Shang Changge picked up the purple clay teapot and poured a cup of tea for Shang Xuanzhi, then poured one for herself.

He was slow, deliberate, and composed, pouring tea as both an answer to his younger brother's question and a gesture of calm and collectedness.

"If my third brother succeeds in forcing the emperor to abdicate and seize the throne, both Changze and I will die. Why do you think we should kill each other?"

Shang Xuanzhi could not hide his disappointment. Even at this point, his elder sister was still unwilling to admit it or tell the truth.

The boy didn't try to hide his emotions much, making them easy to detect and recognize.

Shang Changge noticed and recognized it, but didn't care, and continued to say what she could.

She didn't like wasting her breath on people she didn't care about, but her charlatan brother was alright.

The main reason is that the beautiful younger brother is in need of manpower right now. Having more help and more friends is better than having more trouble and more enemies.

"We fight, naturally, to save our lives."

Leaning back in his chair, he elegantly sipped his tea, displaying a relaxed demeanor.

“Changze and I are different from you. My siblings and I only have two choices: win or lose. If we win, we live; if we lose, we die.”

Shang Xuanzhi tried to refute and defend himself, but before he could open his mouth, he was silenced by Shang Changge's words.

Shang Changge: "Xuanzhi knows that I was assassinated at the foot of the palace, but he doesn't know that I was also assassinated during the autumn hunt, does he?"

At the foot of the palace, an autumn hunt.

Shang Changge stopped there. Since the young man wasn't stupid and could guess that they were the ones who forced the emperor to abdicate, plotted a rebellion, and murdered his father, he should understand what she really wanted to say.

Shang Changge has a penchant for finishing off victims with his physical violence, and he also loves to deliver the final blow with his words of hurtful words.

“Nagasawa has experienced far more things like this than I have.”

In fact, she didn't know or ask whether the beautiful brother had been assassinated, but that didn't stop her from fabricating stories to achieve her goal.

Shang Xuanzhi did understand, so much so that the young man opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

A lump formed in my throat, my nose stung, and I closed my eyes tightly, my emotions surging and unable to find peace.

Why, why, Father... Must members of the royal family...? Why can't they live like ordinary people...?

Even if we can't live in harmony like ordinary families, at least don't think about killing each other... Father...

How could Father Emperor bear to do this? No matter how much he feared the Murong family... His elder sister and Crown Prince brother were also his own flesh and blood...

After opening his eyes, Shang Xuanzhi said nothing and had nothing to say, or rather, he didn't know what to say or what he could say.

She picked up the tea that Shang Changge had poured for her and drank it down in one sip. After finishing, she stood up.

He bowed respectfully to Shang Changge according to the proper etiquette of seniority, and spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Your Majesty, Xuanzhi takes his leave."

Shang Changge took a sip of tea without stopping or trying to stop him. As the tea slid down his throat, he suddenly realized something and hurriedly called out to him.

"Where to go? You can go back to the city and set up a fortune-telling stall, but don't stay too long and remember to come back."

Our Qingyan is vast, and there are many affairs of state. My only one or two uncles have not been in the court or the capital for many years, and my brothers and sisters who can help are few and far between.

Genji, you're one of the people who can help. Don't run away, or Nagasawa will be exhausted."

Shang Xuanzhi: ...

He was clearly in a heavy mood, but the way his elder sister was talking now really made him want to laugh.

Shang Xuanzhi felt neither solemn nor amused, but he understood his elder sister's meaning and abandoned his thoughts of shirking responsibility.

He turned around and bowed again: "Your subject will respectfully follow Your Majesty's teachings."

Shortly after, Shang Xuanzhi left the Princess's residence.

He stayed not to help his second brother; he couldn't get over that mental hurdle.

His father had never sent anyone to kill him, nor had he ever intended to take his life, so he couldn't understand his elder sister and brother's patricide.

Of course, he also couldn't understand his father.

The reason he stayed was because his surname was Shang.

As my elder sister said, Qingyan is a vast country with many affairs of state, and there are very few brothers and sisters who can help my second brother.

Some were rebellious, some were selfish, and the others were not very smart.

The second brother needs a brother who can help him, act as his right-hand man, and whom he can trust, a brother by blood.

Qingyan also needs a prince who has no interest in the throne but can contribute to the court and serve the people.

Ten days later, in a certain area of ​​Jiangnan.

Along the shores of Yangliu Lake, there are houses with black tiles and white walls, arched bridges, flowing water, and leisurely awning boats.

Inside the largest covered boat, Shang Rui, disguised as Yun Luobai, sat together with several local officials and wealthy merchants from Jiangnan.

This includes Su Linglong's mother, Su Zhaodi, who is the richest woman in the Jiangnan region.

Su Zhaodi has no younger brother, but she possesses a business acumen far exceeding that of ordinary people and methods that are absolutely no less than those of men.

After marrying into the family, he took over the family business and in less than ten years, he expanded the Su family business and became the richest man in Jiangnan.

Shang Rui and Yun Luobai discussed matters for a long time, while Su Zhaodi remained seated, drinking tea without uttering a word.

Yun Luobai glanced at Shang Rui, giving him a meaningful look.

Shang Rui was unwilling and impatient, but the journey to Longyou was fraught with difficulties.

When you need something from someone, you have to suppress your disgust and put on a smile while speaking very politely.

"Mother-in-law, I believe you heard what we just said. What do you think? Now is the best time..."

Shang Rui appealed to her emotions and reasoned with her at length, his purpose being nothing more than to get Su Zhaodi to contribute money, effort, and manpower to help him fight his way back to the capital and reclaim everything that belonged to him.

"Although it's risky, I have my father's handwritten edict of succession and a list of his crimes."

"As long as we spread this message, local officials and troops will surely respond as soon as we move..."

Su Zhaodi was dressed in a light blue dress that suited the scenery of Jiangnan. She was old and had been through the years, and her temples were now gray.

It's not easy for a person to become the richest man in Jiangnan; he's a remarkable person. It's even more difficult for a woman to become the richest man in Jiangnan; she's truly remarkable.

Su Zhaodi is a remarkable woman who has weathered many storms and is capable of turning the tide; unlike others, she doesn't fawn over Shang Rui.

On the contrary, they show no respect to Shang Rui, for example, they are not responding to Shang Rui's words right now.

The awning boat quieted down, and several officials and wealthy merchants held their breath, pretending not to notice the change in atmosphere and the stalemate.

Shang Rui's hands clenched into fists beneath his wide sleeves, veins bulging, yet he still managed to suppress his anger at Yun Luobai's reminder.

Time passed slowly, and the awning boat gradually drifted downstream.

After a long silence inside the awning boat, Su Zhaodi finally seemed to have put on enough airs and was finally willing to give Shang Rui face and respond to his words.

"Can."

Shang Rui loosened his fist, a look of surprise in his eyes.

However, this pleasant surprise didn't last long, because Su Zhaodi had conditions.

Shang Rui has matured recently, especially in her ability to be patient and restrained. A smile returned to her handsome face as she respectfully said:

"It's only right that you're willing to go to such great lengths to help me propose a few conditions, please tell me."

Su Zhaodi had been waiting for Shang Rui to say this, and regardless of the presence of Yun Luobai and several other officials and wealthy businessmen, she directly stated her conditions.

"First, after you become emperor, you must grant my daughter the title of Imperial Concubine. Second, regardless of whether my daughter has borne you any children, you must bestow upon her favor and not mistreat her. Third, make the Su family a royal merchant family."