Chapter 27: The Princess's Counterattack

In Shen Jifeng’s memory, her Third Uncle had always lacked a significant presence in the royal family. Due to his fingers, he rarely attended palace functions. Even when he reached the age to begin participating in court politics, he remained lackadaisical, content to let himself be an idle prince.

Yet, at this moment, as Shen Jifeng scrutinized the man before her, she was struck by the realization that she had never truly known him. He was well-informed, wealthy, calculating, and bold enough to cast his net over her.

"Oh, right. I’ll be needing a two-tenths silent stake in those two levels," Zhao Zheng said, a smile still lingering on his lips. To Shen Jifeng, that smile was an invitation to violence.

"Third Uncle, we are family. I would be more than happy to do business together, but this silver mine is no ordinary matter. I have already signed a death warrant. You know the Emperor’s temperament; if I fail, my life is forfeit. I would be deeply troubled if you were to get dragged into this."

Shen Jifeng held seven-tenths of the silver mine. Giving up two-tenths to a reliable partner was not out of the question, but she loved money more than anything and detested being manipulated. Zhao Zheng’s move had hit her exactly where it hurt.

"That is of no concern. Since it is a silent stake, I can ensure it remains completely discreet. Only you and I will know."

Wei Xiao noticed Shen Jifeng’s fists tightening. He couldn’t blame her for being angry. Zhao Zheng was blatantly forcing her to shoulder the risks while he reaped the profits, and he was so smug about it that, crudely put, even an abacus couldn't calculate as well as he did.

To think he was her own uncle—how utterly shameless!

The shameless Prince of Yan continued his sales pitch, "Yanru, you have been in charge of the mine for over half a month. You know that refining silver before the ninth day of the eighth lunar month is, if not impossible, nearly so. The court officials are almost unanimously against your mining, and the Ministry of Works has only just begun to make things difficult for you. With me involved, the resistance will lessen significantly, and your chances of success will improve. This is a deal that won’t lose you money."

Wouldn't lose money? Shen Jifeng felt that if she agreed, she would be losing a fortune.

The lead-ash method was the primary way to refine silver ore, making lead an indispensable medium. However, since the ore itself might contain lead, it was impossible to determine exactly how much was needed; a reserve of five thousand catties was just right.

Lead was a base metal and essentially worthless. It usually cost one hundred wen per catty, and even less if one had the proper permits. However, bulk purchasing would cause transport costs to skyrocket, so five thousand catties had a market value of at most one thousand taels of silver.

To use a measly one thousand taels to trade for a two-tenths stake in her mine—was money just that easy to come by, or did he think she was a fool? As for him smoothing over the court’s opposition, that was pure fantasy. Even the Emperor had struggled to push the project through; where did he get the audacity to claim he could reduce the resistance?

He could be useful, perhaps, but she could manage just as well relying on her own Prince of Qi’s estate.

"Third Uncle, I promised the Emperor I would mine independently. Even Ah Pu is not allowed to interfere. If I let you buy in, it would be an act of treason. I dare not. Why don't you name a price for the lead you have? How much will you sell it to me for?"

"I see." Zhao Zheng did not seem annoyed by the rejection; he remained calm and composed. "As they say, rarity increases value. I happen to have exactly five thousand catties. Let’s make it a flat five thousand taels."

"You!" Shen Jifeng stood up. "Third Uncle, how is this any different from robbery?"

Zhao Zheng shook his head with a smile. "Don't put it so harshly. I am not forcing this upon you; whether you take it or not is entirely up to you. Or, you could wait another two months for the lead from Ganzhou to arrive."

Waiting was, naturally, out of the question. Shen Jifeng suddenly smiled, brighter than any flower, and Wei Xiao immediately understood her intent.

"Third Uncle, I wonder if your servant told you where he found me?" Shen Jifeng paused deliberately. "The view from the second floor of Mingxiang Pavilion is truly lovely. You certainly know how to pick a spot."

The hand holding Zhao Zheng’s teacup paused, and the smile in his eyes froze before dissolving into a bottomless darkness. He forced the words through his teeth, "You saw everything?"

"Not only did I see it, I heard it, too." To bolster her credibility, she added, "It was about a quarter of an hour before your servant found us."

"What do you want?" Zhao Zheng’s voice was as cold as ice.

"My request is simple: one thousand taels of silver for your lead, and no third person shall ever know about what happened at the teahouse."

Zhao Zheng snapped his fan shut. "Deal."

He turned and strode out of the room.

Shen Jifeng called out to him, "There is one thing you should know, Third Uncle: when Second Aunt left, there were tears in the corners of her eyes. She was quite heartbroken."

Zhao Zheng’s back stiffened, but he said nothing and walked away.

Wei Xiao chuckled. "The Princess is truly ruthless, striking at the heart."

"Who told him to try and scheme against me? He deserves it!" Shen Jifeng, having won a complete victory, was bubbling over with delight.

***

Jinchai watched the two of them exchange cryptic remarks, feeling puzzled. During the short time she had been away buying spicy snacks, how had the relationship between the Princess and the guard, Ma, become so unusual?

The three of them headed home. Passing the weathered gates of the General's residence, Jinchai couldn't help but ask, "General Wei is truly strange. He lets his estate fall into such disrepair; he isn't afraid of being laughed at? Even for commoners, there are few whose front gates are as dilapidated as this."

"He hasn't returned yet, has he? Perhaps he hasn't had the time to renovate," Shen Jifeng replied.

Wei Xiao, riding slowly on his horse, remarked, "Could it be that he has no money?"

Shen Jifeng caught a hint of helplessness in his tone. Before she could ponder it further, Jinchai laughed, "That’s impossible. As the General of the South, he wiped out Nanyue in one stroke. Who knows how many rewards he received? Do you think he’s a pauper like you?"

"I wonder if General Wei is easy to get along with. After all, we are neighbors."

"Close the door and live your own life; whether he's easy to get along with doesn't really matter," Shen Jifeng said, completely indifferent.

Wei Xiao watched her reaction calmly. She truly did not look like someone who had ever crossed paths with him; it seemed the matter of the military pay was likely unrelated to her.

That evening, Qiu Feng returned to report that the person who had bought the lead was indeed the Prince of Yan, Zhao Zheng.

Shen Jifeng counted on her fingers. Her Fourth Uncle went without saying—he would only help her, never harm her. Her Third Uncle wanted a piece of the pie. What role would her Second Uncle play? He surely wouldn't just stand by and watch.

He was the biological son of the Imperial Noble Consort and the older brother of Princess Chengping. And Eunuch Bao? Shen Jifeng finally had an epiphany: the three of them—mother, son, and daughter—shared the same fate, prospering or suffering together.

However, her Second Uncle held a certain prestige in court and had countless capable men under his command. If he really wanted to incite a riot through Feng Da, there were endless ways to do it without leaving a trail. Using Eunuch Bao would be too foolish; that was clearly not her Second Uncle's style.

Either the Imperial Noble Consort or Princess Chengping had to be the mastermind. She would just have to pick one and test the waters.