diymy Chapter 59 Yin'e's New Job
Chapter 59 Yin'e's New Job
Looking at the Eighth Prince's calm and collected demeanor, Yin'e felt a mix of emotions churning within him.
Lao Ba picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and took a casual sip.
But Yin'e knew that although the Eighth Prince said "it's nothing," he must have been unhappy inside.
He just wouldn't lash out in such situations, and he wouldn't speak ill of his tenth brother in front of the ninth brother.
He needed to maintain the image of the eldest brother, to be amiable and generous, and to make his younger brothers feel that he was worthy of their following.
But the twitch at the corner of his eye betrayed him; he was holding back.
Yin'e's fingers clenched lightly on his knee for a moment, then released.
He knew he had to come up with something to shut Lao Ba up.
It's neither an explanation nor an apology. An explanation is tantamount to admitting you're wrong, and an apology is tantamount to losing face.
He needs to come up with something tangible, something that will make Lao Ba's eyes light up.
He gently placed the teacup on the table.
"Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother, I have something to tell you, it's very important."
Lao Ba raised his head and glanced at him.
"Oh? You have news too? Tell me about it."
Yin'e leaned forward, adopting a solemn posture.
"Gao Mengyuan, do you know this person?"
Lao Ba frowned slightly and shook his head.
The name was somewhat unfamiliar to him.
Old Nine took over the conversation.
"I know this person. She is a distant relative of Zheng, the wet nurse of the Crown Prince. She is considered an old servant of the Crown Prince's residence."
In his early years, he worked at Yuqing Palace and was in charge of purchasing for the Eastern Palace for a while, so he handled a lot of money.
Later, for some unknown reason, he left the palace and went out to do business.
I've dealt with him a few times.
"This person is very shrewd, has a sweet tongue and quick hands. He can talk to people in a human way and to ghosts in a ghost way."
He looks amiable and always smiling, but he's a ruthless character at heart.
You never make mistakes on the books when you do business with him, but in the end you always earn less and he earns more.
Yin'e nodded.
"Did you know that he owns a casino in the capital?"
Old Eight's brow furrowed even more: "A casino? Where?"
"Juxianju." Yin'e pronounced these three words slowly and deliberately.
Lao Jiu's pupils contracted slightly.
"Juxianju?" Lao Jiu repeated, his voice tinged with surprise. "I know this place."
The busiest section of Qianmen Street featured a three-story building with upturned eaves and a black plaque with gold lettering hanging at the entrance, looking like a proper teahouse.
"But it is indeed a gambling den there, that's true, however..."
He paused, then looked up at Yin'e: "But as far as I know, his boss is not Gao Mengyuan."
The Juxianju casino was a scene of bustling activity, with a daily turnover of tens of thousands of taels of silver. Just maintaining the few thugs guarding the casino cost several hundred taels of silver every month.
Gao Mengyuan's wealth is insufficient to support this operation.
Yin'e did not speak immediately.
Lao Jiu is right. Gao Mengyuan really can't handle such a large event as Juxianju by himself.
But he couldn't tell the truth, he couldn't say "my brother-in-law lost over 100,000 taels of silver there," and he certainly couldn't say "I sent someone to keep an eye on Batu and discovered Gao Mengyuan."
That's equivalent to selling off both Ulan and Batu.
He needed to find a reason, a plausible reason that wouldn't reveal his source.
He thought for a moment, then lowered his voice.
"The reason is simple: Gao Mengyuan is not alone; he has the Crown Prince's Mansion behind him." His voice was so low that only three people could hear him.
"The signboard of Juxianju has been partitioned into several layers."
The apparent boss was a man named Sun Yongfu, from Shanxi, who was in the tea business and not a government official. He seemed to have no connection whatsoever with the Crown Prince's residence.
But that Sun Yongfu was nothing more than a puppet, a figurehead.
The one truly pulling the strings behind the scenes is Gao Mengyuan.
He paused for a moment, then continued, "And Gao Mengyuan is merely a puppet on the surface. The one pulling the strings is in the Eastern Palace. The true major shareholder of Juxianju is the Crown Prince."
"Why did they set up so many partitions?" Yin'e's voice lowered a few decibels. "Because without partitions, if something happens, a fire could easily spread to the Crown Prince."
With Sun Yongfu listed as a figurehead, if you investigate further and find Sun Yongfu, he will insist that he owns the teahouse and has nothing to do with the gambling den. What can you do?
Even if Gao Mengyuan is found, he is nothing more than the Crown Prince's dog.
Sacrificing a pawn to save the king doesn't hurt the prince at all.
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the two men's faces before finally settling on Lao Ba's.
"Moreover, I suspect that the 500,000 taels that the Crown Prince borrowed from the national treasury were thrown into Juxianju and used for usury."
Lao Ba paused, his hand holding the teacup still.
Lao Jiu's pupils suddenly contracted.
"What did you say?" Lao Ba's tone changed upon hearing the news.
Yin'e did not back down. He met the Eighth Prince's gaze, leaned forward a little more, and spoke with great certainty.
"Eighth Brother, think about it, can the Crown Prince spend 500,000 taels of silver by himself?"
The expenses of the Crown Prince's Palace were all allocated by the imperial court. Food, clothing, daily necessities, eunuchs, palace maids, guards and attendants—everything was paid for by the Ministry of Revenue.
He didn't have any major expenses. This 500,000 taels was either borrowed for someone else or borrowed to start a business.
He stretched out his right hand, fingers spread, as if counting something: "What business makes money the fastest? It's not opening a pawnshop, it's not making silk, it's opening a casino."
The Juxianju restaurant had a layout where the first floor was the main hall for drinking tea and listening to music; the second floor had private rooms for receiving distinguished guests; and the third floor was a gambling den that was not open to outsiders.
The daily turnover is tens of thousands of taels, which amounts to hundreds of thousands a month.
Merchants from Mongolia, the Western Regions, and Jiangnan would lose thousands at the gambling table without batting an eye.
The prince invested the money, lent it out, took a cut, and earned interest. He broke even in one year and doubled his money in two years.
Moreover, all the officials are now watching the Crown Prince closely, yet he still hasn't paid back the money.
Why is that? Because he has no money. He's lent it all out, and hasn't gotten it back yet!
The study was quiet for a moment.
Lao Ba gently placed the teacup on the table, making a crisp "ding" sound.
His eyes suddenly lit up.
"Tenth Brother," his voice was a little tight, with an barely suppressed excitement, "this is really big news."
It could even be a major piece of news that could bring down the crown prince.
Upon hearing this, Lao Jiu seemed to be electrocuted and abruptly sat up straight.
His hands were on the table, and he leaned forward, almost touching Yin'e's face.
"Myna, do you mean... we should take action?"
Lao Ba put down his teacup and leaned back in his chair.
His lips curled slightly upward, and his face lost all humility, leaving only ruthlessness.
"Of course, if we don't act now, when will we?"
"Furthermore..." Yinzhi (Eighth Prince) looked at Yin'e, "I still need to entrust this matter to you, Tenth Brother!"