The hooves of the horse shattered the snow piled along the avenue.
Xu Qinghuan drew back on the reins, and the steed beneath her snorted.
Ahead, outside the vermilion gates of the Earl of Chengyi’s residence, carriages with every kind of ornate canopy stretched in an endless line, completely blocking the road.
Clad in blue and crimson robes, the capital officials crowded beneath the steps in groups of three or five, each clutching a calling card.
More than a dozen servants carried gifts on shoulder poles. Inside the loads were precious red sandalwood chests.
Xu Zhan caught up from behind.
His gaze swept over the crowd, and his brows immediately drew together.
On the avenue, the ministers and servants alike were loudly discussing Commandery Princess Xu’s performance at court that day.
Their words were filled with unceasing praise.
Just then, someone shouted, “The princess has returned!”
The crowd parted with a great commotion, and dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward them in unison.
Xu Fu, drenched in sweat, forced his way through the people.
He hurried to the horse in three quick strides.
“My ancestors, Princess, you’ve finally returned.” Xu Fu lowered his voice and pleaded with Xu Qinghuan for help. “This is a spectacle your old servant has never witnessed in all his life.”
“It seems they all heard the news at court and have come begging for those whatever-they’re-called Maritime Trade Office certificates.”
“I’ve tried every way to persuade them, but they refuse to leave. They insist on freezing out here, claiming they wish to admire the princess’s noble countenance.”
Xu Zhan let out a cold snort through his nose.
“When they were impeaching our Xu family in court, these men barked louder than dogs. Now that they’ve caught the scent of maritime trade, they’ve all come running to wag their tails!”
The moment Xu Fu heard this, he knew it was true.
He stared at Xu Qinghuan in a daze and asked, “This, this… Miss! You’re really going to start maritime trade?”
Xu Qinghuan nodded.
Xu Fu nearly collapsed. His legs were about to give out beneath him.
He had just finished listening to the crowd’s discussion.
They said that the young lady of this residence, Xu Qinghuan, had been made a commandery princess.
When Xu Fu first heard that, he had merely snorted a few times.
Why shouldn’t my young lady be made a princess?
Even if she were made a marchioness, I’d consider it perfectly normal.
But then they said that in the great hall that day, Princess Xu had proposed a strategy involving maritime trade—or, as some called it, maritime silver.
They even claimed that commoners would be allowed to participate!
And that they could take seventy percent of the silver brought back!
…
Xu Zhan stepped in front of Xu Qinghuan’s horse.
Several junior officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices at the front were struck by the killing intent in his gaze. Their calves cramped, and they involuntarily retreated three steps.
Xu Qinghuan gently patted the horse’s neck and swung down from the saddle.
She raised a hand to straighten the collar of her fox-fur cloak. The naturally cool expression on her face quickly changed into one of warm courtesy.
Oh, my! With this much money on offer, of course I have to “accept” it!
Zhou Ming, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, relied on his senior rank and was the first to hurry forward. He bowed deeply.
“This humble official is Zhou Ming, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Together with my colleagues from the various offices, I welcome Princess Wanping back to her residence!” Zhou Ming’s voice rang out. “The map Your Highness presented before the emperor is truly a great blessing for the nation! We humble officials have prepared a few local specialties as a small addition to your celebration gifts.”
With Zhou Ming taking the lead, the officials behind him could no longer restrain themselves and hurried forward.
“Liu An, Investigating Censor of the Ministry of Revenue, requests an audience with the princess!”
“This humble official has a hundred-year-old snow ginseng, perfectly suited to help the marquis restore his health.”
The uproar nearly lifted the roof from the Earl’s residence.
These men, who normally prided themselves on their lofty moral principles, were now desperately trying to force their names into Xu Qinghuan’s ears.
Xu Qinghuan did not slow her steps. She walked straight up the stone stairs.
Her gaze swept over the mass of heads beneath her.
With a light laugh, she said, “I accept the goodwill of all my colleagues.”
“However, it is deep winter this year, and the soldiers guarding the northern frontier are still drinking ice and swallowing snow.”
“His Majesty is wise to establish the Maritime Trade Office. Its first priorities must be to fill the national treasury and comfort the frontier troops.”
The crowd below fell somewhat quieter. Zhou Ming straightened and prepared to respond with an ingratiating smile.
Xu Qinghuan did not give him the chance. She raised her voice slightly.
“If you truly wish to serve the country, then our Earl’s residence absolutely cannot accept the gold, silver, and jade listed in these gift registers.”
“Why not do this instead? Have these lavish gifts converted into timber for seagoing vessels and pig iron for the naval forces, then deliver everything to the Ministry of Works to be recorded and placed into storage.”
With both hands tucked into her sleeves, she looked down at the crowd.
“When the Maritime Trade Office issues its certificates, I, this princess, will naturally bring the Ministry of Works’ records and check them one by one.”
“Those who build the most ships and provide the most iron will naturally receive priority when the certificates are allocated. What does everyone think?”
The moment those words fell, the street went utterly silent.
The smile on Zhou Ming’s face froze.
Records in the Ministry of Works? Wouldn’t that turn their money into open donations to the imperial court?
Bribes meant to grease the wheels of smuggling would become taxes and donations officially recorded by the government. Who would make such a deal?
Their own clans were already short of funds for shipbuilding. How could they possibly give anything away to the Ministry of Works for free?
Xu Qinghuan watched as every face in the crowd changed color.
“Since everyone still needs time to think it over,” Xu Qinghuan said, turning around, “then we can find a place to discuss it another day.”
The cold wind swept across the avenue.
A group of officials looked at one another, calling cards clenched in their hands. They could neither advance nor retreat.
Once inside the residence, the world became quiet.
Xu Qinghuan removed her cloak and handed it to Qingque.
Walking beside her, Xu Zhan gave her a thumbs-up. “Little sister, you’re still the best.”
Xu Qinghuan did not answer. Her mind was still calculating the pressure Xu Jie had put on her in the Wenyuan Library.
The first batch of profits from the sea voyage had to be divided so that thirty percent went to the Nine Border Garrisons. Otherwise, she would never get past the Grand Secretary.
They crossed the front courtyard and arrived at the rear residence.
The door to the waterside pavilion’s heated room stood half open.
The glow of a purple-bronze brazier shone through the gap, mingling with the fragrance of freshly boiled tea and driving away the chill of winter.
Xu Zhan strode forward and pushed open the wooden door.
Inside, their elder brother, Xu Wuyou, sat cross-legged before a low table.
He held a long bamboo tong in one hand and leisurely turned the clay teapot atop the small brazier.
Seated opposite Xu Wuyou was another man.
He wore plain black robes without a jade belt, and his hair was tied up with nothing more than a wooden hairpin.
Yet even sitting there, the man possessed such an air of effortless elegance that the entire heated room seemed cramped beneath it.
At the sound of the door opening, he turned his head.
Xu Zhan’s leg, which had just crossed the threshold, abruptly stopped.
His eyes widened, and he blurted out, “Your Highness?”
The man seated in the room was none other than the current Third Prince, Xiao Jingyan.
Even Xu Zhan was deeply shocked.
After all, this was royalty!
He could not be dealt with as casually as those officials outside.
Xu Wuyou set down the bamboo tongs and glanced at his younger brother and sister-in-law without saying anything, merely gesturing for them to come in.
Xiao Jingyan placed his white porcelain teacup on the table.
He did not put on the airs of a prince. Instead, he slowly rose from his cushion.
Through the steam rising from the teapot, Xiao Jingyan’s gaze landed squarely on Xu Qinghuan.
He looked her up and down—the commandery princess who had stirred the entire court into turmoil that day.
“Miss Xu, it has been a long time. I still remember that the last time I visited this residence, you had just departed for the northern frontier.”
“And now I ought to address you as Princess Wanping.” Xiao Jingyan clicked his tongue twice, his voice clear and bright.
“Princess, your speech in the Hall of Heavenly Blessings today truly flowed like a great river, leaving every high official in the court speechless.”
“Listening from the side, I found it as startling as thunder—and utterly satisfying!”
There was nothing crude or vulgar in his words, yet his admiration and appreciation were conveyed to the fullest.
For a prince of the imperial family to rise and welcome her personally—such courtesy was unique throughout the capital.
Xu Zhan was stunned as well.
Who would have thought our Xu family had connections like this?!
Wait.
Could it be that Little Sister…
Xu Qinghuan’s expression remained utterly composed.
She neither offered a trembling word of thanks nor demurred in feigned surprise at the honor. Instead, she simply took the empty seat beside Xiao Jingyan.
Xu Wuyou poured her a cup of freshly brewed tea.
Xu Qinghuan lifted the cup and raised it toward Xiao Jingyan.
“Your Highness flatters me.” Xu Qinghuan looked at Xiao Jingyan. “I have certainly drawn attention in the Hall of Heavenly Worship, and His Majesty has given his approval.”
“But this flatbread you’ve drawn on the sea chart—how exactly do you plan to help the Xu family chew and swallow it?”
The moment she said this, the atmosphere in the warm chamber froze.
Xu Zhan stood by the door, scarcely daring to breathe.
Xu Wuyou, meanwhile, lifted his teacup and used the act of drinking to conceal the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Little sister, must you be so direct?
The smile on Xiao Jingyan’s face slowly faded.
He looked at Xu Qinghuan’s cool, candid face, and his heart gave a faint jolt.
He knew all too well that officials in the capital liked to speak in circles, cloaking every sentence in loyalty and righteousness when, in truth, every word was carefully calculated.
Yet Xu Qinghuan, even after returning from the Northern Frontier, still refused to bother with such empty formalities.
Before this, Xiao Jingyan had always thought Xu Qinghuan was simply a reckless innocent.
Xiao Jingyan sat back in his original seat.
He slipped a hand into his sleeve and felt around for a moment.
“Of course, the flatbread must be eaten,” Xiao Jingyan said, his voice tinged with gravity. “But the sea route may not be as easy as you made it sound before His Majesty.”
He drew out a yellowed nautical chart.
This chart was far smaller than the one Xu Qinghuan had presented at court. Its edges were worn and damaged, clearly the private possession of some old sailor.
Xiao Jingyan pushed the chart toward Xu Qinghuan.
“Miss Xu, the distant waters of the Eastern Sea are blocked by more than wind and waves.”
