Chapter 106 Lian Chengtai Takes It Seriously
Yao Qingling looked at the two people, and just like she did with Prince Xin, she had no impression of them.
Prince Xin looked at the woman's bewildered expression, just like he had looked at him before, with an expression that seemed to say, "Who are you?"
I immediately felt a sense of relief.
Tao Weixian and Shao Wenchun exchanged glances, then looked at Yao Qingling: "You... don't know us?"
Yao Qingling smiled and said politely, "All guests are welcome."
The two men: "..."
They came to cheer on Prince Xin, but Prince Xin arrived before them and saw this scene as soon as he arrived.
When Prince Xin came to his senses, he realized that he was still being held in mid-air; he was losing face.
He shouted angrily, "Put me down!"
His guards reacted quickly, standing on either side of the two waiters and drawing their swords from their sheaths.
A sharp clang pierced the eardrums.
The two waiters didn't even blink; they continued carrying the chairs without moving an inch.
Qingling smiled and said, "I guessed that you came to this shop to have some fun. That's why you're angry. We even brought two strong waiters to play on the swings with you."
She made sarcastic remarks, implying that Prince Xin had come to her shop to cause trouble and have fun; however, she preemptively took the initiative and put him in a difficult position.
Lian Chengtai was so angry that he tried to move in his chair, which shook. Qingling stared wide-eyed, reaching out one hand as if to help him.
She said nervously, "Be careful, Prince Xin!"
Then he withdrew his hands, crossed them to his chest, and said with a slight smile, "If you move around, even if these two waiters are strong, they won't be able to keep you steady. There are so many people downstairs. If you accidentally roll down and embarrass yourself in front of everyone, how will you face them?"
She could tell that this Peacock Prince liked to put on airs and looked down on people; but if he were to lose face in front of someone he looked down on, he would be so angry that he would faint.
Lian Chengtian stared at Yao Qingling's smiling face, gritting his teeth so much that his cheek muscles bulged out. But he was being held there by Yao Qingling, truly suspended in mid-air. If she shook her hand, he would roll down the stairs like a ball.
Yao Qingling then said, "You two, take the prince out to play. There are some special products from Fujian Province on that shelf over there; tell him to go and take a look."
"No—" Lian Chengtai raised the hand holding the fan, while his other hand instinctively gripped the armrest tightly.
He was afraid the chair would wobble; what if it shook him off?
He took a deep breath and said to Yao Qingling, "Don't you want to know news about Zhan Xingzhuo?"
Qingling shook her head: "We're divorced, so we're completely unrelated. Why would I need to know anything about him?"
Lien Cheng-tai: "..."
I never expected Yao Qingling to be so cold-blooded and heartless. It's a shame Zhan Xingzhuo still thinks of her.
In his letter to Zhan Xingzhuo, Lian Chengtai not only informed Zhou Zhining of her current situation but also mentioned Yao Qingling.
In his reply, Zhan Xingzhuo expressed his disbelief that Yao Qingling could live a good life without him.
The people in the Marquis's mansion would be even less likely to support her opening a shop and becoming a female merchant.
One passage in the letter reads: "The people in the Marquis's mansion treat her coldly and consider her a burden. She will likely not be able to establish herself in the mansion and will struggle to make a living if she opens her own shop. Without me, she will be like a dodder vine without a branch, unable to stand alone and drifting like duckweed... I urge Your Highness to visit the shop and inform Yao Qingling that if she is willing to turn back to me, I may still take care of her."
After Lian Chengtai was beaten and punished, he recuperated in his residence. All the news about Yao Qingling was told to him by his servants.
The servants couldn't understand Yao Qingling's behavior, but they wanted to please their master. When the news reached Lian Chengtai's ears, they said that she did business like a headless fly, going to any port to curry favor. She even dared to recruit refugees in order to please Shuntian Prefecture. She also partnered with the tigress from the Cao family, who had no real power and no money.
Moreover, she sells all sorts of goods, a hodgepodge, without any main products.
Lien Cheng-tai took it seriously.
He wanted Yao Qingling to suffer even more so that she would quickly apologize to Zhan Xingzhuo.
Furthermore, Zhou Zhining was still a slave in the Ministry of Agriculture, so how could she be living a better life than Zhou Zhining?
By the time he was able to walk, the shop had just opened.
But when he got to the store, he saw how big it was and that it was divided into two floors for selling goods. He thought, "Is this a place where it's hard to make a living?"
In a short period of time, she became famous throughout the capital; did Zhan Xingzhuo have some misunderstanding about his ex-wife?
Downstairs, many people were browsing goods when someone suddenly looked up and saw a man in a red brocade robe being carried.
—The man was quite handsome, with red lips and white teeth, and fair skin. The way he was held up high suggested that he was of very high status, so high that even a two-story building couldn't support him.
"Hey, shopkeeper, who is that handsome young man?" a woman downstairs called out.
Yao Qingling smiled and glanced at Lian Chengtian, saying, "Today is the first day of business for the store, so we specially invited the God of Wealth to descend to earth and bring good fortune to our store."
To be honest, Lian Chengtian, dressed in a bright red brocade robe and with a noble appearance, along with two people carrying a chair, really looked like the God of Wealth descending to earth.
Yao Qingling then pointed to Tao Weixian and Shao Wenchou: "These two are lucky charms, aren't they good-looking?"
Lian Chengtai and the two young masters, Tao and Shao, were speechless.
They came intending to cause trouble for Yao Qingling and make Zhan Xingzhuo, who was suffering in Luozhou, feel better. Unexpectedly, Yao Qingling used them and they became her lucky charms and benefactors.
Lien Cheng-tai was both angry and ashamed, so he raised his sleeve to cover his face.
Someone below called out, "Hey, God of Wealth, why are you covering your face? Let us all see it so we can all share in your wealth!"
A chorus of cheers erupted, with some even saying that the God of Wealth had descended to earth to distribute wealth to mortals, and that they should scatter silver.
Lian Chengtian covered half his face with his sleeve, his angry eyes filled with murderous intent as he stared at Yao Qingling: "Put me down now!"
Qingling remained silent, looking at him with a half-smile.
Lian Chengtian gritted his teeth: "Yao Qingling, that painting—"
Qing Ling's expression shifted slightly, and she flicked her sleeve, prompting the two waiters to put the person down.
When the people downstairs saw the person coming down, they thought the "God of Wealth" was really going to throw silver coins, and they cheered.
This further amplified the lively atmosphere inside the store, even attracting passing dogs to come in and take a look.
Lien Cheng-tai was put on the spot by the words "God of Wealth" and had no choice but to take out his money bag and distribute silver.
However, when he went out, relying on his status as a prince, where did he need to spend money? Everyone fawned over him, showering him with gold and jewels.
The money pouches his guards took out contained only a few pieces of loose silver.
Qingling smiled and said, "I have several dozen strings of cash in my shop for change, which you can lend to Your Highness. You can just write an IOU."
He paused, then looked at Tao and Shao, "You two are the same."
Lian Chengtai's anger had reached its peak, and he almost fainted. He gritted his teeth and said, "Do I, the king, need to write an IOU?!"
This is an insult to him!
Yao Qingling: "Oh, Zhan Xingzhuo doesn't have much money either. He borrowed money from me and hasn't paid it back. You should have heard that he pawned the jade pendant, right?"
King Xin: "..."
He angrily wrote down the IOU; so angry that the strokes of his pen resembled burning flames.
Yao Qingling accepted the IOU, then ordered someone to bring ten strings of cash, which she threw down from the second floor.
Not satisfied with just throwing the toss herself, she pulled Lian Chengtai, Tao, and Shao along with her.
Spending lavishly pleases both host and guests.
When Lien Cheng-tai was throwing money, he was genuinely caught up in the joyful and lively atmosphere, and he did so happily and freely.
After he finished scattering the money, he turned back to Yao Qingling, and when he realized it was his money, his smile vanished instantly, replaced by a gloomy expression.
He said coldly, "Yao Qingling, you have to hear the news about Zhan Xingzhuo whether you like it or not."
"He is doing well in Luozhou. Local officials have submitted a memorial stating that he has completed the topographical survey and made new plans. The court is satisfied with his performance. I believe he will return to the capital soon."
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