Chapter 24: Dividends! That Scoundrel Zhu Biao!

Residence of the Duke of Wei.

Xu Zengshou’s eyes were wide, fixed intently on the pile of silver before him. He stood as if frozen by a spell, completely lost in shock, his breathing becoming shallow and rapid.

"My dear nephew, are you saying that all the scraps we produced sold for this much silver?" His voice rose involuntarily, trembling with disbelief.

Fifty thousand taels of pure white silver—it was a glistening, blinding sight that made one’s eyes ache!

To think the Ministry of Revenue had acted so swiftly, delivering the payment at once! And this was merely for the defective goods the craftsmen had cobbled together!

Xu Zengshou felt his throat go dry and swallowed hard. He never imagined this business could be so lucrative. If the craftsmen were to master the full technique of glassmaking, then surely... Visions of endless wealth danced in his mind, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.

He had hit the jackpot! This time, he had truly struck gold!

Seeing Xu Zengshou’s undignified display, Zhu Gaochi huffed, walked over, and slapped him heavily on the shoulder. "Old Third, Old Third, tuck away that unsightly expression of yours." As he spoke, Zhu Gaochi puffed out his chest, looking proud and bold. "Follow me, and I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury, understand?"

Xu Zengshou nodded repeatedly like a hammer pounding garlic, too lazy to bicker about how the boy usually lacked respect for his elders.

Zhu Xiongying, standing to the side, found the scene quite amusing. This little chubby boy was truly... incorrigible!

Next came the much-anticipated moment of dividing the spoils. Following the pre-agreed fifty-fifty split, they gathered under the increasingly brilliant sun, which made the silver cast a dazzling glare.

Xu Zengshou received twenty-five thousand taels. Of course, he was responsible for the raw materials, the craftsmen's wages, and other costs, but he still made a profit—at least twenty thousand taels would end up in his own pocket.

Zhu Gaochi also received twenty-five thousand taels, suddenly transforming from someone strapped for cash into a man of immense wealth. As Zhu Xiongying watched the pile of silver, a flicker of undetectable envy flashed in his eyes, and a sour, jealous pang struck his heart. He was the eldest Imperial Grandson of the Great Ming, yet he was so poor he couldn't even produce a single copper coin.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, Zhu Gaochi took five thousand taels and pushed them toward Zhu Xiongying.

"This is what we agreed on—one-tenth of the profit for you!"

Zhu Xiongying was stunned. His expression froze, then quickly flushed bright red. He waved his hands in a flustered, urgent motion, his speech stuttering. "Gaochi, don't do this. I appreciate your kindness." His voice trembled with sincerity. "But I haven't earned this. To accept such a massive sum for nothing makes me uneasy."

"Who says you haven't contributed?" Zhu Gaochi explained with a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with cunning. "If you hadn't staged that bitter ruse today, the Old Man wouldn't have been so generous!"

He reached out and patted Zhu Xiongying on the shoulder. "Take the money. You and I are brothers; there's no need for further words!"

Zhu Xiongying still shook his head, his expression earnest and firm. "I live in the palace; I have nowhere to spend such money..."

At this, Zhu Gaochi scoffed. "Ying-er, you still don't grasp my meaning."

"Do you think that woman, Lady Lu, is a good person? Take this money, bribe more eunuchs and maids in the Eastern Palace, pick servants you can trust, and keep a constant watch on every move Lady Lu and her son make. Do you understand?"

Hearing this, Zhu Xiongying’s pupils constricted. It was as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, and he finally realized the truth. Just as Zhu Gaochi said, the affairs of the Eastern Palace were entirely under Lady Lu’s control. Even the eunuchs and maids attending to his daily needs were, without a doubt, her eyes and ears!

In other words, he, Zhu Xiongying, was the prisoner being constantly monitored!

If Zhu Xiongying wanted to break the deadlock, he had to rely on outside forces, such as this massive sum of money. Profit moves hearts; with these five thousand taels, combined with his status as the legitimate Imperial Grandson, he had enough to turn some people to his side and, in turn, monitor Lady Lu and her son.

Thinking of this, Zhu Xiongying no longer hesitated and accepted the silver. "Gaochi, thank you!" Zhu Xiongying looked at him with reddened eyes, offering his sincere gratitude.

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand dismissively and laughed. "This is just the first dividend. Once we produce the glass mirrors, we won't be short on money, and we should consider the next step." After a pause, he pushed another five thousand taels toward Zhu Xiongying.

"Ying-er, today we owe much to the Marquis of Yongchang. If he hadn't appeared in time, we might have been in for a beating. Take these five thousand taels and pay a visit to the Marquis’s residence. Lan Yu is your great-uncle, after all; keeping in touch never hurts."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiongying’s little face soured. "Gaochi, it's not that I don't want to go, it's just that the Marquis..."

"Hmm?" Zhu Gaochi was puzzled. "Why would you leave such a powerful relative unused?"

Under Zhu Gaochi’s persistent questioning, Zhu Xiongying explained the reason. It turned out that Lan Yu was so arrogant and overbearing that he displeased Crown Prince Biao. Zhu Biao had warned Zhu Xiongying to be composed and steady, not to be as reckless and rude as Lan Yu, lest it bring disaster. Thus, Zhu Xiongying held a very poor opinion of Lan Yu.

After hearing this explanation, Zhu Gaochi was almost driven to laughter. He shook his head helplessly, his expression one of frustration at his friend's lack of ambition. "Ying-er, do you know why Lady Lu and her son have been riding on your back?"

Zhu Xiongying’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Zhu Gaochi with burning anticipation.

"It’s because your 'good' father has ruined you; he’s a total scoundrel who sabotages his own son!" Zhu Gaochi raised his voice, his anger growing more evident. "It’s one thing that he ignores you, but he even forbids you from contacting these relatives. Men like Lan Yu and Chang Mao are fierce generals of the military. If you told them about your dire situation, do you think Lady Lu and her son would dare to be so arrogant?"

It was no joke—the old subordinates of Chang Yuchun, combined with top-tier nobles like Chang Mao and Lan Yu, constituted the strongest possible external support.

Zhu Xiongying’s face turned bright red as he heard this.

"Damn it, Zhu Biao is a son-sabotaging scoundrel!"

"Exactly! Zhu Biao is a scoundrel. From now on, don't listen to his words—listen to mine!"

Zhu Gaochi was overjoyed inside, and he grabbed Zhu Xiongying and headed out. "Come on, I'll go with you! Surely the Marquis will be very happy to see us!"

The two little ones, clutching their silver, boarded a carriage hand in hand.

Xu Zengshou watched from the side, nearly laughing his head off. *A son-sabotaging scoundrel? Zhu Biao? You little brat, you really dare to say anything!*

*That is the Crown Prince Biao, the most powerful heir in history!*

But on second thought, the little chubby boy wasn't wrong. Even Xu Zengshou felt that Crown Prince Biao had gone too far. It was one thing to teach by example, but to peddle such crooked logic? As the Crown Prince, he had to set an example, but Zhu Xiongying was the eldest Imperial Grandson, who had lost his mother early and was being bullied by his stepmother. To forbid the child from leaning on his maternal relatives was essentially driving him to a dead end!

If it weren't for the little chubby boy’s sharp insight, there was no telling how much more Lady Lu would have bullied Zhu Xiongying!

Xu Zengshou watched the carriage pull away, then stroked his chin, lost in thought. The little chubby boy’s series of actions were clearly intended to assist Zhu Xiongying. But if this went too far, it would inevitably lead to deep entanglements, and if something were to happen...

Xu Zengshou felt he couldn't handle this matter alone. It would be best to write a letter and inform the old man, Xu Da. When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up—and Xu Da was that tall one.