But even if the emperor’s son was not favored, he was still the emperor’s biological son, so his arrival in Yu State must have carried some of the emperor’s intentions.
Xin He raised her delicate eyebrows slightly: "Is this Great Prince a very resourceful person? How deep are his schemes?"
Mu Houchu said indifferently: "I had little contact with him in the past. He has always been low-key in his actions, without much presence in the Imperial Court, and not involved in many political affairs. I haven’t paid much attention to him, but..."
"Hm?" Xin He’s interest was piqued by the word "but."
Mu Houchu raised his eyebrows: "The news from the Imperial Court is that the Great Prince should arrive in about half a month, but my informant told me today that the Great Prince has already entered Yu State today."
"Could it be that the Emperor has issued some secret decree?"
"If the Emperor issued a secret decree, it must be a matter of great importance, and he shouldn’t entrust such a big matter to a son who is not favored. I think it’s hard to say for now, but there’s no hurry. My people are already keeping an eye on him, so there’s nothing to worry about." Mu Houchu’s relaxed tone made Xin He feel a little more at ease.
"That’s good."
Only then did Mu Houchu smile: "I heard that Xiao Bei passed the Child Scholar Test today?"
Xin He smiled: "Yes! Xiao Bei and Little Nan both passed. These two kids are very competitive. I heard that among those who passed the Child Scholar Test this year, only Xiao Bei and Little Nan are the youngest. They brought great honor to the academy, and a teacher from the academy even sent someone to deliver congratulatory gifts."
When Mu Houchu heard the words "Little Nan," his smile faded a bit: "Hmm, since Lady Song is coming the day after tomorrow, you can also take the opportunity to inquire about the Song Family’s situation."
Xin He nodded: "Yes, I know."
Mu Houchu letting her investigate the Song Family meant that he had begun to believe in Song Xi and intended to cooperate with him. However, he has never been an impulsive and reckless person. If he really wants to cooperate, he has to verify everything thoroughly.
——
The day after tomorrow.
Lian’an Town was bustling on this day, with almost all the post stations full to capacity. The inns near Hua Street were especially packed, without any vacancies at all.
Almost all of the guests were from out of town, who had come to watch the debut performance of the new artists at Huamanlou.
Nowadays, Huamanlou had already made a name for itself in Yu State, and countless people came to admire its reputation. After all, those who had missed it once could not afford to miss it a second time. Fortunately, the invitations sent out were limited, otherwise, the onlookers might not fit into the small Lian’an Town.
Also, due to the Huamanlou’s attraction, the major businesses in Lian’an Town straightforwardly began promoting activities. Since the debut performance of Huamanlou’s new artists would be in the evening, the shops would use the daytime to make the most of the crowds in Lian’an Town. It was a golden opportunity to make money!
Thus, from early morning, Lian’an Town showcased a rarely seen lively and flourishing scene. There were opera performances, lion dances, and even some shops started offering discounts and promotions to attract customers.
Looking at this thriving scene, who would have thought that this was just a small county town?
In fact, this was exactly the effect that Ji Xinhe wanted to achieve. She didn’t have the power to single-handedly develop Lian’an Town or even Yu State. She could only act as a catalyst, hoping that the local economy would become active, thus attracting more shrewd businessmen and prestigious nobles or wealthy families to move here for better development.
People are driven by self-interest, and if you want them to lend a helping hand, you must provide them with tangible returns.
Xin He also got up early today because Lady Song was going to visit. This was the first guest who came to visit after she returned to Lian’an Town, especially coming from a distinguished family like the Song Family. Naturally, she had to treat her guest well.
"Place these peonies in the East Warm Chamber, and use Yuqian Longjing for the tea. As for the refreshments, we don’t have a specialized master in our house, so just go to Pinwei Pavilion and buy some ready-made ones, there’s no need to be overly picky." Xin He instructed.
As a distinguished guest, she would naturally give her the courtesy she deserved.
"Yes." Xiaoyu bowed respectfully.
Xin He felt a little tired after walking a few steps and sitting down in the taishi chair, she asked, "Is everything going well at Huamanlou?"
"Everything should be fine. Madam Chen is here, waiting outside." Xiaoyu replied.
If things hadn’t been going well, Madam Chen probably wouldn’t have had the mood to wait outside.
"Let her in."
"Yes." Xiaoyu went out, and after a short while, Madam Chen entered.
Madam Chen bowed respectfully: "Madam."
"Is everything well prepared for Huamanlou’s big day today?" Xin He asked.
Madam Chen smiled: "Madam, rest assured. If I hadn’t arranged everything properly, I wouldn’t have dared to leave at such a critical time. The servants of Huamanlou are sensible now, and they won’t be as confused as before."
Xin He nodded: "That’s also because Madam Chen has trained them well. You’ve worked hard during this period. If this event goes smoothly, I should give Madam Chen a big reward."
Madam Chen’s eyes lit up, and her smile grew even bigger: "Thank you, madam!"
After a pause, she continued: "It’s like this. The works of the embroidery women from the workshop have been handed in. I’m here to deliver them for madam’s review."
"Leave the works here. I will look at them carefully and give my judgment in a few days." Xin He said.
"Also, today there will be ten girls performing on stage together. It’s likely that the guests will remember that these ten girls were actually the ones in the Yihong Courtyard promotional album back then. At that time... will it cause any trouble?" Madam Chen hesitated to ask.
Xin He smiled: "What’s there to be afraid of? We are not the ones who did wrong. Can they still hold us accountable for the past? At that time, the girls we bought from the kidnapper were snatched by Yihong Courtyard halfway. Now that the girls have returned to their rightful place, what have we done wrong?"
Madam Chen smiled: "Madam is right."
In some matters, there is no need to make things too clear. As long as things are done in an unassailable manner, it’s enough.
"You can go now. There must be a lot to do at Huamanlou. On a day like today, it’s better to be cautious and careful." Xin He said.
"Yes." Madam Chen turned to leave, but paused halfway and said: "Madam, Miss Yi Ling came to me suddenly today."
Xin He raised her eyebrows slightly: "Oh?" There was no surprise in her expression. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Madam Chen hurriedly explained: "It’s not that I wanted to see her, but she suddenly stopped me, then cried and begged me to take her back. She said she was going to be forced to death."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
