Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 962: Chapter 68: Prince Han Is Truly Terrifying (Part 2)

Once they understand these things, they can introduce them to foreign guests and even lead them to make purchases. These items are all business, all money.

At first, the scholars scoffed at the idea of making money through business, seeing it as demeaning. However, once they realized the impact of doing business on the people of Swamp Prefecture, they no longer looked down on it.

Besides getting familiar with these things, the scholars also have to learn the languages of foreign countries. There’s not enough time, so they can only learn some simple everyday phrases.

Previously, Zhao Yao specifically invited many people from countries like Annan and Johor who were familiar with both their local languages and those of Great Zhou to come to Swamp Prefecture and teach the officials foreign languages.

After the trade conference is over, a Quadrant Hall will be established to allow more people to learn foreign languages.

When the scholars first arrived at Swamp Prefecture, Zhao Yao met with them, but later he didn’t have the time to see them. He was busy meeting merchants from countries like Annan and Johor who had arrived at Swamp Prefecture earlier.

These foreign merchants came to Swamp Prefecture early to celebrate the Great Zhou Dragon Boat Festival.

The foreign merchants arriving at Swamp Prefecture were not ordinary merchants, but rather very famous in their own countries, or those who did significant business, including Imperial Merchants.

Although these foreign merchants knew that Zhao Yao, the Prince Han, was adept at creating new and intriguing things, they assumed because of his youth he would be easy to fool. However, they didn’t expect him to be even more difficult to deal with than those seasoned veterans. What shocked them most was that Prince Han could speak their countries’ languages very well. Not only that, he was very knowledgeable about their situation and their countries’ affairs. He even knew some hidden matters, which greatly surprised them.

After witnessing Prince Han’s methods, the foreign merchants dared not underestimate him for a moment. When discussing business with Zhao Yao, they avoided deception and began to show sincerity. Initially, they didn’t show much sincerity, but they didn’t expect Prince Han to be quite knowledgeable about their business, which frightened them greatly.

Prince Han had a thorough understanding of all their affairs, which... what does this implicate... they didn’t dare to think too deeply about it. Indeed, people of Great Zhou are quite cunning and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Zhao Yao felt that the conditions he offered these foreign merchants were generous enough, as he waived quite a few tariffs for them. If they tried to take advantage of him, they shouldn’t blame him for being impolite. He expected them to insincerely engage in business, which is why he gave them a strong warning.

When deciding to report the trade conference, Zhao Yao assigned people to investigate the royal families, noble families, wealthy merchants, and other figures from nearby countries around Great Zhou in great detail.

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will be undefeated in a hundred battles. If you don’t understand these people, how can you handle them, or rather, how can you do business with them?

The foreign merchants didn’t know that Zhao Yao had people around them, and some of them were even their close assistants. Their attempts to play tricks in front of Zhao Yao were bound to fail.

Not daring to play games anymore, the foreign merchants honestly negotiated their business with Zhao Yao.

When Zhao Yao was discussing business with those foreign merchants, Uncle Gao was present, and he was frightened by Zhao Yao’s shrewdness, cunning, and deceitfulness.

Even though he had known for a long time that Zhao Yao was scheming and had deep thoughts, he had never directly experienced it. This time, while discussing business with the foreign merchants, he directly felt it.

Uncle Gao expressed to He Lianfang, "Is the Lord really only seventeen years old? He seems more cunning in business negotiations than those merchants who’ve been at it for decades."

He Lianfang thought Uncle Gao was making too much of it, "Is it your first day knowing him? Isn’t his nature something you’ve known for a long time?"

Uncle Gao laughed awkwardly, "I know, but the reality is a bit different from what I imagined. This time, I truly felt the Prince doesn’t behave as he usually does..." Having read little, Uncle Gao couldn’t think of the right words for a while, so after trying hard, he could only say, "Childish." In their presence, the Lord usually seemed just like a child.

"In what way does the work he does seem childish?"

Uncle Gao scratched his head, saying, "It’s just that... the Lord usually acts like a child, and it made me forget all those things he does. Now seeing his scheming side suddenly, honestly, I was a bit surprised."

"Scheming, are you saying Prince Han is scheming against the foreign merchants?"

"Yeah, haven’t you seen how the Prince made those birds lost for words?" Not understanding what the foreign merchants were saying, Uncle Gao referred to their language as bird talk, hence they were bird people.

He Lianfang shook his head with amusement, "Prince Han merely gave them a warning, he didn’t actually scheme against them. If Prince Han truly wanted to scheme against them, it wouldn’t simply be about doing business with them."

"What do you mean?" Uncle Gao was perplexed.

"If Prince Han really schemed against them, then their business would become Prince Han’s, or would directly collapse."

Uncle Gao: "..." Okay, maybe he was thinking too simply.

"Speaking of which, why does the Lord know so much about these bird people’s situation?" Suddenly surprised, Uncle Gao exclaimed, "And why does the Lord speak bird talk so well, so that just from the sound, everyone would think he is one of those bird people."

He Lianfang thought Uncle Gao had been drinking daily to the point of damaging his brain, which is why he was asking such silly questions.

Seeing He Lianfang remain silent, Gao asked again.

"Did you leave your brain at home today?" This phrase was learned by He Lianfang from Zhao Yao.

Uncle Gao: "..."

"Do you think Prince Han would hold a trade conference and cooperate with these foreigners without investigating anything?" After Annan was conquered and became a vassal state of Great Zhou, Zhao Yao sent people to infiltrate Annan and later to Johor and Siam among other countries. Nowadays, some people sent by Zhao Yao even hold key positions in these countries.

After being counter-questioned by He Lianfang, Uncle Gao realized how foolish his earlier question was. No wonder the General didn’t want to address him. The second question didn’t need the General’s answer; it was certainly the Lord’s cleverness, learning it swiftly.

"General, surely there aren’t people of the Lord in these foreign countries, right?"

He Lianfang counter-questioned, "What do you think."

Uncle Gao exclaimed, "So that’s true."

"You should eat more fish." He Lianfang advised.

Uncle Gao asked puzzled, "Why should I eat more fish?"

He Lianfang replied expressionlessly, "To replenish your brains."

The alluded Uncle Gao: "..."

"Cough, cough, cough, earlier the Lord used General Hu to intimidate those bird people, didn’t you see how those bird people reacted when they saw General Hu obediently listening like a cat to the Lord?" Quickly changing the topic, Uncle Gao said, "One of the bird people thought General Hu was really as obedient as a cat and wanted to reach out and touch General Hu, barely escaping being bitten off, which frightened him into wetting his pants." After speaking, Uncle Gao burst into laughter.

He Lianfang glanced sideways at Uncle Gao who was laughing heartily, and teased, "Didn’t you do the same back then?"

Uncle Gao immediately froze, then pretended as if he hadn’t heard anything, and acted nonchalantly, continuing to say, "After witnessing General Hu’s prowess, those bird people grew more in awe of the Lord, and after that, they should no longer dare to underestimate him."