Chapter Sixty-Five: Massive Compensation

For Qin Hao, how could he possibly let slip an opportunity to make a fortune?

Initially, the fifty newly distilled jars of renowned liquor were intended to be sold gradually to the Wind and Moon Pavilion and the four great noble families. It was the classic principle of scarcity commanding high value—a steady stream of lasting wealth. Besides, famous liquor was indeed expensive, and many people still could not afford it. Following this period of hype, those who had tasted the renowned liquor did elevate its reputation, but the repurchase rate had noticeably declined.

One had to bear in mind that when the Wind and Moon Pavilion sold three hundred pots in a single night, it amounted to a mere six jars. Once this craze for fine liquor faded, selling thirty pots a night would be considered an impressive feat. Of course, the Wind and Moon Pavilion would not do that. Bai Chenxi had long since formulated a marketing strategy: premium liquor would only be served in batches of ten pots during exclusive banquets. Therefore, from then on, these fine liquors would truly function as traffic-drivers, reserved exclusively for high-end gatherings. The batches of fine liquor in Qin Hao's possession would likewise be sold in conjunction with other varieties in the future. To take three years to sell them all off entirely would already be a decent outcome.

As for the pricing of the other alcoholic drinks, Qin Hao had never intended to set them too high from the very beginning; his objective was to capture the mid-tier market. Yet who could have anticipated that such a turn of events would transpire, delivering two delivery-boys straight to his door carrying fortunes? If Qin Hao were to let this pass, he wouldn't be Qin Hao.

Ma Yingze had also figured it out by this point. Breaking free from Zhao Guangnian, he said excitedly, "Then let's hurry and go!"

Qin Hao shook his head. "No. Just the few of us don't have enough weight. Let me think of a way to send word to Li Qingyao."

Just as Qin Hao was pondering whom to send, a figure suddenly emerged from the shadows to his side. "Young Master Qin, please give your orders."

"Who are you?" Qin Hao felt a jolt of shock in his heart. Someone had been standing right beside him, yet he had been completely unaware.

"We are your guards. You may address me as Elder Brother, and there is Second Brother patrolling the vicinity to ensure your safety. His Majesty gave instructions that we are solely loyal to you. You may summon us for any task whatsoever," the hidden guard known as Elder Brother stated.

His Majesty? A flash of light crossed Qin Hao's eyes. Excellent, excellent, excellent. He had finally attracted the attention of His Majesty, hadn't he? Hadn't he gone to all these lengths precisely to draw the gaze of the reigning monarch? This was, after all, the supreme leader of the Dajing Dynasty and would ultimately become his greatest backing.

"You're Elder Brother, is that it?" Qin Hao asked calmly.

"Yes, Young Master Qin." Elder Brother dropped to one knee and answered respectfully.

"Good. Since His Majesty sent you to follow me, I cannot have you working for nothing. From now on, ten liang of silver per month. If you perform well, your monthly stipend will increase in the future," Qin Hao said with a smile.

Elder Brother was filled with awe and trepidation. "Young Master Qin, we cannot accept this. We are now Young Master's people; it is only right for us to go through fire and water for you!"

Qin Hao waved his hand dismissively. "What do you mean, 'only right'? One must be paid for doing work; if you don't make money, whose life are you risking? Since you said you would listen to me, then obey me—the monthly stipend must be accepted. You might not want it, but what about your family? No need to decline. So, now you will go contact the Eldest Princess and tell her that it's time to collect debts and she needs to lend her support."

A look of excitement crossed Elder Brother's face. "Understood!" Indeed, back when he was a hidden guard, he had frequently sent silver back to his family. In those days, their annual salary was forty-two liang. Now that he was no longer a hidden guard, he had genuinely worried about losing his source of silver. Yet Young Master Qin was giving even more! How could there be any reason not to risk his life for such a master?

Having issued his instructions, Qin Hao finally took action. Having orchestrated so much, it was finally time to see what manner of monsters and demons the prominent aristocratic families of this era truly were.

Imperial Palace.

Within the Empress's chambers, Li Qingyao was eloquently recounting Qin Hao's various miraculous, all-knowing plans to Empress Xiaoyuan. Empress Xiaoyuan watched her daughter's beaming expression; on the surface, she smiled pleasantly, but deep within her eyes, her thoughts remained unfathomable.

At that moment, Li Qingyao received word. Qin Hao was demanding compensation, and she instantly grasped his intent. She immediately stood up. "Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, Qin Hao might be at a disadvantage by himself. I am leaving now."

Emperor Xuande smiled and nodded. "Go. You need not concern yourself with the migration of the southern people to the north these days; just keep a close eye on the supplies being transported northward."

"I understand, Imperial Father. I am leaving now." With those words, Li Qingyao departed in a flurry of haste.

Once Li Qingyao had gone, Empress Xiaoyuan wore a slightly troubled expression as she said, "Your Majesty, have you noticed that Qingyao has been constantly talking about Qin Hao lately?"

Emperor Xuande chuckled. "It has been Qin Hao offering strategies and counsel to Qingyao all these days. It is only natural that she speaks of him often."

Empress Xiaoyuan said nothing more. Perhaps she was simply overthinking it.

The Eldest Princess's Estate.

Qin Hao had moved a chair out into the courtyard and sat there basking in the sunlight. He had already dispatched people to deliver the compensation lists to the Zhang family and the estate of the Baron of Kaiyang. He believed people would arrive shortly. After all, the Yang family standing behind the Zhang family and the Baron of Kaiyang could not afford not to come. They had, after all, paid the entry fees. If they failed to pay the compensation, the money they had forked out beforehand would go down the drain.

Meanwhile, at the Zhang family's exclusive residence for its head in the capital, Zhang Zhihe and Zhang Gongjin, an official of the Zhang family, were discussing the events that had transpired at court, both of them wearing troubled expressions. Neither of them had expected Zhao如风 to resort to such a tactic. It seemed the Zhang family would have to cough up this silver no matter what.

Fifteen thousand liang of silver! Even their most profitable business did not yield fifteen thousand liang in an entire year. Without those fifteen thousand liang to grease palms in the capital, the Zhang family would lose at least two of their officials stationed in the capital. Still, this was vastly better than facing those murderous military generals head-on. If they had to pay the silver, they would pay it; sooner or later, they could earn it back.

At that very moment, a servant delivered a letter. The letter bore no recipient's name, merely marked "Received by the Zhang family."

Zhang Zhihe opened it, read through it briefly, and his expression shifted slightly. He slammed the letter down onto the table and sternly declared, "How audacious!"

Zhang Gongjin asked calmly, "Clan Elder, what has happened?"

Zhang Zhihe handed the letter over to Zhang Gongjin. Upon finishing it, Zhang Gongjin drew a sharp breath. "So much!"

"Mhm." Zhang Zhihe murmured softly, sinking into deep thought.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Gongjin said, "The Eldest Princess is going somewhat too far."

A smile appeared on Zhang Zhihe's face. "The other party is merely pressing the advantage while winning. Had we been the victors, we too would maximize our interests. Gongjin, you must remember: you cannot harbor such petty thoughts. The reason our Zhang family has stood firm for hundreds of years without falling is precisely because we can afford to lose. Have a carriage prepared; I am going to the Eldest Princess's estate. Who knows, I might even get to meet that mysterious strategist behind the scenes. Encountering an adversary of equal match is still a rather delightful affair."

The Estate of the Baron of Kaiyang.

After Qin Hao's letter was delivered, the Baron of Kaiyang fell into silence upon reading it. The contents of this letter were even more direct, explicitly stating the amount of silver Qin Kaizhi was required to pay. The currently damaged wine jars numbered over a hundred; calculating based on a hundred jars, with each jar holding fifty catties, that amounted to fifty pots of fine liquor. Even at wholesale price, that came to seven thousand five hundred liang of silver. And those hundred jars translated to a full seventy-five thousand liang of silver!

This was precisely why Zhang Gongjin had remarked that the Eldest Princess was going too far. Seventy-five thousand liang of silver—this was a colossal sum of punitive damages!

Qin Kaizhi also saw the letter, and his expression instantly went wild. "Bullshit! Qin Hao is spouting nonsense! Clearly, those jars of liquor were smashed by Qin Hao's own men!"

He tore frantically at the letter, roaring like a madman.

Seeing his son react with such agitation at the slightest adversity, the Baron of Kaiyang sighed. "Very well, Zhier, you need not concern yourself with this matter further. No matter what, your maternal grandfather and I have managed to protect you at least, and that is enough. As for the rest, I will go discuss it with your maternal grandfather. Remember, do not make any more moves against Qin Hao; you are no match for him, do you understand?" the Baron of Kaiyang said with utmost earnestness.

Qin Kaizhi could not process a single word. "I don't need your management! You couldn't even protect my mother; you aren't fit to manage me!" With that, Qin Kaizhi bolted back to his room.

A sharp pang struck the Baron of Kaiyang's heart. So this was what it felt like to be rebuked by one's own flesh and blood. Yet now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

The Baron of Kaiyang strode out to first seek out his father-in-law. Little did he know that no sooner had he left than Qin Kaizhi rushed frantically out of his room, clutching a box whose contents were unknown. His pupils were bloodshot, and he muttered a single sentence over and over like an obsession: "I want Qin Hao to die, I want Qin Hao to die, Qin Hao, I'll have you die..."