Scheming to Seize

"Oh? You actually recognize this person?"

Xiao Mingyuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest appearing in his eyes.

"Hi, I guess we recognize each other. We met at the poetry gathering in Fucheng before."

Xiao Mingxuan chuckled and waved his hand:

"What, Third Brother, what are you thinking...?"

"That's natural."

Xiao Mingyuan's fingertips traced the rim of the teacup, his tone resolute:

"Think about it carefully. Nowadays, these cars are only sold sporadically in Chang'an and the Capital. But any wealthy Aristocratic Clan or merchant would appreciate the comfort of riding in one."

If we really took control of the car manufacturing workshops and started selling them to various states, how huge would the market be, how much profit would it generate? This would be a highly profitable and sustainable business."

Xiao Mingxuan was taken aback at first, then savored the taste, his eyes slowly brightening.

He had always been a spoiled brat, only finding the carriage comfortable and never considering its potential for business profit. Now, with Xiao Mingyuan's insight, he suddenly realized what was going on:

"You know what, it's really true! I initially thought it was just a novelty, but after hearing your calculations, it turns out to be a huge deal."

"So, how about it? Interested in joining forces with me?"

Xiao Mingyuan looked at him and smiled as he uttered the first sentence:

"Let's work together, brothers, and land this big deal."

"Oh, Third Brother, what are you saying?"

Xiao Mingxuan quickly waved his hand:

"If you've taken a liking to a business deal, I'll just run errands and lend a hand; I wouldn't dare share the profits with you."

"Why are you giving me this platitudes?"

Xiao Mingyuan smiled and patted his shoulder:

"We're brothers, after all. In Chang'an, we'll inevitably have to use your Prince Jing's name to navigate this situation."

"It's settled then. The profits will be split 20/80, you get 20% and I get 80%. Don't underestimate that 20%. Once the business takes off, it will earn you more than you would have in the Prince's mansion in a year."

These words struck a chord with Xiao Mingxuan.

He was used to spending money lavishly, and the meager monthly allowance from the Prince's mansion was never enough. This unexpected and reliable source of income was something he was naturally happy about.

He immediately smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling with joy, and readily agreed.

"Alright! Since Third Brother has said so, it would be too ungrateful of me not to follow up! So, what's our next step?"

"What else is there to think about?"

Xiao Mingyuan scoffed, his tone carrying the innate arrogance of a prince:

"Tomorrow we'll head straight to Yuxi Prefecture, find a pretext to seize this car manufacturing business, there's nothing to discuss."

Xiao Mingxuan hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said:

"Third brother, that's what I said, but I heard that the chief escort of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency in Yuxi Prefecture is a tough guy, and his martial arts skills are considered top-notch in the local area. We need to bring more people there. Do we need to recruit more guards from the palace?"

Xiao Mingyuan waved his hand, his tone casual yet full of confidence:

"No need. I brought three immortal masters from my household with me when I left the capital. How dare a mere mortal martial artist be taken seriously? If he knows what's good for him, he'll obediently hand over all his business, and I might spare his life; if he dares to resist, then it'll be easier—we'll just deal with him directly."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mingxuan subconsciously glanced at the corridor outside the hall.

There stood three men in plain clothes, their auras restrained. They were neither like ordinary guards in armor nor like servants who were respectful and uneasy. They exuded a kind of otherworldly coldness, clearly the immortal masters that Xiao Mingyuan had mentioned.

He immediately felt relieved and nodded with a smile:

"With three immortal masters present, there's nothing to worry about. I was overthinking it. Let's take one hundred guards from the royal palace with us then."

Three days later, on the official road from Chang'an to Yuxi Prefecture, a well-organized procession was slowly moving forward.

The troops were not large, but their momentum far surpassed that of ordinary local Government Army.

Twenty armored knights led the way, followed by two four-wheeled carriages, and behind them were more than a hundred guards with swords at their waists, standing tall and straight, each one an elite soldier who had seen many battles.

For this trip, Xiao Mingyuan only brought three Qi Refining cultivators and fifty guards from the Prince's residence from the capital.

Upon arriving in Chang'an, Xiao Mingxuan added another hundred guards from the Prince Jing, completing the team.

When the soldiers and constables along the way saw this grand ceremony from afar, they knew that the person was an important person, and none of them dared to approach him in the slightest.

When they reached the foot of Azure Cloud Stronghold Mountain, they passed by the large camp where the Government Army had set up.

When the guards at Luca saw the procession from afar, they all tensed up, not daring to stop it, and hurriedly stumbled back to their tents to report.

Xiao Mingyuan lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the continuous camps, his brows furrowing slightly.

Why are there so many soldiers stationed here?

Xiao Mingxuan sat opposite him and explained with a smile:

"A while ago, there was a bandit problem in Yuxi Prefecture. A group of thieves occupied Azure Cloud Stronghold and robbed several Aristocratic Clan estates outside the city. The prefectural government dispatched three thousand Government Army to besiege and suppress them."

As soon as he finished speaking, the camp gates swung open, and Zhou Xian, clad in full armor, strode out to greet them.

He was originally a subordinate of Prince Jing and was well acquainted with Xiao Mingxuan. From afar, he clasped his hands in a salute.

"Your Highness, what brings you here?"

Upon approaching and clearly seeing the patterns on the clothing of the person seated in the carriage, Zhou Xian's heart skipped a beat. He immediately withdrew his clasped hands and knelt heavily on one knee.

"This humble general, Zhou Xian, greets Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!"

"Get up." Xiao Mingyuan raised his hand calmly, his tone indifferent. "How is the battle going?"

Zhou Xian stood up, bowed his head, and spoke concisely and to the point:

"Your Highness, the mountain stronghold is strategically located with thick walls, and the bandits are heavily fortified. A direct assault would result in too many casualties. I have changed my strategy to a siege, cutting off their supply lines and waterways, and waiting for them to collapse on their own."

"Hmm." Xiao Mingyuan remained noncommittal. "Military affairs are not my concern. You should focus on suppressing the bandits."

Zhou Xian quickly said:

"The road ahead is near bandit territory; I will dispatch a detachment to escort Your Highness into the city."

"No need." Xiao Mingyuan chuckled and lowered the carriage curtain. "In this territory, no one can harm me."

Zhou Xian dared not say anything more, bowed and stood by the roadside, watching the procession gradually disappear into the distance, secretly surprised in his heart -- the dignified Third Prince suddenly ran to this small place, Yuxi Prefecture, which was definitely not a simple outing.

After another two hours of travel, the group arrived at the Yuxi Prefecture.

Recently, due to the crackdown on bandits, the checks at the city gates have become several times stricter than usual, and people entering and leaving the city must be checked one by one.

But when the garrison commander saw the chariot from afar, his heart skipped a beat:

Judging from the size of the guards' armor and the carriage, one could tell that this was a very important person, definitely not a local.

He quickly led his soldiers forward, bowing and smiling obsequiously.

"I am a lowly officer in charge of the city defense of Yuxi Prefecture. Greetings to all of you esteemed guests."

Upon hearing that the carriage contained the Third Prince and the Prince Jing's Heir, the captain's legs went weak with fear. He hurriedly ordered his men to report to the prefectural government while bowing and leading the way.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I will immediately lead you to the prefectural government office to inform Lord Zhang to come and receive you..."

"No need," Xiao Mingxuan's voice came from inside the carriage. "We won't go to the yamen. You know the way, right? Just take us to Zhenyuan Escort Agency."

The captain was taken aback, and several thoughts raced through his mind in an instant.

Zhenyuan Escort Agency was renowned locally, and even though the Lin Household was a prominent family, how could they have attracted the attention of princes and crown princes from the capital who personally came to their door?

Judging from the tone, it didn't sound like a friendly visit. His heart pounded, but he dared not ask a single question and quickly replied:

"Yes, I recognize you! Your Highness, Your Highness, please follow me."

Having said that, he quickly mounted his horse and carefully led the way, guiding the group towards the Zhenyuan Escort Agency in the city.