mtl008 Chapter 552 What About Na Qiao
Chapter 552 What About Na Qiao
Although Yu Qingli didn't understand, Xiao Yu was indeed a character that could not be underestimated. He was the president of the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce. I just didn't know why he would agree to help Yu Qingli manage these industries?
Now that Yu Qingli had this doubt, Shopkeeper Rong secretly wondered, could it be that they were wrong? This young lady of the Yu family was not one of those women who only pretended to be cultured, but had real talent and knowledge?
Shopkeeper Rong and Bai Xu exchanged a glance, then smiled and said, "Your Highness, your words are too serious. Even if we were to be so bold, we wouldn't dare to deceive you, right? Besides, you know the relationship between our owner and Your Highness. Even if the owner is willing to give up, Your Highness may not be willing to do so, right?"
"Hmph!" Yu Qingli snorted coldly, "Don't bring up the relationship between Your Highness and the owner of the manor. That will only tarnish the friendship between Your Highness and your master. Since you are here on behalf of Jinxiu Villa, then I would like to ask, among the benefits you just promised, is there any one that I cannot achieve in my entire life?"
Manager Rong and several others looked at each other in surprise. This was quite true. With Yu Qingli's current status, the conditions they had just offered were really nothing. The eldest prince had plenty of channels, and as for encountering difficulties, the royal family would naturally step in to solve them. What conditions could be better than this?
Murong Feng coughed at this moment, then smiled and took over the conversation, saying, "Qingli, don't embarrass them. I think this matter is worth considering. Although you are currently running a cloth shop, given your status, this matter must be stopped. Instead of looking for someone to take over the shop later, it is better for you to join the Bai family now. This way, you will have more time to take care of the affairs of the mansion."
"Your Highness!"
Yu Qingli interrupted Murong Feng with a somewhat unfriendly look on her face, as if she was very dissatisfied with Murong Feng's participation.
Murong Feng was stunned at first when he saw this, and then he felt a little unhappy. This Yu Qingli was too disrespectful to him. Why did she treat him like this when they were still outside?
Murong Feng's face suddenly darkened, but he stopped talking to avoid being interrupted by Yu Qingli and being embarrassed.
Yu Qingli said sternly, "Your Highness, I have already said this before discussing this with the two shopkeepers. If today's matter is related to Your Highness, then I naturally do not need to say anything more. If it is not related to Your Highness, then I hope Your Highness will not interrupt."
Yu Qingli leaned over to Murong Feng's ear and whispered, "Your Highness, don't you know that His Majesty hates officials doing business the most?"
Murong Feng was shocked when he heard this, but then he looked at Yu Qingli with a bit more pity and joy in his eyes. It was really thanks to her reminder that he had forgotten for a moment that his father attached great importance to Confucian scholarship and hated officials doing business the most. Once collusion between officials and businessmen was discovered, they would always be severely punished!
That was a close call! That was a close call!
However, the solution was invented by people. Although officials were not allowed to engage in business, the law did not stipulate that their wives and children could not do business. For example, although the shops in Yu Zhengsha's mansion were all Yu Zhengsha's properties, they were under his wife's name. Even Yu Zhenzhen had a few small shops under her name, but they had never managed them themselves.
There are also many young ladies from official families who marry with shops like Yu Qingli!
For the following time, Murong Feng really didn't say a word. Seeing this, everyone present was secretly guessing in their hearts, it seems that the prince's wife is really favored, and she can even blurt out such words that don't give face to the eldest prince. It seems that if you want to cooperate with her, you have to talk to her carefully!
Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Narong said with a flattering face, "Your Highness, please calm down. Princess, please calm down. We never meant to offend you. It's just that the owner of the manor has given an order, and we can't disobey it. I wonder what the princess's request is, so we can go back and discuss it."
"No need to discuss. I will not join the Bai family. This property was left by my mother. It is also the only memory she left me. If I use someone else's name, my mother in the afterlife will not be able to rest in peace."
Yu Qingli's words were extremely serious. Everyone knew that for Canghe, filial piety was the most important virtue. If they continued to persuade her, wouldn't it be equivalent to persuading Yu Qingli to be unkind, unjust, unfaithful and unfilial!
Having said this, it would be extremely awkward to continue, so the entire box fell into silence for a moment.
Chen Simin promptly smoothed things over, saying, "Alright, everyone is our guest today. I'm sure you're hungry after all this talk. Waiter, why don't you bring some snacks quickly?"
Yu Qingli stood up and said in a cold and arrogant tone: "Thank you all for your hospitality today. Qingli suddenly remembered that I have something else to do, so I will take my leave for now."
Murong Feng also stood up, stretched out his hand to pull Yu Qingli's sleeve and said, "Qingli, don't be so anxious, it would be better if you could sit for a while."
Yu Qingli lowered her eyes, "Your Highness, there is no need to keep me here any longer. Qingli really has something to do. Besides, Your Highness knows that I don't like this kind of occasion."
Seeing Yu Qingli's embarrassment, Murong Feng sighed and said, "Well, it's my fault for what happened today. I brought you here without consulting you beforehand. But I did it for your own good. If the business under your name could develop, Prime Minister Yu wouldn't..."
"I understand. I don't mean to blame Your Highness. You're acting for my own good. However, today's situation was indeed sudden. How about I give you some time to think about it before giving you a response? However, it's absolutely impossible for my business to be registered under the Bai family's name!"
Seeing Yu Qingli's tone soften, Murong Feng nodded slightly and said, "Give me some time to think about it. I will personally discuss this matter with Bai Jinshu. If you don't want to, I won't force you. By the way, wherever you want to go, you have to have me accompany you."
Yu Qingli's eyes immediately turned red, and she said seriously, "I understand your Highness's feelings, but it's rare for your Highness to get together with Mr. Chen and the others, so I won't bother you. Besides, I'm just going to buy some rouge and powder for my daughter, so I don't need your Highness to accompany me."
"Then let Qiu Hen take you there."
This time, Yu Qingli did not refuse again. She had plenty of ways to get rid of Qiu Hen, and naturally there was no need to arouse Murong Feng's suspicion.
Sure enough, after Yu Qingli agreed, Murong Feng's expression looked much better.
After leaving Qionglou, Yu Qingli and Xiluo got on the carriage and traveled in silence. Qiu Hen drove the carriage to the most famous rouge shop in the capital as instructed. After that, Yu Qingli told him to go back to Qionglou and wait, and there was no need to wait any longer.
Qiu Hen did not continue to follow, but went back to report. Compared with Changkong, Qiu Hen was loyal but not smart enough.
With no annoying people following them, Yu Qingli and Xiluo felt a little more relaxed, and the master and servant began to chat with each other.
Xiluo asked Yu Qingli with some confusion, "Miss, who came up with the idea that the Bai family wanted to cooperate with you?"
Yu Qingli was very surprised that Xiluo would ask her such a question, and immediately felt like teasing her, "Oh? Tell me, little girl, who came up with this idea?"
"I think this must have been the idea of that Bai Quezi. He must have been jealous of the young lady's shop's success, so he sent those men down to talk about cooperation. But he just wanted to take over the young lady's things!"
"Bai Quezi? Xiluo, you really are good at giving people nicknames. However, I don't think this was his idea."
"If it's not him, could it be that white wood?"
"Uh..." Yu Qingli was speechless. Was this girl going to give those she disliked some weird nicknames? "White Wood" or something like that, couldn't she be talking about Bai Jinqi? It seemed like she still had some feelings for her.
After Xiluo finished speaking, he felt that he was wrong. It was unlikely that Bai Jinqi did this. Although he was also responsible for the business in the mansion, he was more responsible for the transportation of goods, which was a thankless job. He should not have that kind of brains and ambition.
"Miss, who do you think it could be? Could it be the cold and icy Bai Jinshi, the third daughter of the Bai family? Or is it the seemingly gentle but actually cunning Bai Jinhua?"
"If I told you that you were wrong, what would your reaction be?"
"What? How is that possible? There must be one or two that are right. How can they all be wrong?"
Yu Qingli said seriously, "If I'm not mistaken, it was probably Murong Feng who brought this up."
"It was him?" Xiluo was a little unconvinced. "But why would he do this? If the young lady's business was swallowed up by the Bai family, what good would it do him?"
"Of course there are benefits. First, if the industries are merged, he will be able to better control me and the Bai family. Second, with the fabric patterns and dyeing secrets in my shop, he can expand the Bai family's business and make more money."
"What does he need so much money for?"
"Have you forgotten what Murong Yan said to them before?"
Xiluo finally understood. So that's why there were many troops living in that huge underground city. Those people needed food, clothing, and a large number of weapons, and all of this required financial support.
Although Jinxiu Villa can make money, it is too single-minded. Apart from fabrics, it does not involve any other industries. However, it is different under Yu Qingli's name. There are many shops in Jiangnan alone that are doing rice business, and they also deal in tea and other things. If such a place can be used for one's own benefit, it will be a great place to make money.
Murong Feng has a good plan!
However, Xiluo soon became worried again, "Miss, you rejected the Bai family's cooperation in person today. Will Murong Feng..."
"No!" Yu Qingli was full of confidence. "To be exact, he doesn't dare! I dare to take advantage of the opportunity, but he doesn't dare to refuse! He's the one who's short of money now, not me!"
"Speaking of which, isn't Miss in great danger right now? What should we do if the Crown Prince insists on taking Miss's shop?"
“That’s something I’m considering as well.”