Mingwei's heart tightened; she had a bad feeling. But her expression remained calm and composed. She put down the silver scissors in her hand and gracefully sat down in the rosewood armchair next to Rong Zhen. She turned her head slightly, looking at Rong Zhen with gentle eyes, appearing to be listening attentively.
“My private businesses, the one in the west of the city, have run into some problems.” Rong Zhen’s tone was indifferent, but Ming Wei could easily discern the subtle annoyance in it.
Even if Rong Zhen is mature for his age, he is only sixteen years old and is still a child.
Mingwei's heart softened immediately, and she asked softly, "Is it that silk shop? The one that's famous for its Shu brocade, it's one of the best in the capital."
Before she could finish speaking, Rong Zhen's expression revealed a hint of surprise and delight. Ming Wei remembered so clearly—did this mean she truly cared about him? Did he hold a place in her heart as well?
Upon realizing this, Rong Zhen's previous displeasure vanished instantly. He said cheerfully, "Exactly."
Mingwei had no idea about Rong Zhen's complicated thoughts. However, she was somewhat relieved to hear that although his voice was not loud, it had returned to its usual clear and bright tone.
“The reason why the Shu brocade from the silk shop is somewhat famous is because they have someone in Shu Prefecture who is in charge of purchasing it. They select the best regardless of cost, yet the price is not high.” Rong Zhen’s eyes flickered slightly as he spoke softly. “In Shu Prefecture… they also do some other businesses on the side.”
These two seemingly disjointed sentences immediately put Mingwei on alert.
Buying Shu brocade at a high price but selling it at a low price might be understandable for a newly opened silk shop trying to build its reputation. However, in the long run, it would be a losing proposition. As far as Mingwei knew, the silk shop in the west of the city had been open for over three years and couldn't possibly still be operating at a loss.
Rong Zhen just mentioned that there are other deals...
Mingwei racked her brains trying to recall the local products of Shuzhou, trying to figure out which ones were valuable and worth doing business with. Suddenly, an idea flashed into her mind.
"Your Highness, is the salt they're dealing in smuggled salt?" Mingwei stared intently at Rong Zhen, her eyes wide.
Rong Zhen was stunned.
He knew Mingwei was intelligent, but he didn't expect her to grasp the key points so quickly and keenly.
“That’s right.” Rong Zhen didn’t know whether to be happy or worried. His eyes were filled with complex emotions. He said softly, “This is the main source of profit for the silk shop.”
That makes sense, Mingwei nodded to herself. Since ancient times, the profits from smuggled salt have been enormous, and salt is a necessity for everyone from farmers to wealthy families. Getting involved in this trade is a sure-fire way to make money. However, the risks are also extremely high; being discovered is no laughing matter.
Wait a minute—Mingwei's heart skipped a beat, and she had a bad feeling.
Rong Zhen just mentioned some business problems. Could it be that Prince Cheng and the others found out about his smuggling of salt? Rong Zhen's position as heir has long been coveted by the three princes. It wouldn't have been a problem if Rong Zhen had some private businesses, but illegal transactions, once discovered by Prince Cheng and the others, would be dealt with severely!
The most terrifying thing is that if it's not handled properly, their investigation could lead to the exposure of all of Rong Zhen's private businesses!
"Your Highness, has Prince Cheng discovered something?" Mingwei asked anxiously.
Rong Zhen gave a wry smile. "Originally, Prince Cheng discovered that my people were in charge of the silk shop, and a few days ago a lawsuit broke out. I'm afraid that Prince Cheng will use this as an excuse to make trouble in front of my grandfather. If my grandfather gets involved, I'm afraid the smuggling of salt will be exposed."
Mingwei felt her heart sinking inch by inch.
Rong Zhen's concerns were not unfounded. He had always been patient and discreet, and Prince Cheng and the others were just looking for an excuse to trip him up. How could Prince Cheng let go of this opportunity that had been presented to him?
However, Mingwei believed she had some understanding of Rong Duo's character. Ruthless and inherently suspicious, Mingwei sadly realized at this moment that her final perception of Rong Duo had to be completely overturned by her initial impression of him as perfect. But this was not the time to reminisce about the past!
She kept reminding herself that the most urgent matter was Rong Zhen's matter.
Thirty-six years ago, Rong Duo's deep cunning had already alarmed Mingwei. Having served as emperor for thirty-six years, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe Rong Duo as unfathomable. No matter how intelligent or precocious Rong Zhen may be, he has absolutely no chance against Rong Duo.
Mingwei was immediately extremely anxious.
What should Rong Zhen do to escape this calamity?
"Ah Wan, don't worry." Rong Zhen saw that Ming Wei was terrified and her pretty face turned pale, and he began to regret it. He shouldn't have scared her by saying these things to test his position in Ming Wei's heart. He quickly softened his voice and comforted her, "I will naturally handle these things."
Mingwei's tense expression did not relax in the slightest. Her urgent tone was almost aggressive: "Please tell me, Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"
“Ah Wan, it’s alright. Even if we take a step back, the Emperor is still my grandfather, and I was named the Crown Prince since I was a child. There’s still some family affection between us. Even if my grandfather finds out, he’ll just call me over and give me a scolding at most.” Rong Zhen’s voice was soothing and gentle, giving people the illusion of being unhurried.
Although smuggling salt is a serious crime, Rong Zhen is, after all, a prince of the emperor. Rong Zhen's words just now were persuasive and somewhat understandable. If his grandson's wife were someone else, she would probably be more at ease. However, this person is Ming Wei, who was Rong Duo's imperial concubine in her previous life. In her view, treating Rong Duo with affection is simply too crude and perfunctory.
"Your Highness, I must say something disrespectful." Mingwei slowly lowered her eyelids and said softly, "When the late Emperor was alive, the Crown Prince he favored was not the current Emperor. Crown Prince Longde was the current Emperor's own elder brother. I'm sure Your Highness has heard some rumors about how he died!"
Compared to Rong Zhen, Ming Wei was more aware of Rong Duo's methods back then.
Crown Prince Longde was murdered by Rong Duo, leaving the position vacant. The late emperor, grieving the loss of his beloved son, suffered a decline in health. In the succession struggle involving four princes, Rong Duo ultimately ascended the throne with the help of figures like Grand Secretary Tang.
Tang Wan had only heard rumors about Crown Prince Longde before, but she didn't believe them. It was only after she entered the palace and overheard Rong Duo's private conversation with his confidant that she had no choice but to believe it.
He could harm even his own brother, let alone Rong Zhen, the grandson he disliked the most among all his grandsons?
Upon hearing Mingwei's words, Rong Zhen's expression changed slightly. He had a strange feeling that Mingwei was unusually cautious, even showing some fear and disgust, in her attitude towards her grandfather.
Meeting Rong Zhen's probing gaze, Mingwei had no choice but to explain, "When I visited the Duke of Ying's mansion earlier, I overheard some things—"
Rong Zhen nodded.
Although Crown Prince Longde died forty years ago, there were indeed some rumors circulating. Although Crown Prince Longde was always physically weak, his sudden death in the Eastern Palace was quite suspicious. Rumors about Rong Duo killing Crown Prince Longde had been circulating secretly among the noble families for a long time, and Rong Zhen was aware of this, so it was normal for Mingwei to know about it.
"Your Highness, please don't treat me with such perfunctory politeness!" When Mingwei looked up again, her beautiful eyes were already glistening with tears. Her voice was soft and quick, yet it sounded particularly heartbreaking.
Rong Zhen felt extremely distressed.
"Ah Wan, it's my fault." Rong Zhen regretted his perfunctory words in order to put her at ease, so he had no choice but to tell her everything. "Since Prince Cheng has already discovered it, the only way now is to cut off the silk shop's connection with other places and expose the silk shop and the private salt trade to their noses."
Mingwei listened intently, and only breathed a sigh of relief after Rong Zhen told her the truth.
Although smuggled salt is one of the important sources of revenue for Rongzhen's business, if other connections are used to cover it up in order to protect it, it will only lead to getting bogged down in a quagmire from which there is no way out.
Mingwei calmed down, and she smiled slightly, saying, "Your Highness has the courage to make such a tough decision. I admire you."
"Don't you think... what I did was incompetent?" Rong Zhen was somewhat puzzled by Ming Wei's reaction. To most people, this was clearly an act of cowardice and incompetence. "I could have tried—"
To everyone's surprise, Mingwei shook her head vigorously.