Chapter 332

Chapter 332: Want to Build Roads?

In recent days, the trading caravans who went to Great Liang to open up new markets, have all returned.

Setting aside the Yizhou aristocratic family for now, the Merchants' Alliance truly made a good profit this time around.

Although there were some setbacks along the way, the final result was still good!

The process doesn’t matter; what matters is the outcome.

Anyway, the entire caravan has returned, carrying big and small packages loaded with gold, silver, and precious jade—the network of connections has indeed expanded quite a bit.

Next time the Merchants' Alliance goes, the process will likely be much smoother.

Deng Zhengde, the general manager of the Merchants' Alliance, tallied up this haul and reorganized the accounts.

Knowing that the capital has been anxiously awaiting the results of this Great Liang expedition, and that after benefiting this time the Yizhou clan had come back to renegotiate cooperation, Deng Zhengde, after sorting everything out, sent his nephew Deng Guang with the accounts and letters back to the capital to report.

He actually wanted to go to the capital himself to meet His Highness in person, but there were too many things demanding his attention in Ziyang. Not only the Merchants' Alliance couldn’t do without him, even those fellows who came from Great Liang like Liu San couldn’t do without him either!

Why?

In the end, it’s all the fault of those two playboys, Sheng Hong and Fu Jixiang.

These two reckless playboys, determined to catch spies and earn merit, were truly reckless to the extreme—even martial artists would spit at such scoundrels.

Since these two tough guys arrived at the Merchants' Alliance, they completely latched onto Liu San and the others.

Wherever Liu San and his group went, they followed closely behind.

If they went to the shops to buy things, the two tagged along; if they went wandering near the factories, the two followed; if they entered the city looking for information or trying to gather intelligence, the two still followed!

Even if the group scattered, it was no problem—they stuck close to Liu San while sending servants to tail the others…

With their sticky attitude, perverse methods, and playful, grinning, and deaf-ear approach, no matter how Liu San talked or did, he simply couldn’t shake them off!

Liu San’s real name is Liu Wenzhou. Even he, with his extremely good temper, was beginning to lose patience with these two scoundrels.

It was his first time as a spy, and he had received no training or guidance. Coming to Great Wei as a stranger in a strange land, he basically relied entirely on his own judgment for everything.

Before meeting Sheng Hong and Fu Jixiang, Liu Wenzhou’s life was happy; he did things as he pleased. But after meeting the two… it was really annoying to see people at all!

He was monitored tightly by these two—not to mention secretly gathering intelligence behind their backs—just being a little far away would cause these shameless two not to cooperate!

Such clingy leeches—who wouldn’t go crazy encountering them, even if they had a good temper?

Liu Wenzhou considered himself fairly patient, but after enduring for one or two months, he finally lost his temper and sought help from Deng Zhengde.

After all, they came to Great Wei as part of the trading caravan, intending to cooperate with the Merchants' Alliance; as foreign partners who had traveled so far, now that they were being harassed by these two scoundrels, surely the Merchants' Alliance should step in to do something, right?

Furthermore, Deng Zhengde was acquainted with these two scoundrels.

So some intervention was possible.

Deng Zhengde’s kind of intervention was to invite both parties to stay in his city villa.

If you are going to manage them, you might as well keep them both under the same roof under his watchful eye.

If anyone fights, and wants him to adjudicate, just come; it’s convenient since it’s close by—he doesn’t mind the trouble. Really, whoever wants to can come.

Anyway, kicking out Sheng Hong and Fu Jixiang is impossible.

After all, if he did, who would catch spies for His Highness?!

–

The spy affairs were confidently entrusted to Deng Zhengde by Wei Yu.

As long as they didn’t make a scene in front of him, Wei Yu generally wouldn’t pick trouble for himself.

When Deng Guang and the team entered the capital, carrying quite a lot of valuable goods, upon arrival in the city he immediately went to find Wei Yu with the accounts.

Money—he knew exactly what His Highness cared about most.

To avoid making His Highness worry night after night, the clever Deng Guang promised to report to His Highness immediately!

Not because he wanted to show off in front of His Highness or anything.

Wei Yu met Deng Guang.

Seeing him again after a year, to be honest, Wei Yu was somewhat surprised.

Because this guy's appearance had changed dramatically!

The last time they met, he was a nimble, chubby white boy; now he had become a slightly chubby, dark-skinned young man.

One could only say that work changes a person.

After chatting with Deng Guang, Wei Yu glanced at the small sums in the accounts and without delay took him to see the old man in the palace.

Frankly speaking, this caravan trip to Great Liang really made a profit; the amounts in the accounts made him feel tempted!

He really wanted to rob Great Liang…

Emperor Wei was also quite concerned about affairs of the Merchants’ Alliance.

While flipping through the accounts and listening to Deng Guang recount the experiences in Great Liang, although Emperor Wei appeared serious and expressionless, looking dignified and solemn, Wei Yu could tell at a glance that his Dad was secretly delighted inside.

His stingy, stingy dad, who didn’t even give his son spending money when he left home, was now ecstatic about all this profit.

As Wei Yu silently mocked, he clearly saw his dad glare at him with raised eyes.

What’s wrong with being happy about it?

Who wouldn’t be happy after making money?!

Now that there was a new worker bringing a bulging money pouch, Emperor Wei was more interested in Deng Guang and had no patience to listen to his unfilial son accuse him of being stingy.

He praised Deng Guang well and granted some rewards.

After Deng Guang left, Emperor Wei asked Wei Yu, “What are you here for?”

He came but didn’t say a word, letting Deng Guang handle everything. Emperor Wei was suspicious of his motives this time.

The suspicious emperor silently thought to himself and hid the accounts under the memorial documents on his desk.

Surely not here to ask him for money? He had no money; he was so stingy he wouldn’t give money to others…

Wei Yu ignored his Dad’s subtle gesture, took a quick step forward, leaned on his Dad’s desk, and grabbed his Dad’s paw pressing down the memorial documents, looking deeply affectionate.

“Dad, want to build roads?”

Ah ha?

Build roads!

Emperor Wei paused, looking at him in a complicated way.

“You damn brat, you really just want my money.”

Building roads isn’t something you do casually!

Which road you build isn’t time-consuming, labor-intensive, manpower-intensive, and costly?!

Besides, judging by your unfilial attitude, the more you ask for, the more eager and guilty you act!

“Dad, how could you say such things about your precious son!” Wei Yu scolded endearingly, “Look at what you just said—narrow-minded! How could it be that your son is asking you for money? I’m actually creating a glorious chapter in your reign as a wise ruler!”

Emperor Wei: …

“Building roads benefits the country and lasts through the ages. Dirt roads and gravel paths are out of fashion; we need to use a smoother, harder road. You know the saying, ‘If you want to get rich, build roads first,’ right? I’m not doing this for myself, but to give all the people of the world a bright and secure future!”

Emperor Wei was silently speechless.

Aside from everything else, this unfilial son’s eloquence is really quite impressive.