Prime Minister

Chapter 50050 [Retreat]

"Don't misunderstand, I never intended to interfere in your personal life."

No matter how noble Jiang Li's status was, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl who had not yet married. There were some things she would inevitably feel shy about talking about. Fortunately, Xue Huai just listened quietly and attentively, without any unusual expression. This gradually calmed her heart, and her tone became calm and natural.

"You will eventually get married, have children, and start a family, but there's no need to rush. Right now, you have more important things to do."

Jiang Li said earnestly, "I know you plan to seek a post outside the capital next year, so you should try to sort out your interpersonal relationships before you leave the capital, so that when you return to the capital in the future, you will not be in a situation where you have no relatives or friends."

Xue Huai hesitated for a moment, but finally asked the question that had been on his mind: "Your Highness, I think you may have misunderstood?"

"Ok?"

Jiang Li tilted her head slightly to look at him.

Xue Huai said tactfully, "Your Highness, the Shen family of Jiangnan and our Xue family have been friends for generations. This is not a secret, and many people in the court and the public know about it. This time, Miss Shen came to the capital not specifically to see me, but because the Shen family's Guangtai firm is opening a branch in the capital. She came to the Xue residence to visit my mother, and I escorted her back to Yongye Lane. These are all normal courtesies and have nothing to do with personal feelings."

He wouldn't presume to think that Jiang Li was jealous because of Shen Qingluan's appearance, but since the other party had clearly expressed her dislike, he definitely wanted to avoid further misunderstandings so as not to bring any negative impact to Shen Qingluan.

"is it?"

Jiang Li looked slightly suspicious and slowly said, "If it's just about business, why would Shen Qingluan come to the capital at the end of the year? Isn't it because she knows you're not doing well and made a special trip to see you?"

Xue Huai didn't know whether to praise her for being insightful or for having a natural eye for talent, so he smiled and shook his head, saying, "That's not it. Actually, it's because the Guangtai ship encountered a lot of trouble in the capital. Uncle Shen was too busy to handle everything, so he had to ask Miss Shen to make the trip."

Jiang Li seemed skeptical: "What trouble?"

Xue Huai then briefly recounted the story of Guangtai Bank, and continued, "The Shen family has already invested a large sum of money in the early stages, spending countless amounts of silver just to smooth things over with the Imperial Tax Supervisor. Now, however, they are being blocked by the Ministry of Revenue at the last hurdle. If they cannot obtain the bank's license, they will not only suffer severe losses this time, but they will also completely lose any hope of getting a share of the pie in the capital's banking industry."

"I see, I thought—"

Jiang Li suddenly changed the subject, pondering, "This matter is indeed somewhat troublesome. The Ministry of Revenue has dozens of reasons to refuse Guangtai Bank's entry, and no one else can find fault with them. Is this what you're discussing today? Do you have any solutions?"

Xue Huai shook his head and said, "I don't have connections in the Ministry of Revenue. My master is currently busy dealing with the Ministry of Works' chronic problems, so I shouldn't bother him with such a private matter."

Looking at his sincere expression, Jiang Li gradually realized what he meant and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"If you want my help, just say so. Why beat around the bush like this?"

She silently cursed in her heart. This guy appeared aloof and arrogant on the surface, always putting on the act of a stoic scholar in front of others, but in reality, he was anything but simple.

Perhaps he had already planned to lure her into his scheme on his way to Qinglu Villa.

Xue Huai asked with feigned delight, "Can Your Highness resolve this matter?"

Jiang Li's lips curled slightly, and she said in an annoyed tone, "If I said I couldn't, would you believe me?"

This matter may seem a bit tricky, but it's really not a big problem for her.

If she were to order the Ministry of Revenue to do things for the Princess's residence, regardless of whether it would be in accordance with regulations, she would certainly have to pay a considerable price. However, if she were to personally ask the Ministry of Revenue to do her a favor, the shrewd and calculating Minister Wang would not refuse outright.

Xue Huai rose and bowed, saying, "On behalf of the Shen family, I thank Your Highness."

"Don't rush to thank me."

Jiang Li gestured for him to sit down and slowly said, "This is ultimately not a serious matter for your Xue family. I only intervened because of you, but I am not without conditions. If you want me to plead for the Shen family, I can send someone to the Ministry of Revenue, but you must also promise me one thing."

Xue Huai replied knowingly, "Please speak, Your Highness."

Jiang Li picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, "Today is the second day of the twelfth lunar month. I am confident that I can get the Ministry of Revenue to give in within three days. Once the license for Guangtai Money Shop is issued, I will give that Miss Shen a few more days to deal with her trivial matters. She must leave the capital before the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month."

Xue Huai was slightly taken aback; he never expected Jiang Li's conditions to be like this.

Jiang Li said with slight displeasure, "What, you can't bear to part with it?"

"What makes you say that, Your Highness?"

Xue Huai said seriously, "Guangtai Company is going to open a cloth shop and a money shop in the capital this time. There are many complicated matters that are difficult to sort out. How can a few days be enough?"

Jiang Li snorted and said, "Don't try to fool me. Do you really think I'm a three-year-old? I've heard that the Shen family is incredibly wealthy in Jiangnan, employing countless experienced and reliable managers and employees. Why would they rush into the capital this time? Even before Shen Qingluan came to the capital, the people at Guangtai Company still performed exceptionally well. They were simply tricked by the Shanxi merchants hiding behind the Ministry of Revenue. Shen Qingluan's trip to the capital this time isn't something I can magically resolve; it's just that it involves important matters that require my intervention."

“Now that I’ve helped her get rid of the Ministry of Revenue’s hindrance, whether she’s in the capital or not won’t affect the progress. Do you think the old managers of Guangtai Ship can’t do their jobs without a young master? Besides, although the capital and Yangzhou are far apart, the Grand Canal is not frozen this year, and the Shen family is not short of money. She can take a boat south with the wind and return to Yangzhou before New Year’s Eve.”

A smile gradually appeared on her face as she looked at Xue Huai with a leisurely air and said, "I've considered everything so thoroughly for you, what else could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"

It was indeed very thorough, so thorough that Xue Huai was speechless.

Seeing this, Jiang Li added, "Of course, I won't force you to accept it. If you feel this arrangement is inappropriate, I can ignore it entirely." "Your Highness is joking. How could I feel it's inappropriate?"

Xue Huai is flexible and adaptable. Compared to the hasty and brief reunion, the most important thing is to resolve the troubles of Guangtai Ship as soon as possible, minimize the losses of the Shen family, and make sure Shen Qingluan can give an explanation to the Shen family.

"Alright, I'll have someone go find Minister Wang in a bit. He owes me a favor last year because of his good-for-nothing grandson, so this time we'll call it even."

Jiang Li spoke calmly, believing that it would be a waste to leave favors unused, and that deeper relationships could only be formed through repeated interactions.

Xue Huai's doubts grew stronger, and he couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, has Miss Shen or the Shen family ever offended you?"

Jiang Li shook her head and said, "I have never left the capital. The Shen family is just a merchant family in Jiangnan. How could they possibly offend me?"

"That……"

Xue Huai hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Jiang Li's targeting of Shen Qingluan was too obvious; that condition clearly indicated she didn't want to see Shen Qingluan appear in the capital.

Sensing Xue Huai's unspoken meaning, Jiang Li replied without hesitation, "Isn't it all because of you?"

The air suddenly froze.

It was as if a string had suddenly snapped.

Jiang Li silently clenched her fingers in her sleeve, and said calmly, "I know you and Shen Qingluan have known each other since childhood. Although you have been separated for many years, the fact that she traveled all the way to the capital to visit you shows that your friendship is extraordinary. But don't blame me for meddling. Right now, you can't focus your energy on other people. Apart from what I just told you, you will face a real test in a few days."

Xue Huai scrutinized Jiang Li's face, but found no allure, so he asked earnestly, "What kind of test?"

"You are a Hanlin Academy reader, and it is your duty to lecture His Majesty and the princes on the classics and history. Of course, you are not qualified to appear before the Emperor at the moment."

Jiang Li didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "His Highness the Crown Prince will summon you to the Eastern Palace in the next few days to have you lecture him on classics and history. You'd better prepare in advance."

Xue Huai's expression remained unchanged.

Although Crown Prince Jiang Xuan is the rightful heir apparent, his presence in the court has been weak in the past two years. This is partly because he knows how to keep a low profile, and partly because the other princes are not easy to deal with, even the youngest Prince Dai occasionally gives him trouble.

Xue Huai quickly put aside his personal feelings and began to ponder the Crown Prince's intentions.

Jiang Li asked, "What do you think?"

Xue Huai pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince wants to see my true strength in person. Previously, I publicly denounced the Prince of Dai in front of the Emperor. Given the Prince of Dai's temperament, he will certainly not swallow this insult and will seek revenge on me sooner or later. In Your Highness's view, I have a grudge against the Prince and am also under the protection of my tutor, so I am naturally a person worth cultivating and winning over."

Jiang Li then asked, "So how do you plan to deal with this?"

The two tacitly avoided mentioning the incident from before, namely that Jiang Li had pretended to be entrusted by the Crown Prince to take care of Xue Huai.

Xue Huai sat up straight and said calmly, "Since His Highness the Crown Prince has summoned me, I naturally dare not neglect my duty. I am merely fulfilling my responsibilities."

Jiang Li asked with a smile, "What if His Highness the Crown Prince directly recruits you?"

Xue Huai calmly replied, "The Crown Prince is also a ruler."

Jiang Li said slowly, "Once you board the ship of the Eastern Palace, you will be branded with His Highness the Crown Prince's mark, and it will be very difficult to get off the ship again."

This statement is indeed blatant and audacious. As an official of the imperial court, how could he not support the crown prince, but instead support someone else?
Although this situation is not uncommon in reality, it is usually kept tacitly understood, and very few people would publicly express their opinions.

This shows that Jiang Li's trust in Xue Huai has now reached a very high level.

Xue Huai smiled calmly and said, "Your Highness, you are wrong again. I am a disciple of the Emperor, and I shall follow His Majesty's decrees in all matters. Furthermore, I wish to go to the provinces for training as soon as possible, and at that time I will pray for His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince every day."

The implication is that he will do whatever the emperor tells him to do.

The Sacred Heart is the key.

"Cunning guy."

Jiang Li wrinkled her nose, then whispered, "Be careful. The political situation is complex and dangerous. Don't let yourself be caught off guard."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness."

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

(End of this chapter)