Wu Mei frowned as she listened to Bai Chun's words. She began to calculate in her mind how much 40% of the sales in the past four years was? Also, how much was the total profit in the past four years?

Wu Mei's skill in moving the abacus beads is absolutely first-rate. After she learned about Li Hong's mental arithmetic and other mathematical techniques, she began to go to Chongwenguan from time to time, either to ask for advice or to call Yang Jiong and others to the palace to have them explain things to her.

So now, when Bai Chun was talking to Lan Ling and others, Wu Mei started to count with an abacus, figuring out how much money they had earned in the past four years, what was the total profit, and how much profit was left after Li Hong took away 40% of the total sales.

When the crackling sound of the beads died down, everyone in Penglai Palace stared at the abacus. The entire Penglai Palace was silent, with only Wu Mei's trembling hands and rapid breathing, which were the only sounds in the entire palace.

"Zero? What does this mean?" Li Zhi watched Wu Mei fiddle with the beads for a long time, but how come the last number was zero!

Wu Mei's hands were shaking and she bit her lips tightly. If Li Hong was in Penglai Palace at this moment, his first reaction would definitely be to run away. At this moment, no one could afford to offend or persuade the queen mother.

"Bai Chun, tell me the truth, what does he need so much money for?" Wu Mei felt her heart bleeding. All the profits she earned in the past four years were easily packed up and taken away by this little idiot!

In other words, what she and Lanling and the others had thought was a great bargain in the beginning was just that they had been making money for that little idiot in the past four years, and all the profits they had earned with their hard work were defrauded by the total four-year amount in the contract with that little idiot!

The little idiot had already calculated these profits, and had also already calculated that the total profit would be 40% of the total sales, so he compulsorily included this clause in the contract!

...

...

So, now that the little idiot has taken all the money, he only leaves a small amount for the four of them. Only then can the four of them start to make profits for themselves. They have worked for the little idiot for four years in vain!

How could Wu Mei, the strongest woman in the history, tolerate this! It really fulfilled what Li Hong, the bastard, always said to Li Dan: "If you don't lose weight and just eat, you will become stupid. When you are sold, you will still be counting money for others!"

Wu Mei felt this way at the moment. She was a fool who had been counting money for the bastard for four years! In the end, the bastard took all of it. Even if she wanted to settle the score with him, he was thousands of miles away!

"Did that little bastard already plan this? What does he need so much money for?!" Wu Mei was furious, completely furious, like a tigress, ready to eat people at any time!

The Queen's majesty was fully revealed at this moment. She had the domineering and majestic aura of the greatest empress of all time. Even Li Zhi, who was standing next to her, had to give way to her and quietly leaned to the other side of the chair.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to rebuild the four towns of Anxi. He needs a lot of money and items, so he has to involve you. And..." Bai Chun was looking at Wu Mei at this moment, and he was extremely nervous. After all, she was the queen.

"And what? Tell me." Wu Mei tried her best to control her emotions. She had been cheated by that bastard for four years, and she was still foolishly counting money for him. She couldn't swallow this humiliation no matter what.

“Besides, Taiyi City is now out of money. All the money has been invested by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in the four towns of Anxi. Only some funds are left for circulation.” Bai Chun said fearfully with sweat in his palms.

"What if I refuse to give him the money?" Wu Mei thought of the money. She originally thought it was hers, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be Li Hong's. She was just a money-making machine for him. Anyone else would not be in a good mood if they were calculated and harmed like this, let alone her, Wu Mei!

"In the past, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wanted you to invest in the Royal Bank and wanted the Ministry of Revenue to participate more, but you refused. Today, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still has the final say in the Royal Bank, and your money is all there, so..."

"So even if I don't give him the money, it will be useless, and he can still take all the money away?"

"Yes, Queen."

Wu Mei sighed deeply, and the remaining trace of rationality made her pick up the contract and look through it again.

After looking carefully for a while, he felt a little calmer. No matter what, after the New Year's Day, no matter how much money these workshops made, it would have nothing to do with him, Li Hong. This was the only thing that comforted him.

But after thinking about this, he looked at Li Zhi, who was leaning against the back of the chair far away from him, and asked in confusion: "Even if the Anxi Protectorate wants to rebuild the four Anxi towns, does it need the approval of the Ministry of Works? Does the Chief of Construction also have the authority?"

"That's true, what's wrong?" Li Zhi asked evasively.

"So you agreed to him? So you knew from the beginning that Li Hong would do anything to make money? But you never mentioned it to me, Lanling and others. Are you helping Li Hong to hide it from us?" Wu Mei's eyes shot out a cold light, making Li Zhi very uncomfortable.

"This matter has nothing to do with me. I was also deceived by him. It was only when Yan Liben came today that I learned that Li Hong wanted to rebuild the four towns of Anxi." Li Zhi looked at Wu Mei and explained sincerely.

"Humph, I don't believe it. Such a big matter, even if Li Hong is in Chang'an, he may not be able to sort it out all at once. It must be you and him who are colluding to deceive us." The emperor's sister Chengyang was not happy and said sullenly.

"Alas... I also want to teach that little idiot a lesson. He has been using the calligraphy copybook of Preface to the Lanting Poems to seduce the confused old Yan Liben for several years. Yan Liben has never even seen the shadow of Preface to the Lanting Poems, but every time Li Hong used this trick, Yan Liben gave him an easy way. I only found out about it after the morning court was over. Otherwise, why do you think I got angry with Hua Ji as soon as I came in?" Li Zhi looked at Wu Mei and his three sisters and explained helplessly.

Wu Mei thought silently, and then said, "How long has he been gone? Now Anxi has two great protectors, and issuing orders from multiple places has always been a taboo in military strategy. Didn't he and Pei Xingjian compete for military power? Or Pei Xingjian has been convinced by him, otherwise, how could he act so quickly and start rebuilding Anxi? Did he have all the power in his hands?"

Wu Mei was very surprised. It had only been a few months. Normally, Li Hong had no time to mess with the four Anxi towns. Instead, he should have secretly competed with Pei Xingjian first, or messed with the ownership of military power for a few months. But it was as if nothing had happened. Thinking of this, Wu Mei couldn't help but look at Li Zhi. Did she make things easy for Li Hong again?

Li Zhi and Wu Mei had been together for many years, and they truly loved each other. They might not have telepathic connection, but at least they had a tacit understanding that they had developed over the years.

Without waiting for Wu Mei to ask, Li Zhi sighed again and said, "Li Hong did not ask for military power at all. Instead, he made three agreements with Pei Xingjian. Pei Xingjian was only responsible for leading the troops in battle, while he, Li Hong, was in the rear, providing Pei Xingjian with everything he needed. Food, horses, and everything the soldiers needed were all done by Li Hong. Therefore, the two of them now cooperate well with each other in the Anxi Protectorate. The Shule riot has been suppressed by Pei Xingjian and is under control again. Ashina Duzhi was chased by Li Hong on the grassland like a stray dog. He and Li Zhapu in the west have now retreated deep into the grassland. I'm afraid they will not be able to attack for a while."

Wu Mei felt relieved for no reason when listening to Li Zhi's words. This Li Hong knew how to consider the overall situation. As a result, the four towns of Anxi immediately became stable.

She waved her hand and asked the palace maid to move a screen over to Bai Chun in front of him as he was stunned. Watching Wu Mei pick up the pen and write on it, Bai Chun was so shocked that he couldn't describe it in words.

I saw that the screen was covered with beautiful handwriting. Upon closer inspection, they were all Li Hong’s crimes!

From the terminology used at the beginning as a little monkey, to the terminology used as a little bastard, and looking at what is written now, it is clearly the title of a little idiot.

When he was a little monkey, he made a mirror for the first time and used sunlight to illuminate the empress, who was placed on the screen by Wu Mei.

Destroying the Glazed Tower was naturally also listed on the list.

All the evil deeds he did as a little bastard, such as not tying his hair and studying at the Hongwenguan, were listed there.

The most highlight of his time as a little idiot was naturally this time, when he calculated that Wu Mei had worked for him for four years in vain and had counted his money for four years in vain.

Bai Chun looked at the densely packed words on the screen and felt inexplicably moved. These were not just crimes; they were simply the growth history of Crown Prince Li Hong. It was much more vivid and lively than what was recorded by the historians.

"Have you written it down? Oh, and write down mine, too." Li Zhi looked at Wu Mei and stopped writing, then thought for a moment and said.

"Okay, I'll write it down for you too." After Wu Mei finished speaking, she actually pulled open the screen and turned it over. She saw another densely packed page of words. It was the numerous crimes that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had committed in front of his father!

Less than a few days before New Year's Day, Pei Xingjian led his troops back to Qiuci City. After being welcomed by Li Hong and stationing his soldiers, he was welcomed into the city by Li Hong.

Pei Xingjian looked at the Tang Dynasty flags fluttering at the city gate, and his heart, which had been hanging in the air, was finally at ease. During the expedition, he had been afraid that the Crown Prince, who was young and hot-tempered, would not be able to resist Ashina Duzhi's plan to lure the enemy and run to the grassland to find Ashina Duzhi. Now that he saw that the Crown Prince and the City of Kucha were still there, the big stone in his heart was finally put down.

"Your servant Pei Xingjian thanks the Grand Protector." Pei Xingjian watched as the Crown Prince, who originally had fair skin and tender flesh, became dark-skinned in a short period of time. His skin was not as delicate as when he first arrived, and he expressed his sincere gratitude.