Several people emerged from the refugee shelters. Lin Yanxi moved past several individuals to look at Luo Wanwan, who stood at the very back.
Luo Wanwan's expression was extremely distressed. She followed behind the group cautiously, smiling at Lin Yanxi when she caught her gaze.
Lin Yanxi, Shen Muzhou, and Luo Jingxin returned to the manor in the same carriage.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was a little strangely awkward.
Luo Jingxin feigned generosity and laughed, "Yanxi, you promised a three-day deadline at the refugee shelter earlier. Do you already have a plan in mind?"
Lin Yanxi's eyes studied her for a moment before she replied somewhat stiffly, "Not yet."
Luo Jingxin tested the waters, "That's understandable. With the Prince's help, you don't need to worry too much, right?"
"If there's anything I can help with, please let me know. I will do my utmost to assist you, younger sister."
She spoke with sincerity and a gentle tone, leaving no room for criticism.
Lin Yanxi responded with proper etiquette, "Thank you, County Princess."
Luo Jingxin's eyes fixed on her for a moment, then she let out a smile of unknown meaning and averted her gaze.
Upon returning to the manor, Shen Muzhou directly led Lin Yanxi back to his courtyard.
Luo Jingxin stood in the Prince's manor, suppressing her anger. She said to the little maidservant behind her, "Go tell Shen Yu that I want to see Madam Wang now."
Lin Yanxi followed him into the study and sat on a chair.
Shen Muzhou took out a booklet and handed it to her.
"What is this?" she asked.
Shen Muzhou opened the booklet and said, "For every thousand coins of goods sold by a merchant, twenty are taxed."
"This is the record of commercial tax collection in the capital city of Nanmin for the past year."
Lin Yanxi flipped through a few pages of the booklet. It was ranked by tax amount.
The top five were all established wealthy families who had been doing business for generations in the capital. Ranking sixth was a traveling merchant from Dongyang.
"The Wang family, who is willing to donate money, is only ranked seventh. Have you tried to persuade those ranked higher?" Lin Yanxi asked.
The young lady was reading with extreme focus, her fair and slender fingertips tracing the lines as her gaze moved down the booklet. Shen Muzhou sat opposite her, his gaze resting on her, a slight smile at the corners of his lips.
Shen Muzhou couldn't help but pat her hair bun, "You're quite diligent."
Lin Yanxi replied, "Of course. I've put the Grand Tutor's manor and Prince Mu's manor on the line."
Shen Muzhou's gaze returned to the booklet, "Unfortunately, the merchants ranked higher are all generational businesses with well-established reputations. Setting up a banner at the refugee shelter won't have much impact on them."
"Moreover, this year's tax revenue is significantly less than last year, indicating that their business conditions are also declining. Nanmin is currently in a state of disaster, and no one dares to solicit donations rashly."
Lin Yanxi said, "In that case, it seems the Wang family is indeed the most suitable. The Yuxi Workshop, managed by the Wang family, is not as renowned as it used to be. This opportunity is perfect to rebuild their reputation."
"Then how much did they donate?"
She became more animated as she spoke. If the Wang family was suitable, she could start with them and ask them to increase their disaster relief funds, encouraging other merchants to donate as well.
Shen Muzhou looked at her bright eyes filled with faint anticipation. "One hundred taels."
Lin Yanxi nodded, looking quite satisfied, "One hundred taels of gold is still acceptable."
"Silver," he prompted softly.
Lin Yanxi exclaimed, "What? One hundred taels of silver? That good-for-nothing son of theirs spends over a hundred taels for just two meals at a restaurant!"
She looked further down the list and found that those ranked lower were mostly merchants trading between Dongyang and the Western Regions.
"Then, this traveling merchant from Dongyang, who does business between Dongyang and Nanmin. With the drought disaster in Nanmin, resources are scarce, and goods from Dongyang are in high demand. He must be rolling in money now."
"It would be very suitable for him to gain fame through disaster relief donations."
Shen Muzhou flicked her forehead, smiling somewhat helplessly, "But you can't force merchants to donate just because they are making money. The main reason is that these traveling merchants from Dongyang have a very low status in Nanmin and are unwilling to contribute money for disaster relief."
In the face of disaster, everyone is on their own, and disaster relief is entirely voluntary, making it even more difficult.
"This is so difficult," she slumped in her chair, looking disheartened, and flipped further back in the booklet.
Shen Muzhou reminded her, "You don't need to look at the rest. After deducting rent, costs, and taxes, small merchants barely manage to make a living this year."
"What? Giving up already?" he chuckled.
Lin Yanxi's small, worried face scrunched up, looking like a pouting little rabbit.
She glared at him reproachfully, "Why do you look so gleeful? If I can't raise the money, do you know how terrible things will become?"
Shen Muzhou's smile didn't lessen. He looked at her quietly, waiting for her to continue.
"These refugees will rush into the city and loot indiscriminately. The soldiers won't be able to control them at all. Nanmin will be heavily damaged before the disaster even gets resolved."
His smile faded, and he looked at her seriously, as if he didn't understand the meaning of her words.
She always said things that inadvertently became prophecies.
Lin Yanxi felt a little uneasy under his gaze and gave an unnatural smile, "My mother left some dowry. It should last a few days."
Shen Muzhou said, "Don't even think about it. That's what your mother left for you. Even if there's no other way, we'll use the money from Prince Mu's manor."
She glanced around Shen Muzhou's study. The desk and chairs were made of ordinary zelkova wood, and the inkstone showed no special signs of wear.
It was evident that the Prince's salary wasn't very high.
"Don't worry, Your Highness! I'll find a way."
She slammed her hand on the table and stomped out indignantly. A moment later, she returned to pick up the booklet from the table.
***
Luo Jingxin, wearing a veiled hat, was in a private room on the topmost floor of the Bao Xiu Lou.
Soon, a middle-aged man entered the room. A woman sat behind a screen. He bowed respectfully to the screen, "Greetings, County Princess Zhaoyang."
Luo Jingxin smiled and said, "Thank you, Master Wang, for making this trip personally."
Master Wang nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. A few days ago, the Fifth Prince had insisted that his wayward son donate money for disaster relief. Today, it was the County Princess Zhaoyang. Would she also ask for money?
His expression turned displeased, "May I know why the County Princess has summoned me?"
"If it concerns disaster relief, and if the County Princess requires it, our Wang family will not hesitate. Business at Yuxi Workshop has been very poor recently. This is all my Wang family has. I hope the County Princess will accept it and speak well of the Wang family to the various noble personages in the imperial family."
He brought up the matter himself and took out a stack of bank notes from his sleeve.
Luo Jingxin slowly walked out from behind the screen. She glanced at the bank notes on the table and smiled, "Master Wang, are you trying to dismiss me, the Princess of Anchang's manor, like a street beggar?"
The bank notes on the table amounted to about three hundred taels.
The Wang family's financial resources were far greater than this.
Master Wang immediately knelt on the ground. Although County Princess Zhaoyang was a woman, her status was noble, and she was not someone he could afford to offend.
The status of merchants in Nanmin was extremely low. If one could establish connections with members of the royal family and become an imperial merchant, things would be different.
"I dare not, I dare not."
Luo Jingxin glanced at him and said, "Get up. You don't need to contribute money today. As long as you accomplish this task, you will naturally receive benefits."
Master Wang shakily stood up, unsure of her intentions, and dared not answer rashly.