MSW Chapter20

47

As the merchants who stepped out of Waixiang Lou with Duan Linzhou caught sight of the youth standing beside Duan Linzhou’s carriage, they all froze for a moment.

 

Li Chou, who had met Mu Peixuan before, immediately saluted and said, “This humble one pays respects to Your Highness Junwang.”

 

The merchants behind him, hearing this, quickly followed suit and saluted as well.

 

Mu Peixuan said, “There’s no need for such formalities.”

 

Duan Linzhou’s eyes were full of laughter as he asked, “What brings Your Highness here?”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “I happened to see your carriage on my way back.”

 

Duan Linzhou replied, “Since Your Highness is here, you should have come inside. It’s freezing out here.”

 

Mu Peixuan said nothing. The merchants, sensing the mood, promptly took their leave, thinking to themselves that it seemed the bond between Duan Linzhou and Marquis Annan Mansion was not merely one of mutual interest. Otherwise, how could a dignified Xiao Junwang personally come to meet Duan Linzhou?

 

Merchants were merely common folk and held a natural reverence toward princes and high officials. Now, when they looked at Duan Linzhou, they grew more cautious.

 

Duan Linzhou thought to himself that Mu Peixuan had appeared at just the right time. He said softly to Mu Peixuan, “Let’s head back too.”

 

Mu Peixuan answered, “Alright.”

 

With that, the two of them boarded the carriage. Inside, it was warm. Duan Linzhou let out a long breath, leaned against the soft cushion by the carriage wall, looked at Mu Peixuan, and asked with a smile, “How long has Your Highness been waiting?”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “I just arrived as well.”

 

Duan Linzhou let out an “oh,” his tone rising at the end, smiling brightly as he looked at Mu Peixuan. Mu Peixuan glanced at him, then shifted his gaze away, just as he heard Duan Linzhou ask, “I heard from the servants that Xu Ying came rushing to the mansion this morning. Did something happen?”

 

After asking, Duan Linzhou added, “I’m just asking casually. It’s alright if you can’t say.”

 

Mu Peixuan pondered for a moment before saying, “Have you heard of King Duan?”

 

Duan Linzhou nodded and said, “I’ve heard of him — the young emperor’s paternal uncle, the famously idle king of the capital.”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “The Yu family has been implicated in King Duan’s rebellion case.”

 

Duan Linzhou was slightly stunned. “King Duan… rebellion?” He murmured. “How could that be?”

 

Mu Peixuan rubbed his brow and said, “It’s a long story.”

 

After all, Duan Linzhou was merely a merchant and had lived in the south for a long time; he knew little of the court’s affairs. Mu Peixuan did not conceal anything either and explained the factional struggles at court to Duan Linzhou clearly and concisely.

 

Duan Linzhou, deep in thought, lightly rubbed the hand warmer in his palm and said, “What will happen to the Yu family now?”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “The three counties under Ruizhou have been hit hard by the disaster. Uncle Yu, as the governor of the province, was already overwhelmed with work. When he heard about Big Brother Yu’s news, he was furious—” He recalled the pale face of the governor and the confusion on Yu Jing’s face, and his heart tightened. “This case involves rebellion, so the Yu family can’t act rashly. I’m afraid the Jinyiwei will come knocking within the next few days.”

 

Rebellion is a grave offense, like a blade hanging over one’s head, especially when it involves the imperial family. Duan Linzhou fell silent for a moment before asking, “Has King Duan truly rebelled?”

 

Mu Peixuan pressed his lips together and said, “I fear they’re not concerned with whether there’s been a rebellion or not, but rather, they want to use King Duan’s alleged rebellion as a pretext to eliminate their political rivals.”

 

Duan Linzhou said, “…How dare they? He’s the young emperor’s paternal uncle—” He paused mid-sentence as Mu Peixuan glanced at him. Duan Linzhou quickly realized that the emperor was only an eight-year-old child, and the real power lay with Prime Minister Lin.

 

Mu Peixuan hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice and saying, “When I was in the capital, I once saw the late emperor take an immortality elixir. At that time, the emperor was only in his thirties, in the prime of his life, yet within two years, he fell seriously ill.”

 

Duan Linzhou’s eyes widened. Mu Peixuan said with certainty, “The late emperor’s death was suspicious.”

 

“If even the emperor was treated this way, what chance does a King Duan have?”

 

Duan Linzhou was left speechless.

 

After a long silence, Duan Linzhou suddenly remembered something and said, “You mentioned that the Jinyiwei found correspondence between King Duan and Marquis Yongping from the northwest?”

 

Mu Peixuan gave a soft “en.”

 

Duan Linzhou took a deep breath, murmuring, “I’ve had dealings with Marquis Yongping. When the Duan family’s merchant ships sail, they bring back rare items from foreign lands that are hard to find in Daliang. Some of these rare treasures are placed in the Treasure Pavilion. Marquis Yongping buys some fresh items from there every year. He once mentioned to me that they were for a deceased friend.”

 

The fact that Marquis Yongping would go to such lengths to gather rare items for a deceased friend suggested that this person was no ordinary figure. As for King Duan in the capital, he was known for his love of pleasure and had a particular fondness for new and unusual things.

 

Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou exchanged a glance, both keenly sensing a storm on the horizon.

 

48

The dark clouds hung over the city, and the overwhelming sense of danger and urgency silenced the two people.

 

Suddenly, Mu Peixuan recalled something his father had told him in his youth. He had mentioned that Marquis Yongping, Qin Fengyuan, had spent five years in the capital during his younger years. While it was called “staying,” it was actually as a hostage, trapped within the city. It wasn’t until the northwest was in turmoil, and the previous Marquis Yongping donned armor and went into battle, driving out the invading barbarians and achieving great military feats, that Marquis Yongping himself was also struck by an arrow and fell from his horse.

 

Marquis Yongping’s injuries were grave, and after six months, when no medicine or treatment could save him, Qin Fengyuan, who was still the heir at the time, was finally allowed to leave the capital and return to the northwest. The northwest was far from the stability of the southern border; it was a land of constant warfare. Qin Fengyuan, known for his bravery and skill in battle, took after his father in both demeanor and valor, earning him great respect within the military.

 

The court had once set up a military district in the northwest, appointing a commander to weaken the power of the border generals. However, it had little effect. The border troops still only recognized Marquis Yongping, not the commander.

 

The northwest border army was more aptly called the Qin family’s army than a regional force of the northwest.

 

Marquis Yongping had long been the most feared border general in Liangdu, but now, he was implicated in the King Duan rebellion case. Mu Peixuan thought to himself, Is it truly a rebellion by King Duan, or is it that the long-suspended blade hanging over Marquis Yongping Mansion is finally being wielded?

 

Regardless of the depth of the relationship between Qin Fengyuan and King Duan, how could Qin Fengyuan ever resign himself to being captured without a fight?

 

Mu Peixuan clearly heard his heart pounding faster. He lifted his gaze, only to meet Duan Linzhou’s probing eyes. The two locked eyes for a moment, and Mu Peixuan, feeling somewhat uneasy, quickly changed the subject. “Why did you suddenly meet with those merchants today?”

 

Although Mu Peixuan didn’t recognize those people, seeing them allowed him to vaguely guess their identities.

 

Duan Linzhou smiled faintly, hands tucked into his sleeves, leaning against the carriage wall. “When merchants gather, it’s naturally about business.”

 

Mu Peixuan raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

Duan Linzhou continued, “Does Your Highness know what’s the most expensive thing in this snow disaster?”

 

Mu Peixuan thought for a moment before answering, “Grain and items for keeping warm.”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled faintly and nodded. “The heavy snow has blocked the roads, and with the refugees fleeing, trade routes are difficult to travel. The common people are worried about the city running out of food and supplies, so they’re hoarding and causing panic buying.”

 

“The merchants are taking advantage of the situation, raising prices, especially for rice, firewood, and coal, which have become the most expensive.”

 

“But these things are not locally produced in Ruizhou, so they must be transported from other regions. That’s when I set up a plan with Boss Li from Fengnian Grain Merchants.” Duan Linzhou spoke without concealment, calmly laying out the situation. The more Mu Peixuan listened, the more serious his expression became. His gaze unintentionally shifted to Duan Linzhou. In the past, he had seen Duan Linzhou as frail and thin, relying on medicine and bitter tonics, almost as if he could barely withstand the wind. But now, looking at him, even inside the carriage, it seemed as though Duan Linzhou exuded the air of someone who could strategize and handle situations with ease. His eyes subtly glimmered with light, dispelling the weariness of illness, like a pearl being polished, shining with a captivating, radiant glow.

 

After a long pause, Mu Peixuan said earnestly, “Duan Linzhou, I will say thank you on behalf of the people of the city.”

 

Duan Linzhou was momentarily taken aback. The ease he had just shown vanished, and a hint of awkwardness replaced it. He cleared his throat and said, “I do this for my reputation, not for the noble ideals you think.”

 

“Reputation is a more valuable thing than a fortune,” Duan Linzhou continued. “Linyang Pass is the only way from Ruizhou to Cangzhou. But there’s a group of bandits there, led by a man named Lu Chong. Your Highness should have heard of him.”

 

Mu Peixuan furrowed his brow. “Pinggang Stronghold?”

 

Linyang Mountain was rugged, with its winding paths and difficult terrain, making it easy to defend but hard to attack. Pinggang Stronghold had been built along the mountain’s natural defenses, using the pretext of robbing the rich to help the poor as a cover for plundering traveling merchants. The merchants from Ruizhou had long suffered from their raids, often coming to the local government in distress. Mu Peixuan had once considered leading an expedition to eliminate the bandits, but Linyang Mountain sat at the border between Ruizhou, Yunzhao, and Minzhou. The bandits were cunning, and he had no choice but to abandon the idea.

 

Duan Linzhou replied, “Exactly. Second Brother Lu is the leader of Pinggang Stronghold. Years ago, my caravan was robbed by them—” He paused for a moment, then smiled and added, “They even tied me up and took me up the mountain.”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at him. “And then?”

 

Duan Linzhou blinked and said, “Naturally, I relied on my silver tongue to turn the situation around and escape unscathed.”

 

Mu Peixuan was silent, and Duan Linzhou laughed heartily. “Actually, that time was quite dangerous. The goods I was carrying were extremely important. If I lost them, all the years of effort I had put into my business would have been wasted.”

 

“Luckily, there was a small leader among the bandits who managed to convince Second Brother Lu,” Duan Linzhou continued. “He used to be the child of one of the Duan family’s workers. Later, he went out into the world but somehow ended up becoming a bandit.”

 

“One year, one of the workers offended the overseer and nearly got beaten to death. I happened to come across him and helped him out. The small leader was grateful for my help and went out of his way to persuade Second Brother Lu, claiming that I was a righteous merchant. That’s how I ended up becoming acquainted with Second Brother Lu without any conflict.”

 

“From then on, the Duan family caravans could pass through Linyang Pass without any trouble. A few years later, I persuaded Second Brother Lu to bring the people from the stronghold down the mountain and join the Duan family business.”

 

“Although Second Brother Lu did it for the brothers in the stronghold, if it weren’t for the reputation I had built over the years, he might not have helped me, and my business wouldn’t have gone so smoothly either,” Duan Linzhou said. “While wealth can certainly bring success, if you truly want to achieve something significant, you can’t do without reputation. Reputation is what gathers people’s hearts, and that is the real, invisible weapon.”

 

Mu Peixuan seemed to be deep in thought. “Just like how Marquis Yongping is to the Northwest?”

 

Duan Linzhou replied, “And Marquis Annan Mansion to the Southern Border.”

 

Mu Peixuan smiled, looking at Duan Linzhou. “In any case, I must thank you.”

 

Duan Linzhou snorted softly and said, “Is that all the thanks you’re offering?”

 

Mu Peixuan’s gaze flickered, and in a low voice, he replied, “How would Boss Duan like to be thanked?”

 

Duan Linzhou sized up Mu Peixuan from head to toe, his expression playful, resembling a carefree flirt. His gaze was bold, tinged with a hint of teasing, making Mu Peixuan’s ears flush with warmth. He steadied himself and returned Duan Linzhou’s gaze without wavering. Duan Linzhou leaned forward, about to speak, when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. From outside, Duan Jiu’s voice called out, “Your Highness, Young Master, we have arrived.”

 

Duan Linzhou raised an eyebrow, slowly sitting up and softly saying, “We’ll discuss it when we get back.” Mu Peixuan couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable sense of loss but quickly shook it off, almost as if fleeing, and jumped out of the carriage.

 

The cold outside was like a blade. Mu Peixuan took a deep breath, and the warmth in his cheeks gradually cooled down. The carriage curtain was lifted, and Duan Linzhou leaned out. Mu Peixuan extended his hand, and Duan Linzhou hesitated for a moment, then placed his palm on Mu Peixuan’s hand.

 

The hand was pale and slender, with a lingering chill to it. Mu Peixuan instinctively gripped it, feeling the warmth in Duan Linzhou’s palm.

 

The two of them walked back to the mansion together, but Mu Peixuan couldn’t shake off Duan Linzhou’s words, “We’ll discuss it when we get back.” His thoughts wandered uncontrollably. He steadied himself, suppressing his restless emotions, and went to the main courtyard to discuss the matters concerning the Yu family and the situation in the capital with Mu Peizhi.

 

When he returned to Wen’an Courtyard, Duan Linzhou was leaning against the bed, looking at accounts. His dark hair was loose, and under the candlelight, there was a sense of tranquility and warmth about him.

 

Mu Peixuan’s previously troubled and suppressed heart seemed to clear, like the clouds parting to reveal the sun, becoming a little brighter. At that moment, Duan Linzhou lifted his head and looked at Mu Peixuan, a smile spreading across his face as he said, “You’re back.”

 

Mu Peixuan nodded, “En.”

 

“You’re back.” Duan Linzhou repeated.

 

Mu Peixuan had already washed up. He took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. The two were about to rest for the night. The servants had extinguished a few of the lamps in the room, and the space grew dim.

 

As soon as Mu Peixuan lay down, Duan Linzhou got into his quilt and squeezed his cold, bare feet between his calves. Mu Peixuan took a breath and looked at the person who came close to him. Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “Doesn’t Xiao Junwang want to thank me?”

 

Mu Peixuan didn’t push him away and said, “You want to be thanked like this?”

 

When Duan Linzhou approached Mu Peixuan, he felt like he was close to a hot stove. He breathed a sigh of relief, rubbed his feet against his calves, and said, “That’s right. Don’t kick me away tonight.”

 

His feet were also cold, rubbing against his thighs. Mu Peixuan’s body tensed up a bit, and for a long while he clamped Duan Linzhou’s feet tightly and put his hands on his waist, saying, “If you move around while you’re asleep, I won’t care about you.”

 

Duan Linzhou casually said, “That won’t do,” as he tightened his grip on Mu Peixuan’s arm and wrapped it around his waist, he chuckled softly. “You have to hold me tight.”

 

Mu Peixuan let out a soft grunt and said, “Boss Duan, are you a three-year-old child?”

 

Duan Linzhou said, “Yes, yes, Your Highness, I’m the worst when it comes to sleeping.”

 

Mu Peixuan choked for a moment and then replied, “If Boss Li or Boss Zhang saw Boss Duan acting like this, they might not want to do business with the Duan family anymore.”

 

Duan Linzhou laughed and said, “That sounds great! I’m the princess consort, and Your Highness has to take care of me. I don’t need to worry about running the business anymore. Isn’t that wonderful?”

 

Mu Peixuan: “……”

 

The Xiao Junwang, Mu Peixuan, once again lost to the shameless Boss Duan.