Chapter 40: A Grand Gift for the Princess

Ning Junruo pondered for a moment before instructing Huaixi to make a copy of the booklet.

"How much liquid capital do we have left in the accounts?" Ning Junruo asked.

Manager Huang bowed and replied, "Reporting to the Princess, there is only one thousand taels of silver remaining. The losses this time are severe; if we do not restock immediately, I fear..."

Ning Junruo looked up at him. "So, you are saying there is only one thousand taels left, while restocking will require nearly thirty thousand?"

"That is correct!" the manager said in a low voice. "The Prince wanted to withdraw funds earlier, but fearing we wouldn't be able to keep the business running, I made an excuse that we had none."

"Rest assured, I am not here to withdraw money." Ning Junruo closed the ledger and said sternly, "If we were to collect all outstanding debts and retrieve the cash from other shops, how much could we scrape together?"

Manager Huang counted on his fingers for a moment before answering, "We might be able to gather ten thousand taels. But if we do that, we won't be able to restock until the end of the month. Given the time lost in transit, we will certainly run out of inventory for the next two months."

The Prince's estate was already in a precarious position. The goods stolen this time were worth over twenty-five thousand taels. For both the Xingsheng Trading Firm and the entire estate, this was a devastating blow. If the firm could not restock in time, it would face the risk of shutting down entirely.

At the mere thought of Zhao Shenxing’s furious expression, Ning Junruo could not help but sneer. *Well, Zhao Shenxing, did you ever imagine you would end up in such a wretched state?*

Once the loss statistics were finalized, Ning Junruo closed the ledger, preparing to discuss countermeasures with Manager Huang, when Zisu entered and said, "My Lady, after some inquiries, I have truly made a new discovery."

"You may step aside for now; I will call for you if I need anything." Seeing her demeanor, Ning Junruo quickly signaled for Manager Huang to withdraw.

"That bearded man said that, based on the attackers' accents, it seemed to be the work of the Hu people?"

Ning Junruo was stunned. "The Hu are that bold? To dare strike within Liangzhou?"

"I couldn't believe it either, but he said he had dealt with the Hu before, and their blade-handling techniques were unmistakably theirs." Zisu frowned, adding worriedly, "He said he had already told the Prince, but the Prince refused to believe him."

A glint flashed in Ning Junruo’s eyes, as if she had realized something. Once Huaixi finished copying the documents, she immediately called Manager Huang back in.

"I have verified the losses in the accounts. Without the Prince's approval, there is no need to alert the authorities. See that those men are well-settled, and report to the estate if anything comes up."

Seeing her rise to leave, Manager Huang asked hurriedly, "Princess, how should we resolve the shortage of goods?"

Ning Junruo smiled faintly. "The Prince withdrew so much earlier, and the military provisions have already been issued. You should go find the Prince, Manager."

"Many thanks for your guidance, Princess." Manager Huang bowed in gratitude and watched them depart.

The carriage stopped at the Ning'an Inn, and Ning Junruo’s party, familiar with the route, made their way to the small courtyard. Manager Yuan, having received word, quickly brought Guan Muren and Xu Mingyi to the secret room used previously. By the time Ning Junruo arrived, they had been waiting for quite a while.

After rising to exchange greetings, Guan Muren cupped his hands and asked with a smile, "I wonder if the Princess was satisfied with the grand gift I sent?"

"I was not wrong, it seems." Ning Junruo smiled faintly. "Are you not afraid that Zhao Shenxing will report this to the authorities?"

"He dare not!" Guan Muren picked up a teacup from the table and said with certainty, "His own hands are still stained with blood; what standing does he have to report to the officials?"

In her previous life, the Xingsheng Trading Firm had not been robbed. Furthermore, that shipment of exquisite silk had sold out, earning the firm a fortune and propelling it to become the largest trading house in Liangzhou. Upon hearing Zisu say it was the work of the Hu, she had vaguely suspected that this matter was related to Guan Muren.

"This shipment is worth over twenty thousand taels, with a profit of at least ten thousand." Ning Junruo sat composed, her posture dignified. "Since you are the one benefiting, why do you call it a gift for me?"

"I came here precisely to tell the Princess that this shipment is to be left to your disposal," Guan Muren said with a smile.

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Mingyi sat down below him. He had remained silent until now, but hearing this, he couldn't help but praise, "To return goods worth twenty or thirty thousand taels without hesitation—Brother Guan is truly a gentleman."

During their last meeting, Ning Junruo had sensed that Guan Muren seemed to despise Zhao Shenxing. Throughout the journey here, she had been wondering what his true intentions were. Hearing this, she was left between laughter and tears—so he had gone to such lengths to rob the goods just to give her a grand gift?

A glimmer passed through Ning Junruo’s clear eyes. "To commit arson and robbery in broad daylight on the soil of our Yun Kingdom—is the Young Master not afraid that I will turn you over to the authorities?"

Guan Muren put down his teacup and burst into loud laughter, a hearty sound that felt strangely unsettling. "The Princess underestimates both me and herself. Since I dared to come, I came with the certainty of victory."

Guan Muren produced a set of keys and placed them on the table. "Thirty miles outside of Liangzhou City, there is a small blue-brick courtyard where all the goods are stored. I am handing the keys to you today; from this moment on, both the goods and the courtyard belong to the Princess."

Ning Junruo understood his intent perfectly. Everything Guan Muren had done seemed risky, but for her, it brought only advantages and no harm.

Ning Junruo looked at him expressionlessly. "You are perhaps too confident, Young Master. Why do you believe I would help you?"

"Because of the current predicament of the Prince's estate." Guan Muren said seriously, "Zhao Shenxing’s actions are undoubtedly pulling chestnuts from the fire. The Princess is an intelligent person; I believe you would not gamble with your own life or the lives of hundreds in the Chang and Ning families."

What did that mean? Could it be that this Guan Muren... No, that was absolutely impossible!

Ning Junruo’s heart hammered against her ribs, and she suddenly felt a sense of suffocation. Calming her emotions, she asked, "What does the Young Master mean by that?"

"The Princess has lived in Liangzhou for a long time, so you may not know that the Chang and Ning families once jointly submitted a memorial to impeach the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin harbors deep hatred for this. He is ruthless and cruel; once he gains power, the Chang and Ning families will surely suffer..."

So, that was what he meant. Ning Junruo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Since the Young Master has shown such sincerity, I will not disappoint you." Ning Junruo placed the letter she had prepared on the carved desk. "This is what you asked me to find."

Upon hearing this, Guan Muren rose in a hurry and walked over to her with the keys. Seeing the letter on the table, his eyes lit up. "Is this from the Prince of Jin?"

"Indeed. You may open it and see for yourself," Ning Junruo said, gesturing to the keys on the table.

At this moment, she had not expected that this shipment, which concerned the survival of the Liang Prince’s estate, would end up back in her hands through such a convoluted turn of events. However, handling such a large shipment of goods seemed like it might be a thorny matter after all.