Deepening Cooperation

Zhen Qian returned to Luoquan County just before the city gates closed. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw his page, Wang You, looking around anxiously. "Is everything taken care of?"

"Everything is done... The He family is in absolute chaos. Old Master He was so furious he nearly vomited blood, and his wives and concubines are already fighting over the estate. The legal dispute will reach the county magistrate's office in no time..."

"That's not what I'm asking about!" Zhen Qian glared fiercely at Wang You. "Are the gifts prepared?"

Wang You scratched his head awkwardly. "The two carriages of gifts for the Prince have already been brought inside. The other two carriages are kept in the back courtyard. Uncle Wang will set off for Zhending tomorrow. When does the Eldest Young Master plan to return?"

Zhen Qian could not leave until Li Cui departed. Fortunately, Li Cui needed to return to the capital before New Year's Day, otherwise his schedule would have truly been too tight.

"The Prince sets off tomorrow morning. Go and prepare three banquet tables of dishes from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion to be delivered to the Prince's guards. Also, have Chrysanthemum make a lavish feast tonight to bid farewell to the Prince, and invite Lord Fujiwara as well. Make the necessary arrangements. Tomorrow, after the Prince leaves, we will return to Sendai Village, and bring Xiaoxhe and Lucia along with us!"

"The Eldest Young Master is going to the Wolf Den?"

"You talk too much! Go do your job!"

Wang You stuck out his tongue. Had he not been one of Zhen Qian's closest confidants, he would never have even known the Wolf Den existed. Yet, where the Wolf Den actually was remained known to even fewer people. The only certain thing was that it was not far from Sendai Village, located in an extremely secluded place. Few who entered ever came out; it was a true earthly paradise.

Zhen Qian walked into the middle courtyard's reception hall. The surrounding guards glanced at him without the slightest intention of blocking his path, and even joked, "Young Master Zhen, we'll be leaving tomorrow. Have you prepared any good food for tonight?"

"I've had the servants prepare a few banquet tables for you all. But since you'll be leaving early tomorrow morning, the wine is a bit light. Please don't take offense!"

Upon hearing that they would still enjoy a farewell banquet, the guards immediately beamed with joy. "Then thank you very much! After troubling you at Young Master Zhen's residence for the past few days, our palates have been completely spoiled. I wonder if we'll ever be able to eat food this good again once we return to Chang'an?"

Zhen Qian had gotten along quite well with Li Cui's guards during this period. Perhaps it was because they appreciated Li Cui's favor, or because Zhen Qian had cured the Princess's typhoid, or simply because Zhen Qian stood on no ceremony and would casually chat with them. Having been treated to such fine food, drinks, and hospitality, how could their mouths not be softened by Zhen Qian's food? If he had ended up feeding a pack of ungrateful wolves, he would simply have had to chalk it up to bad luck.

"I've already agreed with the Prince. The Drunken Immortal Pavilion will soon open branches in the capital. If you all enjoy the food and wine there, feel free to visit often and help spread the word! I'll give you a ten percent discount."

"Is that so? Once the brothers here have tasted the Burning Blade brewed by your household, drinking other wine afterward is just like drinking water..."

"Drinking Burning Blade in winter is the best way to ward off the cold. When you leave tomorrow, I'll have the servants gift you two jars!"

Hearing this, several guards cupped their fists together and said, "Young Master Zhen is truly generous. On behalf of the brothers, I thank you. If you have any difficulties in the capital in the future—while we might not be able to help with major matters—we brothers can certainly assist with minor affairs."

Zhen Qian had always adhered to the philosophy of making fewer enemies and cultivating more good connections. Although these guards could hardly offer him any substantial help, in the event of an emergency, even the petty thieves and rogues could not be entirely dispensed with.

"Young Master Zhen is back!" Fujiwara Shugio walked in from behind, speaking enthusiastically, "I heard the Prince is leaving tomorrow. Should we set off for Zhending?"

He truly had no idea what Fujiwara Shugio was in such a hurry about. New Year's Day had not yet passed, and they were supposed to wait until after the ancestral worship to set out. There was still plenty of time.

"I plan to return to Sendai Village first tomorrow to handle some personal matters. Once I return, we will head to Zhending together!"

"Since Young Master Zhen is returning to Sendai Village, why don't I go take a look as well?"

Zhen Qian found that Fujiwara Shugio clung to him like sticky rice wherever he went. "There's no need. I have some personal business to attend to, and it would be inconvenient to bring Lord Fujiwara along." Speaking with Fujiwara Shugio had one advantage: one had to be direct and avoid any subtlety, as this fellow's skin was as thick as a city wall.

"Very well then! I shall wait right here at the residence for Young Master Zhen's return!"

When Li Cui had first arrived, he had chased Fujiwara Shugio off to the official guesthouse. But the moment Li Cui was about to leave, Fujiwara Shugio had scurried right back. It was unclear whether the conditions at the guesthouse were poor or if the food here simply suited Fujiwara Shugio's palate, but in any case, he treated Zhen Qian's home as his own.

The two of them chatted as they walked into the reception hall. Li Cui was seated on a heated brick bed, with a tea set arranged on the low table before him, savoring the black tea he had brewed himself with great relish.

"The Prince has quite an elegant taste!"

Someone had already announced Li Cui's presence, and the two men walked straight in. Seeing that a young woman was seated opposite Li Cui—barely eighteen years of age, her face somewhat haggard, with a sharp chin, fair skin, and a stunning appearance, possessing long and straight eyebrows, a delicate hanging nose, and full lips—she appeared somewhat sickly, yet her eyes held an extra touch of steadfastness. This was none other than Princess Jinyuan, whom Zhen Qian had treated. As for her actual given name, no one knew; inquiring about a woman's name in ancient times was considered a taboo, which explained why so many famous women in history left behind no personal names at all.

"Greetings, Your Highness. Your complexion looks much better!"

Zhen Qian's gaze swept briefly across Princess Jinyuan's face before Li Cui raised his head and smiled. "This is all thanks to Young Master Zhen's miraculous hands. Wan'er, won't you thank Young Master Zhen for saving your life?"

Princess Jinyuan stepped down from the heated brick bed and gracefully bowed to Zhen Qian. "Thank you, Young Master Zhen, for saving my life." With that, she turned back to Li Cui and said, "Father, I am still feeling somewhat unwell, so I shall return to my room to rest."

In the Tang dynasty, parents were collectively referred to as "Ye-Niang" (Father-Mother). Du Fu's poem *The Chariots of War* contains the line: "Father, mother, wives, and children run to bid farewell, dust obscures the Xianyang Bridge," and the *Ballad of Mulan* includes: "Hearing that their daughter has come, father and mother go out of the city to support each other as they welcome her"—these were terms for parents. However, they would be omitted in this book to avoid making readers feel awkward.

Seeing his daughter leave the room, Li Cui smiled apologetically. "This daughter of mine simply has this kind of temperament—cold on the outside but warm on the heart. She is extremely fond of your poetry, and I hope Young Master Zhen will not take offense."

"Not at all... The Princess has just recovered from her illness and is precisely in need of rest. Your Highness is worrying too much," Zhen Qian said hypocritically, while feeling deeply displeased inside. Whose face was the Princess putting on that cold expression for? Although unhappy, he did not show it on his face. The Princess's noble status was far above his own; she was not someone a minor figure like her could afford to quarrel with, and reflecting on it, doing so would only be making things difficult for himself.

"Come sit, Young Master Zhen, and taste the black tea I've brewed!"

"Splendid! Your Highness's skill is becoming increasingly refined, though..."

"Though what?" Unsure whether it was due to his inability to participate in politics, Li Cui remained intensely focused on other matters. Hearing that there were still flaws in the black tea he had brewed, he immediately pressed for an answer.

"This black tea belongs to fermented tea. The longer it is kept, the more mellow and lingering its aftertaste becomes. It's just that the black tea in my household was produced only this year. If it were left to age for a few more years, the flavor would be even better!"

Upon hearing this, Li Cui realized it was simply a matter of the tea's aging time rather than any fault in his own skill. A flash of pride crossed his face. "Young Master Zhen may not know this, but I also own several tea plantations in the Jiangnan region. After tasting the green and black teas you produced, I've been thinking about handing those plantations over to you to manage. What do you think?"

Naturally, this was wonderful news. He had been pondering going down to Jiangnan to purchase a few tea plantations anyway; this was like being handed a pillow just as he grew drowsy. How could he refuse? "Thank you, Your Highness!"

The two men immediately reached an agreement regarding their future cooperation in the tea plantations. Zhen Qian would provide the capital, manpower, and technology, while Li Cui would provide the tea plantations. They would split the profits on a forty-sixty basis, with Li Cui taking the lion's share. Every year, the new tea harvest would be sent directly to the Prince's mansion in the capital, allowing Zhen Qian to hitch a ride on their transport system—only a fool would fail to utilize such an advantage.