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King Zhongshun couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, and cursed: "Didn't I lend you money? Isn't this considered strong support?"
As soon as he finished speaking, King Zhongshun's expression changed. He had a bad feeling in his heart. He looked straight at Shui Rong and said vigilantly, "What tricks are you up to again?"
Shui Rong's face lit up when he heard that, and he said, "My cousin is in a high position, so I want you to help contact the Ministry of Rites and ask them to write a note. Except for those who have committed serious crimes, I can take away all the wives of the officials who have been convicted. You know, how can we run a club without girls?"
King Zhongshun’s face was as black as charcoal, and his eyes looked at Shui Rong sharply. Good fellow, he was so rude to fleece someone when he caught him! ! ! !
Chapter 30: The little slut’s hidden attribute?
In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, behind the imperial desk, Emperor Yongkang, in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat upright. His expression was strange, as if he couldn't believe it. After a long silence, he confirmed, "Little Sixteen really wants to open a club?"
Prince Zhongshun, who was standing at the table, nodded and replied, "Brother, this is what Xiao Shiliu said himself. I am not very clear about the specific circumstances, but judging from Xiao Shiliu's expression, it should be true."
Everything Shui Rong said was just his one-sided story, but since Shui Rong had said it, there must be nothing wrong, after all, the matter could not be concealed.
"Nonsense! A royal noble is running a meeting place. How can you lose face for the royal family?"
Upon hearing Prince Zhongshun's confirmation, Emperor Yongkang's face turned pale. Since when did the royal family become so desolate that they had to engage in such low-class business? If this got out, not only would it be a loss of face, but people would also say that the emperor was mistreating the royal family members.
Prince Zhongshun was upset when he saw Emperor Yongkang getting angry. He also felt that it was inappropriate, but Shui Rong had arranged everything well, so he didn't say much. He explained, "Royal brother, Xiao Shiliu said that the guild hall is just a place for people to have fun and have fun. It only sells art but not bodies. It is not a first-class brothel. Xiao Shiliu will not participate in the affairs of the guild hall. He will only hold a share."
Emperor Yongkang's expression improved slightly when he heard this. He originally thought that Shui Rong did it on purpose to embarrass him as the emperor. But now, according to Prince Zhongshun, Shui Rong was just doing business. Although the Daqian Dynasty had regulations that royal family members could not compete with the people for profit, as long as it was not brought to the surface, he would turn a blind eye.
After a moment's silence, Emperor Yongkang said, "Forget it, let him be. It's good to have something to do so that he doesn't have to take the lead. As long as nothing happens, I will just pretend I don't know."
As for Shui Rong, or the Beijing Prince's Palace behind him, it would be best to win him over. If you can't win him over, then don't make him your enemy, to avoid causing trouble. As long as the request is not excessive, generally speaking, it will not be rejected.
Upon hearing this, Prince Zhongshun nodded slightly and replied, "I thought so too, so I lent him the money. However, since the account at the Ministry of Revenue cannot be used, I will let him go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to withdraw it tomorrow."
Emperor Yongkang nodded in satisfaction. He was very happy with Prince Zhongshun's approach. When he came to power, the Ministry of Revenue was a mess. It had been hard to sort it out in the past few years, and he couldn't make it more chaotic. If he opened the door to Shui Rong, it might cause disaster and all his efforts would go to waste.
"I understand. You don't need to pay attention to Xiao Shiliu. But as for the old account he brought up, you can tell him that there is no rush to pay back the money from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You should settle the money from the Ministry of Revenue first within half a year."
Prince Zhongshun understood what he said. Compared with the 100,000 taels of silver, the most important thing is to recover the silver owed by the Ministry of Revenue. Those old ministers are not without silver to pay back, but they are unwilling to suffer losses, so they stick together for warmth. Once Prince Beijing's Mansion pays the silver owed, the Ministry of Revenue can use this as an excuse to urge other debtors to pay. This is a weather vane.
"Don't worry, my emperor. I understand."
After a moment's silence, Prince Zhongshun said, "Oh, there is one more thing. Xiao Shiliu wants the Ministry of Rites to write a note. Except for those officials who have committed serious crimes, all the other officials' wives will be dealt with by him.
Emperor Yongkang was stunned when he heard this, then he sneered and cursed: "This little Sixteenth is a good abacus. Why didn't I know before that he has the potential to be a profiteer."
Why did Shui Rong want to take the female relatives of the criminal officials? It was obvious that it was for that damned guild hall. He was asking for money and people at the same time. It was totally a case of getting something for nothing! !
King Zhongshun found it quite funny when he heard this. It was indeed a bit unkind of Shui Rong to be like this, but fortunately he had some sense and knew that those women who committed serious crimes should not be forgiven easily.
"You decide on this matter."
Emperor Yongkang made the final decision and he didn't bother to pay attention to these trivial matters.
King Zhongshun responded when he heard this. He knew that Emperor Yongkang would not care about this matter, so he agreed to Shui Rong.
In Beijing Prince's Mansion, Yingluo, wearing a blue dress, stepped forward to help Shuirong undress. Her delicate nose twitched slightly, but she did not detect the scent of rouge. Her heart could not help but relax, but just in case, she still asked carefully: "Prince, where did you go today?"
Shui Rong didn't know that the little slut had already secretly checked it out. She stretched out her hand and snapped her fingers, saying, "I went to the market. Why do you want to take care of these things too? You are really a housekeeper."
Ever since Shui Rong and Ying Luo became close, this little slut has become more and more clingy, asking more questions every time she goes out of the mansion. However, Shui Rong understands this. As a maid, her whole world revolves around Shui Rong. Once Shui Rong is not in the mansion, she seems to feel empty inside and doesn't know what to do.
Yingluo cried out in pain, her clear eyes glared, and she pouted in grievance, "How dare I interfere in your business? I am worried about you, your Highness. What kind of housekeeper is this? She is so rude and even hits people."
Shui Rong saw Ying Luo's aggrieved face and laughed in his heart. How could he not know how much force he had used to hit her? Why did she have to put on such an aggrieved face? This little slut was still petty.
But after all, she was his own person. Shui Rong knew that Ying Luo was trying to win his favor, but he still reached out and stroked her jade-white forehead, saying in a gentle voice: "Beating is love, scolding is love. I beat you because I like you. Why don't you see me beating others?"
Shui Rong always acts casually with people close to him. If he has to be humble and easy-going around people close to him, then he is really mentally ill. Therefore, Shui Rong is not stiff in front of Yingluo and Keqing. As for outsiders, it depends on personal opinion.
Yingluo's eyes curved like crescents when she heard that. Her master was right. Apart from her, she had never seen the prince hit anyone else, even Miss Qin. It turned out that she was special in the prince's heart!!!
Shui Rong saw that Ying Luo was enjoying herself and had a strange look on her face. This little slut had a nose like a dog but a temperament like a cat.
Suddenly, Yingluo looked at Shuirong with her almond-shaped eyes, biting her lower lip and saying, "If the prince beats or scolds me severely, I will bear it."
Shui Rong was stunned when he heard this. He looked at Ying Luo with a blushing face and was shocked. Could it be that he had unlocked Ying Luo's hidden attribute? This was incredible!!!
"Prince, what's wrong? Didn't you say that beating is love and scolding is care?" Seeing Shui Rong silent, Ying Luo frowned slightly. Didn't the prince say that himself? Does that mean that the prince doesn't like her?
Shui Rong coughed lightly, discarded his guess, and scolded with a smile: "You little slut, you have a hook in your eyes, how can I bear to beat you and scold you again."
Judging from the current situation, I guess I have misunderstood. What a pity.
"Your Highness..." Yingluo blushed when she heard that and blinked at Shui Rong. She had never flirted with the Prince before.
Shui Rong chuckled when he saw this. His daughter's coquettish behavior always made him happy.
"Your Highness, Miss Zhen is here." At this time, the voice of the maid came from outside.
Shui Rong raised his eyebrows when he heard this. It was a coincidence that his cousin came to see him right after he came back.
Since Zhen Hua, as her daughter, took the initiative to visit, she couldn't lose face in any way.
Chapter 31 Hurting the Girl's Heart
In a moment, Zhen Hua came over, looked at Shui Rong with a pair of bright eyes, bowed and said, "Cousin."
Shui Rong nodded slightly and looked at Zhen Hua. She was wearing a light pink dress that dragged on the ground. Her slender waist was bound by a cloud-like belt, making it look even thinner than a hand. She had a seven-treasure coral hairpin in her hair, which made her face look like a lotus. She was so gorgeous that Shui Rong's eyes lit up.
When Zhen Hua saw Shui Rong looking at her, she couldn't help but feel happy. She had dressed up carefully and finally attracted her cousin's attention.
Seeing Zhen Hua lowering her eyebrows and eyes, Shui Rong pondered for a moment and said in a clear voice: "Cousin, is there anything wrong?"
Shui Rong was merely admiring Zhen Hua. After all, when a beautiful girl dressed up carefully stood before him, any man would focus his attention on her. This was human nature.
Zhen Hua heard Shui Rong's slightly indifferent tone, and her body trembled slightly. She still remembered Shui Rong's gentle voice and smile when he was talking to Ke Qing. Why did her cousin treat her so differently from him? If she didn't take the initiative to come to find him today, she might not even see him. Thinking of this, Zhen Hua felt sad. She raised her bright oval face and said faintly, "Cousin, can't I come over if I have nothing to do?"
Shui Rong raised his eyes to glance at Zhen Hua, and saw that her brows were slightly furrowed, and the pearls the size of her little finger were twinkling like stars, which made him look pitiful.
In fact, Zhen Hua's appearance and temperament are relatively good. Facing such a beauty, Shui Rong's heart is bound to be moved. However, the old concubine asked the Zhen family to marry into the Beijing Prince's Mansion. It is obvious that she wants to use the power of the Beijing Prince's Mansion to protect the Zhen family's wealth. This is understandable.
However, the Zhen family is used to be domineering and overbearing, and their roots are rotten. They are not the kind of people who can be educated with words. Even if they are forced to exercise restraint, the Zhen family is far away in the south of the Yangtze River, and Shui Rong cannot reach them. There is no intelligence organization like the Jinyiwei. I am afraid that the Zhen family will cause trouble in private, and Shui Rong will be kept in the dark without knowing it. Isn't this just looking for trouble?
Even though a daughter who is married off is like spilled water, Zhen Hua is still the Zhen after all. If something happens to the Zhen family, will Zhen Hua, as the daughter of the Zhen family, stand by and watch? If Shui Rong ignores it, what will happen to the relationship between husband and wife? If the couple develops a rift, it will be bad.
Moreover, Shui Rong is still an outsider, so it would be inappropriate for him to interfere in the internal affairs of the Zhen family, as that would be too much of an overstep.
Carrying a time bomb with you is obviously not a good thing, so marrying Zhen Hua would do more harm than good. Instead of doing that, it is better to turn a blind eye. After all, no one wants to get involved with the troublesome Yue family, and the Zhen family is not just an ordinary trouble.
But after all, they are cousins, and it was Concubine Beijing who acquiesced to this matter, so Shui Rong couldn't be too rude, so he still had to maintain the surface courtesy, so he smiled and said: "It's just a question, cousin, you are overthinking it."
Zhen Hua's expression improved after hearing this. Her pretty face was full of smiles again. Her beautiful eyes moved around. She took something from her waist, held it in her palm and handed it over. She tilted her head and whispered, "Cousin, I embroidered a sachet when I was free. Please accept it."
Shui Rong looked at the exquisite and lovely sachet in Zhen Hua's hand. It was made of five-colored silk threads, and the colored threads were embroidered into double lotus flowers. It was obvious that a lot of effort had been put into it.
Giving a sachet as a gift to a daughter's family means belonging and expressing love, which seems subtle and beautiful.
Shui Rong looked up at Zhen Hua's hopeful expression, pondered for a moment, and did not reach out to take it. He knew very well what it meant to take the sachet, but Zhen Hua was able to enter the palace because of the Zhen family, and the fault was not Zhen Hua's. How could he refuse tactfully so as not to seem so hurtful?
Seeing Shui Rong's hesitation, Zhen Hua's face turned pale, and her rosy lips looked pale. As a girl, she was very bold to give Shui Rong a sachet. If Shui Rong refused, she would be too ashamed to face others. Thinking of this, Zhen Hua bit her lips, stepped forward, stuffed the sachet in her hand to Shui Rong, and said hurriedly: "Cousin, this is just a pendant, please keep it, I'm going back first."
After saying this, without waiting for Shui Rong to refuse, he hurried away with staggering steps, his eyes as bright as stars and twinkling with starlight.
Shui Rong looked at the fleeing figure in astonishment, feeling inexplicably that he seemed to have hurt the heart of the young girl who was just beginning to fall in love.
After a moment of silence, Shui Rong sighed softly and squeezed the sachet in his hand. A refreshing fragrance filled the air, making people feel refreshed. It seemed to be mixed with the fragrance of his daughter. It seemed that he was keeping it close to his heart.
It is the most difficult to accept the favor of a beauty. If Zhen Hua had not come for the position of Princess Beijing, he would not be polite. It's just that even if Zhen Hua is willing, I'm afraid the Zhen family will not.
Just as Shui Rong was sighing in his heart, Ying Luo came forward, looked at the sachet in Shui Rong's hand, and praised: "Your Majesty, this sachet is embroidered delicately. Miss Zhen has a very skillful hand."
Shui Rong came back to his senses, raised his eyes to look at Ying Luo, and said jokingly: "Everyone has left, what's the point of flattering them now."
Yingluo raised her eyebrows slightly when she heard that. Her rosy almond eyes couldn't help but become angry. She pursed her lips and said, "That's not what I said. Your Majesty, please don't wrongly accuse me."
She just thought the embroidered sachet was pretty, it wasn't any flattery at all.
Shui Rong didn't take it seriously and put away the sachet, planning to make plans later. Seeing Ying Luo's hesitation, he asked, "Little slut, is there anything you can't say in front of me?"
Yingluo's cheeks were slightly drunk, and she looked up and glared. Ever since the last time they got close, the prince had been calling her a little slut. He had called her that once or twice before, but now it was becoming more and more common. She didn't even know what was so slutty about herself.
But since the prince liked it, Yingluo just accepted it and regarded it as the prince's nickname for herself.
Pursing her lips, Yingluo asked carefully, "My Lord, do you dislike Miss Zhen?"
Yingluo has been Shui Rong's head maid for three years and has been inseparable from him. She has taken good care of him and knows him inside and out. Her prince is humble and polite to others, but he was unwilling to accept the sachet given by the girl from the Zhen family, which clearly shows that he has no intention of accepting it.
Shui Rong was not surprised to hear this. Ying Luo was not a fool. The matter was so obvious, how could she not see it?
"What? What if I like it? What if I don't like it?" Shui Rong did not respond directly. Instead, he asked Ying Luo. He wanted to see what Ying Luo thought.
Yingluo did not hide anything after hearing this, and said in a clear voice: "Ms. Zhen is the Princess of Beijing, the future mistress of the palace, as determined by the Concubine Dowager. If the prince likes her, then everyone will be happy. If the prince does not like her... I will listen to the prince."
Shui Rong felt relieved when he saw Ying Luo's serious expression. Although Ying Luo was originally someone close to Concubine Beijing, she now belonged to Shui Rong from the inside out.
Thinking of this, Shui Rong stretched out his hand and pinched Ying Luo's delicate nose, and said softly: "Okay, Master knows what you are thinking. No matter who is the mistress, you will be the concubine."
The reason why Yingluo was so concerned about the selection of the mistress was simply because of her identity. If the future mistress was jealous, she would be in trouble and would be driven out of the mansion. In her heart, she would rather die in the palace than leave Shui Rong.
However, although Yingluo is just a maid, she has an emotional foundation with Shui Rong. In Shui Rong's heart, her status is obviously higher than that of the future Princess Beijing. If the princess dares to be jealous, Shui Rong will dare to divorce her.
Hearing Shui Rong's promise, Ying Luo felt reassured. Her pretty face was filled with joy, dimples appeared, and her eyes curved like crescent moons. She clutched the handkerchief in her hand, lowered her eyebrows and said, "What do you mean by aunt or not? That's not what I meant."
Shui Rong chuckled at this. The daughters in the palace were all hypocritical. Shui Rong did not expose them and ordered, "Little slut, just be happy secretly. Send someone to invite Li Changshi and ask him to bring the deeds of the shops in the capital."
The fun is over, it's time to get down to business
"Miss. Miss." Zhen Hua rushed out on the corridor of the palace, and the maid Jingzhe followed closely behind her. Seeing Zhen Hua's hurried steps, she couldn't help but shout.
Zhen Hua stopped and turned to look at Jingzhe. Her pretty face was tearful and she said aggrievedly, "Jingzhe, tell me why I am inferior to Keqing. Why doesn't my cousin like me?"
Her cousin refused to accept the sachet she gave him, but he wore the necklace that Keqing made. How could she not care about such a difference?
Jingzhe felt a pain in his heart when he saw this, and hurriedly comforted her: "Miss, you are the future Princess of Beijing. That vixen from the Qin family is just a concubine after all. How can she compare with you? The prince is just temporarily deceived at this moment, and it will be fine in the future."
In Jingzhe's opinion, the prince did not like his own daughter because of Qin Keqing, who was born with the appearance of a vixen and bewitched the prince, and he even wanted to give the position of princess to that vixen.
Zhen Hua sobbed and choked up, "If my cousin doesn't even like me, how can I be considered a princess?"
Jingzhe didn't take it seriously and said, "Young lady, marriage is decided by parents. The Concubine Dowager has already recognized you, so you are the future princess. As for the prince, he will definitely change his mind after getting to know you better."
That’s right, if the Concubine Dowager approves, then she is the Princess of Beijing. Even if my cousin doesn’t like her now, he will definitely like her in the future. Since things are not set in stone, there is room for maneuver.
Thinking of this, Zhen Hua calmed down, stopped sobbing, nodded and said, "You are right."
Seeing Zhen Hua calm down, Jingzhe felt relieved. After hesitating for a moment, he said carefully, "Miss, in my opinion, the vixen from the Qin family will be a nuisance sooner or later if she stays in the mansion. We must find a way to drive her out."
Zhen Hua frowned upon hearing this, but did not refute. After all, Jingzhe was right. Her cousin's different treatment made her jealous. If she stayed in the mansion, it would only ruin the relationship between her and her cousin.