Chapter 36: The Grand Ambitions of the Prince of Qin's Estate, the Heir of Wei Transforms into a Gentle Soul

Seeing Ye Xun agree, Liu Jie felt a secret sense of relief, though he was inwardly shocked. It seemed that just as Wei Feng had said, Ye Xun had become much more steady after the blow of being stripped of his position as crown prince. In the past, he was never one to let himself suffer a loss. But times were different now; the glory of Ye Xun’s past had long since vanished.

After Ye Xun consented, Liu Jie continued, "Your Highness, the Heir Apparent has cleared one shop in each of the eastern and western markets for you to sell your soap. He said that whenever you are ready to cooperate with a trading house, just let him know. The Heir Apparent will arrange for you to work with the Tianbao Trading House. They are imperial merchants; not only is their scale massive, but they also control several land and maritime trade caravans. They can distribute goods throughout the Great Xia and even to neighboring countries."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xun felt a swell of joy. This cousin of his was truly a thoughtful man, considering every detail. It seemed his performance last night had won Wei Feng’s approval; otherwise, Wei Feng would not have invested so much effort. This also showed the high expectations Wei Feng held for him.

Ye Xun nodded and replied, "Very well, thank him for me."

"You are too kind, Your Highness," Liu Jie said with a smile. "I will not return to the Duke’s estate today. The Heir Apparent has instructed me to assist you in managing the shops so that the Prince of Qin’s estate business can get on the right track as soon as possible. You need not worry; the influential princes all have their own private industries, though they keep them out of the public eye—it is hardly a secret anymore. It is only natural for the Prince of Qin’s estate to have a few ventures of its own."

Hearing this, Ye Xun was stunned. So all these princes were secretly running businesses? Yet, he had no memory of such things. His predecessor was even more of a waste than he had imagined. However, his memory was packed with techniques like "the ancient tree with coiled roots" and "the Guanyin sitting on a lotus." Well, he wasn't without his strengths—he was quite skilled in the bedroom.

Ye Xun composed himself and said to Liu Jie, "Very well, I leave the shops to you." Since the person was sent by Wei Feng, there would be no mistake. Ye Xun had no other concerns. Currently, he only had two things to do: make soap a hit across the Great Xia to rake in some quick cash, and incidentally, develop scented soap. Then, he would make a splash at the poetry gathering next month. Once that was done, he would successfully win over the Duke of Zhen’s estate.

With the Duke of Zhen’s estate secured, Ye Xun intended to undermine Ye Tao, topple his foundations, ruin his reputation, and eliminate him from the succession race, using this as a display of power. He wanted everyone to know that the Prince of Qin’s estate was not to be trifled with.

As they were talking, Zheng Qian, supported by a servant, came shakily into the front hall. His head, left arm, and right leg were all bandaged, making him look quite wretched. Fortunately, he was lucky; he only suffered superficial wounds and no broken bones. Thanks to the special medicinal ointment from the Duke of Zhen’s estate, he was already able to walk.

Seeing Ye Xun, Zheng Qian was helped forward. "This servant greets Your Highness."

Ye Xun looked up at him, puzzled. "Why are you here instead of resting?"

"Hehe..." Zheng Qian gave an honest smile. "Your Highness, I heard you’ve acquired two shops, so I came to see if there was anything I could do. I... I just can't sit still."

Ye Xun smiled knowingly. "Look at your state; you’d only be a burden. Go back and rest. You can rest easy with Liu Jie watching over the shops."

Zheng Qian turned to look at Liu Jie and bowed. "Greetings, Brother Liu."

Liu Jie returned the bow. "Brother Zheng."

Seeing this, Ye Xun knew exactly what Zheng Qian was thinking. With so many people arriving at the Prince of Qin’s estate today, Zheng Qian felt threatened. In terms of background, status, and ability, he could not compare to the professionals sent by Wei Feng. Furthermore, after the massive trouble he had caused for the estate yesterday, he feared that Ye Xun would kick him out. Zheng Qian was terrified that the hope he had just ignited would be extinguished. If he were cast out of the Prince of Qin’s estate, he truly wouldn't know where to go.

Zheng Qian looked at Ye Xun and said with a grin, "Your Highness, you once said the Prince of Qin’s estate does not keep idle hands. I’m fine, really. Don't look at how thin I am; I'm tough as nails and very resilient. I..."

Before he could finish, Ye Xun raised a hand to interrupt him. "Enough. You still owe me your life! Go back and rest. Liu Jie is an expert in managing shops. He will be the head manager, and you will be the deputy. Once you recover, learn well from him. From now on, if anything goes wrong with the business under your watch, I will hold only you accountable."

Zheng Qian was shocked. *Deputy... deputy manager?* He had originally thought it would be a blessing if Ye Xun didn't throw him out. He never expected to be promoted to deputy manager. The surprise was overwhelming.

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you! Please rest assured, I will learn diligently and work hard. I will never betray your trust," Zheng Qian exclaimed.

Ye Xun waved him off. "Go on, get back and rest."

"Yes, Your Highness," Zheng Qian replied excitedly, then left the hall with the servant’s help.

Liu Jie watched Zheng Qian go, though he didn't think much of it. Even though he knew Zheng Qian’s reputation wasn't great, if Ye Xun valued him, there must be something special about him. Having served the Duke of Zhen’s estate for many years, Liu Jie would never underestimate anyone.

Liu Jie stood up. "Your Highness, I would like to visit the workshop to check the quality of the soap and formulate a sales plan. I aim to start sales by tomorrow."

"Good," Ye Xun nodded slightly. "Go. From now on, you are in charge of soap sales. You may decide on all matters, large or small, without needing to ask for my permission. Since my cousin sent you, you are one of us."

Liu Jie’s face lit up with joy. He bowed, "Thank you for your trust, Your Highness."

When he managed business for the Duke of Zhen’s estate, Wei Feng had trusted him greatly and granted him significant authority. He hadn't expected Ye Xun to trust him so much as well. This made him very happy, as he could now work without feeling restricted.

Liu Jie had already learned about soap beforehand. His calm demeanor was due to his immense confidence in the product. Having managed shops for over a decade, if he couldn't make a success of a monopoly product, he would have lived in vain. High quality, strong effectiveness, and a monopoly—Liu Jie was confident that soap would soar to success and help him build a reputation in the Great Xia business world.

Although the status of merchants in the Great Xia was not high, those who served noble families and royal households still held some standing. In reality, the insurmountable class barrier of "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants" only applied to small-time traders. As for the great merchants of the Great Xia, even the imperial court had to cooperate with them, as they were all imperial merchants. Every year, the grain and fodder used to sustain the Great Xia’s armies were purchased through them.