When Fang Jie returned to the Sanjin Marquis's residence, it was already dark. As the carriage stopped at the gate, Fang Jie noticed something different. The courtyard was brightly lit and bustling with people, a stark contrast to its usual quiet and desolate state. Qilin stared at the courtyard for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"
Fang Jie thought for a moment and said, "Most likely, the true master of this place has returned."
Fang Jie wasn't wrong. The reason the servants in the courtyard were so busy was because Sanjin Marquis Wu Yidao had returned from the Northwest and had only been inside for a short time. The servants were busy boiling water to prepare his bath and unloading the things he had brought back; it was quite a lively scene. As soon as Fang Jie entered, he saw the fat, lecherous, and greedy man standing in the courtyard, gesturing and directing the servants.
"Oh dear, isn't this young Master Fang? My apologies for not greeting you sooner,"
Lecherous and greedy man greeted him with a smile.
Fang Jie rolled his eyes at him and said, "I paid the rent."
Jiu Se Cai was taken aback, then remembered that Fang Jie and the others had been staying at the Sanjin Marquis's residence. His face flushed, and he chuckled awkwardly, "I was away for so long I forgot! Since you paid the rent, we're family. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you and make you feel right at home."
"You traveled thousands of miles around the Northwest, how come you haven't lost weight?"
Fang Jie asked.
Jiu Se Cai laughed, "I finally gained weight! Losing it would be a waste of all the good food I ate before, wouldn't it? I'm very frugal and don't like wasting food, so I ate really hard this trip to maintain my figure."
"The Marquis hired you as his helper just to make him look more handsome, right?"
Fang Jie maliciously speculated. "Wine, Women, and Wealth" chuckled and said, "No, no, no, the Marquis only asked me to be his helper to make himself look richer."
Fang Jie burst out laughing, "Your name 'Wine, Women, and Wealth' is truly fitting! You're so good-natured, it's really endearing. I like you so much!"
"Wine, Women, and Wealth" blushed and said, "Don't... I still prefer women."
Fang Jie laughed heartily, walking inside as he asked, "Where is the Marquis?"
"Taking a bath. The Marquis has gotten quite thinner on this trip. But he's happy to have completed the task His Majesty entrusted to him smoothly. You didn't see it, such a huge amount of supplies and such a large fleet, all transported to the Northwest by our Goods Transport Network. The fleet stretched..." "For dozens of miles, masts stood like a forest. You can't imagine how proud I was seeing this scene. Since ancient times, which merchant guild has ever possessed such strength?"
"Tens of millions of supplies, hundreds of thousands of troops—all transported from various parts of the Sui Dynasty to the Northwest by our 'Trading Goods Across the World' company. After converging in Shandong, the spectacle was unforgettable. This has made the world aware of the strength of our 'Trading Goods Across the World' company. Who wouldn't give us a thumbs up and praise us?"
After hearing this, Fang Jie's expression visibly stiffened, but he stopped joking: "Excuse me, if it's convenient for you after you've washed up, Lord Marquis, I'd like to see him."
"Don't mention it."
The 'Wine, Women, and Wealth' man laughed: "You've already paid the rent..."
Fang Jie smiled, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and left, his expression becoming somewhat solemn. Shen Qingshan noticed the change in his expression and asked softly, "What's wrong? Have you thought of something bad?"
Fang Jie slowly shook his head, saying softly as he walked, "This time, the 'Trade Through the World' has revealed its full strength. The people are shocked, and the court must be shocked too. A private trading company possessing such power—if the owner harbors ill intentions… wouldn't that be a major threat to the court? The reason Marquis Sanjin rushed back so urgently is probably because someone in the court is targeting him. How could someone as wise as him reveal his strength so openly? Even if it was His Majesty's decree, he shouldn't have done this… Now that the war is over, the court no longer needs the 'Trade Through the World'; transporting troops and supplies to the northwest will naturally be done by the Sui Dynasty's navy."
"Are you worried that the emperor will discard you after you've served your purpose?"
Shen Qingshan asked. Fang Jie nodded: "The Merchant Guild is too large… His Majesty's use of the guild's fleet to transport troops and supplies has already displeased many court officials. But since His Majesty needed the Marquis, he naturally suppressed dissent within the court. Now that the war is a foregone conclusion, the Emperor has no need to hide anything anymore, and naturally, he no longer needs the Merchant Guild. If the voices against the Marquis in the court grow louder, it's possible the Emperor won't take action against him."
"Too large…"
Fang Jie frowned: "The Merchant Guild is too large, so large that it has already made people in the court uneasy."
Shen Qingshan said: "Marquis Sanjin may not be unaware of this. Given his current wealth and status, his shrewdness and cunning are certainly beyond that of ordinary people. He must have given it considerable thought before the guild went all out."
"What I'm worried about…" "Yes..."
Fang Jie frowned, recalling the little girl who had been forced to leave Chang'an and return to Qing Le Mountain due to certain events: "If the Marquis had devoted all his efforts to helping His Majesty with the affairs of the Northwest, was it because he was threatened?"
Shen Qingshan, quick-witted and intelligent, immediately understood Fang Jie's meaning: "Before the Marquis of Sanjin went to the Northwest, he sent his daughter to Qing Le Mountain. Could it be that the Emperor used his daughter to blackmail him? If he didn't do his best to handle the affairs of the Northwest well, he would take his daughter into the palace... For a girl of only fifteen or sixteen, entering the palace would be nothing short of a disaster. Those concubines and noblewomen, none of them are easy to deal with."
"So..."
Fang Jie said somewhat heavily, "I'm worried that the Marquis might be about to make some major decision."
"What decision?"
Shen Qingshan asked. Fang Jie shook his head, saying, "If you want to avoid disaster... of course, you can only offer the entire Huotong Tianxia Trading Company to His Majesty! This way, just like his donation of tens of thousands of taels of gold to repair the city walls, you're buying peace with money. His Majesty might have had this intention when he forced him to handle the Northwest affairs. If you want peace, Marquis, you can't leave Huotong Tianxia Trading Company behind!"
Shen Qingshan was taken aback, then murmured, "What a ruthless double-edged sword..."
...
...
A trading company with the power to influence a war, even the foundation of a nation, is definitely not a good thing for the court. Huotong Tianxia Trading Company did a truly brilliant job this time; such a massive supply of materials and such a large army was all safely transported to the Northwest. Even without careful consideration, one is astonished by Huotong Tianxia Trading Company's capabilities.
Fang Jie's concerns were not unfounded.
The officials in the court would not allow a trading company to threaten the stability of the Sui Dynasty. Moreover, His Majesty chose Huotong Tianxia Trading Company to transport troops, grain, armor, and weapons in the first place, to keep it a secret from the officials in the court. The emperor trusts a merchant guild owner, a nobody, but not his court officials… Would the officials feel comfortable with that? They can't do anything to the emperor, but they can do something to the "Trade Throughout the World" company.
A group of powerful officials could easily dismantle a single merchant guild.
However, if the officials in the court escalate their attacks on Wu Yidao, His Majesty would naturally have to intervene to appease them. Wu Yidao has rendered meritorious service to the Sui Dynasty; he first donated tens of thousands of taels of gold to repair Chang'an, and then devoted himself to managing the affairs of the Northwest. His Majesty wouldn't easily kill him… He would certainly give Wu Yidao a very appropriate hint: to save his life, he must sacrifice something.
The "Trade Throughout the World" company is large enough to tempt an emperor to greed; this is the most worrying aspect.
Fang Jie hadn't paid much attention to this matter at first, but now, thinking about it carefully, he realized how terrifying it was. He also understood why Wu Yidao had rushed to send Wu Yinyu back to Jiangnan. He had already made arrangements for his escape route before going to the Northwest, but Wu Yidao also understood that as long as he remained in the Sui Dynasty, he had no way to resist the Emperor.
A single word from the Emperor could take away half a lifetime's worth of effort.
Thinking of this, Fang Jie felt a pang of sorrow. Wu Yidao was someone who had helped him immensely since arriving in Chang'an. Fang Jie didn't consider himself a good person, but he had his own bottom line: a debt of gratitude was a debt of gratitude, and he couldn't stand idly by. When Fatty, with his wine, women, and wealth, recounted his journey to the Northwest, Fang Jie instantly considered the worst-case scenario, which was why he was so eager to see Wu Yidao.
But he didn't know what he could do to help.
So, when he sat down face-to-face with Wu Yidao, he didn't know how to begin. He truly regarded this gentle and refined man as an elder. Although Wu Yidao always deliberately kept a certain distance, even haggling over the rent Fang Jie and his companions had to pay for staying at the Sanjin Marquis's residence, Fang Jie was genuinely grateful to him. Upon first arriving in Chang'an, Fang Jie knew that without Wu Yidao's help, he would be in a completely different situation.
Thinking about Wu Yidao's meticulous calculations, he understood something. The reason Wu Yidao was so clear-headed about so many small matters was precisely to deliberately distance himself from Fang Jie. If something were to happen to Wu Yidao, Fang Jie, residing at the Sanjin Marquis's residence, would naturally be entangled. Wu Yidao could then casually dismiss it as just business, kicking Fang Jie out of the game. If that were the case, it could only mean that Wu Yidao already knew what kind of situation Fang Jie would face when they first met.
Therefore, Fang Jie felt even more bitter.
Whatever Wu Yidao's motives, his help was genuine, even considering how to help him escape long ago… Such wisdom, such foresight, few could match him.
Yet, even so, he couldn't escape the Emperor's grasp. Because this was the Great Sui Dynasty, and the Emperor was a god in the Great Sui! "Just say what you have to say. Why are you being so hesitant after less than a year?"
Wu Yidao said with a smile while eating. He seemed to have a very good appetite; although the table only had some light dishes and no wine, and he held a bowl of white rice in his hand, he ate with great relish.
Fang Jie took a deep breath, deciding not to probe further.
"The goods are sold all over the world, is it because you can't keep them?"
He sat up straight, looking into Wu Yidao's eyes as he asked. Wu Yidao's hand, which had reached for some food, paused in mid-air. He then shook his head and said, "It's none of your business... but starting tomorrow, you should all move back to your own shops."
He pointed with the tip of his chopsticks to a wooden box on the table. "This is the deed to the shop you rented. Take it. I don't have much left to give you, but this place will at least give you a place to stay."
Fang Jie's nose stung with tears. "Irreversible?"
Wu Yidao smiled. "I'm already surprised you could guess so much. It truly proves the old saying, 'A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days' absence.' You're much smarter now than when you first arrived in Chang'an, but not quite. Some things you see may not be true, and some things you think you understand are just the tip of the iceberg. The Chang'an you see now is definitely very different from the Chang'an you saw when you first arrived, but you still haven't seen enough."
He ate and talked, quickly finishing a bowl of white rice. Fang Jie reached out, wanting to serve him another bowl. Wu Yidao finished the last grain of rice and put down his chopsticks. "I'm not eating anymore. Seven-tenths full is enough. Never do anything too much, or you'll have no way out."
"Have you been getting close to Prince Yi lately?"
He asked.
Fang Jie was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"His Majesty's decree?"
He asked again.
Fang Jie clearly hadn't expected Wu Yidao to see through him so easily. His expression changed, then he nodded again.
Wu Yidao smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about me. If I really can't handle it, you can't help me much. The reason I gave you the shop was so that if I ended up penniless, I'd have a place to stay. Of course, if you don't take me in then, there's nothing I can do… But how could those who want me to bow down easily succeed? They'll probably be quite surprised in the end."
He said gently, "As for you, I'll say it again: don't overdo things. Overdoing it leaves no way out. His Majesty entrusted this matter to you because he trusts you, but you yourself are not important, understand? Success isn't the primary goal in anything; don't die in this."
Fang Jie nodded, "I understand."
Wu Yidao hummed in agreement, stood up, and said, "Let's go for a walk, we can talk as we go."
Fang Jie followed Wu Yidao out of the room, looking like Wu Yidao's student or nephew/junior. The two walked together, as naturally as… family.