“Your Highness, I really cannot give you these broken pieces. However, please rest assured that before you leave, I will do my best to perfect the glass and present you with a truly exquisite gift.”
Jin Feng had heard from Qing Muluan that Ninth Princess had prepared for this marriage alliance for a very long time.
In Tibet she would need to build her own faction, and gifts were the way to win people over.
Her forceful purchase of the black sabre in the capital had all been part of that preparation.
One had to admit her efforts were heartfelt.
Tibet bordered Xichuan and had always eyed it covetously. If he could help Tibet settle down for a while, Jin Feng was willing to lend a hand.
Yet Ninth Princess did not accept directly. Instead she said, “Sir, Wuyang believes there is no need to make the glass too fine. Even if you can produce it, it would be best to keep the finest pieces back for now.”
“Why is that?” Jin Feng asked.
“You are making crystal jade, sir, just like the scented soap and the black sabre, in order to earn money from the rich, am I correct?” Ninth Princess asked.
“Exactly.”
Jin Feng did not deny it.
“In that case, why not earn the money several times over?”
Ninth Princess continued, “First release these ordinary defective pieces onto the market, then gradually improve the quality and earn another fortune. Finally, release the exquisite items and earn yet again. Would that not be better?”
Jin Feng heard her words and gave a slight nod.
As expected of a princess who could trade wits with the old foxes of the court. Her methods were impressive.
Ever since their discussion about landlords and gentry, Ninth Princess had been thinking hard.
The reason Great Kang had declined to its present state, apart from the struggles among high ministers, lay fundamentally with the landlords and gentry Jin Feng had mentioned.
The high ministers harmed the top of Great Kang, while the landlords and gentry rotted its foundations.
Even the reason the ministers fought was to protect the interests of their own families. The root cause still lay with the landlords and gentry.
Therefore, Ninth Princess had begun to loathe them as well.
Yet every landlord and gentry clan had powerful backers. Even as a princess, she could not move against them directly.
Jin Feng, however, could use the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce to weaken them without anyone being able to complain.
Sometimes trade itself was a form of plunder.
In the history of his previous world, Europe had first plundered the world’s wealth through colonial voyages. Later, when resistance in the colonies grew too fierce for direct colonisation to continue, they switched to trade plunder.
Using the wealth accumulated during the colonial era, they tightly controlled finance and trade markets, set rules that favoured themselves, and made their plundering far more discreet.
Why did those court ministers defect to the Xixia and Khitan?
Because their families did business with the Xixia.
In truth, the tribute money Great Kang paid to the Xixia for peace was more or less recouped by those ministers through trade, and they probably earned even more. It simply all ended up in the pockets of their clans.
The pity was that they only had trade methods and lacked sufficient military power. When the day came that foreign armies pressed on the borders, all the money in their hands would be useless. They would be nothing more than fat pigs awaiting slaughter.
“Your Highness makes an excellent point.”
Jin Feng’s greatest strength was that he knew his own limits and could listen to advice.
His primary purpose in making glass was to produce telescopes and microscopes. Earning money came second.
If he could earn more, why not do so?
“Then, sir, may I have some of these defective pieces? I am willing to buy them.”
Ninth Princess said, “To be frank, I have brought a considerable amount of gold and silver for my journey to Tibet. If you are willing, sir, I can exchange them for crystal jade.”
“Your Highness, I believe you have already noticed that I can produce crystal jade in bulk. The more there is on the market, the more its value will fall until it eventually becomes very cheap.”
Jin Feng reminded her.
“I am naturally aware of that, but I trust that you, sir, will not release it all at once. That is enough.”
Ninth Princess replied, “Keep the silver to build ships. I hope that one day you will reach the Americas and bring back the miraculous crops the old gentleman spoke of that yield a thousand jin per mu.”
Jin Feng fell silent.
He understood Ninth Princess’s meaning perfectly.
She clearly intended to use the glass to deceive the Tibetans.
If the value of glass crashed before she had established herself in Tibet, that would mean the marriage alliance had failed. Even if the Tibetans later discovered the glass was worthless, it would no longer matter.
In Ninth Princess, Jin Feng saw the conviction of someone staking everything on one throw.
He nodded. “Very well. Old Tian, pack the remaining pieces into crates and give them to Her Highness to take with her.”
“No need for so many. Too much would make them worthless,” Ninth Princess said. “One crate will be enough.”
“Clever,” Jin Feng praised inwardly. “Old Tian, do as Her Highness says.”
“Right away!”
Old Tian agreed, found a small crate, and selected a portion of the defective pieces from the stone platform.
“Thank you, sir.” Ninth Princess placed her hands together and bowed to Jin Feng.
“Your Highness is too polite.” Jin Feng returned the bow.
Ninth Princess accepted the crate. Seeing that Jin Feng had already returned to his experiments, she did not disturb him further and left with Qing Muluan.
That night, Jin Feng did not go home. He ate a quick bite with Old Tian and the others in the workshop and then began testing different formulas.
The next morning, at the entrance to Xihe Bay village.
The old prefect and Commandant Xiao stood side by side at the edge of the threshing ground.
Behind them were the magistrate of Jinchuan County and two hundred garrison troops.
They had all been frantic these past days, investigating every clue about the river bandits and mountain brigands who had attacked Ninth Princess, hoping that when the court investigated later, their punishment might be lighter.
Learning that Ninth Princess was departing today, the prefect feared another bandit encounter and ordered Commandant Xiao to select two hundred men to escort her.
Qing Muluan also arranged for two squads of escorts to accompany the party.
Because of Ninth Princess, a special squad of female soldiers had even been included.
The prefect and the others had arrived before dawn and waited at the village entrance until now, when Ninth Princess’s convoy finally emerged slowly from the village.
What puzzled the prefect and Commandant Xiao, however, was that they saw no sign of Jin Feng, only Qing Muluan and Tang Xiaobei.
Xihe Bay was Jin Feng’s territory. With Ninth Princess leaving, would he not even come to see her off?
“Your Highness, once my husband enters the laboratory he loses all track of time. Please forgive him.”
Tang Xiaobei looked helpless as she explained on Jin Feng’s behalf.
She had already sent people to the laboratory twice that morning to call him. Each time Jin Feng had said he would come right away, yet now Ninth Princess was about to depart and there was still no sign of him.
“It does not matter. It is precisely because of that dedication that sir has achieved what he has today.”
Ninth Princess felt a touch of regret, but she smiled and shook her head. “I have disturbed everyone during my stay. There is no need to see me off further. Please return.”
“We bid Your Highness farewell and wish you a smooth journey and success in all things.”
Tang Xiaobei, together with Guan Xiaorou and the others, bowed to Ninth Princess.
Ninth Princess nodded, boarded the carriage with Qing Muluan, and throughout the entire exchange, she did not speak a single word to the prefect or the others.
