu Qishao broke into a chuckle. “This old man’s illustrious name nearly fell to ruin at that stinkin’ lass’s hands! She’s certainly ardent!”
Yes, Mu Linger had been too enthusiastic. She even dared to joke with her own reputation on the line. Everyone had difficulty accepting this, especially Baili Mingxiang. As a woman, reputation surmounted everything else, even one’s life! But Han Yunxi could empathize with Mu Linger’s efforts.
She said, “Gu Qishao, don’t blame Linger. She didn’t do it on purpose.”
Before Gu Qishao could retort, Han Yunxi explained. “Before Ning Jing was kidnapped, she and Linger crashed into each other by accident, causing Ning Jing to have a fall…”
“What?!” Tang Li was stunned.
“Ning Jing almost had a miscarriage, so she was confined to bed for a long while. It was Linger that took charge of her care. She must have been still recovering when they were kidnapping, so Linger had to find a way to protect her,” Han Yunxi intoned.
Now everyone knew the truth. Tang Li was understanding and didn’t fault Mu Linger. He proclaimed, “After we rescue them, I have to thank her thoroughly! If she ever gets married one day, my Tang Clan will prepare a big dowry for her!”
These weren’t simple words! The meaning of a woman’s dowry was twofold: it both represented the generosity of the wife and the power backing her marriage. If the Tang Clan provided Mu Linger’s dowry, it meant that her husband and the rest of the world would know they were her supporters!
Han Yunxi’s heart was filled with delight for Mu Linger’s sake. Even since the decline of the Mu Clan, Mu Linger had no maternal home to speak of. Of course, she still had to sigh at the sight of Gu Qishao’s indifferent face. Would her silly little sister be willing to marry anyone else in this lifetime?
Gu Qishao’s mood finally turned sunny and light. He placed the extortion letter back onto the table and asked, “How do we reply?”
“Agree to their terms!” Tang Li said quickly. “Big bro, sister-in-law, how much will these medicines cost? I’ll pay for them!”
If they didn’t agree and Jun Yixie’s camp discovered Mu Linger’s pregnancy was a sham, then they’d definitely suspect Ning Jing next. To Tang Li, leaving Ning Jing in the Skyriver army camp was already stretching his limits. He couldn’t accept any more danger.
“The money has to come from your big brother and Myriad Merchant Hall,” Han Yunxi said before smiling at Long Feiye. “Pill Fiend Pharmacy can give you a twenty percent discount.”
Tang Li didn’t understand, so Gu Beiyue explained. “The princess’s words make sense. From what this one understands, Northern Li’s medicine stores have always been controlled by the Northern Li emperor. Jun Yixie once had a private agreement with the Mu Clan and discussed terms with Cloud Realm Trade Consortium in the past to grant them permission to plant on Northern Li’s snowy mountains. However, the emperor controls all that now, so he has the medicine while Jun Yixie has none. In a strength between equals, the Northern Li emperor still holds an advantage.”
Han Yunxi nodded before picking up the conversation. “In a battle between both sides, anyone with an advantage will see it finished quickly.”
Long Feiye agreed with their views and added, “The longer this battle drags on, the bigger their internal losses and the higher their demands. As long as Jun Yixie and the Northern Li emperor remain evenly matched, we can drag it on to half a year until both sides are exhausted.”
As he spoke, he ordered, “Xu Donglin, reply Nurturing Heart Pharmacy that we’ll prepare the medicine. Moreover, tell Manager Luo to deliver a few cartloads of grain to the Northern Li emperor.”
Kangan Private Bank was a huge moneybags with plenty of profitable businesses. These included the salt, sugar, and grain trade. The Northern Li emperor’s lack of grain had long been reported to them by Noble Consort Xiao, so it was time for a few grain merchants to get some money from the man.
Gu Qishao disliked such political tactics and trickery, nor did he bother dealing with any, but he understood the principles behind it. Clicking his tongue, he remarked, “Long Feiye, you’re truly the most despicable one!”