There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 446 Weighing the Bets

"Losing power isn't necessarily the case, but it's certainly not as secure anymore."

Ruan Jingshang took a sip of wine. "Think about it, what does His Majesty need most right now? Face! Popular support! Jin Luotuo has angered both heaven and man, even the stars are warning him. Can His Majesty still trust him completely as before?"

"I heard that His Majesty has recently started praising Princess Zoya, and it's not just ordinary praise, it's something he's doing for show! What does this mean? It means that His Majesty is also looking for a new... um, balance?"

The businessmen were all shrewd; they immediately picked up on the implied meaning.

Bahar asked anxiously, "What do you think, Mr. Ruan, we who are struggling to survive in this predicament, should do?"

"What should we do?" Ruan Jingshang chuckled, speaking quickly and clearly, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket, guys!"

"If the Golden Camel's ship is really rocking, shouldn't we check other docks beforehand?"

“I’ve heard that Princess Zoya, although she has no power or influence now, is very shrewd. The things she’s been doing lately, like distributing porridge and finding water, may seem like small things, but think about it, who has she been in contact with?”

"They are the lowest-level herders and miners! These people may seem insignificant, but there are many of them! The princess is playing a strategic game, laying traps, and winning people's hearts!"

"What if... I mean, what if something changes in the future, and the princess gains some say? Will she remember those who helped her in her time of need? Will she... be more inclined to fairer rules of trade?"

He paused, scanning the ever-changing expressions on everyone's faces, then threw out another bait.

"In our Purple Star Dynasty, there's a saying, 'A rare commodity is worth hoarding.' Right now, the princess is incredibly cheap—just a little bit of food, a little bit of medicine, or even just verbal support. What might she get in return? You are all shrewd people; weigh the pros and cons yourself."

The wealthy merchant narrowed his eyes: "Mr. Ruan seems to think highly of this princess?"

What I'm optimistic about is the opportunity.

Ruan Jingshang frankly stated, "What I value is a partner who is more willing to do business according to the rules, rather than simply monopolizing and exploiting others."

"What do we businessmen seek? Isn't it just a long-term, stable source of income? The 'Golden Camel' model enriches a few while starving the majority, and will eventually kill the market."

"This 'princess' approach, if taken slowly and steadily, might be able to expand the market. Of course, there are risks involved; it all depends on whether you dare to take the gamble."

A brief silence fell over the banquet hall, broken only by the sounds of chewing and the soft clatter of wine glasses.

The merchants were all calculating rapidly.

They were aware of Azim's decline, and they had also heard of Princess Zoya's meteoric rise.

Ruan Jingshang's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up their greed, fear, and scheming.

A few days later, Azim was annoyed to find that several previously compliant mid-tier suppliers had begun to delay deliveries for various reasons or raise objections to prices.

Meanwhile, his two competitors, whom he had been suppressing, suddenly seemed to become active and began contacting some of his previously peripheral clients.

Amidst the undercurrents of the business world, some astute businessmen have begun quietly adjusting their strategies, turning their attention to the previously overlooked blue-eyed princess.

Nguyen Khanh Sheung's "secret" drinking session successfully shook one of the cornerstones of Kim Camel's rule.

******

Suleiman West

The backyard of a simple teahouse that also sells groceries

Gu Ziying's personal maid, Anlan, was squatting with Aisha, a little girl with freckles on her face and a clever look in her eyes, who sold pottery jars. In front of them were several unglazed pottery jars and several small paint jars.

"Aisha, look at this pattern!"

Anlan used a thin twig to trace a simple pattern designed by Ye Bingli on the ground: beneath a crescent moon, a delicate bud broke through the sand, its lines graceful.

"Is it pretty? It's simple and quick to draw."

Aisha's eyes widened and she nodded vigorously.

"Beautiful! Much prettier than those old-fashioned flowers and camels! Sister Anlan, is there any special meaning to this?"

"This is a pattern we use for blessings on our Purple Star side. The crescent moon represents new life, and the seedling in the sand represents hope," An Lan explained, following Gu Ziying's instructions.

"I think the meaning is good, so I'd like to try painting it on the jar. Maybe it'll sell well. If you think it's feasible, I'll teach you, and we can paint it together. Once it's finished, I'll put it on your stall and sell it. You'll get an extra 10% of the profits. How about that?"

"Really?" Aisha's eyes lit up. "I'll learn! I'm very good with my hands!"

The two huddled together and began mixing paint (an inexpensive formula provided by Ye Bingli, with soft and long-lasting colors).

Anlan chatted while drawing.

"This trick reminds me of Princess Zoya from your Boyu Kingdom. I've heard she's like a seedling in the sand, bringing life to arid places."

Aisha's hands were busy, and her little mouth was smacking.

“Princess Zoya? I’ve heard of her! The kids in the street are singing about her!” She lowered her voice and hummed a couple of lines of a rhyme: “Green eyes, sparkling, looking for Mercury in the sand…”

“Yes, it’s her,” Anlan smiled. “Don’t you think it would be more appealing to associate this style with the princess? After all, the princess has a good reputation now; we could benefit from that.”

Aisha thought about it and felt it made a lot of sense: "Hmm! The aunties and grandmas who come to buy jars must like to get something auspicious! I'll go and tell them later that these are 'New Life Hope Jars,' which have the same meaning as Princess Zoya's search for water!"

Before long, these simple yet elegant new-style pottery jars appeared at Aisha's and several other vendors' stalls developed by Anlan.

The affordable prices, novel designs, and auspicious meanings quickly attracted some women to buy them.

******

East of the city

A slightly wealthier neighborhood

Back door of the embroidery workshop

Ye Bingli visited the woman in charge of the embroidery workshop under the pretext of "exchanging embroidery techniques and purchasing specialty embroidery threads."

She brought several small embroidery patterns she designed herself, blending the elegance of Zixing with the colors of the Boyu Kingdom. One of them was a variation of the core pattern designed by Gu Ziying.

A teardrop of starlight fell into the center of a sandpiper's outstretched wings, below which were minimalist lines of a river valley and new shoots.

"My lady, please take a look. Isn't this pattern unique?"

Ye Bingli's voice was cool, but her attitude was polite. "The Starry Sand Sparrow is an ancient legend of your country, isn't it? Paired with a new sprout, it symbolizes a turn for the better, and the protection of the stars."

The embroidery shop lady knew her stuff; she examined it carefully and praised it highly.

"Young lady, what a clever idea! This design is elegant and auspicious, much better than those gaudy patterns on the market! Especially the shape of this sand sparrow... Hmm, it seems a little different from the ones I've seen before, more... more lively and compassionate?"

Ye Bingli said calmly

"I just painted as I pleased. Perhaps it's because I've been hearing a lot about Tear Valley and that princess lately, and my brushstrokes have unconsciously carried a touch of emotion."

The embroidery shop lady suddenly realized