Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 178: Mutual Markets

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Mutual Markets

Fengyu retorted sharply, "Little Marquis doesn’t concern himself with trivial matters, which must have narrowed your perspective. As merchants, we care most about current policies and political affairs. After all, we must follow the policies—opposing the court would make it impossible to earn money."

It was irrefutably true and hard to argue against.

Fengyu looked at his smiling face and felt an itch in her heart. She couldn’t resist mocking him again, "You’ve been smiling a lot lately; you’re no longer the cold and unfeeling Little Marquis."

Xie Xun’s love and hatred were fiery and intense. "Because of you, this marquis is in high spirits and naturally loves smiling."

Fengyu, "..."

Fengyu wasn’t particularly adept at interacting with someone like Xie Xun.

Calling him blunt definitely wouldn’t fit, as he was far from that; his thoughts ran deep and were nothing like Dugu Jing’s straightforward and passionate nature. But if one were to describe him as calculating, his enthusiasm in courting her was so overwhelming it left her defenseless.

Fengyu wasn’t good at handling such vibrant emotions.

"You’re blushing," Xie Xun crossed his arms and looked at her with a playful smile. He stood close enough to seemingly catch the fragrance lingering on her face.

Fengyu’s eyes burned with red at the corners, "Who... who’s blushing? It’s just too hot today."

"Is it hot?" Spring breezes stirred ripples across the lake’s surface. Xie Xun watched her flushed ears and hinted with double meaning, "It is a little warm."

Fengyu caught the heat of his gaze, turned around, and bolted. Xie Xun whistled recklessly behind her, prompting Fengyu to glare at him fiercely over her shoulder. The Little Marquis laughed heartily.

"Scoundrel!" Fengyu muttered under her breath, cheeks flushed as she strode away.

After several days of stalemate in the negotiations, the Beiman side finally took a step back. They ceased insisting on claiming Xie Jue’s life. However, Yanyang demanded red sand ore, and Xie Xun eyed Beiman’s red-sand-forged armor, spears, and curved blades with envy—they were smelted from red sand ore and could slice through iron with ease.

"Exchange Xie Jue for red sand ore," Dugu Jing had set aside his usual rashness and impulsiveness, speaking with uncharacteristic calm and clarity. "Red sand ore is the core resource of Beiman and a scarce asset. If Yanyang desires it, the Second Young Master’s life will suffice."

Xie Jue sat by the window in the negotiation hall, the sunlight falling just right. He rested his chin on his hand, his eyes half-closed, and said indifferently, "Next suggestion."

Dugu Jing sneered, "To think the Second Young Master would be so scared of death, unwilling to sacrifice himself for the red sand ore that the Northern Iron Cavalry covets—how ironic."

Lin Hongyuan vaguely understood the significance of the red-sand armor; it was Beiman’s trump card. If the cavalry were equipped with red-sand armor, it would surely reduce large-scale casualties significantly.

One life could save countless soldiers.

Marquis An Yuan sneered and said, "What exactly did the Second Young Master of our house do to offend you? It seems you’ve mobilized the strength of your entire country just to kill him. This... this could be considered an honor for the Second Young Master?"

"A coward afraid of death—Beiman has overestimated him," Dugu Jing mocked. Over the past few days, he’d taken every opportunity to heap scorn on Xie Jue.

Since Yanyang lacked vocabulary for insults, they repeatedly circled back to phrases like "devious and cowardly."

Xie Xun was profoundly irritated, a flash of killing intent in his eyes. He truly detested anyone slandering Xie Jue.

Xie Jue was two years older than Xie Xun. He had been sickly and frail since childhood. In contrast, Xie Xun had been robust and vigorous from birth, a natural talent for archery and horsemanship. When he was young, he used to show off his strength before his sickly Second Brother, unaware of the envy hidden in his brother’s gaze.

Lady Mudan was from Sannan, giving Xie Jue half Sannan bloodline. He was often criticized for looking more like a Sannan gentleman—weak and scholarly—rather than a man of Marquis Zhenbei Mansion.

He had a dazzling elder brother above him and a brilliant younger brother below. With his siblings shining so brightly, he seemed invisible. In the mansion, it was tolerable, but at Imperial College or aristocratic gatherings, he often became the subject of gossip.

If Xie Jue had Xie Xun’s personality, he would argue and fight back; with his status as the Second Young Master of the marquis family, no one would dare offend him. Yet he was naturally reticent, never debating with anyone. His indifferent demeanor made it seem as though he couldn’t hear the slander around him.

In his childhood, Xie Xun had a combative spirit, partly due to fighting on behalf of Xie Jue. Gradually, he stopped flaunting his strengths before Xie Jue, as he believed his Second Brother was fragile and sensitive. After being ridiculed by others, his brother would probably hide somewhere to cry. The cold frost he displayed before others merely masked his vulnerability.

Whenever Xie Xun thought of this, he would toss and turn at night.

This is why Xie Xun had an innate protective impulse from a young age—whoever dared to insult his Second Brother would pay for it. Over time, it became a habit. Back in the Imperial College days, he even bribed the teacher with pastries to be placed in the same class as Xie Jue, only for the teacher to report him directly to the Marchioness.

Later, the cycle extended from Xie Xun fighting on behalf of Xie Jue to Fang Chuning stepping up for him, to Xie Jue eventually silencing all gossip through his own prowess. Slowly, the idle chatter faded away.

Who would have imagined that after a decade of ups and downs, his once fragile and sensitive Second Brother would dominate the entire family upon reaching adulthood, tormenting him the most?

Even so, Xie Xun still couldn’t bear hearing anyone speak ill of Xie Jue!

Xie Jue himself was never bothered. In a rare moment, he spoke coldly, "Forty thousand red-sand armors delivered to Ningzhou City, and you can take my life."

Xie Xun clenched his fists tightly, "Second Brother, stop talking, I beg you!"

But what if Dugu Jing truly agreed to supply forty thousand sets of red-sand armor?

"You’re delusional. Trading your life for forty thousand red-sand armors? You’re not worthy," Dugu Jing roared in anger.

Xie Xun sneered, "This negotiation lacks sincerity. You’re making empty promises while offering nothing concrete. I think these talks are quite a loss on your part. What does Beiman bring to negotiate? Cows and sheep?"

"What can you even offer me?" Dugu Jing retorted furiously.

"Gold and silver, of course!"

"Not interested!"

"Then give them to me," countered the Little Marquis slyly. "I find them interesting—let’s discuss specific figures. After decades of chaos in Ningzhou, how much gold and silver should you compensate?"

"Fine!" Think Tank Slate smiled. "We ought to pay reparations during these talks."

"Mr. Si, you are straightforward, unlike your hot-headed Ninth Prince. Have him speak less; we can negotiate privately as well," Xie Xun added fuel to the fire, provoking Dugu Jing to grit his teeth and forcibly hold his tongue.

Lin Hongyuan had long calculated the figures, demanding three million taels of silver and one hundred thousand taels of gold as compensation from Beiman. These amounts were drafted by the cabinet. Considering Beiman’s ample gold and silver mines, Yanyang dared to make such bold claims.

"Alright!" Slate responded decisively, agreeing to the terms before requesting Yanyang’s northern agricultural seeds, ten thousand bolts of silk fabric, as well as thirty thousand cattle and sheep. Additionally, they wished to send delegations to learn mining and smelting techniques.

Lin Hongyuan discussed with Zhou Yu and granted Slate’s requests.

Next came the issue of border trade and passage—a highly complex matter.

In accordance with the agreement, Beiman and Yanyang would treat each other as brother nations. The Beiman King would recognize Emperor Jianming as his elder brother, cease hostilities for twenty years, and allow border trade and passage. Xie Jue, who had been resting his chin by the window, slowly sat up straight.