“Your Majesty, this subject wishes to return to Jiangnan.”

“What’s so great about Jiangnan? When I get around to it, I’ll permit you to open several establishments in Chang’an — build them however you like.”

“Your Majesty, Chang’an is dull.”

“How could Chang’an possibly be dull? I’ve recently come up with a scheme that could make your family’s silk and brocade business an enormous sensation in Chang’an.”

“Hmm… this subject still wishes to…”

“Want to hear it?”

Li Chi said, “I’ve given it some thought — I’ll have all the clothing designs left behind by Master Li given to you. Have your people produce them all, then find some handsome men and beautiful women, erect a high stage somewhere in Chang’an, and display the garments to the people on that stage. Within a few days, the whole city will be swept up in a craze for your Cao family’s ready-to-wear clothing.”

“But Your Majesty, Chang’an truly is dull.”

“I’ll help you figure out a way to secure you a Ducal title — that matter has already been put on the agenda recently. I’ve already instructed Xu Ji to take the lead in supporting it; all that remains is convincing the people at the Censorate, and it will likely go through.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I know.”

Li Chi said, “If you’re truly feeling cooped up and restless, the Western Frontier is about to see some fighting — there will probably be quite a few garrison battles. Go have a trip out to the Western Frontier; you can pick freely from whatever good spoils are captured. Just make sure you come back to Chang’an after you’ve had your fill.”

Cao Lie: “Your Majesty, this subject has no wish to go… I only want to return to Jiangnan.”

Li Chi looked over at Cao Lie and said, “I have been reaching into your pockets rather frequently of late, I’ll admit. Fine — I won’t ask you for silver for two whole years. But as for the ready-to-wear business I mentioned just now — that idea was mine, so the dividends still come to me.”

Cao Lie let out a sigh.

Li Chi let out a sigh in turn. A moment later, Li Chi ventured carefully, “How about this — I’ll have the Empress act as matchmaker for you? Find a way to bring Miss Jianjia to Chang’an?”

Cao Lie’s eyes lit up.

If this exchange were to appear in a novel, that novel would probably be called… *The Aloof Little Merchant and His Hapless Majesty.*

Yet the light in Cao Lie’s eyes only shone for an instant before it began to flicker — that brightness appearing and vanishing, flickering in and out.

“Your Majesty… matchmaking is a wonderful thing, but… but this subject feels it would be improper to trouble the Empress to personally arrange such a matter.”

Upon hearing these words, Li Chi could not help but sigh once more. “You all have a deep misunderstanding of the Empress.”

Cao Lie: “Your Majesty, place your hand over your conscience and say that again.”

Li Chi smiled slightly. “All right then — regarding your marriage to Miss Jianjia, I will personally make the arrangements. I’ll have Master Ye act in my stead and pay a visit to Miss Jianjia’s family to propose.”

Cao Lie finally broke into a genuine smile.

Li Chi shot him a sideways glance and beckoned the young eunuch Ding Qing’an over to refill the tea.

Cao Lie asked, “Your Majesty, regarding the ready-to-wear business you mentioned just now — this subject believes it can be done, and done on quite a grand scale.”

Li Chi had no intention of acknowledging him.

Cao Lie continued, “We could start by splitting the business into two parts. The first would be for moderately priced clothing — the craftsmanship a cut above average, the materials likewise, but the prices kept roughly in line with other establishments.”

He glanced over at Li Chi as he said this. Li Chi paid him no mind.

Cao Lie went on, “The key is to make the common people feel that for the same price, they’re getting clothing or fabric that is not only of superior quality but also of elevated distinction. So this subject was thinking we could create a selling point — simply say that all the materials come from the mulberry gardens in Anyang Commandery personally selected by Your Majesty.”

Li Chi still paid him no mind.

Cao Lie continued, “The second part would be high-end bespoke tailoring — bringing in the finest seamstresses and tailors, accepting no walk-in customers, and having every bespoke garment embroidered with the client’s name in an inconspicuous place. Keeping it inconspicuous is intentional — it conveys restraint. If placed somewhere obvious, it would come across as rather vulgar.”

Li Chi still paid him no mind.

At this precise moment, if this were a scene from some novel, that novel should be called… *The Aloof Emperor and His Hapless Little God of Wealth.*

Cao Lie said, “As for the profit split…”

Li Chi paid attention.

Li Chi said, “When it comes to the split, I wouldn’t feel right taking too much. Let’s say ninety-ten — I’ll take one part.”

Cao Lie: “At the very least it should be seventy-thirty.”

Li Chi thought it over, then shook his head. “Eighty-twenty it is — I’m not greedy.”

Cao Lie: “…”

He paused for a moment, then said to Li Chi, “The business in the Jingji Circuit has been going quite well under Tao Xiaomi — Xu Ji’s people have come to trust him completely now.”

Li Chi said, “Once the Jingji Circuit business begins turning a pure profit, have someone deliver it to the Empress on a regular basis.”

Cao Lie: “Then how do we split the Jingji Circuit business?”

Li Chi: “Still eighty-twenty.”

Cao Lie: “Very well, I thank Your Majesty for your gracious favor.”

Li Chi said: “I take eighty, you take twenty.”

Cao Lie: “This subject retracts that thanks, and has a measure of grievance — though this subject can hold it in and not let it show.”

Li Chi smiled slightly. “Don’t be anxious about the Ducal title — I’ll eventually find a way to sort something out for you.”

Cao Lie said, “Your Majesty knows this subject has no fixation on a Ducal title. The only fixation this subject holds in his heart…”

Li Chi: “I know, I know. Tomorrow I’ll have Master Ye go out and select some gifts and set off at once. If things go quickly, we can have your marriage settled before the new year.”

Cao Lie: “As for the Jingji Circuit business — ninety-ten would actually be acceptable as well. This subject is content with just one part.”

Li Chi: “Look at the face you’re making.”

Cao Lie: “It is no different from Your Majesty’s own.”

Li Chi shot him a glare, then burst out laughing.

Cao Lie said, “Your Majesty still has so many affairs of state to attend to — this subject will take his leave first. Should Your Majesty have any instructions, summon this subject into the palace at any time. This subject finds Chang’an to be truly the most beloved place in all the land — whether it be the local customs or the warmth of its people, this subject adores it all beyond measure and intends to settle here permanently…”

Li Chi: “Get out…”

Cao Lie bowed with a flourish: “With pleasure.”

Upon reaching the doorway, Cao Lie suddenly turned back and looked at Li Chi. “Your Majesty mentioned permitting this subject to open a few establishments in Chang’an…”

Li Chi fixed him with a stare. “If Miss Jianjia is truly willing to marry you and come settle in Chang’an, you’d still want to open establishments?”

Cao Lie said, “Ah, I see… in that case, this subject has suddenly thought of another fine business venture — one from which Your Majesty could also receive dividends.”

Li Chi: “Say what you have to say.”

Cao Lie stepped back inside and lowered his voice: “The official robes of every government office and ministry, the uniforms of every garrison’s fighting troops across all regions — if Your Majesty were to entrust all of that business to this subject, the court would allocate the funds, and this subject would offer Your Majesty a kickback.”

Li Chi stared at him. “You actually want me to become a parasite feeding on Great Ning?!”

Cao Lie quickly lowered his head.

Li Chi shot him a fierce glare, then said, “You almost made me forget about this — all of it can indeed go to you. But military uniforms are the dignity of our soldiers, and official robes are the prestige of the court. The materials and workmanship cannot be allowed to be even the slightest bit careless.”

Cao Lie: “This subject did not make himself clear. If I take on this commission, after deducting all costs, this subject will keep only one part of profit. Of that one part, this subject will hand half over to the Empress on a regular basis. This subject has already come to know that the Empress’s expenditures are considerable — the Empress uses her own funds each month to do what she can to send consolation payments to the families of fallen soldiers…”

Li Chi was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “One part of profit is what you rightly deserve — and even that is already very little. Even with costs deducted, once you factor in all the unforeseen expenses, that single part of profit will be gone. This arrangement puts you at a loss. As for the monthly consolation payments to the families of fallen soldiers, I will in due course have the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of War draft a proposal, and the court will take over that responsibility.”

Cao Lie bowed deeply: “This subject obeys the imperial decree.”

Li Chi waved a hand dismissively. “Now get out, get out — that stench of commerce on you will taint the air around me.”

Cao Lie: “…”

Not long after Cao Lie’s departure, the young eunuch Ding Qing’an announced that Chancellor Xu Ji was requesting an audience.

Li Chi had Xu Ji enter, and without lifting his head, he continued reviewing the memorials on his desk.

“Your Majesty.”

Xu Ji entered and bowed respectfully.

Li Chi still did not look up, asking simply, “What is it?”

Xu Ji said, “Regarding the Western Expedition — all ministries have completed their preparations according to Your Majesty’s instructions. For the second supply convoy to be dispatched to the Western Frontier, this subject wishes to request Your Majesty’s guidance on when it should depart and who should be appointed to oversee and escort it.”

Li Chi did not answer the question. Instead, he raised a different matter entirely. “Just yesterday, Gao Youlian and others from the Censorate brought it to my attention again — that Gui Yuanshu, the Minister of Rites, and Jia Ruan, the Vice Minister of Personnel, had gotten into a brawl with Western Region envoys outside Chang’an, bringing disgrace upon the court’s dignity.”

Xu Ji’s mind immediately began to turn. What did His Majesty mean by bringing this up?

Was he going to punish Gui Yuanshu and Jia Ruan?

That could hardly be the case. Those two had beaten up the Western Region envoys, and His Majesty had been grinning broader than anyone — absolutely delighted. How could His Majesty genuinely want to punish them?

Besides, right before the Western Region envoys arrived, His Majesty had temporarily transferred those two men into the Ministry of Rites — which meant what they did was precisely in keeping with His Majesty’s own intentions.

Gui Yuanshu was serving as Minister of Rites, but he was absolutely not the ideal candidate for that post — and the same was true of Jia Ruan. Neither of them belonged in the Ministry of Rites.

Yet since His Majesty had raised the matter, and Gao Youlian and the others had memorialized so urgently, some kind of response ultimately had to be given.

Xu Ji’s mind spun quickly, then he bowed and said, “What Gao Youlian and the others have said is not without reason. It was indeed somewhat rash of Minister Gui and Vice Minister Jia, though it was no grave offense — a minor penalty should suffice.”

Li Chi smiled and asked, “Then what do you think the penalty should be?”

Xu Ji said, “Since Gui Yuanshu’s transfer to the post of Minister of Rites, the position of Minister of Justice has remained vacant. This subject believes Gui Yuanshu could be demoted to Vice Minister of Justice, acting with the authority of Minister of Justice in the interim, and additionally have one year’s salary docked.”

Li Chi: “That light?”

Xu Ji: “Being demoted to Vice Minister… is not light.”

Li Chi said, “I was referring to the one year’s salary.”

Xu Ji: “Two years?”

Li Chi: “Three years, then.”

Xu Ji thought to himself — whatever number Your Majesty says goes. In any case, whatever salary gets docked, His Majesty will find a way to reward it back to him through other means — likely doubled or more.

So Xu Ji bowed and said, “Three years it is — as Your Majesty decrees.”

Li Chi: “But wasn’t this your suggestion? You were the one who raised it, and I merely approved it.”

Xu Ji gave a wry smile and bowed. “This subject was wrong — it was indeed this subject’s own remonstration.”

Li Chi asked, “And what about Jia Ruan?”

Xu Ji said, “Jia Ruan, serving as Vice Minister of Rites, conducted himself in a manner so contrary to ritual propriety that it truly cannot be excused. Therefore this subject believes his post as Vice Minister of Rites should be revoked, his rank reduced from full third rank to subordinate third rank.”

“He shall be ordered to reflect on his conduct. However, the court is genuinely short of capable men at present, so he should be appointed as a grain transport official to oversee and escort the second supply convoy bound for the Western Frontier.”

Li Chi nodded. “Fine — handle it according to what you’ve said. When you return, work out the exact wording with the relevant parties and bring it back for my seal.”

Xu Ji bowed: “This subject obeys.”

Upon stepping out the door, Xu Ji let out a long, slow breath. *His Majesty, ah, His Majesty — sure enough, you’ve arranged for me to be the villain once again.*

But was this even a punishment?

This was no punishment at all.

Gui Yuanshu would not be long before His Majesty promoted him back to Minister of Justice, and as for Jia Ruan — with the merit of escorting grain to the Western Frontier, there was a ten-in-ten chance he’d be promoted upon his return.

Xu Ji had even already worked out in his mind where Jia Ruan would end up.

The Ministry of Finance had long been Xu Ji’s stronghold, but once Jia Ruan returned, at the very least he would be elevated to Vice Minister of Finance.

Standing at the doorway of the Eastern Warm Chamber, Xu Ji tilted his head back and gazed up at the sky.

*Your Majesty… this subject has already grasped your intent. This subject will do his best to cooperate with you from here on. But is it possible — can we just surrender and give up half?*

—