Chapter Eighteen

Despite Hesheli Fujin's unwelcoming attitude, Chen Jialuo simply pretended that she was going with her parents to visit an unfamiliar distant relative, who turned out to be rather unpleasant.

Those young girls did have nice voices, but while they were having a good time chatting—no… I should say they were being coaxed into having a good time—they barely felt it was nice.

However, her mother said that she used to stay at home all the time, but now that the headmistress is not here, she is allowed to go out and play for a day and go back early.

Chen Jialuo: ? ? ?

Mother, are you alright? This isn't...

Chen Jialuo was unsure if etiquette differed in ancient times, so she leaned closer to Fucha Fujin and whispered, "Mother, is it appropriate for me not to be here?"

It's not that the two families are to be in-laws, oh no, it's that they are both important maternal and paternal families of the Crown Prince. Isn't it inappropriate for me to show such disrespect to Consort Hesheli?

"It's alright, she was just teasing you." In fact, Consort Fucha's knowledge of the Crown Prince's arrival and departure was far more important to her than Hesheli's.

Some people in the shadows probably know that none of the princesses in Yuqing Palace have ever served the emperor. What does that mean? It means that His Highness the Crown Prince doesn't have any favored princesses, so his own daughter still has a significant advantage.

Even if many more beautiful and charming princesses appear in the future, as long as my own daughter gives birth to a prince as soon as possible, my life will be secure!

Consort Fucha wouldn't even consider that His Highness the Crown Prince could exclusively favor or deeply love her daughter, like Consort Rong, who was once the most favored concubine in the harem. Where would she have a place now?

Now that there's no woman around, and their daughter has a favorable position, it's a good start. Why not hurry up and kick her out? What is Hesheli anyway? The Fucha family doesn't rely on coaxing Hesheli for food.

"Once the wedding date is set, you can't go out anymore. After you marry into the palace, you'll have even less of a chance," Consort Fucha said casually when she saw that she didn't move.

Suddenly, Chen Jialuo was like a kite with a broken string, a wild horse that had broken free of its reins.

Let's live for today, and deal with whatever storms come our way tomorrow. She's determined to go out and have some fresh air today.

Damn it, even being in prison wasn't as painful as this. It's been three years. As the future Crown Princess, she could choose not to be one, but the Fucha family wants her to persevere so that those in power can see her sincere filial piety and that she is truly living a life of mourning.

To make things more authentic for his daughter, he didn't tell her the details. Presumably, His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn't have just rushed over to deliver gifts to Suo'etu and then returned to the palace.

So, the kite with the broken string went to inspect its businesses first. In addition to the library, it also bought jewelry and clothing. Even if the pretty girls didn't wear them, they would still buy them. If the people around them didn't know how, they would go outside to hire a 'designer'.

It was also very profitable. The manager they hired was excellent, but the people they recruited from outside were more passionate and energetic.

Immediately after arriving, she heard the question, "Does your shop only sell these kinds of frivolous books?" This question left Chen Jialu stunned.

Before she could even retort angrily, Liu Quan, the shopkeeper, became even angrier. "Sir, what you're saying is wrong. How can our bookstore sell improper books? Don't be fooled by the strange titles; they're meant to benefit a wider range of women."

He picked up a book at random, "like this one. It tells the story of a wealthy heiress who is tricked into marrying a poor scholar, only to discover that he intends to murder her for money. The book teaches women how to fight back, how to protect their rights, and how, as women, they must know how to protect themselves, and more importantly, how to do so." (Title: "After Marrying a Scholar, I Rolled Up My Sleeves and Got to Work")

"This book tells the story of how the Marquis's mansion had its young master switched. The master favored the fake young master and looked down on the real young master who had just returned. As a result, the real young master became the top scholar in the imperial examination, and the Marquis's mansion repeatedly fell into decline. This shows that we shouldn't look down on people; fortunes change, and we shouldn't underestimate the potential of the young..." (From "A Few Things I Had to Tell About the Old Marquis")

Liu Quan launched into a passionate introduction to those books whose titles seemed frivolous but whose content was actually positive and uplifting, while giving him a look that seemed to say, "How could you be so filthy?"

At the same time, His Highness the Crown Prince also heard a familiar female voice saying, "Your Highness is still as handsome as ever. It's been so long since we last met. Your adorable baby fat has turned into handsome and charming looks."

I glanced over instinctively and saw a slightly familiar face, but...

Three years had passed since they last met. His once bright and dignified fiancée had transformed into a delicate and tender one. If it weren't for the same direct and passionate declaration of love she used to give, he would have wondered if she were a completely different person.

"Young Master, it's been a long time." When His Highness the Crown Prince looked over, Chen Jialuo raised a bright and beautiful smile, took a few steps over, and greeted him with a smile.

Outside the palace, the Crown Prince's identity cannot be revealed. After much thought, Chen Jialuo came up with this title—a simple yet foolproof one.

"Hmm." Yinreng knew that Chen Jialuo would definitely come over to greet him given her straightforward enthusiasm, so he remained calm and composed with his aloof and noble demeanor.

"Young master, are you here to buy books?" Chen Jialuo really liked Rong's cool and aloof demeanor.

"Just browsing." What kind of books doesn't the palace have? He was just wandering around and happened to come across this place. Seeing so many people and people calling out "three or five books at a time," he assumed it was something valuable...

The result was disappointing.

"Young Master, these books are not really suitable for you to read." If the Emperor saw these storybooks, he would think that the Crown Prince was indulging in frivolous pursuits... Well, perhaps that's not the right word? But he would definitely think that the Emperor had corrupted his Crown Prince.

"Oh? I... cough, then what would suit me?" The Crown Prince chuckled softly, his face, radiant with a gentle smile, was as captivating as a flower infused with light.

“Young master, I don’t know much about what books you read on a regular basis, but at least you read the Four Books and Five Classics and the Great Learning, which are proper books. These are just stories for young ladies to amuse themselves. You are different; you are a fine young man who is going to conquer the world.”

Chen Jialuo knew the art of speaking well; being able to soothe and coax people was much better than pointing fingers and scolding them. She was not qualified to educate or comment on the Crown Prince's studies.

As soon as Chen Jialuo said this, Xiao Shunzi raised his eyes and secretly glanced at her several times. This future Crown Princess, her way of speaking... cough cough, is quite interesting.

Crown Prince Yinreng listened, looking at her with a half-smile, as if he understood the subtext of her words.

"What are you doing here? Do you like reading these...storybooks?" He remembered that when he went to Hesheli to deliver birthday gifts to Suo'etu, he heard Suo'etu say something like "The Crown Princess is here too." How did he manage to run all the way from Hesheli to catch up with him here so quickly?

Stalking the Crown Prince was a serious crime, but he used another excuse to give her one.

Although she had long admired him and perhaps even wished she could be with him all the time, pursuing him like this was simply not the way a girl should be reserved.

"Young master, this is my bookstore, a shop that my mother gave me as part of her dowry. The bookstore was losing money at first, and the manager even embezzled some of it. Because I like reading storybooks, I had someone change the business direction. Now, the bookstore's business is getting better and better."

Chen Jialuo didn't hide anything from Yinreng. These things could be found out with a simple investigation. She was quite proud of it. Could she be considered to have set a new trend?

Consorts, concubines, and young ladies confined to their chambers and unable to freely venture out, couldn't afford to hire opera troupes every day, and not all of them were skilled or fond of embroidery. Their leisure time, however, was spent idly. Why were later novels so popular? Because they were all descendants of the Chinese people, their talents tested by the market, and of course they enjoyed it.

She also wants to read a novel similar to Meteor Garden, with a 'four men vying for one woman' theme. By the way, this one is good; I'll have someone write it next time.

"Not bad." They turned a profit, even though the approach was a bit off.

When Liu Quan heard the girl say that this was her dowry shop, he immediately understood and pulled out the latest storybooks.

When he first arrived, the stories he wrote were all commissioned by the government. Later, as his popularity grew, more and more people submitted their stories, and he was the one who delivered them to the Fucha Mansion.

"This...Princess, these are the latest novels in the bookstore, especially this one, which is the latest work by Nan Cha Gongzi, the author of 'The Rich Wife's Abuse of Her Scumbag Husband.' It's the best-selling book in the bookstore, and this one too..." Liu Quan knew that this was the owner of the bookstore, so he naturally greeted her warmly.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jialuo was immediately intrigued and rushed over. "Really? I love that book by Young Master Nancha! Let me take a look..."

The Crown Prince, who had just praised Chen Jialuo: ? ? ?

He promised to be deeply in love with her, so why did he run away while we were talking?

He's not even as good as a storybook, is he?

(End of this chapter)