Chapter 474: Chapter 260 Gold Mine_3
He Lianfang was playing chess and asked Zhao Yao how he viewed the Emperor’s decision to betroth General Lu’s daughter to the Fourth Prince.
Zhao Yao said that the Emperor was having the Fourth Prince step forward to maintain balance.
"There’s something I forgot to tell you."
Zhao Yao raised his eyes curiously to look at He Lianfang: "What is it?"
He Lianfang nonchalantly said, "The Princess of Annan’s maternal family’s territory has a gold mine."
"What, a gold mine, really?" Zhao Yao puffed his cheeks and said, "Uncle, why didn’t you tell me before?"
"I forgot."
Zhao Yao: "..." Uncle, were you doing this on purpose?
"Does the Annan Royal Family know about this?"
"They don’t know. The Princess’s maternal family has kept it a secret," He Lianfang stated with an air of calm, "They haven’t exploited the gold mine."
"Why is that?"
"They don’t want others to know," He Lianfang continued, "They discovered that this gold mine is very large. Once it’s mined, the Royal Family would know and take it for themselves."
"They’ve actually managed not to dig?"
"The Princess’s maternal family has another gold mine, but it’s tiny, and the Royal Family knows about that one," He Lianfang played with the chess piece in his hand, speaking casually, "They have to tribute quite a bit of gold to the Royal Family every year."
"Tsk tsk tsk, I never expected the Princess of Annan’s maternal family to be so wealthy."
"The Princess’s maternal family is related to the Royal Family of Pyu."
"I know that. The Princess’s maternal family has a marriage alliance with the Pyu Royal Family," Zhao Yao asked, "Is there something shady between them?"
"Did you know that Pyu’s copper mines are more abundant than Annan’s?"
Zhao Yao heard this for the first time, looking astonished: "Really?"
"Yes, Pyu also has many gemstones and jade," He Lianfang said in a tempting tone, "Pyu’s rice can be harvested three times a year."
"I know about that. The countries around Annan mostly harvest rice twice or three times a year."
After becoming a vassal state of the Great Zhou, Annan annually tributes a large amount of grain to the Great Zhou.
The weather in Lingnan is similar to Annan’s, and they can plant Annan’s rice as well, though it can only be harvested twice a year. Since last year, they’ve started growing Annan’s rice in Lingnan, with very good yields.
"As long as we solve the miasma issue in Pyu, we can bring Pyu under control," He Lianfang smiled meaningfully at Zhao Yao, "Funan, Lusong, and Johor can also be brought under control."
"Uncle, are you saying I should personally lead troops to conquer them?"
"I mean your fleet can start preparing."
"But, Father hasn’t lifted the maritime ban yet."
"It’s coming soon," He Lianfang said confidently, "You can start preparing in advance."
"I haven’t heard any rumors about it. Uncle, how do you know?"
He Lianfang remained calm: "A guess."
Zhao Yao was dumbfounded: "..."
"You can still make preparations now."
Although unsure of why He Lianfang was so certain, Zhao Yao trusted his judgment.
"Okay, I’ll write to my uncle and ask him to start preparing for the voyage."
"The doctors sent to Lingnan to study the miasma have made some progress and found ways to deal with it. You can send people to Pyu now."
Hearing this, Zhao Yao showed a trace of surprise: "Uncle, I thought you wanted me to help the Princess of Annan."
"How can you help, have your fourth brother marry her?"
"I can’t help with that. Fourth Brother won’t marry her."
"You can help her divorce Prince Zheng."
"What can I do..." Zhao Yao hadn’t finished before a thought from a few years ago struck him, and his expression became subtle. "Uncle, how do you know I could help?"
"Tong An by your side is a eunuch."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao immediately understood his uncle’s implication.
"It seems nothing escapes you, Uncle."
"You have leverage over Prince Zheng."
"Uncle, don’t you know?" Zhao Yao thought He Lianfang was aware.
"I haven’t looked into Prince Zheng," He Lianfang never worried about him as he didn’t see him as a threat to Zhao Yao. "He doesn’t warrant my investigation."
"Alright, Third Brother has a problem; he enjoys torturing people," Zhao Yao’s face turned grim as he mentioned it, "He likes to torture eunuchs and palace maids in various ways, and who knows how many have been killed by him."
He Lianfang looked surprised: "Is there such a thing?"
"Tong An was nearly beaten to death by Third Brother..." Zhao Yao detailed Tong An’s situation to He Lianfang.
After hearing it, He Lianfang cursed coldly: "Beast!"
"Uncle, do we now have the means to deal with Third Brother and the Wang Family?" For the past two or three years, Third Brother had become increasingly brutal behind the scenes, killing many.
"Your Father hesitates to act against Prince Zheng for now. Otherwise, for his offense against your fourth brother, he wouldn’t be let off with just a month in solitary reflection," He Lianfang explained, "Prince Zheng is a significant pawn against the Wang Family."
"I see, we have to wait then."
"Although we can’t move against Prince Zheng yet, we can make him suffer a bit."
"Uncle means..."
He Lianfang whispered something to Zhao Yao, who listened, and an expression of admiration appeared on his face.
"Uncle always has a way."
The mentor and protégé chatted about court matters for a while before discussing Lingnan.
Over the past two years, Zhao Yao’s people had thoroughly understood the Lingnan situation. With He Lianfang’s help, the Lin Family had pledged allegiance to Zhao Yao.
During these two years, Zhao Yao instructed the Lin Family to handle various tasks. Their efficiency was commendable, executing Zhao Yao’s instructions well.
"It’s a pity I can’t go to Lingnan now." Without personally going, many things couldn’t be accomplished.
"What could you do in Lingnan now," He Lianfang glanced at Zhao Yao, "As a youngster, you’d only be underestimated there."
"True." Zhao Yao thought of the wild villages in Lingnan and felt a bit of a headache. He needed to join the military; otherwise, he wouldn’t handle the villagers when he finally went there.
"Before you go to Lingnan, don’t rush into things, or it might backfire," He Lianfang cautioned, "Once you come of age, then you can do what you wish."
Though the court’s ministers wouldn’t focus on Lingnan, Annan being right next to it would. If Lingnan changed drastically, Annan would report it to the court, and the ministers would know.
Before Zhao Yao came of age and went to Lingnan, it couldn’t turn into a prospering land; otherwise, it would become something the princes would fight over.