Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 998 - 85: Prince Han with Nine Orifices (Part 2)

With a cunning chuckle, Zhao Yao declared, "I’m smart." Yet as he uttered those words, a trace of hesitation crept in, since the notion wasn’t truly his creation—it drew from the realm of the Zhao Yao who appeared in his dreams.

Uncle Gao raised his thumb in praise toward Zhao Yao: "Your Highness, if you can’t make money, then no one in this world can."

He inquired once more, "Do you have any other clever ways to make money?"

Zhao Yao winked mischievously at Uncle Gao: "Not telling you."

Hearing this, Uncle Gao felt no irritation. If His Highness chose not to reveal it, that was perfectly fine.

"Your Highness, are you really planning to just hand over this runway concept to Boss Li?" Uncle Gao questioned in confusion, "Isn’t that a key business secret?"

"No harm in it at all. He did fork over two hundred taels of gold for the advertising spot, so it’s only fair to give him a solid opportunity to showcase his goods and recover that investment." Zhao Yao replied with a grin, "Plus, I haven’t put this runway idea into practice yet myself, so I’m unsure of its full potential. It’s an ideal setup for him to experiment with. Should it prove successful, I can apply the runway approach to market Lingnan’s fabrics and embroidery."

Uncle Gao stood speechless after hearing this. He hadn’t anticipated His Highness would turn Boss Li into a trial subject; truly, His Highness was full of guile.

"The runway concept will prove highly effective." Zhao Yao reflected on the numerous runway events from his dream world and brimmed with assurance in this strategy. "By sharing the runway idea with Boss Li, he’ll end up indebted to me. Once the polo tournament concludes, Boss Li will present me with a generous reward."

Uncle Gao marveled, "Your Highness, while regular folks possess seven senses, you surely have nine."

"I’ll accept that as high praise." Zhao Yao went on, "Business dealings must benefit both parties; if one side gains nothing, how could the partnership endure? Only when profits flow to everyone involved can the venture thrive over time. Furthermore, with Boss Li’s operations spanning Jiangnan, I can collaborate with him to distribute Lingnan’s fabrics and embroidery in those areas."

"So that’s the scheme you’ve devised, Your Highness."

"What did you suppose my favors to Boss Li were aimed at?" Zhao Yao never entered any transaction where he came out the loser.

"I never realized commerce involved such depths; this experience has taught me volumes." Previously, he had scorned merchants as crafty and untrustworthy. Yet during this trade fair, he gleaned numerous insights from His Highness and saw that not all merchants were dishonest—many conducted their affairs with integrity. Above all, he grasped that pursuing trade wasn’t inherently wrong. As His Highness had pointed out, absent merchants, merely scholars, farmers, and artisans couldn’t foster true abundance.

"Give it a go when you head back to Japan."

"You can count on me, Your Highness; I’ll certainly give it a shot."

"The polo match kicks off tomorrow, so Uncle Gao and Second Uncle, retire early tonight." Rising to his feet, Zhao Yao stretched with a yawn and added, "The upcoming three days of polo contests will be fiercely competitive, so make sure not to overlook them."

"Understood, Your Highness."

At dawn the following day, the polo venue—which had hosted the recent football event—swarmed with locals and traders eager to witness the spectacle.

Folks from Swamp Prefecture had never witnessed a polo match; this marked their initial exposure, filling them with thrill and anticipation. Rumors held that polo was a pursuit of the elite, inaccessible to everyday people like themselves. Moreover, they’d heard noble polo games barred commoners from viewing. Yet here, not only could they observe, but from front-row proximity—a rare fortune indeed.

Though foreign traders had encountered polo before, their humble rank mirrored that of the masses: they were barred from official games and lacked viewing privileges. Even without Great Zhou nobles in this contest, the inclusion of overseas aristocrats elevated it to a prestigious affair for them.

Ten squads vied in the polo tournament, with the victor crowned over three days. Prior to the start, Zhao Yao delivered an address. Upon concluding, he spotlighted the event’s backers and patrons—Li’s Cloth Shop and Jin’s Jewelry—before unveiling the ten competing teams.

The opening clash pitted Zhao Yao’s Personal Guard against the Siam Royal Family.

In lately years, Siam and Johor had poured efforts into advancing polo, yet their prowess lagged behind Great Zhou’s.

During the match’s first half, Prince Han’s Personal Guard emerged victorious. A quarter-hour intermission followed.

In the halftime interval, onlookers spotted elegantly attired men and women stepping onto the pitch. They gazed in curiosity and bewilderment, uncertain of the impending activity. Was a performance in store? The prior football match had featured no such interlude.