Chapter 956: I'll take 10% commission [Seeking monthly votes]
Shen Tang: "..."
Gong Xiqiu disliked Xun Ding even less than she had imagined.
Gong Xilai, standing to the side, chuckled lightly, his eyes sparkling with pleasure. Gong Xichou glared at her and said, "Am I wrong? Xun Yong'an is just an extra, and a troublesome one at that."
I've been annoyed by Gongxi for many years.
I was so stupid back then. Why didn't I go all out when we first met and kill him to end it all?
Gong Xilai: "I'm glad that Yong'an treats me sincerely."
If it were anyone else, no matter how unhappy they were, they wouldn't pour cold water on their bride on the eve of their wedding; they would at least give the newlyweds some face. But Gongxi Chou was no ordinary person. He would say whatever he was unhappy about on the spot, never engaging in internal strife: "Hmph, the art of war says: Aim high, and you'll achieve the middle; aim for the middle, and you'll achieve the lowest; aim low, and you'll surely fail! Sincerity is the most fundamental thing. Seeking sincerity is like aiming low in warfare; one day you'll be defeated without even realizing it. You're too naive."
Gong Xilai said, "My little sister can afford to lose."
“What you said makes sense. Ah Lai, you must remember what I said today—you can afford to lose, you can afford to lose at any time. The one who can’t afford to lose is Xun Ding!” Gong Xi Chou agreed. “Xun Yong’an has made great progress in strength over the years, but he is not as young or talented as I am. Unless he has some kind of extraordinary encounter or enlightenment, if he dares to betray you, he should be prepared to sleep with his eyes open for the rest of his life.”
Gong Xilai nodded with a smile.
Since her friends were waiting nearby, Gongxi Chou didn't want to disturb his sister too much. He turned to the maid and instructed her to help Gongxi try on the wedding dress, and to make alterations if it didn't fit. Pregnant women shouldn't stay up late, so he told her to go to bed early afterward.
Gong Xilai agreed to all of them.
Shen Tang and the other walked out of the gate one after the other.
She clicked her tongue and said, "Didn't you say you weren't in the mood for drinking?"
"It wasn't there before, but it is now."
The capital city of Fengluo boasts the most diverse and authentic wines in the entire Kang Kingdom. These wine chains are backed by mysterious and powerful owners. The quantity of each wine is limited, and it's first-come, first-served; even high-ranking officials and wealthy families must make reservations in advance.
Shen Tang stepped forward and asked the shopkeeper for several jars of wine.
The two, who had been separated for a long time, sat on the roof of a tavern and drank.
Gong Xichou broke the clay seal, took a light sniff, and then, as if remembering something, turned to look at Chen Tang: "Can you drink now?"
Shen Tang was speechless: "I have very good manners when I'm drunk."
He used to get drunk easily, and when drunk, his evil thoughts would take over. Now, he still gets drunk, but his mind is clear, and the brutal scenes that Gong Xichou feared won't happen. Gong Xichou was relieved to receive a positive reply and took a small sip: "Very familiar."
Shen Tang tilted her head back and took two gulps. Occasionally, some icy liquid slipped from the corner of her lips, down her chin, and onto her collar, but she didn't care. Her hand holding the wine jar rested casually on her bent knee, and she leaned back, resting her weight on her left hand that was supporting the roof. She shook the wine jar and chuckled mischievously, "Tsk, you can tell just from one sip? Sigh, being the ruler of this country isn't easy."
Gong Xichou glanced down at the tavern below.
The signs hanging in the taverns had special markings.
The markings are exactly the same as the patterns on the ancestral land deity statues.
Shen Tang didn't notice his reaction and continued to complain: "Tell me, which king is as strapped for cash as I am, to the point that I have to sell wine? I used to sell wine on the streets of Xiaocheng, and now I've just changed positions."
Gong Xiqiu was almost speechless: "Are they really that poor?"
Shen Tang said seriously, "It's much poorer than you can imagine!"
The word "poor" was far removed from Gongxi Chou's understanding; he couldn't quite grasp the pain of being penniless: "Doesn't the king have an income?"
Shen Tang chuckled and said, "That little bit isn't enough."
Under normal circumstances, it would be enough. As the ruler of the country, Shen Tang was the largest landowner in Kang State. The royal court's income was her private income. She had income from royal estates, tributes from officials and envoys, and income from certain monopolized items. However, this was far from enough to fill the huge debts owed by Xun Zhen. To make matters worse, the profits from salt and iron that she could share during the makeshift leadership period were gone.
That old bastard Xun Zhen pocketed it all and put it into the national treasury!
Shen Tang was not angry at Xun Zhen's actions. After all, the lack of a clear separation between public and private treasuries could easily lead to financial imbalance. If officials could not be paid their salaries, they would easily exploit the common people below them, ruining the good situation.
In the first two or three years after the founding of Kangguo, people asked the Ministry of Revenue for money every day. Xun Zhen's face was visibly haggard, and he had lost all of his former bold and unrestrained spirit of "spending a thousand gold pieces but they will come back again".
He was quite generous; to compensate Shen Tang for his losses, Shen Tang received a monthly stipend from the national treasury.
Yes, even the king is a wage earner.
To turn the private coffers' profits into a positive one, Shen Tang had to come up with other ideas. Although Wangzhuang's income was stable, it came too slowly, so Shen Tang had to discuss ways to escape poverty and become wealthy with Xu Jie. In the end, it was Xu Jie who had a flash of inspiration and remembered the spirit wine from back then.
Because the makeshift troupe rose to prominence later on, Shen Tang made a fortune from silk, salt, iron and other commodities, becoming financially well-off. At that time, the political situation was chaotic, luxury consumption cooled down, and not many families could afford spirit wine, making it a tasteless and useless commodity.
After Xu Jie sold out of his stock of spirit wine, he didn't restock. However, as the situation stabilized, wealthy families began to inquire about the spirit wine again. Xu Jie felt there was great potential in it!
Shen Tang stroked her chin: "That's a good idea."
So-called "spirit wine" is also easy to make.
She's no longer the naive newbie she was back then. Brewing wine is something even a literary avatar could handle; she can whip up dozens or even hundreds of jars with a wave of her hand, only needing to spend half a day each month restocking. To avoid impacting the wine market, this spiritual wine is priced high, targeting the wealthy rather than ordinary people, such as martial artists, scholars, and wealthy families with deep-rooted influence.
Of course, Shen Tang still had compassion for officials.
The government specially allocated expensive spirit wine as an extra monthly allowance for officials—in short, a perk for them. The veteran officials were used to this, but the newcomers were all astonished to see spirit wine on the allowance list, secretly marveling at the royal court's extravagance.
Officials of different ranks received a fixed amount of different types of spirit wine each month; those with more could drink to their heart's content, while those with less could only occasionally enjoy a small sip. The tavern business was not only prevalent in the capital but also had a significant share in other places, generating substantial revenue.
Gongxi Chou listened to Shen Tang's complaints and clicked his tongue, "Damn, being a king is really meaningless. Do you want to come back to the Gongxi clan's territory with me? I guarantee you'll have no worries!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Tang gave him a disdainful look: "Heh, you still haven't given up on the idea of throwing me into a coffin?"
Gong Xichou did not deny this.
Shen Tang rubbed her flushed cheeks.
"It's not easy to confide in you, I must have been out of my mind."
What useful advice can an oddball give?
Gong Xichou was displeased upon hearing this. He did care about Mama, but everyone has their own expertise. His forte was fighting and killing, leading troops into battle; making money wasn't his specialty. He silently did some calculations for Shen Tang.
"Wait a minute, if you're making so much money, how come you're still short of cash?"
"Isn't this another war? War costs a fortune."
Upon hearing this, Gong Xiqiu looked at her with pity and sighed, "Alright, seeing how worried you are about money, I can't bear it anymore. Give me 30% commission, and I'll help you fight this battle!"
Shen Tang's slightly flushed face, still slightly drunk, instantly cracked. She downed a mouthful of wine, wiped her mouth, and said, "...You're my great general, helping me fight battles and you're asking me for a commission? Gong Xi Chou, are you obsessed with money?"
Gong Xichou couldn't recall when Shen Tang had bestowed upon him the title of Grand General, but that wasn't important. What mattered was something else: "Isn't Alai pregnant? Look at her belly, it won't be long before she gives birth. Doesn't Mama know that raising a child costs money?"
Shen Tang said irritably, "The child has a father."
Gong Xichou shook his head: "That's not the custom of the Gongxi clan. Alai's child is mine, and it's the uncle who pays for raising the child."
Shen Tang raised an eyebrow: "So?"
Gong Xichou held up two fingers: "Twenty percent commission!"
Shen Tang wanted to pry his fingers off.
However, Gong Xichou's two fingers were as hard as iron and wouldn't budge. Shen Tang secretly exerted her strength against him. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she finally managed to cut off 10% of the commission. Gong Xichou sighed helplessly, "Sigh, alright, 10% commission it is..."
Shen Tang was so angry that she kicked him: "You're not short of money!"
His obsession with commissions makes him even more of a miser than Xun Zhen!
Gong Xichou was on guard and dodged to avoid getting hurt, not forgetting to retort: "So what if you're not short of money? Does that mean people who aren't short of money don't need to be paid? There's no such logic in the world!"
Shady businessman!
Shen Tang missed a step, and being a bit drunk, she nearly lost her balance and fell off the roof. Once she regained her footing, she rolled up her sleeves and gave chase. Gong Xi Chou's agility had improved considerably over the years; he was like a nimble snake, and Shen Tang couldn't catch him in time.
Neither could do anything to the other, but a lot of wine was spilled.
Shen Tang, hands on her hips, slightly out of breath, asked, "Are you feeling better?"
Gong Xichou stood a few feet away from her, leaning against the flagpole, his face wary of Shen Tang's attack. Hearing this, he paused for a moment, his relaxed expression vanishing, replaced by an indescribable somberness.
Seeing his expression, Shen Tang wanted to kick him. "Gong Xi Chou, Xun Yong'an is my Yao Guang Guard General. If you look down on him like this, it makes me look bad too."
Gong Xichou then chose a roof ridge that he found pleasing to the eye and sat down: "The extras aren't enough to make me feel this way; it's other things that are troubling me."
Shen Tang looked on with a gossipy expression: "Huh? Tell me about it."
If you're unhappy about something, share it with her to cheer her up.
Gong Xichou took a deep breath: "About Shao Bai..."
Shen Tang paused for a moment, then her mind raced, and the figure she had seen during the day flashed into her mind. She tentatively asked, "Your nephew?"
"He's not my nephew anymore. He might, perhaps, probably... actually be my elder brother, my elder brother Ji Moqiu." Upon hearing the word "nephew," Gong Xichou's face twitched unnaturally, and he covered his face. "I've called him 'elder nephew' for so long, how am I supposed to face him?"
Shen Tang: "..."
Now it was her turn to listen to Gong Xichou's complaints.
After listening to the whole story, Shen Tang patted Gong Xi Chou's head affectionately, comforting (and sarcastic) him: "Oh, I thought it was something serious. What's there to be sad about? Snakes don't have big brains, so if they can't react quickly, it's because their hardware capacity is too low, not your fault. Although you lost your nephew, you gained an older brother!"
Gong Xichou almost suffered cerebellar atrophy. He was stunned for a moment before he realized that Shen Tang was implying that his brain was too small.
"Ma! Ma!"
Gong Xichou still has the advantage in pursuing Shen Tang.
The serpent halberd in his hand was much longer than Shen Tang's Mother's Sword.
"Gong Xi Chou, if you keep this up, I'm going to tell your elder brother about you! Look at yourself, what kind of behavior is this! You have no love for the sacred objects at all, it's outrageous!" Shen Tang was chased until she stood on the flagpole like a golden rooster, looking down at Gong Xi Chou.
Gong Xichou: "Get down!"
The threat of complaining was quite effective; Gong Xichou didn't dare cut down the flagpole: "If you're so capable, come up here!"
"Get down!"
"Come up here!"
"Get down!"
"Come on up!"
"Down!"
"superior!"
Gong Xichou: "..."
Shen Tang: "..."
Two self-proclaimed mature adults squatted side by side on the roof ridge, reflecting on why they were so childish at their age. Specifically, only Gong Xichou was reflecting, while Chen Tang spoiled the mood by saying, "The way we're sitting looks like we're squatting on someone's roof to take a dump."
Gong Xichou: "..."
Shen Tang quickly changed the subject, jumping from pooping to his brother: "Your brother's surname is Jimo, isn't that the High Priest?"
Gong Xiqiu knew immediately that she was holding in her stomach.
He glanced sideways and said, "So what?"
“Looking at your brother’s face, I know he’s not a tadpole like you, a brat with yellow hair and a frivolous spirit. He has the face of a compassionate and gentle bodhisattva. How could he see sacred objects in trouble or common people suffering? So—” Shen Tang raised her hand and put her arm around his shoulder.
Gong Xichou's eyes were deep and unfathomable: "So?"
Shen Tang rubbed her hands together: "Is your older brother expensive?"
She had a certain understanding of the High Priest's abilities; he was a T0 support character who was far more effective than any literary scholar!
Gong Xichou: "..."
"The price is too high, you can't afford it." He sneered. He only wanted a 30% commission, but she had managed to haggle it down to 10%, which was quite stingy. Moreover, "High Priests should not get involved in worldly struggles. Ji Mo Can and Ji Mo Yu are typical examples. Back then, during the Gu calamity in the Wu Kingdom, all five High Priests who came out of seclusion perished at the same time, and the Gongxi Clan was severely weakened and its talent pool was depleted. Mama, I can do whatever I want, but the High Priest must not be lost."
Gong Xiqiu stopped laughing and joking, and became serious and solemn.
Shen Tang: "What if he's willing?"
The high priest of the Gongxi clan is known for producing traitors.
Gong Xichou stopped holding the wine jar: "If he agrees and takes the money, that's fine. But if he doesn't take a commission, then he—"
Shen Tang: "...And what about him?"
He internally complained that Gong Xichou couldn't stop talking about commissions.
Gong Xichou snorted as he shattered the empty wine jar.
"An extra that costs you money."
"...It's obvious you've never been beaten by your own brother."
"Don't even mention my own brother, I've never even hit my own father." Ji Mo Can was already dead when he hit him, so you could practically say he never hit him. As for his mother, that's a memory from a long time ago. "Mommy, what does it feel like to be hit by your older brother?"
Shen Tang: "It hurts."
Gong Xichou held the wine jar, his chin resting on it.
He mumbled, "Shouldn't it be sweet?"
Shen Tang: "Snakes do indeed have very small brains."
Gong Xichou didn't use his martial energy to neutralize the alcohol in his body, drinking jar after jar. Even someone with a high alcohol tolerance would get drunk eventually. Shen Tang, however, was different; she knew how to cheat. She drank and neutralized the alcohol simultaneously. An hour later, she sat with flushed cheeks, while Gong Xichou lay down, hugging a wine jar.
"The King?"
Having dealt with Gong Xichou, Shen Tang leisurely drank his wine.
A gentle breeze brushed past my eyes and ears, taking away some of the heat.
Shen Tang squinted slightly to relieve the dryness in her eyes, only to see the bright moonlight shining down on a person, whose face showed a slight surprise.
|ω`)
Regarding weight loss, I gained a lot of weight during my postpartum period at the beginning of the year, so my starting weight was quite high, which is why I lost weight relatively quickly. I have personal training sessions at the gym every afternoon, rest on Sundays, do five days of strength training and cardio, and one day of pure cardio. I order light meals for lunch, and make myself some boiled shrimp balls, boiled beef, cucumber, and oatmeal porridge for dinner. I'm usually not hungry. Also, I get enough sleep and avoid staying up late.
The coach seemed more anxious than Xianggu, but Xianggu thought it was best to take it easy; the weight would eventually come down, just like a slow train and a high-speed train both end up at the same station, right? Hehe.
P.S.: But after the annual party news came out, Shiitake Mushroom is a little anxious. She still hopes to lose even more weight and attend the party in better shape. According to her estimates, she won't be slim by the time of the annual party, but she'll at least be much better than she is now.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
