Shipin Dalizheng

Tang Tiantian didn't expect him to agree so easily, and she felt embarrassed. "Did I take advantage of you? This is something you can do on your own."

Rong Tang laughed heartily. "Your twenty thousand taels is barely enough for start-up capital. Since the Ministry of Revenue won't approve the money, the Ministry of Works has no money to operate. This major project will inevitably have to be privatized from state ownership. Wait a moment. I'll write a letter to Lord Sima for you to take back."

Rong Tang was worried that if the business was purely private, profits would incur the wrath of the imperial court, who would fabricate some trumped-up charges and seize the workshop. Since there was no way around it, he could only choose a relatively acceptable approach.

For example, private individuals could operate their own businesses, paying taxes based on their profits. Alternatively, private individuals could sign a shareholding agreement with the government, with the government providing blueprints and guidance for the craftsmen, while the private individuals would provide the funds, creating a mutually beneficial partnership.

He couldn't run this business alone, so he just needed to arrange the labor force of the seven villages he was responsible for to work reasonably.

Another thing is that he didn't intend to let any one company monopolize the market. The drawings had to be distributed everywhere. The more intense the competition in buying and selling, and the higher the price, the faster the water hose could become popular.

After writing several large contract templates and handing them to Tang Tiantian, he still had one last thing to tell her, "This is a serious matter. Your brother's reputation, even with the Sima family's name, may not be enough to stop some powerful people from finding fault. I suggest you find a backer, preferably a member of the royal family, who can help your brother in a critical moment."

Tang Tiantian's face flushed red, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito, "Can't you do it?"

Rong Tang was stunned and smiled bitterly, "Thank you for your consideration, but in Shangjing City, a prince from a baron's mansion is really not enough. Of course, I don't recommend that you look for a prince, as you will be caught in the vortex of the future succession dispute. This way, you can go to the Seventh Princess. Before the water dragon workshops are proliferating everywhere, she will be enough to block the calculations of those with ulterior motives."

Then he took off the card Zhao Ling had given him from his neck and said, "By the way, please return this to her for me and ask Empress Rong to be well."

Tang Tiantian nodded with a red face, and ran out like the wind, as if she was afraid that Rong Tang would catch up with her and stop her from leaving.

Rong Tang smiled and asked Li Jin to notify Rong Wanli to send the person back.

Chuncao groaned and chased after him for a few steps, "Why did you leave? I wanted to bring some sweet wine for Madam Tang."

Rong Tang bared her teeth. She really treated the other person as a real relative and forgot that her master was a fake.

He touched his chin and asked, "Chuncao, do I look scary to you? Miss Tang is scared when she sees me."

Chuncao looked at it carefully for a long time, and then compared it with the Sixth Miss in the past from her memory. Suddenly, she cried out in surprise, "Ah..."

Rong Tang was shocked.

Chuncao held up his face and said with great sorrow, "Master, you used to be white, but now you are black."

Tang Tiantian turned back at this time, "Prince Rong..."

The scene of Rong Tang and Chuncao looking at each other with their eyes locked made Tang Tiantian feel as if she was stabbed by a knife, and she suddenly had difficulty breathing.

"I'm sorry, my mother likes your sweet wine, I'm sorry..."

He couldn't explain what he was feeling sorry for, so he covered his face and ran away again.

Rong Tang: "..."

Chuncao: “…”

Rong Wanli, who was pulling the horse over, said in a gloomy tone, "Scumbag, heartless man."

Rong Tang was furious. "What do you mean? Explain it to me clearly."

Rong Wanli mounted his horse and ran away.

Chuncao felt a little embarrassed, and said sheepishly, "Miss Tang seems to have misunderstood." Then, she wanted to laugh herself, but forced herself to hold it back and went back to the backyard.

But in the backyard, an older sister, Huixiang, was waiting to scold her. "Chuncao, I know you and the prince have a special bond and might become a concubine in the future. But you can't be so shameless! Miss Tang will be the principal wife in the future, and now is the time to cultivate her relationship with the prince. If you keep flirting with him, it will affect their relationship. Either Miss Tang will regard you as a thorn in her side and torture you, or the prince will protect you from Miss Tang and he will be known as a man who favors his concubine over his wife. You, you..."

That's a disappointment.

Chuncao was stunned. "Oh, I... I... God, I feel more wronged than Dou E..."

Huixiang saw her expression of helplessness in explaining as her agreement, and her eyes became even more critical until someone appeared.

Rong Qianqi came back after helping to measure the land and wash his face. Huixiang immediately went to greet him, fetching water and handing him a towel, with a gentle smile and a fragrant smell.

Rong Qianqi thanked him, and it was Butler Tao's turn. Huixiang handed him the basin of water and said, "Butler Tao, please help yourself. I still need to make some sweet wine."

Butler Tao felt very embarrassed.

Chuncao: “Eh…oh…”

His eyes were fixed on Rong Qianqi, who was tall, good-looking, had a good temper, owned shares in a winery, and was single.

Huixiang passed by her, followed her gaze, saw "him", and blurted out, "What are you looking at Brother Qianqi doing?"

Chuncao narrowed her eyes and said, "You're right. I shouldn't focus on the master. Brother Qianqi is pretty good..."

"You are not allowed to have any thoughts about Brother Qianqi."

As soon as the words came out, Huixiang blushed, stomped her feet and ran away.

After the case was solved, Chuncao thought of Huizhen again. She delivered meals to the town three times a day and brought Rong Shen's clothes back to wash. If nothing happened between the two of them, she would bet that the young master would not be able to get married.

Okay, I bought them to do work, but they ended up setting their sights on the young master's personal bodyguard. What a thief.

"Master, I want to report that someone has robbed the company."

Butler Tao washed his hands and face, then went to see Rong Tang again. At this moment, Rong Tang's face was flickering inexplicably.

"After you return, tell the Madam that the Tang family's marriage cannot be canceled right now. She herself has been caught in the rain, so she should offer an umbrella to others. If she doesn't want to offer an umbrella, she shouldn't stab you in the back either. If you're really bored, go to the Fahua Temple outside East City and burn incense. If that still doesn't make you feel better, you can go back to Baimei Temple and reflect on the bitterness and sweetness of your life."

I overestimated Rongxiu, thinking that she had suffered so much and would sympathize with women. However, she had just climbed out of the fire pit and turned around and pointed the knife at other women.

Butler Tao replied with a "yes" and spoke well of Rong Xiu. "The Madam is not a bad-hearted person. She is wholeheartedly protecting you, the prince. It's just... Hey! In large families, this is how they educate their daughters. The old ladies in the mansions have exactly the same idea as her. I won't talk about others, but I'm afraid the Madam would have thought the same way when she was alive. When you get old, it's like this. Prince, be more patient with her and slowly let her know your thoughts."

Rong Shi looked at him and asked, "Do you also think her idea is okay?"

Butler Tao laughed. "This is not my business. I only know that the Crown Prince is my only master. If the Crown Prince tells me to go east, I will never go west. If the Crown Prince tells me to beat a dog, I will never chase a chicken. If you really want to ask, I have something to say. Almost everyone in Shangjing City, no, the entire Daiyue Kingdom, will choose to seek benefits and avoid harm when faced with such a situation. Especially since the Crown Prince's own reputation is already very bad, he will prioritize clearing his name and saving his reputation. However, I believe that the Crown Prince is a capable person. This little trouble is nothing to him. He will not even bother to hurt a woman to get himself out of trouble."

Rong Tang really had to look at Butler Tao with new eyes. Although he was a servant, he had his own understanding. He had to admit that in some aspects, the vision of women like Rong Xiu was greatly limited.

There are very few women in the world who have independent thinking and ability to handle things like He Jing and Wu Ji. Most of them are assimilated by etiquette, and they want to confine themselves and others.