Chapter 18: The Deal with Zheng Fengzhi

Chapter 18: The Deal with Zheng Fengchi

Introduced by Ma Zhou, Li Tai formally met Zheng Fengchi. Li Tai appraised the man before him: though a silver-haired elder past fifty, his eyes gleamed with exceptional vitality. Upon seeing Li Tai, Zheng Fengchi showed no restraint but still bowed humbly, saying, “I am Zheng Fengchi. Greetings, Prince of Yue.”

“Please, have a seat.” Li Tai calmly gestured to the chair. After thanking him, Zheng Fengchi sat upright with composed dignity.

“I heard from Ma Zhou that you not only spent fifty million to secure the monopoly on down jackets but also opened a lodging and dining establishment right next to our boiling water bathhouse, purchasing about five hundred to a thousand jin of boiling water daily from us,” Li Tai remarked.

He looked at Zheng Fengchi. “Should I be thanking you for taking such good care of my business?”

“Not at all!” Zheng Fengchi responded quickly, unable to discern Li Tai’s real intent. “It’s all because following the Prince of Yue is profitable. Whether it’s the down jackets or this lodging, the Zheng family has made a bit of money!”

“You’re profiting from the lodging as well?” Ma Zhou expressed some surprise. He knew that down jackets were scarce and sought after in Chang’an, but why the lodging next door was so profitable puzzled him.

“It’s because the supply of boiling water is not only cheap but available on demand,” Li Tai explained matter-of-factly.

After all, this was the Tang dynasty. Offering boiling water service was a luxury, commanding a premium. While high-end inns might provide it without extra charge, most ordinary inns charged additional fees due to the fuel and labor required, and though thermos bottles existed, they could not keep water hot for hours as modern ones do. Most boiling water was freshly heated on demand, so having a bathhouse next door where boiling water was readily available was far more convenient.

As long as the price was reasonable, the boiling water service complemented the lodging business well. After all, who could resist a bath or sauna before bedtime?

“Prince of Yue, your insight is remarkable. In truth, my Zheng family is the one benefiting from your patronage,” Zheng Fengchi nodded.

“A fair trade has no winners or losers. I want to know why you’re sticking close to me,” Li Tai said, meeting Zheng Fengchi’s gaze.

“You are the richest man in Chang’an, once on friendly terms with my grandfather, and backed by the influential Zheng clan of Xingyang. As an underage prince, I’m far behind you in power and wealth,” Li Tai continued.

He had done his homework on Zheng Fengchi. In an era when merchants were oppressed, any top-tier businessman had political backing—either as a front for some faction or as a faction himself. Wealth alone couldn’t monopolize everything in a feudal society.

Li Tai did not believe he could solve problems Zheng Fengchi could not. He had no money or real power—only the title of Prince of Yue. If even the Zheng clan couldn’t solve certain issues, then he certainly couldn’t.

“I was reckless before the Retired Emperor, which is why I’m now surrounded by wolves. Life as Chang’an’s richest man is truly precarious,” Zheng Fengchi sighed.

“If the Zheng family ever intends to abandon me, their foundation in Chang’an would collapse with a single word,” he added.

“I cannot interfere in the Zheng family’s affairs,” Li Tai said bluntly. “And as long as the clan head is sane, he won’t abandon you—unless there’s some secret I don’t know.”

“I can control this fortune, but my lineage will never inherit the Zheng family’s wealth here in Chang’an,” Zheng Fengchi lamented. “If I live, all is well. But if I die, Ming Shang cannot hold onto this family business.”

Li Tai said nothing further. In modern times, fifty is still young, but in this era, most over fifty were already preparing their coffins.

“I’m curious—what reason do you give me to protect your family’s legacy?” Li Tai asked.

Zheng Fengchi replied, “Ming Shang has a granddaughter. I hope her willow-like beauty can catch the Prince of Yue’s eye, to become a concubine. I will arrange a dowry of one billion coins, along with all the land and property deeds of the shops next to your boiling water bathhouse.”

Ma Zhou’s eyes widened upon hearing this. He already knew how huge this sum was. Zheng Fengchi was truly bold—dropping over a billion coins on the table. Anyone witnessing this would be dazed.

The more ambitious, the more they valued such wealth. After all, to accomplish anything requires money—winning favor, forging political achievements, even currying favor with Emperor Li Shimin.

So when a wealthy magnate offers a billion coins to marry off his granddaughter as a concubine, what choice does one have?

“I’m only eight years old!” Li Tai protested earnestly, almost wearing the badge of innocence.

“She’s eleven. Usually, families buy child brides to raise, but since Yu Xin doesn’t have that fortune, she’ll be a child concubine,” Zheng Fengchi said matter-of-factly, showing no emotional attachment to selling his granddaughter.

Li Tai truly wanted to refuse, but the dowry was simply too generous.

After a moment of silence, he said, “Exchange that billion coins for your Zheng family’s entire textile industry—from silk reeling to finished products, including workers and raw materials. Give me the whole package.”

“Huh?” Zheng Fengchi frowned slightly, surprised by Li Tai’s terms.

“If the Prince of Yue needs any cloth, I will supply it at cost price upon your order,” Zheng Fengchi replied.

“No need,” Li Tai shook his head. “I don’t usually engage in the market. I only want to provide gloves and shoulder pads for the miners. I don’t think the Zheng family would be interested in such small business.”

Hearing this, Zheng Fengchi could not understand the purpose of such items. But reflecting on the Zheng family’s monopoly over Chang’an’s silk and cloth trade, even if Li Tai wanted to compete, what could his granddaughter’s single industry line achieve?

With this in mind, Zheng Fengchi made up his mind. “Thank you, Prince of Yue. Tomorrow, I will send my granddaughter and the dowry.”

Ma Zhou saw Zheng Fengchi out. Back at the mansion, he teased Li Tai: “This deal is quite the bargain. One concubine for such a huge dowry. Too bad you swapped for the textile industry. If it were cash, how much would that be? A billion—it’s unimaginable!”

“Not only you can’t imagine,” Li Tai said, “Zheng Fengchi will surely spread the news. It seems the Zheng family is in deep trouble, enough that he’s willing to sell his granddaughter.”

“Maybe it’s not selling her, but hoping to keep her alive,” Ma Zhou took a sip of wine and said slowly, “No family has remained wealthy for three generations throughout history. They’re just pigs raised by the court and aristocracy. Once targeted, no matter how they struggle, the wolves surround them. Besides, he was raised by the Retired Emperor; only the executioner might have changed. By leaving his granddaughter with you, perhaps he hopes you’ll treat her kindly, given the dowry.”

“Hmm…” Li Tai narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “Bin Wang, prepare ten math problems of increasing difficulty based on the Nine Chapters of Arithmetic. Tomorrow, we’ll test the Zheng family girl.”

“Eh?” Ma Zhou looked puzzled. “What are you planning?”

“To see what she’s capable of,” Li Tai said.

“You intend for her to manage the textile business herself?!” Ma Zhou found it hard to believe.

“If not, should she stay home and embroider?” Li Tai retorted. “This is her price of servitude. Would it be right to waste that?”

“Heh heh,” Ma Zhou chuckled, mocking Li Tai’s feigned nobility. “But you agreed to Zheng Fengchi. Once word spreads of our alliance, if you don’t use this money, what’s your plan?”

“Money is secondary. Having a complete textile industry saves us much trouble,” Li Tai said. “That’s what matters.”

Li Tai couldn’t help but sigh. If Zheng Fengchi had simply handed over a billion coins, he might not have cared much. But an entire industrial chain? Frankly, that was irresistible.

“Tut tut!” Ma Zhou’s eyes gleamed with pleasure.

“Go, get those problems ready. If the girl solves them, I want to see how you save face!” Li Tai waved his hand, commanding Ma Zhou.

“Right away!” Ma Zhou smiled, though his expression turned serious. “I agree with your alliance with Zheng Fengchi, but be prepared to answer the Emperor’s inquiries.”

“Don’t worry! I can handle that!” Li Tai replied confidently.

Seeing Li Tai’s confidence, Ma Zhou said no more and began preparing the math test for Zheng Yuxin, whom they had yet to meet.

In Ma Zhou’s view, no matter her ability, as long as she could handle accounting and prevent her subordinates from fooling her, this billion-coin dowry would not go to waste.

The next day, Zheng Fengchi personally brought a young girl with delicate features and jade-like skin to the Prince of Yue’s mansion.

The girl, about eleven or twelve, had reddened eyes, clearly aware of her grim fate. Though prematurely mature, she understood she had no say in her marriage. What surprised her was becoming the prince’s concubine rather than being formally wed to a respectable family.

She did not know if the Prince of Yue was tall or short, fat or thin, but understood that stepping through the gates of his mansion, even as a concubine, was a fortune bought with a billion-coin dowry.

Though unwilling, she had no right to decide or rebel.

She enjoyed the wealth of the Zheng family, but when they required her to bear responsibility, she had to endure.

What she did not expect was that Li Tai was only eight years old, and she was taller than him.

“You’ll be nine after the first month of the lunar year,” Li Tai said, his gaze observing her thoughts.

“I made a deal with your grandfather. You are the bond between us. Now, take a simple test. If you pass, you manage your dowry yourself; if not, you stay and embroider in the courtyard,” Li Tai explained.

“Eh?” Zheng Yuxin was somewhat bewildered by his words.

Seeing her distracted, Li Tai smiled calmly. “Simply put, this test will decide your fate. If you want to control your destiny, show me you have the potential.”

He placed a math exam before her. “Eleven questions in total. You have one hour to finish. I’ve provided pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. What else do you need?”

“Do you have an abacus? I left mine at home,” Zheng Yuxin said.

“I’ll give you mine,” Li Tai replied. “In one hour, I will collect your paper.”

“What if I get everything right?” she asked suddenly.

“Oh?” Li Tai smiled. “Then I’ll hire you as a math teacher at the Agricultural Academy.”

“Agricultural Academy?” Zheng Yuxin hadn’t even processed what that meant as Li Tai walked away.

Alone in the room, she bowed her head and began the math exam.

“I already gave him ten questions. Why add one more?” Ma Zhou remarked.

“Six correct answers to pass. One more for a chance,” Li Tai shrugged. “She looks confident using the abacus. She must have some math background. Managing her dowry should be no problem.”

“I still don’t understand why you let her handle it,” Ma Zhou said. “She’s from the Zheng family.”

“As Heaven moves vigorously, a gentleman constantly strives for self-improvement,” Li Tai replied. “If she’s capable, give her a chance to seize her fate. After all, controlling one’s destiny is a rare luxury.”

Ma Zhou looked at Li Tai, then at the girl diligently writing in the exam room, and said no more.

When the test ended, Ma Zhou graded her paper amidst Zheng Yuxin’s anxiousness. She answered seven out of eleven correctly.

From then on, the Prince of Yue’s mansion gained a maid named Peacock, tasked with managing the Zheng family’s textile business sent over.

(End of chapter)