Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

178. Imperial Concubine Fair’s Strategy

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Cao Mo cast a glimpse at Cao Le, he found the timing quite odd, how come Cao Le invited himself to the residence right after Xiao Yi had defeated those troops.

Cao Mo smiled knowingly and asked, “Do you have news for us? Has the merchant you have been talking about agreed on my terms?”

“Three ships in exchange for an official position, what do you say?” a cunning smile flashed across Cao Le’s face.

“At least five ships and fifty boatmen.” Cao Mo demanded an exorbitant price.

Cao Le frowned, “That’s too much, I doubt those boatmen would be willing to leave their native place.”

“All right then, we can build ships ourselves as well, it just takes longer, but that’s fine, we are in no rush to appoint anyone.” Cao Mo showed a perfunctory smile, he was in no mood to finalize anything with Cao Le at that moment.

Vexed by Cao Mo’s attitude, “How can you be so inconsistant in your words?”

“Me? We have agreed on building ships in exchange for titles, isn’t it obvious I also need boatmen? What can I do with those empty ships! Steering ships is nothing alike steering carriages whatsoever, navigation, wind direction, ship maintenance, we need boatmen! Capable boatmen! Cao Le, I know you think you are clever, but don’t take others for fools!” Cao Mo replied angrily.

“Okay, I admit it, it’s me, it’s me who wants an official title! I will find fifty capable boatmen for you, how about that?” Cao Le yelled.

Cao Mo was so shocked that he had dropped the bag in his hands, he couldn’t believe Cao Le could be that desperate.

“Do you know what you are talking about?” Cao Mo hurled a question at Cao Le.

“You are Prince Xing’s steward, all I’m asking is an official title, is that a lot to ask?”

“Are you out of your mind? I build the ships to conquer the sea, why are you, landlubber, unable to hold yourself back from getting involved?” Cao Mo tried to change Cao Le’s mind.

“I know, but I can pay someone else to get on the ship for me, there’s nothing to worry.”

“How shallow-brained are you! How can I trust you with this, I don’t have that energy to cope with the aftermath of your incompetence! You better find me someone else, I don’t trust you a little bit.”

“Are you my brother or not? Do you know what my life is like in Xiao manor now? I would have stayed away from dangerous business like this if you had helped me out before. I want to achieve something in my life as well, but you just need to give me the opportunity!”

“Do you think I have no idea you are working for Prince Ning? I tried and I tried to stop you from doing that, but you on the other hand is trying everything to hurt me! The ships you are building, how can you take the responsibility if, Heaven forbid, shipwreck happens! How are you going to face the families of your boatmen? No one, not you, not me, not the Xiao Manor can take the responsibility!” Cao Mo raged.

Cao Le countered, “Cao Mo! Tell you what, not only I am working for Prince Ning, father and mother are also working for Prince Ning! You and Shizi better jump ship, otherwise you will be an unfilial son, you owe your life to our parents, you know that?”

Cao Mo made at Cao Le and strangled him, “My regret is I have been too merciful to you, I should have locked you up in jail for the rest of your life! I’m fine with you courting death by yourself, but it looks like you have lost your mind and you are trying to drag our parents into this mess!”

Cao Le struggled, “You… you can’t kill me, I’m working for Prince Ning and Imperial Concubine Fair, I have Her Highness’s personal order in hand!”

Xiao Yi who was waiting outside had heard the noise inside the room, he dashed into the room and checked Cao Le.

Cao Mo picked himself up from the ground, panting for breath, “Search him! Search a letter or something like that.”

A guard searched Cao Le and handed a letter to Xiao Yi.

Cao Le struggled, “Give it back to me! Cao Mo! Her Highness will throw you to jail if you continue being this disrespectful!”

Xiao Yi kicked Cao Le, “Shut it already! I shouldn’t have freed you in the first place!”

Xiao Yi sniffed the letter and threw it to Cao Le, “You dumb ass! You have no idea what you have got yourself into, do you? Check your letter in a few days, I guarantee you there won’t be anything on the paper in a just a few days.”

Cao Le said with disbelief, “No need to scare me, I know all about the trick of squid ink and vinegar, don’t expect me to fall for that.”

Xiao Yi sneered, he grabbed Cao Le’s thumb and erased the seal on the letter with Cao Le’s thumb, to Cao Le’s surprise, the seal disappeared!

“The ink paste is made of red alga, it looks real at first, but you can erase it easily after a few days, you think they are putting you in an important position, but the truth is they are just using you as a scapegoat.”

Cao Le slumped down on the ground, he wept, “What can I do now! I have written an agreement for the merchant already!”

Hearing that, Cao Mo and Xiao Yi exchanged a look.

“What agreement?” Cao Mo frowned.

“The agreement on how to divide up the profit, the merchants need to fund me for the capital and materials like the timber, and I will divide the profit with him after everything is done.”

“You are such an idiot! It’s okay when you are fooled once, but it’s ridiculous to fall for that twice! You dumb ass!” Cao Mo rebuked Cao Le.

Xiao Yi’s eyebrows furrowed, “Mo, we will all be doomed if you have really agreed you would cooperate with Cao Le. The relationship between us and the South has soured, but Cao Le is getting timber from the South, that’s no difference than courting death. The Xiaos, the Caos, Prince Xing will all be implicated, especially Prince Xing who is just registered under the empress’s name, Imperial Censors will accuse him of seeking private gain through power, even the empress will be implicated… …”

Xiao Yi paused for a second, “No wonder they dared attack us in a flagrant way last night, they have this trick up their sleeves!”

Cao Mo always knew the competition between the princes was ferocious, but he still shuddered as he thought about the fact that Imperial Concubine Fair made a move to kill them at the cost of exposing their private troops.

What had agitated Imperial Concubine Fair was the empress had taken Prince Xing under his name, their alliance had posed a threat for her and her son Prince Ning!