My husband is not easy to mess with. - Chapter 7: A Good Business Partner
Chapter 7: A Good Business Partner
One million taels was not a small sum.
Moreover, Nie Yao demanded that the money come from the New Emperor’s private coffers; the national treasury was absolutely off-limits.
“That is natural.”
The New Emperor accepted calmly.
From beginning to end, he presented himself as generous and straightforward. He didn’t dock the silver Nie Yao earned for taking the blame, nor did he haggle over the price to mobilize the troops.
This gave Nie Yao a good impression of him.
Finally, Nie Yao pointed out one thing, “Regarding the ownership of the Zhang family’s assets after they are dealt with, does Your Majesty have any opinion?”
The New Emperor had no opinion.
He allowed Nie Yao to deal with it as he saw fit.
Wealthy people were truly different; they could casually dismiss such a vast sum.
The New Emperor stepped past a bookshelf.
He pressed a seemingly random spot on the wall behind it.
“Rumble—”
A secret door opened.
The New Emperor entered first. Nie Yao didn’t know his intention but followed the invitation inside.
Initially, Nie Yao remained vigilant, preventing the New Emperor from playing any tricks to capture him.
But when he reached the end of the secret passage.
He was stunned.
The entire room was filled with gold, silver, jewels, and many objects whose value was clearly immense at a glance.
There were too many treasures.
The sight made Nie Yao’s eyes swim.
At this moment, his emotions were incredibly complex.
One must know that the New Emperor hadn’t avoided him at all when bringing him here!
The route to this place was now clearly imprinted in Nie Yao’s mind. If he wanted to, he could come and empty the place at any time.
“Your Majesty…” Nie Yao closed his eyes and told the New Emperor with a somewhat melancholic tone, “I used to be a bandit, specializing in robbing rich people who had too much money to spend.”
“I know.”
The New Emperor’s tone was still unconcerned. “So what? Does Lord Nie want to rob me?”
No, not really.
Nie Yao didn’t have that idea for the time being.
His subordinates were good at fighting, but managing a country was completely out of the question. In that regard, they were utterly incompetent.
Nie Yao had no desire to be the Emperor.
No one in his family wanted to.
Therefore, as long as the New Emperor could be open-minded about the Nie family’s excessive power, they could coexist peacefully.
But from a historical perspective, this was almost impossible.
That was why Nie Yao had prepared early to fall out with the New Emperor, stockpiling troops in the capital. The day the New Emperor could no longer tolerate the Nie family would be the time for a dynastic change.
“Is Your Majesty showing off his wealth to your subject?” Nie Yao countered.
Showing off wealth?
The New Emperor was a little dazed; he hadn’t heard that phrase in a long time.
Since the Young General had abandoned him and gone to the border.
He hadn’t heard it again.
After all these years, he was still the same.
Never concealing his extraordinary side.
“Take whatever you want, Lord Nie.” The New Emperor lowered his eyes, and those brilliant, clear, jewel-like eyes were instantly tinged with two parts gloom.
Afterward, he didn’t bother with Nie Yao and returned to his sleeping quarters alone.
Nie Yao was somewhat baffled by his actions.
They were fine just a moment ago, so why was he suddenly unhappy?
Why was this xiăogēr so temperamental?
Nie Yao didn’t take anything from the treasure vault. He looked around and found no other exit, so he had to return to the New Emperor’s sleeping quarters via the path they had taken.
The New Emperor was already asleep.
Seeing this, Nie Yao was speechless and choked up.
—Was he too trusting of him?
Completely undefended.
What if he was some traitor or rebel? He could easily take his life tonight!
Nie Yao was frustrated by his lack of ambition.
He stood by the New Emperor’s bed, bent down, and reached out to pinch the sleeping man’s cheek.
Smooth and tender.
Just like when he was a child.
Nie Yao hadn’t touched him in over a decade and was momentarily addicted.
Engrossed in pinching the gēr, he didn’t notice that the beautiful face, which had been slightly frowning under his hands, slowly relaxed under his kneading.
Unconsciously, the fair, tender cheek even actively pushed into his hand.
“Quite obedient.”
Nie Yao pinched him to his heart’s content. Surprisingly, no matter how he rubbed or pinched, the xiăogēr showed no signs of waking up.
On the contrary, he fell into a deeper sleep.
Day was breaking.
Nie Yao left the Imperial Palace and issued an order to Hu Sheng: take two thousand men south to work for the New Emperor.
What he needed to accomplish was in the documents.
Nie Yao just needed to give him the items.
“Wait a moment.”
Nie Yao thought for a moment and called back Hu Sheng, who was about to set off, “Arrange for two more legions for you, and while you’re at it, deal with the remaining subordinates of the former Third Prince.”
The former Third Prince had once been a popular candidate for the throne.
He had been immensely successful for a time.
The princes who competed with him were either dead or crippled. But just as he was about to ascend the throne, a Ninth Prince suddenly appeared from nowhere.
Wielding ironclad evidence of the Third Prince’s repeated evil deeds.
He decisively executed the other party.
He overpowered all competitors and became the new Emperor.
“Your Excellency, are we getting involved in palace affairs?” Hu Sheng was confused.
His Excellency clearly used to look down on all the princes and helped none of them.
“Getting involved in what?”
Nie Yao rolled his eyes, “Do you know how much money the New Majesty gave this time? One million seven hundred thousand taels! Doesn’t this silver deserve a small favor to be done for him on the side?”
It does!
It is absolutely worthy!
Hu Sheng knew best where his Lord’s greedy silver went, and hearing this made him happier than if he had received a large sum of gold and silver himself.
“Then won’t our Moshi County soon have free schoolhouses?”
His heart was pounding with excitement.
He wished he could fly south immediately and eliminate everyone who opposed the New Emperor.
“Rest assured, Your Excellency!” Hu Sheng stood ramrod straight and promised on the spot, “Within a month, your subordinate will perfectly complete the mission!”
“No need to rush.”
Nie Yao told him to take his time. After all, Deputy General Nie had enough manpower here in the capital, “Check if there are any other anomalies over there, and pay extra attention.”
That old fellow Sun Ji’s supported person had not yet appeared.
The south was a gathering place for aristocratic families.
There should be some clues there.
“Yes!”
Once Hu Sheng left, Nie Yao went home.
The silver given by the New Emperor was too much for him to carry alone. He needed to call people from the manor to transport it back.
“Oh, Your Excellency, you’re finally back!”
The steward was grinning from ear to ear, clearly having encountered something good.
Nie Yao: “Stop smiling for now. The New Emperor bestowed a sum of money; quickly send people to the palace to pull the money back.”
“No need, Your Excellency! His Majesty has already sent people to deliver the money to us!”
“A whole one million seven hundred thousand taels! Your subordinate hasn’t seen so much money in a long time!”
It had already been delivered?
Nie Yao was slightly surprised, thinking the New Emperor was quite considerate. Furthermore, it wasn’t a down payment of half, but the full amount paid in one go.
A lovable wealthy person.
Nie Yao: “Where is the money? Take me to see it.”
“Rest assured, Your Excellency, the money has already been safely handed over to the Eldest Young Master, and it will be delivered to Moshi County in half a month at the latest!”
“What did you say?” Nie Yao stopped, turning abruptly to look at the steward, “Where did the money go?”
“It went to the Eldest Young Master… he said it was the silver you promised to return to your fūláng (husband/spouse)…”
Seeing Nie Yao’s expression change, the steward instantly restrained his smile.
He looked down at his feet, indicating he knew nothing.