Chapter 880 The Exorbitant Profits of Clothing

Chapter 880: 880 The Exorbitant Profits of Clothing

The next day, Lu Ming climbed off his sister.

Diao Chan, already dressed in a long gown, took over from the maidservants and helped Lu Ming wash and dress.

"Husband, the millet porridge is ready, and there are also fried egg rolls."

Lu Ming was always a proponent of not wasting food; what the superiors did, the subordinates would follow.

Besides, he really didn’t have much of an appetite in the morning; some porridge would cleanse his stomach.

It would help his body feel more comfortable and warm, allowing him to slowly recover.

"Hmm, go and call that Lady Lin over."

Since Diao Chan mentioned Lady Lin, Lu Ming knew that the woman must have given Diao Chan some benefit.

Otherwise, Diao Chan wouldn’t bring up a stranger for no reason, no matter how miserable that stranger’s life was.

Diao Chan was compassionate, but not stupid; she couldn’t be easily fooled.

Upon arriving at the living room, Tan Chun and Ying Chun were already waiting, not touching their chopsticks, seemingly waiting for him.

"Good morning, my lord!"

"Good morning, my ladies. Please sit down, don’t wait for me. Let’s eat. We’re going for a walk today."

Lu Ming said as he ate.

Although he had made an appointment with Lady Lin, she was, after all, Lin Chong’s wife, and just a woman; there was no need to put in much effort.

Now that he had conquered the Central Plains, more people would be willing to cater to his desires and offer their women to him.

"Yes, my lord."

Tan Chun’s eyes lit up with joy. It had been a long time since she had gone shopping with Lu Ming.

Lu Ming was the Prince of Qin, and he had many concubines in his harem. She was considered a stunning beauty, but she couldn’t allow Lu Ming to spend every night in her bed.

The sound of high heels approached, and a beautiful woman in a long dress, like a fairy stepping out of a classical painting, appeared.

Lin Daiyu, with a touch of shyness, bowed slightly to Lu Ming, "Greetings, my husband. And greetings to my two sisters."

Lin Daiyu always considered herself of high status. She might not need power, but she needed a proper title!

Mother and daughter sharing a husband—that was a significant advantage.

However, Tan Chun wasn’t far behind either. Her adoptive mother was from the Wang family, and her biological mother, Aunt Zhao, was also considered her mother...

And coincidentally, both of these women had been with Lu Ming, and given her management of the Imperial Household Department, her qualifications and status weren’t low.

Seeing Lin Daiyu’s spirited expression, Tan Chun simply smiled, not taking it to heart.

"Sister Lin, please sit down and have a meal with us!"

"Daiyu, you’ve come at the perfect time. After breakfast, let’s go for a walk together."

Lu Ming’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu now resembled a high school girl just beginning puberty.

Moreover, her skin was as translucent as white jade, and she always possessed a delicate, fragile aura that inspired an irresistible urge to hold her close and protect her!

"Thank you, my husband."

Lin Daiyu hadn’t served the emperor last night because on the way here, in the carriage, she had been thoroughly violated until her body was weak and sore. She had experienced so many orgasms that she couldn’t even walk.

Luckily, her personal maid, Zijuan, helped her take care of her; otherwise, even eating would have made her hands tremble.

High heels are fashionable and sexy, and girls love them. However, the mature women in the harem preferred high-heeled sandals, which appeared more serene and refreshing.

Lu Ming’s designs weren’t for women’s adornment, but merely to satisfy his own lust.

Half an hour later, Lin Daiyu finished her meal.

Lu Ming was handling some matters. Upon seeing the letter that arrived, his expression immediately turned cold, but it quickly dissipated.

He summoned Lin Daiyu, dictated the message, and had her write it down.

This was an old tradition; Lin Daiyu, Jia Tanchun, and Cai Wenji were practically Lu Ming’s personal secretaries. Only when they weren’t around would others take their place.

Lin Daiyu listened to her husband’s story, a secret unease creeping into her heart.

It seemed war was imminent.

However, this was none of her concern. She only needed to pray for her husband’s safety, and then the family would be safe.

Now, having given birth to a daughter for Lu Ming, she felt an even stronger sense of belonging to her family.

Women are actually quite pure; once they become pregnant, with a child as a bond, it’s an emotion most women can’t sever.

The letter actually mentioned a conflict between people in Liaodong and Youzhou, where building materials had been stolen in a surprise attack.

The Governor of Youzhou, Ju Shou, initially only sent people to persuade them, but those men were killed.

This made him realize the seriousness of the situation.

While mobilizing troops to the Liaodong border, he also sent a message to Zhengcheng via carrier pigeon.

Upon learning of the situation, the Military Council began discussions and relayed the details and plans to Lu Ming for his decision.

There was almost no need for further consideration; war was inevitable.

Originally, they had planned to deal with Gongsun Du in Liaodong last, but now that the latter was courting death, they would deal with him sooner rather than later.

The Central Plains needed time to regroup and wouldn’t easily initiate hostilities, so they would attack Liaodong first!

Warfare is a meticulous matter; as the saying goes, "An army marches on its stomach." Considering the climate in Liaodong, which was gradually turning to winter, they needed to address the issue of winter protection.

These were all matters for the Military Council to consider, and adjustments would be made based on intelligence from the troops at the front.

Lu Ming, on the other hand, planned to play around for a while. Once he was ready, he would personally lead the army to Liaodong.

And incidentally, he would also take down Goguryeo.

Under the guise of his Imperial Guard, Lu Ming strolled through the market with his beautiful wives and concubines.

Women, however, preferred fabric shops, seemingly possessing an innate and irresistible attraction to clothing.

The Han Dynasty’s own laws stipulated that a bolt of coarse linen was worth thirty-five coins. This was, of course, based on the cloth being paid to the government as tax.

However, the government’s assessment of the cloth’s value wasn’t simply thirty-five coins per bolt.

In reality, the cheapest bolt of linen cost fifty-five coins, while slightly better quality cost fifty-seven or fifty-eight coins.

As for the silk and even luxury items like Shu brocade worn by nobles, their prices were staggering.

The cheapest silk cost over a thousand coins per bolt, and Shu brocade was generally traded in gold, not copper coins.

Only after understanding this could one realize just how exorbitant the profits in commerce truly were.

The Jiaofangsi became a coveted place because it was now under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department, essentially the emperor’s private property.

No one was allowed to touch it. The imperial court had its own workshops, and the emperor naturally had his own private treasury.

Lin Daiyu only glanced around before losing interest.

Compared to the silks produced by the Jiaofangsi, the brocade here was merely passable, not particularly fine, even though it was supposedly the shop’s prized possession!