The most dissolute couple in the capital

When Cui Qingyi received the message, she was leaning against a soft couch covered with thick white fox fur, listening listlessly to Su Xin's report on the recent accounts.

These days, Aunt Guan gradually handed over her work to Su Xin and Aunt Xiao. Su Xin also had to take care of Dan Zhu and Ying Zhu, so she was very busy.

Fortunately, these people are all intelligent and learn quickly.

"Your Highness, the guards beside His Highness have rushed back, saying they have important matters to report," Danzhu's voice came from outside the door.

"Let him in."

After the guard entered the house, he knelt on one knee and quickly reported on the fake ointments, poisonous mushrooms, and the fact that Wang, the registrar, was trying to seize the land in the village.

After listening, Cui Qingyi's previously languid gaze gradually cleared, and she let out a cold laugh:

"An eighth-rank clerk's annual salary is only a few dozen taels of silver. Where did he get the confidence and financial resources to swallow up fertile fields along the river for miles around in one go?" Cui Qingyi said calmly. "He's good at social maneuvering and making money. If this clerk didn't have anyone backing him up, he couldn't have pulled off such a big scheme even if he had ten times the courage. It's absolutely right that His Highness didn't arrest him directly. If he had alerted the enemy, the big fish behind this clerk would have escaped."

The guard respectfully asked, "Your Highness, what should be done regarding His Highness's side?"

Cui Qingyi stood up, walked to the desk, and after a moment of contemplation, said, "Since that Physician Zhang is a coward who fears death, he can be used by us. Go back and tell His Highness to promise Physician Zhang that as long as he cooperates in setting up a scheme, he will atone for his crimes after it's done. If he dares to try anything funny..."

Cui Qingyi snorted coldly, "I believe you have your own ways of controlling a mere doctor."

"Understood."

"Furthermore," Cui Qingyi's gaze shifted slightly, "select a few unfamiliar faces from the guards of the Prince's mansion, those with a strong江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) air, and have them pose as wealthy merchants from out of town and a familiar doctor. Have Doctor Zhang take them to see that Registrar Wang. Tell them that they have their eyes on the business of this 'Immortal Ointment' and want to buy a large quantity to reproduce in their hometowns and seize land."

The guard's eyes lit up: "Your Highness, this plan is brilliant! As long as that Registrar Wang accepts the deposit and tells the truth, we can follow the trail!"

"Go ahead, take plenty of silver notes, and make sure the performance is convincing." Cui Qingyi waved her hand and sat back down on the soft couch. "People die for money, birds die for food. As long as the bait is generous enough, I'm not afraid that Clerk Wang won't take the bait."

-

This matter needs to be handled quickly to ensure that no word gets out.

The next day at noon, in a secluded teahouse on the back street of the county government office.

Wang, the registrar, frowned as he held his teacup, warily eyeing the two unfamiliar men sitting opposite him. The two men wore expensive Shu brocade robes, fine jade thumb rings, and were accompanied by several burly attendants; they were clearly wealthy men from out of town.

Meanwhile, Dr. Zhang, who had been handling matters for him, sat to the side with a broad smile on his face, fine beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead.

"Dr. Zhang, who are these two...?" Registrar Wang put down his teacup, his tone tinged with wariness.

Zhang Langzhong swallowed hard, recalling Li Chengjing's words from last night, "Chop them up and feed them to the dogs." He forced himself to act out the script Cui Qingyi had given him: "Registrar, these two are Master Qian and Doctor Zhao from Jiangnan. Master Qian is one of the wealthiest merchants in Jiangnan. He recently heard about the miraculous effects of our 'Fairy Ointment' and specially asked me to introduce you to him."

The guard, disguised as Master Qian, leaned back in his chair with an air of superiority, pulled out a thick stack of silver notes from his pocket, and slammed them directly onto the table.

With a muffled "snap," the sound made Wang, the registrar, twitch.

"Lord Wang, let's not beat around the bush." ​​'Master Qian' raised his chin, adopting the air of a nouveau riche. "I'm quite interested in this trick you've pulled off in the outskirts of the capital. To be honest, I've also set my sights on a large tract of fertile land in Jiangnan, and I'm just worried that those unruly people are stubbornly refusing to sell. I've examined the ointment that Doctor Zhang has, and it's indeed a good product."

Wang, the registrar, didn't even glance at the thick wad of silver notes. Instead, his eyes suddenly turned cold, and he slammed his hand on the table: "Insolence! Doctor Zhang, have you lost your mind? I am an official appointed by the court. You dare to come here with two merchants of dubious origin, carrying a few worthless pieces of paper, to mock me and tarnish my reputation? Based on this 'bribing an official' charge alone, I can throw you all in jail right now!"

Doctor Zhang trembled so badly he almost slipped off his chair: "S-My lord, please calm down..."

"Master Qian" remained completely unperturbed. Instead, he laughed heartily, picked up his teacup, skimmed off the foam, and took a leisurely sip. "Lord Wang," he said, "if you really wanted to arrest someone, you should be banging the gavel in court right now. Everyone's drinking cheap tea in this secluded teahouse. Why bother with this 'empty city ruse'? It's all about making money, nothing shameful."

Wang, the registrar, twitched at the corner of his eye, secretly amazed by the merchant's composure, but his guard remained undiminished: "I don't understand what you're talking about. What 'miracle ointment'? That's pure nonsense."

The guard, disguised as Doctor Zhao, chimed in at the opportune moment, his tone carrying the familiarity of someone in the profession: "Why be modest, sir? The proportions of the poisonous mushrooms in that ointment are exquisite, far beyond what an ordinary itinerant doctor could concoct. Its effects are extremely slow, yet it can be addictive, draining one's coffers, without revealing any signs of poisoning. Our master has no shortage of money; what he lacks is a ready supply of this ointment. If you are willing to expand this business, the three thousand taels of silver on this table are merely a small token of our appreciation."

Wang, the registrar, scoffed and leaned back. "Since Doctor Zhao is so knowledgeable, he can simply go back to Jiangnan and prepare the medicine himself. Why bother coming all this way to find me?"

"Master Qian" snorted coldly, leaning forward, his eyes revealing a ruthless, uncouth glint in his eyes: "You jest, sir. This poisonous mushroom grows deep in the northern mountains; it's not a local specialty, and we wouldn't even know where to start. I, Qian, believe in the rules in business; this money should naturally be shared. However…"

"Master Qian" paused, then lowered his voice, "Sir, you're just dabbling in these few acres of land in the outskirts of Beijing, cheating each household out of land. How much money can you possibly make in a year? If you're willing to supply us long-term, my Qian family will not only pay double the price, but we'll also give you a 10% share of the land we acquired in Jiangnan!"

"A 10% share?" Registrar Wang's pupils suddenly contracted.

The fertile paddy fields of Jiangnan were far more tempting than three thousand taels of silver. After all his scheming and painstaking efforts to acquire the land, he still had to hand over the majority of it, leaving himself with very little.

But being cunning and suspicious by nature, he didn't immediately agree. Instead, he suddenly stood up, flicked his sleeve, and coldly shouted, "Utter nonsense! I am an honest and upright official; how could I possibly associate with unscrupulous merchants like you! Doctor Zhang, if you dare to spout such nonsense again, watch your head! Show him out!"

After saying that, he actually turned around and walked towards the door of the private room.

Doctor Zhang was sweating profusely with anxiety. If he let him go, he would be dead. He rushed forward and grabbed the doctor's leg, pleading, "Sir! Please wait, sir!"

Master Qian didn't even flinch, nor did he utter a word to stop him. He simply stared coldly at Clerk Wang's retreating figure and said indifferently, "The bold get rich, the timid starve. I, Master Qian, have been able to establish myself in Jiangnan precisely because of this ruthlessness. If you're afraid, sir, and feel you can't handle this piece of fat meat, then I'll take the money with me. It's just a pity about those prime fertile fields in Jiangnan."

Wang, the registrar, paused as he reached the door.

He had his back to the crowd, his expression shifting unpredictably. The merchant not only didn't try to stop him, but instead wentaded him, showing no regard for his official authority.

Despite Zhang Langzhong's desperate wailing and pulling, Wang Zhubu finally turned around slowly, his eyes gradually filled with greed as he looked at the silver notes on the table.

He walked back to the table and sat down, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of the teacup. Finally, he sighed, "Master Qian is truly a straightforward man, and also a ruthless one."

He carefully tucked the three thousand taels of silver notes on the table into his sleeve. "However, the quantity you require is so enormous that I cannot make the decision on my own."

"Oh?" 'Master Qian' raised an eyebrow. "You're all powerful and influential in this area. Is there any business you can't decide on?"

Wang, the registrar, lowered his voice, his tone laced with ambiguity: "To be honest, I'm merely a figurehead and matchmaker. These medicinal herbs are precious and difficult to refine; the one who truly controls the source is someone else. This matter involves many people, and I must consult my superiors. Only with their approval can our deal truly be considered complete."