The two had already understood each other's intentions. Cheng Jinghao, being the elder, still made a show of inviting him to stay for dinner, but Gu Beizheng declined, saying he had plans to drink with the second young master of the Fu family.
Severing ties with the Cheng family of the capital was impossible now, but they still needed to maintain some backbone. Otherwise, what would be the difference from their past helplessness?
After seeing off Gu Beizheng, Cheng Jinghao's second son, Cheng Beiqian, entered.
Cheng Jinghao had one wife and five concubines, who together bore him five sons and three daughters. Sadly, due to intense infighting in the inner chambers, only two sons and two daughters survived. The eldest son, Cheng Beiyu, was currently posted as a prefect in Shanxi. The second son, Cheng Beiqian, born to a concubine, was originally fourth in line. However, due to the scarcity of sons, Cheng Jinghao, against his wife's objections, had him registered under his wife's name, making him the legitimate second son.
Of the two daughters, the elder had entered the palace and was now Consort Cheng.
The younger daughter, Cheng Jiaoyao, was born late, having just reached the age of maturity last year, making it an ideal time to find a suitable husband.
Cheng Beiqian was promising; he passed the imperial examination at eighteen and had just participated in the spring imperial examinations. Although not yet in the officialdom, he had been guided and trained by Cheng Jinghao and could already assist in handling many affairs.
"Father, how did the discussion with Cousin go?"
"A young man, full of spirit."
"Is he determined to oppose us? Does Second Uncle know?"
Cheng Jinghao said, "Your Second Uncle has long been sidelined by him. Even if he knows, he's likely powerless to act. Tut, a few years ago, this brat seemed so carefree; I never imagined he'd become the biggest winner among your cousins. However, it's not outright opposition. He's using the Fu family to negotiate with us, likely feeling we've been too demanding of money these past two years."
"I warned you about this earlier. Miners will rebel if they are excessively exploited, let alone your Second Uncle's family, who, while having no say in the capital, hold a respected position in Yangzhou and would naturally resist."
"Do you think I don't know that? Consider the many matters the family has dealt with these past two years: your elder brother's future, your sister in the palace, all requiring money for arrangements. We also have to make offerings to Prince Ning. Without that money, could any of it be accomplished?"
Cheng Beiqian frowned, "Now that Cousin has grown rebellious, if we don't compromise, this matter won't end well. Father, let me go and talk to Cousin. We can reduce the future filial contributions to us."
Cheng Jinghao immediately objected, "That won't do. We're already short of funds. If we reduce it further, how will we manage? Moreover, one concession leads to another. If we don't suppress that brat's arrogance now, how can I control him? You've seen it yourself; his courage and methods are far superior to your Second Uncle's."
"Father, it's better to guide than to block. If we truly push him into the Crown Prince's camp, Prince Ning will likely be the first to refuse to let us off."
"He's just a young pup. Don't forget, Cheng Jiaojiao's marriage is still in our hands."
Cheng Beiqian also had sisters, but he genuinely didn't believe he would change certain ideas for them, especially when it involved his own interests. However, he couldn't say this openly. He pondered, "The marriage of a single woman, will it really achieve much?"
Cheng Jinghao smiled, "Son, you're still a bit too naive. Tell me, if I were to send Cheng Jiaojiao to Prince Ning, would the Crown Prince dare to continue cooperating with Cheng Beizheng? If a woman's marriage is used effectively, it can be a formidable weapon. At that point, wouldn't he obediently help us make money?"
Cheng Beiqian's eyes lit up, "Father indeed has foresight. However, I've inquired, and after the ban on maritime trade, the profits from Yangzhou have indeed decreased significantly. If we still demand money at last year's standard, can they afford it?"
"Don't worry about that for them. Jiangnan is the wealthiest region in the Great Yin. Even with the ban on maritime trade, there are plenty of ways to earn money." Cheng Jinghao patted his son's shoulder, "Qian'er, you read well, but you still have much to learn about these methods. The results of the imperial examinations will be announced next month. Once you enter officialdom, you must think thrice before acting, understand?"
"Father, rest assured. If I encounter anything I can't figure out, I still have you to protect me!"
"That's true. Your starting point is much higher than mine, and you'll definitely achieve more in the future." He was quite satisfied with this obedient son. In contrast, his eldest son, Cheng Beiyu, was a bit too rebellious. If he had listened to him more, he wouldn't have been sent to such a remote and impoverished place as Shanxi.