It was just two pieces of paper, without even an envelope. They were treated with too little regard.
Xiao Ce read through them and found the outcome of the case clearly stated. He couldn't understand why such an unimportant letter would be sent to the Emperor!
"A prince has the right to handle cases within his fiefdom, why send such a letter to the Emperor?" Xiao Ce was puzzled.
"It's all written in the last sentence of the letter. If you can handle it, why all the nonsense!" he said, flicking his sleeves and leaving.
Xiao Ce was bewildered, having been reprimanded for no reason. He looked at the last sentence of the letter, which boldly stated, 'The princely estate is short of funds, and the princess consort will not allow them to be touched. We must have the Emperor's approval before we dare to use them. The Emperor shall decide.'
Xiao Ce shook his head. Officials within a fiefdom could be dismissed by the prince, let alone a commoner.
Besides, this letter was not asking for the Emperor's permission to use the money; it was clearly asking for his approval.
With no other recourse, Xiao Ce sent the letter via swift eagle. If all went as expected, the Emperor would receive it in three days.
During these three days, Zhao Jiaqi spent time with Pingting. The two of them observed the perfumers and rouge makers as they meticulously worked, learning about the intricate processes of making fragrances and cosmetics. It had to be said that this was a task requiring great attention to detail, care, and patience.
When they left the workshop, Pingting pulled her to a secluded spot and whispered, "Sister-in-law, there are only fifteen perfumers and rouge makers in total. We won't be able to produce much stock before opening!"
"You mean you want to find some helpers!"
Pingting nodded vigorously, "Yes, sister-in-law is smart, that's exactly what I mean. We can stock up on goods first so we won't worry when it's time to sell. What do you think?"
Zhao Jiaqi poked her fair forehead and smiled, "Then find some with established backgrounds who can be of assistance. Go ask them later about how much they can produce each day. You need to have a clear idea of this."
"Then calculate the cost of each item, add the workers' monthly wages, and then calculate the total cost. Finally, decide on the selling price, right?"
She was so happy, smiling gleefully, her eyes sparkling like a cat that had stolen some cream.
Zhao Jiaqi gave her a thumbs-up. What she said was to the point, though not entirely accurate. "From the moment these people arrived at the princely estate, you need to meticulously record every expense. Calculate the total cost at the end!"
"Understood, my old housekeeper, Granny Xu, remembers everything very clearly!" Pingting winked at her, gritting her teeth slightly with a sinister tone.
Seeing her expression, it was clear she was seeking personal revenge, and poor Granny Xu was the unfortunate target.
By the end of October, the weather had turned completely cold. Fan Zehao and General Fang were busy with military affairs and hadn't returned for four or five days.
It was said that the winter clothes delivered this time had very little cotton in the padded jackets, and even the padded trousers were mixed with straw.
Fan Zehao was furious about this matter and had once again scolded Xiao Ce, the overseer. Xiao Ce, with no other choice, wrote a memorial to the Emperor to complain.
Just as the Emperor approved the use of the confiscated money, he received Xiao Ce's memorial. Upon reading it, he was extremely angry. This was clearly making light of the lives of Yun Country's soldiers.
However, soldiers were not only stationed at the northern border; there were also troops in the east and west, yet such a situation as Fan Zehao's had not occurred elsewhere.
Huangfu Jintao rubbed his aching forehead. It was clear that the Minister of Revenue, Liao Zheng, held a grudge against Fan Zehao. Thus, he berated the Minister of Revenue fiercely, his anger somewhat abating. He then ordered a thorough investigation into the workshops that had undertaken the production of the soldiers' padded jackets.
He did not want to spend more money from the national treasury to make padded jackets. Whoever was at fault would be held responsible, or they would face his wrath.
Meanwhile, Fan Zehao couldn't wait. It would take another half a month to remake the padded jackets for the soldiers and deliver them, by which time half the winter would have passed.
"Worrying is useless. For now, let the soldiers wear the delivered padded jackets. They can endure for a while. We'll organize our manpower. There are many women in this fiefdom who know needlework. For ten wen per piece, I believe many will be willing to do it. We'll make a batch and send them over for the soldiers to wear first, so they don't freeze."
Fan Zehao lowered his head and sighed. They had finally accumulated some resources, only for them to be lost.
"I'll go find Xie Kun to help purchase cotton, and ask Chen You to post notices. We'll tackle this from both sides and strive to overcome this difficulty as soon as possible."
With snow expected in about a month, if they didn't prepare urgently, the soldiers wouldn't be able to withstand the cold.
"Husband, I remember the Li family runs a fabric shop. Why don't you ask Li Ben and buy cotton directly from him!"
Fan Zehao didn't speak, only nodding in agreement with his wife's suggestion.
Watching his retreating back, Zhao Jiaqi, holding her waist, sat down on a chair. This year had been truly unlucky from the start. She hoped that after this hurdle, things would go smoothly from now on.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year, she would have to offer extra incense to the God of Wealth, not to mention the Guardians of the Door.
Steward Wang, abandoning his usual composure, hurried into the room. "Your Highness, a maid from Madam Liu's side has just handed in a small note and run off."
Zhao Jiaqi took the small note. It briefly stated that Ji Shiyi had returned and was currently at the Liu residence. It was rumored that he had brought some people back and was preparing to assassinate Fan Zehao.
Suddenly, her face changed dramatically, and she stood up from her chair, her heart pounding wildly.
Fan Zehao had gone to the Li residence. Who knew if Li Ben and Ji Shiyi had colluded?
"Prepare the carriage, I need to leave the estate!"
Steward Wang sobered up and tried to dissuade her, "Your Highness, you cannot. What if Ji Shiyi is merely luring the tiger away from its mountain? If they capture you, the Prince will be in real danger."
Zhao Jiaqi stared blankly at him, then nodded. The steward's warning was valid, but she couldn't bear to abandon her husband.
"How many men did the Prince take with him when he left the estate?" Zhao Jiaqi asked, forcing herself to calm down.
Steward Wang's expression was not good. He replied in a low voice, "He only took Sixi."
Sixi was a coachman, and his martial arts skills were only enough to deal with women. Ji Shiyi, daring to return, clearly intended to take Fan Zehao's life.
The people he had found would undoubtedly be highly skilled in martial arts. She had to be extremely cautious!
Although Liu Runming had informed Fan Zehao in advance that he would be an inside informant, he had not informed Li Ben, and even less did he know whether Li Ben was friend or foe.
"Gao Wenbin, you must immediately go to the Li residence to find the Prince and protect him."
Zhao Jiaqi quickly dispatched the expert at her side. Seeing him hesitate, she said, "There are elite soldiers and strong generals at the estate. With so many people, I will be safe. On the other hand, the Prince has no one to protect him. Hurry!"
Gao Wenbin weighed the pros and cons and decided that protecting the Prince was paramount. With a flash, he disappeared.
"Steward Wang, go and summon Xiao Ce, and bring the estate guards to the Li residence. Quickly."
"But... if the estate guards leave, the estate will be empty. Won't that provide an opportunity for the enemy?" Steward Wang analyzed the situation with the princess consort. He did not agree with withdrawing the estate guards.
Zhao Jiaqi was so anxious she was about to jump, "If the estate guards leave, Pingting and I will hide in the cellar outside. It will be fine, just do as I say."
"Right, tell Wangcai to inform Chen You to seal all the boats on the water and passenger ships, and to close the city gates. Say that the princely estate has lost over a hundred thousand taels of silver, and we are hunting for thieves everywhere. No one is allowed to open the city gates or let ships pass without the Prince's order."
A feint to the east and attack to the west. Steward Wang understood the strategy and immediately went to carry it out.