SWNOVELXO Chapter 459
The Great Inspector's Mansion—
Kawashuu Raisen's triangular eyes gleamed with intensity: "They refused and even drove you out?"
The advisors flushed with embarrassment: "Inspector Kawashuu, this Tiao Ye Tailang is utterly ungrateful. It would have been an honor to serve the king, yet he dared to call us bandits. Why don’t we just..."
"Exactly! Let’s pin a charge of treason on the Tiao Ye family. Their assets will be confiscated anyway. Why waste time negotiating with them?"
"When they were in Great Yan, the people there treated them like dogs. Now that they’ve returned to Fusang, they think they’re something special."
Even Kawashuu Raisen found this remark distasteful.
He waved his hand dismissively: "I want to bring the Tiao Ye family into the fold not just for their wealth, but also to unite other Fusang merchants doing business in Great Yan. If we can rally them through the Tiao Ye family and establish a merchant association to support the king, we’ll never face financial shortages again."
Admittedly, his plan was sound and feasible.
But what benefits could he offer to the person leading this effort to ensure they would wholeheartedly promote and persuade others? This required careful consideration.
The next day, Kawashuu Raisen personally visited the small fishing village where the Tiao Ye family resided, arriving with an imposing display of authority and accompanied by numerous officials.
This time, Third Yan did not let Li Dalang and Wan Niang handle the reception. Instead, he had prepared fine tea in advance and instructed the servants to serve it to Kawashuu Raisen and the accompanying officials.
"Hmm?"
"Is this the Da Hong Pao tea favored by the Emperor of Great Yan? The legendary tea that costs a thousand taels of gold per cup?"
Of course, for Fusang people, the price was inflated to a thousand taels of gold, but within Great Yan, the tea wasn’t nearly as expensive.
Moreover, the tea Third Yan served was merely leftover scraps from the Empress Dowager’s stash—worthless, really.
But the Fusang officials didn’t know this. Only Kawashuu Raisen and a couple of others had the privilege of accompanying their king on a diplomatic mission to Great Yan, where they had tasted the exquisite Da Hong Pao at a palace banquet.
The lingering aroma and unforgettable taste had stayed with them ever since.
Kawashuu Raisen narrowed his eyes, and his initial disdain toward Third Yan vanished.
Whether intentional or not, this display of power had proven Third Yan’s formidable influence to Kawashuu Raisen and all the officials from the Inspector’s Mansion.
His wealth far exceeded their expectations!
Third Yan smiled faintly and spoke in flawless Dongtiangsi dialect: "Inspector Kawashuu, I am fully aware of your intentions. However, asking me to surrender the fortune I’ve risked my life to accumulate without offering an equivalent—or greater—compensation is simply unreasonable, don’t you think?"
Kawashuu Raisen had prepared his arguments beforehand, but upon meeting Third Yan and witnessing his demeanor, he swallowed his words.
Instead of discussing benefits, he shifted the topic: "In Great Yan, are there many Fusang merchants like you, Lord Xinhua?"
"Of course, there are many," Third Yan replied with a smile. "When abroad, one naturally trusts their own countrymen the most. Although Fusang is a vassal state of Great Yan, we’ve faced much hostility on their soil. Every Fusang merchant who succeeds in Great Yan is remarkable, and I’ve made it a point to build strong relationships with them. Only by uniting can we protect ourselves."
Shi Ruojun, listening from inside the room, couldn’t help but applaud Third Yan’s triple-layered implications.
"Clap clap clap..."
"Well said!"
Shi Ruojun’s thoughts were echoed by Kawashuu Raisen’s loud approval, but what followed displeased her: "The people of Great Yan are arrogant and unreasonable. Our king is well aware of the hardships faced by our countrymen abroad, which is why he declared war on Great Yan. However, the Great Yan people are cunning and resorted to underhanded tactics to ambush us. Now, the king intends to host a banquet to unite our forces against Great Yan. Lord Xinhua... if you can help make this happen, you will be handsomely rewarded."
The main event had finally arrived!
Shi Ruojun rushed out of the room, gesturing frantically at Third Yan, but Wan Niang pulled her back and shut her inside.
Kawashuu Raisen had already heard about the mute wife in the Tiao Ye household and had brought along someone who understood sign language.
As soon as Shi Ruojun was dragged back into the room, the interpreter whispered a translation into Kawashuu Raisen’s ear.
After hearing it, Kawashuu Raisen felt reassured: "Lord Xinhua, what’s the use of all your wealth? Your wife, Miss Hisana Koyama, was poisoned and rendered mute by the Great Yan people. She still harbors deep resentment. Don’t you want to avenge her?"
It turned out that Shi Ruojun’s earlier outburst was meant to convey her hatred for the Great Yan people who had harmed her, urging Third Yan to agree to Kawashuu Raisen’s proposal and seek revenge.
The bait had been taken; now it was up to Third Yan and Shi Ruojun to play their parts.
The Great Yan Palace—
After reviewing the frontline battle reports, the Emperor exchanged intelligence on Fusang with Jiang Xinyue.
"No wonder you asked me to assign more people fluent in Fusang and Goguryeo languages back then, Yue’er. It was to lure the wolf into the den."
By introducing Great Yan’s formidable wolf into Fusang and dismantling them from within, they could pin the blame entirely on Goguryeo. After all, Goguryeo was the instigator of this conflict.
Jiang Xinyue smiled: "Your Majesty taught me a thing or two, after all. I had to learn at least a little, or I would have failed to live up to your trust."
This was far more than "a little."
She had absorbed the Emperor’s teachings and applied them masterfully in reality.
Such a student was precisely what the Emperor, as a mentor, admired.
Wang Dequan hurried in: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager. I’ve just returned from Shunan Palace. Consort Liang is recovering well and can now sit up and speak with the eldest princess."
Her recovery was indeed swift, considering that just five days ago, Consort Liang had undergone a blood transfusion.
Back then, she couldn’t even move, and her medicinal baths required the assistance of maids to lift her into the tub.
Now, she could sit up on her own, which was a relief.
Jiang Xinyue nodded: "Make sure the imperial kitchen prepares more blood-nourishing medicinal dishes for Consort Liang and Madam Yu."
Wang Dequan bowed even lower.
The Empress Dowager’s instructions had already been carried out by the imperial kitchen, following Yan the Imperial Physician’s recommendations. Still, her concern and reminders were a gesture of goodwill.
The experienced Wang Dequan knew exactly how to convey this to Consort Liang.
Under the bright moon, the palace was bathed in a serene, cold light.
The sound of water flowing through the caves broke the silence of the night.
As the patrolling guards passed by, a figure emerged from behind a rockery. Dressed in plain maid’s attire, she glanced around cautiously before releasing a carrier pigeon into the night.