New Guild President

With the biggest troublemakers of the House of Zhao—Zachary Yan and his brother—finally out of the picture, Princess Jade Hayes felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders. Not only had she solved the most pressing crisis, but the confiscated wealth from their household had given the royal treasury a much-needed boost. She was in an exceptionally good mood.

"We’ve made a tidy profit from our business ventures, but let’s face it, the Kingdom of Qin is still poor and just getting started. Everything needs money, and even the initial investments are a huge expense. What we earned before barely made a dent in the treasury. His Majesty has only just taken over, and the officials’ grand assembly and tax policies haven’t even been sorted out yet. For now, we’re relying on our own assets to get by. Luckily, Zachary Yan’s family was loaded—they had all sorts of treasures stashed away." Princess Jade clicked her tongue, then turned to White Dew with a sly grin: "Now that Zachary Yan is dead, the position of president of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce is vacant. I plan to have one of our own take over and run the show in Charleston."

White Dew nodded, "You’re absolutely right, Your Majesty. Now that we’re here, it only makes sense for one of our people to take charge of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce. That’ll make everything so much easier. So, who do you have in mind for the job?"

Princess Jade was about to answer when a hearty laugh echoed from the doorway. "Jade, you’re always so busy, running around like a whirlwind! Finally, you’ve got time for your dear Fourth Uncle!"

Arthur Evans strode in, laughter booming, with Mrs. Evans right behind him.

"Fourth Uncle, Auntie, please have a seat! I actually have a favor to ask you today," Princess Jade said with a mischievous smile.

Arthur Evans chuckled, "Well, well, Jade asking her Fourth Uncle for help? That’s a first! Don’t be so formal—just tell me what you need. If I can help, I absolutely will!"

Princess Jade grinned, "Here’s the deal: the president of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce—Zachary Yan—just lost his head, so the position is wide open. I want to put one of our own in charge. Give it a couple of years, and all the big merchants in Charleston will be working for us. The job needs someone with business savvy, experience, and a bit of cunning. After thinking it through, I realized you’re the ideal candidate, Fourth Uncle! You’re a legendary merchant, you’ve seen it all, and with Auntie’s wisdom and support, you two are the perfect team. So, would you help me take over the Chamber and whip it into shape?"

Arthur Evans’s face flushed with excitement. "Jade, being president of the Chamber is a huge honor! Charleston might look unimpressive now, just a small city in the southeast, but since the capital’s been set here, I’m sure you and His Majesty will turn it into the most prosperous city in Qin. The Chamber president will lead all the merchants in the kingdom—every merchant dreams of that! Jade, giving me this golden opportunity isn’t just helping me out, you’re practically elevating the whole Evans family!"

Princess Jade smiled sheepishly, "Leading all the merchants in Qin is a bit of a stretch—that’s for the future! Right now, the Chamber is still crawling with Zhao family members, and everyone’s got their own agenda. It’s a real headache. So, if you take on this hot potato, you’ll be doing me a huge favor!"

Arthur Evans and Mrs. Evans exchanged a look, then thumped their chests in solidarity. "Don’t worry, Jade! I’ll take care of it! The Chamber president’s job might be tough right now, but since you trust me, I won’t let you down. You can count on me—I’ll run the Charleston Chamber of Commerce like a well-oiled machine and never be a drag on you or His Majesty!"