Guagua, to make money! Didn't you see? By the way, show me what the Lanling Xiao Clan's main business is, that is, their main source of income.
Emperor Jingyuan: The Wang clan of Langya, the Xie clan of Chenjun, the Xiao clan of Lanling, and the Yang clan of Hongnong are the representatives of the aristocratic families of Jinling. As local clans, the four families have been entrenched in Jinling for many years, and the Jiangnan region is firmly under their control. Xu Haoping, the salt inspector I sent, has really worked hard these years!
[Host, the Xiao family has countless sources of income. They have officials, merchants, countless fertile fields and shops, and a multitude of skilled craftsmen. In short, they have immense influence and earn a fortune every day.]
Hearing Shen Mingzhu's words, Shen Changyuan wiped his sweat and unconsciously glanced at Emperor Jingyuan.
Shen Changyuan: How can you tell the truth like that!
[Great! Guagua, as long as they have enough resources! I was just worried that if they didn't have enough money, they won't have enough to play with!]
Shen Changyuan: What are you trying to do? My cotton padded jacket!
Emperor Jingyuan glanced at his sideways, then focused intently on looking downstairs.
It looks like the Xiao family is in for some bad luck.
I just don't know in which way.
[Host, get down there! Your two brothers are about to lose their underwear!]
Shen Changyuan: What are you saying, young lady!
The emperor remained silent.
That's what Crown Prince Yan Beichen, who had just come upstairs, heard.
[Guagua, don't rush. Let the bullets fly a little longer.]
[Host, don't let any more bullets fly! If they do, your family's money will be gone, and your brother will be utterly humiliated! You still have a place in Shengjing to live in! You don't want to be laughed at because of what happened today, do you?]
He glanced at Shen Mingzhu helplessly.
She was the Crown Princess, his wife to be; who dared to mock her!
Heaven knows when he heard about what was happening at Tianxianglou, he rushed over as fast as he could, only to be invited upstairs as soon as he arrived.
He didn't expect his father to be here too.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu wearing the light purple dress he had given her, he felt a secret joy in his heart.
Shen Changyuan: Two unfilial sons, what a disgrace!
"Guagua, let me find an excuse to go down and rescue them. It's almost lunchtime, and I'm getting hungry, too!"
Emperor Jingyuan: So this is what the Crown Princess is like!
He gave the chief steward Wang Defu a look, and immediately, the meal was served in the private room.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Father, I'm going down to check on my brothers. That Scholar Xiao is getting a bit arrogant. I'll go down and have a word with him."
Shen Changyuan was a little worried and wanted to go down with her.
But with the emperor and the crown prince present, he had no right to speak.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen smiled.
"Father, let me accompany Mingzhu down there."
Emperor Jingyuan nodded with a smile.
The father and son exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.
Shen Mingzhu walked side by side with the Crown Prince, her deep, dark eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.
When everyone saw the Crown Prince arrive, they all turned around and bowed.
Seeing Shen Mingzhu, Shen Qinghong, and Shen Qingbo looked extremely uncomfortable!
He didn't see the golden house, nor did he gain the reputation of a true talent, but he did give away a large sum of money.
Young Master Xiao Seeing Crown Prince Yan Beichen arrive, and then glancing at Shen Mingzhu beside him, he smiled. He had launched a devastating attack, defeating dozens of scholars and many candidates from the capital in one morning, making him the talk of the town in Shengjing.
He bowed to the Crown Prince, but when he learned that the excessively beautiful girl was Shen Mingzhu, who had recently been appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, the disdain on his face was caught by Shen Mingzhu.
But his ingrained manners still made him bow to Shen Mingzhu.
"Shen Mingzhu ".
"Young Master Xiao, please get up, no need for formalities."
[Very good, Guagua, Xiao Yanzhi has successfully caught my attention. He's destined to pay the price.]
[Host, your old-fashioned CEO quotes are getting a bit cheesy!]
Xiao Yanzhi heard Shen Mingzhu's voice and another person named Guagua's voice, but Shen Mingzhu hadn't spoken.
His expression remained unchanged, but a smile appeared on his face.
He read extensively from a young age and had read some strange and unusual things. It was said that some people were favoured by the heavens and could know things that others could not.
Could this young Miss Shen be the one favoured by heaven?
He glanced at Crown Prince Yan Beichen beside him; he was being very protective of her. He was truly intrigued.
[Guagua, look! Isn't Xiao Yanzhi's smile even more greasy?]
Hearing Shen Mingzhu's heartfelt words, the Crown Prince's smile deepened.
Yes, it's greasy.
His crown princess chose the words so precisely!
Xiao Yanzhi opened his folding fan, exuding the air of a romantic and talented scholar.
"Young Miss Shen, are you here to deliver silver notes to your two elder brothers?"
Shen Mingzhu glanced at her two older brothers and said with a smile,
"We don't have silver notes, but we have plenty of fists the size of casserole dishes."
"Little sister."
Shen Qinghong and Shen Qingbo lowered their heads, somewhat afraid to look at her.
"Young Miss Shen is too kind. Coming from a noble family, this is just a small amount of money."
No one can take my money away.
Hearing Shen Mingzhu's heartfelt words, Xiao Yanzhi became even more excited.
"Young Miss Shen, five thousand taels is nothing to the Shen family."
[Guagua, do my two spendthrift brothers know that Dad gave me five thousand taels of silver this morning and are deliberately waiting for me here?]
Shen Qinghong: Father gave my little sister five thousand taels of silver? Father is so good to my little sister!
Shen Qingbo: He asked his father for 500 taels of silver, and his father gave him a meal of stir-fried pork with bamboo sticks. In the end, he gave his younger sister 5,000 taels of silver without batting an eye.
Envious!
Shen Mingzhu clutched her chest.
[Guagua, that Xiao Yanzhi is awful! I'm going to teach him a lesson and show him that there are always people more capable than you!]
[Host, keep it up!]
Listening to Shen Mingzhu's thoughts, Xiao Yanzhi felt disdainful, thinking that he had easily defeated Shen Mingzhu.
However, he will go easy on her, after all, she is the future Crown Princess, and a special person at that, and he still wants to get to know her better.
"Today we gather to exchange poems, Xiao Yanzhi, shall we have a round?"
"Hahaha~~~ I am honored to be invited by Lord Shen!"
Go ahead and be arrogant, go ahead and be arrogant, but in a minute you'll be kneeling and calling me daddy!
[Host, unleash your talent and make the arrogant Xiao Yanzhi submit!]
Xiao Yanzhi shook his head and smiled without saying a word.
Does this Shen Xiuzuan think that His Majesty has appointed her as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and that she really has the talent of a top scholar?
"Young Master Shen, I am happy to accompany you in your poetry, songs, and couplet-composing."
The streets outside were bustling with traffic, but inside Tianxiang Tower, it was completely silent.
Shen Qinghong said, "Little sister, Xiao Yanzhi is very good at composing couplets."
Shen Qingbo said, "Little sister, Xiao Yanzhi is proficient in all forms of poetry, lyrics, and prose..."
Upstairs, Emperor Jingyuan and Prince An leaned on the railing, watching the spectacle.
Shen Changyuan, looking at his three children downstairs, was anxiously pacing back and forth, but he couldn't show it. He was so anxious that blisters appeared on his lips.
[Guagua, what is Xiao Yanzhi's greatest strength?]
[Host, Xiao Yanzhi is unmatched in couplet composition to this day, and he is proficient in poetry, lyrics, and prose—all are exceptionally brilliant. To be honest, he has every right to be arrogant. Unfortunately for him, he has met his match with the host!]
Shen Mingzhu gave Young Master Xiao mysterious smile.
"Young Master Xiao, let's compose a couplet then! I really enjoy it!"