Weeks passed under silent tension.
The accusation that Li Tian had leaked the paper formula to Sevenrock had spread like poison. Merchants whispered. Ministers watched. The Fourth Prince remained unusually quiet.
But truth, when investigated thoroughly, rarely hides forever.
The Fifth Princess personally ordered a deep audit of trade routes, warehouse logs, ink purchases, and private correspondences.
Nothing linked the Li Family.
Nothing traced back to the Chamber of Commerce.
Instead—
A different trail appeared.
Hidden transactions.
Unregistered messengers.
Secret exchanges with agents stationed near Sevenrock borders.
And at the center of it—
An imperial eunuch.
Advisor to the Fourth Prince.
---
The Real Traitor
The evidence was irrefutable.
The eunuch had secretly copied partial paper techniques during early court demonstrations. He then passed incomplete formulas to black-market intermediaries, who attempted production across the border.
Profit was his motive.
Political leverage his secondary aim.
When the Fifth Princess presented the proof in a closed council session, silence fell.
The Fourth Prince did not deny association—
But he claimed ignorance.
The eunuch was dragged forward.
Pale.
Sweating.
Begging.
The Fifth Princess watched without emotion.
"Selling state innovation to foreign hands," she said calmly, "is not corruption."
"It is treason."
Punishment was swift.
Title stripped.
Property confiscated.
Exile to the northern labor mines.
Public announcement followed.
The message was clear—
The Li Family was not the source.
The court stabilized.
Whispers quieted.
But politics never truly ends.
---
A Question Avoided
Later that evening, inside her private pavilion, the Fifth Princess faced Li Tian alone.
"You negotiated personally with Long Fang."
It was not a question.
"You returned with a contract."
Her eyes sharpened.
"What exactly did you trade?"
Li Tian poured tea slowly.
Steam rose between them.
"Raw materials."
"For controlled distribution."
"That is all."
She did not blink.
"Sevenrock is greedy. They would not sign without heavy incentive."
Li Tian took a sip.
"Greed does not require explanation."
"It requires direction."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He had answered—
Without answering.
The princess observed him for several seconds.
Then she leaned back.
"You are becoming harder to read."
"That is survival."
He did not mention pricing.
He did not mention exclusivity clauses.
And he certainly did not mention the art piece now sitting in Long Fang's private chamber.
Some assets were best kept invisible.
---
Return to the Li Estate
Back at the Li Family residence, the atmosphere was completely different.
No politics.
Only expansion.
Li Tian summoned Su Bai to the inner strategy hall.
Maps of trade routes were spread across the table.
Sevenrock.
Azure Flame.
Blaze Continent.
Shipping lanes marked in red ink.
Su Bai studied the new contract.
"Five gold coins per slab…" she murmured.
"Even with production cost, margin remains strong."
"Especially if volume increases."
Li Tian nodded.
"Raw glass production must scale immediately."
"Not artisanal."
"Industrial."
She looked up sharply.
"Factory scale?"
"Yes."
"The Chamber of Commerce will establish the first dedicated glass factory."
Kilns.
Sand purification units.
Coal distribution lines.
Skilled craftsmen under layered supervision.
And strict secrecy.
Su Bai's eyes lit with calculation.
"If Sevenrock controls refinement, we control supply."
"And supply controls empires."
Li Tian's silence confirmed it.
Within days—
Construction began on the outskirts of the capital.
Coal from the Li Fuel Company.
Transport through the delivery network.
Security handled by Shadow Veil.
Everything interlinked.
A closed ecosystem.
---
The Bai Family at a Crossroads
While the Li Family expanded outward—
The Bai Family trembled internally.
After the death of Su Bai's father, leadership fractured.
Her eldest brother claimed inheritance by tradition.
Her uncle claimed authority by seniority.
Merchants aligned into factions.
Silk markets were tense.
And now—
The family had reached a breaking point.
A new leader had to be chosen.
Without unity—
Competitors would devour them.
Su Bai arrived at Li Tian's study late one evening.
For once—
Her composure carried visible strain.
"The decision will be made within ten days."
"My uncle has secured half the elders."
"My brother has gathered support among traditionalists."
"And you?" Li Tian asked calmly.
"I have numbers," she replied.
"Profit growth. Trade expansion. Risk management."
"But politics is not math."
Silence filled the room.
Then she looked directly at him.
"I need support."
Not emotional support.
Not advice.
Influence.
Weight.
Power.
"If the Li Chamber publicly backs me," she continued, "the elders will hesitate."
"Your glass factory alone shifts market balance."
Li Tian leaned back slightly.
This was no longer just business.
This was power alignment between families.
"You are already the most capable," he said.
"Then make others see it."
Her voice softened slightly.
"For that… I may need your presence."
The room grew still.
Outside, construction of the glass factory continued through the night.
Inside, another kind of foundation was being laid—
One built on alliances.
Not contracts.
Li Tian's mind moved several steps ahead.
Supporting Su Bai meant securing silk supply chains permanently.
It meant loyalty.
It meant deeper entanglement.
He looked at her steadily.
"Prepare your presentation to the elders."
"I will attend."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
Not victory.
But momentum.
---
As the moon rose above the capital—
Three forces advanced simultaneously:
The Princess tightening control over court politics.
The Li Chamber expanding into industrial dominance.
And the Bai Family standing on the edge of internal war.
In empires—
Battles were not always fought with blades.
Sometimes—
They were decided across tables.
With contracts.
With silence.
And with the right ally at the right moment.
---
End of Chapter 38