Chapter 43: Escape Song Youning straightened out from the yellow wooden chair...
Song Youning stood up from the yellow wooden chair, bent over and helped Lin Qinglan, who was kneeling on the ground, up. The hairpins on her bun jingled with the amplitude of her movements.
She took the tea handed to her by Chuntao and smiled: "I wonder what Miss Lin likes to drink..."
"This is my favorite cedar needle tea. Miss Lin, would you like to try it?"
Lin Qinglian accepted it flatteredly: "Thank you, Your Highness, for the tea..."
She took a sip, it was slightly bitter at first, but then had a fragrant and sweet aftertaste.
Song Youning was tired of sitting, so she stood up and walked around Li Funing's courtyard to loosen up her shins. The courtyard was indeed the same as she remembered.
She wandered over to the books that Li Funing had hung out to dry. She casually picked up a book and opened it, saying leisurely, "I've never liked reading since I was a child. Miss Lin, do you know why?"
Lin Qinglian frowned and asked, "Why?"
Song Youning looked relaxed as she recalled the past: "When I was little, I didn't like studying and was often punished by my father... It's not that I was stubborn and couldn't concentrate on reading... It's just that I always felt that reading thousands of books was not as good as traveling thousands of miles..."
Song Youning turned around and looked at her, as if reminiscing. "And I can say with certainty that I have read as many books as Miss Lin. In addition to the Four Books and Five Classics, Sun Tzu's Art of War, history books, policy essays, etc.... I have also read miscellaneous books such as Kaogong Ji and Tiangong Kaiwu..."
"Honestly, I believe what I see with my own eyes more than what's written in books. As the saying goes, among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans, merchants are the last. But I feel that merchants are very important. They are related to the lifeblood of a country. Like salt, iron, grain, rice, and cloth, each of them is related to the country..."
"Besides, merchants are the most unstable when they travel around selling goods... If I want the country to be stable and the people to be prosperous, I must emphasize commerce..."
Song Youning's voice was sonorous and powerful: "This is how it is for me, and the people in my hands are also like this..."
Lin Qinglian suddenly realized something and knelt down abruptly, saying in a firm and loud voice, "Qinglian understands. Qinglian is willing to follow your Highness's arrangements."
Song Youning smiled and nodded. It turned out that those who achieve great things do not pay attention to trivial matters.
She pondered for a moment and said, "Miss Lin has lived in Jiangnan for a long time. You must know about Zuixian Pavilion in Beijing."
"Zuixian Pavilion?" Lin Qinglian murmured and began to recall carefully.
"Reporting to Your Highness, I know that this Zuixian Pavilion is the largest restaurant in the capital, but..."
"But what?" Song Youning was puzzled.
Lin Qinglan reported truthfully, "Although this Zuixianlou is the best restaurant in the capital, I've heard that the owner behind it... doesn't seem to be very smart. He spent a lot of money to buy the building from the previous owner, but he didn't manage it well. As a result, the business of this best restaurant in the capital has slumped, gradually declined, and it has suffered losses year after year."
"I've heard a bit about this in Jiangnan. I wonder why Your Highness is asking this... Did the owner of Zuixianlou offend Your Highness?"
Song Youning: ...The corners of his mouth twitched.
"Um... not really, it's just that a few days ago, my palace acquired this Zuixian Pavilion. Since you are already my person, you should help me manage it," Song Youning explained hurriedly, vowing to share everything with the owner of Zuixian Pavilion.
A few days ago, people said that she was ungrateful for keeping a lover, but she didn't say anything. How come she hasn't been outside the palace for a few days, and now people are saying that she is not working well mentally?
She bought the building just to provide a secret spot and not to be too conspicuous, so that she could hide her identity as a golden branch lady. Is this not okay?
Chun Tao: Your Highness, you are already being ostentatious by buying this building...
A trace of worry flashed in Song Youning's eyes.
The Zuixianlou is now becoming more and more famous. Although it has a bad reputation, we still have to be on guard against it.
If the Jinzhi Gongzi and Qian Ganlai continue to flaunt their identities, their flaws will eventually be exposed. By then, not only will they be able to secretly build up their power, but even escaping unscathed will be a luxury.
"Your Highness?" Lin Qinglian called softly.
Lin Qinglian's voice came to her ears, her fingertips paused, and suddenly a plan came to her mind.
If I could find a reliable person to take charge of the front while I remain behind the scenes, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? However, this person...must be someone I know well and have leverage over.
She looked at Lin Qinglan in front of her. Amidst the fluttering petals, a vague outline gradually took shape in her mind. A sly smile flashed across her lips. "Qinglan, how about letting you become the shopkeeper of Zuixianlou?"
"Now you are the boss of Zuixian Pavilion. I will give you one month to make Zuixian Pavilion's business a huge success. Can you do it?"
"This..." Lin Qinglan hesitated. If she was asked to write or paint, she could still help. But if she was asked to be the shopkeeper...
Song Youning thought she was concerned about her reputation. Da Gan always considered it shameful for women to show up in public. If it was an ordinary person doing it to make a living, it would be fine.
As a young lady from an official family, although her family had fallen on hard times, Lin Qinglan still had the pride of a prominent family. She didn't want to force anything. "I know you've always lived in seclusion. It's really unbecoming for you to go out and show your face in public like this... But I don't have the ability to help you now..."
"Why don't you wait a little while, Miss Lin..."
"Your Highness! I am willing!" Before she finished speaking, Lin Qinglan's eyes were as firm as stone.
"Your Highness is right. Cloth, silk, and grain are crucial to the fate of the nation, while salt, iron, and grain are crucial to the people's well-being."
You are a princess of the emperor, and it is not appropriate for you to be too close to merchants, but these..." The woman's voice was soft and powerful.
"It is the lifeblood of the country."
The girl's voice suddenly became firm: "Your Highness, I am willing to serve as a sword in your hands. Nowadays, the major families control the grain transport and monopolize the salt and iron industries. Your Majesty may have the throne but no real power. But if Your Highness can seize the financial power of these trade routes..."
She suddenly leaned forward in a deep bow, her jade hairpin clanging against the blue bricks. "Everything is in my hands. All the wealth and salt and grain are in my hands. Why worry that the whole Dagan will not be in your hands?"
Song Youning looked at Lin Qinglan who was kneeling on the ground, and suddenly felt that the chess game that had been set up for a long time could begin.
She nodded with satisfaction. It turned out that the people trained by the Li Mansion were all talented.
Li Funing could set up a tight net wherever she went, and even discover Qian Ganlai's identity right under her nose.
Although he had intentionally revealed it, no one would ever associate a royal princess who indulged in pleasure with a businessman walking the streets.
What's more, he has changed his identity countless times over the years to prevent others from discovering him, but he guessed it!
Besides, although Lin Qinglian was the daughter of a noble family and knew nothing about the ways of business, she only needed a little guidance from him and he saw through her plan to break the impasse through business, which showed that she was a real talent.
"But..." Lin Qinglan looked up at her, hesitant to speak.
Song Youning: "But what?"
"I am deeply apprehensive. I have lived in seclusion for a long time. Although I sincerely wish to lend a hand to Your Highness, I have never been involved in business. I am afraid that I will fail to manage the business well and fail to live up to Your Highness' trust.
"Besides...I really don't know how to attract customers...and make Zuixian Pavilion profitable every day."
"No problem." Song Youning tapped the huanghuali table with her fingertips, a smile flashing across her eyes, "I will make my own arrangements for these."
"Ms. Lin only needs to pretend to be the owner of Zuixian Pavilion. As for the guests..."
Song Youning smiled: "They will come by themselves..."
After chatting with Lin Qinglan, it was already lunchtime. The Huanghuali wood carved chair, which was originally cool, began to feel a layer of warmth, and the sunlight above became more and more dazzling.
In order to escape from her subsequent identity, she did not want to have too much contact with Lin Qinglan, so she was allowed to go back alone.
Song Youning stood up from the carved wooden chair and stretched. His eyes glanced at the ancient books that were slightly curled up by the sun, and he suddenly remembered the purpose of coming to the Prime Minister's Mansion today.
Hadn't I come here to see Li Funing? Why had I been talking to Lin Qinglan for so long? It seemed like I had forgotten about Li Funing again...
She casually asked Chun Tao, who was shading her from the sun, "Where is Lord Li?"
Chun Tao looked around, thought for a while, and replied, "Didn't Master Li say that there was some unfinished business in the study? Perhaps he went back to the study first?"
Song Youning then recalled what had just happened and looked back at the cushions on the wooden chair: "Isn't his wooden chair here with me?"
"Maybe Jingwen bought a new chair for Master Li?"
"But..." Chuntao hesitated to speak.
Song Youning turned around, looked at Chuntao, who looked troubled, and asked, "But how?"
"When I saw Lord Li returning to the study just now, he looked unhappy. Your Highness, why don't you... go and see Lord Li?" Chuntao tilted the paper umbrella to cover Song Youning's arm that was exposed outside the umbrella.
"You don't look well?" Song Youning murmured. Could it be that the sun was too strong just now and he got heatstroke?
"Okay, let's go to the study!" Song Youning walked towards the study. Chuntao followed her steps and carefully held an umbrella for her.
The courtyard is very close to Li Funing's study, which is built beside the pond. After passing the eaves corridor built over the water and walking a few steps forward, you will arrive.
When Song Youning arrived at the study, Jingwen was standing outside the door guarding it and saluted her.
The study is built on water, so it doesn't feel hot.
Apart from the occasional chirping of cicadas and screams in the pond, it is quite quiet and comfortable.
"Your Highness, will you have lunch at the Prime Minister's Residence today?" Chuntao suddenly reminded him, and Song Youning realized that it was already lunch time.
Song Youning nodded and said: "Today I will have dinner with Lord Li..."
She paused, then suddenly remembered that Chuntao had just said that Li Funing looked pale, perhaps suffering from heatstroke, and instructed Chuntao, "The sun is too strong today. Chuntao, go get some sour plum drink to cool you down."
Chuntao heard the order and gave instructions to the maid behind her.
"Your Highness...this..." The Jingwen eyebrows in the hall seemed to be furrowed, and the peaks of his brows were pulled into two small hills.
Song Youning was puzzled and asked, "What's wrong?"
"This..." Jingwen glanced back and forth at Song Youning and the door, hesitating and unable to explain clearly.
Seeing Jingwen like this, Song Youning felt uneasy: "It's okay! You said, I won't punish you..."
Jingwen suddenly knelt on the ground: "Your Highness, the young master has had lunch!"
Song Youning was puzzled. She had used it, so why was she so nervous? She wasn't a tyrant, so why was she so scared?
She waved her hand and said, "It's alright! I can have my meal by myself. Go in and tell them that I want to see your young master..."
Jingwen knelt on the ground trembling, and with a "bang" his head hit the ground, he spoke with difficulty: "Your Highness, my... young master said... said... said..."
Song Youning frowned: "What did you say?"
"Say...I won't see anyone..."
Song Youning was stunned.
Then he narrowed his eyes and said, "You don't even want to see me?"
Jing Wen spoke with difficulty: "Master said... no one... no one..."
The young master had just returned from the courtyard with a sullen face. Except for the day when the princess escaped from her marriage with Master Xiao, he had never seen his young master like this today, with his violent temper exposed, like an evil light emanating from a white unpolished jade.
As soon as he came back, he closed the door tightly and said to him from behind the gate: "Pass it on, I won't see anyone today!"
Jingwen knew that the princess was currently at the Prime Minister's residence, so he specifically asked him, "Then you won't see her even if her Highness comes here?"
As a result, his son repeated it to him with gritted teeth, his voice sounding like he wanted to eat someone: "No one! Will! See! Me!"
Song Youning was stopped outside the study by him. The courtyard, which was originally slightly cool, now became inexplicably hot.
The chirping and screaming of cicadas beside him became more and more shrill. He stared straight at the wooden carvings in the study, wishing he could kick over this broken door that was in the way.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
