Chapter 56 Fine Salt Profits

Chapter 56 Fine Salt Dividends

Due to the flood incident, the Xiao family lost control of Hexi Commandery, lost their Vice Minister of Works position, Prince Jiannan was placed under confinement, and additionally, the Guizhou Prefect Fan Ze died in prison.

One setback after another—while not devastating, it clearly weakened their influence. They urgently needed to expand their voice in the court.

An elder proposed marrying several of the Xiao family’s newly come-of-age daughters into the households of officials ranked third-rank or higher.

The direct lineages of these prominent families typically married within their own clan, with their proteges, or directly into the royal family, but there were no restrictions on marriages between the younger members of collateral lines.

Such relationships allowed several families to form alliances, standing together when interests aligned and gaining a firmer foothold in the court.

In times of conflicting interests, these collateral ties could be easily discarded.

However, among the officials of third-rank or higher in the court, almost all had intricate connections with the Four Great Families.

This proposed marriage alliance would not resolve the Xiao family’s current predicament.

After all, these high-ranking officials already had their allegiances—how could they abandon their previous dependencies and switch to supporting the Xiao clan just by marrying a Xiao daughter?

Thus, if the Xiao family wanted influence, they had to focus on those "pure ministers."

Pure ministers were exceedingly rare in the court. After much deliberation, it was the patriarch, Xiao Yao, who suggested having Prince Jiannan marry Su Sheng’s youngest daughter.

How deeply Su Sheng cherished this youngest daughter was known throughout the capital.

He undoubtedly hoped for a good marriage for his daughter, so when rumors spread about Su Xier and An Wuji’s engagement, no one was surprised.

But after the incident at the auction, Su Xier and An Wuji’s engagement was completely canceled.

Now Su Xier was sixteen years old, the age for considering marriage proposals. If Prince Jiannan could marry her as his principal consort, both the prince himself and the Xiao family would gain Su Sheng as a powerful ally, making the Xiao family stronger than before.

Of course, in the past, Xiao Yao would not have taken such a risk.

But now, with the capital in turmoil, he felt it acceptable to employ more radical methods.

When the Grand Empress Dowager received the message he sent in, she was actually displeased.

Given the current instability in the capital, Su Sheng, as a pure minister, had a natural connection to the emperor. Even if Su Xier married Prince Jiannan, he would not wholeheartedly support them.

However, after seeing Baili Hai’s gaze toward Chu Jiubian, Xiao Ruohan could no longer sit still.

Compared to the risk of Baili Hai being hoodwinked and led astray by Chu Jiubian, marrying Su Xier seemed like a far wiser decision.

The Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, with the Grand Empress Dowager publicly bestowing the marriage, meant no one but the emperor had the authority to object.

Even the emperor could not outright refuse; if word spread of internal strife within the royal family, particularly between the emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager, it would not bode well for Baili Hong’s reign.

Xiao Ruohan smiled with maternal kindness at Su Xier, who stood in the hall with a lowered gaze.

She was indeed a lovely girl, with excellent character and accomplishments—few young ladies in the capital could match her.

Xiao Ruohan grew more satisfied the longer she looked and couldn’t help glancing toward Baili Hai seated beside her.

The young man’s expression was gentle; he showed a moment of surprise upon hearing about the arranged marriage but quickly regained his composure and sat obediently, displaying no dislike or resistance.

Xiao Ruohan’s smile deepened.

But Su Xier, under the scrutiny of countless eyes, had turned pale.

How could this be?

She had merely performed a talent like the other young ladies—how did it lead to an arranged marriage?

She had never met Prince Jiannan but had heard of his incompetence causing the Hexi Commandery flood, which killed many commoners.

Moreover, he was one with the Xiao family. If she married him, wouldn’t it force her father to choose a faction?

For a moment, she felt transported back to that heart-pounding auction, to the day Zhao Xi died.

At the end of Zhao Xi’s brief final letter, it read: "Pulled into the scheme, I was unable to resist, only pushed forward."

Su Xier had not understood it before and had always resented Zhao Xi’s actions.

But only now did she truly understand, grasping the helplessness and pain Zhao Xi must have felt.

In this game of power, no one could remain detached forever. Sooner or later, everyone would be swept into this whirlpool of chaos, powerless to break free.

"Please treasure yourself, please leave the capital, and do not follow in my footsteps."

These were the closing words on Zhao Xi’s final letter.

Su Nian'er had also said, "Big sister also hoped you could leave the capital."

But Su Xier had not planned to leave. She only wanted to stay with her family. She had even given up dreaming of marrying someone she loved, focusing instead on the state examinations, hoping to enter the National Academy and become a female court official serving the country.

But now, she finally realized that staying in the capital might not have been a wise decision.

She looked up toward the high seat and saw her father’s tall, upright figure—like a mountain, always standing before her and her family, shielding them from wind and rain.

This was where she differed from Zhao Xi.

Zhao Xi’s father, a second-rank official, could not protect her and even used her as a pawn.

But Su Sheng was different; he was a truly good father.

And as a First-Rank Minister, he would surely protect his daughter.

Su Xier felt a sense of calm, yet a fire seemed to ignite within her.

She did not want to hide behind her father; she wanted to stand alongside him, become his pride and his right arm!

High above, Su Sheng’s eyes turned cold as ice.

He maintained his bent posture in salute, temple veins bulging.

The Xiao family had targeted his daughter—what a vicious scheme!

Chu Jiubian squinted slightly, his gaze fixed on Su Sheng.

Qin Xiao also watched this "pure minister," the Minister of Revenue.

They did not immediately ask Baili Hong to speak up for Su Xier primarily because they wanted to see what Su Sheng would do.

With a mysterious vassal prince backing him, if the emperor remained silent, Su Sheng might have to rely on his patron in the shadows to save Su Xier.

Or perhaps he would abandon his daughter and continue concealing the existence of his backer.

How would this famous Minister Su choose?

Su Sheng remained silent and did not refute; he was waiting.

He was waiting to gauge Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s stance. On the surface, he had always been a minister loyal to the emperor's reign. When he encountered trouble, the emperor should defend him.

Otherwise, the other loyal ministers in the court would inevitably grow disheartened.

"If I serve you, yet you cannot protect me and my family, then as the saying goes, 'A fine bird chooses a tree to nest in'—why shouldn’t I seek another branch?"

Thus, though furious, Su Sheng was not panicking.

At this moment, it was a test of who could hold their composure longer.

The hall was eerily quiet. Baili Hong had long put down his chopsticks and stopped eating the pastry on the table.

His eyes swept over everyone present. His young mind was working hard, though his thoughts remained vague and unorganized. He didn't understand the significance of the events unfolding, nor could he discern what these people were truly thinking.

One breath, two breaths...

After some time, a voice finally broke the silence: "Is Minister Su so overjoyed? Has he even forgotten how to thank His Majesty?"

All eyes immediately turned toward the source.

Baili Hai rose from his seat, a smile on his face, and approached Su Sheng, taking him by the arm: "There’s no need for such formalities, Minister. To marry your daughter would be my honor."

Out of the corner of his eye, Su Sheng noticed Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao remained still, as if they had no intention of helping him reject this marriage proposal.

How could this be?

Had they already discovered his ties to another faction?

But how was that possible?

He had always been cautious and believed he had never left any clues.

If not, why were these two "failing to rescue him"?

Su Sheng's heart turned cold. It seemed there were only two paths before him.

One was to protect his daughter but expose his backer; the other was to sacrifice his daughter to protect both his backer and the entire Su family.

Between one daughter and the whole Su family, the choice seemed clear.

But...

Su Sheng’s breathing grew heavy, his eyes grew sore.

His lips trembled slightly, and when he spoke, his voice was unrecognizably hoarse: "Your Highness honors me too much..."

Just as he was about to continue, a clear, childish voice came from the main seat: "Prince Jiannan, you must be joking."

In an instant, Su Sheng’s legs weakened, and he almost knelt.

The back of his robe was drenched in cold sweat. The feeling of narrowly escaping disaster left him both relieved and burdened.

The emperor had spoken after all.

But Su Sheng knew he had incurred another debt to Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

At the same time, he was certain these two had sensed his ties to another faction.

They simply lacked concrete evidence and had seized this chance to test him. Whether he passed this test remained unknown.

Would there be more such tests in the future?

Su Sheng finally straightened up, his back straight again.

Baili Hai turned to Baili Hong, his smile unchanged: "Your Majesty, I do not jest."

Earlier, Hong Fu, following Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian’s signals, had quietly instructed Baili Hong to interrupt Su Sheng.

He had only taught him that one line. Now, facing Baili Hai, the child probably didn't know what to say next.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian exchanged a glance, preparing to take over, when the child spoke again.

"The Emperor and Empress have only recently passed away," Baili Hong said, his large eyes round and bright, clear and untainted. "Prince Jiannan, you are not yet of age. How can you not wait out the three-year mourning period?"

His voice was crisp and innocent, his question sincere.

His uncle had told him that after parents pass away, children must observe a mourning period.

During mourning, one should abstain from meat, refrain from holding lavish banquets, and certainly must not discuss marriage.

Unless the parents or other elders left a "dying wish" for their children to marry, only then could a wedding take place during mourning, which might earn them a reputation for "pure filial piety."

Though rules are rigid and people flexible, and the royal family’s circumstances are unique—major banquets must still be held, and a child like Baili Hong was not made to abstain from meat lest he become malnourished—so he was exempt.

But Prince Jiannan was the late Emperor’s son, and the late Empress was his mother in name. It had only been three months since their passing, yet he was already thinking of marriage.

This is not proper.

Baili Hong’s question hit the mark, leaving the hall in silence.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, the child instinctively looked toward Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

Seeing them calm and composed, he puffed up his small chest, confident he had spoken correctly.

From the moment Xiao Ruohan proposed the marriage to Baili Hong’s question, everyone had only seen Eunuch Hong whisper briefly in Baili Hong’s ear.

In such a short time, he could only have instructed him to interrupt Su Sheng’s unfinished words.

So, now Baili Hong was truly speaking on his own.

The ministers nearby were all shrewd observers; they immediately realized this fact, and their hearts grew heavy.

Dozens of eyes fell on Baili Hong, then glanced at Qin Xiao, Chu Jiubian, and Eunuch Hong, who stood waiting attentively behind Baili Hong.

These three adults were each more formidable than the next.

Now they realized that even this young emperor was not an ordinary child.

But upon reflection, it made sense. Baili Hong carried the bloodline of the Qin family, inherited from Grand Marshal Qin, and was taught by figures like Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian. He could hardly be mediocre.

For a moment, everyone felt tremendous pressure.

The weight pressing upon them seemed to grow taller and heavier.

Baili Hai gazed into the child’s clear eyes, still gentle in demeanor, and explained: "Your Majesty, I do not intend to marry immediately, but to become engaged."

Baili Hong looked toward Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, blinking his large, innocent eyes.

This is a cry for help; the girl doesn't know what to do next.

Chu Jiubian smirked, looking down as he sipped his wine.

Qin Xiao leaned back against the armrest and said, "Marriage is about mutual willingness and proper rites, with three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts. If Prince Jiannan must observe three years of filial mourning, should he also make the young woman wait for three years?"

Baili Hai glanced at him: "The Su family's daughter is just sixteen. Even after three years, she will still be in the bloom of youth, an ideal age for marriage."

"If there is genuine intent to marry, even without a formal betrothal, the young lady would wait three years," Qin Xiao said, leaving no room for face. "But if there is no such intent, Your Highness would be forcing a marriage."

The Xiao family was already coercing the match, and while everyone knew it, no one would actually say it aloud.

But Qin Xiao not only said it, he made it even clearer: "Such a reputation must not spread, lest people say the Great Ning imperial family throws its weight around."

Su Sheng, a savvy man, immediately played along: "Your words are too severe, Lord Prince Ning. I believe Prince Jiannan and the Grand Empress Dowager have good intentions, but my daughter is too unrefined and truly undeserving of such honor. Thus, the matter of an imperial marriage is indeed inappropriate. Let not my daughter be made a fool or sully the prince's name."

With things put so bluntly, if the Xiao family continued to press for the marriage, it would truly be forcing the issue.

Xiao Ruohan shared a look with Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan, who hadn't spoken a word throughout, then smiled and said, "Very well, very well. It was merely my liking for the Su girl that led to this whim, stirring up such controversy."

"Since that's the case, I will say no more about this marriage," she said. "However, the Su girl has indeed caught my fancy. When you have time, come to the palace to keep an old woman company."

Su Sheng quickly bowed in agreement.

Su Xier, who had been standing at the lower tables all along, also curtsied gracefully with her father. Though her face was pale, she seemed steady.

She certainly knows how to hold her nerve, everyone thought.

With Xiao Ruohan saying this, Baili Hai could not press further, as if he were eager to marry.

Thus, everyone returned to their seats, the banquet resumed, and the other young ladies took turns performing.

Perhaps frightened by what had just happened, their performances fell flat.

Su Xier sat in her seat, only then realizing her back was drenched in cold sweat. In front of her, Mrs. Su sat with her hands clenched and shaking visibly, her face even paler than Su Xier's.

Clearly, she was terrified.

Su Xier felt her heart ache, but on such an occasion, she could not comfort her.

Apart from this minor incident, the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet went off without further incident.

When the banquet ended and they returned home, Mrs. Su immediately took her daughter's hand and led her into her courtyard, then began directing servants to pack things.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Su Xier asked urgently.

Mrs. Su gripped her hand tightly, her eyes reddening, her voice choked as she spoke: "Pack all your things. At dawn, you will go to your grandparents' home in Suzhou. I will write a letter to your grandmother. Stay there from now on and don't come back to the capital!"

Today's events had truly frightened her.

Though Prince Jiannan was known to be virtuous, she had heard from Su Sheng that this prince was not as gentle as he appeared.

She did not understand the intricacies of officialdom, nor did she care about the struggles between noble families. She simply did not want her daughter to marry someone as hypocritical as Prince Jiannan.

Nor did she want her daughter entangled in the troubled waters of the capital.

So, sending her away was the best option!

"Mother, I won't go!" Su Xier's tears fell instantly. "I want to stay, I want to be with you and Father!"

"Good child, you must listen to me this time," Mrs. Su said firmly.

She knew that Empress Dowager Xiao would find opportunities to summon Xier into the palace—that woman had not given up on scheming against her daughter!

Su Xier sobbed bitterly, throwing herself into her mother's arms and sobbing, "I won't go. Mother, I won't go!"

Su Sheng returned home after mingling briefly with other officials and went straight to his daughter's courtyard.

Seeing the servants busily packing, he paused for a moment, then entered the inner room and found mother and daughter sitting together, both in tears.

"Father," Su Xier stood up to bow.

Su Sheng quickly waved her up, then sat down beside her.

But he could only look at his daughter, unable to speak.

Mrs. Su choked back sobs, fighting to control herself, but finally burst out, glaring at him: "Su Sheng! Are you satisfied now!"

She had never addressed her husband by his full name like this before; it showed how furious she was.

Su Xier was startled and quickly held her mother's hand.

Su Sheng looked at his wife but remained silent.

"Why did you hesitate today?!" Mrs. Su's teeth clenched. "If the Emperor hadn't spoken up, would you have agreed to this marriage!"

Su Sheng's hesitation and pain were well hidden, but Mrs. Su, having been married to him since their youth, knew him too well. She knew he had hesitated.

Naturally, Su Xier knew too.

If the Emperor hadn't interrupted her father's unfinished words, perhaps she would already be...

But she did not blame her father. His devotion to her was real, so in such a situation, he must have been the one suffering the most.

"You're always busy with this and that, with the entire Su family, but what about our daughter?" Mrs. Su's tears streamed down. "For the sake of those outsiders, for the sake of your patron, you would sacrifice our daughter's entire life!"

"That woman's child is more important than the one I bore, isn't it!" Even in her rage, Mrs. Su kept her voice down, ensuring it wouldn't carry outside.

Su Sheng knit his brows but said nothing.

Finally, he gave Su Xier a deep look, stood up, and walked out.

But before stepping through the door, he paused and said hoarsely, "Once things settle here, I will bring you back."

He did not look back, striding out after speaking.

Su Xier gazed numbly at the doorway, her heart pounding.

Slowly, she shifted her gaze to her mother, who was crying uncontrollably, and asked softly, forcing back her sobs, "Who is that woman? Father, he... he isn't..."

Not a loyal minister.

Their Su family was never truly the faction of pure integrity they claimed to be!

It's all the same.

So everyone is the same after all!

Su Xier let out a soft laugh and raised her hand to wipe away her tears.

"I'll go."

"I'm leaving."

What imperial exams, what bringing honor to the family, what serving the people—even if she truly entered government service, she would merely be a pawn of some faction she herself wasn't even aware of.

From an insignificant speck of dust to a dispensable, inconspicuous yet existing pawn, always controlled.

She didn’t want to be controlled or to act against her conscience.

Leaving was probably the best choice.

Early the next morning.

When Chu Jiubian, dressed in his court robes, went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation for breakfast, only then did he learn that Su Xier was preparing to leave the capital.

He wasn’t actually surprised.

From their two brief encounters, he could tell the girl was spirited—otherwise, she wouldn’t have registered for the imperial exams.

But a girl with such spirit valued most her self-fulfillment.

And last night, Xiao Ruohan and Prince Jiannan’s actions had outright denied Su Xier’s value as a talented, driven individual, forcing her back into domestic life.

They used her marriage as a bargaining chip, leveraged the influence behind her, and intended to confine her to the women's quarters.

Amid the power struggles between factions, everyone discussed her marriage and her life.

Yet from beginning to end, no one had sought her opinion.

She must have realized that even if she matured and advanced, she was far from reaching a point where she could decide for herself.

After all, even her father, the current First-Rank Minister, had moments of powerlessness—how much more so for a young woman just starting out like her?

Her desire to fight for her own future seemed, under this absurd spectacle, to have turned into a joke.

She couldn't help the world or its people—she couldn’t even save herself.

She was just a passing figure in this power struggle, who wouldn't even be remembered by name.

No one knew she was Su Xier.

So her departure was, in fact, the most appropriate decision.

Leaving the capital meant broader horizons; perhaps she could still find an opportunity to begin again.

The departure of a young woman from a noble family only sparked two or three days of discussion in various households before everyone forgot about it.

On the evening of the third day after the palace banquet, Chu Jiubian also received the first installment of profits from the fine salt trade.

Dressed in a light, comfortable robe, he reclined casually on the soft couch in Yaotaiju, his long legs stretched out and taking up the entire couch.

On the floor were three large boxes of gleaming white silver, gleaming enticingly.

The palace servants had delivered the items and then all withdrew; even Xiao Xiangzi and the others were not in the room attending him.

Chu Jiubian lifted his eyes and looked at the man standing by the boxes, his gaze thoughtful.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Qin Xiao walked over to him and sat down directly next to his leg.

Chu Jiubian glanced at him, slightly shifting his leg inward but not pulling it back.

"The Qiu family just sent over a portion of the dividend silver, saying they were afraid the court might need it urgently. They’ll send the rest once the trade caravan returns."

Chu Jiubian let out a light scoff. "They’re being unexpectedly cooperative this time."

"Thanks to those two jugs of good wine you sent."

"Ten jugs," Chu Jiubian corrected.

Qin Xiao laughed. "Right, consider this as payment for the wine."

"Not enough."

"Then I’ll owe you for now." Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him, smiling. "Should I write you an IOU?"

Chu Jiubian ignored him.

Qin Xiao continued, "The fine salt trade should have given you a larger share, but the imperial treasury doesn't have much to spare at the moment. In the future, I’ll compensate you."

They hadn’t actually discussed the fine salt dividends before.

Chu Jiubian took for granted that all the dividends would first go to the imperial treasury, to fund the imperial exams and public works.

He truly hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to send him money.

But no one dislikes money, and Chu Jiubian was naturally happy to see this silver.

So much money—it had to be a thousand taels.

If all this money were given to Jiang Shuoye for steel production, progress could be accelerated.

But this was all official silver; using it would create a paper trail, and Qin Xiao would surely discover that the money had been spent in Mobei. Then his connection to Mobei would be exposed.

Chu Jiubian rested his cheek on his hand, tilting his head to look at the man, a questioning look in his eyes.

Did Qin Xiao genuinely just want to give him money to spend, or did he want to see how he would use the money?