Chapter 43 Princes from various countries quickly evacuated
The hustle and bustle of the Linde Hall completely dissipated, leaving only the fragrance of money (and a lingering scent of the "soul" of snail noodles) and a mess.
The three clumps of flies on the ground that were killed by Nangong Ye had been hurriedly carried away by their pale-faced followers, and their shrill wails seemed to still linger in the air.
All the unmarried men in the audience, especially the young officials of Yan State and those from foreign delegations who had not yet left:
(Inner thoughts flood the screen) [Hiss! Prince Yong! The living king of hell! Well-deserved reputation! Those three are legitimate princes! How can they be useless just like that? Just because they looked at Princess Fuxing a few more times? Said a few nonsense words?]
When their eyes fell upon the aqua-blue figure that Nangong Ye was carefully holding in his arms, they felt as if burned by a branding iron. They all lowered their heads to look at their toes/ceiling/floor cracks. Although the lucky star is good and the gold mountain is tempting, one must have a life to enjoy it!
This isn't a beauty; it's a poisonous, moving, fortune-attracting diamond dagger stuck in Prince Yong's heart! Even a glance at it would make you fear your eyes would be gouged out! Even the God of Longevity hanged himself—this isn't the way to seek death, even if you're too tired to live!
All the inappropriate fantasies, desires, and calculations were instantly extinguished in the cradle by the crushing force of absolute force and the bloody on-site teaching. Not even a puff of smoke could escape. Saving your life was the most important thing!
Nangong Ye seemed completely unaware of the silent, awed gazes behind him.
He lowered his head and looked at Dongfang Yuning, who was blinking his big eyes in his arms and seemed to be a little "frightened" (pretending). The murderous aura around him that was enough to freeze metal and stone melted away like spring snow, and instantly switched to the gentle and modest gentleman mode.
The speed at which his expression changed made the jaws of those who witnessed the whole process almost drop to the ground.
"Ning'er,"
His voice was low and gentle, with a doting touch that could drown one. His slender fingers naturally tidied up the strands of hair that didn't exist on her temples.
"Are you tired from today's palace banquet? This place is a mess. I'll leave it to my brother and his wife to clean up the mess."
He raised his eyes and glanced at his brother on the dragon throne. His eyes clearly said "clean up the mess, understand?", then quickly fell back to Dongfang Yuning's face, and in an instant, it became so soft that water could drip out.
"Shall I go for a walk with you to help you digest your food? The moonlight in the Imperial Garden should be quite nice."
The seamlessly switching image of the gentle prince is completely different from the living devil who pressed the three princes to the ground and threatened to dig out their eyes and cut off their tongues in exchange for their harsh words!
Everyone's eyes twitched and they complained inwardly:
[Your Highness! With your acting skills, it would be a waste of your talent if you didn't go to the opera theater to sing! Even Sichuan Opera's face-changing skills are not as fast as yours!]
Dongfang Yuning tilted her little face up in his arms, but her eyes drifted to the side where Princess Nangong Yue was wiping her fingertips elegantly, as if she had just counted the gold bills and got them covered in dust.
That look, clear and innocent yet cunning, clearly conveyed:
Niece! Keep the peace, handle the follow-up PR, sort out the contract details, and make sure my money-grubbing third brother doesn't treat the samples as gifts...
These glorious and arduous tasks are now handed over to you! The organization trusts you! Our Women's Business Empire (Food Edition) needs you! 】
Nangong Yue received the eye signal from her aunt, and the corners of her lips curled up in a dignified and appropriate arc, and she nodded slightly.
Her eyes, which were full of insight into the world, flashed with the brilliance of "sharpening knives to kill pigs and sheep". She replied gracefully.
"Go easy, auntie! Have a great date! I'm here! Who dares to disobey? Haha, I'll make him taste the extra-rich and spicy nine-grid hot pot soup base! I guarantee it'll be unforgettable!" Mm, very kind.
Queen Dongfang Qiwu gently watched her younger sister being half-hugged and taken away by her brother-in-law, with pure relief in her eyes.
Finally, there is someone reliable who can tie up the jumpy little sister.
Emperor Nangong Yu, who was standing aside, watched his brother's triumphant back as he left with his beloved, and then looked at his queen who was still dignified and beautiful but could not even glance at him. He felt so jealous that he could pickle a jar of sour bamboo shoots!
He wanted to, too! He also wanted to hold Wu'er's hand, stroll under the moonlight, and reminisce about the past! Instead of sitting here facing a pile of gold and... uh... the air that smelled of snail noodles!
Driven by strong envy and jealousy, Nangong Yu mustered up his courage and quietly leaned close to Dongfang Qiwu's ear, lowering his voice with a subtle hint of flattery and expectation:
"Wu'er... Look, the smell in this hall is... Hmm... Unique. Why don't we go out for a walk? To help with the food?"
He tried to make his voice sound affectionate.
Dongfang Qiwu seemed not to hear anything, and even his eyelashes didn't move.
She was concentrating on watching the palace maids cleaning up the mess. Her posture was graceful, and her profile was breathtakingly beautiful under the palace lanterns, yet also as cold as an ice sculpture.
That attitude of ignoring is more hurtful than direct rejection!
Nangong Yu: “…”
My heart felt like it had been stabbed and twisted again! Woohoo… I courted disaster when I was young, and now the retribution has arrived!
Wu'er's attitude clearly mirrored Dongfang Yuning's words about "scattering her ashes"—he was going to put into practice—by scattering his heart first! Why did this feel so much like the sister-in-law's gloating predictions earlier? It was over, it was over. The road to catching up with my wife was long and arduous...
Nangong Yu wilted instantly, like an eggplant hit by frost, and shrank back pitifully on the dragon throne, no longer interested in the mountain of gold.
Even if gold shines, it can’t warm his cold heart!
---
The next day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
However, the atmosphere in the post house where the envoys from various countries stayed was extremely solemn, filled with a lingering smell of...medicated oil and the relief of having survived the disaster.
The courtyard of the Spice Kingdom embassy.
"Hiss—gently! Gently!"
Prince Abdul lay sprawled on the couch, grimacing in pain. His calf was wrapped in thick gauze, faintly oozing blood, the work of the "deadly silver chopsticks."
The accompanying imperial physician was carefully changing his dressing. Recalling Nangong Ye's dead-eyed look and the whisper of "Change the prince" last night, Abdul couldn't help but tremble all over, and cold sweat soaked his inner clothes.
"Your Highness, Prince Yong's situation is... so terrible..."
The trusted attendants were still in fear.
"Let's...quickly pay the money we owe and leave this place as soon as possible! Princess Fuxing...is not something we can handle!"
"Hand it over! Hand it over now!"
Abdul's voice was filled with tears.
"Double! No, triple! Hurry! Pack the franchise fee and the advance payment for the first batch of raw materials into the best boxes! Make sure they sparkle! Show our sincerity! Quick! Hurry! Don't let that evildoer find an excuse to come and spar again!"
Now he just wants to use money to buy peace, and be as far away from that living devil and the poisonous dagger on his heart as possible!
Snow Country Inn.
“Ugh—!”
Helian Xiao's screams echoed throughout the courtyard. His arms were heavily splinted, and his chest was bandaged; the slightest movement caused excruciating pain.
Nangong Ye's punch not only broke his arms, which he was so proud of, but also broke several ribs and caused concussion to his internal organs.
"Prince... the Imperial Hospital of Yan State said that your injury...will keep you bedridden for three months..."
The attendant reported tremblingly.
"Go back home! Go back home now!"
Helian Xiao's face turned pale with pain, his eyes filled with fear and dread.
"Prepare the car! No! Prepare the softest sedan! Let's set off now! That Nangong Ye... he's not a human! He's a devil!"
He no longer dared to mention the beauty and the hero. He just wanted to stay away from that devil as far as possible!
"Go! Take the gold promised to Yan Guo! And that… advance payment for the hot pot base! Double it! No, triple it! Send it to the palace immediately! Don't dawdle!"
He just wants to use money to pave the way and escape quickly!
The posthouse of Yuezhi State.
Prince Luo Yuheng lay on the couch, groaning. The excruciating pain in his waist and ribs made him unable to move, and even the slightest breath made him gasp in pain.
What made him even more devastated was that the gorgeous clothes he had worn yesterday, which were worth a fortune, were now stained with grease and leftovers, completely ruined! This was a double blow to his mind and body!
"Prince... Prince Yong sent a message..."
The attendant's face turned pale and his voice trembled.
"Tell me... tell me that if you dare to speak rudely to Princess Fuxing again... next time it won't be your ribs that are broken..."
"Shut up! Stop talking!"
Lan Yuheng was so frightened that he almost rolled off the couch, causing the wound to ache, and he howled like a ghost again.
"Pay! Pay quickly! Pack the franchise fee and the milk tea powder advance payment in big boxes! Make sure they're visible! Quickly!"
Also… prepare ten… no, twenty sets of new clothes for me! The most expensive ones! Return home immediately! I don’t want to stay in this damn place for even a moment!
Now he just wanted to use gold to block the evil god's mouth and then get as far away as possible.
So, the next morning, outside the Yan Kingdom Palace, an extremely spectacular and strange scene appeared:
A number of gorgeously decorated carriages or sedan chairs were parked outside the palace gate, and sitting or lying in the carriages were princes from various countries (mainly the three warriors) with bruised faces, slung arms, bound legs, and groaning.
Around them were boxes upon boxes of gold, gleaming with dazzling golden light in the morning sun! The lids of the boxes were all open, as if they were afraid that others would not see the sincerity inside (mainly because they were afraid that Nangong Ye would not see it).
Officials from the Ministry of Revenue and Dongfang Linyuan, along with a team of skilled accountants and guards, had been waiting for a long time. Dongfang Linyuan looked at the golden box with eyes that shone brighter than gold!
He was holding a thick account book and a pile of lists in his hands. These were the lists of various core raw materials of "Fuxing Brand" "friendly provided" by Dongfang Yuning: special chili powder, spice bags, fermented sour bamboo shoots secret recipe concentrate, milk tea powder base, special fried powder... As for the price, it was naturally a "friendly price" - the kind with no upper limit!
"Prince Abdul of the Spice Kingdom, franchise fee and advance payment for the raw materials for snail noodles and hot and sour noodles, one hundred thousand taels of gold! Three boxes of gems!"
The officials of the Ministry of Revenue sang in high voices, their voices so loud that they could be heard from far away.
Abdul waved weakly from his sedan chair, signaling for a quick move and to be done with it! He just wanted to quickly leave this sad (and terrifying) place that had left him physically and mentally wounded.
"Princess Elena of the Snow Country, exclusive licensing fees for the Fried Skewers and Milk Tea Shop, and advance payment for the first batch of materials: 80,000 taels of gold! A hectoliter of top-grade Eastern Pearl!"
Princess Elena was lucky. She did not participate in the death-seeking incident last night. She just signed the contract and paid the money silently. At this moment, she was sitting elegantly in the carriage, casting a barely perceptible look of contempt at the three warriors, and then urging the convoy to set off quickly.
"Prince Helian Xiao, the Hot Pot City licensing fee and... uh... healing funds? One hundred and one hundred taels of gold! One hundred pieces of the finest fur!"
When the Ministry of Revenue official read out this "comfort money", the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
Helian Xiao lay in a specially made, thickly padded carriage, gasping in pain. He nearly spat out blood when he heard the word "comfort money." He could only wave his hands feebly, signaling, "Go away! Take the money! Don't let him see the gate of the Yan Kingdom Palace again!"
"Prince Luo Yuheng of the Yuezhi clan, the authorization fee for the Milk Tea Sea Area and the first batch of materials are 70,000 taels of gold! In addition... His Royal Highness the Prince will personally sponsor 10,000 taels of gold for the purchase of new clothes?" The official from the Ministry of Revenue had a harder time reading.
Luo Yuheng lay in another padded carriage, covering his swollen face with a newly replaced fan, and hummed weakly:
"Hurry...move quickly...quickly! This prince...needs to breathe...the air of his hometown..."
He felt that if he stayed any longer, he would suffocate to death (mainly because of the huge psychological trauma).
Dongfang Linyuan personally directed the counting, the accountants' abacus clattered, and the guards carried boxes of heavy gold into the palace in an orderly manner.
The smile on his face never stopped. Seeing the princes in such a mess and eager to go home, his heart was filled with joy:
[My little sister is really lucky! Not only can she make money, but she can also educate her customers! Look at the after-sales service, how profound! Who would dare to take advantage of my little sister in the future?
Prince Yong's 'after-sales service' is truly priceless! It's worth it! Absolutely worth it!]
While counting the money, he was thinking about how to get some new recipes from his younger sister.
As the last box of gold was carried into the palace, the envoys from various countries started moving immediately as if they had received a special pardon. They drove away from the palace at the fastest speed, raising a cloud of dust, which seemed to indicate that they were fleeing in panic.
Especially the chariots of the three "warriors" were running the fastest, as if there were evil spirits chasing them.
---
Inside the palace, in the vast square, piles of golden chests gleamed in the sunlight, nearly blinding anyone. The air was filled with the intoxicating fragrance of money.
Emperor Nangong Yu stood on the high steps, looking at this overwhelming wealth, his heart was filled with joy! This was real money that could enrich the national treasury, support military expenses, and allow him to realize his grand plans!
He seemed to have already seen the magnificent scene of himself commanding the newly formed and well-equipped navy to flatten the Fuying Kingdom!
He subconsciously cleared his throat, flicked his dragon robe, and prepared to wave his hand to show off his imperial demeanor:
"Come! Take these golds..."
Before he finished speaking, an extremely soft voice, full of ridicule and warning of danger, like the whisper of a little devil, accurately drilled into his ears:
[Tong~ Quick scan! Look at my brother-in-law, Old Deng, is he acting like that again? Is he trying to just wave his big hand and siphon all the gold into the national treasury?]
Haha, do you really think I'm getting all this for free? The raw materials are free? The secret recipe is free? And the compensation for my brain cells and mental damage (from being harassed by flies) is free?
Believe it or not, I'm going to Fengyi Palace right now, right now, to have a good chat with my sister about scattering someone's ashes? And by the way, let's talk about his little thoughts last night.
System 118:
[Ding! Target Nangong Yu scan completed! Intent strength: 100%! Target is currently immersed in the fantasy of 'my kingdom and my money', and the order to deposit will be issued soon!]
Danger Level: Extremely High! Host, friendly reminder, your sister's 'Fengyi Palace Restraint Order' and 'Ashes Scattering Plan' have been loaded and can be triggered at any time!]
Nangong Yu: “!!!”
He was about to swing his dragon claw when it froze in mid-air! A chill instantly shot up his spine! An invisible ice blade, formed from his sister-in-law's inner voice, was hanging on the back of his neck! Cold sweat broke out!
It's over! I got too carried away! I forgot there was a little ancestor at the scene!
If the sister-in-law were to go to Wu'er to complain and exaggerate... Nangong Yu's eyes went dark, as if he had seen the miserable scene of himself being locked outside the Fengyi Palace, listening to the two sisters' laughter and talking inside, while he could only shiver while hugging the cold steps!
Maybe even... maybe you'll actually be praised! (Psychologically speaking)
No! Absolutely not! You can temporarily not climb onto the bed, but you absolutely cannot be unable to enter the palace gate!
In a flash, Nangong Yu displayed his amazing desire to survive as an emperor (and a potential henpecked husband)!
He abruptly twisted the direction of his arm, from "waving his arm around and slamming it" to "pointing out the way ahead," his voice resonating loudly, with a righteous awe-inspiring power and unquestionable authority:
"Ahem! Um! Someone come!"
His eyes swept over the Minister of Revenue and Dongfang Linyuan who were staring at the gold below, and finally stopped at Dongfang Yuning, who was holding her little face, blinking her big eyes, and looking at him with an "innocent" expression.
"Put these golds,"
Nangong Yu took a deep breath and used all his acting skills to try to make his expression look fair, selfless, and full of love (mainly because of his fear of his sister-in-law).
"Everything will be registered! Eighty percent of it will go into Princess Fuxing's private treasury! This is the profit Princess Fuxing has earned for single-handedly creating a food trade route for Dayan, signing a peace treaty, and enriching the national treasury (emphasis added)! No one is allowed to covet it!"
He specifically emphasized the merit of "enriching the national treasury" in an attempt to save face for himself. Then, he looked at Dongfang Linyuan:
"Lin Yuan, the remaining 20% will be used as the operating capital and subsequent research and development expenses for 'Fuxing Trading Company'. You will be responsible for overall management. Make sure that the supply of raw materials is sufficient and the trade routes are smooth!"
Well, with this arrangement, my little sister (mainly the system in her head) should be satisfied, right? It's better than putting all the money into the national treasury and then not being able to even enter the palace!
Minister of Revenue: “…”
Inwardly: [Your Majesty! That look in your eyes just now didn't say that! You clearly wanted to take the entire treasury! Isn't this a sudden change of heart?]
Dongfang Linyuan: “!!!”
Inwardly, I was ecstatic: [My little sister is awesome! My brother-in-law is a coward! 20% of the operating capital? Haha, that's enough! Follow my little sister and you'll have meat to eat!]
Other ministers: “…”
They all bowed their heads: [Yes, Your Majesty is wise! The princess has worked hard and made great contributions! This is as it should be! We saw nothing, we know nothing!]
Dongfang Yuning held her little face in her hands, her big eyes curved into crescents, and her pink lips curled up in a sweet, contented arc.
She happily high-fived the system in her mind:
[Yeah! Done! Old Deng, you're smart! Tongzi, did you see that? What's a family brotherhood? This is a family brotherhood!]
Money is precious, but freedom is even more valuable. If it means entering the palace, even gold can be thrown away! Is this brother-in-law's awareness acceptable?
[Ding! Host's happiness level detected! Nangong Yu's desire to live assessed: SSS level! Family position as a younger brother is as solid as a rock! Congratulations to the host for successfully protecting the deserved benefits of 'private money' (crossed out)!]
Nangong Yu looked at his sister-in-law's brilliant smile and quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Fortunately... Fortunately, he reacted quickly! The palace gate was saved!
Although my heart is bleeding (so much gold!), but thinking about the gentle look Wu Er might show him (which he has not seen for a long time)... well, it's worth it! A thousand gold coins can't buy the palace gate to open!
He tried hard to maintain his imperial dignity and smiled at Dongfang Yuning like a loving brother-in-law:
"Ning'er, thank you for your hard work! Just keep this money and spend it however you want! If it's not enough... ask your third brother for more!"
(Decisively put the blame on Dongfang Linyuan)
Dongfang Linyuan: "..."
Well, I'm just a brick, I'll be moved wherever I'm needed! However, looking at the little sister's sparkling eyes and the mountains of gold, he nodded happily:
"Right, right, right! Don't worry, little sister! Third Brother will definitely help you make your business a thriving business! We're going to open our 'Lucky Star' brand all over the continent! Make those Fuying Country piss off!"
He also did not forget his younger sister's mission of "recharging military funds".
A vigorous palace diplomacy, a thrilling battle to protect his wife, and a satisfying gold harvest, all ended with the princes of various countries fleeing Yan Kingdom in a panic with contracts, samples, and pain (mainly psychological), and the "harmony" in the distribution of gold within the Yan Kingdom royal family came to an end.
In the air, the smell of money mixed with the lingering "soul" of snail noodles and a hint of bitterness from the emperor's heartbreak, forming a unique and funny finale.
Nangong Yu watched his sister-in-law happily directing people to move gold into her palace, then thought about his own empty (relatively speaking) treasury and the queen who was still indifferent to him, and sighed silently.
Sigh, this emperor... why does it feel like I'm losing more and more status? Forget it, I should think about how I can sneak into Fengyi Palace at night... The road ahead is long and arduous!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
