Since Shang Rui needed her help, Su Zhaodi's conditions were naturally agreed to.

Two hours later, at the Su residence.

Su Zhaodi returned to her residence, where servants brought her tea. The maidservant who served the tea trembled, looking as if she had just been frightened.

He presented the tea to Su Zhaodi, his voice trembling with tears.

"Madam, please have some tea."

Upon seeing this, the nanny accompanying Su Zhaodi scolded, "Lvtao, what kind of state are you in? Did someone bully you?"

"If you have something to say, talk to me privately. What kind of behavior is it to run to your wife crying and sobbing like that!"

The nanny's scolding only made things worse; it was the scolding that made Green Peach burst into tears. Her knees buckled, and she knelt down with a thud, holding the tea above her head.

"No, no, Madam, it's tea. Madam, please have some tea. No, look, there's something in the teacup."

Green Peach cried as she spoke, her words incoherent.

The old woman wanted to scold her again, but Su Zhaodi stopped her.

Su Zhaodi took the teacup, but the weight was wrong. She lifted the lid and found that there was no tea in the teacup, but a note.

Granny: "Green Peach, what's going on?"

Green Peach bit her lip and shook her head, not daring to speak, before banging her head heavily on the ground.

Su Zhaodi opened the note. It contained only a short line of text, yet it caused even the seasoned Su Zhaodi's expression to change drastically.

He put away the note, gripped the chair armrest tightly, and asked Green Peach, "Where did this come from?"

Green Peach shook her head, still not daring to speak.

Su Zhaodi took a deep breath and changed her question: "When did that person give it to you?"

Green Peach raised her tear-streaked face and sobbed as she answered, "Just... just now."

As she spoke, she banged her head on the ground and began to sob. She was terrified.

She was carefully bringing tea to serve to the lady when suddenly a large knife was pressed against her neck, threatening and intimidating her. How could she not be frightened?

Su Zhaodi gripped the armrest of the chair, her chest heaving. Looking out into the hall, a chill ran down her spine; she felt a pair of eyes watching her the entire time.

The entire Su family was being watched by a pair of eyes, eyes that came from the capital, from the emperor.

A good bird chooses its tree to perch on... A good bird chooses its tree to perch on...

The short sentence on the note was not only the emperor's advice to her and the Su family, but also his warning to her and the Su family.

"Crackling and popping—!"

The sound of things breaking suddenly rang out in the hall, startling everyone.

What was broken was none other than the treasure basin that Su Zhaodi had specially requested and placed in the center of the hall after the Su family rose to prominence.

The old woman was terrified: "Madam, this...this..."

Su Zhaodi withdrew her hand from the armrest of the chair and hid it inside the wide sleeves of her blue robe, so that no one would see her trembling hand.

"Go, go clean up. Not a single word of what happened today is to be told to anyone!"

The servants in the hall bowed their heads and responded in unison.

A wise bird chooses its tree to perch on; Su Zhaodi understood this very well and correctly.

That's the message Shang Changge and Shang Changze wanted to convey: they hoped Su Zhaodi would be pragmatic and not lose her way.

It's not because Su Zhaodi is the richest woman in Jiangnan; even the richest woman in Jiangnan can't surpass royalty.

The main point is that Su Zhaodi is a talented person. Anyone can do business, but not everyone has exceptional business acumen.

Time flies, and half a month later.

At the Princess's residence, Shang Changge was multitasking, listening to a play while sitting with her legs crossed, sharpening her knife, and listening to Zhuque's report.

Zhuque: "There was no unusual activity in the Ghost Market, and Jing Xiuming also remained unchanged, continuing to work as a resident doctor at Baicaotang, taking pulses and treating patients."

"Hey, you all know my name is Daida—"

"Horse, horse, run fast, run fast—"

On the stage, actors sang; below, Shang Changge sheathed his Xuan Tie sword, seemingly satisfied with the news, and waved his hand.

"Let them keep an eye on things. You can go now."

Zhuque must have gone down.

Shang Changge watched the actors on the stage, his hand tracing the patterns on the sword scabbard.

The purpose of having someone monitor Jing Xiuming and the Ghost Market was simply to prevent Jing Xiuming, who was skilled in poisons, from harming Xiao Ji.

It would be best if Jing Xiuming were in the capital under her watchful eye; as for the Ghost Market…

She was considering taking over the Ghost Market, but this matter needed to be discussed with the Emperor, the handsome younger brother, and Granny Hua.

Taking over the ghost market isn't urgent; there's something else more important right now.

Shang Changge withdrew her gaze from the stage and counted the time on her fingers.

"Tsk."

"They should have arrived by now, why aren't they here yet? Why are they so slow? Did they run into his harem women again on the way?"

The "he" he was referring to was naturally Shang Rui. Not long after Xiao Ji led his army away from the capital...

Shang Rui then colluded with local officials and their associates, and they traveled by waterway all the way to the capital.

Shang Changge and Shang Changze both knew about these things, and they knew them in great detail.

How detailed? Let me give you an example.

They could find out exactly what Shang Rui ate on what day, at what time, and how many bites he took; they had it all figured out perfectly.

As for why they didn't just kill Shang Rui outright, but instead let him collude with local officials and lead his men back to the capital, they had their own reasons for doing so.

Shang Rui was quite sensible and didn't keep Shang Changge waiting for too long.

The day was sunny and breezy.

Shang Changge was writing a letter to General Xiao in his study when he received a message about Shang Rui.

The report was given by Qingyao, who remained the head maid in the Princess's residence.

Shang Changge often delegates many tasks to Qingyao, but he won't entrust matters related to Mi Chan to her.

It's like a ghost market, like Jing Xiuming. Firstly, it's better to be safe than sorry, and secondly, I don't want Qingyao to be caught in the middle.

"This morning at Zuixianju, a storyteller, acting on instructions from someone, said that the one who forced the emperor to abdicate and murdered his father that night was the emperor himself."

The Third Prince was framed and wronged. He possessed the late Emperor's handwritten edict of succession and a list of the Emperor's crimes.

In Qingyan, when the emperor dies or abdicates, princes are automatically promoted to princes.

The princes who are automatically promoted do not have titles; their rank determines their prince status.

A title could only be conferred upon someone who had made contributions to the country and achieved political success, and whose title was bestowed upon them by the new emperor. For example, Shang Ye was granted the title of Prince Ye.

"He also said things like, 'Heaven's justice is clear, retribution is swift, and the emperor will be punished,' and after saying that, the storyteller committed suicide by poisoning himself. Now the people in the streets are talking about it..."

Shang Changge tapped her fingers absently on the table; she didn't usually do this.

Having spent a lot of time with Xiao Ji, I've unconsciously developed the habit of tapping the table when he's thinking.

"Where are Shang Rui and his men?"

This time, it was the leader of the assassins who stepped aside who answered. After the leader finished speaking, Shang Changge's lips curled into a perverted smile.

"It's even faster than I expected, that's good. Tell the people below to get ready, we're going to kill quite a few people this time."

The leader of the assassins retreated, but Qingyao did not.

Qingyao: "Princess, regarding the rumors circulating in the streets... should I send someone to deal with them?"

Shang Changge replied decisively, handing the completed letter to Qingyao.

"Let the rumors fly. Aze already has a plan. After you're done with your work, send this letter out."

Since the princess had already said so, Qingyao didn't say or ask any more questions. She left with the letter in her hand and went about her own business.

Shang Changge didn't stay in the study any longer. He got up from the golden nanmu chair.

He walked out of the study with his hands behind his back, looking like a little old man, and strolled leisurely toward the training ground.