After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 834 - 831: Wool

The carriage passed by the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and headed straight for the Imperial Palace.

Su Jin had prepared herself for several days of entering the palace to wait for Prince Qi, but she didn’t expect her luck to be this good.

Today, as soon as she entered the palace, she ran into Prince Qi.

As she stepped into the Imperial Study, Prince Qi happened to be coming out.

Seeing Prince Qi made Su Jin pause for several moments, nearly forgetting her purpose.

Eunuch Fu came out to greet her.

Su Jin didn’t come to the palace often, and when she did, it was always for something important.

This time she came to the palace to see the Emperor, so the Emperor was worried that something had happened.

Su Jin approached the Emperor to pay her respects, to which the Emperor said, "Has something happened?"

Su Jin was momentarily confused, then shook her head, "No, nothing happened."

Seeing the Emperor looking at her, Su Jin silently added, "I just missed my father and came to the palace to pay my respects."

Hmm.

This sentence seemed to touch the Emperor’s heart.

As if a piece of honey candy had been placed in the Emperor’s heart, Eunuch Fu witnessed the Emperor’s delight.

The Emperor was even happier than if a rare treasure had been presented.

However, the Emperor’s joy didn’t last long and quickly faded.

She proactively came to the palace because she missed her father, but didn’t she visit the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to see Marquis Dongxiang more often?

Su Jin’s visits to the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion were far more frequent than her visits to the palace.

Without comparison, there’s no harm.

In his own daughter’s mind, he, as her father, held less importance than Marquis Dongxiang.

The Emperor checked the hour; it wasn’t early anymore, so he instructed Eunuch Fu, "Tell the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a meal, and have the princess dine with me for lunch."

While instructing Eunuch Fu, he gave a knowing look.

Forbid serving dishes like pig intestines, pig ears, and pork head that the princess likes.

Eunuch Fu felt sorry for the Imperial Kitchen.

They had to make dishes the princess liked, but the few known favorites weren’t allowed to be served.

No wonder the Imperial Kitchen Steward complained to him that every time the princess dined with the Emperor, he ended up with more gray hairs.

With her business done under the guise of wanting to see the Emperor, Su Jin was now expected to stay for lunch since the Emperor had asked.

Luckily, the Imperial Study had many books, and finding one she wanted to read could take time.

The ministers entering and exiting the Imperial Study saw Su Jin there but didn’t dare say anything, continuing to discuss state affairs with the Emperor.

The matters discussed had something to do with Su Jin.

Previously, Princess Beimo sent a letter inviting Su Jin to open a shop in Beimo, so Su Jin took the chance to propose to the Emperor the idea of trading with Beimo.

The Emperor agreed to it.

Trade is a significant matter, so the Emperor assigned it to the minister in charge, and after so much time, things were about done.

A letter from the border reported that Su Jin was purchasing wool in large quantities.

Carriages full of wool were being transported from Beimo into Daqi, a truly spectacular scene.

In Beimo, wool was cheap, and Su Jin’s large purchases raised wool prices by 20%.

Daqi officials couldn’t understand; they traded with Beimo to make a profit, thinking it beneficial, so how did it become about benefiting Beimo’s people on the princess’s side?

Isn’t this aiding an outsider?

They didn’t dare to block it, but couldn’t ignore it either, so Daqi officials had to write a memorial to the palace.

Normally, this memorial would go directly to the Emperor, but fearing the Emperor’s favor for Su Jin if the matter got suppressed, the Left Minister presented it face-to-face, and they began to chat about the wool matter.

Hmm.

Su Jin was very thoughtful.

Though they talked about the wool she purchased, she kept flipping through her book without reacting.

The Emperor asked, "Jinjim, come here."

Su Jin moved over with her book in hand.

Looking at her, the Emperor asked, "What are you doing with so much wool?"

"Beimo is impoverished and lacks resources. I sell my goods at high prices, so buying some wool from them makes them feel somewhat better," Su Jin replied.

Some... wool?

The Left Minister’s mouth twitched.

According to the memorial, the princess bought at least two hundred carriages of wool.

To store all that wool, she even bought two five-complex courtyards specifically for it...

Su Jin’s explanation made the Emperor feel his daughter handled affairs appropriately, with give and take, making business sustainable.

In trade, if only you benefit, attracting envy, that business won’t last.

Conceding some profits to gain Beimo’s people’s goodwill means even if the Beimo Royal Family wanted to cut ties, they’d have to consider the people’s opinion.

The Left Minister reluctantly praised Su Jin, then said, "Although Beimo isn’t as vast and resourceful as our Daqi, it has plenty of goods we lack that are much better than wool. If the princess might consider...?"

Su Jin smiled, "Other goods are desirable, but wool is necessary."

The Left Minister, "...."

Is there still room for negotiation?

None at all.

Seeing the Emperor’s puzzled face, Su Jin said, "The profit from this wool goes toward Father’s 30% profit."

The Emperor, "...."

Eunuch Fu, "...."

The Left Minister almost held back an internal injury.

Yet again, the entire Dongxiang Marquis family tricked the Emperor.

The Emperor raised his hand to his forehead.

He hadn’t intended to take his daughter’s money, but she shouldn’t buy it all as wool either, should she?

What was he going to do with all that wool?

The Emperor felt weary.

He planned to ask further when suddenly a little eunuch rushed in, "Your Majesty, something’s wrong!"

"Prince Qi has fainted in the Empress Dowager’s palace!"

The Emperor’s brow furrowed.

Prince Qi was fine when he saw him; how did he faint in Yongning Palace?

The Empress Dowager was bedridden, and now Prince Qi fainted at Yongning Palace—both emotionally and logically, the Emperor needed to check.

Just as the talks had concluded, aside from the wool issue...

The Emperor decided to head to Yongning Palace.

Naturally, Su Jin had to go with him.

Inside Yongning Palace.

Prince Qi was unconscious on a small couch.

The Empress Dowager, who had been bedridden for days, worried about Prince Qi’s illness, dressed but un-groomed, watching beside him.

The Empress Dowager’s face was pale; as soon as the Imperial Physician withdrew his hand, she urgently asked, "What illness is it, how did he suddenly faint?"

The Imperial Physician said, "It seems the prince has been poisoned...".

Poisoned?!

The Empress Dowager’s face changed, "How could he be poisoned?!"

Not only poisoned, but the type of poison used was undefined by the Imperial Physician, let alone the antidote.

In the past, the Imperial Physician might have dared to recommend the Princess Consort Zhenbei, but not now.

The Empress Dowager cursed incompetent doctors, called for another Imperial Physician, and upon seeing the Emperor arriving with Su Jin in tow, her mouth opened, about to call for her.

Yet she said, "Why disturb Your Majesty?"

"Prince Qi fainted; naturally, I should come check on him. Luckily, Jinjim is here, let her examine Prince Qi," the Emperor said.

Su Jin was visibly reluctant but could not refuse.

Sitting on a stool to check Prince Qi without taking a step away, Su Jin knitted her brow tightly.

Seeing her expression made the Empress Dowager’s heart leap to her throat, and the Emperor asked, "How is it?"

"Prince Qi’s pulse...," Su Jin hesitated, pausing mid-sentence.

She continued to feel the pulse, finally saying, "Prince Qi and Old Duke Chong were poisoned by the same toxin."

The Emperor’s brow knotted.

The Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed tightly as well, knowing an antidote existed, so her face wasn’t overly distressed.

Fearing discovery, the Empress Dowager additionally asked, "Are you certain it’s the same poison?"

Su Jin stood up, "I’ve checked twice, let the Imperial Physician confirm again."

The Imperial Physician stepped forward, "The pulse indeed bears a resemblance to Old Duke Chong, but Old Duke’s symptoms were severe and Prince Qi’s are less prominent, which is why it wasn’t immediately recognizable."

The Imperial Physician was puzzled; Prince Qi’s poisoning was light.

Prince Qi’s robust constitution should not have caused fainting; how then did he faint?

Su Jin sighed, "It seems the party behind Prince Qi’s poisoning is the same as that of Old Duke Chong. Fortunately, Prince Qi is robust, the poisoning shallow, making a fate similar to Old Duke Chong rare, but the antidote still needs to be found soon."