After getting the medicine for Grandma Xue, Bai Zhi saw her out. Yun Duoduo then gave her a few more instructions, "Grandma, remember to take your medicine on time!"

“In three to five days, my mother-in-law will come again for a follow-up appointment. We might need to change the medication after that.” Yun Duoduo smiled at Yun Duoduo.

"Okay, thank you for your trouble."

Grandma Xue slowly stood up and, with Bai Zhi's help, walked outside.

...

Inside the capital city of Nanyang, Yun Yishu sat in his bedchamber, tapping his head in deep thought.

Footsteps sounded outside the hall. Yun Yishu turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Qiming, you've come!"

"This palace is so big, I'm exhausted." Kang Qiming sat down next to him and took a big gulp of tea.

After filling the empty teacups with the teapot, Shi Tou went out to boil water and brew new tea.

"Hey, when I told you about doing business, don't tell anyone in the palace. If Mother finds out, we'll be in big trouble."

"Mother, she's sure she'll scold me for being ignorant and incompetent."

"Hey, how could I tell the people in the palace about the two of us making a fortune in secret?" Kang Qiming raised an eyebrow.

"As a prince, you are not short of money, so why do you want to open a shop?"

"Duoduo is growing up, and as her elder brother, I must prepare a dowry for her."

Kang Qiming nearly spat out his tea. "I'm telling you, you're just worrying about things that don't concern you. Your imperial sister is so favored by your father, if she gets married, her dowry will definitely be plentiful. Why would you need to prepare it?!"

"Hey, you're saying the more the better."

Why do you look so gloomy?

"My sister wrote to me, telling me to take good care of the business. However, I cannot freely enter and leave the palace, so it is always inconvenient to travel back and forth," Yun Yishu sighed.

"That's easy. Just tell me what you need to do, and I'll take care of it!" Kang Qiming waved his hand, as if it were no big deal.

“Great! I’ve found two shops on Chang’an Street in the capital. Brother Qiming, could you buy them for me and open a spice shop and a clinic?”

Yun Yishu held a sandalwood box in her arms.

"This is the money for buying the shop."

Kang Qiming took the box out of Yun Yishu's arms, opened it, and found pearls from the South China Sea, jade from Xining, jade from Loulan, and some very cute and delicate tassel hair ornaments and butterfly hairpins.

"This is unbelievable! There's a white jade longevity lock in here?" Kang Qiming looked at Yun Yishu in surprise.

"This belongs to the little princess?"

Yun Yishu nodded helplessly.

"How come you, a prince, don't even have enough money to buy a shop?" Kang Qiming closed the lid of the box and looked at Yun Yishu with a wry smile.

“My mother is afraid I’ll go out and fool around, so she won’t give me money.”

"These are my sister's jewelry and money. I will definitely redeem them when I make money in the future."

"you……"

"These are all royal items, some even have inscriptions on them. Even if you tried to pawn them, would any shopkeeper dare to take them?" Kang Qiming stuffed the box back into the box.

"Don't worry, I don't need my sister's money. I have plenty," Kang Qiming said smugly.

"I'll pay for the shop myself. When Duoduo returns, I hope her third brother will put in a good word for Qiming!"

"Definitely, definitely."

Yun Yishu didn't understand why Kang Qiming wanted him to speak well of him in front of Duoduo, but it wasn't a difficult task, so he agreed.

"However, since I cannot leave the palace, many things become inconvenient."

“This is easy to handle. I’ll go back to my grandfather and have him say something to your father.”

"Can this work out?"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure it works!" Kang Qiming patted his chest and assured him.

...

Three days later, Yunbei ordered Yun Yishu to oversee the Ministry of Revenue's finances and bestowed upon him a token that allowed him to leave the palace freely.

"Xiaokang is quite reliable when it comes to getting things done!"

Yun Yishu looked at the rectangular gold token in his hand and was very happy.

"Stone, tomorrow go to the Ministry of Commerce's residence to deliver a letter, inviting Young Master Xiong Shangyan to a gathering at the teahouse in the west of the city at dusk."

Xiong Shangyan was a longtime friend of Yun Yishu and the son of the Minister of Commerce. As a child, Xiong Shangyan often accompanied his father and grandfather to the palace, where the two often read and played together.

"Huh? Oh, okay, I understand." Stone nodded blankly.

"Stone, why are you standing there so blankly? How can I trust you to manage all the money when you're like this?"

Yun Yishu reached out her hand, and Shi Tou reluctantly took the money pouch off his waist and placed it in Yun Yishu's hand.

...

The following evening, at the West City Teahouse, Young Master Xiong Shangyan arrived on time for the appointment.

"Shang Yan, congratulations! I heard that your uncle has been promoted to Minister!"

Yun Yishu smiled and said to Xiong Shangyan that Xiong Shangyan's father was originally the Vice Minister of Commerce, but was recently promoted to Minister of Commerce.

"This is for you."

Yun Yishu took out a sandalwood box inlaid with pearls and continued speaking, handing the box to her.

"Oh, thank you, Your Highness, you're too kind."

Xiong Shangyan opened the box and saw a jade-bone fan. He held it in his hand and examined it closely.

"The fan surface and the white jade fan ribs are a perfect match."

"When I saw this fan, I felt it was fresh and elegant, and it suited you very well. I'm glad you like it."

"I like it, I like it."

"By the way, what brings you here today?"

"Sigh, I have a friend who wants to open some shops."

"But I heard that opening a shop requires documents from the Ministry of Commerce?"

"Also, I don't quite understand the rules here. Do we have to pay contributions to the guild or chamber of commerce?"

“I’m familiar with this kind of thing. Just prepare 10 taels of silver, bring the land deed and a guarantee. The guarantee should include the scope of business and promises not to cheat customers.”

"You don't need to worry about the guilds and chambers of commerce, I'll take care of that."

“Okay,” Yun Yishu told Shi Tou to write down what Xiong Shangyan said.

"Oh, by the way, the Ministry of Commerce requires documents to be issued between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM; they don't process them at other times."

"Okay, Stone, got it?"

"I've got it, I've got it."

"Come, Shang Yan, have some tea."

...

After the two parted, Yun Yishu went to the spice shop, where Kang Qiming happened to be.

"Bai Xiang Ge." Yun Yishu read aloud the words on the rectangular plaque.

"What do you think? Isn't my name pretty good?!"

The shop was decorated in a brownish-yellow color, and embroidered cloths with various spices were hung on the eaves.

"You're quick on the uptake; the shop is already decorated?"

Yun Yishu looked at the very elegant and unique spice shop in surprise.

"That's because I found a very capable manager," Kang Qiming said, looking at one of the people inside.