Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 86 The Wealthy Royal Family

"The Prince of Huai ascended to immortality, and the immortals welcomed the Crown Prince back..."

The sound of dirges echoed through the courtyard of Qiwang Mountain Pavilion. If one did not look at the chaotic scene, one would indeed feel a sense of sorrow.

When Zhang Dai returned from his stroll, he found that under Yan Yunnan's organization and leadership, his squad's training was progressing smoothly, and everyone was practicing very diligently. After all, if something were to happen at such an important funeral, the stain would follow them for life.

Zhang Dai returned to the group and practiced with them for nearly an hour. After everyone dispersed to rest, he also strolled around and played in the water. Seeing that there were still trucks coming and going in the Shanting Courtyard, he couldn't help but sigh at how wealthy the Qi Prince's family truly was.

He wasn't deliberately trying to lure Wang Yuanbao with half-truths; the key was that he didn't know anything about the Qi Wang family yet. He wanted to get on Wang Yuanbao's good side first, which would make his subsequent persuasion of the Qi Wang family more convincing. Besides, keeping Wang Yuanbao in suspense would make it easier to extract information about Wei Jian from him.

Although he was quite curious that such a large Qiwang Mansion was actually run by a young woman named Yunyang County Princess, it was a good thing for Zhang Dai.

He didn't know the Princess Consort or the Prince of Hedong at all, but he had met the County Princess a few times. Moreover, Zhang Dai was quite narcissistic and felt that the County Princess must have a good impression of him. He was also quite attracted to the County Princess's looks and personality.

While everyone rested, he went to the Prince of Qi's residence again. Thinking of the distressed look on the face of the Princess of Yunyang yesterday, he wanted to share her burdens. As Wang Yuanbao said, with such a large amount of money and silk deposited there, even if he wanted to run away, he couldn't go very far. Besides, would the Prince of Qi's family be afraid of him running away?
Although the risk is not great, whether it will succeed ultimately depends on whether the county magistrate of Yunyang is willing to believe in himself.

The number of people attending the funeral at the Prince's residence today is less than yesterday, as a considerable number of them have already gone to the Imperial Palace to arrange for the temporary burial site. The funeral for Prince Qi will also be held in the Imperial Palace in the Eastern Capital.

After bypassing the mourning hall tent in the front hall, Zhang Dai waited outside the Yongxiang alley for quite a while before a maidservant from the county princess's side came out. He went forward and asked her to convey his request to see the county princess. After waiting for more than a quarter of an hour, a servant led him inside.

This time, Princess Yunyang did not receive Zhang Dai in the previous pavilion, but under a curtain in the inner courtyard. The princess looked even thinner and more haggard than yesterday, and her voice was even more hoarse: "This servant has come to report to my brother that he has something to say?"

"These are just some random thoughts of mine. If I have said anything inappropriate, please forgive me, Your Highness."

Zhang Dai knew that this topic was a bit too intimate, so he first apologized and then said, "Yesterday, I heard the county magistrate's plan for her family affairs. She put a lot of thought into it, and I would also like to offer my humble opinion."

Although the county princess's plan is thorough, a proper burial is ultimately a matter of mourning, and sending such a large amount of property westward would be unsightly and subtly damage Emperor Huiwen's reputation. A more balanced approach would likely be more appropriate.

Upon hearing this, Princess Yunyang frowned deeply. She sighed softly and then said to Zhang Dai, "I'm so sorry that I've troubled you with such worries, brother. I did have my concerns; I originally intended to sell lighter goods, but even lighter goods are still quite numerous..."

"I once met a merchant in the southern part of the city..."

Seeing that the county magistrate was also troubled by this, Zhang Dai immediately recounted in a low voice what he had discussed with Wang Yuanbao, and then said, "I know it's difficult for the county magistrate to make a decision so quickly..."

"It's not difficult at all. I understand what you're saying, and this method is indeed convenient. The only question is, do you think Wang Yuanbao is trustworthy?"

The county magistrate of Yunyang gestured to Zhang Dai that he didn't need to explain further, and then gazed at him intently as she asked him a question.

Being stared at so closely by those beautiful eyes, Zhang Dai felt a little embarrassed. After a moment's thought, he said, "Whether this disciple is trustworthy is secondary. Once the Wangfu's wealth is accounted for, it will be sealed away in the Eastern Capital."

Once the full amount of money and goods has been transferred from Chang'an, the seal will be lifted in Luoyang. If the amount from Chang'an is insufficient, the money and goods in Luoyang will remain. I will oversee the process, but the county magistrate must also trust me…”

"I trust you, my brother! You are a man of noble character and lofty integrity, and you have no reason to be troubled by this. Yet you have devised a plan for me. I trust you, my brother!"

The Princess of Yunyang said solemnly, which deeply moved Zhang Dai. However, he was so shocked that he was speechless for a moment. The Princess of Yunyang continued, "However, if all the accumulated wealth in the household is counted, it may exceed one million strings of cash."

Some of these were things I hadn't originally intended to take with me, but since you've offered this convenient plan, I might as well take this opportunity to clarify things. Therefore, I'll likely need to trouble you and Wang Yuanbao to discuss the specifics further.”

"This... I... I will inform Wang Yuanbao again and see if he can meet my needs."

Zhang Dai now understood the astonishment Wang Yuanbao had felt at his home earlier. You Li Tang imperial family really deserve to die! I couldn't even have exaggerated your actual situation!

In the Tanglong Coup, Li Longji and others executed Empress Wei, and Princess Changning, the daughter of Emperor Zhongzong, was also convicted and forced to leave the capital. She sold the timber and stone materials of her house in Xijing and obtained 2 billion coins, which is equivalent to 2 million strings of cash.

The political climate during the Kaiyuan era was far more enlightened than during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, and the power and arrogance of the imperial clan were effectively controlled. However, as the emperor's younger brother, Prince Qi had received numerous favors over the years, and with the increase in his assets, it was quite normal that his wealth in Luoyang now exceeded one million strings of cash.

Zhang Dai couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Although everyone lived under the same sky, the things people possessed and enjoyed were worlds apart, and even the units of measurement they used in daily life were probably different. However, he quickly composed himself and brought up another question, which was also his real purpose: "The mansion must contain many imperial gifts, which should not be allowed to circulate among the common people. When inventorying them, should we carefully examine them and report the matter to the emperor?"

The wealth in Prince Qi's mansion could not be transported back to Chang'an by the cartloads; instead, it had to remain in Luoyang to replenish the local treasury.

As for the transaction in Chang'an, it involved money and goods that Wang Yuanbao had raised locally. Essentially, he bought up all of Prince Qi's property in Luoyang and then paid him in Chang'an. If there were any prohibited items among the imperial court items, they naturally couldn't be allowed to circulate freely among the people.

“Brother, your thinking is truly meticulous. I had not considered this matter for the time being. Of course, I dare not let the gifts bestowed by the palace flow out. This time, what I have given is only the floating wealth of my family. However, it is indeed necessary to report this matter. The Duke of Bohai will be entering the residence later. Brother, could you stay here with me for a while and wait for the Duke of Bohai to arrive?”

The Lady of Yunyang, being limited in experience and unable to consider certain aspects, nodded quickly upon hearing Zhang Dai's reminder.

Zhang Dai had no objection to this; in fact, he quite liked to get along with the county magistrate. Moreover, his enthusiasm for this matter was secondary; he hadn't even considered the profit issue at all. Instead, he wanted to use it to build connections with higher-level people, giving him more room to maneuver when things went wrong.

So he temporarily withdrew from the tent and waited for Gao Lishi's arrival in a pavilion in the inner courtyard. During the wait, he saw eunuchs and servants from the mansion frequently coming to the tent to ask for instructions and report matters, indicating that the household affairs were indeed being managed by this young county princess.

As evening fell, Gao Lishi arrived to convey an imperial decree, and Zhang Dai, along with the others, went out to greet him. Afterwards, the Princess of Yunyang had someone invite Gao Lishi into her tent, and a while later, Zhang Dai was also summoned in.

"Zhang Liu, please recount the events again. How should we handle this specifically?"

Gao Lishi had already heard a general outline from the county magistrate, but it was still somewhat unclear, so he asked Zhang Dai to explain it further.

Zhang Dai did not directly explain his ideas for developing the flying money industry; he merely introduced the steps involved in transferring the wealth of the Prince of Qi.

After listening, Gao Lishi slowly nodded and said, "This is indeed a good plan that makes things convenient for people. The young prince and the county princess have lost their beloved father. It would be too much for them to deal with such complicated family matters while they are grieving. Your plan is of great benefit to people. I will go back and ask the emperor for his approval before we can put it into action."

Upon hearing Gao Lishi's words, the Princess of Yunyang felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders and gave Zhang Dai a grateful look.

Zhang Dai saw Gao Lishi off, and before he left, he stepped forward and whispered, "I am offering this plan not only to facilitate the transfer of Prince Qi's family wealth, but also because I have some ulterior motives. Duke Bohai is experienced in human affairs, so I humbly request your advice."

"Oh? What other plans do you have?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Lishi also became curious. Since he had to return to the palace to report, he had his servants give Zhang Dai a horse and let him follow him out of the house, talking as they walked.

"This matter actually involves a business venture. I previously conspired with the wealthy merchant Wang Yuanbao to devise a convenient method for transferring money and goods between the two capitals..."

Zhang Dai mounted his horse and rode alongside Gao Lishi, trailing half a horse's length behind. As they rode, he explained the business model of Flying Money.

Seeing Gao Lishi's thoughtful expression, he said, "The difficulty in this matter lies in gaining people's trust, but if we can successfully transfer the Prince of Qi's vast wealth to him, we will surely become famous in both capitals and be praised by everyone. At that time, there will be many people who will benefit from it, and we will definitely be rolling in wealth."

Money and silk are tempting, but people's hearts are treacherous. Although I have this plan, I fear I am too weak and powerless to control it. Therefore, I humbly ask, would the Duke of Bohai be willing to lend me a hand and share in the spoils?

The "flying money" model isn't particularly ingenious; it's simply a matter of capital, connections, and influence. As long as you have these three things, you can start it anytime.

Zhang Dai didn't expect to monopolize it or profit from it in the long run. If he could build a small circle of people with shared interests, it would be much more meaningful than simply making a profit.

His grandfather has now faded from the political scene and is no longer in charge of national affairs. Moreover, his days are numbered. The most reliable and powerful patron he can find now is Gao Lishi, so of course he wants to try to recruit him.

He wasn't worried about being usurped. Without power, he was just a mouse feeding the cat. If he could manage this matter well, why would Gao Lishi kick him out?

Gao Lishi was no fool. After listening to Zhang Dai's account, he immediately realized the enormous potential hidden in this matter and began to daydream about it.

"It's fortunate that you are kind-hearted, not greedy or impatient, and know how to respect the elderly. You never forget to inform others when you think of good things, otherwise you would be completely unaware of being embezzled in the future."

He did not answer Zhang Dai's request directly, but pondered for a moment, and then looked at him with a smile and asked, "This Wang Yuanbao is indeed no ordinary merchant. He has a powerful backer. Can you guess who he relies on?"

(End of this chapter)