Chapter 21 Yunxi, Let Me Elevate You to a Noble Concubine
The direct beneficiary of this incident is Gu Nanxiao, the newly conferred marquis. Although his title is not as high as the princely title he inherited from his father, this special honor bestowed upon him makes him very happy.
Over the years, his father had been suppressing the petition to appoint him as the heir apparent, causing him, the eldest son, to suffer much criticism among the royal relatives and nobles.
His father's actions seemed to be telling the world that Gu Nanxiao was a useless and abandoned son who was not favored by his father, which was why his father had always refused to let him inherit the title.
At this moment, in Gu Nanxiao's study, Yunxi was sitting on his lap, fiddling with an abacus, calculating the shop's revenue over the past few days.
Although the price of ice has been reduced by half, there are still far more people buying it than in previous years. Moreover, the amount of ice purchased by people this year is also more than that of Shi's Ice Shop in previous years.
And because it was so cheap, it attracted caravans from several neighboring prefectures and counties near Kyoto, who traveled long distances to buy cheap ice.
Needless to say, pharmacies were even more affected. People stocked up on commonly used medicines at home, and throughout the Great Yan Kingdom, all the medicine merchants who heard the news were mobilized.
They decided to stay in Kyoto, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gu Nanxiao and see if there was an opportunity to discuss a cooperative business venture.
These two shops became an instant hit. If this momentum continues, once the shops have been open for a full month, they will be equivalent to the Shi family's profits for the past year.
When Yunxi shared her predictions based on the project with Gu Nanxiao, he was utterly astonished. He wasn't surprised by the potential profits, but rather because the outcome was the exact opposite of his expectations.
Gu Nanxiao didn't understand why, even after the prices of the goods had been reduced to such low levels, the profits were actually higher.
He couldn't understand it because it was difficult to conduct comprehensive and accurate big data statistics in ancient times. But Yunxi knew the secret behind it.
After all, in modern society, the nation's richest woman is just an ordinary toilet paper distributor. Meanwhile, a mineral water and beverage distributor boasts a turnover comparable to many of the world's luxury car brands.
After all, ordinary people are the world's largest consumer group. Not everyone can afford a luxury car, but everyone can afford bottled water.
I remember someone who made it onto the rich list once said, "If I could earn one dollar from each of the 1.4 billion people, I would be a billionaire."
The reason why Yun's Group became a business behemoth is not only because it almost monopolizes the top ten most profitable industries, but also because it never underestimates these inconspicuous daily necessities.
Yun Xi spent an hour checking the accounts. She closed the ledger, stretched wearily, and was just about to rest when Gu Nanxiao, who had been waiting impatiently, picked her up and carried her to the bed.
Gu Nanxiao skillfully removed their clothes, leaned over, and kissed Yunxi deeply.
But Yunxi felt only emptiness in her mind, without the slightest flutter of emotion. She had never understood why two people who had no feelings for each other would do the most intimate things every day.
After a passionate lovemaking session, the exhausted Yunxi was bathed by Gu Nanxiao and placed on the bed. But as soon as Yunxi's body touched the bedding, she immediately turned over and lay down with her back to Gu Nanxiao.
Gu Nanxiao felt both annoyed and helpless when faced with Yunxi's constant coldness and distance.
He had long noticed that ever since Yunxi was given the rules by her mother and Shen Yujiao, she always seemed cold and indifferent when the two were close.
He clearly remembered that at the beginning, although the two of them were awkward and had no feelings for each other, Yunxi would occasionally respond to him and sometimes show a shy and charming demeanor. But now it seemed that things could never go back to the way they were before.
Seeing that Yunxi was clearly not asleep but insisted on turning her back to him, Gu Nanxiao finally suppressed his frustration and lay down on the bed.
He stretched out his long arm, domineeringly pulled the person over, and forcefully turned them around to face him before finally holding them in his arms and falling asleep.
Yunxi wouldn't confront him over such a trivial matter. However, whether she turned her back or turned around, her expression remained indifferent.
Gu Nanxiao felt at a loss for what to do with Yunxi. Lately, he had been much more intimate with Yunxi when discussing weapons and making plans than they were in bed.
No matter how tightly Gu Nanxiao held the person in his arms, the phrase "leave" would often come to mind. Even though the two were already very close, their hearts were separated by a vast ocean, and they could never get closer.
Gu Nanxiao lowered his head and stared at the person in his arms. The person's slightly trembling eyelashes told him that Yunxi was not asleep, so he gently placed a kiss on her forehead and asked:
"Yunxi, when we move to the new mansion, shall we give you a concubine?"
Yunxi suddenly opened her eyes and replied without hesitation, "No, I don't want to be a concubine!"
Gu Nanxiao hadn't expected her to react this way. After pondering for a while with some difficulty, he patiently explained to her, "My position as the principal wife has already been bestowed upon me by imperial decree."
The position of concubine was also promised to Shen Yujiao by the Empress Dowager. The only thing I can decide is to elevate you to the highest rank among the concubines.
"Later, when you get pregnant with my child, I'll find a way to improve your rank."
Gu Nanxiao felt that after he finished speaking, the coldness in Yunxi's eyes was almost tangible. He wanted to explain something more, but Yunxi interrupted him.
“It’s not that I think the rank of concubine is too low, and I don’t want to be a wife or a concubine. I don’t want anything. I just want to be a maid without any title or status.”
Gu Nanxiao looked at Yunxi with great confusion, not understanding why she was even more resistant to being promoted.
She committed suicide by drowning herself because she was bothered by her status as a concubine, so she took her own life. How come she says now that she only wants to be a concubine without a name or title?
Gu Nanxiao, of course, didn't understand. Ever since Yunxi was given the rules, she had been constantly planning her departure. She didn't know how to calculate the total solar eclipse—whether it would occur before or after her revenge.
But if the total solar eclipse doesn't appear, she wants to leave Gu Nanxiao immediately after taking revenge and live in seclusion near the forest where the crossing barrier appeared.
Therefore, she cannot be elevated in rank, much less become Gu Nanxiao's principal wife or concubine. If she did, she would be listed on the imperial register, and then she would no longer be able to live as an ordinary citizen.
Although Gu Nanxiao didn't understand why Yunxi refused to elevate her rank, the vague unease in his heart pointed to the answer as leaving.
He closed his eyes wearily, concealing the turbulent emotions within them, and tightened his arms around the person in his embrace.
The next day, Gu Nanxiao returned from court and began to order his servants to pack up his and Yunxi's belongings, preparing to move to the newly bestowed Marquis's residence.
But when the princess found out, she quickly sent someone to summon him to Qingfeng Garden. It is said that the princess threatened to kill herself if he moved out of the Yongwang Mansion.
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