The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

Wang Bai returned to the Chen residence with five thousand strings of cash, accompanied by an anxious Wang Jinbao.

After having the Changsun family leave all the money and silk, Wang Bai immediately prepared to take Wang Jinbao to see Chen Huai'an.

Unexpectedly, Xiao He was running happily this way, clearly also preparing to go find Chen Huai'an.

Wang Bai quickly put on a smile: "Miss Chen, are you going to see the master?"

When Xiaohe saw Wang Bai, she immediately pouted: "Yes, are you also looking for your uncle?"

Wang Bai chuckled and said, "Yes, the master instructed me to do some things today. The things have been done, and I need to tell the master. There is also someone I need to bring to the master to see."

As he spoke, he tugged at Wang Jinbao, who was standing next to him.

Even without hearing the title "Uncle," Wang Bai treated this little girl with such respect, so Wang Jinbao naturally dared not be negligent and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Greetings, Miss Chen."

Xiao He sighed softly, knowing she couldn't play with her uncle again today. She smiled kindly at the two of them and ran back.

"Since we can't play with Uncle, playing with Sister Qiao'er is just as good."

With that thought in mind, the little guy happily walked away.

"Brother Wang, was that Minister Chen's niece just now?" Wang Jinbao asked in a low voice. Chen Huai'an's background was indeed not a secret, but Li Shimin had never publicized Chen Huai'an's family situation, so Wang Jinbao did not know.

Wang Bai nodded, then immediately instructed, "Remember this: in the Chen family, you must never offend this young lady. Offending her is the same as offending everyone in the Chen family."

"The master, his wife, and the eldest daughter-in-law are all very easy to talk to, provided you don't offend this young lady."

Wang Jinbao sensed a hint of excitement in those words.

What does it mean to never offend this young lady in the Chen family mansion in the future?

If he can never come to the Chen residence again, how will he have the opportunity to offend him?

Is this what Wang Bai is saying now?

Doesn't that mean he might stay?

Wang Jinbao asked nervously and apprehensively, "Brother Wang, was this young lady a bit difficult to talk to just now?"

"No." Wang Bai looked at him strangely. "Why would you think that? In the entire Chen family, this young lady is the easiest to talk to. She basically never gets angry."

Wang Jinbao: "..."

He really wanted to complain, but he didn't know where to begin. "Alright, let's go. The master should be fishing now."

Wang Bai knew Chen Huai'an's habits well and led him straight to the backyard.

Sure enough, Chen Huai'an was fishing in the pond in his backyard again.

However, he just couldn't catch any fish. Wang Bai didn't know if it was Chen Huai'an's technique that was the problem, or if these farmed fish were really hard to catch.

"Hmm." Chen Huai'an hummed in response after hearing this, then pointed to the seat next to him, "Have a seat first."

Wang Bai pulled the nervous Wang Jinbao to sit down. Just as he was wondering how to start the conversation, Chen Huai'an spoke first: "I heard... your business is quite large?"

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Minister. I'm just trying to make a living." Wang Jinbao swallowed hard. The young minister in front of him was nothing like the rumors.

What utter nonsense about being gentle and refined, and treating people kindly.

Why did he only feel that the other person was extremely oppressive?

Facing Chen Huai'an was like facing a lurking beast.

Chen Huai'an paused in his work, then said with interest, "You managed to become the richest merchant in Luoyang by just trying to make a living? Do you have a big appetite, or are you just afraid of starving?" Faced with this question that clearly carried a strange implication, Wang Jinbao honestly replied, "Your Excellency, I have both. However, I know what I should and shouldn't eat. Even if something looks delicious, I will never touch it."

"Really?" Chen Huai'an chuckled. "There was a farmer named Wei who once told me that grain merchants are basically all bad people, followed by cloth merchants."

"You have both."

"Is there anything you'd like to say?"

Wang Jinbao was taken aback. He glanced at Wang Bai beside him, then at Chen Huai'an who was not turning his head. After a moment of silence, he replied, "What the Minister said is right. There is no good person among grain merchants and cloth merchants, and I am no exception."

"I have never claimed to be a good person. I just have some bottom lines. The reason I was able to expand my business is entirely due to having many friends. At least... I have never profited from national crises."

Wang Bai spoke up at the opportune moment: "Sir, he certainly didn't come to Chang'an to sell grain during the first year of the Zhenguan era..."

Chen Huai'an nodded slightly, then asked, "Grain and silk are two very special things, and they are things that the court cannot control at present. Apart from silk, which I have some ideas about, there really aren't many options for grain."

"Do you want to shed your identity as a merchant?"

Wang Jinbao was almost thrown out of his back by this sudden change, but he was a man of some standing, so he quickly recovered and hurriedly replied, "To be honest, Your Excellency, all of us in business want to get rid of our merchant status, and I am no exception."

"Especially after you took office, you vigorously reformed the imperial examination system, which gave everyone hope."

"However, the laws of the Tang Dynasty strictly stipulated that merchants and other miscellaneous professions were not allowed to be among the soldiers." "No matter how rich a small business was, it would always be a lowly profession and would not be recognized by the general public."

"How could I not want to?"

Chen Huai'an's previous statement was clearly about his and the court's predicament. The court had difficulty controlling grain and silk, which meant that they needed someone outside the court.

The meaning of such words spoken to a merchant who deals in grain and silk is self-evident.

In his next sentence, Chen Huai'an directly asked if he wanted to get rid of his merchant identity, which was a real benefit he offered.

His answer that he wanted to get rid of his merchant identity was actually a way of showing his loyalty and accepting being won over.

"I won't hide it from you, you don't have much of a chance in this lifetime," Chen Huai'an said calmly. "If you work for me, the business is destined to grow bigger and bigger, and the bigger the business grows, the less likely you are to enter officialdom."

"But your children can, and after entering officialdom, they must not engage in commerce."

"How far you can go, and whether you can continue on this path, depends on yourselves."

I won't offer you any help, I'll just give you a chance.

"So? Still deciding to follow me?"

"..."