Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 91 The Road Ahead is Mys to Forge

Wang Yuanbao quickly took action, gathering a group of people the next day to help take stock of the Qi Prince's family wealth.

The Prince of Qi possessed vast wealth, most of which was not in the form of money or silk. Therefore, when taking inventory, a relatively spacious place for storage was needed, as well as a relatively professional team to conduct valuation.

Fortunately, the Prince of Qi's family owned more than two residences in Luoyang. There was also a sizable vacant house in Shanglin Ward, north of Luoyang, which could be used as a place for inventory, and it already contained a large amount of wealth. As for the wealth accumulated in other places, it could be transported by boat via the Luo River.

When Zhang Dai went to inform the Princess of Yunyang early in the morning, the princess had already made the necessary arrangements. Therefore, while the funeral was being held, the Qi Prince's family and Wang Yuanbao's servants would handle the handover and inventory.

Zhang Dai doesn't need to participate in this stage; all that's needed is for both parties to agree on the amount of the goods.

Meanwhile, Gao Lishi quickly responded, offering a warehouse in Daoguangfang, Luobei, as a storehouse to store the funds. The location was adjacent to the imperial city and close to the strongholds of the eunuchs and the Northern Imperial Guards, which reassured both sides.

Gao Lishi also agreed with Zhang Dai's suggestion to complete this task first and then discuss the subsequent profit distribution plan.

He knew that the emperor had already taken advantage of and paid attention to this matter, and that if he did not follow the rules, he would surely be displeased. Furthermore, these officials should especially not discuss the potential profits of a deal during the funeral of the Prince of Qi.

Things were progressing smoothly, but Zhang Dai was not happy. He learned from Gao Lishi that the emperor had hinted at involving Consort Wu Hui as well, which naturally made him suspicious: What exactly are you trying to do? Are you trying to accumulate capital for my cousin's Xuanwu Gate announcement?
Originally, it was just eunuchs and imperial guards, so the situation was relatively controllable. But now the emperor actually wants to involve Consort Wu Hui as well, which makes the situation more complicated. Moreover, it becomes so sensitive that even the slightest friction or scratch will cause someone to grumble.

However, Wu Huifei's involvement also had its benefits for Zhang Dai. Their relationship was far more reliable than Gao Lishi's promises, provided that Wu Huifei trusted him.

Regardless of what happens next, the emperor has spoken, and he cannot remain silent. So, taking advantage of the time when Prince Qi's coffin was being laid to rest in the palace and the mourners were also there to observe the funeral rites, Zhang Dai requested an audience with Consort Wu Hui in the inner palace.

"Your subject Zhang Dai pays respects to Consort Hui!"

After being received, Zhang Dai hurried up to the hall and bowed to Consort Wu Hui, who was seated in the hall.

Consort Wu Hui looked down at the young man, a hint of joy on her face. She then spoke with a slight reproach: "It's not the first time we've met. Why are you acting so distant? I gave you the fish-shaped tally and fish-shaped pouch the other day so that it would be convenient for you to visit your relatives. I've been waiting for you to come and pay your respects. Are you complaining that I didn't bring you directly before His Majesty before?"

"Your subject, your son, would not dare! I am already extremely grateful for my aunt's kindness in looking after me and pointing out the way. I would never dare to harbor such wicked or resentful thoughts! I received your guidance the other day, and although I made a mistake in my response before Your Majesty, I was fortunate to be gracious and forgiving. Instead of being blamed, I was praised."

Zhang Dai quickly bowed again and said, "Thanks to my aunt's help, things have improved. But after returning home, some trouble arose, and I suddenly suffered resentment from my aunt, which led to..."

He embellished his account of his stepmother Zheng's difficult behavior, and Consort Wu listened attentively. Gossip is human nature, especially when it involves the affairs of a prime minister's family.

"Alas, how rude of me! When visiting my esteemed aunt, one should offer refined words. But, being so close to her, I couldn't help myself and instead uttered a whole family scandal, which offended her ears. I shouldn't have done that... But... but my aunt and I only met once in Wan'an Mountain, and our past connection is not deep. Yet, my aunt wholeheartedly taught me to follow the righteous path and seek her favor, while my stepmother at home..."

At this point, Zhang Dai burst into tears and sobbed: "We've lived together in the same family for over a decade. If only my stepmother had treated me with even a fraction of the kindness my aunt had shown me, I would have been more than willing to offer my own flesh to her. How could I possibly dare to be disrespectful to her!"

“Good child, your mother passed away early, and your family has fallen into decline. Many of your relatives and friends do not know you. When you encounter difficulties, if you do not come to me for help, who else can you turn to?”

You don't need to feel ashamed to talk about your family's dirty laundry. Although I can't interfere in the affairs of the Yan family, the bond between aunt and nephew is genuine. My nephew isn't without support outside the home. If that Zheng woman continues to act so wickedly and unfairly, I will not allow it!"

Consort Wu Hui was not just listening to gossip. Seeing Zhang Dai's pitiful and tearful appearance, she couldn't help but feel moved. Thinking of the scene when they met at Wan'an Mountain, she couldn't help but shed tears: "Although that Zheng family comes from a prestigious family, she is really stupid! What family would not love and cherish such a grateful and righteous son?"

"Sixth Brother, don't cry. If you cry again, your aunt won't be able to hold back either. In my younger years, I was perhaps not blessed with the fortune to be a mother. I gave birth to several babies, but I couldn't survive. My heart was full of loving thoughts, but I had nowhere to place them. I feel so sorry for you, my little boy, who has lost your loving mother and has no one to rely on. My aunt and I are truly grieving..."

Hearing Consort Wu Hui's sorrowful cries, Zhang Dai wept even more bitterly. Seeing this, the servants, including Niu Gui'er, rushed forward to comfort them, and the two finally stopped crying. Emotional resonance easily fosters a sense of closeness. Although they hadn't known each other for long, Consort Wu Hui's gaze towards Zhang Dai softened, and she said, "The past is gone. Now your aunt's children are grown up, but they still lack a few years of experience and are far more naive and ignorant than you. You, my cousin, must remember to support and guide them!"

Zhang Dai quickly bowed and agreed, saying that no matter how they would get along in the future, they should provide ample emotional support in this sentimental moment: "I did not know what motherhood was before, but now I do! My aunt has bestowed upon me great kindness, and I will repay my younger siblings with the same kindness. If I dare to be distant or neglectful, it would be an unforgivable breach of ethics!"

Consort Wu was very satisfied with this answer. Upon learning that Zhang Dai had not had a meal after entering the palace as a pallbearer, she hurriedly ordered someone to serve him food. The aunt and nephew then ate and chatted in the hall.

During the conversation, Zhang Dai also mentioned the flying money and suggested that Consort Wu Hui get involved and share in the profits. However, Consort Wu Hui was not very enthusiastic about it and simply waved her hand and said with a smile, "I am now in the deep palace and have no need for money. I am not short of expenses. I usually return most of the gifts that my relatives outside give me. So there is no need for me to covet the interests of you younger generation."

"To my shame, this was the message from the Duke of Bohai conveying the Emperor's will. I only realized then that I hadn't expressed it to my aunt in time, which is why I hastily came to pay my respects..."

Zhang Dai first explained that this was the emperor's will, and then said, "My aunt is the emperor's wife and lives off the country, so she lacks nothing. But my cousins ​​will also need financial support after they grow up so that they can live comfortably in this world. How can they rely on their parents for long?"

He wasn't quite sure what the emperor meant by involving Consort Wu Hui. The only thing he could think of was that the emperor was only slightly interested in the matter, so he was letting Consort Wu Hui, a mere tool, get involved. If things really went well next year, he wouldn't rule out the possibility of taking it directly into the Imperial Treasury.

Thinking this way might seem a bit petty, but considering that in his later years, the old man resorted to all sorts of exploitation to enjoy himself, it's entirely possible that he would first light up a new industry to broaden his horizons, and then reap the rewards later when it grew and prospered.

Zhang Dai didn't seem to have any objection to this. As long as he wasn't powerful enough to challenge the emperor, the world belonged to others, let alone a small business. What he needed to do now was to seize the elements that could help him climb the social ladder amidst these complex interpersonal relationships.

As for what kind of situation they will face in the future, or whether they will be stuck in Prince Shou's carriage and unable to get off, thinking about these things now is useless and just worrying unnecessarily. If Li Linfu can't get off, that's his own problem; An Lushan will directly attack the father and son face-to-face.

If you lack ability, you'll always be just going with the flow. But if you're capable enough, what business is it of yours which car I'm on? I'm the driver myself!

When Consort Wu heard that this was the Emperor's intention and that Zhang Dai had mentioned the future of her sons, she immediately changed her previous nonchalant attitude.

Her expression turned serious, and she said with a hint of embarrassment, "Your aunt grew up in the inner palace and has very little experience in the outside world. Sixth Brother, what do you think should be done about this? If you feel that you are not capable enough, I can assign two people to you."

Zhang Dai has only briefly informed Consort Wu Hui of her willingness to participate. The specifics of the operation, equity allocation, and power dynamics will be discussed after he returns from Chang'an, once the business with the Prince of Qi is completed.

As for Consort Wu Hui's request to send someone, Zhang Dai did not refuse.

Only with Consort Wu Hui's explicit involvement could he, as her nephew, have the confidence not to be sidelined in this matter: You are all the emperor's lackeys, and I also have the power to influence the emperor directly. If you don't want to live peacefully, then let's all hurt each other!
He stayed with Consort Wu Hui until dark before being led away by a eunuch, which was a pity he didn't get to see the Emperor. But then he thought that the Emperor was currently playing the role of a deeply affectionate man who had lost his siblings and close relatives, so it was impossible for him to wander around the inner palace.

The funeral rites proceeded in succession, and the Prince of Qi's family fortune was quickly inventoried. While "floating wealth" didn't necessarily refer to money and silk, it certainly meant items that could be quickly converted into cash on the market and had relatively uniform prices, making the inventory process relatively fast.

Finally, on the day before the funeral in Luoyang, the wealth of Prince Qi in Luoyang was inventoried, totaling more than 1.7 million strings of cash, far exceeding the million strings of cash that Zhang Dai had previously mentioned. All of it was stored in the Daoguangfang granary.

After seeing the money deposited into the treasury, Wang Yuanbao returned to Chang'an to raise funds there. Although he was a wealthy merchant in Chang'an, the pressure of suddenly having so much cash was immense, so he needed to raise the money.

Although this matter wasn't widely publicized, it was already an open secret among some powerful circles in the capital. After all, the funeral of Prince Qi was a highly anticipated event, and how his enormous fortune would be handled was naturally a topic of much discussion, so many people were already keeping a close eye on it.

Next, the funeral procession escorting the coffin of Prince Qi back to Guanzhong also set off from the Luoyang palace, with the massive procession stretching for several miles.

Zhang Dai and the other mourners each held ropes on either side of Prince Qi's coffin, their expressions solemn as they sang dirges. Under the watchful eyes of the Luoyang people watching the ceremony, they proceeded south along Tianjie Street. After leaving the capital through Dingding Gate, the procession turned west and headed straight for Chang'an via the Xiaohan Road.

(End of this chapter)