"If someone else buys it and my family loses it, wouldn't that make us seem less wealthy than others?"

Wealthy families flocked to the shop, keeping Jiang Shuwan's glass shop extremely busy. The two-story shop had over a dozen waiters just to greet customers, not to mention sales staff...

No, there's no need for sales at all. Customers are so captivated by what they see in the display case that they can't even walk past it. They just keep telling their servants to hurry back and get the money, afraid that if they're too slow, they'll miss out.

In just one day, Jiang Shuwan sold over a thousand glass artifacts.

The cabinets and chests containing silver were crammed with more than a dozen large boxes, and this was only the first day of business. Many people couldn't even squeeze into Donglai Street, let alone enter the store.

General Sun's eyes turned red as he looked at the boxes of silver.

The imperial court pays the military much more each year, but that's paid by the court; this is what they earn themselves.

Most importantly, a single glass item can cost hundreds or even thousands of taels of silver, yet the cost is only a few dozen coins.

Something worth a few dozen coins can be resold for thousands of taels of silver; there's nothing more profitable than that.

General Sun swallowed hard. No wonder the glass workshop had never stopped sending assassins. With such huge profits, it was worth going crazy for.

Madam Sun was also shocked.

"How come there's so much silver?"

"These dignitaries in the capital are incredibly wealthy!"

Madam Sun was both shocked and puzzled. In the two days since she returned, she had to attend social events, visit her old friends in the capital, and was also invited to banquets by others.

She went to all the places, but when she arrived, she found that the noble families in the capital were all dressed more simply than before, and their food was not as extravagant as it used to be.

She had thought that even these aristocratic families had times of poverty, but she never expected that they could afford to spend so much money.

"Auntie, the silver won't disappear, it will only be transferred. There are plenty of rich people in the capital."

"Furthermore, those noble ladies only chose to be simple and low-key because His Majesty was worried about money; their purses are quite full."

"The army hasn't been rewarded yet, and the pensions haven't been distributed. His Majesty is so worried he can't even eat. These noble families would rather pretend to be poor than support His Majesty. And you, you've managed to pry open their treasuries with a glass pry bar." General Sun sighed. "I wonder how His Majesty will feel when he finds out."

Jiang Shuwan smiled slightly. The Li family of the Great Jing Dynasty had been in power for less than a hundred years. Although the world was at peace now, the Li family's foundation was ultimately shallow.

Today's powerful families and clans in various regions have been entrenched in their localities or the imperial court for centuries, so they would never take the Li imperial family seriously.

As the saying goes, emperors take turns ruling, and next year it might be my turn.

These aristocratic families have a long history and have witnessed enough dynastic changes. When the imperial power falls, it is not them who sits on the throne, but someone from their own social class.

They possess knowledge, technology, and land. No matter who becomes emperor, they remain an unshakeable force. If the old emperor is poor, so be it; how could they possibly use the money in their pockets to alleviate the old emperor's worries?

The arrogance of the aristocratic families is extraordinary.

No wonder the fourth prince persecuted these powerful and wealthy families to death after he came to power.

Jiang Shuwan clicked her tongue twice in her mind.

However, she only thought about it casually. Anyway, her goal was to be a lazy bum, and she didn't care whether the fourth brother could take the stage like in the previous life.

All she wants now is for the old emperor to accept her shares. With the old emperor protecting her, she doesn't believe the empress and the imperial concubine will still dare to send assassins to the north.

"Brother Nai, release a batch of jade rings and jewelry made of glass tomorrow, and I'll drive all the imperial concubines in the capital crazy."

"Miss is so resourceful. Today she sells glass wine cups, utensils, and ornaments that officials like, and tomorrow she will sell jewelry. There are new things every day."

These words reminded Jiang Shuwan, and a sly smile appeared on her lips.

"Don't take too many, just take out twenty sets. Only customers who spend 50,000 taels or more in our store can buy them. First come, first served."

"Things are valued for their scarcity. I not only want to make money off them, but I also want them to fight tooth and nail to buy them!"

The "Big View" version of the hunger marketing campaign kicked in instantly on its second day.

The news of the twenty sets of glass and jade ring jewelry spread throughout the city, and even the nobles in the palace were green with envy.

“We are His Majesty’s women. If our attire is inferior to theirs, what will become of us?”

"Moreover, I heard that when that glass hairpin is exposed to sunlight, it emits a beautiful light. If His Majesty wore it, would he still be able to see other people?"

"With His Majesty's favor, what wealth and glory wouldn't we have?"

The imperial concubines devised various methods to ask people to buy goods outside the palace.

As soon as the palace was in an uproar, other imperial concubines in the capital also rushed to buy it, and the thresholds of the shops were broken as everyone scrambled to buy it.

However, Jiang Shuwan only offered twenty sets, and no matter how much they offered, she wouldn't release a single one, causing these influential people to curse her behind her back countless times.

Three days later, the emperor held a banquet to reward the three armies, which also marked the third day of business for Donglai Street.

Jiang Shuwan packed up and had General Sun carry more than a dozen boxes to the palace. On the way, they met several rival civil officials and started joking with them.

"What is General Sun doing? Could it be that he has collected some fine furs in the north to present to His Majesty?"

"Yes, yes, yes." General Sun nodded awkwardly, and without wasting any more words with them, ordered the soldiers to carry the boxes inside.

The civil officials didn't notice the soldiers' incredibly heavy footsteps; they just watched General Sun's hurried back and sneered a few times.

"Let's see who still says military officers are naive. Look, he's already currying favor with His Majesty. It's a pity, he's only been back for three days and this is the first time he's been summoned by His Majesty. I suppose His Majesty doesn't treat him very well."

"He says he's returning to the capital to report on his duties, but he's really just coming back to ask for money and rewards. The national treasury is empty right now, and the imperial treasury is broke. I bet he'll be defeated tonight."

Even a hero can be brought down by a single penny!

"There's going to be a good show tonight. What rank do you think he'll get when the rewards are distributed tonight?"

"In terms of military achievements, the Fourth Prince should be number one. His Majesty has never liked the Fourth Prince, so there probably won't be any reward for him. General Sun's military achievements are second. Logically, he should be granted the rank of First Rank, and be given fertile land and a mansion. But His Majesty doesn't have the money. Besides, you must have heard that the glass shop on Donglai Street is a business of the Sun family."

"If the subject is rich and the ruler is poor, what kind of expression do you think His Majesty will have?"

"That's interesting."

"I think General Sun will be lucky to escape a disaster if His Majesty even gives him a kind look, let alone get a promotion, hahaha."

Several civil officials entered the hall as they talked. The banquet chairs and utensils had already been set out. After waiting for a while, everyone was getting bored when they saw the old emperor laughing heartily as he and General Sun entered the banquet hall one after the other.

No one knows what General Sun said, but the old emperor was greatly pleased.

"My dear minister, you have rendered great service in the battle of the North. Today, you shall sit below me."

The Crown Prince, who was about to take his seat in the first position below him, thought to himself: "..."

General Sun: "..."

He awkwardly sat down, and at the banquet, there were palace concubines with glass hairpins in their hair performing a dance.

The old emperor whispered, "My dear minister, do you think our glass business will be even better if I let this concubine serve me tonight?"

"..."