After a good night's rest, Little Six's complexion had recovered, and early in the morning, Hua Zhi took him to the dining hall.
As usual, Lady Sun arrived the earliest. Her gaze toward Hua Zhi was unusually complex. Aware of her own fault, Hua Zhi apologized as soon as they met.
"It's not your fault," Lady Sun, who looked exceptionally young, sighed deeply. "I knew he couldn't avoid it. Over the years, we've made some preparations, but I never imagined he would get involved in this way, and even drag the Hua family into it. It's been so many years—the Hua family has never taken sides."
"In the past, there was no need for the Hua family to take sides."
Exactly. Lady Sun smiled wryly. The Hua family had always simply followed the Emperor. To be honest, this time, it was Xiao Liu'er who benefited. Although the Hua family had fallen, their influence remained.
"A few days ago, I received a letter from my husband. He asked me to inquire whether you have any plans for supplying Dried Meat and fried noodles to the army. He also asked if there are any other items?"
Both were intelligent people—one did not ask why it was being sent through General Sun, and the other did not elaborate further, yet both understood the situation perfectly.
Hua Zhi thought for a moment and said, "I had initially thought of it too simply. Now, it seems this isn't something suitable for the Hua family to handle. Why not hand it directly to the Ministry of Revenue for military supplies? My grandfather will be coming today. We can discuss it together later."
Lady Sun gave her a deep look and naturally had no objections. Well-informed and having learned some things from her grandson, she knew Hua Zhi was not one to suffer losses. Before meeting her, she had worried that Hua Zhi might be too resentful and act impulsively. Now, it seemed she had underestimated her. Resentment was certainly there, but Hua Zhi understood the gravity of the situation.
Duke Anguo and Zhu Bowen arrived together. In such a setting, Yan Xi could not attend. Hua Zhi had borrowed a few of his men and, seeing that everyone had arrived, signaled for them to guard the area to prevent eavesdropping.
Duke Lu was also aware that Hua Zhi had become the Emperor's money manager, but for now, no one spoke first.
Hua Zhi glanced around, her thoughts shifting, and began by discussing the matter of Dried Meat and fried noodles.
Zhu Bowen did not immediately agree just because Hua Zhi had proposed it. After some consideration, he said, "Supplying the entire army is likely impossible. The cost of meat is too high; we can't afford it."
"This is a classic case of wanting the ox to plow without feeding it. Soldiers risk their lives in battle, yet they can't even get a piece of meat to eat. How can they have the strength to fight desperately? Not to mention the famously fierce Chao Li Tribe—even the grassland tribes are stronger than Daqing's soldiers. Why? Because meat is their staple food."
After speaking, Hua Zhi realized she had been too blunt and quickly stood to apologize to her grandfather.
"This is indeed the truth, but at present, it's just..." Zhu Bowen waved his hand, signaling her to sit down, without mentioning the empty treasury or similar issues.
Lady Sun came from a military family and knew all too well how harsh life was for the soldiers at the border. She wholeheartedly agreed with Hua Zhi's words and looked at her with fervent hope, eager for her to propose more practical solutions.
But Hua Zhi could say no more. If it weren't for the pressure of the canal construction project, she might have had room to maneuver. Yet now, how could she spare the energy to think of other things? Even if she had ideas, the Emperor would never approve. If he wasn't cutting military expenditures, it was already a relief—expecting him to allocate funds to improve the army's food? A pipe dream!Thinking of that person, Hua Zhi handed the plan to Lady Sun, who was nearest to her. The salt produced needed to be transported to various places, so she proposed both water and land transport, attempting to combine the two matters into one.
The document was lengthy, and it would take considerable time for everyone to read it in turn.
Lady Sun, who finished reading first, lowered her head in deep thought. Only after reading it did she understand why the Sun family had a role in this matter. It was a good thing—a very good thing. Military officials would likely all support it. However, there were two sides to the matter: cutting flesh and drawing blood from so many people would be difficult.
Next was the Duke of An. His gaze toward Hua Zhi was indescribably complex.
His grandson, who had not visited for a long time, had suddenly sought him out last night. Not only did he clarify his relationship with Hua Zhi, but he also openly declared his support for her. From his words, it was clear he was deeply involved in this matter. Yet, it was only after seeing this document that the Duke realized the scale of the undertaking.
If this succeeded, there was no doubt that the Lu family would become the biggest winner. The temptation was simply too great.
When Zhu Bowen finished turning the last page, the Duke of An could no longer hold back and spoke first, "Is the salt output really that high?"
"Yes, and this is my conservative estimate. As the salt workers gain more experience, the output will increase further. Xuzhou’s geographical location is also very suitable for building salt fields. Once the Qingzhou salt farm is established, another salt field can be built in Xuzhou."
Even the usually composed Duke of An grew excited at this. Xuzhou was the Lu family’s stronghold. While it might be possible to bypass the Lu family in Qingzhou, no one would dare meddle in Xuzhou.
Hua Zhi added, "My suggestion is that the Lu family should first make a Wedding Gown for others in Qingzhou to avoid accusations of greed. Moreover, while it’s difficult to completely eradicate illegal salt, it absolutely must not originate from the Lu family. You should keep this in mind, Duke of An, or else you may not be the only one facing difficulties."
The Duke of An steadied himself and nodded, "The Lu family will fully cooperate in this matter."
With the Lu family’s stance clear, Lady Sun interjected, "Please don’t take offense, Miss, but I must ask for clarification: Can we really employ soldiers who were discharged due to injuries or disabilities? Even those who have been discharged for many years?"
"Yes." Hua Zhi’s intention was to create a balance. By entrusting the transportation line to military officials, it would serve as a check against the newly established Seventh Department. The inherent discord between civil and military officials would also make them wary of each other, making it harder for anyone to engage in foul play.
"If this is truly feasible, not only will the Sun family offer full support, but other military families will also lend their strong assistance." Lady Sun gave her solemn promise. While military families were not entirely united, most commanders cared for their soldiers. After every battle, even those at odds would unite to pressure the Ministry of Revenue for more subsidies for injured soldiers. If there were such a fallback option, those fighting on the front lines would have fewer worries.
The group broadly outlined the direction for these two matters and roughly divided their respective responsibilities. The subsequent backdoor dealings and court maneuvers were no longer Hua Zhi’s concern.
As they were about to disperse after their discussions, Hua Zhi suddenly said, "Credit for using military officials in transportation should go to Little Six... the Sixth Prince."
They immediately understood: Hua Zhi wanted to earn the Sixth Prince favor among the military officials. This was not abrupt, as he was, after all, General Sun’s grandson, which gave him a natural advantage.
"Sister Hua...""The Duke of Anguo has no need for it, and you, Grandfather, are a civil official—you cannot stand opposed to the civil officials. The Sun family has even less use for it. As for me..." Hua Zhi chuckled lightly, "Do you all think the Emperor would grant me this credit? It would be a shame to let it go to waste."
Zhu Bowen stroked his beard, "It was originally the Sixth Prince's achievement—how could it be wasted?"
The Duke of Anguo smiled, "Minister Zhu speaks wisely. It was always the Sixth Prince's merit, and he should claim it."
Lady Sun bowed respectfully to both men, and Little Six did the same, then turned and bowed deeply to Hua Zhi.
He remembered—every bit of it.
PS: Third update completed. Finally moved past this plotline—back to business dealings next.
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