Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 93 Establishing a Home and Business, Ten Thousand Taels a Day

"What does Your Majesty mean? This humble subject does not understand."

Mao Xiang remained calm and did not rush to respond.

Ma Wenxiang glanced at the other party, then chuckled lightly: "All you need to do is protect my family in your spare time, and you will surely benefit from it in the future."

"Your Majesty's orders will be carried out by this humble subject."

Mao Xiang immediately responded.

Ma Wenxiang was relieved.

He enjoys dealing with such intelligent people the most; it makes everything extremely convenient and wonderful, and everything is understood without words.

"Lord Mao, I will take care of the rest of the journey."

The journey was halfway complete.

Yunqi from the palace has arrived. He has come specifically to take over the second half of the journey, having received an imperial decree from the emperor.

Upon seeing this, Mao Xiang's gaze narrowed slightly, but his movements were swift; he immediately turned and left with his inspectors.

The guards accompanying the group were replaced by palace guards, which can be considered a royal measure.

"What does this mean, Father-in-law?"

Ma Wenxiang asked.

"Her Highness is going to the Imperial Clan Court next, so it's inconvenient for Lord Mao to continue accompanying her. If we don't retrieve the half-cent of silver Her Highness has deposited there, how will she establish a business and family in the capital?"

Yun Qi replied with a smile, "I'm just saying something, and Your Highness shouldn't take it personally, but living in the capital city costs a lot of money."

Ma Wenxiang nodded slightly.

While he was talking with Mao Xiang, Yun Qi and other noblemen from the palace, even Ma Jin didn't dare to interrupt, let alone anyone else in the group.

Everyone just watched from a distance, and no one dared to eavesdrop on their conversation.

It seemed someone was stopping them, but it was for their own good.

"Thank you, sir."

Ma Wenxiang cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your Highness, what are you saying? It is our duty as servants to serve our masters. Your Highness is really making this old servant feel ashamed."

Yun Qi quickly replied.

"become."

Ma Wenxiang added, "Anyway, I will remember your kindness today, and I will not forget it if I have the chance to repay you in the future."

"Hearing Your Majesty's words warms my heart."

Yunqi smiled with a wrinkled face, looking particularly sincere and reassuring.

Yun Qi then led his team to the outside of the Imperial Clan Court, but did not go in. They waited for less than a quarter of an hour.

The people from the Imperial Clan Court came out with their arms bare, carrying out large, tightly locked wooden chests, which they then moved to the empty space behind the carriage.

Previously, with the departure of those inspectors, many seats in the carriages behind were empty, but now everything is just right.

"Your Majesty, the palace is waiting for you. Please finish everything before I report back."

Yun Qi bowed respectfully before turning and leaving.

Next, it was Ma Jin's turn to appear.

"These boxes..."

Ma Jin couldn't help but ask a question.

Ma Wenxiang chuckled and nodded at him.

Ma Jin then stepped forward, took the key, and unlocked one of the boxes, only lifting it slightly from the outside.

The intense silver light almost blinded him.

He took a deep breath and quickly closed the box tightly.

It was all silver. A whole chest full of silver. And at this moment, there were more than just one chest at the back of the line.

There were more than a dozen large boxes.

No wonder so many people were needed to move it earlier; no wonder it was first people from the Imperial Guard Commandery, and then people from the palace.

With so much money, it must be at least tens of thousands of taels.

If you don't have anyone to protect you or any connections, it's perfectly normal to get robbed just by turning a corner in the capital; and if someone is really audacious, murder and robbery are not impossible.

The saying goes, "Man dies for wealth, birds die for food," and this has always been true.

Ma Jin was so shocked that he didn't know what to do. Before he could fully recover, Ma Wenxiang slowly said, "I have a share of the snowflake salt that is now appearing on the market."

The words, spoken softly, undoubtedly delivered an unprecedented shock to Ma Jin once again.

When he finally came to his senses, his eyes lit up as he looked at Ma Wenxiang. He hurriedly said, "It's a promise, you're going to marry my daughter, that can't be changed, understand?"

"I will follow Uncle Ma's arrangements."

Ma Wenxiang gave the same generic, all-purpose answer.

Ma Jin was relieved, as Ma Wenxiang had previously discussed this matter with him, and the two had already reached a consensus.

The Ma family may not be related to the imperial family through marriage, but they should at least become a family that can be passed down through generations in the Ming Dynasty.

But after searching high and low, the most suitable person turned out to be right in front of me.

……

In the next half day, led by Ma Jin, and relying on his connections in the capital, they quickly found a large three-courtyard house.

This large mansion was perfect; it was the former residence of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Now it is government property, and the price is not cheap. It cost nearly tens of thousands of taels of silver.

In this way, the silver changed hands, returning from the Ma family to the imperial court and then to the Zhu family.

Next came the preparation of household items, as well as the purchase of servants, cooks, old women, and a host of maids and servants.

Almost everything that could be purchased from the imperial court was bought there; only when that was not possible would they go to the major shops in the East and West Markets to buy some odds and ends.

As a result, before it even got dark, the tens of thousands of taels of silver that Ma Wenxiang brought back from the Imperial Clan Court had been reduced to a mere fraction, about twenty or thirty thousand taels.

This made the Ma family feel sorry for him, but they also secretly put their minds at ease.

Converting so much money into property would definitely be a worthwhile investment.

Moreover, having so much money at home is quite frightening.

Taking the emperor's money is something that ordinary people can hardly afford.

Even if this silver is the share that the Ma family is entitled to, don't forget that all land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and all people within the realm are his subjects; everything belongs to the emperor.

If the emperor says it's his, then it's his. Who dares to disagree?

Not to mention during the founding of the Hongwu reign, even the court officials had to keep quiet.

"Uncle Ma, you wouldn't happen to be a thief sent by the palace, would you?"

As Ma Jin was about to leave, Ma Wenxiang spoke slowly, his gaze deep and his tone leisurely.

Ma Jin touched his nose, a hint of embarrassment on his face, and said with a wry smile, "There's nothing I can do, the people in the palace have already made arrangements."

Otherwise, how could you have gotten your hands on nearly half a percent of the snowflake salt so easily?

That's over a million taels that year. You know what kind of person His Majesty is; if we don't let him make up for it...

Would he be happy about that?

Ma Jin secretly spoke ill of Zhu Yuanzhang, and Ma Wenxiang, upon hearing this, finally understood.

It wasn't a complete waste of money; at least we got a house and so many servants.

Even though he's now outside Kunning Palace and the inner court, he can still be called a "young master."

This money was well spent.