Adhere to the gentleman's principles

The next day, the family was having dinner. At the table, Xu Zhiwan said, "Jun Ning, your mother and I are going to Yizhou today. Your father-in-law and your father don't know much about business. Today, people from Liangzhou and Bingzhou will come to buy cloth. In the next few days, people from the palace will come. You will be busy. You go to negotiate the sale of cloth this time. Bingzhou and Liangzhou often trade with each other, so it's not difficult to negotiate. It's mainly the people from the palace."

Zhao Junning was puzzled: "Why did the Pingliang Palace come to our Bianjing to sell cloth? Although Bianjing is the richest manufacturing area in the south, doesn't the palace have a special cloth-making factory?"

Xu Zhiwan said: "We will have to wait until they arrive to find out."

Li Ziyan said, "I came here to buy cloth, but I came here to check on the two generals. After all, of the four most powerful generals in the entire Wei Dynasty, one guards the borders of Bingzhou and Liangzhou, one guards the borders of Youzhou and the Great Wall, and the other two are in Bianjing but are relatives. It is inevitable that people will gossip about them. Everyone in the entire Wei Dynasty knows that these four most powerful generals have a good relationship. We have to come here to check on the two who stayed in the south to see if they have any tricks."

Zhao Junning listened carefully, and Li Yin said, "Yes, the people in Pingliang Palace have become much more suspicious in recent years."

Li Ziyan said, "In fact, it's not that His Majesty doesn't trust them, but the people around him" Zhao Junning said, "I understand, I will be more careful when dealing with them, and I don't know who the palace will let come this time." Li Ziyan said, "Maybe it will be the two most favored princes, the King of Qin and the Crown Prince."

Back in the house, Zhao Junning looked at Li Ziyan. Li Ziyan asked, "Why are you looking at me? I know you like me, but you don't have to look at me like that."

Zhao Junning said, "You are really narcissistic. I am curious about your thorough understanding of people and their hearts." Li Ziyan said, "Well, it is not difficult to understand people's hearts in this world." Zhao Junning asked, "Your Majesty has six sons, but why do you favor the King of Qin and the Crown Prince the most?" Li Ziyan said, "It's very simple. The King of Qin is smart and kind, and knows how to use good people. He is a good candidate to be a monarch. The Crown Prince is the legitimate son of the Queen. He is also smart and knows how to use talents, but he is not suitable to be an emperor. He is cruel, jealous and soft-hearted."

Zhao Junning said: "But I have always heard that the King of Qin has always been very low-key and has no intention of becoming a monarch."

Li Ziyan said: "Yes, the King of Qin respects his brother very much, but of all the princes, the King of Qin is the most low-key and the most submissive. He just doesn't want to fight, but if he doesn't fight now, he will fight in the future."

Zhao Junning whispered, "Royal affairs are indeed complicated. Fortunately, I am an ordinary official's child in this life." Li Ziyan asked, "Zhao Junning? What did you say?"

Zhao Junning said, "Nothing. But why do you think the prince can't be the emperor?" Li Ziyan said, "A traitor will always have rebellious intentions. His Highness the prince is surrounded by experts who give him advice, but the people he keeps around him are all wicked. The prince is wicked to begin with, and with a few more scheming people around him, he will usurp the throne sooner or later."

After hearing this, Zhao Junning thought of Qin Zhuoyuan and thought: Brother Zhuoyuan is also with the prince, so what about him?

Li Ziyan saw Zhao Junning in a daze and asked, "What's wrong with you?" Zhao Junning came back to his senses and said, "It's okay. Then who do you think is the one who usurped the throne, compared to Prime Minister Wang Luozhong and the Crown Prince?"

Li Ziyan chuckled and took a sip of tea. "Although Wang Luozhong is also bad, he is a contradiction. He has two sons, Wang Zheng, who is unpromising and vulgar, and Wang Qi, who is simple-minded, kind and discerning. He is not the same as his father, so Wang Luozhong can't make much waves even if he wants to rebel. The prince is different. He has a token and soldiers. The mouths of all kinds around him are sure that the prince will succeed in usurping the throne. Wang Luozhong will only be the one who takes the blame and dies."

Zhao Junning added, "I have a childhood friend who is now very close to the prince. I wonder if he is also someone with bad intentions."

Li Ziyan said, "Most likely! But we have met this friend of yours, and you will know when you meet me and talk to me in the future." Li Ziyan smoothed Zhao Junning's frown and said, "Don't frown, you look best when you smile." Zhao Junning said, "You don't look good if I don't smile?"

Li Ziyan said, "I didn't say that." Zhao Junning said, "Ziyan, you are really amazing. You can see through so many people's hearts." Li Ziyan said, "I just don't like reading. I am amazing in other aspects. You will go to discuss business with those people today. Let Feizhou accompany you. Mo Yu is too reckless. Feizhou is steady."

Zhao Junning nodded. When they arrived at Yuchun Restaurant, people from Liangzhou and Bingzhou met Zhao Junning together. One was a young man, and the other was a middle-aged man. Zhao Junning bowed and said, "Sorry for the long wait."

The two said, "Not long ago, the wife of Marquis Guangping is really amazing. Yuchun Restaurant is becoming more and more prosperous." Zhao Junning said, "Yes, it is well organized without us taking care of it on weekdays."

The two introduced themselves. The middle-aged man said, "Young Madam, I am Yang Chuanli, the governor of Liangzhou." The young man said, "I am Jiang Yunchuan, the county magistrate of Xueyecheng, Bingzhou."

Zhao Junning bowed and said, "My name is Zhao Junning. My mother-in-law went to Yizhou to discuss some important matters, so I am here today to discuss business on her behalf."

Yang Chuanli smiled and said, "The young lady is the daughter of General Zhao! She is a beauty just like your mother. Your mother is also good at doing business. I heard that the big farm of Panyue Tower was opened by your mother. It is true that the people of generals are extraordinary. They are good at doing business and fighting. Isn't that right, brother Jiang?"

Jiang Yunchuan said, "Brother Yang is right. But let's talk business first." Zhao Junning said, "I do have the goods you two like, but I don't know how much they cost?"

Yang Chuanli said, "How about 30,000 taels for 50,000 pieces of cloth, 8,000 pieces of leather, 8,000 pieces of soft armor, and 50,000 kilograms of duck down?" Zhao Junning said, "Sir Yang, if I raise the price with you, would you be willing?" Yang Chuanli asked, "Of course I wouldn't."

Zhao Junning continued, "Duck down is actually commonly used in the north, especially in the military. Leather soft armor, ox horns, saddles, Lord Yang is not an ordinary Jiedushi. Liangzhou is located on the border to defend against foreign enemies, and the materials needed are countless. Lord Yang traveled thousands of miles to the south of the Yangtze River just to buy the best and most durable. I am also the daughter of a military household. I have heard from my parents that Lord Yang is located on the border and collects taxes. I know what Lord Yang is thinking. If I sell it at a high price, it means collecting more taxes. But Lord Yang is a good official who cares about the people. I don't want to make things difficult. I am willing to give up 30%, but Lord Yang wants to be a middleman to negotiate business for us. How about it?"

Yang Chuanli said, "I rarely see a woman like Madam Young. She is generous and never takes any loss, nor does she take more than she deserves." Zhao Junning said, "Businessmen are like this. They come and go to maximize their profits. I am not a god, and I cannot make everyone equal. I just see and hear everything, and I know it in my heart."

Yang Chuanli looked at Zhao Junning and smiled, saying, "Young Madam, no... it should be Boss Zhao. Boss Zhao is a businessman. I was wrong. I will make friends with you."

Jiang Yunchuan said, "I'm the same as Brother Yang." Zhao Junning then said, "Well, I made two profits today. Tomorrow we will sign and seal the contract and the goods will be delivered to Lord Yang in three months."

"Okay." Yang Chuanli looked at Zhao Junning with admiration and smiled, "Okay, fifty thousand taels is fifty thousand taels. I thought I could extort some money if your mother-in-law didn't come, but I didn't expect to miscalculate today. The young lady shouldn't be Boss Zhao. Boss Zhao is a businessman. I was wrong. I'll make friends with you."

Jiang Yunchuan said: "I am the same as Brother Yang."

Zhao Junning said: "Okay."

Yang Chuanli said: "If Boss Zhao opens his own store in the future, he will definitely be more powerful than he is now."

The three of them had a pleasant chat and left the restaurant. After walking out of the restaurant, Zhao Junning saw a familiar face. Upon closer inspection, it was Lu Wu.

Zhao Junning thought: Why is Lu Wu here? Yang Chuanli said: "Boss Zhao, if there is a chance, I will bring the strongest wine in Liangzhou next time."

Zhao Junning came back to his senses and said, "Okay, then Junning will wait for Lord Yang's wine."

Jiang Yunchuan said, "Brother Yang, now that you have the wine, I have to bring some meat from Bingzhou."

Zhao Junning added, "You two will celebrate the New Year in two days. The New Year in Bianjing has a different flavor than that in Liangzhou and Bingzhou."

Jiang Yunchuan said, "Boss Zhao is right. Brother Yang and I came here to celebrate the New Year before leaving. Now it's snowing heavily and it's hard to go back."

Zhao Junning said, "That's right." Jiang Yunchuan said, "It's getting late today. Boss Zhao, you should go home early. Brother Yang and I should also go back to the inn. The winter in your south is also very cold." Zhao Junning nodded and got on the carriage.