Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Chapter 2080: This Is Just the Beginning

Raising a private army demanded a considerable financial investment; without funds, all endeavors were futile.

The audacity of the Hangzhou prefect, launching preemptive strikes and encroaching on neighboring territories, stemmed from his perceived strength.

Confidence and bravery were bolstered by power, and power, in turn, was fueled by wealth.

Silver was the lifeblood of his operations, necessary for training and maintaining his soldiers, thus perpetuating the need for further funds.

In Jiangnan’s opulent landscape, teeming with affluent families and abundant resources, the Hangzhou magistrate harbored no concerns regarding depleted coffers.

Zhao Shu’s modest background and wealth made him a prime target for extortion by the Hangzhou prefect.

Without hesitation, the magistrate demanded 500,000 taels of silver from Zhao Shu, signaling just the beginning of his exorbitant demands.

Aware that acquiescing to this demand would likely invite further extortion in the future, Zhao Shu complied, recognizing the precarious position he was in.

To refuse payment would risk incurring the wrath of the Hangzhou prefect, leading to dire consequences.

Zhao Shu pleaded desperately, insisting he lacked the requested sum. After much negotiation, he managed to scrape together 150,000 taels of silver with the assistance of several sympathetic merchants who bribed a Grandmaster in the magistrate’s circle.

Despite his desire to flee Hangzhou, immediate departure was impossible. He had to attend to his affairs in the city.

Disentangling himself from significant enterprises like fields, shops, and a 5,000 mu teahouse required meticulous coordination, even in his absence.

Yet, paramount among his concerns were the 100,000 mu flower field and the perfume workshop nestled within it.

Fortunately, with the off-season in full swing, the flowers and trees had wilted, and production at the perfume workshop had ceased.

Acting swiftly, Zhao Shu halted all operations at the workshop, evacuating core family members to the safety of the Zhao clan’s headquarters.

Remaining workers were instructed to maintain the estate but strictly prohibited from venturing beyond its confines.

The core equipment and tools from the workshop were carefully stashed away in an underground chamber hidden within a distant courtyard.

Earning nearly a million annually alongside Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan, their income flowed effortlessly compared to the toil required by the mulberry fields.

Their modest returns were a deliberate choice to maintain a low profile; were they to expand production, profits would easily soar.

However, Zhao Shu dared not tamper with this venture, fearing discovery by the avaricious Hangzhou prefect, who would undoubtedly seize it without hesitation.

Such temptation was impossible to resist.

Just as Zhao Shu prepared to depart Hangzhou with Taotao to reunite with Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan, an unexpected obstacle emerged: the prefect’s brother-in-law sought him out.

The arrival of the prefect’s brother-in-law brought yet another demand for money, this time a staggering sum of 500,000 taels.

Zhao Shu teetered on the brink of exasperation. How could he possibly produce such a sum? Was this person out of his mind? Did he not realize Zhao Shu had refused his own brother-in-law?

Concealing his mounting frustration, Zhao Shu feigned poverty, inwardly seething with frustration. Every fiber of his being screamed for escape; remaining in Hangzhou was becoming increasingly untenable.