Lu Ze nodded and said, "It's her. This news should spread throughout Shengjing City tomorrow. The Song family will definitely be crowded with people tomorrow. Do you want to go to the Song family to congratulate them today?"
Qi Yuning sighed, "How can this be considered a happy event? But it can only be considered as her wish coming true."
Qi Yuning continued to sort out the account books in front of her. Seeing the thick stack of accounts, Lu Ze asked, "Do you want me to help you?"
Qi Yuning shook his head and said, "No need, go play with Lingling."
Lu Ze walked into the courtyard and accompanied Lingling to feed the red koi in the tank.
Lingling was feeding the koi while chanting, "Little fish, little fish, grow up quickly. When you grow up, Lingling will be able to eat you."
Lu Ze rubbed the little knot on Lingling's head and said, "Lingling, you can't eat the little koi."
Lingling asked: "Why?"
Lu Ze said: "Koi meat is not tasty at all."
Lingling put the fish food aside, ran to Qi Yuning and said, "Mom, I don't want to raise koi anymore. Daddy said koi can't be eaten! Lingling wants to raise fish that can be eaten!"
Qi Yuning smiled and touched Lingling's head. "Although the little koi can't be eaten, it's very cute, just as cute as Lingling. Lingling can be kept for fun!"
"But cute little koi can't fill my stomach," Lingling said, "I still want to raise fish that I can eat."
Qi Yuning instructed Gu Yu who was standing beside him, "Go to the kitchen and ask if there are any small crucian carp or grass carp. Bring one for Lingling to raise."
Guyu came back from the kitchen not long after, and brought a small grass carp. Lingling saw the swimming grass carp and said, "Daddy, can we eat this fish when it grows up?"
Lu Ze said: "Well, this fish can be eaten when it grows up."
Lingling put the fish into the lotus pond and kept chanting to herself, "Little fish, grow up quickly."
Qi Yuning looked at the father and daughter feeding the fish in front of the lotus pond, and saw the dark clouds in the east of the sky, giving a feeling that a storm was about to come.
Although the sun is setting in the west, the sunset glow is still golden and the scenery is endless.
After dinner, Lingling played for a while and then asked Lu Ze to tell her a story. After a while, Lingling fell asleep.
Lu Ze walked up to Qi Yuning and saw three books of accounts in front of her. He asked, "Are you going to finish reading all of them today?"
Qi Yuning said: "I have been in North City for more than a month, and I have to make up for what I have missed."
Lu Ze said, "Since Ping has entered the Qi family, can we give all these account books to Ping to deal with?"
Qi Yuning said coldly: "Do you think Ping's gentle personality can suppress the people below?"
Lu Ze said: "Yes, I will help you check the accounts."
Qi Yuning said: "No, I didn't check the account book to find out whether it was true or false. My subordinates don't have the courage to bring the fake accounts to me. I just want to know the situation."
Lu Ze looked at the three booklets beside him and flipped through them. The more he read, the more shocked he became. "Are these all the assets of your Qi family?"
Qi Yuning nodded and said, "Yes."
The Lu family estate has a lot of assets from generations past, and is now managed by his second and third uncles. Lu Ze only knows that the annual dividends and surplus are very generous, but compared to the Qi family's assets, the Duke's Mansion's assets can only be considered superficial.
Lu Ze said: "I didn't expect that Prince Qi's Mansion is so wealthy that it can rival a country."
Qi Yuning smiled helplessly: "Don't underestimate the wealth of the industry. The Qi Palace also has many expenses. There are more than 200,000 soldiers to support, and the annual expenses of 20,000 cavalry alone are like running water.
The 20,000 large horses often died of illness or in battle and had to be replaced. The ponies were difficult to raise, and purchasing and feeding horses cost a large sum of money every year.
As for the soldiers, they have to fight against sand bandits all year round and their living is really a life of swords and spears. The salary given by the court is far from enough, and the Qi family has to subsidize them themselves.
At first glance, the Qi family is rich enough to rival a country. They sent medicine, food, and silver to the North City, and the surplus silver they had in the end would not be much more than your Lu family. "
Lu Ze asked: "When did you take over the family business?"
Qi Yuning said: "After I could recognize a thousand words at the age of six, Aunt Yueya taught me how to use an abacus and read account books.
When I was thirteen or fourteen years old, Aunt Yueya and my brother asked me to take over the family business. Fortunately, the people below were all capable and loyal, so I only had to make a few decisions, which was not too tiring. "
Lu Ze was standing beside Qi Yuning. People often said that Princess Qi was arrogant and willful, but few people knew that Qi Yuning had shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Qi family at such a young age.
Qi Yu'an was in the military camp and relied on the Qi family's business.
In Shengjing City, a daughter's housekeeper who is in charge of the accounts of the harem can brag that she is worthy of being the mistress of the house.
Guan Zhiyi became famous before because she was able to manage the household at a young age, but managing a few shops and merchants in the Guan family and the account books in the backyard were really nothing.
The family business managed by Qi Yuning is a thousand or even ten thousand times larger than those families, and many wealthy businessmen dare not boast that they can manage it.
Princess Qi, who seems high and mighty in the eyes of outsiders, is not so easy to be.
Qi Yuning glanced sideways and saw Lu Ze looking at her. She met Lu Ze's eyes and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lu Ze stepped forward and held Qi Yuning in his arms and said, "I feel sorry for you. At such a young age, no one asked you if you were willing or not, but you have to take over this huge family business."
Qi Yuning leaned on Lu Ze's shoulder and chuckled, "You don't have to feel sorry for me. Our Qi family is hundreds of times bigger than your Lu family. It's almost enough that I feel sorry for you."
Lu Ze also chuckled and said, "I am the one who is marrying up to the princess."
"It's good that you know." Qi Yuning said, "But in Shengjing City, this princess, except for marrying a member of the Zhao family, no matter who she marries, it's considered marrying down. Only marrying you can barely be considered a match of equal status."
Lu Ze said: "So, you are willing to marry me not only because of Lingling, but also because of my identity? If I were not the son of Duke Lu, would you still let me be your husband?"
Qi Yuning looked into Lu Ze's eyes and said, "No! My husband, Qi Yuning, must be on an equal footing with me."
Lu Ze sighed helplessly and said, "Don't you know how to tell a lie?"
Qi Yuning said: "Then let me ask you, if I were not a princess, would you be willing to marry me?"
"Yes." Lu Ze said, "I don't care about family background when choosing a wife."
Qi Yuning said sourly: "Indeed, Guan Zhiyi is a concubine's daughter of a sixth-rank official..."
Before Qi Yuning could finish her words, Lu Ze blocked her lips. She sat on Lu Ze's body and felt an indescribable heat all over her body.
The last time we were so intimate was in the side room of Xianglin Temple.
Compared to the possessive invasion in Xianglin Temple, this time Lu Ze seemed to be coaxing her gently.
After a long time, the cold spring breeze blew in from the gaps between the window frames and finally separated the two people who were in love with each other.
Lu Ze hugged Qi Yuning's waist tightly, took a deep breath, and then let go of Qi Yuning and said, "I'm going back."
Qi Yuning used Lu Ze's words from last night: "I thought you would stay?"
Lu Ze looked at Qi Yuning deeply with his peach blossom eyes, and said in a hoarse voice with a little emotion: "The Dali Temple has been very busy these days. I don't want to take two cold showers on this cold night. It will delay my work if I catch a cold."
Qi Yuning understood what Lu Ze meant and blushed, "Go away."
Lu Ze chuckled and turned to leave Qi Yuning's courtyard.
When Lu Ze went out from the side door, he saw a figure in the distance, but he did not investigate further and returned to the princess's mansion.
End of the alley.
Zhao Chong clenched his hands and asked the guard beside him, "Was that person Ze'er just now?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Zhao Chong looked at Prince Qi's mansion, and then at the moonlight in the sky. Lu Ze and Qi Yuning even had a daughter, so it was not surprising that the couple met at night.
Zhao Chong touched the ring in his hand, but Uncle Qin's words rang in his ears, saying that it was a good time to ascend the throne and get rid of the Qi family.
Qi Yu'an was indeed a major concern for him after he ascended the throne. The Qi family's army of more than 200,000 in the north was a thorn in the emperor's throat and had to be removed.
Emperor Shi Yuan was nurturing a tiger to harm himself. He did not get rid of Qi Yu'an when he was still weak and would surely bring himself endless troubles in the future.
If the Qi family could be eliminated, after he ascended the throne, he could also take Qi Yuning into the harem.
So what if I snatched my nephew’s wife away?
Since the founding of the Great Sheng Dynasty, there have been emperors who have snatched their brothers' wives, and there have also been emperors who have snatched their stepmothers as queens.
Holding great power and being the ruler of the world, he will surely get the woman he loves.
Zhao Chong looked towards Prince Qi's mansion, his eyes full of determination. (End of this chapter)
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