Chapter 62: Knowing the Enemy and Knowing Yourself

Zhu Yuntong considered a possibility: Lü Zheng was operating outside, helping Zhu Yunwen win over officials or scholars.

As for how to win them over, it was actually quite simple—nothing more than wining and dining, fame, and fortune. At the same time, Lü Zheng could provide financial support for Zhu Yunwen.

The inside and outside of the palace were definitely connected.

"You've guessed correctly again, Your Highness."

"The interior of the Moon-Viewing Tower is primarily decorated with elegance. Everyone who walks in and out is either a scholar or a civil official. There are several officials this subject has previously seen who frequently visit the Moon-Viewing Tower, and some scholars from the Imperial Academy are also regular guests here."

"Aside from his connection through the Crown Princess, Lü Zheng's relationships with court officials are not the least bit inferior."

"Precisely because of this, he is able to do whatever he pleases."

Li Feng did not quite understand the struggles involving the succession to the throne.

He simply recounted the things he knew to Zhu Yuntong in detail.

Zhu Yuntong could understand. In other words, the Moon-Viewing Tower was equivalent to those high-end clubs where most of those coming and going were high-ranking officials and nobles. He asked, "If someone is neither a high-ranking official nor a scholar, can they really go inside and spend money?"

Li Feng nodded and said, "Of course they can, but the premise is that they can afford it. Consumption inside is very expensive, and ordinary people cannot afford it."

As long as he could get in, that was fine.

What he feared most was being denied entry, having to apply for cards, or opening memberships.

However, this was the Great Ming dynasty; there certainly wouldn't be that many fancy tricks.

As long as one had money, that was enough.

"The other taverns he forcibly acquired—were those meant for the business of ordinary commoners?" Zhu Yang asked.

"Your Highness has guessed correctly."

Li Feng nodded repeatedly and said, "After acquiring the other taverns, he primarily divided them into two uses: one as ordinary taverns and inns catering exclusively to the business of commoners, and the other converted into pleasure houses."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, all of them were somewhat surprised.

They hadn't expected this fellow to run a pleasure house as well. One must know that this was the romance exclusive to men.

Especially for Zhu Yuntong—having transmigrated, not getting involved with pleasure houses seemed to waste the quota of a time-traveler. However, old Zhu must have sent people to keep an eye on him, so he absolutely did not dare to participate in anything related to pleasure houses.

They were not Zhu Shuang and Zhu Ji. Zhu Yuntong boldly guessed that the reason Zhu Yuanzhu let them do as they pleased was precisely to soil their reputations.

That way, no one would be willing to support a prince with a stinking reputation to become emperor, making Zhu Biao's position even more secure.

If Zhu Yuntong and the others dared to do such a thing, old Zhu would definitely hang them up and beat them.

Regarding pleasure houses, the four of them could only feel envious. After exchanging looks filled with unspoken manly understandings, they had to temporarily set the matter aside.

Li Feng continued, "Along this street, whatever Lü Zheng could forcefully seize, he basically took. If it weren't for the fact that the backers of the other pleasure houses were His Highness the Prince of Qin, those would have been seized as well."

Zhu Yuntong quickly analyzed the situation and added, "In other words, Lü Zheng's core business is the Moon-Viewing Tower. This place focuses on being high-end and luxurious; only high-ranking officials, nobles, or the wealthy can enter. It's a place for the pretentious display of refinement."

"High-end and luxurious?"

Li Feng flattering said, "Your Highness, that term is used brilliantly."

Zhu Yuntong continued, "In addition, he also has taverns catering to all ordinary commoners. With such a prime location on this street, anyone who comes here to eat has no choice but to go to Lü Zheng's establishments."

"In the past, there was still me, but now there is only Lü Zheng."

Li Feng added.

Zhu Yuntong asked again, "Are there peddlers and small stalls nearby?"

"There are, but they were all driven away by Lü Zheng."

"This man really dares to do anything."

Hearing that even street vendors could not survive under Lü Yun's nose, Zhu Yuntong realized this person was extremely overbearing.

Zhu Gui gave a cold snort and said, "He is also completely lawless, treating the laws and decrees of our Great Ming as if they don't exist."

If Zhu Yuntong hadn't said they wanted to play with Lü Zheng, he would have already gone back to report to old Zhu.

Actually, he didn't need to go back and report; Zhu Yuntong could be certain that old Zhu would sooner or later find out what had happened. There were definitely Jinyiwei guards hidden in the shadows following them. As long as they did this, the Jinyiwei would definitely report it back.

Because of this, Zhu Yuntong was very calm and feared nothing.

Zhu Yuntong said, "Let them be smug for a moment; they will soon regret it. Our current first step is to get our tavern up and running. Before we open, should we go and take a look at the Moon-Viewing Tower?"

Zhu Zhi gave a cold snort and said, "Why give money to Lü Zheng to spend?"

"If you don't part with small wealth, large wealth will not enter."

Zhu Yuntong said, "To defeat an enemy, the most important thing is to know what the enemy has. In military strategy, this is called knowing yourself and knowing your enemy."

"Let's go, let's go take a look."

Zhu Gui wasn't that stingy either. Now that he had money, he had to go and experience what high-end establishments were like.

Zhu Yuntong instructed Li Feng to prepare all the goods a tavern should have and strive to reopen within these three days. Furthermore, if anyone from the Lü family came to cause trouble again, Li Feng was not to interfere; if they wanted to smash and trash, let them smash and trash.

It would be best if they smashed the entire tavern to pieces.

When that time came, Zhu Yuntong could righteously bring the Jinyiwei to their doorstep to demand compensation.

The token old Zhu gave him that day was still kept by him.

Having given his instructions, Zhu Yuntong led his three imperial uncles into the Moon-Viewing Tower.

Dressed in splendid attire and looking at a glance like people who could afford to pay, they encountered no obstruction upon entering, and someone even enthusiastically came over to host them.

There was none of the clamor found in ordinary inns and taverns here; instead, there was a sense of quiet. Looking at the interior decoration, it was filled with a scholarly atmosphere, giving off a very high-end feeling, and business was exceptionally good.

"The consumption is so high, yet business is still so good."

Zhu Gui was envious at this and said, "This Lü Zheng has some skill."

They sat down on the second floor and spoke in low voices.

The spot where they sat was equivalent to a private compartment.

Screens were placed front and back to separate neighboring tables, giving one the feeling of being in a private room.

"This place is indeed not bad!"

Zhu Yuntong felt that Lü Zheng still understood business quite well.

Being able to ruin other inns required not only the formidable backing of the Crown Princess, but also a certain degree of genuine capability.

As soon as they finished speaking, a waiter came over to ask what they wanted and handed over a menu. Seeing the prices on it, the three imperial uncles secretly thought it was no different from robbery.

Only Zhu Yuntong remained calm and composed, casually ordering five dishes that were neither expensive nor cheap—standard and conventional—along with a pot of wine.

Waiting for the waiter to leave, Zhu Yang spoke in a low voice, "Yuntong, why let Lü Zheng make so much money?"

The dishes ordered just now added up to more than twenty taels of silver, and that pot of wine required an additional ten taels; thirty taels vanished in an instant.

"If we didn't order a few more dishes, it would look shabby. Do you want Lü Zheng's people to make a laughingstock of us?"

Zhu Yuntong said unconcernedly, "As an uncle and nephews, we certainly cannot let the Lü family look down on us. Besides, however much they earn today, we will seize it back twofold in the future."

When it came to how to run a tavern, Zhu Yuntong was still a professional and had full confidence. Lü Zheng was simply not impressive enough in front of him.