Jia Xu took a sip of tea, the smile at his lips deepening. Waving his feather fan, he leisurely left the Prefect's Residence and made his way to the inn where the Mi Family caravan was staying.
"Minister of the Imperial Clan."
In one of the side chambers, the Mi Family had long been waiting respectfully.
At the sight of Jia Xu, the steward immediately bowed with deference.
Jia Xu frowned and shook his head. "Your performance this time was a little too deliberate. Gongsun Zan only failed to notice the flaws because he was so excited."
To him, the Mi Family Steward's acting at the Prefect's Residence had been particularly clumsy, riddled with holes.
What merchant in the world did business without even bargaining over the price?
They were secretly helping Gongsun Zan resist Yuan Shao, but they could not be so obvious about it. That would easily arouse suspicion.
Compared with His Majesty's acting, this performance did not even qualify him to carry His Majesty's shoes.
"This... was an oversight on my part."
The Mi Family Steward felt rather bitter. He was only a merchant; he was not good at this sort of thing.
Satisfying Gongsun Zan without letting him notice anything was far too difficult.
"Never mind." Jia Xu did not reproach him further. What mattered was that they had achieved their objective. "Once you obtain the warhorses, send them to Yang Province and deliver them to Duke Wen as soon as possible."
"Duke Wen and Sun Ce are at a crucial stage in their struggle for Yang Province. You must not delay and cost him an opportunity in battle."
"Understood!" The Mi Family Steward nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Should I sell those superseded new-style weapons and equipment, along with the stirrups and horseshoes, to the Governor