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Chapter 1025: Can You Really Get Rich?

Lao Huihui's heart hammered. These people are truly astonishing! Even the Prince of Qin's estate, the most prestigious princely fief in the realm, was apparently on their side.

Not even the White Lotus Sect could wield such power!

But that wasn't the crucial thing. What truly struck Lao Huihui was how organized and rational this group seemed. Even the Prince of Qin's heir was calmly engaging in conversation, not pulling rank or getting angry despite Lao Huihui's prior aggression.

That alone set this group apart entirely from the imperial court.

Why had Lao Huihui risen in rebellion with his diverse cavalry? On one hand, it was the unpaid wages that left them no choice but to fight for survival. On the other, it was the deep-seated prejudice, the way his people, the 'Yi,' were scorned by the Han.

He utterly detested the discriminatory treatment born of perceived social standing.

Yet, the princely heir before him, and even the inspector, had shown him no condescension. It was utterly unexpected.

Fang Wushang waved a dismissive hand. "Since this was merely a misunderstanding, I won't be arresting you for disturbing the peace. I have other areas to patrol. Ugh, I'm swamped."

With that, he hustled away.

Zhu Cunji, however, grinned conspiratorially at Lao Huihui. "You've been to many places, haven't you? The vast grasslands of the northwest frontier, almost all of Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunyang... Come, come, tell me, which places are the most beautiful, the most interesting?"

Lao Huihui stared blankly.

"Come on, come on, tell me all about it." Zhu Cunji pulled Lao Huihui out of the room and ushered him into the passenger seat of his Kulinan.

He slowly started the engine, and as they began to move, he leaned in, eager to hear. "Tell me, which places have the most breathtaking scenery, the most captivating sights?"

Lao Huihui had spent the better part of his life in a saddle; this was his very first time in an automobile.

The hiss and thrum of the steam engine filled his ears, and the immense power humming beneath him sent a jolt of unease through him. This contraption is terrifying! he thought. *If this frivolous heir decided to ram my horse with it, I wouldn't even know how to defend myself.*

Zhu Cunji nudged him. "Hey, Lao Huihui, don't zone out! I asked you, where are the best sights?"

Lao Huihui shifted uncomfortably. "Please don't call me 'Lao Huihui' in public."

"Ah, right, good point." Zhu Cunji mused. "Then what *should* I call you?"

Lao Huihui sighed softly. "My name is Ma Shouying."

"Oh? Your true name?" Zhu Cunji was mildly taken aback. "You're actually revealing your real name?"

Ma Shouying shrugged. "I'm not sure why, but I feel I can trust you with it."

Zhu Cunji chuckled. "Heh!"

The two men chatted freely as they drove, Ma Shouying recounting tales of local customs and breathtaking landscapes from his travels.

Zhu Cunji listened with obvious delight, exclaiming every now and then, "Ah, I *must* go see that place!"

Ma Shouying interjected, "As the Prince of Qin's heir, you can't leave Xi'an, can you? Ultimately, those places are beyond your reach."

Zhu Cunji merely chuckled. "With the Heavenly Lord's blessing, this heir actually *does* have a way to visit those places, hehehe."

Ma Shouying didn't press him on the 'how.' Anyone who had navigated the rough-and-tumble world as long as he had knew that if someone wanted to share information, they would. If not, asking was pointless. He steered the conversation away from idle travel talk and back to what mattered. "Prince Heir," he said, "I'm not yet one of your people. I'm still considering whether to join you in the future."

Zhu Cunji blinked. "What's there to think about? This heir joined without a moment's hesitation, hahaha!"

Ma Shouying silently mused: *I had assumed this prince was the hidden hand behind this army, planning to use these strange forces to rebel and seize power. But listening to his tone, observing his demeanor, it seems he's not the true mastermind, merely a later recruit?*

He lowered his voice. "Prince Heir, who truly leads this faction? And what exactly is your ultimate aim?"

Zhu Cunji spread his hands. "The leader? Why, the Heavenly Lord, of course!"

Ma Shouying turned to glance at the colossal golden statue of the Heavenly Lord, a peculiar expression on his face. "I don't mean *that* kind of leader! I mean a *person*! Who is the leader among mortals!"

He was clearly treating the Heavenly Lord as akin to the White Lotus Sect's "Unborn Venerable Mother"—a mere symbol, never truly manifesting. The real power, he knew, wouldn't lie with the sect leader, but with the various warlords commanding its rebel branches.

Zhu Cunji chuckled. "Oh, you mean in the mortal realm? Well, in the mortal realm, it's naturally the Saintess who calls the shots."

Ma Shouying lowered his voice. "Could I meet the Saintess, and speak with her?"

Zhu Cunji looked utterly perplexed. "What's there to talk about? Are you planning to pledge fealty or something?"

Ma Shouying did indeed harbor such thoughts. He wanted to meet the earthly leader of the Heavenly Lord Daoist Sect, speak with them, and gauge their character. If he found them worthy, he truly intended to swear an oath of allegiance then and there.

Zhu Cunji chuckled. "Ah, you outsiders still don't grasp our customs here; I shouldn't mock you for it. But it's nearly evening, perfect timing. I'll take you to the market square, in front of the Immortal Treasure Mirror, and you'll be able to see the Saintess then."

Ma Shouying's eyes lit up. "Many thanks!"

The Kulinan cruised towards the bustling market square.

Dusk was gathering, and the market square was already filling with people. Workers, fresh from their shifts, sat down with their five-copper meal boxes, ready for the evening's entertainment. They arranged themselves in neat rows, digging into their food while watching the screen.

When Zhu Cunji and Ma Shouying arrived, the screen was displaying a commercial.

Currently, there was only one advertisement: a promotion for the "Warm and Sleepy" woolen sweaters.

During the filler time, this single advertisement played on a loop. Who could possibly endure it?

Many had long since grown bored, not bothering to look at the screen, simply chatting amongst themselves.

Ma Shouying, however, was witnessing this for the first time. Seeing a massive mirror with people moving within it—a beautiful young girl of perhaps ten years old—startled him profoundly. "What is this?" he gasped. "Why is there a giant girl inside?"

Zhu Cunji laughed. "This is an Immortal Treasure Mirror, bestowed by the Heavenly Lord from the heavens. It can show us the past and the future."

Ma Shouying's eyes widened.

He immediately saw the screen change again. Now, two Mongolian children appeared, holding bundles of wool, their faces earnest and simple. "We've always raised sheep on the grasslands," one said, "our wool is the best..."

Zhu Cunji pointed at the screen. "This stuff has exploded in popularity recently! Those woolen sweaters are selling out everywhere. My consort bought five, and all my wives are clamoring for them. They're in critically short supply! Now, merchant caravans are flocking to the northwest, desperate to get their hands on wool... I've heard that all the sheep-herding nomads in the Western regions have had their entire stock bought up at exorbitant prices by our people. Those nomads have struck it rich, I tell you."

Ma Shouying, hearing this, let out a surprised gasp.

He was Hui, and many of his subordinates were also Hui. These men, while serving as border guards, also raised considerable numbers of sheep.

The prospect of wealth from sheep-rearing instantly piqued Ma Shouying's interest. "Can you really get rich?" he asked, then quickly corrected himself. "Ah, no, not necessarily *rich*. Just enough to sustain a livelihood, to eat until full. Is that truly possible?"