In a superior room at Tongfu Inn in Changzhou Prefecture, northern desert, the candle had gone out sometime ago, leaving the room pitch black except for a small, barely visible figure.

With a clap of thunder, the little one struggled and murmured, "Mother."

In a half-dreaming, half-awake state, he finally remembered where he was.

According to the ancestral precepts of the Sang Kingdom royal family, upon the ascension of a new emperor, the remaining adult princes must immediately go to their fiefdoms after participating in the enthronement ceremony.

He was not favored from childhood and was used to the sycophancy and flattery in the palace. He thought that with his elder brother's ascension to the throne, he would be the only underage prince in the palace and his brother's slight favor would make his life easier. But who knew that after the coronation ceremony, the imperial decree to go to his fiefdom in the northern desert was also issued.

Apart from his wet nurse and two palace maids, the chief secretary, guards, and doctors accompanying him were all bestowed upon him by his elder brother. He boarded the carriage to the northern desert in a daze, carrying only a few gifts...

After a flash of lightning, he suddenly heard a strange crackling sound that nearly made his head spin. A moment later, a very peculiar voice announced: "Agricultural and Commercial System connecting..."

He said silently, "Who is speaking?"

"Connection successful. Enjoy using it."

The strange sound disappeared with a crackling noise, and then two blurry figures suddenly appeared in front of him. Startled, he hugged the blanket tightly and shouted, "Chief Secretary Xie! Chief Secretary Xie!"

Xie Changshi was not present, but the figures of the two men became increasingly clear.

A man dressed in a purple robe, with gold threads shimmering in the robe as he moved, held a folding fan in his hand and was smiling at him. His chubby appearance made him look exactly like the head steward of the imperial kitchen.

The thought of the imperial kitchen made Gu Yuzhi glance at his flat stomach, feeling a little aggrieved. He wouldn't be able to secretly eat the imperial kitchen's delicacies anymore...

Just as Gu Yuzhi remained silent, the woman beside him waved her hand in front of him with delight: "Is the young prince awake?" She clicked her tongue twice and leaned forward to examine him closely. "This is the first time I've ever seen a prince alive!"

Seeing the young prince's blank expression, the woman covered her mouth and laughed: "Are you still wondering if I've ever seen a dead prince?" She kept waving her index finger. "Of course not!"

As she was about to pinch his cheek, the little prince stepped back and scolded her in a childish voice, "How dare you!"

Prince Gu Yuzhi felt a little scared. He didn't understand why these two people were in his room, nor why there was no one guarding his room.

The woman stepped forward, and he then noticed her strangely shaped clothes, her shoulder-length hair, and the two circles around her face...

He had never heard his mother mention any custom that would allow women to dress like this.

Gu Yuzhi clenched his hands together under the covers, his face serious as he asked, "Who are you, and why are you here?"

Although he appeared to be an exile, his accompanying guards were quite skilled in martial arts and should have noticed the two men.

The man with the folding fan then bowed to Gu Yuzhi in a proper manner: "Your Highness, my name is Wen Xiuzhu. In my previous life, I was a renowned imperial merchant of the previous dynasty, so I belong to the commercial system within the agricultural and commercial system. Your Highness may address me as Manager Wen."

Before his death...

Before his death?

Gu Yuzhi's pupils dilated slightly. Had he encountered a ghost?

Gu Yuzhi nervously swallowed, feigning composure as he looked at the female ghost beside him: "And you? What is your identity?"

The woman took two steps back and bowed to Gu Yuzhi: "My name is Shu Xiaohan. I am from the agricultural system within the agricultural and commercial system. I was a PhD from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences in my previous life. You can call me Teacher Shu, Your Highness." While Gu Yuzhi was in a daze, she reached out to pinch his cheek, but her hand passed right through him.

She suddenly remembered that she was now in an ideological state, and withdrew her hand with considerable regret.

Gu Yuzhi breathed a sigh of relief because of Shu Xiaohan's actions.

If these two ghosts can't touch me, does that mean they can't really hurt me?

His clenched little hands relaxed slightly: "Why are you here? Where are my guards?"

Shu Xiaohan had been paying close attention to Gu Yuzhi, so she naturally didn't miss the change in his expression. She explained with a smile, "Young Prince, there's no need to be afraid. Wen Xiuzhu and I are currently in conscious..." She paused, "...in soul form. We exist within your brain..."

She pointed to the brain: "That is, the head, so this scene is an illusion, not actually in the inn."

The head?

Gu Yuzhi subconsciously touched his head.

He wanted to ask more questions, but Wen Xiuzhu said sarcastically, "This Miss Shu, even if the prince is young, you should refer to yourself as a servant when you are with him. Also, the prince's face is not something you or I can touch at will."

Shu Xiaohan rolled her eyes and pouted, thinking to herself, "These ancient people are so old-fashioned. They're already dead, and they still talk about servants and lowly people..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuzhi shifted his gaze to Wen Xiuzhu: "I heard you guys mention an agricultural and commercial system before, what is that?"

"Your Highness, as the name suggests, the Agriculture and Commerce System means that Miss Shu and I will assist you in developing your fiefdom through agriculture and commerce." Speaking of his expertise, Wen Xiuzhu straightened his back. "Vigorously developing commerce will bring a continuous stream of wealth to your fiefdom. Although the social hierarchy is scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with merchants having the lowest status, the development of every dynasty has been inseparable from the support of merchants."

Gu Yuzhi's little head bobbed up and down, and for a moment he forgot his fear.

Although he was young, he knew that the previous emperor was cruel, that the Taizu uprising was supported by local wealthy merchants, and that the situation in Jiangnan was quickly stabilized last year because merchants led the way in donating money to help deal with the floods...

"The same applies to agricultural development," Shu Xiaohan chimed in at the opportune moment. "Although the taxes paid by agriculture are not as high as those paid by commerce, agriculture is the foundation of national development. No matter what happens, as long as we have grain in hand, we can remain calm in the face of adversity."

She smiled and said, "I don't claim to know every agricultural product 100%, but I will do my best to help you increase the grain yield in your fiefdom, and to explore as many agricultural products as possible and produce more agricultural by-products."

Wen Xiuzhu smiled dismissively: "Grain can be bought with money, but trade cannot be done simply by spending money!"

Shu Xiaohan calmly retorted: "To only focus on commerce and ignore agriculture is to put the cart before the horse..."

The two started arguing.

Gu Yuzhi didn't stop them, silently repeating their words in his mind. He was skeptical about their claim that they were there to help him, and asked suspiciously, "So, will you just stay in my head like this forever?"

Wen Xiuzhu put away his ferocious expression and said respectfully, "When you need us, just call our names. When you don't need us, just tell us to leave."

Gu Yuzhi nodded silently, quickly said goodbye and withdrew. Only after Wen and Shu's figures disappeared instantly did he breathe a small sigh of relief.

Only then did Gu Yuzhi realize that something was wrong. He cautiously opened his eyes and saw that it was already dawn...