The Slender Waist-Chapter 438 - 318 Great Business

In Yun Village, Chunyu Yan was reclining against the newly built kang, with a table laden with fine wines and delicacies in front of him, yet he had very little appetite.

This was the ninth New Year he had spent away from home.

Everyone said the Crown Prince of Yunchuan was the wealthiest in the land, possessing houses wherever he went, but he who owned countless houses now had no home to return to.

The holiday season is when nostalgia for hometowns, family, and bygone times hits the hardest, yet he had nowhere to direct such thoughts.

Alone and friendless.

Chunyu Yan tilted back his head and drained the cup of wine, just as the curtain was drawn aside.

Xiang Zhong entered, his face plastered with a smile that hadn’t even faded before he was hit with a glowering stare, immediately stiffening his demeanor as he respectfully made his report.

"Reporting to the Princely Heir, a messenger from Changmen Village has come with an invitation."

Chunyu Yan responded languidly, "Who has come to invite me?"

Xiang Zhong replied, "Steward Alou."

"No sincerity," Chunyu Yan muttered, eyes half-closed, looking quite displeased.

"Then... should I decline on behalf of the Princely Heir?"

Before Xiang Zhong’s words were finished, Chunyu Yan was already off the bed and slipping on his boots, "Bring me my cloak."

-

Compared to the cold and forlorn Yun Village, Changmen was bustling with festivity: bright red lanterns hung all along the route, festoons and lucky characters imbued with joy, and everyone encountered bore a genuine smile, emanating an inexplicable sense of happiness.

As Chunyu Yan walked, he suddenly turned back, looking at Xiang Zhong.

"From tomorrow on, command everyone to smile for this Princely Heir," he ordered.

Xiang Zhong paused, then displayed an apprehensive yet awkward smile, "Understood, smiles, everyone will smile."

Feng Yun and Wen Xingsu were seated opposite each other, engaged in conversation.

There were people at the table, wine on the table.

The entire conversation was in the wine.

There were no other people in the hall, and occasionally, the laughter of the courtesans from the adjacent room could be heard. They too had gathered together today, bringing out some cured meats and wine dishes, and their cheerful shouts burst forth without any regard for propriety.

Wen Xingsu chuckled, "Do you really plan to keep them all here?"

"Keep them, of course," Feng Yun replied nonchalantly, "My rule is simply to work and to eat. As long as they’re willing, they can stay however they like."

Wen Xingsu moved his lips but said nothing more.

So many carefully selected beauties, if kept by one’s side, would unsettle any master of the house, who would surely think of ways to send them away.

Yet Feng Yun accepted them gladly, and the courtesans were willing to stay with her, which was both incredible and fraught with unknown risks.

"Be at ease, elder brother," Feng Yun knew what he was worried about and blinked before jesting, "Or is it that you’ve taken a fancy to one of them and want to bring her back to Xinzhou?"

Wen Xingsu’s brows furrowed, "Do not speak nonsense."

After a pause, he took a serious look at Feng Yun.

"Has there been any word from the Prince of Yonghuai?"

Feng Yun shook her head.

"The heavy snow has blocked the roads; news won’t come that quickly..."

No news from Central Capital made it impossible for her to settle her mind.

Wen Xingsu wanted to offer her some words of comfort, but Feng Yun did not show any hint of unease, speaking calmly:

"The situation in Central Capital is beyond our reach, knowing it helps nothing. It’s better to take care of the present. The urgent matter is how to survive the winter. Once the Beiyong Army and the Imperial Court sever ties, we’ll have to find our own way to live..."

Just as she was speaking, Alou’s voice came from outside.

"The Crown Prince of Yunchuan has arrived."

Feng Yun and Wen Xingsu exchanged glances, stopped their conversation, and both rose smilingly to greet him with due formality.

"Princely Heir."

"General Wen."

Chunyu Yan bowed his head in greeting, addressing Wen Xingsu first with a slight curl of his lips, then turned his gaze toward Feng Yun.

"On such a festive occasion, what business do you have with me?"

He threw off his cloak, giving off an "I’m very busy, speak if you must" attitude, his actions betraying a great impatience.

"Please, take a seat," Feng Yun invited with a smile, her words courteous.

As she turned around, her slender, graceful figure passed before his eyes, the purple-hued skirt floating like ripples of water, washing through Chunyu Yan’s gaze.

Chunyu Yan’s movements toward the dining table paused ever so slightly.

Wen Xingsu looked over.

Chunyu Yan then took his seat slowly.

On the table were cured and brined delicacies along with a few side dishes, not as elaborate as those in Yun Village. Yun Village had eight chefs specially hired by Chunyu Yan, skilled in cooking various gourmet flavors—dishes far more delectable than the ones here could be imagined.

Yet, strangely enough, he felt incredibly comfortable sitting here.

The aroma of wine and dishes, mingling with the fragrance of beauties, wafted through the air to his nostrils.

Despite the ordinary dishes, the scent carried a distinctive essence of the New Year into his mind.

"Not bad," Chunyu Yan remarked astonishingly, "Could I borrow the chef from your village for a few days? I’ll return him after the New Year’s festivities."

Feng Yun paused, setting down her chopsticks and said, "Sure thing. I invited the Princely Heir over today not only for a family reunion but to ask about something else."

Chunyu Yan snorted, "I knew it, you Feng Twelve, you never come offering favors without a reason. Spit it out, how many people do you want to shove into my estate this time?"

Feng Yun waved her hand and laughed, "I’m not stuffing in people this time, but something else."

She gently lifted her snowy wrists and clapped her hands together, "Bring it forward."

The way the two of them conversed was different from others, almost every sentence was edged with barbs. Yet Wen Xingsu felt somewhat uncomfortable witnessing it; Chunyu Yan’s heart was as clear as Sima Zhao’s, he didn’t need to say what shrewd schemes he harbored. But Alou did not treat him as an outsider, even indulging in jokes between men and women without getting upset...

It was he, the elder brother, who forever adhered to the strict code of conduct.

Alou presented the green cloth bundle, which looked suspiciously like a piece of black stone, in front of Chunyu Yan.

"Please have a look, Princely Heir."

Chunyu Yan glanced at it and asked Feng Yun, "What is this about?"

Feng Yun countered with another question, "Could this be graphite?"

Chunyu Yan nodded, "Correct, where did you acquire this?"

Feng Yun told him about how Uncle Sun had found the graphite in the mountains and continued, "May I ask the Princely Heir to help me find a couple of experienced craftsmen to accompany me up the mountain to investigate further?"

In this field, Yunchuan was the expert. From how to explore the quantity on hand to how to mine and process it, Chunyu Yan knew it all.

But he wasn’t one to help without something in return.

"Sure, by the old rules, we’ll split the profits."

He really wasn’t one to suffer a loss.

Feng Yun chuckled, "I suppose the Princely Heir wouldn’t be happy if outsiders came to mine Yunchuan graphite, right? This graphite from the mine, unlike the business in Mingquan Town, definitely needs to abide by the Imperial Court’s wishes..."

Chunyu Yan said, "A single word from Pei Wangzhi will do, why the pretense of courtesy?"

Feng Yun smiled lightly, "The Princely Heir has misunderstood me. You are also aware of the upheavals in Central Capital. No one knows what might happen after the new year. But no matter who sits upon the Golden Throne Hall, the Crown Prince of Yunchuan is still the Crown Prince of Yunchuan..."

Chunyu Yan’s eyes darkened slightly.

"Feng Twelve, planning to scheme against me again?"

"Not at all," Feng Yun replied, her expression warm and eyes black and lustrous with a cunning gleam, though her voice sounded utterly sincere, "Since the graphite was found on a mountain in Huaxi, it’s a treasure belonging to the villagers of Huaxi Village. What good would it do them to surrender it to the Imperial Court for no reason? As the Village Chief, it is naturally my duty to consider the villagers’ welfare."

Chunyu Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

This Feng Twelve, such audacity and ambition she had.

Ordinary people receiving such news would definitely report it to the Imperial Court for some benefits...

Yet she aimed to claim it as her own...

As Chunyu Yan looked at her clear and innocent eyes, he suddenly realized she probably wanted more than just this graphite mine...

This woman wanted so much, too much... 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The most frustrating part was, she wanted everything, except him.

Chunyu Yan huffed heavily, "Are you trying to use me to deceive and take over the mine?"

"Princely Heir is astute," Feng Yun declared.

Chunyu Yan forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "What, has Pei Wangzhi become ineffective? You need to rely on the face of this idle Princely Heir?"

Feng Yun sighed softly, "Who knows how many in Central Capital have their eyes on him? He cannot get involved in this matter."

Hmph! Not a hint of Crown Prince Chunyu’s startling countenance showed beneath his mask; yet those eyes were as sharp as lightning.

"I thought you so kindly invited me over for a feast with fine wine, good food, and a profitable deal out of goodwill, but it turns out to be a trap like the Feast at Hong Gate."

"Princely Heir, you are mistaken," Feng Yun extended her hand, "The wine my elder brother brought from Xinzhou, the beef I personally braised, the goose I personally pickled... only the vegetables weren’t personally stir-fried by me. If this table were the Feast at Hong Gate, then there would be no sincere meal left in the world."

Upon hearing that she had personally prepared the offerings, Chunyu Yan’s expression softened considerably.

He arched his brows, adopting a proud demeanor,

"Pei Jue is of noble character and does not take advantage of the Imperial Court, so I, Chunyu Yan, am a deceiver who has done all the bad things under the sun, monopolizing the mine?"

"Princely Heir is mistaken."

Feng Yun certainly wasn’t concerned about Pei Jue’s reputation; she simply didn’t want to startle the snake.

Mines and salt were the lifeblood of the Imperial Court, Jin Court might grant concessions to Chunyu Yan, but they definitely wouldn’t let someone with a "rebellious heart" like Pei Jue profit from it.

Seeing Chunyu Yan’s silence, she shook her head with a laugh, "This is a highly profitable deal that could be described as ’earning a pot of gold each day.’ That’s why I sought the Princely Heir. But since the Princely Heir isn’t interested in making money, let’s pretend I never said anything. Come on, let’s drink, let’s drink."

"..."

Chunyu Yan had no comeback, feeling a maddening itch in his teeth.

Only at this moment did he realize that this Feng Twelve, whose mind he could never fully grasp, had him utterly figured out.

Missing out on making money, what a fool. Shearing the Jin Court’s wool, why not?

At this critical junction, those people in Jin Court would be too busy fighting over the Dragon Throne to care about a graphite mine far away in Andu. Indeed there was an opportunity to exploit. Acting as a mediator would indeed be more convenient than involving Pei Jue, who was under intense scrutiny.

After all, the world knew that the Crown Prince of Yunchuan was driven by profit.

The nobles in the Jin Court, including Li Zongxun, had all taken his favors.

For him, this task was not difficult.

Chunyu Yan made up his mind but did not want to give Feng Yun a definitive answer.

"Let’s wait until the snow stops; I’ll send someone up the mountain to check it out. In this heavy snow, people are lazy, and if I don’t enjoy the new year, I might just go back to Yunchuan when it begins and forget about this business..."