Chapter 624: Chapter 624: Liaodong Ginseng

The Chief Historian hurriedly took it and handed it to Prince Qi to inspect.

The Jade Bottle was already small and delicate, and there was only a little left inside.

If Prince Qi hadn’t run into setback after setback, he would probably have lost his temper on the spot.

Song Wenyu quickly said, "When this subject’s daughter obtained it, there was only half a small bottle to begin with, and I’ve already used some. Altogether there’s only this much left. If the wound is short and shallow, it should be enough."

But Fu Yun’s wound was both long and deep.

Prince Qi thought for a moment and still accepted the Jade Bottle. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Many thanks for Miss Song’s gift. This favor I owe you. If you have need of anything in the future, just speak."

The Song Family had leaned toward Prince Qi some time ago, but now that the Song family girl had been chosen for the Eastern Palace, they might tilt toward the Crown Prince instead.

In any case, it was never wrong to be on good terms.

Song Wenyu felt reassured and smiled. "This subject’s daughter heard that Your Highness Prince Qi has been racking his brains to find medicine for Princess Fuyun’s injury, so I dared to offer this remedy. If Your Highness and Princess Fuyun do not dislike the small amount, that is enough. If a highly skilled Imperial Physician can be found, perhaps he might even be able to discern the prescription."

Prince Qi in the end still voiced the question.

"May I ask where Miss Song obtained this Jade Beauty Cream? Could you tell this prince a bit about it?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Song Wenyu hesitated for a moment. "This medicine was a gift from the Seventh Miss of Dingbei Marquis Mansion. This is all that was left, and she gave it all to me."

Prince Qi nodded. "Many thanks to Miss Song. Once Fu Yun’s face is healed, she will certainly give you a generous reward."

Since things had been said to this point, though she was reluctant, Song Wenyu could only take her leave.

After entering Prince Qi Mansion and sitting down in the study, the Chief Historian said, "What Miss Song suggested is also a way. If we can find a skilled Imperial Physician to examine the medicine, perhaps he really can write out the prescription."

Prince Qi shook his head. "There are so many consorts in the palace—who among them doesn’t want Jade Beauty Cream? If it could be made, it would have been made long ago."

The Chief Historian offered another idea. "Why not ask Miss Gu Qi and see if we can obtain some more?"

Miss Gu Qi was generous; a Jade Beauty Cream that money couldn’t buy, she just gave it away.

Perhaps she still had some on hand.

Prince Qi rubbed the Jade Bottle, lost in thought about something. After quite a while, he suddenly asked, "Have you found out anything about the connection between the Dingbei Marquis’s wife and that old Imperial Physician?"

The Chief Historian looked rather troubled. "The Dingbei Marquis’s wife is a concubine-born daughter from Jiujie’s family. Her birth mother died early; many matters are difficult to trace, and for now we haven’t found anything."

Prince Qi said, "Look into it properly."

He paused and added, "This prince suddenly recalled that last time, when she was injured because of us, Third Brother Gu was terribly anxious. Later, when he said she was fine, only then did he not come to settle accounts with this prince."

It might well be that this bottle of Jade Beauty Cream was what the Dingbei Marquis’s wife had left over.

The Chief Historian let out a breath of relief. "Then that fits. Even if she doesn’t have any, she ought to have a way."

Injuring a woman’s face was like taking her life.

Princess Fuyun couldn’t eat or sleep, and His Highness Prince Qi was worried along with her.

Now there was hope for Princess Fuyun’s face.

Prince Qi placed the Jade Bottle into a small case on the desk.

"Go to Dingbei Marquis Mansion at once and ask. If they have it, hurry and bring it back—no matter how much Silver it costs, no matter how many medicinal ingredients it takes."

The Chief Historian, judging for himself, prepared a set of festival gifts and rushed to Dingbei Marquis Mansion to request the medicine.

When he arrived, he happened to catch Qin Yuan just having finished taking stock of Marquis Gu’s private treasury, ready to roll up her sleeves and do something big, having gathered people together to discuss.

Marquis Gu’s private treasury saw frequent inflows and outflows that were not recorded in the public accounts. The ledger entries were extremely simple: in such-and-such year and month, income of such-and-such for some matter; in such-and-such year and month, expenditure of such-and-such for some matter.

After all these years, only half of a single ledger had been filled.

Qin Yuan finished counting very quickly.

Military generals only grew richer the more they fought.

Marquis Gu had also inherited most of the Old Marquis Gu’s private treasury.

He was practically overflowing with wealth.

With a mountain of gold and silver as backing, Qin Yuan simply had Mr. Songshan, Wan Accountant, and Housekeepers Han and Cao called over to discuss matters.

"I intend to open up trade routes into the interior of Changbai Mountain. I’ve heard that the ginseng business over in Liaodong is very promising. What do you all think?"

"Liaodong?"

Housekeeper Han glanced at Housekeeper Cao.

Wasn’t the Yelv Clan relocated over to the Changbai Mountain area? Was Madam intending to...

Wan Accountant pondered for a moment and said, "The ginseng business is indeed good, but we have never done it before; the waters there are quite deep. The Marquis Mansion has been operating in the Northern Border for many years. Although we no longer station troops there now, the trade routes in the Northwest can still be worked. Furs, silk, porcelain, tea, spices—if handled well, they all bring profit."

Housekeeper Han nodded in agreement. "When the court’s military stipends are issued from the Secretariat, quite a bit is skimmed off. By the time they reach the Marquis’s hands, only about fifty percent remains, and what’s more, they aren’t issued on time every year—there are often deductions and delays. The Marquis had men open up trade routes, dealing in horses and furs locally. Silk, porcelain, tea—these we trade in smaller quantities, but the profit is not small.

This year, the Marquis returned to court with his troops, and a government office was established in the Northern Border under separate court officials, but the trade routes should not be cut off. The Ministry of War also dares not over-skim the military pay for the Beijing Camp. Compared to previous years, this year will be more ample."

Housekeeper Cao said, "Is Madam perhaps worried that acquiring property will be too costly? The Marquis recently came into a large fortune. Even if the court doesn’t issue military stipends, the Gu Family Army’s pay will be covered for the next two years."

This large fortune should be the ginseng money they seized from Yelv Guza. Qin Yuan was just about to speak when someone outside came to report that the Prince Mansion Chief Historian from Prince Qi Mansion had arrived with festival gifts.

Housekeeper Cao was puzzled. "Didn’t they already send some? Did I remember wrong?"

Qin Yuan also recalled they’d already sent some. Since they had come again, there must be some other matter. She said, "Invite him to the side wing to speak. I’ll be right there."

After Qin Yuan left, the few of them surrounded Mr. Songshan, wanting him to take the lead in persuading Qin Yuan.

Wan Accountant said, "The ginseng business does have rich profits, but at present the most favored on the market is Shangdang’s Purple Ginseng. Liaodong ginseng, not to mention failing to fetch a high price, also suffers loss along the way when buying fresh roots. We also lack experts who can distinguish ginseng. It’s better to stick to what we know than rush into something new. Once the shops, sacrificial fields, and purchases are all sorted and Madam has established her authority, wouldn’t that be more secure?"

One must eat a meal one bite at a time; you can’t stuff yourself into a big fat man in one breath.

In these past days Madam had indeed won everyone’s recognition, but caution keeps the ship safe for ten thousand years.

Mr. Songshan nodded.

Housekeeper Cao also said, "We’re not familiar with that side of Liaodong either. Shouldn’t we first send some people to scout the way before we talk further? It’s already Mid-Autumn now, and winter is coming right after. Liaodong gets cold faster than the Capital City. It clearly won’t work this year—why not discuss it next year?"

Mr. Songshan thought to himself, Goodness, with one pole you’ve pushed this all the way to next year.

Everyone wanted Qin Yuan to walk along the old paths first and only talk after she had fully gathered people’s hearts.

This was not without reason.

Housekeeper Han asked, "Why did Madam suddenly think of doing this business?"

Housekeeper Cao pulled a sour face. "Don’t you think it’s for the Marquis?"

...

Qin Yuan met the Prince Mansion Chief Historian in a side room. The Chief Historian was even more deferential than before, his face full of smiles. "Has Madam been well? This minor official has come at the command of His Highness Prince Qi to deliver festival gifts."

There were rules to follow for sending festival gifts; sending too many or too few would both invite displeasure.

Qin Yuan felt uncertain. The Prince Mansion Chief Historian from Prince Qi Mansion was not someone who would make such a mistake.

Sure enough, she heard the Chief Historian say with a smile, "This time, what we brought are all rare items. They’re not particularly valuable, but they’re hard to come by. Prince Qi was thinking of the Marquis; once he received these tributes, he had this humble one bring them over at once."