With a soft gaze, Old Madam Sun looked at her grandson, who, despite his noble status, had to draw warmth from an outsider. "This is a path where you can only advance, not retreat; you can only win, not lose. When more and more people choose to stand behind you, you will carry the lives, deaths, honor, and disgrace of them and everyone they represent. If you lose, blood will surely flow like a river. Little Six, be ambitious, for the sake of those behind you, and for your own."
"I will not lose!" Little Six's chin lifted slightly. "I have Big Sister Hua and Big Brother Yan Xi. I will work hard to become stronger. I will not lose!"
"Maintain that spirit." Old Madam Sun smiled as she looked at her grandson, who so resembled her daughter, then glanced at Hua Zhi, who sat quietly without interjecting. Ultimately, the confidence of the Sixth Prince, who had the weakest foundation among the princes, came from her and the man behind her.
"I heard that the Hua family has recently been turning away even your in-laws?"
"When my grandmother was alive, she used to say that relationships are the least able to withstand being worn down. The Hua family did not wish to burden our in-laws and old friends, so we had each branch cut ties with their maternal families." Hua Zhi's smile was faint. "Apparently, aside from the Zhu Family who paid it no mind, our other in-laws thought the same. They never took the initiative to get involved with the Hua family. Even when my grandmother passed away, they merely sent their stewards to offer condolences. Now that the Hua family is simply following my grandmother's instructions, how can it be as serious as 'turning them away'? They certainly didn't say such things over the past year."
Old Madam Sun chuckled, pointing a finger at her without touching. "You truly don't suffer the slightest loss. But it's a good thing you're so resolute, otherwise..."
Otherwise, the Hua family would have long been devoured by others, just like the He family. And those in-laws would not have shown an ounce of care. On the contrary, they would have gained even more benefits by having a better reason than others to make a move. It was precisely because Hua Zhi understood this that she had never been polite to those people. Since they were unwilling to offer a helping hand in her time of need, why should she need them to add flowers to her brocade now—especially when they were only coming to dig for benefits from her.
Old Madam Sun saw through it all and had no fondness for those profit-chasing noble families. She steered the conversation back to Little Six. "My husband's thinking is that the Sun family's meager assets can't accomplish much anyway. It would be better to hand them over to you, the young miss with the reputation of a wealth god, to manage. You might shortchange anyone, but you would never shortchange Little Six."
Hua Zhi covered her mouth with a laugh. "By placing such a grand hat on my head, wouldn't I seem unconcerned about Little Six if I were to refuse?"
"It would be utterly heartless of me to think that way. It is precisely because I know you care for Xiao Liu'er that I can say such a thing." The Old Madam spoke with great sincerity, and she truly thought so. Anyone with eyes could tell whether a person was putting their heart into their actions, and she considered her own eyes and heart to be neither blind nor unseeing.
"By the way, I've received news that the Third and Fourth Princes are envious that Little Six has gained your favor and are intent on trying to poach him. I reckon they might resort to some tricks."
"They can't get into the Hua family," Hua Zhi replied, unconcerned. "Little Six will need to use a sum of money, but there's no rush. It's for after the new year."
Little Six looked up at her words. What would require money after the new year?
Hua Zhi quickly calculated in her mind and decided not to hide it from Old Madam Sun. They were all in the same boat; knowing more would help them provide cover for each other. "Ying Chun, go stand guard at the door. No one is to come near."
Ying Chun curtsied, walked out, and closed the door behind her.
Organizing her thoughts, Hua Zhi said, "The necessary manpower for The Seventh Division should be more or less settled through the arm-wrestling matches before the year's end. It should be up and running after the new year. Berlin wrote to say that although the salt he's producing hasn't yet met the standard, he has mastered the overall process and will definitely succeed in producing salt after the new year. This means that, at the latest, The Seventh Division's function should be implemented in the first half of next year. If the Emperor pushes it, it could be set up by the third or fourth month. But in every dynasty, where there is official salt, there is private salt. No method can ever completely eradicate it."
Little Six's brow furrowed. "If the salt is priced at ten copper coins, will people still sell private salt?"
"Compared to the previous price of salt, it will be much lower, and the profit margin for private salt will be smaller. But salt is inherently a high-profit business, almost a trade with no capital cost. As long as the volume is there, they can still make a huge profit. What we need to do is to dominate the market before others can seize it, giving them no chance. Even if others enter the market later, they can only follow behind us and drink some soup. As long as we hold the lion's share in our own hands, that will be enough. In other words, some years from now, the private salt and the official salt will in fact be eating from the same pot."
All three people present knew what "some years from now" meant. A strange light flashed repeatedly in Old Madam Sun's eyes, and Little Six was also getting restless, but he retained his reason. "If my Third and Fourth Imperial Brothers find out about this and use it against me..."
"They won't find out. Someone will provide cover for you."
Little Six's heart settled. With Big Brother Yan Xi's people helping to provide cover, the matter was secure.
Hua Zhi took a sip of the half-cool tea and put it down in distaste. "You pick out a few reliable people to be on standby."
"Alright."
"As for the use of the money," Hua Zhi tapped the table, "after the price of official salt is lowered, those salt merchants will surely have large quantities of salt hoarded. At first, they will definitely hold out, but when they realize they can't control the situation, they will have to find another way out. I estimate they won't be willing to sell to the government voluntarily. At that time, you will send people to secretly approach them, buy the salt at a suitable price, and then turn around and sell it to the government, earning the difference."
"Will the government be willing to pay for it? Won't Imperial Father take the opportunity to deal with the salt merchants? He could just confiscate all the salt, a completely cost-free transaction."
"If the Emperor has the courage to deal with all the salt merchants, I would have to admire him. But from my understanding of him, it's unlikely. At most, he'll resort to killing the chicken to scare the monkeys. The terrified salt merchants won't dare to cause trouble and will naturally want to sell off their salt. Although the new salt production method has a high yield, it's impossible for it to supply the entire Great Qing from the very beginning. If they can buy up salt at a suitable price to first occupy the market and thereby firmly establish The Seventh Division, they will be willing. None of the people who can sit in those positions are fools."
Hua Zhi's analysis was so logical that Little Six was completely convinced. "So we need to buy the salt before The Seventh Division can react?"
"Correct. Send people over early to keep watch. As soon as the Emperor makes an example by killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, contact them immediately. Make them think we have an official background. In their panic, they won't dare to haggle over the price. We are fighting for that window of time."
"I finally understand why the young miss has the name of a wealth god," Old Madam Sun said, filled with emotion as she listened. She knew how to seize opportunities, how to judge a situation, and she had an almost perfect grasp of human psychology. If she didn't make money, who would?
"This is the only skill I have. I just hope Madam Sun isn't put off by the reek of copper on me."
Madam Sun shook her head. "You don't need to be so modest. It's a skill others couldn't obtain even if they begged for it. Xiao Liu'er is lucky."
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